Sustainability metrics for eco-technologies assessment, Part II. Life cycle analysis

This work presents a sustainability analysis of CO₂ reuse to produce dimethyl carbonate (DMC) via ethylene oxide (ROUTE A) and via urea methanolysis (ROUTE B). Two different technologies are considered in ROUTE A: reaction followed by separation and reactive distillation. Life cycle analyses of the ROUTES are presented employing sustainability analysis performed in HYSYS process simulator, along with WAR Algorithm. Process economical optimization is performed to maximize the processes profitability. A sustainability function, defined as a 2D indicator involving both economical and environmental aspects, is calculated for the optimized processes. Additional sustainability indexes are evaluated: material index, energy index, and ecoefficiency. The results, under both economical and environmental aspects, show that ROUTE A is the most sustainable. The study also points to the relevance of the frontier set between the domains cradle-to-gate and gate-to-gate in assessing process sustainability during LCA.     

Imbalance diets in preschool children: study in a day-care center in the Province of Buenos Aires,Argentina

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of low fat diets in children aged 2 to 5. Eighty two children (40 females and 42 males) attending a school cafeteria (Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina), in a cross sectional study, were evaluated. Body weight (W), height (H) and body composition (BC) by bioimpedance were recorded. The anthropometric raw data were processed as Z-score of the weight-for-age (WEZ) and of the height-for-age (HAZ). Serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and Zinc/haemoglobin ratio (Zn/Hb) were also measured. Results showed that 73.2% of the children were adequate (A) according WEZ, 13.4% were lean (L) and 13.4% overweight (O). 8.5% presented simultaneously impairment in WEZ and HAZ. Body fat percentage and energy metabolism were higher in O than in L and A (p < 0.05). Serum IGF-1's children--aged 4 to 5 years--with HAZ deficit were low than adequate HAZ ones. No statistical differences in Zn/Hb ratio between A, L and O were found. This cross sectional study suggests metabolic disorders in young children attending school cafeterias. These conclusions will allow to design balanced diets in order to optimize the resources, promote optimal growth and development and prevent adult diseases through dietary practices in childhood.     

Optical properties of the synthetic nanocomposites SiO2/CdS/poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) and SiO2/CdS/poly(styrene-co-maleimide)

Hybrid materials consisting of SiO2/CdS particles dispersed in poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) and poly(styrene-co-maleimide) have been synthesized and characterized. The polymer nanocomposites were synthesised in situ in the presence of previously prepared inorganic fillers (SiO2/CdS). The nanocomposites were synthesized with the use of as-prepared or surface-modified SiO2/CdS fillers. For both types of nanocomposites, the optical properties were evaluated and the observation of size quantization effects in the optical spectra is discussed. In this context, the influence of the inorganic fillers and polymer matrices on the optical properties of the final nanocomposites was investigated.     

A shape analysis framework for neuromorphometry

This paper addresses in an integrated and systematic fashion the relatively overlooked but increasingly important issue of measuring and characterizing the geometrical properties of nerve cells and structures, an area often called neuromorphology. After discussing the main motivation for such an endeavour, a comprehensive mathematical framework for characterizing neural shapes, capable of expressing variations over time, is presented and used to underline the main issues in neuromorphology. Three particularly powerful and versatile families of neuromorphological approaches, including differential measures, symmetry axes/skeletons, and complexity, are presented and their respective potentials for applications in neuroscience are identified. Examples of applications of such measures are provided based on experimental investigations related to automated dendrogram extraction, mental retardation characterization, and axon growth analysis.     

Seamless Integration: Standardisation across Multiple Local Settings

The pressure towards tighter or “seamless” integration of health information systems is a recurring issue with both practical and analytical relevance. It taps into a discourse in the IS literature in general and organisation and management science in particular. Unfortunately, the prevailing perception of integration in the IS literature is as a predominantly technical issue. The CSCW literature, however, is attentive to the socio-technical aspects of integration. Building on this – but supplemented with recent elaborations in science studies – we aim at exploring the unintended consequences of information systems integration. A user-led perspective implies emphasising the tailoring to local needs based on in-depth studies of the micro practices. We argue, however, that the condition for such an approach is radically undermined by politically motivated, regional changes towards integration with implicated standardisation. Enforcing order in the form of standards across multiple local settings, seemingly a prerequisite for tight integration, simultaneously produces disorder or additional work in other locations for other users. Empirically, our study is based on a large, ongoing integration effort at the University hospital of Northern Norway, specifically studying work practices and perceptions across multiple laboratories.     

Optical behaviour of Er doped rutile by ion implantation

Rutile single crystals were implanted at room temperature with fluences of 5 × 10¹⁵ Er⁺/cm² ions with 150 keV energy. Rutherford backscattering/channeling along the 0 0 1 axis reveals complete amorphization of the implanted region. Photoluminescence reveals the presence of an optical centre close to the intra-ionic emission of Er³⁺ in the as-implanted samples. After annealing at 800 °C in air no changes were observed in the aligned RBS spectrum. On the contrary, annealing in reducing atmosphere (vacuum) induces the epitaxy of the damage layer. These results are unexpected, since for implantations of other ions under the same conditions, epitaxial recrystallization of the damage region occurs at this temperature. On the other hand, photoluminescence studies show the presence of new Er-related optical centres with high thermal stability in the samples annealed under oxidizing conditions. Annealing at 1000 °C in vacuum leads to the complete recrystallization of the damaged region. At this temperature a large fraction of Er segregates to the surface.     

The guideline interchange format: a model for representing guidelines

Carboxylate and sulfate groups were introduced at the surface of poly(ethylene) (PE) samples. This was accomplished by coating and immobilizing sodium 10-undecenoate (C11(:)) and 10-undecene sulfate (S11(:)) on the polymer by means of an argon plasma treatment. The composition of the coated surfactant layer was proportional to the composition of the coating solution. The thickness of the surfactant layer on the surface of PE samples, which were precoated from an aqueous solution with a total surfactant concentration of 0.30 M, was about 55 A. The presence of carboxylate and sulfate groups after plasma treatment of the precoated surfaces was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). About 20% of the initial amount of functional groups of the coated surfactants was retained at the PE surface. The ratio of carboxylate/sulfate groups at the plasma treated surfaces was dependent on the composition of the precoated surfaces. The minimum surface density of these groups on the resulting samples was about one group per 40 A2.     

Role of relaxin and estrogen in the control of eosinophilic invasion and collagen remodeling in rat cervical tissue at term

The modified fluorescence method was used to determine the accumulation of norfloxacin by Mycobacterium aurum A+ and Mycobacterium smegmatis mc(2)155. By using an exogenous norfloxacin concentration of 10 microg/ml, a steady-state concentration (SSC) of 160 to 180 ng of norfloxacin/mg of cells was obtained for M. aurum, and an SSC of 120 to 140 ng of norfloxacin/mg of cells obtained for M. smegmatis. For both species of mycobacteria, the SSC was achieved within 5 min. The silicon oil method was investigated and gave higher SSCs than the modified fluorescence method. Further studies on the mechanism of norfloxacin accumulation by M. aurum were performed. An increase in the pH of the wash buffer from 7.0 to 9.0 did not significantly affect the final SSC obtained. Accumulation was nonsaturated over a norfloxacin concentration range of 0 to 100 microg/ml, and the proton motive force inhibitor 2,4-dinitrophenol (1 and 2 mM), whether it was added before or after norfloxacin was added, had no effect on the final SSC obtained. 2,4-Dinitrophenol also had no effect on norfloxacin accumulation by M. smegmatis. Furthermore, norfloxacin accumulation by M. aurum was unaffected by the presence of either Tween 80 or subinhibitory concentrations of ethambutol in the growth medium. Therefore, it is proposed that norfloxacin accumulation by mycobacteria occurs by simple, energy-independent diffusion.     

B lymphocytes are critical antigen-presenting cells for the initiation of T cell-mediated autoimmune diabetes in nonobese diabetic mice

Nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice genetically deficient in B lymphocytes (NODJg mu(null)) are resistant to T cell-mediated autoimmune insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Ig infusions from diabetic NOD donors did not abrogate IDDM resistance in NODJg mu(null) mice. However, T cell responses to the candidate pancreatic beta cell autoantigen glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), but not the control Ag keyhole limpet hemocyanin, were eliminated in NODJg mu(null) mice. To initially test whether they contribute to IDDM as APC, NOD B lymphocytes were transferred into NODJg mu(null) recipients. B lymphocytes transferred into unmanipulated NODJg mu(null) recipients were rejected by MHC class I-restricted T cells. Stable T and B lymphocyte repopulation was achieved in irradiated NODJg mu(null) mice reconstituted with syngeneic bone marrow admixed with NOD B lymphocytes. IDDM susceptibility was restored in NODJg mu(null) mice reconstituted with syngeneic marrow plus B lymphocytes, but not with syngeneic marrow only. T cell responses to GAD were restored only in NODJg mu(null) mice reconstituted with syngeneic marrow plus B lymphocytes. Hence, B lymphocytes appear to contribute to IDDM in NOD mice as APC with a preferential ability to present certain beta cell Ags such as GAD to autoreactive T cells.