Energy storage and control optimization for an electric vehicle

Two big issues involving electric vehicles are energy supply and power management control. To deal with the energy supply problem, this paper proposes the application of a hybrid energy source system, composed of battery pack and ultracapacitor bank. The power management control between the energy supplies was defined by a fuzzy logic with inference rules optimized through genetic algorithm. The genetic algorithm optimizes lower and upper limits of membership functions aiming to reduce the hybrid energy source system total mass while maximizing the electric vehicle drive range and performance. Through the Pareto frontier, we found the best trade‐off solution.     

Mapping of gene controlling thiamine transport in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A recessive mutation leading to complete loss of thiamine uptake in Saccharomyces cerevisiae was mapped on the left arm of chromosome VII, approximately 56cM centromere-distal to trp5. As the analysed locus is relatively distant from its centromere and from the markers used, its attachment to chromosome VII was confirmed by chromosome loss methods.     

Laccases and Tyrosinases in Organic Synthesis

Laccases (Lac) and tyrosinases (TYR) are mild oxidants with a great potential in research and industry. In this work, we review recent advances in their use in organic synthesis. We summarize recent examples of Lac-catalyzed oxidation, homocoupling and heterocoupling, and TYR-catalyzed ortho-hydroxylation of phenols. We highlight the combination of Lac and TYR with other enzymes or chemical catalysts. We also point out the biological and pharmaceutical potential of the products, such as dimers of piceid, lignols, isorhamnetin, rutin, caffeic acid, 4-hydroxychalcones, thiols, hybrid antibiotics, benzimidazoles, benzothiazoles, pyrimidine derivatives, hydroxytyrosols, alkylcatechols, halocatechols, or dihydrocaffeoyl esters, etc. These products include radical scavengers; antibacterial, antiviral, and antitumor compounds; and building blocks for bioactive compounds and drugs. We summarize the available enzyme sources and discuss the scalability of their use in organic synthesis. In conclusion, we assume that the intensive use of laccases and tyrosinases in organic synthesis will yield new bioactive compounds and, in the long-term, reduce the environmental impact of industrial organic chemistry.     

Magnetic response of soils and vegetation to heavy metal pollution--a case study

Fast and cost-effective detection of industrial pollution can significantly promote its ecological, economic, and social assessment. A magnetometric method, used for qualitative determination of anthropogenic contamination, meets these requirements but needs further development in more quantitative terms. It could be used successfully in numerous cases when the heavy metals coexist with strongly magnetic iron oxide particles in the source dust. We present an integrated magnetic and geochemical study that examines the utility of magnetometric techniques for rapid, qualitative detection of metallic pollutants in soils and vegetation. The new aspect of our approach, in comparison with previously published articles on this subject, is the combined investigation (magnetic and geochemical) of both soils and vegetation, thus using an additional medium for employing the magnetometry as a pollution proxy at a site. The study area is a small (approximately 3 km2) region in the suburbs of Sofia (Bulgaria), with the main pollution source being a metallurgical factory. Soil samples have been taken from the topmost 20 cm from private gardens, located at different distances from the factory. Vegetation samples were taken from ryegrass (both leaves and roots) and leaves from two kinds of deciduous trees (maple and acacia). The results show that both vegetation and soils are characterized by enhanced magnetic properties, compared to background material, which is due to the presence of magnetite particles of anthropogenic origin accompanying heavy metal emissions. SEM images and microprobe analyses reveal the presence of a significant amount of particles, containing heavy metals (including iron) in vegetation samples taken close to the main pollution source. Correlation analyses show a statistically significant link (correlation coefficients ranging from 0.6 to 0.7) between magnetic susceptibility and the main heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Pb) in soil samples, indicating that the magnetic susceptibility can provide a proxy method for identifying the relative contribution of industrial pollution in soils and vegetation, that is reliable, inexpensive, and less time-consuming than standard chemical analyses.     

Drosophila as a Model System for Studying of the Evolution and Functional Specialization of the Y Chromosome

The Y chromosome is one of the sex chromosomes found in males of animals of different taxa, including insects and mammals. Among all chromosomes, the Y chromosome is characterized by a unique chromatin landscape undergoing dynamic evolutionary change. Being entirely heterochromatic, the Y chromosome as a rule preserves few functional genes, but is enriched in tandem repeats and transposons. Due to difficulties in the assembly of the highly repetitive Y chromosome sequence, deep analyses of Y chromosome evolution, structure, and functions are limited to a few species, one of them being Drosophila melanogaster. Despite Y chromosomes exhibiting high structural divergence between even closely related species, Y-linked genes have evolved convergently and are mainly associated with spermatogenesis-related activities. This indicates that male-specific selection is a dominant force shaping evolution of Y chromosomes across species. This review presents our analysis of current knowledge concerning Y chromosome functions, focusing on recent findings in Drosophila. Here we dissect the experimental and bioinformatics data about the Y chromosome accumulated to date in Drosophila species, providing comparative analysis with mammals, and discussing the relevance of our analysis to a wide range of eukaryotic organisms, including humans.     

Effect of amine-terminated butadiene-acrylonitrile/clay combinations on the structure and properties of epoxy nanocomposites

The effect of the clay content and the method of its combination with amine-terminated butadiene-acrylonitrile (ATBN) on the structure and behavior of epoxy was studied. In the case of the simultaneous addition of both components, the increasing clay content had a very small effect on the size of the reaction-induced phase separation-formed particles at 5% rubber content due to predominant elimination of two major clay effects, i.e., the nucleation due to phase separation and the kinetics. As a result, both the time window between the onset of phase separation and vitrification and the viscosity at the cloud point did not change significantly. The minor change in the particle size/clay content dependences with different curing temperatures indicates that the balance between the two clay effects shifted. The corresponding study of the mechanical behavior indicated that the best balanced mechanical properties were obtained at certain clay/ATBN ratios, and thus, there was synergy between the components. Similar mechanical parameters were obtained for the application of both components in the form of ATBN/montmorillonite intercalate. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Some metal compounds in the phase of crosslinked ionic polymer—precursors for new sorbents and catalysts

A commercial crosslinked ionic polymer AV‐17 containing ? N(CH₃)₃Cl groups was used. The common compounds of Bi(III) and Al(III); Bi(III) and Cr(III); Bi(III) and Fe(III); Bi(III) and FeOOH and of three components—Bi(III), Fe(III), and Cr(III); Bi(III), FeOOH, and Cr(III) were obtained in the AV‐17 polymer phase and investigated using scanning electron microscopy, powder X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy. It was shown that metal‐containing compounds were concentrated on the surface of the polymer granules. The compounds were in the crystalline (BiOCl) or amorphous (jarosites and oxihydroxides) state. The morphology and composition of the metal‐containing ultra dispersed particles were different on the surface and in the volume of the polymer granule. Most of the metal‐containing compounds were in the form of pseudo spherical particles, but compounds containing Bi(III) and FeOOH in the volume of AV‐17 granule, were in the form of clew of nanometer fibers. Thermogravimetric analysis (in an N₂ atmosphere) in the range 24–1000°C of the metallic compounds containing polymer was also carried out. The metal‐containing polymer samples were stable up to 120°C. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

BF<Subscript>3</Subscript>OEt<Subscript>2</Subscript>-coinitiated cationic polymerization of cyclopentadiene in the presence of water at room temperature

The cationic polymerization of cyclopentadiene (CPD) with 1-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethanol (1)/BF₃OEt₂ initiating system in CH₂Cl₂:CH₃CN 4:1 (v/v) mixture at room temperature and in the presence of water ([H₂O]/[BF₃OEt₂] up to 8) is reported. The number-average molecular weights of obtained polymers increased in direct proportion to monomer conversion or initial monomer concentration (M _n ≤ 4,000 g mol⁻¹) in agreement with calculated values, and were inversely proportional to initiator concentration. Polymer MWDs were relatively narrow (M _w/M _n = 1.4–1.7) up to 60% of monomer conversion. It was also shown that regioselectivity of CPD polymerization with 1/BF₃OEt₂ initiating system did not depend significantly on water, monomer, or initiator concentration (1,4-structures content was nearly 60% in all cases).     

Novel initiating system based on AlCl3 etherate for quasiliving cationic polymerization of styrene

Summary Quasiliving cationic polymerization of styrene was obtained in the system 2-phenyl-2-propano-/AlCl₃·OBu₂/Bu₂O in a mixture of 1,2-dichloroethane and n-hexane (55:45 viv) at -15 °C. The molecular weights of the polymers (M_n) increased in direct proportion to the monomer conversion. However, the experimental M_ns are essentially higher than theoretical ones, indicating that slow initiation relative to propagation takes place. The molecular weight distributions were broad (M_w/M_n2.5), probably due to the slow initiation and slow exchange between reversibly terminated and propagating species.