An energy-economic scenario analysis of alternative fuels for personal transport using the Global Multi-regional MARKAL model (GMM)

This paper deals with the long-term prospects of alternative fuels in global personal transport. It aims at assessing key drivers and key bottlenecks for their deployment, focusing particularly on the role of biofuels and hydrogen in meeting climate policy objectives. The analysis is pursued using the Global Multi-regional MARKAL model (GMM), a perfect foresight “bottom-up” model of the global energy system with a detailed representation of alternative fuel chains, linked to the Model for the Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Induced Climate Change (MAGICC). The analysis shows that biofuels are limited by the regional availability of low-cost biomass, but can be important for meeting mild climate policy targets. If policy-makers intend to pursue more stringent climate policy, then hydrogen becomes a competitive option. However, the analysis finds that the use of hydrogen in personal transport is restricted to very stringent climate policy, as only such policy provides enough incentive to build up the required delivery infrastructure. An analysis of costs additionally shows that “keeping the hydrogen option open” does not take considerable investments compared to the investment needs in the power sector within the next decades, but allows the use of hydrogen for the pursuit of stringent climate policy in the second half of the century.     

Detection of High Explosives Using Reflection Absorption Infrared Spectroscopy with Fiber Coupled Grazing Angle Probe/FTIR

Fiber Optic Coupled Reflection/Absorption Infrared Spectroscopy (RAIRS) has been investigated as a potential technique for developing methodologies of detection and quantification of explosive residues on metallic surfaces. TNT, DNT, HMX, PETN, and Tetryl were detected at loading concentrations less than 400 ng/cm². Data were analyzed using Chemometrics statistical analysis routines. In particular, partial least squares multivariate analysis (PLS) was used for quantification studies. Peak areas were also used for data analysis to compare with linear multivariate analysis. The measurements resulted in intense absorption bands in the fingerprint region of the infrared spectrum that were used to quantify the target threat chemicals and to calculate the limit of detection for each compound. Micro-RAIRS vibrational imaging was also used for characterization of the distribution and form of layers of explosives deposited on stainless steel sheets. The degree of homogeneity depended strongly on the method of deposition. The images were generated by calculating the area under vibrational signals of 15 μm × 15 μm grids with a separation of 15 μm. Histograms of the maps were generated and the homogeneity was evaluated by using standard deviations, mean kurtosis, skewness, and moments of distributions obtained. Methanol solutions of High Explosives (HE) resulted in the optimum distributions on the stainless steel surfaces tested and therefore, Methanol selected as the preferred solvent for the Fiber Optics Coupled-RAIRS experiments.     

Parent cyclosporine in whole blood by monoclonal fluorescence polarization immunoassay for axsym and monoclonal enzyme-multiplied immunoassay for cobas-fara

Secondary tumors of the thyroid are very rare, being the kidney the most frequent place of the primary tumor. The majority of these metastases appear months or years after the primary renal tumor. We report the case of an asymptomatic renal carcinoma discovered after the histological analysis of a thyroidectomy piece. The treatment of the primary renal tumor was radical nephrectomy. Three years after diagnosis and treatment the patient is free of relapse.     

Structure–property relationships of polycarbonate diol‐based polyurethanes as a function of soft segment content and molar mass

Segmented thermoplastic polyurethanes (PUs) have been synthesized with polycarbonate diol as soft segment and 4,4′‐diphenylmethane diisocyanate and butanediol as hard segment. Two different series employing two different soft‐segment molar mass, 1000 and 2000 g/mol, and by changing the hard‐segment content from 32 to 67% have been investigated with the aim to elucidate the effect of the different content variations on the properties. Morphological, thermal, and mechanical properties have been studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), wide angle X‐ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, tensile and tear strength, hardness, and specific gravity tests. Properties have been explained from the standpoint of miscibility between hard‐ and soft‐segment microdomains of the tailored segmented PUs through an exhaustive analysis. FTIR, DSC, and DMA measurements revealed that miscibility between hard and soft microdomains increases as the molar mass of the macrodiol decreases. An increase in hard‐segment content entailed the formation of larger hard domains with higher crystallinity what results in superior mechanical properties such as higher tensile stress and tear strength, and hardness. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41704.     

Study of the Influence of Xanthate Derivative Structures on Copper Sulfide Mineral Adsorption Under Acidic Conditions

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B - Adsorption of commercial xanthate derivatives on copper sulfide mineral (covellite, CuS) was studied by kinetics and isotherm adsorption experiments....     

LC/MS/MS detection of fungicide guazatine residues for quality assessment of commercial citrus fruit

An analytical protocol was developed for investigating guazatine occurrence in citrus fruit with the aim of controlling the import of treated fruits in countries where the use of this fungicide is forbidden. The main constituents of guazatine mixture (GN, GG, GNG, GGN, GGG, GGGN and GGGG) and the internal standard (dodine) were separated by high performance liquid chromatography using a hydrophilic end-capped Aquasil C₁₈ column and detected by ESI/MS/MS of parent ions, operating in positive mode. Extraction from citrus peels was performed with 1% HCOOH in water/acetone (1:2 v/v). The analytical method was statistically validated on three of the main constituents (GG, GGN and GGG) representing more than 65% of the total content. The regression lines, ranging from 0.100 to 3.750 mg/L of total guazatine, showed r ² > 0.990. Recoveries of about 81, 90 and 104% were obtained on average for the fortification level of 0.010, 0.035 and 0.060 mg/kg, respectively; the relative standard deviations ranged from 2 to 8% (n = 6). The limit of detection was below 0.0050 mg/kg, while the limit of quantification did not exceed 0.0065 mg/kg. The method was successfully applied to 77 samples of extra-European citrus fruit collected in the Italian market during the summer 2007. The results demonstrated that 64% of the investigated citrus samples contained guazatine over the residue limit value of 0.010 mg/kg for not allowed pesticides, evidencing the alarming illicit employ of this fungicide in citrus post-harvest treatments.