The role of weathering on fly ash charge distribution during triboelectrostatic beneficiation

Triboelectrostatic beneficiation of coal combustion fly ashes with high-unburned carbon contents can produce low-carbon ash products having value as mineral admixtures and meeting technical requirements for replacing cement in concrete. This capability is a result of establishing bipolar charge on mineral ash versus carbon particles where, typically, unburned carbon attains positive surface charge and ash attains negative surface charge under the tribocharging conditions employed in triboelectrostatic technologies. However, long-term exposure of fly ash to weathering conditions, such as moisture or high humidity, before beneficiation is known to dramatically diminish carbon-ash separation efficiencies. Although experimentation has shown that water soluble surface species can be redistributed on fly ash particles after exposure to moisture, which could affect the extent of charging and polarities, measurement of the actual amount of charge and polarity on particles after weathering exposure versus after removal of surface moisture has not been accomplished. Hence, a new experimental methodology was developed and applied to measure charge distributions on tribocharged ash and carbon particles in a fly ash that had been exposed to weathering conditions for 6 months before and after removal of the surface moisture. Weathered ash particles were found to have an average zero charge, whereas carbon particles attained an average negative charge, opposite of the normal polarity for carbon. Although the extent of uncharged particles decreased and ash particles attained an average negative charge after drying, carbon particles attained only an average zero charge. These changes were reflected in very small increases in carbon-ash separation efficiency, in contrast to previous beneficiation tests in which fly ash drying led to significant increases in carbon-ash separation efficiency. It is suggested that removal of surface moisture in the absence of other processes like surface ion redistribution would beneficially impact carbon-ash triboelectrostatic beneficiation.     

Application of calorimetric measurements for biokinetic characterisation of nitrifying population in activated sludge

A preliminary investigation is described on the application of calorimetry as a sensitive technique to evaluate nitrifying activity in activated sludge. Calorimetric profiles (thermograms) related to heat dissipation due to biological nitrification reactions (ammonia or nitrite consumption) have been interpreted. Correlations between calorimetric data and the main process variables, i.e. ammonia and nitrite concentration and oxygen uptake, have been verified, and confirm the potential of calorimetry to investigate, monitor and control even weakly exothermic biological processes like autotrophic nitrification. Heat yields (Y(Q/i)) for ammonia, nitrite, and oxygen, defined as the heat released per unit amount of converted reactant, have been separately evaluated. Moreover, calorimetric experiments on activated sludge from a full-scale nitrogen removal wastewater treatment plant have been carried out and kinetic parameters for both ammonia and nitrite oxidising bacteria have been estimated.     

5′‐Trityl‐Substituted Thymidine Derivatives as a Novel Class of Antileishmanial Agents: Leishmania infantum EndoG as a Potential Target

Two series of 5′‐triphenylmethyl (trityl)‐substituted thymidine derivatives were synthesized and tested against Leishmania infantum axenic promastigotes and amastigotes. Several of these compounds show significant antileishmanial activity, with IC₅₀ values in the low micromolar range. Among these, 3′‐O‐(isoleucylisoleucyl)‐5′‐O‐(3,3,3‐triphenylpropanoyl)thymidine displays particularly good activity against intracellular amastigotes. Assays performed to characterize the nature of parasite cell death in the presence of the tritylthymidines indicated significant alterations in mitochondrial transmembrane potential, an increase in superoxide concentrations, and also significant decreases in DNA degradation during the cell death process. Results point to the mitochondrial nuclease LiEndoG as a target for the action of this family of compounds.     

Novel Glass‐Ceramic Composition as Sealant for SOFCs

This work deals with the design, the characterization, and testing of a novel glass‐ceramic to be used as sealant for planar solid oxide fuel cells and its compatibility with Mn_1.5Co_1.5O₄‐coated Crofer22APU. Thermal, sintering, and crystallization behavior and thermo mechanical properties of the sealant are reviewed and discussed, indicating therefore that these compositions can be deposited at 850°C and provide an excellent compatibility with both the Mn_1.5Co_1.5O₄‐coated Crofer22APU and the anode‐supported electrolyte. In particular, Mn_1.5Co_1.5O₄‐coated Crofer22APU/sealant/anode‐supported‐electrolyte joined samples have been submitted to thermal tests (in air atmosphere) from RT to 800°C (SOFC operating temperature) up to 500 h. No interactions, cracks formation, or failure were observed at the Mn_1.5Co_1.5O₄‐coated Crofer22APU/sealant interface and between the glass‐ceramic and the anode‐supported‐electrolyte after 500 h of thermal tests in air atmosphere.     

Design and technical status of the EU contribution to ITER

Europe is involved in the procurement of most of the high-technology items for the ITER device (e.g. parts of the superconducting Toroidal (TF) and Poloidal Field (PF) coils, the vacuum vessel (VV), the in-vessel components, the remote handling, the additional heating systems, the tritium plant and cryoplant and finally parts of the diagnostics). In many cases the technologies required to manufacture these components are well established, in others there is still ongoing design and R&D work to select and optimise the final design solutions and to consolidate the underlying technologies as, for example, in the areas of heating and current drive, plasma diagnostics, shield blanket and first wall, remote handling, etc. A design review has recently been conducted by the ITER Organisation, with the support of the Domestic Agencies (DAs) established by the countries participating to ITER, to address the remaining outstanding technical issues and understand the associated implications for design, machine performance, schedule and cost.This paper provides an update of the design and technical status of EU contributions to ITER.     

A compact instrumentation amplifier for MEMS thermal sensor interfacing

A compact CMOS instrumentation amplifier, based on a properly modified second order G _m?CC low pass filter (LPF), is proposed as a possible readout channel for integrated thermal sensors. Low noise and low offset characteristics are obtained by applying chopper modulation to the input transconductor. The high input thermal noise density, typical of low frequency G _m?CC filters, has been significantly reduced by adopting a two-stage topology for the first transconductor. Using this approach, an input noise density adequate for thermal sensor interfacing was obtained with no need of off-chip capacitors. The intrinsic filtering property of the amplifier effectively rejects the modulated offset ripple, allowing direct connection of the amplifier output to a low sampling rate AD converter. An original switching strategy involving swapping of the input and feedback ports is used to improve the gain precision. The effectiveness of the technique is proven by means of analytical arguments and electrical simulations performed on a prototype, designed with the STMicroelectronics BCD6s process.     

Specific Cerebrospinal Fluid SerpinA1 Isoform Pattern in Alzheimer’s Disease

SerpinA1 (α1-antitrypsin) is a soluble glycoprotein, the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) isoforms of which showed disease-specific changes in neurodegenerative disorders that are still unexplored in Alz-heimer’s disease (AD). By means of capillary isoelectric focusing immunoassay, we investigated six serpinA1 isoforms in CSF samples of controls (n = 29), AD-MCI (n = 29), AD-dem (n = 26) and Lewy body disease (LBD, n = 59) patients and correlated the findings with CSF AD core biomarkers (Aβ42/40 ratio, p-tau, t-tau). Four CSF serpinA1 isoforms were differently expressed in AD patients compared to controls and LBD patients, especially isoforms 2 and 4. AD-specific changes were found since the MCI stage and significantly correlated with decreased Aβ42/40 (p < 0.05) and in-creased p-tau and t-tau levels in CSF (p < 0.001). Analysis of serpinA1 isoform provided good di-agnostic accuracy in discriminating AD patients versus controls (AUC = 0.80) and versus LBD patients (AUC = 0.92), with best results in patients in the dementia stage (AUC = 0.97). SerpinA1 isoform expression is altered in AD patients, suggesting a common, albeit disease-specific, in-volvement of serpinA1 in most neurodegenerative disorders.     

Glycaemic Control in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: What Is the Role for the Novel Antidiabetic Agents? A Comprehensive Review of Basic Science and Clinical Data

Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and revascularization through percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) significantly improves survival. In this setting, poor glycaemic control, regardless of diabetes, has been associated with increased incidence of peri-procedural and long-term complications and worse prognosis. Novel antidiabetic agents have represented a paradigm shift in managing patients with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. However, limited data are reported so far in patients undergoing coronary stenting. This review intends to provide an overview of the biological mechanisms underlying hyperglycaemia-induced vascular damage and the contrasting actions of new antidiabetic drugs. We summarize existing evidence on the effects of these drugs in the setting of PCI, addressing pre-clinical and clinical studies and drug-drug interactions with antiplatelet agents, thus highlighting new opportunities for optimal long-term management of these patients.     

Trehalose Treatment in Zebrafish Model of Lafora Disease

Mutations in the EPM2A gene encoding laforin cause Lafora disease (LD), a progressive myoclonic epilepsy characterized by drug-resistant seizures and progressive neurological impairment. To date, rodents are the only available models for studying LD; however, their use for drug screening is limited by regulatory restrictions and high breeding costs. To investigate the role of laforin loss of function in early neurodevelopment, and to screen for possible new compounds for treating the disorder, we developed a zebrafish model of LD. Our results showed the epm2a^−/− zebrafish to be a faithful model of LD, exhibiting the main disease features, namely motor impairment and neuronal hyperexcitability with spontaneous seizures. The model also showed increased inflammatory response and apoptotic death, as well as an altered autophagy pathway that occurs early in development and likely contributes to the disease progression. Early administration of trehalose was found to be effective for rescuing motor impairment and neuronal hyperexcitability associated with seizures. Our study adds a new tool for investigating LD and might help to identify new treatment opportunities.