Experimental Investigation of the Properties of Lime-Based Plaster-Containing PCM for Enhancing the Heat-Storage Capacity of Building Envelopes

Experimental analysis of a wide range of properties of a lightweight plaster which should enhance the heat-storage capacity of building envelopes is presented. The basic physical characteristics, namely, the bulk density, matrix density, total open porosity, and pore-size distribution are measured at first. Then, the compressive strength is determined for an assessment of mechanical performance of the plaster. The thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity are studied using an impulse technique. Differential scanning calorimetry measurements are performed as well, in order to identify the temperature range and latent heat of the phase change and to determine the specific heat capacity as a function of temperature. Durability properties are assessed using the measurement of the water absorption coefficient and sorption and desorption isotherms. The experimental results indicate a good capability of the designed plaster to moderate effectively the interior climate of buildings.     

Electrochemical detection of 14 common munitions constituents

Electrochemical detections of 14 munitions constituents (MCs) listed on the Environmental Protection Agency hazardous waste list were examined using square wave voltammetry. Of the MCs that showed peak resolution in the scanned range, the reduction potential, limit of detection and limit of quantitation are reported here. The MCs tested are in three groups: nitrobenzenes, nitrotoluenes, and other nitro-aromatics: tetryl, HMX, and RDX. There was a correlation between peak resolution and the number of nitro groups for the nitrobenzenes and nitrotoluenes. The nitro group distance from the methyl for the nitrotoluenes with two nitro groups showed some correlation to the ability to detect as well. Some mixture experiments were conducted in which MCs with three and two nitro groups were detected simultaneously. While tetryl readily displayed two peaks, RDX and HMX did not show such clear peak resolution.     

Uptake of energy efficiency interventions in English dwellings

Little detailed evidence has previously been available regarding the uptake rate or prevalence of energy efficiency interventions among specific household groups. This study uses the Home Energy Efficiency Database (HEED) to investigate both the combination of measures that have been installed, and in which dwellings, according to key neighbourhood socio-demographic variables, including income and tenure. Analysis of 2000–07 data indicates that approximately 40% (9.3 million) dwellings in England had approximately 23.7 million efficiency measures installed, with an average of 2.5 measures per dwelling. Building fabric-related measures were the most frequent (e.g. cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and glazing) with an average of 2.1 million installed each year. Dwellings with the highest number of fabric interventions (the top 20%) were more likely to be found in areas with low income, with more owner-occupied dwellings, experiencing lower winter temperatures, having a lower proportion of flats, and having a slightly higher proportion of older adults and children. Energy efficiency installations have tended to occur among specific types of households or parts of the building stock. These findings have implications for the design of future government programmes for targeting energy efficiency measures to specific household groups or dwelling types.     

Metal Oxide Nanowires for Gas Sensor Applications

We report on the synthesis of SnO₂ and CuO nanowires and their application as gas sensing components. The fabrication of SnO₂ and CuO single nanowire devices by optical and electron beam lithography is described, and sensing performance to the toxic gas carbon monoxide is demonstrated. We briefly present the development of CMOS fabricated micro-hotplates as platforms for gas sensors and show our approach for nanowire implementation. Finally, we demonstrate a fully CMOS integrated CuO multi nanowire device and present our roadmap for a fully integrated multi-parameter smart sensor device which could be implemented as safety feature in smart phones.     

The influence of macromolecular architecture on the critical aggregation concentration of large amphiphilic starch derivatives

A range of hyperbranched emulsifiers were prepared by reaction between starch and 2-octen-1-yl succinic anhydride (OSA, commonly used in the food industry), under slightly basic conditions in water, leading to starches bearing hydrophobic OSA groups randomly distributed along the chains. By using different starch backbones and varying the amount of OSA during the synthesis, amphiphilic OSA-modified starches were obtained that formed aggregates in water and having controlled structural parameters. These parameters were characterized using ¹H NMR, multiple-angle laser light scattering and size-exclusion chromatography. The critical aggregation concentration (CAC) was measured for samples with different levels of OSA modification, of macromolecular size and degree of starch branching. Increasing the dispersity in macromolecular size and/or degree of OSA substitution noticeably decreased the CAC. The results are interpreted in terms of the branching structure and conformation of the modified starches: all findings can be understood in terms of the various influences of molecular size, composition and flexibility. The structural factors affecting the CAC of large hyperbranched surfactants are found to be similar to those seen with smaller and simpler branched synthetic surfactants.     

A preliminary pharmacogenetic investigation of adverse events from topiramate in heavy drinkers.

Topiramate, an anticonvulsant medication, is an efficacious treatment for alcohol dependence. To date, little is known about genetic moderators of side effects from topiramate. The objective of this study was to examine 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the glutamate receptor GluR5 gene (GRIK1) as predictors of topiramate-induced side effects in the context of a laboratory study of topiramate. Heavy drinkers (n = 51, 19 women and 32 men), 75% of whom met criteria for an alcohol use disorder, completed a 5-week dose escalation schedule to a target dose of either 200 or 300 mg or matched placebo. The combined medication groups were compared with placebo-treated individuals for side effects at target dose. Analyses revealed that an SNP in intron 9 of the GRIK1 gene (rs2832407) was associated with the severity of topiramate-induced side effects and with serum levels of topiramate. Genes underlying glutamatergic neurotransmission, such as the GRIK1 gene, may help predict heterogeneity in topiramate-induced side effects. Future studies in larger samples are needed to more fully establish these preliminary findings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)