Adsorbent Regeneration by Non‐thermal Plasma for Elimination of Odorous Compounds from Indoor Air

The non‐thermal plasma (NTP) technique was shown to be a method to improve indoor air quality. In particular in kitchens, odorous emissions can be removed by NTP. A combined concept of adsorption of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and plasma regeneration of the adsorber was tested in adsorption‐regeneration‐adsorption cycles. As reference VOCs, 2‐methylthiophene, 2‐methylpyrazine, 2‐acetylthiazole, nonanal, and trans‐2‐nonenal were selected in humid air streams. These odorous compounds are emitted during cooking and frying processes. The adsorption‐regeneration concept was also tested during a simulated frying process with garlic in rape oil. A hydrophobic zeolite was chosen as adsorber material and placed directly into the discharge zone of a plasma reactor.     

Numerical verification of the continuous calculation method for tip stress during the driving process of the dynamic penetration test

This paper presents a calculation method for obtaining the continuous variation in stress between the tip and the soil during dynamic penetration tests, particularly in the case of using the Panda 3® penetration testing device. The originality of the method is that the tip stress can be computed continuously throughout the driving process. For each impact of the hammer on the penetrometer, data are recorded by sensors located at the top of the apparatus. Then, the stress at the tip and the displacement of the apparatus are calculated with a method based on the propagation of waves in the device. A three-dimensional numerical model of the penetration test, based on the Panda 3® specifications and using the discrete element method (DEM), is proposed in this paper. The purpose of the simulations is to validate the calculation method by comparing the curves of the tip stress versus the penetration distance obtained in two different ways, the first being the distance directly observed at the tip and the second being the distance calculated from the data recorded at the top of the penetrometer, as with the experimental device. The entire apparatus is represented, including the hammer, the rod, and the tip, and is driven into the model soil. The calculation method is applied, and the results are compared to the actual response of the soil to the driving of the penetrometer directly at the tip, which can be obtained with the numerical model. The responses are found to be very similar, confirming the theoretical framework and its underlying assumptions. This method is applied to dynamic penetration tests and provides the opportunity to obtain mechanical parameters other than the tip resistance from the tests.     

Ram‐air kite airfoil and reinforcements optimization for airborne wind energy applications

We present a multidisciplinary design optimization method for the profile and structural reinforcement layout of a ram‐air kite rib. The aim is to minimize the structural elastic energy and to maximize the traction power of a ram‐air kite used for airborne wind energy generation. Because of the large deformations occurring during flight, a fluid‐structure interaction (FSI) routine is included in the optimization, which determines the actual deformed rib geometry and its corresponding aerodynamic characteristics. A qualitative comparison between FSI inclusion and exclusion in the optimization is given. Discrepancies in airfoil profile and structural layout are observed.     

The ETH‐MAV Team in the MBZ International Robotics Challenge

This study describes the hardware and software systems of the Micro Aerial Vehicle (MAV) platforms used by the ETH Zurich team in the 2017 Mohamed Bin Zayed International Robotics Challenge (MBZIRC). The aim was to develop robust outdoor platforms with the autonomous capabilities required for the competition, by applying and integrating knowledge from various fields, including computer vision, sensor fusion, optimal control, and probabilistic robotics. This paper presents the major components and structures of the system architectures and reports on experimental findings for the MAV‐based challenges in the competition. Main highlights include securing the second place both in the individual search, pick, and place the task of Challenge 3 and the Grand Challenge, with autonomous landing executed in less than 1 min and a visual servoing success rate of over for object pickups.     

Identification and Optimization of the First Highly Selective GLUT1 Inhibitor BAY‐876

Despite the long‐known fact that the facilitative glucose transporter GLUT1 is one of the key players safeguarding the increase in glucose consumption of many tumor entities even under conditions of normal oxygen supply (known as the Warburg effect), only few endeavors have been undertaken to find a GLUT1‐selective small‐molecule inhibitor. Because other transporters of the GLUT1 family are involved in crucial processes, these transporters should not be addressed by such an inhibitor. A high‐throughput screen against a library of ～3 million compounds was performed to find a small molecule with this challenging potency and selectivity profile. The N‐(1H‐pyrazol‐4‐yl)quinoline‐4‐carboxamides were identified as an excellent starting point for further compound optimization. After extensive structure–activity relationship explorations, single‐digit nanomolar inhibitors with a selectivity factor of >100 against GLUT2, GLUT3, and GLUT4 were obtained. The most promising compound, BAY‐876 [N⁴‐[1‐(4‐cyanobenzyl)‐5‐methyl‐3‐(trifluoromethyl)‐1H‐pyrazol‐4‐yl]‐7‐fluoroquinoline‐2,4‐dicarboxamide], showed good metabolic stability in vitro and high oral bioavailability in vivo.