Carbon mineralization from composts and food industry wastes added to soil

We have studied the short term C mineralization of six wastes from important food industries, one sludge from a biogas plant and three composts. All the wastes were characterized chemically and fractionated according to the Van Soest method. The fresh wastes were incubated under controlled environment conditions to determine the C mineralization rate. Based on first order mineralization kinetics, we calculated the hypothetical amount of stable C in the wastes as the amount of C that would not be mineralized within one year under field conditions. The percentage of stable organic C in the organic matter was in general much larger in the composts than in the other wastes, but when expressed on dry matter, the non-composted wastes had comparable or larger amounts of stable organic C than the composts and have a considerable potential for supplying organic matter to soils, and hence for C sequestration. The amount of stable organic C could best be predicted by the total N content of the wastes (R _a ² = 0.855), whereas the results of the fractionation had very little predictive power, probably due to problems related to the high ash content of some of the wastes. An index that combined stable organic C and N and P content in the wastes was calculated to assess possible limitations for applying these wastes in agriculture. Under current nutrient legislation in Western Europe, a number of these wastes will only be usable in small amounts, but these and other food industry wastes could still prove to be valuable soil amendments in nutrient poor situations, for increasing soil organic C content and supplying nutrients.     

The effect of niobium ion implantation on the oxidation behavior of aγ-TiAl-based intermetallic

The effect of niobium implantation (2×10¹⁶ and 10¹⁷ ions/cm²) on the oxidation behavior of a -TiAl-based intermetallic alloy Ti–48Al–2Cr in air at 800°C has been examined. Isothermal studies with exposure times up to 200 hr and cyclic-oxidation tests up to 800 hr revealed a negligible effect for the low implantation dose. However, a remarkable decrease in oxidation rates was observed for the material implanted with 10¹⁷ Nb ions/cm². The improvement in the oxidation resistance appeared to be similar to that obtained by alloying of the intermetallic with a few atomic percent niobium. Possible mechanisms for the effect of niobium on the oxidation resistance of TiAl-base intermetallics are discussed in view of the results obtained for the implanted material.     

Evaluation of different disinfection calculation methods using CFD

Computational Fluid Dynamics combined with a particle tracking technique provides valuable information concerning residence times and contact times in chemical reactors. In drinking water treatment, for example an accurate estimation of the disinfection is important to predict the microbial safety. Ozone contactors are widely used for disinfection, but the complex geometry of the system causes suboptimal hydraulics and requires optimizations of the flow. This results in a lower ozone dosage, which may reduce the formation of unwanted disinfection-by-products and the consumption of energy. To that end disinfection needs to be calculated precisely, accounting for the complex hydraulics. Several calculation methods estimating the disinfection performance of ozone contactors were evaluated using Computational Fluid Dynamics. For an accurate disinfection prediction, the full distribution of ozone exposures (CT values) is needed, only a mean CT value or residence time distribution provides insufficient information for an accurate disinfection prediction. Adjustments to the geometry of the ozone contactor that reduce the short-circuit flows resulted in an increase in disinfection capacity, whereas the mean CT value remained the same. A sensitivity analysis with respect to the kinetics was conducted. The gain in disinfection capacity obtained by optimizing the hydraulics was significant for typical values used in practice.     

模拟技术在通信和娱乐市场大有可为

具备通信及多种娱乐功能的纤薄型移动电话乃是消费者现在所追求的。预计3G及W i M A X手机将会是国内电子通信市场的两种热销产品。除了手机等通信设备之外,以提供娱乐为主的便携式电子产品如iPod、MP3播放机和个人媒体播放机(PMP)也极受国内的消费者欢迎,这些产品的特点是可以     

Canada’s energy perspectives and policies for sustainable development

A regression analysis is performed to make projections for the Canadian energy production and consumption. These have been increasing and are projected to increase even further in the near future. The primary energy production and consumption are projected to increase by 52% and 34%, respectively, by 2025 over 2004 if business as usual. The amount of fossil energy resources is finite and the extraction, transportation and combustion of fossil fuels cause environmental pollution and climate change. On the other hand, energy plays an important role in the economic and social development of Canada. Canada can develop further from an energy balance point of view, but this alone cannot be sustainable, because of the negative consequences of the major energy use on the environment. Application of energy localization and diversification is a promising solution, but in order to reach that, better energy efficiency and more use of renewable energy are necessary. Instead of non-compulsory policies Canada’s policy approach should have more compulsory policies. Only then Canada can be made to develop further in a sustainable manner.     

Migration of minor actinides and lanthanides in fast reactor metallic fuel

Minor actinides (MA) and lanthanides (LA) migration to the cladding in fast reactor metallic fuel is a concern because of their reaction with the cladding material. MA and LA migration test results are analyzed and reactions with the cladding are characterized. Remedies for reducing MA and LA migration and reaction with cladding are reviewed. A possible method is proposed that includes the addition of a compound forming element such as indium or thallium in fuel. These elements preferentially form stable compounds with MA and LA and should therefore reduce migration of MA and LA. As an intrinsic solution to the issue, the feasibility of the use of U-Pu-Mo alloy as fuel is studied. Unlike U-Pu-Zr, U-Pu-Mo consists of a single phase at typical fuel operation temperatures, and should have negligible fuel constituent redistribution and reduce MA and LA migration.     

Three-dimensional respiratory-gated MR angiography of coronary arteries: comparison with conventional coronary angiography

OBJECTIVE: MR coronary angiography is most often performed using two-dimensional techniques. Although three-dimensional (3D) acquisitions do have important advantages, they take too long for a single breath-hold and are thus susceptible to respiratory motion artifacts. The purpose of this study was to investigate the accuracy of a unique respiratory-gated 3D MR angiographic technique in identifying the proximal coronary arteries in patients suspected of having coronary artery disease. In addition, we investigated the capability of this technique to detect proximal stenoses. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We performed a prospective blinded study in 20 patients who were referred for conventional coronary angiography. A cardiac-gated 3D gradient-echo sequence with fat suppression was used. Retrospective respiratory gating was performed using navigator echoes of the diaphragm position. Using multiplanar reformatting, two independent readers blindly analyzed the data sets for visualization of major coronary arteries, lengths of imaged segments, and detection of significant stenoses (> 50% occlusion of the luminal diameter by conventional angiography). RESULTS: Seventy-seven of 80 (96%) coronary arteries were positively identified. In one patient, an anomalous coronary anatomy was readily identified and confirmed by conventional angiography. The average lengths of the imaged segments of the right, left main, left anterior descending, and left circumflex coronary arteries were 58 +/- 13 mm, 9 +/- 5 mm, 59 +/- 16 mm, and 24 +/- 10 mm, respectively. Overall sensitivity for the detection of stenoses was low (38%), with a specificity of 95%. Interobserver agreement was 0.92, with a kappa value of 0.65. CONCLUSION: Respiratory-gated 3D MR angiography allows accurate identification of proximal coronary arteries and may be valuable for 3D imaging of coronary anomalies. Further technical improvements are required to enhance the value of the technique in detecting stenoses.     

Depression in Parkinson's disease is not accompanied by more corticotropin-releasing hormone expressing neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus

BACKGROUND: Depression is frequently encountered in Parkinson's disease (PD). In addition, more than half of the PD patients have a disturbed dexamethasone suppression test, which is associated with increased activity of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons. We recently found an increase in CRH neuron number, CRH-messenger RNA, and vasopressin colocalization in CRH neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of depressed patients, which may be involved in the pathogenesis of depression. METHODS: The number of neurons expressing CRH was determined in the PVN of 6 depressed PD patients with a high score (> or = 13) on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, 6 nondepressed PD patients, and 6 controls. RESULTS: The three groups did not differ in the number of neurons expressing CRH. CONCLUSIONS: We hypothesize that activation of CRH neurons in the PVN, as we recently observed in idiopathic depression, does not play an essential role in depression in PD.     

THE PROTECTION OF ALLOYS AGAINST HIGH TEMPERATURE SULPHIDATION BY SiO2-COATINGS DEPOSITED BY MOCVD

Silica coatings have been deposited on various alloys by MOCVD (Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition) to protect them against high temperature corrosion in coal gasification environments. DiAcetoxyDitertiaryButoxySilane (DADBS) has been used as a metal organic precursor at deposition temperatures between 773 - 873 °K and amorphous layers were produced with a growth rate of about 1 μm. h^-1. These coatings have been tested at 823°K in a sulphiclizing atmosphere with a low oxygen (9.3 × 10 ^-29 bar) and a high sulphur partial pressure (1.2 × 10 bar). In this environment the sulphidation resistance of various alloys has improved by a factor of at least 100 by the coating. The observed corrosion reaction is local and is explained by a model in which in the first stage cracks are formed due to mechanical stresses in the coating. In the second stage metal sulphides are formed by outward diffusion of metal and inward diffusion of sulphur through the cracks. When stainless steels are used as the alloy the outer layer consists of FeS and the lower one of CrS.