Transformation of Penicillium expansum with the pBT6 vector yielded 8 to 34 transformants per μg of DNA. Hybridization analyses revealed that homologous recombination occurred in most of the transformants. Twenty-one out of 25 transformants analysed showed hybridization patterns which were indistinguishable from that of the wild type.

The first studies on peroxide-induced degradation of polypropylene (PP) date back to the 1960s. Most of the systematic work in this area was carried out in the 1970s. In 1983, about 5% of the world-wide PP production was finalized in controlled rheology (CR) processes; nowadays, this number is about 20%.

Ni-2V, Ni-5V, Ni-12V, Ni-10Cr, Ni-20Cr, andNi-3Nb alloys were carbonitrided inC₃H₆ and NH₃ gasmixtures (bal. H₂) over the range700-1000^°C. Carbonitridation of Ni-12V and Ni-20Cr inC₃H₆/NH₃/H₂(1.5/1.5/97 v/o) and (1.5/10/88.5 v/o) produced duplexsubscales consisting of near-surface nitrides with underlying carbides. Growth of each zone obeyedthe parabolic rate law under most conditions. Thepresence of carbon generally did not effect the depth ofthe nitride zones compared to nitriding the alloys in NH₃/H₂ (10/90 v/o).However, at 700^°C, the nitride zones weredeeper in the carbonitrided Ni-V alloys and Ni-20Cr. Thepresence of nitrogen generally increased the depth of the carbide zones in Ni-12V andNi-20Cr compared to carburizing these alloys inC₃H₆/H₂ (1.5/98.5 v/o).VN, CrN, and NbN formed in Ni-V, Ni-Cr, and Ni-Nballoys, respectively, whereas the underlying carbidelayers contained V₄C₃ in Ni-12V,Cr₃C₂ above a zone ofCr₇C₃ in Ni-20Cr, and NbC inNi-3Nb. The solubilities and diffusivities of nitrogenand carbon in nickel were determined. Nitrogen andcarbon each exhibited retrograde solubility withtemperature in pure Ni in both carbonitridingenvironments. Nitrogen diffusion in nickel was generallylower in each carbonitriding mixture compared tonitrogen diffusion in a nitriding environment, except at700^°C when nitrogen diffusion was higher. Carbon diffusion in nickel was generally higherin the carbonitriding environments compared to carbondiffusion in a carburizing environment.

A preliminary test of a liquid mercury target for the production of neutrons by spallation was undertaken at the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron facility at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Neutron activation of elemental foils placed on the target demonstrates that a range of neutron energies does exist, as expected, and that the neutron flux is at a maximum 10–20 cm from the front of the target, moving deeper with increasing proton energy. Uncertainties in the activity calculations are in general significantly <10%. Impurities in some of the foils are a significant source of interference for some reactions, although there is no interference for most of the reactions. The presence of many interference-free reactions, along with the low uncertainties indicates that the foils will be useful benchmarks to validate the neutronics codes utilized in the target design.

The use of inexpensive biosorbents to sequester heavy metals from aqueous solutions, is one of the most promising technologies being developed to remove these toxic contaminants from wastewaters. Considering this challenge, the viability of Cr(III) and Pb(II) removal from aqueous solutions using a flocculating brewer's yeast residual biomass from a Portuguese brewing industry was studied. The influence of physicochemical factors such as medium pH, biomass concentration and the presence of a co-ion was characterised. Metal uptake kinetics and equilibrium were also analysed, considering different incubation temperatures. For both metals, uptake increased with medium pH, being maximal at 5.0. Optimal biomass concentration for the biosorption process was determined to be 4.5 g dry weight/l. In chromium and lead mixture solutions, competition for yeast binding sites was observed between the two metals, this competition being pH dependent. Yeast biomass showed higher selectivity and uptake capacity to lead. Chromium uptake kinetic was characterised as having a rapid initial step, followed by a slower one. Langmuir model describes well chromium uptake equilibrium. Lead uptake kinetics suggested the presence of mechanisms other than biosorption, possibly including its precipitation.

In the 1980s, human and murine forms of many hematopoietic colony stimulating factors were cloned. One factor that was purified, cloned, and produced in commercial quantities was granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF, Filgrastim), a protein that acts on the neutrophil lineage. Neutrophils are the body’s major defence against infections. The initial licensing indication for Filgrastim was the amelioration of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. It has been approved in more than 75 countries for a variety of uses, including aplastic anaemia, severe chronic neutropenia, and the mobilisation of peripheral blood progenitor cells for transplantation. Filgrastim has an excellent safety profile with the only common side effect of administration reported being mild to moderate bone pain. Current issues being investigated include evaluation of the cost benefit of Filgrastim in various clinical settings and impact on survival in dose-intensive chemotherapy with Filgrastim given as an adjunct treatment.

Allyldimethyldodecylammonium bromide was polymerized by γ-ray irradiation in both hexagonal and cubic mesophases, and the conversion–time curves were obtained. The maximum conversion was about 35%, and the polymer remained in the liquid-crystalline structure formed by the nonpolymerized monomers. The influence of polymerization on the distribution of water in the different types related to the hydrophilic surfaces of microstructures was studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The incomplete polymerization was explained by steric constraints in the liquid-crystalline structures.