Researchers ‘look into’ plant cells to increase ethanol yields
The News Review:
- Researchers ‘look into’ plant cells to increase ethanol yields
- County seeks bids for second phase of water sewer system
- Confidence gained at SJSU launched a nursing career
- Welcome To The Sunday Vision online: Uganda’s leading weekly
- Bigger and Better Utility Companies
- Electrolux cops Kiwis’ curry
- Demolition not renewal may be next for building
Researchers ‘look into’ plant cells to increase ethanol yields
Biology News Net – Biology News Net (press release) – Apr 28, 2007
These pores create more surface area for subsequent reactions to take place and give enzymes better access to cellulose the source for cellulosic ethanol. Researchers said this information could help in establishing an economic method for industrial production of cellulosic ethanol… Their research demonstrates that pretreating corn plant tissue with hot water – an accepted practice that increases ethanol yields 3 to 4 times – works by exposing minute pores of the plant’s cell walls thus increasing surface area for additional reactions that help break down the cell wall. “This brings together the tools that link the processing technology to the plant tissue physiology” said Nathan Mosier an assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering at Purdue University. “It helps us understand on a fundamental level what the processing is doing and how we can improve it. ” Mosier said that research further described in a study published Thursday (April 26) in the journal Biotechnology and Bioengineering applies to cellulosic ethanol or ethanol produced from cellulose which is a key component of plant’s cell walls. Using high-resolution imaging and chemical analyses the researchers determined that pretreatment opens reactive areas within the cells of the corn stover – another name for postharvest corn remnants like leaves and stalks – that were previously overlooked. In the next step of processing these enlarged pores are more easily attacked by enzymes that convert cellulose into glucose which is in turn fermented into ethanol by yeast Mosier said.
County seeks bids for second phase of water sewer system
Lahontan Valley News – Apr 28, 2007
URL);Churchill County recently began advertising for bids for a wastewater treatment project Phase II pipeline and for the plant project on Moody Lane and related support components of the second phase of the county’s water and wastewater system. Construction is expected to begin this summer said Brad Goetsch county manager. The county anticipates the Moody Lane wastewater plant to be operational within the next two years. "The purpose of the plant is to accommodate the processing of wastewater from existing businesses and trailer courts as well as handling new developments for the foreseeable future" said Goetsch. "This plant will be constructed modularly so its size can adapt to growth. "He said the facility could be used for the needs of other entities like the city of Fallon or the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe. "The consolidation of services generally happens over time" he said… "The consolidation of services generally happens over time" he said. "We’re seeing it in the Truckee Meadows now. "From an engineering aspect safety hydraulics and economics would be more efficient and beneficial to residents of both the county and the city if the systems are tied together said Misha Stojicevic county engineering and capital projects manager. "I am looking forward to the county and city working together to improve water and wastewater services for the community" he said. The state-of-the-art membrane technology in the facility will produce improved water quality discharge said Stojicevic. The cost of the facility is estimated between $14 and $18 million. "We’ve had great support from Sen.
Confidence gained at SJSU launched a nursing career
San Jose Mercury News – Apr 28, 2007
Parker RN BSN San Jose Class of 1979 Additional reader letters NTE: The following letters are unedited and reflect only the views of the author. In the late ’70s my SJSU adviser and electrical engineering professor was Albert Heckbert. He was a very interesting and entertaining professor who always had “something up his sleeve” to present during his lectures. During the final exam of one particular course called “Fields and Waves” (like radio waves) he would wear a T-shirt with the critical equations (Maxwell’s) written on the front and back. He would then run around during the final exam as different students would call on him to face this way or that Advertisement yld_mgr. place_ad_here(”adPosBox”); way – so they could use the equations… Professor Heckbert was a great inspiration to SJSU students. Robert Ponce Cupertino Class of 1981 I owe my success to the University at which I received a quality and affordable education while attending night classes. Upon graduation with a master’s degree in environmental engineering I changed my career to engineering working for the State Water Board and San Jose Wastewater Treatment Plant in charge of operations and engineering. It was rewarding to convert raw sewage to clean water for discharge into the bay and recycling for beneficial reuses. With my environmental engineering and public administration background I was elected to the Cupertino City Council in 2001 and 2005 serving as mayor in 2005. I have been able to give it back to the community by improving the quality of life for our residents. Patrick Kwok Mayor of Cupertino My most memorable moments at San Jose State University occurred in late February and early March 1968.
Welcome To The Sunday Vision online: Uganda’s leading weekly
Sunday Vision – Apr 28, 2007
5 million litres a month. As if that is not enough within three months another 50MW thermal power generating plant is being set up in Mutundwe and will increase the strain on diesel stocks. The new plant could raise demand by up to five million litres a month when it comes on line. Kenyan experienceKenya following the power crisis in 2000 has tried to reduce its over-reliance on hydro-power and has increased its capacity in diesel generators significantly since. Kenya now has about 400MW of diesel thermal power capacity in operation. Burundi and Rwanda are planning another 70MW of diesel generated energy. “The extra demand for petroleum products to power the electricity generators will have serious impact on availability of fuel in the coming months” Kenya Shell’s managing director Patrick bath was reported as saying last week… “The extra demand for petroleum products to power the electricity generators will have serious impact on availability of fuel in the coming months” Kenya Shell’s managing director Patrick bath was reported as saying last week. More strainAll this new regional demand for diesel has put the 29-year-old Mombasa-Eldoret pipeline under strain. As a result the Kenya Pipeline Company has contracted China Petroleum Engineering Corporation to upgrade the pipeline a project that is expected to be complete in 15 months offering no immediate respite from the current woes. The upgrade will cost sh725b. n Thursday works minister John Nasasira announced that trains had been committed to ferrying diesel from the coast to Kampala but gave no details on the frequency or the amounts of diesel they will ship in. However using rail to ferry the fuel from the coast will mean an additional $20 per 1000 litres compared to using the pipeline up to Eldoret and trucking it to Kampala. Policy change bitesA two-year-old policy that requires oil marketers to pay VAT and import duty upfront for petroleum imports in transit through Kenya has created further supply constraints.
Bigger and Better Utility Companies
Market racle – The Market racle – Apr 28, 2007
But since the early ’90s capacity rates have risen to more than 90 percent from just 65 percent while maintenance outage times have fallen by nearly two-thirds. Plants have gone from white elephants to literal cash cows. The change has come entirely because of plant ownership consolidation. Up until the deregulation in the ’90s nuclear plant ownership was hugely fragmented. Most of the 100-plus reactors in the US were owned by companies that operated no more than one or two nukes. ther plants were held by several owners at once. The result: There was no scale in the business.
Electrolux cops Kiwis’ curry
NEWS.com.au – Apr 28, 2007
article-tools –> April 28 2007 12:00am NEW Zealand whitegoods maker Fisher and Paykel has in part blamed an Australian company for its decision to move 350 jobs to Thailand. The maker of kitchen and laundry products has been based in New Zealand since 1934 but yesterday told the manufacturing staff their jobs would be axed and a new plant would be set up in Rayong Thailand. Vice president of investor relations at Fisher and Paykel Paul Brockett said the move had left managers feeling "gutted" but the company had little choice. He said a decision by Electrolux in Australia to offshore their manufacturing to Thailand meant Fisher and Paykel would lose a 5 per cent advantage over international competitors they held on goods sold in Australia. The 5 per cent duty on competitors only affects other countries while both Australia and New Zealand have plants making similar products he said. ther factors also played a part including the relatively high interest rates in New Zealand and the high New Zealand dollar he said… "It is just the nature of the business worldwide. You have got to keep competitive" he said. Andrew Little from New Zealand’s Engineering Printing and Manufacturing Union said he did not think the move pointed to the death of manufacturing in his country. "I wouldn’t be that fatalistic about it. but it does signal some very negative underlying problems with manufacturing here" Mr Little said.
Demolition not renewal may be next for building
Columbus Dispatch – Apr 28, 2007
Most of the roof and second-story floor are gone. In July 2004 parts of the roof and brick walls caved in. That was roughly a year after Robbins began talking about redeveloping the aluminum-fabrication plant and nearby properties into galleries shops and live-work lofts. Robbins’ company Urban Smart Growth of Hollywood Calif. paid $200000 to have wall braces installed and chain-link fences erected in 2004 according to attorney Lew Merrifield. Merrifield and Robbins said that in 2004 they hired a structural engineer and architect to design a repair scheme and applied for the required city permit. But the city destroyed their application last August after no one picked up the permit or certified completion of repairs… Robbins’ company Urban Smart Growth of Hollywood Calif. paid $200000 to have wall braces installed and chain-link fences erected in 2004 according to attorney Lew Merrifield. Merrifield and Robbins said that in 2004 they hired a structural engineer and architect to design a repair scheme and applied for the required city permit. But the city destroyed their application last August after no one picked up the permit or certified completion of repairs. “Shame on us” Merrifield said. “We just fouled up to put it bluntly. Frank Weaver an intern architect at WSA Studio said he worked on the 2004 repair plans and will resubmit them to the city on Monday.
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