Engineered clay products for the paper industry

The need for kaolin pigments by the paper industry with controlled optical and physical properties have significantly changed the type of filler and coating clays available to the paper industry. Processing equipment now used in the production of kaolin products is much more sophisticated and controllable than in the past. Better understanding of the mineralogy and the physical and chemical properties of kaolins, in addition to improved processing techniques, has allowed the kaolin processors to produce engineered or tailored grades that meet particular needs of the user. Particle size and shape, brightness, gloss, opacity, and viscosity can be altered and controlled to meet specific requirements of the paper coater. Examples of several types of engineered products available for use by the paper industry are discussed.     

Visualising things. Perspectives on how to make things public through visualisation

In this paper, we will be discussing how visualisations can facilitate participatory processes by way of conveying issues of public concern as ‘things’. In the line of Latour’s plea to ‘make things public’, visualisations can be purposefully designed to trigger and encourage public debates concerning a wide range of issues. For this, we explore how a visualisation can be both transparent (i.e. visualising the complex entanglement of backstories of an issue) and readable. Specifically, we clarify the aspect of designing a readable visualisation of ‘things’. First, drawing from different fields of literature (i.e. Information Visualisation, Science and Technology Studies and Human-Computer-Interaction) we will articulate three main aspects of readability: engaging people to interact with a visualisation of complex issues, supporting sense making and encouraging reflection. Then, based on three empirical case studies, we indicate different design considerations in terms of engaging people to interact with a visualisation: contextualising a visualisation (via its location or medium), staging interaction and allowing people to provide their own perspective on the issue displayed. As a conclusion we propose a scenario that allows the visualisation to gradually become more transparent in support of its readability.     

13.3% efficient solution deposited Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells processed with different sodium salt sources

In this work, we obtain the highest reported power conversion efficiency (13.3%) for sulfur‐free CIGSe solar cells by solution processing. Intentional sodium incorporation is achieved directly by dissolving sodium salts in the ink. The effect on solar cell properties of three sodium sources is investigated: NaCl, NaHCO₂, and NaSCN. A comparison is made with absorbers grown on soda‐lime glass substrates and in the absence of sodium sources. The incorporation via sodium salts yields significantly better results, which is attributed to enhanced‐sodium availability. A comparison with identically annealed sputtered metal precursor layers capable of delivering 15.1% module efficiency suggests that the cell results are limited by the selenization procedure. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High-Rate Uncorrelated Bit Extraction for Shared Secret Key Generation from Channel Measurements

Secret keys can be generated and shared between two wireless nodes by measuring and encoding radio channel characteristics without ever revealing the secret key to an eavesdropper at a third location. This paper addresses bit extraction, i.e., the extraction of secret key bits from noisy radio channel measurements at two nodes such that the two secret keys reliably agree. Problems include 1) nonsimultaneous directional measurements, 2) correlated bit streams, and 3) low bit rate of secret key generation. This paper introduces high-rate uncorrelated bit extraction (HRUBE), a framework for interpolating, transforming for decorrelation, and encoding channel measurements using a multibit adaptive quantization scheme which allows multiple bits per component. We present an analysis of the probability of bit disagreement in generated secret keys, and we use experimental data to demonstrate the HRUBE scheme and to quantify its experimental performance. As two examples, the implemented HRUBE system can achieve 22 bits per second at a bit disagreement rate of 2.2 percent, or 10 bits per second at a bit disagreement rate of 0.54 percent.     

Inhibitors of the salicylate synthase (MbtI) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis discovered by high-throughput screening

A simple steady‐state kinetic high‐throughput assay was developed for the salicylate synthase MbtI from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which catalyzes the first committed step of mycobactin biosynthesis. The mycobactins are small‐molecule iron chelators produced by M. tuberculosis, and their biosynthesis has been identified as a promising target for the development of new antitubercular agents. The assay was miniaturized to a 384‐well plate format and high‐throughput screening was performed at the National Screening Laboratory for the Regional Centers of Excellence in Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases (NSRB). Three classes of compounds were identified comprising the benzisothiazolones (class I), diarylsulfones (class II), and benzimidazole‐2‐thiones (class III). Each of these compound series was further pursued to investigate their biochemical mechanism and structure–activity relationships. Benzimidazole‐2‐thione 4 emerged as the most promising inhibitor owing to its potent reversible inhibition.     

Quantification of Amadori products in cheese

To obtain basic information about the extent of the early Maillard reaction in commercially available cheese varieties of varying degrees of maturity, Amadori products (APs) formed between reducing sugars and the ε-amino group of lysine (ε-APs) or the α-amino of selected amino acids (α-APs) were analyzed. APs were determined as the corresponding N-(2-furoylmethyl) amino acids (FMAAs) after acid hydrolysis using RP–HPLC with UV-detection as well as mass spectroscopy. Identification of the FMAAs resulting from the α-APs of lysine, valine, leucine, and isoleucine was achieved for the first time for cheese samples. The content of furosine, which is a hallmark for ε-APs, ranged from to 3–75 mg/100 g protein corresponding to 24–591 μmol ε-AP/100 g protein. ε-AP levels declined during ripening in all investigated cheeses, depending on the cheese type and stage of maturation. The mean content of four α-APs ranged from 138 to 681 μmol/100 g protein. Lowest concentrations were found in long-term ripened cheese samples, indicating a putative degradation of α-APs and ε-APs during advanced stages of maturation. The ratio of α-APs to ε-APs might be a useful indicator of cheese ripening.     

Efficient stockpiling and shipping policies for humanitarian relief: UNHCR��s inventory challenge

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) establishes and maintains refugee camps to meet the needs of 34.5 million people affected by disaster or war worldwide. Like other international humanitarian organizations, UNHCR maintains central stockpiles which supply these refugee operations. Management at UNHCR seeks to improve the timeliness and quality of its disaster response subject to its budget constraints. We develop an inventory model to analyze the interaction between a stockpile and a downstream refugee camp or relief operation. We consider two inventory decisions: first, how to partition a fixed budget between stockpiling and shipping costs in order to best meet the needs of beneficiaries; and second, given the shipping budget determined by the budget partition, how to ship relief items from the stockpile to a downstream relief operation in an efficient manner. We solve for the shipment policy using dynamic programming, then determine the optimal stockpile size given knowledge of the optimal shipment policy. The optimization balances a key tradeoff: a larger stockpile is costly to procure and maintain, but enhances a humanitarian organization’s ability to respond to relief operation demands. We provide insights into shipment strategies and stockpile size. We also develop a spreadsheet model to help humanitarian organizations in their operational decision-making, leading to improved response to beneficiaries. Humanitarian organizations must use their financial resources wisely to carry out their mandates, and models of this type can help them make the best use of their limited response resources.     

A brief abstinence test for college student smokers: A feasibility study.

Cigarette smoking among college students is prevalent and correlated with other unhealthy behaviors. Reinforced abstinence (e.g., contingency management) has been demonstrated to be an effective method for reducing substance use in a variety of populations and across a variety of drugs, including cigarettes. Reinforced abstinence has seldom been used specifically targeting a college student population. A Brief Abstinence Test (BAT) has been used to effectively reduce cocaine use among methadone maintenance patients (Robles, Silverman, Preston, Cone, Katz, Bigelow, & Stitzer, 2000). However, no published studies have investigated the use of a BAT to reduce the use of cigarettes. The current study implemented a 3-week intervention (Baseline 1, BAT, and Baseline 2 weeks) for smoking abstinence among college students. Forty-two percent of the sample met abstention criteria during the BAT. Carbon monoxide and urinalysis scores decreased significantly from Baseline 1 to the BAT phase but did not differ significantly from BAT to Baseline 2. These results suggest that the BAT may have utility initiating abstinence in both clinical and research contexts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Development of a sustainability reporting scheme for biofuels: A UK case study

In 2008, the UK launched the first regulatory sustainability reporting scheme for biofuels. The development of the scheme, managed by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership for the Department for Transport, involved extensive stakeholder engagement. The scheme has significantly increased understanding by policy-makers, the biofuels industry and its supply chains on how to monitor and manage the sustainability risks of biofuels and increase their greenhouse-gas benefits. It is providing a practical model for similar developments globally. To receive certificates in order to meet volume obligations under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), suppliers must provide a monthly carbon and sustainability report on individual batches of renewable fuels they supply into the UK. The Renewable Fuels Agency produces aggregate monthly reports of overall performance and quarterly updates of individual supplier performance. This scheme is an important first step to assist the biofuels industry to demonstrate its environmental credentials and justify the subsidies received. The paper provides a case study of the development of the scheme, its initial outcomes and outstanding challenges.