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Lactobacillus reuteri strain ATCC 55730 (LB BIO) was isolated as a pure culture from a Reuteri tablet purchased from the BioGaia company. This probiotic strain produces a soluble glucan (reuteran), in which the majority of the linkages are of the α-(1→4) glucosidic type (∼70%). This reuteran also contains α-(1→6)- linked glucosyl units and 4,6-disubstituted α-glucosyl units at the branching points. The LB BIO glucansucrase gene ( gtfO ) was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli , and the GTFO enzyme was purified. The recombinant GTFO enzyme and the LB BIO culture supernatants synthesized identical glucan polymers with respect to linkage type and size distribution. GTFO thus is a reuteransucrase, responsible for synthesis of this reuteran polymer in LB BIO. The preference of GTFO for synthesizing α-(1→4) linkages is also evident from the oligosaccharides produced from sucrose with different acceptor substrates, e.g., isopanose from isomaltose. GTFO has a relatively high hydrolysis/transferase activity ratio. Complete conversion of 100 mM sucrose by GTFO nevertheless yielded large amounts of reuteran, although more than 50% of sucrose was converted into glucose. This is only the second example of the isolation and characterization of a reuteransucrase and its reuteran product, both found in different L. reuteri strains. GTFO synthesizes a reuteran with the highest amount of α-(1→4) linkages reported to date.

Implementation of today’s large pipeline projects is a real challenge and requires application of our most effective management tools. This is also the case for ongoing corporate and general management within the pipeline industry. The practical use of meditation is a “leading edge” technique that is being utilized more and more by various organizations in a number of different industries. The use of meditation techniques has merit and should be considered as a potential management tool by the pipeline industry. This paper will discuss how a practical and easy to understand and use meditation methodology can be implemented in the pipeline industry as an effective tool to address “soft management issues” such as project team stress reduction, enhanced teamwork, increased creativity and innovation, and improved decision making. Since this is a “leading edge, state-of-the-art” approach for use in project management, the authors will suggest how over the coming months or years meditation techniques might be realistically introduced into pipeline industry management.Copyright © 2004 by ASME

Effective and successful project management of today’s pipeline projects is a challenging and complex task. For the most part, these complexities are not due to technical issues, but pertain to “soft management issues” (communications, team building/alignment, stakeholder management, etc.) that must be immediately and aggressively addressed during project initiation. That is, a key success factor for these projects is setting up for success, upfront at the very beginning, and ensuring the right resources and processes are in place to manage the “soft side” as the project progresses. This includes initiating continuing processes to check the status of the project team climate, interaction health, and development of a “risk sharing/monitoring” culture.Copyright © 2004 by ASME

There currently exist documented project implementation risk analysis and management processes that can be applied to pipeline projects [1]. The more macro type methodology of Reference [1] can be combined with the more detailed analysis presented in this paper to achieve better management of project cost and schedule, and presents an opportunity for the pipeline industry to reduce overall project cost and schedule overruns. Given the significant number of very large, prospective pipeline projects in the world today, many with challenging economic viabilities, effective risk analysis and management may very well make the marginal difference if a particular project proceeds or not.

During the life cycle design and implementation of a pipeline system, there exist a number of opportunities for system optimization analysis. Such analysis has traditionally involved the use of linear programming and simulation techniques. However, these approaches have limitations as more complex problems are considered with more involved and complex criteria. The Ostrofsky Design-Planning Optimization Morphology (OD-POM) is especially powerful because it can handle non-linear objective functions including probabilistic variables. This approach allows the assessment of the interaction among the criteria so that consideration can be given to each criteria as independent. Because of its rigor and sophistication, the methodology compares alternatives in a much more accurate manner for the given data than less comprehensive approaches (for example, linear programming). This example includes the subjective criteria, explicitly in a quantifiable manner and allows the evaluation of the relative importance of the criteria.Copyright © 2002 by ASME

Several long-distance, high-volume coal slurry transportation systems are planned or proposed for the United States. These new systems offer a method of transport that is both economical and environmentally attractive. The design of these systems will be a challenge to the pipeline engineer since an integrated, system design of several components is necessary to achieve an optimum overall effect. The pipeline, pump stations, instrumentation and controls, slurry preparation, and utilization facilities must all be considered in the design. The purpose of this paper is to describe the system components of a large coal slurry transportation system in detail and to show the special design considerations required for the overall system design considering the interrelationships of the various components.