Recent baby formula milk powder contamination incidents have shown that the classic markers or standards in milk quality control are insufficient in identifying ＂manipulated＂ poor-quality milk. In the present study,...Recent baby formula milk powder contamination incidents have shown that the classic markers or standards in milk quality control are insufficient in identifying ＂manipulated＂ poor-quality milk. In the present study, we demonstrated for the first time that cow milk contains large amounts of microRNAs （miRNAs） and that the unique expression profile of milk-specific miRNAs can serve as a novel indicator and possible new standard for the quafity control of raw milk and milk-related commercial products, such as fluid milk and powdered formula milk. First, using Solexa sequencing, we systematically screened miRNA expression in raw milk and identified a total of 245 miR- NAs in raw milk. Unlike other classic biomarkers whose expression levels are nearly identical at different periods of lactation, individual miRNAs can be significantly altered during lactation process, implicating that miRNAs may be a more accurate indicator to reflect the quality alteration of milk. Second, using TaqMan probe-based miRNA quantitative RT-PCR, we further identified seven miRNAs that have a relatively consistent expression throughout the lactation process, and more importantly, the expression profile of these seven milk-specific miRNAs can serve as an ideal biomarker for discriminating poor-quality or ＂manipulated＂ milk from pure raw milk, as well as for the quality control of commercial milk products, such as fluid milk and powdered formula milk. Together, our findings provide a basis for understanding the physiological role of milk miRNAs and a new potential standard for determining the quality of raw milk or milk-related commercial products.展开更多
Plastic bags, though commonly used for packaging of goods, are highly durable and non- biodegradable. Plastic bag litter serves as a negative environmental externality detrimental to animal health and natural beauty o...Plastic bags, though commonly used for packaging of goods, are highly durable and non- biodegradable. Plastic bag litter serves as a negative environmental externality detrimental to animal health and natural beauty of the environment. In an effort to curtail the excessive use of plastic bags in Botswana, the government introduced a plastic levy targeted at consumers at retail points. This study uses primary data collected from 367 respondents randomly selected from six geospatially and purposively selected shopping malls to determine the consumers＇ willingness to pay （WTP） for continued plastic bag usage and their willingness to accept （WTA） to shift to eco-friendly alternatives. The results of the study revealed that open dumping and burning of plastic litter are more common in Maun than in Gaborone, It also showed that there is a significant relationship between the level of education and W＇FP. Further, there is a significant variation in income and education in respect to environmental awareness. The government should improve its efforts of sensitizing the public about the improper disposal of plastic bags.展开更多
The results of commercial application of two types of C_8 aromatics isomerization catalysts under different feed conditions were compared to gain an insight in the techno-economical basis for selecting proper technolo...The results of commercial application of two types of C_8 aromatics isomerization catalysts under different feed conditions were compared to gain an insight in the techno-economical basis for selecting proper technological route at the plant.The comparison reveals differences in every aspect of feed consumption,unit capacity,product output,product distribution,and unit process parameters depending upon which catalyst type is adopted by the integrated PX complex.The type of aromatics isomerization catalyst has its influence on the plant scale,the construction cost,the process unit capacity and the product cost,with the magnitude of its impact varying with changing feed conditions.展开更多
A supply chain is a network that performs the procurement of raw material, the transportation of raw material to intermediate and end products, and the distribution of end products to retailers or customers. Installat...A supply chain is a network that performs the procurement of raw material, the transportation of raw material to intermediate and end products, and the distribution of end products to retailers or customers. Installation and operation of distribution centers and all downstream members play a vital role in fulfilling the customers demand and have a great impact for supply chain management performance. In this paper we address a new approach for solving a supply chain optimization model to decide distribution centers based on environmental consideration.展开更多
基金This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China （30225037, 30471991, 30570731）, the 973 Program of China （2006CB503909, 2004CB518603）, the ＂111＂ Project, and the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province （BK2004082, BIC2006714）.
文摘Recent baby formula milk powder contamination incidents have shown that the classic markers or standards in milk quality control are insufficient in identifying ＂manipulated＂ poor-quality milk. In the present study, we demonstrated for the first time that cow milk contains large amounts of microRNAs （miRNAs） and that the unique expression profile of milk-specific miRNAs can serve as a novel indicator and possible new standard for the quafity control of raw milk and milk-related commercial products, such as fluid milk and powdered formula milk. First, using Solexa sequencing, we systematically screened miRNA expression in raw milk and identified a total of 245 miR- NAs in raw milk. Unlike other classic biomarkers whose expression levels are nearly identical at different periods of lactation, individual miRNAs can be significantly altered during lactation process, implicating that miRNAs may be a more accurate indicator to reflect the quality alteration of milk. Second, using TaqMan probe-based miRNA quantitative RT-PCR, we further identified seven miRNAs that have a relatively consistent expression throughout the lactation process, and more importantly, the expression profile of these seven milk-specific miRNAs can serve as an ideal biomarker for discriminating poor-quality or ＂manipulated＂ milk from pure raw milk, as well as for the quality control of commercial milk products, such as fluid milk and powdered formula milk. Together, our findings provide a basis for understanding the physiological role of milk miRNAs and a new potential standard for determining the quality of raw milk or milk-related commercial products.
文摘Plastic bags, though commonly used for packaging of goods, are highly durable and non- biodegradable. Plastic bag litter serves as a negative environmental externality detrimental to animal health and natural beauty of the environment. In an effort to curtail the excessive use of plastic bags in Botswana, the government introduced a plastic levy targeted at consumers at retail points. This study uses primary data collected from 367 respondents randomly selected from six geospatially and purposively selected shopping malls to determine the consumers＇ willingness to pay （WTP） for continued plastic bag usage and their willingness to accept （WTA） to shift to eco-friendly alternatives. The results of the study revealed that open dumping and burning of plastic litter are more common in Maun than in Gaborone, It also showed that there is a significant relationship between the level of education and W＇FP. Further, there is a significant variation in income and education in respect to environmental awareness. The government should improve its efforts of sensitizing the public about the improper disposal of plastic bags.
文摘The results of commercial application of two types of C_8 aromatics isomerization catalysts under different feed conditions were compared to gain an insight in the techno-economical basis for selecting proper technological route at the plant.The comparison reveals differences in every aspect of feed consumption,unit capacity,product output,product distribution,and unit process parameters depending upon which catalyst type is adopted by the integrated PX complex.The type of aromatics isomerization catalyst has its influence on the plant scale,the construction cost,the process unit capacity and the product cost,with the magnitude of its impact varying with changing feed conditions.
文摘A supply chain is a network that performs the procurement of raw material, the transportation of raw material to intermediate and end products, and the distribution of end products to retailers or customers. Installation and operation of distribution centers and all downstream members play a vital role in fulfilling the customers demand and have a great impact for supply chain management performance. In this paper we address a new approach for solving a supply chain optimization model to decide distribution centers based on environmental consideration.
