I read this book the same weekend that the Packers took on the Rams, and the experience of the latter event, obviously, colored my judgment. Although I abhor anything that smacks of being a handbook (like, \"How to Earn a Merit Badge in Neurosurgery\") because too many volumes in biomedical science already evince a boyscout-like approach, I must confess that parts of this volume are fast, scholarly, and significant, with certain reservations. I like parts of this well-illustrated book because Dr. Sj6strand, without so stating, develops certain subjects on technique in relation to the acquisition of judgment and sophistication. And this is important! So, given that the author (like all of us) is somewhat deficient in some areas, and biased in others, the book is still valuable if the uninitiated reader swallows it in a general fashion, realizing full well that what will be required from the reader is a modulation to fit his vision, propreception, adaptation and response, and the kind of problem he is undertaking. A major deficiency of this book is revealed by comparison of its use of physics and of chemistry to provide understanding and background for the application of high resolution electron microscopy to problems in biology. Since the volume is keyed to high resolution electron microscopy, which is a sophisticated form of structural analysis, but really morphology in a modern guise, the physical and mechanical background of The instrument and its ancillary tools are simply and well presented. The potential use of chemical or cytochemical information as it relates to biological fine structure , however, is quite deficient. I wonder when even sophisticated morphol-ogists will consider fixation a reaction and not a technique; only then will the fundamentals become self-evident and predictable and this sine qua flon will become less mystical. Staining reactions (the most inadequate chapter) ought to be something more than a technique to selectively enhance contrast of morphological elements; it ought to give the structural addresses of some of the chemical residents of cell components. Is it pertinent that auto-radiography gets singled out for more complete coverage than other significant aspects of cytochemistry by a high resolution microscopist, when it has a built-in minimal error of 1,000 A in standard practice? I don't mean to blind-side (in strict football terminology) Dr. Sj6strand's efforts for what is \"routinely used in our laboratory\"; what is done is usually well done. It's just that …

Methods in Enzymology.

▶ Addresses a wide range of timely environment, economic and energy topics ▶ A forum to review, analyze and stimulate the development, testing and implementation of mitigation and adaptation strategies at regional, national and global scales ▶ Contributes to real-time policy analysis and development as national and international policies and agreements are discussed and promulgated ▶ 94% of authors who answered a survey reported that they would definitely publish or probably publish in the journal again

Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change

The current demands of the world’s biotechnological industries are enhancement in enzyme productivity and development of novel techniques for increasing their shelf life. These requirements are inevitable to facilitate large-scale and economic formulation. Enzyme immobilization provides an excellent base for increasing availability of enzyme to the substrate with greater turnover over a considerable period of time. Several natural and synthetic supports have been assessed for their efficiency for enzyme immobilization. Nowadays, immobilized enzymes are preferred over their free counterpart due to their prolonged availability that curtails redundant downstream and purification processes. Future investigations should endeavor at adopting logistic and sensible entrapment techniques along with innovatively modified supports to improve the state of enzyme immobilization and provide new perspectives to the industrial sector.

/pdf/enzyme-immobilization-an-overview-on-techniques-and-support-23u8nfucrt.pdf

Enzyme immobilization: an overview on techniques and support materials.

This research is focused on the ultrasound-assisted removal of Auramine-O (AO) dye from aqueous solutions using ZnS:Cu nanoparticles loaded on activated carbon (ZnS:Cu-NP-AC) as an adsorbent. ZnS:Cu nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized using FESEM (Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy) and XRD (X-Ray Diffraction) analysis. The experiments were designed by response surface methodology. A quadratic model was used to predict the variables. Analysis of variance was used for investigation of variables and interaction between them. High F-value (48.91), very low P-value (<0.00001), non-significant lack of fit, and the determination coefficient (R2 = 0.977) demonstrate good correlation between experimental and predicted values of the response. The highest removal percent attained was 99.76%, and the optimum parameters achieved are: adsorbent amount (0.02 g), initial dye concentration (20 mg L−1), sonication time (3 min) and pH = 7. Adsorption processes of AO by ZnS:Cu-NP-AC could be well described by a Langmuir isotherm and a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The maximum adsorption capacity of AO by ZnS:Cu-NP-AC was determined as 183.15 mg g−1, suggesting a highly promising potential for ZnS:Cu-NP-AC to be used as a new adsorbent.

/pdf/removal-of-basic-dye-auramine-o-by-zns-cu-nanoparticles-2lw3r67uhc.pdf

Removal of basic dye Auramine-O by ZnS:Cu nanoparticles loaded on activated carbon: optimization of parameters using response surface methodology with central composite design

Removal of methylene blue from aqueous solution with magnetite loaded multi-wall carbon nanotube: kinetic, isotherm and mechanism analysis.

The present study focuses on the abatement of Cr(VI) from synthetic wastewater using Chlorococcum sp. The effects of different operating variables like pH (7–11), inoculum size (2–10%), and initial concentration of Cr(VI) (5–40 mg/L) have been examined following one-factor-at-a-time approach. The most effective condition at which maximum removal of Cr(VI) has been obtained as observed during OFAT analysis is as follows: initial concentration of Cr(VI): 20 mg/L, initial pH: 9, inoculum size: 10% and under such conditions the test strain removes up to 67.3 ± 0.03% of Cr(VI) after 12 days. Further, variation of removal of Cr(VI) with time has been investigated at different operating conditions. Simultaneous studies on production of biomass and biomolecules like protein, carbohydrate, and lipid have also been done. To assess the mechanism of metal removal, the distribution of Cr(VI) through biosorption and bioaccumulation has been determined. The biomass has been characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer. Finally, Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Particle Swarm Optimization techniques have been used to model and optimize the phycoremediation of Cr(VI).

Parametric Modeling and Optimization of Phycoremediation of Cr(VI) Using Artificial Neural Network and Simulated Annealing

Retention dynamics of multi-metal contaminants from pond ash slurry onto fine grained soil

We present a design fiction, which is set in the near future as significant Mars habitation begins. Our goal in creating this fiction is to address current work-life issues on Earth and Mars in the future. With shelter-in-place measures, established norms of productivity and relaxation have been shaken. The fiction creates an opportunity to explore boundaries between work and life, which are changing with shelter-in-place and will continue to change. Our work includes two primary artifacts: (1) a propaganda recruitment poster and (2) a fictional narrative account. The former paints the work-life on Mars as heroic, fulfilling, and fun. The latter provides a contrast that depicts the lived experience of early Mars inhabitants. Our statement draws from our design fiction in order to reflect on the structure of work, stress identification and management, family and work-family communication, and the role of automation.

https://dl.acm.org/doi/pdf/10.1145/3492859

Characterizing Work-Life for Information Work on Mars

Fabrication, characterisation and application of Poly Allyl Amine Hydrochloride / Poly Styrene Sulphonate/Zinc Oxide (PAH/(PSS/ZnO)n bilayers in the removal of pollutants from oil refinery waste water

Determination of urea in milk is inevitable in the dairy industry for the quality control processes. A simple and cost-effective method was developed to determine the concentration of urea in milk by silver nanoparticles (uncapped and citrate capped) and ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy. The developed nanoparticles were characterized by UV–Vis, scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and a colour change was noted from yellow to blue upon nanoparticles interaction with urea. A predictive model was developed using the spectral data from the analyzed samples. The developed model was able to measure urea concentration (between 6 mg/dL to 90 mg/dL) in milk with the coefficient of determination (R2) more than0.90 and was validated through para-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde (DMAB) method suggested by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The average accuracy and sample percent relative standard deviation (% RSD) obtained through the developed method + model ranged from 62.67 to 121.85% and 0.11–1.21%. The regression model for uncapped nanoparticles was found to be best-fitted (having R2 = 0.92, average accuracy 103.75 ± 8.69%), with higher closeness to the values obtained for urea by FSSAI-DMAB method. This proposed study proves to be useful for the qualitative and quantitative determination of urea in milk by small businesses in the dairy industry. 

Susmita Dutta

Papers

Parametric Modeling and Optimization of Phycoremediation of Cr(VI) Using Artificial Neural Network and Simulated Annealing

Retention dynamics of multi-metal contaminants from pond ash slurry onto fine grained soil

Characterizing Work-Life for Information Work on Mars

Fabrication, characterisation and application of Poly Allyl Amine Hydrochloride / Poly Styrene Sulphonate/Zinc Oxide (PAH/(PSS/ZnO)n bilayers in the removal of pollutants from oil refinery waste water

Development of a predictive model for determination ofurea in milk using silver nanoparticles and UV–Vis spectroscopy