Efficiency improvements in US office equipment: Expected policy impacts and uncertainties

We create a business as usual scenario for office equipment electricity use from industry forecasts of equipment sales, surveys of equipment densities by building type, measured data on wattage and usage by equipment type and projected lifetimes for equipment. We then calculate electricity used by building type and equipment type for Energy Star and advanced scenarios and explore the sensitivity of these results to variations in key input parameters. According to our analysis, the Energy Star programme will save the US almost US$1 billion annually starting in the year 2000, with minimal expenditure of public funds.     

Immunohistochemical identification of varicella-zoster virus gene 63-encoded protein (IE63) and late (gE) protein on smears and cutaneous biopsies: implications for diagnostic use

Early and specific recognition of varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection is of vital concern in immunocompromised patients. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of histochemical and immunohistochemical identification of the VZV ORF63 encoded protein (IE63) and of the VZV late protein gE on smears and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded skin sections taken from lesions clinically diagnosed as varicella (n = 15) and herpes zoster (n = 51). Microscopic examinations of Tzanck smears and skin sections yielded a diagnostic accuracy of Herpesviridae infections in 66.7% (10/15) and 92.3% (12/13) of varicella, and 74.4% (29/39) and 87.8% (43/49) of herpes zoster, respectively. Immunohistochemistry applied to varicella provided a type-specific virus diagnostic accuracy of 86.7% (13/15; IE63) and 100% (15/15; gE) on smears, and of 92.3% for both VZV proteins on skin sections. In herpes zoster, the diagnostic accuracy of immunohistochemistry reached 92.3% (36/39; IE63) and 94.9% (37/39; gE) on smears, and 91.7% (44/48; IE63) and 91.8% (45/49; gE) on skin sections. These findings indicate that the immunohistochemical detection of IE63 and gE on both smears and skin sections yields a higher specificity and sensitivity than standard microscopic assessments.     

Central nervous system involvement in hepatitis C virus infection

Few well-documented cases of central nervous system involvement in patients with hepatitis C virus infection have been reported. We describe three patients (two men and one woman) with cerebral involvement (ischemia and/or hemorrhage). Hepatitis C virus infection was confirmed in all patients by polymerase chain reaction detection of hepatitis C virus RNA. These three cases document the occurrence of central nervous system involvement in patients with hepatitis C virus infection and mixed cryoglobulinemia. Cerebral involvement may be the initial manifestation of hepatitis C virus infection.     

Color quantitation through image processing in dermatology

Classical color models and their applications to computer vision are reviewed. The performances of color quantitation from digitized images are compared with those derived from a chromameter. The color quantitation obtained from either digitized color slides or directly digitized images is proved to be more efficient than the conventional visual assessment of observers. A methodology is proposed for determining the specific color indices which are needed in dermatology. An application of this methodology is developed for designing a blanching quantitation index in order to replace the visual assessment during McKenzie tests.     

Improvement of shelf-life and wholesomeness of ground beef by irradiation-2. Chemical analysis and sensory evaluation

Lean ground beef was exposed to three dose levels of gamma radiations (Cobalt-60) (1·0, 2·5 and 5·0 kGy). Chemical indices monitored throughout the storage period (16 days, 4°C) included pH, free fatty acids and peroxides. Irradiation clearly contributed to a diminution of the pH and an increase of the peroxides. Free fatty acids were not affected. The 10 non-expert panellists indicated a noticeable effect of irradiation on the odour and colour of the raw product. The odour and flavour of the irradiated cooked ground beef was slightly disliked while no difference was perceived in the colour and texture of the cooked irradiated ground beef. Following these considerations, it is recommended that ground beef be treated with a low dose (such as 1 kGy).     

Distinguishing between green building occupants’ reasoned and unplanned behaviours

Several frameworks incorporate social and psychological elements of environmentally significant behaviour, and most assume cognitive and deliberate decision-making. Household energy consumption behaviours, however, span a spectrum from reasoned and deliberate to unplanned and automatic. The aim of this paper is to advance knowledge of reasoned and unplanned behaviours in the context of pro-environmental action. Using results of a survey administered to occupants of an urban residential green building, this study explores five household consumption behaviours and tests the hypothesis that unplanned behaviours will be poorly predicted by a reasoned, values-based behavioural framework. Using path analyses, variables in a values-based framework are used to predict surveyed behaviours. Findings indicate that behaviours hypothesized to be unplanned were not well predicted by the values-based framework. The framework successfully predicted what was hypothesized to be a fully reasoned behaviour. Three potential reasons are discussed for the lack of prediction of some behaviours. A deeper understanding of how unplanned, automatic or habitual behaviours intervene in conservation intentions can help policy-makers and building designers better respond to influences of occupant behaviour on building performance.     

Use of microfibrillated cellulose and dendritic copper for the elaboration of conductive films from water- and ethanol-based dispersions

In this study, microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) and dendritic copper were used as binder and conductive phase for the elaboration of self-standing conductive films and coatings. A filtration technique was used to prepare MFC/Cu films from particle dispersions in water and ethanol. In aqueous slurries copper oxidized and an additional corona treatment or the use of zinc particles as sacrificial anode were necessary to obtain films with conductivities ranging from 70 to 2500 S m^?1, respectively. In ethanol-based MFC/Cu slurries, copper was subjected to limited oxidation. However, the low packing density of conductive particles (below the percolation threshold) led to resistive films which, after densification by calendering, displayed extremely high conductivities, up to 70000 S m^?1. Aqueous MFC/Cu slurries were successfully used for the deposition of conductive coatings on copy paper by Mayer rod coating and screen printing, which were subsequently treated by corona discharge and calendering. The obtained coatings displayed intermediate conductivity (i.e. 95 and 570 S m^?1 for rod coating and screen printing, respectively), which can be further increased using zinc particles or ethanol-based formulations.     

Thrombosis of the superior vena cava, hemolytic anemia and hyper-homocysteinemia]

A case of zoonotic Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in a marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is reported. Genomic typing of the relevant M. tuberculosis isolates strongly suggests that the marmoset, which was kept as companion animal, acquired the disease from an infected member in the household who had been treated for pulmonary tuberculosis 8 years prior to this case.     

Modelling of cooking-cooling processes for meat and poultry products

Traditional cooking‐cooling of processed meat and poultry products is industrially carried out in smokehouses or autoclaves. A mathematical model was developed to simulate these operations. Equations, describing heat transfer and thermal destruction of micro‐organisms and quality characteristics, were solved numerically. The model was validated experimentally for heat transfer and energy consumption and was used to perform a sensitivity analysis. Input variables were: process time (PT), smokehouse temperature (T_SH), bologna size (diameter, D and height, H), surface heat transfer coefficients (h_heat and h_cool), product thermal diffusivity (α_heat and α_cool). Output variables were: product core temperature (T_c), core and volume‐average lethality (P_cm and P_vm) and cook (C_c and C_v) values as well as surface (Q_s) and volume‐average (Q_v) quality retention, total specific energy consumption (En) and energy efficiency (Ce). Multiple linear regression models were developed to predict C_c and C_v from five inputs and used to obtain acceptable deviation ranges.     

夏季电力短缺的解决方案——电力需求响应及其在空调制冷系统中的应用

电力需求响应是解决电力供求矛盾的有效工具,是保证电网安全经济运行的可靠资源。本文介绍电力需求响应及需求侧管理的基本概念及其区别,系统地阐明电力需求响应的分类及实施项目,列举电力需求响应措施在空调制冷系统中的应用,并通过介绍国外的成功实例指出电力需求响应的有效性,最后,为中国电力需求响应的开展提出建议。