In response to light, the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) generates a series of slow potentials that can be recorded as the c-wave, fast oscillation (FO), and light peak (LP) of the electroretinogram (ERG). As these potentials can be related to specific cellular events, they provide information about RPE function and how that may be altered by disease or experimental manipulation. In the prese...

an airlift-type activated sludge reactor using a sponge support medium was fed with wastewater containing 500 mg-n/l of nh4 +-n. in order to establish partial nitrification, the reactor was kept at 35°c. moreover, the reactor was started up with the nahco3 solution as an alkali agent to supply inorganic carbon for enhancement of partial nitrification. the partial nitrification was established d...

The conditions present in both in vitro and in vivo ecosystems determine the microbial population harbouring it. One commonly accepted theory is that a species with a high substrate affinity and low growth rate (k-strategist) will win the competition against a second species with a lower substrate affinity and higher growth rate (r-strategist) if both species are subjected to low substrate conc...

The partial nitrification (PN) performance and the microbial community variations were evaluated in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) for 172 days, with the stepwise elevation of ammonium concentration. Free ammonia (FA) and low dissolved oxygen inhibition of nitrite-oxidized bacteria (NOB) were used to achieve nitritation in the SBR. During the 172 days operation, the nitrogen loading rate of t...

Cdt1 is an essential component for the assembly of a pre-replicative complex. Cdt1 activity is inhibited by geminin, which also participates in neural development and embryonic differentiation in many eukaryotes. Although Cdt1 homologues have been identified in organisms ranging from yeast to human, geminin homologues had not been described for Caenorhabditis elegans and fungi. Here, we identif...

The start-up and performance of the completely autotrophic nitrogen removal via nitrite (CANON) process were examined in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) with intermittent aeration. Initially, partial nitrification was established, and then the DO concentration was lowered further, surplus water in the SBR with high nitrite was replaced with tap water, and continuous aeration mode was turned in...

Mutations in genes expressed in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) underlie a number of human inherited retinal disorders that manifest with photoreceptor degeneration. Because light-evoked responses of the RPE are generated secondary to rod photoreceptor activity, RPE response reductions observed in human patients or animal models may simply reflect decreased photoreceptor input. The purpose...

This paper presents first results of an interdisciplinary project in scientific data mining. We analyze data about the carcinogenicity of chemicals derived from the carcinogenesis bioassay program performed by the US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. The database contains detailed descriptions of 6823 tests performed with more than 330 compounds and animals of different speci...

Simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) under low dissolved oxygen (DO) and anaerobic/aerobic(anoxic) enhanced phosphorus removal (EBPR) are two processes that can significantly reduce the energy and carbon required for nutrient removal. The combination of the two processes is expected to achieve biological nutrient removal with minimal requirement of oxygen and carbon. In this stu...