Alkali-stabilized Pt-OHx species catalyze low-temperature water-gas shift reactions

We report that alkali ions (sodium or potassium) added in small amounts activate platinum adsorbed on alumina or silica for the low-temperature water-gas shift (WGS) reaction (H(2)O + CO → H(2) + CO(2)) used for producing H(2). The alkali ion-associated surface OH groups are activated by CO at low temperatures (~100°C) in the presence of atomically dispersed platinum. Both experimental evidence and density functional theory calculations suggest that a partially oxidized Pt-alkali-O(x)(OH)(y) species is the active site for the low-temperature Pt-catalyzed WGS reaction. These findings are useful for the design of highly active and stable WGS catalysts that contain only trace amounts of a precious metal without the need for a reducible oxide support such as ceria.     

Continuous positive airway pressure administered via face mask in tranquilized dogs

Objective – To evaluate the tolerance of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask in tranquilized dogs and compare PaO₂ in arterial blood in dogs receiving oxygen with a regular face mask or CPAP mask set to maintain a pressure of 2.5 or 5 cm H₂O. Design – Prospective, randomized clinical study. Setting – University teaching hospital. Animals – Sixteen client‐owned dogs without evidence of cardiopulmonary disease were studied. Interventions – Eight animals were randomly assigned to each of 2 treatment groups: group A received 2.5 cm H₂O CPAP and group B received 5 cm H₂O CPAP after first receiving oxygen (5 L/min) by a regular face mask. Animals were tranquilized with acepromazine 0.05 mg/kg, IV and morphine 0.2 mg/kg, IM. An arterial catheter was then placed to facilitate blood sampling for pHa, PaO₂, and PaCO₂ determinations before and after treatments. Direct mean arterial pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature were also recorded after each treatment. Measurements and Main Results – CPAP administration was well tolerated by all animals. The mean arterial pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature, PaCO₂, and pHa, did not differ at any time point between groups. Differences were seen in oxygenation; in group A, PaO₂ significantly increased from a mean of 288.3±47.5 mm Hg with a standard mask to a mean of 390.3±65.5 mm Hg with the CPAP mask and in group B, PaO₂ increased similarly from 325.0±70.5 to 425.2±63.4 mm Hg (P<0.05); no differences were detected between the 2 CPAP treatments. Conclusions – In healthy tranquilized dogs noninvasive CPAP is well tolerated and increases PaO₂ above values obtained when using a regular face mask.     

Improving local technologies to manage speargrass (Imperata cylindrica) in southern Benin

Abstract

Speargrass (Imperata cylindrica) is difficult to control in the tropics. Farmers allocate most of their time and labour to weeding speargrass. We investigated in a joint experiment concluded with farmers, how effectively grain legumes suppress speargrass, and the relationships between speargrass suppression, legume grain yield, and subsequent maize yield. Without management, speargrass shoots and rhizomes increased with 31 and 17% per month, respectively. The integration of deep ridging, deep hoe weeding and shading suppressed speargrass more effectively than farmers' practices. Creeping varieties of cowpea that produced most biomass were most successful in suppressing speargrass and in enhancing subsequent maize yields, but erect cowpea cultivars produced more grain. Farmers traded off cowpea yield against speargrass suppression to bridge the hungry gap. They preferred the erect cowpea cultivar wan. The need to forego a harvest and the fact that pigeonpea is not consumed in the area makes pigeonpea presently unsuitable for integration into the cropping system.     

Multiscale spatial variability of CO2 emissions and correlations with physico-chemical soil properties

Spatial variability of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agricultural lands is not well known although it has a great impact on the accuracy of GHG budget.The objectives of this study were to assess the spatial variability of CO₂ emission fluxes (CO_2-flux) and correlate these emissions with soil physico-chemical properties at two spatial scales and at different depths using a new geostatistical approach (coregionalization analysis with a drift, CRAD) that performs multiscale spatial analysis.Two agricultural sites with sandy and loamy soils were instrumented at 108 geo-referred sampling points and at two depths during spring 2007 where soil surface CO_2-flux and soil physico-chemical parameters were measured. The CO_2-flux presented spatial patterns characterized by different scales (i.e., non-spatial, small spatial and large spatial scale components), each describing a different fraction of its variability. About a quarter of CO_2-flux variability at the first site and one fifth at the other site was attributed to the non-spatial component. Strongest correlations were obtained between CO_2-flux and soil temperature, water saturation (S_w), elevation, electrical conductivity, soil bulk density, and the C/N ratio, but with differences between sites. Correlations were much stronger at large scale. Analyzing correlations between CO_2-flux and soil properties without discriminating for scales can miss important scale-dependent processes controlling soil gas emissions. Scales at which these processes vary should therefore be taken into account.     

Surgical treatment and radiation therapy of frontal lobe meningiomas in 7 dogs

The cases of 7 adult dogs with generalized seizures managed by surgical excision and radiation therapy for frontal lobe meningiomas were reviewed. The neurological examination was unremarkable in 6 of the 7 dogs. Five dogs were operated on using a bilateral transfrontal sinus approach and 2 using a unilateral sinotemporal approach to the frontal lobe. One dog was euthanized 14 d after surgery; radiation therapy was initiated 3 wk after surgery in the remaining 6 dogs. Long-term follow-up consisted of neurological examination and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or computed tomography (CT) scan after radiation therapy. The mean survival time for dogs that had surgery and radiation therapy was 18 mo after surgery. Frontal lobe meningiomas have been associated with poor prognosis. However, the surgical approaches used in these cases, combined with radiation therapy, allow a survival rate for frontal lobe meningiomas similar to that for meningiomas located over the cerebral convexities.     

Distribution of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Soils of an Arid Urban Ecosystem

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread environmental pollutants produced by incomplete combustion sources such as home heating, biomass burning, and vehicle emissions. PAH concentrations in soils are influenced by source inputs and environmental factors that control loss processes and soil retention. Many studies have found higher concentrations of these pollutants in soils within cities of temperate climates that have a centralized urban core. Less is known about the factors regulating PAH abundance in warm, arid urban ecosystems with low population densities but high traffic volumes. The relative importance of sources such as motor vehicle traffic load and aridland ecosystem characteristics, including temperature, silt, and soil organic matter (SOM) were explored as factors regulating PAH concentrations in soils near highways across the metropolitan area of Phoenix, AZ (USA). Highway traffic is high compared with other cities, with an average of 155,000 vehicles/day. Soils contained low but variable amounts of SOM (median 2.8?±?1.8% standard deviation). Across the city, median PAH concentrations in soil were low relative to other cities, 523?±?1,886 ??g/kg, ranging from 67 to 10,117 ??g/kg. Diagnostic ratio analyses confirmed that the source of PAHs is predominantly fuel combustion (i.e., vehicle emissions) rather than petrogenic, biogenic, or other combustion sources (coal, wood burning). However, in a multiple regression analysis including traffic characteristics and soil properties, SOM content was the variable most strongly related to PAH concentrations. Our research suggests that dryland soil characteristics play an important role in the retention of PAH compounds in soils of arid cities.     

Mapping the pork value chain in Vietnam: a systematic review

Tropical Animal Health and Production - In Vietnam, pork is the most commonly consumed type of meat, and the demand is expected to rise even further. Nevertheless, food safety is a major concern,...