Fatty acid composition of certified organic,conventional and omega-3 eggs

The objective of this study was to compare the fatty acid composition of commercially available conventional, certified organic, and omega-3 eggs. Egg components were assessed, and the fatty acid composition of yolk lipids was determined by gas chromatography. Organic egg yolk contained a higher percentage of palmitic and stearic acids than did conventional yolk (P < 0.05) with no differences observed in the monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fatty acid compositions. Compared with organic and conventional eggs, omega-3 egg yolk contained lower percentages of myristic and palmitic acids, and higher omega-3 fatty acids. In a sub-analysis of conventional egg types, the percent of stearic acid in “cage” egg yolk was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than those of “barn-laid” and “free-range” eggs. “Cage” eggs had a significantly lower percentage (P < 0.05) of arachidonic acid than had “barn-laid” eggs. Consumption of omega-3 eggs has the potential to confer health benefits through the increase in intake of omega-3 fatty acids. With regard to organic or conventional methods of production, the small differences in saturated fatty acids observed in the present study are unlikely to have any significant metabolic effect on the consumer.     

Distributed multi-generation: A comprehensive view

The recent development of efficient thermal prime movers for distributed generation is changing the focus of the production of electricity from large centralized power plants to local generation units scattered over the territory. The scientific community is addressing the analysis and planning of distributed energy resources with widespread approaches, taking into account technical, environmental, economic and social issues. The coupling of cogeneration systems to absorption/electric chillers or heat pumps, as well as the interactions with renewable sources, allow for setting up multi-generation systems for combined local production of different energy vectors such as electricity, heat (at different enthalpy levels), cooling power, hydrogen, various chemical substances, and so forth. Adoption of composite multi-generation systems may lead to significant benefits in terms of higher energy efficiency, reduced CO₂ emissions, and enhanced economy. In this light, a key direction for improving the characteristics of the local energy production concerns the integration of the concepts of distributed energy resources and combined production of different energy vectors into a comprehensive distributed multi-generation (DMG) framework that entails various approaches to energy planning currently available in the literature. This paper outlines the main aspects of the DMG framework, illustrating its characteristics and summarizing the relevant DMG structures. The presentation is backed by an extended review of the most recent journal publications and reports.     

Direct utilization of methanol in solid oxide fuel cells: An electrochemical and catalytic study

This study deals with an investigation of the direct methanol oxidation in Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs). A new catalyst formulation characterized by mixed electronic - ionic conductivity was developed for the anodic process. A composite Ni-modified La_0.6Sr_0.4Fe_0.8Co_0.2O₃-Ce_0.9Gd_0.1O₂ electrocatalyst was prepared by incipient wetness and subsequent ball milling. The obtained composite material was calcined at 1100 °C for 2 h in static air. After thermal activation, Ni was mainly present as highly dispersed La₂NiO₄ particles on a La-depleted Sr(Fe_0.5Co_0.5)O_2.88 perovskite. The subsequent thermal reduction at 800 °C in hydrogen caused the occurrence of highly dispersed metallic Ni on the electrocatalyst surface. The surface area of the composite material was determined by BET measurement. The reduced catalyst was used as anode in intermediate temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (IT-SOFCs) directly fed with methanol. Ex-situ catalytic studies for the composite anode material under steam reforming, partial oxidation and autothermal reforming of methanol were carried out at 800 °C. A comparison of SOFC performance at 800 °C in the presence of syngas or methanol as fuels was carried out. The performance achieved for the direct utilization of methanol (350 mW cm⁻²) appears promising for SOFC application in remote and micro-distributed energy generation as well as for portable power sources.     

An adaptive freeway traffic state estimator

Real-data testing results of a real-time nonlinear freeway traffic state estimator are presented with a particular focus on its adaptive features. The pursued general approach to the real-time adaptive estimation of complete traffic state in freeway stretches or networks is based on stochastic nonlinear macroscopic traffic flow modeling and extended Kalman filtering. One major innovative aspect of the estimator is the real-time joint estimation of traffic flow variables (flows, mean speeds, and densities) and some important model parameters (free speed, critical density, and capacity), which leads to four significant features of the traffic state estimator: (i) avoidance of prior model calibration; (ii) automatic adaptation to changing external conditions (e.g. weather and lighting conditions, traffic composition, control measures); (iii) enabling of incident alarms; (iv) enabling of detector fault alarms. The purpose of the reported real-data testing is, first, to demonstrate feature (i) by investigating some basic properties of the estimator and, second, to explore some adaptive capabilities of the estimator that enable features (ii)-(iv). The achieved testing results are quite satisfactory and promising for further work and field applications.     

CFRP加固受拉钢构件的疲劳性能

对采用CFRP加固的钢结构的疲劳性能进行研究,完成了不同荷载条件下的初步试验以评估双侧加固试件的疲劳性能。由于粘合剂的连续剥离导致加固构件的刚度退化,因此,刚度退化被选择作为整体破坏的指标。观察发现,首先从板端部产生剥离,然后沿界面剥离直至破坏。对破坏后的粘合层检查发现,粘合剂-金属界面是加固系统的薄弱点。详细定义了S-N曲线,对试件的疲劳性能与欧洲规范3中详细分类的焊逢疲劳抗力进行比较,结果显示:钢板和碳纤维之间的粘合层疲劳抗力明显高于盖板焊缝的抗力(欧洲规范3:36*-56*条目)。     

Highly Emitting Neutral Dinuclear Rhenium Complexes as Phosphorescent Dopants for Electroluminescent Devices

A series of neutral, dinuclear, luminescent rhenium(I) complexes suitable for phosphorescent organic light emitting devices (OLEDs) is reported. These compounds, of general formula [Re₂(µ‐Cl)₂(CO)₆(µ‐1,2‐diazine)], contain diazines bearing alkyl groups in one or in both the β positions. Their electrochemical and photophysical properties are presented, as well as a combined density functional and time‐dependent density functional study of their geometry, relative stability and electronic structure. The complexes show intense green/yellow emissions in toluene solution and in the solid state and some of the complexes possess high emission quantum yields (? = 0.18–0.22 for the derivatives with disubstituted diazines). In butyronitrile glass, at 77 K, due to the charge transfer character of the lowest (emitting) excited state, strong blue shift of the emission is observed, accompanied by a strong increase in the lifetime values. The highest‐performing emitting complex, containing cyclopentapyridazine as ligand, is tested in a polymer‐based light‐emitting device, with poly(9‐vinylcarbazole) as matrix, as well as in a device obtained by vacuum sublimation of the complex in the 2,7‐bis(diphenylphosphine oxide)‐9‐(9‐phenylcarbazol‐3‐yl)‐9‐phenylfluorene (PCF) matrix. This represents the first example of devices obtained with a rhenium complex which can be sublimed and is solution processable. Furthermore, the emission is the bluest ever reported for electrogenerated luminescence for rhenium complexes.     

MR imaging and osteoporosis: fractal lacunarity analysis of trabecular bone.

We develop a method of magnetic resonance (MR) image analysis able to provide parameter(s) sensitive to bone microarchitecture changes in aging, and to osteoporosis onset and progression. The method has been built taking into account fractal properties of many anatomic and physiologic structures. Fractal lacunarity analysis has been used to determine relevant parameter(s) to differentiate among three types of trabecular bone structure (healthy young, healthy perimenopausal, and osteoporotic patients) from lumbar vertebra MR images. In particular, we propose to approximate the lacunarity function by a hyperbola model function that depends on three coefficients, alpha, beta, and gamma, and to compute these coefficients as the solution of a least squares problem. This triplet of coefficients provides a model function that better represents the variation of mass density of pixels in the image considered. Clinical application of this preliminary version of our method suggests that one of the three coefficients, beta, may represent a standard for the evaluation of trabecular bone architecture and a potentially useful parametric index for the early diagnosis of osteoporosis.     

Hybrid GA and OPF evaluation of network capacity for distributed generation connections

Many methods have been applied to examine the capacity of existing distribution networks to accept distributed generation (DG). One aspect missing from existing approaches is the capability to efficiently site and size a predefined number of DGs. Here, a hybrid method employing genetic algorithms and optimal power flow aims to overcome this shortcoming. It could be applied by distribution network operators to search a network for the best sites and capacities available to strategically connect a defined number of DGs among a large number of potential combinations. Some applications of the proposed methodology in the UK under current Ofgem financial incentives for DNOs confirmed its effectiveness in siting and sizing an assigned number of DG units.