Assessment of Biogas use as an Energy Source from Anaerobic Digestion of Brewery Wastewater

Energy recovery from a crossflow ultrafiltration (UF) membraneunit employed in order to improve the performance of an anaerobic contact digester for the treatment of brewery wastewater was assessed. The performance of the pilot-scale anaerobic UF membrane system was studied for over 15 months. At steady-state conditions, an organic loading rate of 28.5 kg COD m^-3 d^-1, a hydraulic retention time of 4.2 days and overall COD and BOD removal efficiencies of 99% and almost 100% were achieved, respectively. Percent methane in biogas was found to be in a range of 67–79% with the corresponding methane yield of 0.28–0.35 m³ CH₄ kg^-1 COD_removed. The potential energy recovery from the system treating brewery wastewater at an OLR of 28.5 kg COD m^-3 d^-1 was 87 MJ d^-1 which would enable to maintain all energy requirements of the feed pump, mixing and heating of the reactor contents. In addition to this, 71% of the energy requirement for recirculating the reactor content through the membranes would also be recovered.     

COMPARISON OF CLINICAL, ULTRASONOGRAPHIC, AND POSTOPERATIVE MACROSCOPIC FINDINGS IN COWS WITH BURSITIS

Clinical, ultrasonographic, and macroscopic findings of bursitis in cows were compared to assess the contribution of diagnosis and therapy planning. Sixteen dairy cows with swelling at the carpal (n = 12) or tarsal (n = 4) region were examined clinically and ultrasonographically and the findings were compared. In 10 patients the bursae were removed in toto. According to the duration of the disease (history) and clinical findings nine and seven patients had acute and chronic bursitis, respectively. Six had fluctuation and in 10 the bursa was firm. Contents were serous (n = 3), serofibrinous (n = 4), serohemorrhagic (n = 2), or purulent (n = 1). Sonographically there was fluid in all bursa except one. Capsule echogenicity varied between hypoechoic and hyperechoic and mean capsule thickness was 9.2 +/- 4.1 mm. Fourteen of the bursae contained free-floating particles. The hyperechoic capsules represented fibrous tissue, and the echogenic/hyperechoic free-floating particles were erythrocytes, purulent exudate, or fibrin masses. Capsule thickness and large free-floating particles could not be detected by clinical examination/centesis alone. However, capsule thickness, bursa contents, and the extent of inflammation could be determined ultrasonographically and this made the decision for different invasive/ operative procedures easier.     

Acrylamide/potassium 3-sulfopropyl methacrylate/sodium alginate/bentonite hybrid hydrogels: Synthesis,characterization and its application in lauths violet removal from aqueous solutions

In this report, it was to investigate that the swelling and dye sorption properties of a series of novel hybrid composite hydrogel sorbent systems containing polysaccharide/clay polyelectrolyte based on acrylamide/potassium 3-sulfopropyl methacrylate and sodium alginate, and clay such as bentonite were synthesized with free radical solution polymerization by using ammonium persulfate/N,N,N’,N’-tetramethylethylenediamine as redox initiating pair in presence of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate as a crosslinker. Swelling experiments were performed in water at 25 °C, gravimetrically. The hydrogels, the semi-interpenetrating polymer networks, and the hybrid composite hydrogel systems that synthesized in this study have showed high water absorbency. Some swelling and diffusion properties were calculated, and they were discussed for the hybrid hydrogel systems prepared under various formulations. The equilibrium percentage swelling degree of highly swollen hybrid composite hydrogel systems ranges are 718-2055 %. FT-IR analysis and SEM technique were applied for characterization. For sorption of water-soluble cationic dye such as lauths violet into the hydrogel systems was studied by batch sorption technique at 25 °C. For equilibrium sorption studies, dye sorption percentage, dye uptake performance, and partition coefficient of the hydrogel systems have been investigated. The values of dye sorption percentage of the hydrogels were changed among 87.11-96.39 %. Consequently, the hydrogel systems developed in this study could serve as a potential device for water and dye sorbent.     

Impact of honeybee and bumblebee pollination on alfalfa seed yield

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effects of honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) and bumblebee (Bombus terrestris L . ) on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) seed production in the west Mediterranean region of Turkey, between 2001 and 2003. The experimental plots (4×3 m) were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications for spring and autumn seasons. Four pollination treatments (caged with bumblebee (BP), caged with honeybee (HP), open-pollinated (OP) and pollinator excluded (EP)) were applied. The effects of honeybee and bumblebee on alfalfa seed yield, number of pods per raceme, number of seeds per pod, and podding rate were investigated. The results of seed yield indicate that interaction between treatment groups and seasons was significant (p<0.01). The highest seed yield in alfalfa was found in OP (66.19kg/ha) in the spring followed by BP (56.48kg/ha), HP (49.20kg/ha) and EP (2.44kg/ha). With regarding to the autumn season, the highest seed yield was found in BP (26.17kg/ha) treatment followed by HP (22.89kg/ha), OP (18.12kg/ha) and EP (1.96kg/ha). The results of this research show that B. terrestris can be recommended as an alternative pollinator to honeybee for alfalfa seed production.     

Diversity and antibiotic-producing potential of cultivable marine-derived actinomycetes from coastal sediments of Turkey

Purpose

Marine environments, especially sediments, are rich sources of actinomycetes that provide many bioactive compounds, primarily antibiotics. The goal of this study was to investigate the diversity of cultivable actinomycetes and their potential to produce antibiotics from sediments collected from the coastal zones of Turkey.

Materials and methods

Thirty sediment samples were collected from nine different coastal sites in three seas surrounding the Anatolian Peninsula of Turkey. Of the samples, 6 were collected from one site in the Black Sea, 18 from seven sites in the Aegean Sea, and 6 from one site in the Mediterranean Sea. Strains of pure actinomycetes were isolated by modified actinomycetes isolation agar (MAIA), M1 agar, M6 agar, and modified R2A agar. Ethyl acetate extracts and fermentation broths were used for the evaluation of antimicrobial activity against antibiotic resistant test microorganisms. The identification of the isolates was undertaken by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Results and discussion

A total of 261 strains of actinomycetes were isolated, of which 66 (25 %) were active against at least one antibiotic-resistant microorganism. Sixty-five of the actinomycetes isolates with antimicrobial activity were Streptomyces spp. and one was Nocardia sp., which implied that genus Streptomyces was predominant. Whereas MAIA agar was the best medium to recover actinomycetes, M6 agar was superior to others for the isolation of antibiotic-producing strains.

Conclusions

Extensive screening of the extracts from the 261 isolates for antimicrobial activities revealed considerable potential to produce antibiotics. These findings imply that actinomycetes from marine sediments of the Anatolian Peninsula coasts have potential for the discovery of novel bioactive compounds.     

Ultrasonographic and macroscopic comparison of the thickness of the capsule,corium, and soft tissues in bovine claws: an in vitro study

This study aimed to compare thickness of the capsule, corium, and soft tissues measured ultrasonographically and macroscopically in selected regions of bovine claws. A hundred and twenty claws (n = 120) of 15 healthy Holstein bovines were obtained. After cleaning the claws, ultrasonographic measurement of the capsule, corium, and soft tissues was performed while submerging the claws in a water bath. Macroscopic measurements were taken after cutting of the claws axially. These values were compared statistically. According to the macroscopic measurements, the mean thickness ± standard deviation (SD) of the capsule for dorsal wall and sole was 6.2 ± 0.1 and 9.5 ± 0.4 mm, respectively. The thickness of the corium and soft tissues for dorsal wall and sole was 4.5 ± 0.1 and 5.3 ± 0.1 mm, respectively. Ultrasonographically, the mean thickness ± SD of the capsule for dorsal wall and sole was 4.7 ± 0.1 and 7.8 ± 0.3 mm, respectively. The thickness of the corium and soft tissues for dorsal wall and sole was 4.3 ± 0.1 and 5.9 ± 0.2 mm, respectively. Findings demonstrated that ultrasonography can be reliably to measure of the thickness of the hoof capsule, corium, and soft tissue in bovine claw.     

Modified Colostomy Technique for Colonic Atresia in Calves

Objective: To report a modified colostomy technique for permanent fecal diversion in calves with colonic atresia. Study Design: Prospective study. Animals: Calves (n=19) with colonic atresia. Methods: Clinical findings, white blood cell counts, radiologic, ultrasonographic, and intraoperative findings were recorded. Calves were randomly divided into 2 groups: group 1 (n=9) had conventional colostomy and group 2 (n=10) had a modified colostomy. Technique efficacy was evaluated by postoperative observation, owner satisfaction, and calf survival. Results: Fifteen (79%) calves were discharged from the hospital; 4 (21%) group 1 calves died within 24 hours after surgery. Two (40%) group 1 calves died 18 and 30 days after surgery and 5 (50%) group 2 calves died 2–60 days after surgery. Eight calves reached slaughter weight (120±10 kg); 5 group 2 calves grew normally but the 3 group 1 calves had lower weight gain. Owners of the calves with conventional colostomy reported that the evacuation of feces was continuous whereas owners of calves with the modified colostomy reported that feces were released through the stoma in intervals. Conclusion: Modification of conventional colostomy by forming an hourglass shaped stoma lessens fecal incontinence but there was no difference in survival rate. Clinical Relevance: Modified colostomy was considered advantageous because of intermittent fecal discharge from the stoma compared with continuous fecal release in conventional colostomy. The modified technique seemingly has a beneficial effect on growth of the calf.