Psychologists' Attitudes and Therapeutic Approaches Toward Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Issues Continue To Improve: An Update.

Psychologists' attitudes and approaches toward the gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) lifestyle continue to change, on the basis of results from 437 responding members of the American Psychological Association. Psychologists are more likely to view an active GLB lifestyle-identity as acceptable and non-pathological, more likely to support and provide gay-affirmative therapy, and much less likely to support changing sexual orientation through psychotherapy. Female psychologists are significantly more likely to view a GLB lifestyle as accepting and to provide gay-affirmative therapy to GLB clients compared with their male counterparts. Finally, training opportunities for psychologists involving GLB issues appear to be increasing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A new characteristic of liquid-liquid systems—inversion holdup of intensely agitated dispersions

As the holdup of dispersed phase in an agitated liquid-liquid dispersion is increased at fixed agitation, a point is reached (called inversion holdup) when the dispersion inverts—the dispersed phase becomes continuous and vice versa. In this work, we present experimental data which suggest that the inversion holdup for sufficiently intense turbulence is independent of all the operational parameters associated with a stirred tank, e.g., stirrer speed, vessel volume, impeller size, and impeller type; it depends only on the properties of the liquid-liquid system. The inversion holdup was verified to remain unchanged even for inversion in turbulent flow field in the annular space between two coaxial cylinders. A hypothesis involving drops in near contact with each other at high holdups is used to explain the experimental data. The new finding may also provide a qualitative basis for selecting a liquid-liquid system with desired extent of mixing in the dispersed phase for carrying out transport and reactions in multiphase systems.     

Phase behavior,density, and crystallization of polyethylene in n‐pentane and in n‐pentane/CO2 at high pressures

The phase behavior and volumetric properties of polyethylene (PE) in solutions of n‐pentane and n‐pentane/CO₂ were studied in a temperature (T) range of 370–440 K at pressures up to 60 MPa. Measurements were conducted with a variable‐volume view‐cell system equipped with optical sensors to monitor the changes in the transmitted light intensity as the P or the T of the system was changed. Lower‐critical‐solution‐temperature‐type behavior was observed for all of the liquid–liquid (L–L) phase boundaries, which shifted to higher pressures in solutions containing CO₂. The solid–fluid (S–F) phase boundaries were investigated over a P range of 8–54 MPa and took place in a narrow T range, from 374 to 378 K in this P interval. The S–F phase boundary showed a unique feature in that the demixing temperatures showed both increasing and decreasing trends with P depending on the P range. This was observed in both the PE/n‐pentane and PE/n‐pentane/CO₂ mixtures. The density of these solutions were measured as a function of P at selected temperatures or as a function of T at selected pressures that corresponded to the paths followed in approaching the phase boundaries (S–F or L–L) starting from a homogeneous one‐phase condition. The data showed a smooth variation of the overall mixture density along these paths. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 89: 2201–2209, 2003     

Performance of clay masonry prisms with light weight plaster exposed to standard fire exposure

Clay bricks are one of the most widely used materials in building construction due to their advantages, including local availability, ease of fabrication and cost-effectiveness. Fire is one of the dangerous hazards that can cause damage the life and property. Lightweight plasters play a vital role in insulating the masonry construction during fire accident. There is only limited data and information available on the fire performance of Clay Brick Masonry (CBM) insulated with lightweight plaster. An extensive investigation was undertaken to evaluate the residual strength properties and physical characteristics of CBM prisms exposed to elevated temperatures. CBM prisms plastered with M-sand mortar, vermiculite mortar, and perlite mortar were used for the investigation. Protected prisms were exposed to elevated temperatures following the ISO 834 standard fire curve for durations of 30 min (821°C), 60 min (925°C), 90 min (986°C), and 120 min (1029°C). Mechanical properties such as axial load carrying capacity, stress–strain behaviour, elastic modulus, and crack pattern were examined. The mechanical properties of CBM prisms were found to be highly influenced by the type of plastering, intensity, and the duration of heating. The microstructure and image analysis confirmed the effects of temperature exposure on protective plasters. Equations are proposed to determine the residual axial compressive strength and the elastic modulus of CBM. It was found that the specimens plastered with perlite mortar had better fire resistance.     

Improvement of enzymatic xylooligosaccharides production by the co-utilization of xylans from different origins

This study aimed to improve XOs production by enzymatic hydrolysis of xylans from various lignocellulosic waste biomasses namely corn cob, cotton and sunflower stalks, rice hull, wheat straw by using two commercial xylanase preparations, Shearzyme 500L and Veron 191. Shearzyme 500L showed better xylan hydrolysis capacity with high amount of xylose liberation. Xylobiose was the main hydrolysis product in each case. Even though the enzymatic hydrolyses using Shearzyme 500L resulted higher reducing sugar production compared to those of Veron 191, the hydrolysis of complex xylan structures was improved and the production of undesirable xylose was lowered by the co-utilization of xylanase preparations. By the co-utilization of xylanase preparations, the reducing sugar production from wheat straw, corn cob and sunflower stalk originated xylans was increased by 36%, 33% and 13%, respectively, compared to the expected reducing sugar yields. The highest reducing sugar production was obtained from complex corn cob xylan. The depolymerization of cotton and sunflower stalk xylan was poorest even though they have simple structures. Poor utilization of these xylans might be related to their high residual lignin content which might hinder the accessibility of xylan by the xylanases. However, the utilization of sunflower and cotton stalk xylan was improved when they were hydrolyzed within a xylan mixture containing equal amounts of each of five different xylans. In short, XOs production efficiency from agricultural waste materials was improved by the co-utilization of suitable xylanase and/or xylan mixtures considering the heterogeneous structures of xylan and different substrate specificities of xylanases.     

The Change of X‐ray Diffraction Peak Width During in situ Conventional Sintering of Nanoscale Powders

Diffraction peaks of nanoscale particles of 3 mol% yttria‐stabilized zirconia become sharper as the powder sinters. The reduction in the peak width is correlated with the increase in density. The sharpening of the peak agrees reasonably well with the remaining free surface area as the sample sinters. Therefore, high curvature of the free surface of the pores is assumed to lead to peak broadening (the grain boundaries that grow at the expense of the free surfaces of the pores do not have this curvature). The change in the grain size during sintering does not make a significant contribution to peak width.     

Pilot plant study of post-combustion carbon dioxide capture by reactive absorption: Methodology, comparison of different structured packings, and comprehensive results for monoethanolamine

Post-combustion carbon capture (PCC) from fossil fuel power plants by reactive absorption can substantially contribute to reduce emissions of the greenhouse gas CO₂. To test new solvents for this purpose small pilot plants are used. The present paper describes results of comprehensive studies of the standard PCC solvent MEA (0.3 g/g monoethanolamine in water) in a pilot plant in which the closed cycle of absorption/desorption process is continuously operated (column diameters: 0.125 m, absorber/desorber packing height: 4.25/2.55 m, packing type: Sulzer BX 500, flue gas flow: 30-110 kg/h, CO₂ partial pressure: 35-135 mbar). The data establish a base line for comparisons with new solvents tested in the pilot plant and can be used for a validation of models of the PCC process with MEA. The ratio of the solvent to the flue gas mass flow is systematically varied at constant CO₂ removal rate, and CO₂ partial pressure in the flue gas. Optimal operating points are determined. In the present study the structured packing Sulzer BX 500 is used. The experiments with the removal rate variation are carried out so that the results can directly be compared to those from a previous study in the same plant that was carried out using Sulzer Mellapak 250.Y. A strategy for identifying the influence of absorption kinetics on the results is proposed, which is based on a variation of the gas load at a constant L/G ratio and provides valuable insight on the transferability of pilot plant results.     

Synthesis of Highly Active Nano-Sized Pt/CeO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Catalyst via a Cerium Hydroxy Carbonate Precursor for Water Gas Shift Reaction

Abstract  

A novel precipitation/digestion route has been developed to synthesize crystalline cerium hydroxy carbonate (CHC: Ce(OH)CO₃) by using an equimolar quantity of cerium nitrate (Ce(NO₃)₃·6H₂O) and mixed precipitants (KOH + K₂CO₃) at room temperature. Nano-sized CeO₂ supports could be prepared by the pre-calcination of CHC at 400 °C for 4 h. A highly active water gas shift (WGS) catalyst, 1 wt.% Pt/CeO₂ catalyst showed almost equilibrium CO conversion with 100% CO₂ selectivity at 320 °C even at the gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) of 45,625 h⁻¹.     

Pilot plant study of two new solvents for post combustion carbon dioxide capture by reactive absorption and comparison to monoethanolamine

Application of new solvents will substantially contribute to the reduction of the energy demand for the post combustion capture of CO₂ from power plant flue gases. The present work describes tests of such new solvents in a gas-fired pilot plant, which comprises the complete absorption/desorption process (column diameters 0.125 m, absorber/desorber packing height 4.25/2.55 m, packing type: Sulzer BX 500, flue gas flow 30–100 kg/h, CO₂ partial pressure 35–135 mbar). Two new solvents CESAR1 (0.28 g/g 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol+0.17 g/g piperazine+0.55 g/g H₂O) and CESAR2 (0.32 g/g 1, 2-ethanediamine+0.68 g/g H₂O), which were developed in an EU-project, were systematically studied and compared to MEA (0.3 g/g monoethanolamine+0.7 g/g H₂O). The two new solvents and MEA were studied in the same way in the pilot plant and detailed results are reported for all solvents. In the present study the structured packing Sulzer BX 500 is used. The measurements are carried out at a constant CO₂ removal rate of 90% by an adjustment of the regeneration energy in the desorber for systematically varied solvent flow rates. An optimal solvent flow rate leading to a minimum energy requirement is found from these studies. Direct comparisons of such results can be misleading if there are differences in the kinetics of the different solvent systems. The influence of kinetic effects is experimentally studied by varying the flue gas flow rate at a constant ratio of solvent mass flow to flue gas mass flow and constant CO₂ removal rate. Results from these studies indicate similar kinetics for CESAR1, CESAR2 and MEA. The direct comparison of the pilot plant results for these solvents is therefore justified. Both CESAR1 and CESAR2 show improvements compared to MEA. The most promising is CESAR1 with a reduction of about 20% in the regeneration energy and 45% in the solvent flow rate.     

Electrochemical oxidation of boron containing compounds on titanium carbide and its implications to direct fuel cells

Electrochemical oxidation of sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) and ammonia borane (NH₃BH₃) (AB) have been studied on titanium carbide electrode. The oxidation is followed by using cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and polarization measurements. A fuel cell with TiC as anode and 40 wt% Pt/C as cathode is constructed and the polarization behaviour is studied with NaBH₄ as anodic fuel and hydrogen peroxide as catholyte. A maximum power density of 65 mW cm⁻² at a load current density of 83 mA cm⁻² is obtained at 343 K in the case of borhydride-based fuel cell and a value of 85 mW cm⁻² at 105 mA cm⁻² is obtained in the case of AB-based fuel cell at 353 K.