A Single-Stage PV Module Integrated Converter Based on a Low-Power Current-Source Inverter

This paper presents a transformerless three-phase inverter designed for the integration into a special type of a photovoltaic (PV) module, which is capable of providing an output voltage of several hundred volts. The chosen topology, a current-source inverter, features a single-stage power conversion system that directly feeds into the grid. The principle operation and control is described, and a modified modulation strategy is proposed to attenuate common-mode currents. A robust and highly efficient laboratory prototype of a 250-W module integrated converter has been implemented and tested. Its compact and flat design allows the direct attachment to the PV module.     

Dielectrophoretic concentration and separation of live and dead bacteria in an array of insulators

Insulator-based (electrodeless) dielectrophoresis (iDEP) is an innovative approach in which the nonuniform electric field needed to drive DEP is produced by insulators, avoiding problems associated with the use of electrodes. Live and dead Escherichia coli were concentrated and selectively released by applying stepped DC voltages across a microchannel containing an array of insulating posts etched in glass. The only electrodes present were two platinum wires placed in the inlet and outlet reservoirs, producing mean electric fields of up to 200 V/mm across the insulators. The cells were labeled with Syto 9 and propidium iodide and imaged through a fluorescent microscope. Cell trapping and release were controlled by modifying the relative responses of electrokinesis and DEP by adjusting the magnitude of the applied voltage. Dead cells were observed to have significantly lower dielectrophoretic mobility than live cells, whereas the electrokinetic mobilities of live and dead cells were indistinguishable. The locations of the bands of differentially trapped cells were consistent with predictions. In addition, cells were selectively trapped and concentrated against backgrounds of 1- and 0.2-microm carboxylate-modified polystyrene particles. This first application of iDEP for simultaneous live/dead bacteria separation and concentration illustrates its potential as a front-end method for bacterial analysis.     

Using Maude and Its Strategies for Defining a Framework for Analyzing Eden Semantics

Eden is a parallel extension of the functional language Haskell. On behalf of parallelism Eden overrides Haskell's pure lazy approach, combining a non-strict functional application with eager process creation and eager communication. We desire to investigate alternative semantics for Eden in order to analyze the consequences of some of the decisions adopted during the language design. In this paper we show how to implement in Maude the operational semantics of Eden in such a way that semantic rules can be modified easily. Moreover, other semantic features can be implemented by means of parameterized modules that allow to instantiate in different ways several parameters of the semantics but without modifying the semantic rules.     

Effects of morphology and cesium promotion over silver nanoparticles catalysts in the styrene epoxidation

Silver nanowires have been obtained by polyol reduction of silver nitrate in presence of polyvinyl-pyrrolidone (PVP). The as-synthesized silver nanowires were deposited on α- Al₂O₃. For comparison silver catalysts were also prepared by wetness impregnation obtaining irregularly shaped silver particles. Epoxidation of styrene to styrene oxide (SO) by molecular oxygen was studied using the silver catalysts. The main products were styrene oxide (SO) and phenylacetaldehyde (Phe). The promotion effect of the Cs on the silver nanowires catalysts was investigated. The Cs loading was in the range of 0–1 wt.% (refereed to silver). Furthermore, the effect of O₂:C₈H₈ molar ratio on the catalytic epoxidation was also investigated. Silver nanowires catalysts showed superior catalytic activity compared to those prepared by impregnation method. Besides, higher O₂:C₈H₈ ratios improved the selectivity to SO. The catalytic activity showed a maximum performance for silver nanowires promoted with 0.25 wt.% of Cs, achieving 94.6% of conversion and total selectivity to desired oxidation products (styrene oxide and phenylacetaldehyde). Moreover, the cesium promotion also contributed to the increase in the selectivity to styrene oxide. Temperature programmed reduction (TPR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were employed to detect the presence of different species of oxygen in the catalysts indicating that subsurface oxygen was beneficial for the epoxidation. The samples were also structurally characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-visible absorption spectra and selected area electron diffraction pattern (SAED).     

Extraction and use of pigments from maize grains (Zea mays L) as colorants in yogur

The aim of the present work was to determine the potential use of anthocyanins from maize grains as colorants in yogurt. Pigments were extracted from four native maize varieties (Arrocillo, Peruano, Purepecha and Cónico), which possess a high anthocyanin concentration in the pericarp. Pericarp and aleurone layer were mechanicallly removed from grain using a Strong-Scott barley pearled. Yields of pericarp and aleurone layer fraction (PALF) were evaluated. Total anthocyanin content in this fraction was determined by a conventional spectrophotometric method and the anthocyanin profile was obtained by HPLC. One mg of anthocyanin extracts from the PALF was added to 100 g of a commercial plain yogurt. Yogurt samples were kept under refrigerated conditions and color and pH were monitored every 5 days interval, during three weeks. The yields of PALF were 48.4%, 55.1%, 40.2%, and 40.0% for Arrocillo, Peruano, Cónico and Purepecha varieties, respectivelly. The highest total anthocyanin content (259.4 mg of anthocyanins/100 g sample) was observed in Peruano PALF. The color of yogurts dyed with each of the four extracts was different. Yogurts dyed with Peruano and Arrocillo extracts showed a more intense reddish tone than those dyed with Cónico and Purepecha. After 5 to 10 days under refrigerated storage, the color of all yogurt samples changed to a slight yellowish tone according to the Hue values, Nevertheless, these changes were not visually evident.     

Effect of electrical stunning on meat quality of lamb

The effects of stunning on both initial and up to 2 weeks post mortem storage meat quality of Spanish Manchega breed lamb were studied. Twenty-four lambs were distributed into two groups. The first group (US; n =12) were slaughtered without previous stunning. In the second group (ES; n =12) animals were electrically stunned. Meat quality was assessed by examining pH, colour as L*, a*, b* values, water holding capacity (WHC) and shear force (SF). Stunning did not affect any parameter studied in the first 24 h post mortem. There were increasing differences between groups in pH (P<0.001) from 5 days onwards. In general stunning did not have an effect on WHC, SF and colour parameters. Ageing of meat affected SF in the ES group but not in the US one; however, there were no significant differences between treatments at any of the ageing times.     

Flooding and systematic desensitization: Efficacy in subclinical phobics as a function of arousal.

Data from 48 female students show that the level of physiological arousal of these subclinical phobics was not a factor in response to systematic desensitization or flooding. Results confirm the findings of B. A. McCutcheon and H. E. Adams (1975), which indicate that flooding of sufficient duration eliminates avoidance behavior in terms of a behavioral test and spontaneous fluctuations of the GSR, but has little effect on subjective reports. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Off-line solid-phase microextraction and capillary electrophoresis mass spectrometry to determine acidic pesticides in fruits

A method based on solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and capillary electrophoresis/mass spectrometry (CE/ MS) is described for determining simultaneously five acidic pesticides (o-phenylphenol, ioxynil, haloxyfop, acifluorfen, picloram) in fruits. The CE device is coupled to an electrospray interface by a commercial sheath-flow adapter. Emphasis is placed on fulfillment of the speed and sensitivity requirements. The best separation is achieved using 32 mM ammonium formate/acid formic buffer at pH 3.1, with a working voltage of 25 kV. The MS detection of the five pesticides was performed in negative ionization mode. Full-scan spectra with base peaks corresponding to [M-H]- were obtained except for acifluorfen, which gives [M-H-CO2]- as most abundant ion. Compared with the conventional EC-UV, the limits of detection were lower for acifluorfen, haloxyfop, ioxynil, and picloram, by a factor of 20, 20, 50, and 2, respectively. Extraction involved fruit sample homogenization with an acetone-water solution (5:1), filtration, and acetone evaporation prior to fiber extraction. SPME conditions such as time, pH, ion strength, stationary phase of the fiber, sample matrix, and desorption solvents were examined. The recovery of the analytes ranged from 7 to 94%, and the relative standard deviation was between 3 and, 13%. The method was found to be linear between 0.02 and 500 mg kg(-1) with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.992 to 0.997. The limits of quantification were from 0.02 to 5 mg kg(-1). The optimized method was successfully applied to the analysis of acid pesticides in fruit samples.     

Purification and properties of an arginyl aminopeptidase from Debaryomyces hansenii

A metallo arginyl aminopeptidase (EC 3.4.11.6) activated by Co(2+) was isolated from Debaryomyces hansenii CECT 12487. The enzyme was purified after precipitation with protamine sulphate, followed by a weak anion exchange chromatography, gel filtration chromatography and a strong anion exchange chromatography. The arginyl aminopeptidase (AAP) was purified 337 folds, with a 18% recovery. The AAP appeared to be a dimer with a molecular mass of 101 kDa. The enzyme was active in the pH range from 6 to 9. The optimal activity was detected at pH 7.0 and at 37 degrees C. AAP activity was inhibited by typical aminopeptidase inhibitors (puromycin and bestatin), reducing agents (DTT), chelating agents (EDTA, EGTA and phenantroline) and sulphydryl groups reagents (iodoacetate). Ca(2+), Mn(2+) and Co(2+) activated the enzyme, while Cu(2+), Cd(2+), Hg(2+) and Mg(2+) inhibited it. The K(m) values calculated for Arg-AMC (7-amido-4-methylcoumarin) and Leu-AMC were 0.071 and 0.094 mM, respectively. The enzyme showed maximum specificity for basic amino acids (Arg and Lys), but was also able to hydrolyze non-charged amino acids (Leu, Met and Ala) and, at a minor rate, aromatic amino acids (Phe and Tyr). AAP showed higher activity when an acid residue was located at the C-terminal position of dipeptides.The described purification of an arginyl aminopeptidase from the yeast D. hansenii can contribute to the lack of knowledge about the exopeptidase activity in one of the yeasts more frequently isolated in sausage and to understand its role during the ripening of a fermented sausage.     

Comparison of dissolution profiles for albendazole tablets using USP apparatus 2 and 4

The in vitro dissolution of albendazole from three different commercially available products (200 mg tablets) was studied using U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) Apparatus 2 and USP Apparatus 4 in order to compare the release performance of the drug in two essentially different dissolution systems. For both cases, 0.1 N HCl was used as dissolution medium. Only the reference product and one of the generic products studied met the 80% USP 24 specification for albendazole dissolved at 30 min, using USP Apparatus 2. Although the reference product reached 80% of albendazole dissolved at 30 min when Apparatus 4 was used, the generic products' dissolution performance was markedly reduced in this system. Though dissolution rate was slower using Apparatus 4, the total quantity of albendazole dissolved from the reference product, represented by area under the dissolution profile, was practically the same regardless of the system used. Dissolution kinetics of albendazole was adequately described by Weibull's function for all the products. The dissolution time (t_d) derived from data fitting to this function showed significant differences among the products studied. Data analysis based on analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed nonequivalence among the dissolution profiles of generic products compared with the reference product either with the dissolution vessel system or the flow-through cell, as well as nonequivalence among the dissolution profiles using both apparatuses with the same product. Though differences in the dissolution profiles for generic products against the reference product in both systems were found, USP Apparatus 4 showed higher discriminative capacity in differentiating the release characteristics of the products tested.