Review of heat Conduction,Second Edition,S. Kakac and Y. Yener

In some species, such as subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa [Hook] Nutt), the water content of the confined zones in heartwood is as high as or greater than that of sapwood. Such wet zones of heartwood are referred to as “wetpocket” or “wetwood.” Wood products from subalpine fir forests are adversely affected by the wetwood-associated problems, particularly during the drying process. The objectives of the study were as follows: (1) to investigate feasibility of a high X-ray energy industrial computed tomography (ICT) scanner for imaging wetwood; and (2) to determine changes of the 2-D and 3-D moisture profiles (from core to shell) at different drying times.

Although medical CT scanning has been used for attaining signal intensity profiles of typical wood at different drying times, the technology has not, to date, been used for the study of wetwood phenomenon. This study presents, for the first time, results from the ICT imaging of the wetwood phenomenon. The results indicate that the ICT imaging system provides a powerful technique for imaging wetwood at different drying times. In addition, the results show that during the initial phase of drying, almost flat moisture profiles were observed in all wood types except for the wetwood, which showed a relatively higher moisture profile. A much slower (sluggish) drying development pattern at each increment from core to shell was found within the wetwood zone than normal wood regions along the width, thickness, and length of the board.     

Strength degradation and failure limits of dense and porous ceramic membrane materials

Thin dense membrane layers, mechanically supported by porous substrates, are considered as the most efficient designs for oxygen supply units used in Oxy-fuel processes and membrane reactors. Based on the favorable permeation properties and chemical stability, several materials were suggested as promising membrane and substrate materials: Ba_0.5Sr_0.5Co_0.8Fe_0.2O_3?δ, La_0.6?xSr_0.4Co_0.2Fe_0.8O_3?δ (x = 0, 0.02) and Ce_0.9Gd_0.1O_1.95?δ. Although membranes operate at elevated temperatures, the ends of tubes in certain three-end concepts remain almost at room temperature. The current work concentrates on the failure potential of these membrane parts, where in a complex device also the highest residual stresses should arise due to differences in thermal expansion. In particular, sensitivity of the materials to subcritical crack growth was assessed since the long-term reliability of the component does not only depend on its initial strength, but also on strength degradation effects. The results were subsequently used as a basis for a strength–probability–time lifetime prediction.     

The effect of beta-alanine supplementation on neuromuscular fatigue in elderly (55–92 Years): a double-blind randomized study

Background

Ageing is associated with a significant reduction in skeletal muscle carnosine which has been linked with a reduction in the buffering capacity of muscle and in theory, may increase the rate of fatigue during exercise. Supplementing beta-alanine has been shown to significantly increase skeletal muscle carnosine. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to examine the effects of ninety days of beta-alanine supplementation on the physical working capacity at the fatigue threshold (PWC_FT) in elderly men and women.

Methods

Using a double-blind placebo controlled design, twenty-six men (n = 9) and women (n = 17) (age ± SD = 72.8 ± 11.1 yrs) were randomly assigned to either beta-alanine (BA: 800 mg × 3 per day; n = 12; CarnoSyn?) or Placebo (PL; n = 14) group. Before (pre) and after (post) the supplementation period, participants performed a discontinuous cycle ergometry test to determine the PWC_FT.

Results

Significant increases in PWC_FT (28.6%) from pre- to post-supplementation were found for the BA treatment group (p < 0.05), but no change was observed with PL treatment. These findings suggest that ninety days of BA supplementation may increase physical working capacity by delaying the onset of neuromuscular fatigue in elderly men and women.

Conclusion

We suggest that BA supplementation, by improving intracellular pH control, improves muscle endurance in the elderly. This, we believe, could have importance in the prevention of falls, and the maintenance of health and independent living in elderly men and women.     

Decomposition of NO over Cu-AITS-1 zeolites

H-AITS-1 zeolite with Si/Ti = 50 and Si/Al = 50 was employed in preparing catalyst samples by ion-exchange and impregnation with a copper nitrate solution to obtain 0.24–1.15 wt.% and 1.5, 2 and 2.5 wt.% Cu loading, respectively. The catalytic properties for the NO decomposition were compared with that of Cu-ZSM-5 (Si/Al = 25 with 2 wt.% Cu loading) and similarity was found between the AITS-1 based samples and Cu-ZSM-5. Due to the higher acidity, the activity at 500°C per total copper atoms (an apparent turnover frequency, TOF) was significantly higher over Cu based AITS-1 samples being 2–3 × 10⁻³ s⁻¹ as compared to 1 × 10⁻³ s⁻¹ measured on Cu-ZSM-5. For the ion-exchanged Cu-AITS-1 there was an increase in TOF with increasing copper content, whereas on the impregnated samples a decrease in TOF was found. On all catalysts there was a maximum in the NO conversion at 500–550°C. The amount of NO per copper atom measured by temperature programmed desorption (TPD) was about the same as that on Cu-ZSM-5 and the features of the TPD were also similar. At the first contact of the catalyst at 500°C with the 2 vol% NO/Ar gas a transient N₂O formation and a considerable delay in the O₂ formation was observed. This could, however, be reproduced only on fresh catalyst, while all further transients showed different but reproducible features using the same sample.     

Activated sludge wastewater treatment plants optimisation to face pollution overloads during grape harvest periods.

The principal objective of our study was to optimise a municipal activated sludge wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) to face high organic flows due to viticulture effluents inputs. Treatment file optimization consisted in testing different treatment lines, changing the number and volume of biological basins and clarifiers, with or without a buffer basin upstream, with a view to achieving a better reduction of COD. The actual WWTP biological stage is composed of two aerated basins whose total volume is 1365 m3. The studied cases are successively, the installation of a single basin of 1365 m3, then of several basins whose total volume remains constant and equal to 1365 m3. Another case was also considered, that of an aerated basin followed by a first clarifier and then, by another aerated basin and a second clarifier. All scenarios presented below were evaluated, for standard dry weather conditions and for high organic load conditions, as encountered during the grape harvest period. The method used was to carry out various simulations, using numerical modelling, and to compare the impact of different process line scenarios and management strategies on the activated sludge WWTP efficiencies.     

Behaviour of bisphenol A (BPA), 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) and 4-nonylphenol ethoxylates (4-NP1EO, 4-NP2EO) in oxidative water treatment processes.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) such as natural and synthetic hormones or industrial chemicals can adversely affect the endocrine system at very low concentrations. As such substances can be present in raw water used for drinking-water production, they potentially pose a health risk to humans. In this study laboratory tests were performed to determine removal efficiencies of selected oxidative drinking water treatment processes, namely ozonation (1.4 mg/l O3) and chlorination, using sodium hypochlorite (0.5 mg/l NaClO) and chlorine dioxide (0.4-0.6 mg/l ClO2) under conditions applied in technical plants. 500-300,000 ng/l of bisphenol A (BPA), 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) and 4-nonylphenol-n-ethoxylates (NPnEO) were selected for investigations and measured by HPLC/FLD and HPLC/MS. To investigate possible oxidation by-products, adsorbable organic halogens (AOX) were determined and estrogenic activities were assessed with the help of an estrogen receptor binding assay (YES). Ozonation and chlorination with ClO2 removed both 4-NP and BPA below detection limits, corresponding with AOX and estrogenic activity. Concerning NPnEO ozonation removed NP1EO and NP2EO up to 28% and 30%, respectively, whereas ClO2 showed high removal efficiencies, eliminating >94% and 92%, respectively. NaCIO removed 4-NP and BPA below detection limits, but estrogenic activities increased and AOX could be measured. NP1EO and NP2EO were only marginally reduced corresponding to the slight decrease of estrogenic potential.     

Analysis of 41 kb of the DNA sequence from the right arm of chromosome II of Schizosaccharomyces pombe

We report the complete sequence of cosmid c18A7 (41 046 bp insert), located on the right arm of chromosome II of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe genome. The sequence, which partially overlaps with cosmids SPBC4F6 and SPBC336, contains 16 open reading frames (ORFs) capable of coding for proteins of at least 100 amino acid residues in length (one partial) and one small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA). Four known genes were found: swi10 (encoding a mating-type switching protein also involved in nucleotide excision repair); dim1 (encoding a dimethyladenosine transferase); arf1 (encoding ADP-ribosylation factor 1); and pol3 (cdc6) the partial fragment, encoding the 125 kDa catalytic subunit of the DNA polymerase type B. Six ORFs similar to known proteins were found. They include a transporter of the major facilitator superfamily class, a vacuolar sorting protein, an asparagine synthase, a nuclear protein, a reticulum oxidoreductin and a heat shock protein. Each protein product of the other six ORFs has conserved domains and can be assigned a molecular, but not a biological, function. The sequence has been submitted to the EMBL database under Accession No. AL080287.