Membrane-assisted capacitive deionization: Effect of Poly(vinyl alcohol) cross-linking on the properties of ion exchange membranes

Novel composite electrodes were developed for application in membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI). Activated carbon (AC) was dispersed in a solution of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) mixed with polyacrylic acid (PAA) or poly dimethyl diallyl ammonium chloride (PDMDAAC), and cast onto the surface of an AC-based modified graphite electrode, prepared by phase inversion, to form a composite membrane further cross-linked with glutaraldehyde (GA). The effect of the cross-linking on the chemical structure of the PVA-based membranes was determined by attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammetry was conducted to examine the specific capacitance of the composite electrodes. Desalination experiments were then performed with MCDI unit cells to study the effect of cross-linking on the desalination efficiency. It was proved that after optimization, the synthesized composite electrodes exhibited one and a half times higher NaCl removal capacity and three times higher adsorption rate as compared to that of a conventional CDI cell using commercial ion exchange membranes (IEMs) with almost the same energy consumption. The enhanced desalination performance was attributed to the optimized properties of the selected polymers and the improved adhesion of IEMs to the electrodes. This research paves the way for the application of new materials in MCDI processes for improved water desalination.     

Architecture as a Dissident Practice: An Interview with Diller Scofidio + Renfro

For three decades architect Liz Diller and artist Ricardo Scofidio have been collaborating on projects that test the boundaries between art and architecture. They have done more than any other practice to champion interdisciplinary research and to advocate architecture as a wider form of cultural production. Olympia Kazi went to talk to Liz Diller to ask her if she thinks theory could really be dead, or merely in a ‘lull’. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Radical Italian Architecture Yesterday and Today

In Italy there is a revival of the spirit of 1960s Radicalism. Fresh from university, young architects ‘pick up a rock band name, enrol in an architectural competition or just invent their own research and project installations’. William Menking, who co-curated the 2003 exhibition at London's Design Museum on Superstudio - the supergroup of Italian radicali - and Olympia Kazi bring the new generation of young protagonists under scrutiny. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Homework: A natural means of home-school collaboration.

Discusses the value of homework in terms of the emerging interest in the development of effective home–school partnerships. Specifically, a review of the homework literature is provided with attention to parent-, teacher-, and child-mediated programs. Several homework programs that have received empirical support are described. It is concluded that the school psychologist can adopt various roles in developing, supporting, and monitoring homework programs. Specifically, the school psychologist can assess homework difficulties, train teachers and parents, and serve as a liaison between home and school. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Experimental validation of an improved concept of building integrated photovoltaic panels

Recent progress in the implementation of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive resulted in a significant increase of rooftop PV installations in European buildings. In certain cases the PV installation is extended to cover also south- or west-facing walls byair cooled Building Integrated PV panels (BIPV). The cooling effect maintains a highconversion efficiency of the panels and the heated air may be exploited by the HVAC or service water heating system. Sizing and design of the double façade system is critical to its energetic performance.In this paper, the transient thermal behavior of the basic structural module of a double-skin photovoltaic façade is experimentally investigated in real insolation conditions.Theresults are employed in the validation and further improvement of integration of a BIPV concept to the HVAC system of a building.     

世界杯手包

不管女人是否喜欢世界杯,似乎都无法逃离热情的世界杯氛围。具有一半巴西血统的著名设计师Charlotte Olympia,携手丹麦珠宝品牌PANDORA潘多拉,推出系列世界杯手包。手包的外型为透明的盒子,而盒子里填充了世界杯参加国的织物国旗。此款手包将形式的简洁与色彩的鲜亮巧妙地融为了一体。     

Review of Assessing and managing violence risk in juveniles.

Reviews the book, Assessing and managing violence risk in juveniles by Randy Borum and David Verhaagen (see record 2006-12484-000). This book is a compilation of research findings designed to accomplish the goal of equipping the reader to "conduct risk assessments that are thorough, fair, helpful, and developmentally and empirically sound." New school psychologists will find an excellent framework for learning how to approach the daunting task of assessing risk of violence in children and adolescents. Experienced practitioners will find new research results integrated throughout the book to improve the precision of their risk assessments as well. This book is written for mental health professionals in schools, therapy settings, and juvenile justice systems. Although these three contexts are presented as very different from each other (differences in treatment plans are noted), the basic principles of assessment are applicable to all. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

萧亚轩：《第五大道》

《最后武士》不是那种可以看过就忘的片子，它是荡气回肠的。影片讲述的是一种意境，一种生生不息、代代相传武士精神，这种精神被人称作武士道。     

Economic evaluation of prenatal screening for Down syndrome in the U.S.A

Maternal serum screening for Down syndrome involves biochemical tests such as alpha-fetoprotein (alpha FP), human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) and unconjugated oestriol (uE3), either alone or in combination, that have variable detection and false-positive rates. Choosing a screening protocol requires a trade-off between a desired detection rate and an acceptable false-positive rate. Selecting a screening protocol that maximizes the net benefit to society provides one approach. We have developed a general formula for calculating the per case net social benefit of a screening test and have applied it to United States data. The maximum net benefit associated with each of the various screening options currently available is estimated and the model is further applied to determine the conditions under which the addition of a new marker to an existing protocol can be justified. For each test, or combination of tests, optimal net benefits occur at different detection and false-positive rates. Net benefits are strongly and positively dependent on maternal age; high net benefits are associated with older patients and low, or even negative, net benefits with younger patients. Also, net benefits are affected by the term risk cut-off rate. For triple testing, the 1:351 Down syndrome term risk cut-off appears to provide a higher net benefit than that obtained with 1:250 or 1:300. The optimization of societal net benefit provides a powerful approach to evaluating screening strategies, but the policies used must also consider individuals' freedom in decision making at each step of the prenatal diagnosis pathway.