Energy recovery methodology in industrial processes

International audienceThrough the CERES -2 project, supported by the French Research National Agency (ANR), we have developed an open source software platform, called CERES, to optimize heat recovery in continuous industrial processes. This platform is based on a multi-scale and multi critera methodology for heat recovery optimisation. This methodology is based on the following calculation steps:1. Minimum Energy Requirement identification2. Minimum Exergy Requirement and utilities identification3. Exchanger network constructionAt each step we solve a linear mono-objective problem. The first step allows, from a set of heat flows, to build the composite curves and to determine the minimum heating and cooling energy requirements. With the set of heat flows and a solution of the first step, the second step proposes the introduction of utilities, such as heat pumps or organic Rankine cycle (ORC), to minimize the exergy destruction. The last step is based on an algorithm of heat exchanger network design (HEN) including utilities and heat recovery technologies sizing, based on economic criteria. The set of heat flows are constructed in the platform CERES from industrial processes Modelica models. CERES has been validated with 3 industrial case studies

Tuning of pectin methylesterification: consequences for cell wall biomechanics and development.

This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00425-015-2358-5Recent publications have increased our knowledge of how pectin composition and the degree of homogalacturonan methylesterification impact the biochemical and biomechanical properties of plant cell walls, plant development, and plants' interactions with their abiotic and biotic environments. Experimental observations have shown that the relationships between the DM, the pattern of de-methylesterificaton, its effect on cell wall elasticity, other biomechanical parameters, and growth are not straightforward. Working towards a detailed understanding of these relationships at single cell resolution is one of the big tasks of pectin research. Pectins are highly complex polysaccharides abundant in plant primary cell walls. New analytical and microscopy techniques are revealing the composition and mechanical properties of the cell wall and increasing our knowledge on the topic. Progress in plant physiological research supports a link between cell wall pectin modifications and plant development and interactions with the environment. Homogalacturonan pectins, which are major components of the primary cell wall, have a potential for modifications such as methylesterification, as well as an ability to form cross-linked structures with divalent cations. This contributes to changing the mechanical properties of the cell wall. This review aims to give a comprehensive overview of the pectin component homogalacturonan, including its synthesis, modification, regulation and role in the plant cell wall.The financial support from the NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships (to G.L.-T.), the Institut Universitaire de France (IUF) to J.P. and a Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowship to K.M. is gratefully acknowledged

Unidirectional Thermal Effects in Current-Induced Domain Wall Motion

We report experimental evidence of thermal effects on the displacement of vortex walls in NiFe nanostrips. With the use of nanosecond current pulses, a unidirectional motion of the magnetic domain walls towards the hotter part of the nanostrips is observed, in addition to current-induced domain wall motion. By tuning the heat dissipation in the samples and modeling the heat diffusion, we conclude that this unidirectional motion can only be explained by the presence of a temperature profile along the nanostrip. A quantitative analysis of the experiments shows that, on top of the classical thermodynamic pressure on the domain wall, another force, probably the magnonic spin Seebeck effect, is displacing the domain walls.Fil: Torrejon, J.. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; FranciaFil: Malinowski, G.. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; FranciaFil: Pelloux, M.. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; FranciaFil: Weil, R.. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; FranciaFil: Thiaville, A.. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; FranciaFil: Curiale, Carlos Javier. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Bariloche; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte; ArgentinaFil: Lacour, D.. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; FranciaFil: Montaigne, F.. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; FranciaFil: Hehn, M.. Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Franci

Infection with Toxoplasma gondii does not Alter TNFα and IL-6 Secretion by A human Astrocytoma Cell Line

The secretion of tumour necrosis factor-α (TNFα), interleukin-1α (IL-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) by a human astrocytoma cell fine was studied 1 h, 3 h, 6 h and 24 h after infection with tachyzoites from three Toxoplasma gondii strains (virulent, RH; cystogentc, 76K and Prugniaud strains). The astrocytoma cell fine constitutively secreted TNFα and IL-6, but no IL-1α. A positive control was obtained by stimulation with phorbol esters inducing a significant increase (p < 0.05) in TNFα and IL- 6 secretion but not in IL-1α, while lipopolysaccharide (alone and after priming), interferon gamma, ionophore A 23187 and sera positive to T. gondii did not induce any increase in cytokine levels. None of the tachyzoites, whatever their virulence, induced a significant increase in cytokine production at any time in the study. Tachyzoites did not inhibit the secretion induced by phorbol esters

Front. Plant. Sci.

Plasmodesmata (PD) pores connect neighbouring plant cells and enable direct transport across the cell wall. Understanding the molecular composition of these structures is essential to address their formation and later dynamic regulation. Here we provide a biochemical characterisation of the cell wall co-purified with primary PD of Arabidopsis thaliana cell cultures. To achieve this result we combined subcellular fractionation, polysaccharide analyses and enzymatic fingerprinting approaches. Relative to the rest of the cell wall, specific patterns were observed in the PD fraction. Most xyloglucans, although possibly not abundant as a group, were fucosylated. Homogalacturonans displayed short methylated stretches while rhamnogalacturonan I species were remarkably abundant. Ful l rhamnogalacturonan II forms, highly methyl-acetylated, were also present. We additionally showed that these domains, compared to the broad wall, are less affected by wall modifying activities during a time interval of days. Overall, the protocol and the data presented here open new opportunities for the study of wall polysaccharides associated with PD.Ecole Universitaire de Recherche de Sciences des Plantes de Paris-SaclayThe function of membrane tethering in plant intercellular communicatio

A distinct adipose tissue gene expression response to caloric restriction predicts 6-mo weight maintenance in obese subjects

BACKGROUND: Weight loss has been shown to reduce risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease and diabetes; however, successful maintenance of weight loss continues to pose a challenge. OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to assess whether changes in subcutaneous adipose tissue (scAT) gene expression during a low-calorie diet (LCD) could be used to differentiate and predict subjects who experience successful short-term weight maintenance from subjects who experience weight regain. DESIGN: Forty white women followed a dietary protocol consisting of an 8-wk LCD phase followed by a 6-mo weight-maintenance phase. Participants were classified as weight maintainers (WMs; 0-10% weight regain) and weight regainers (WRs; 50-100% weight regain) by considering changes in body weight during the 2 phases. Anthropometric measurements, bioclinical variables, and scAT gene expression were studied in all individuals before and after the LCD. Energy intake was estimated by using 3-d dietary records. RESULTS: No differences in body weight and fasting insulin were observed between WMs and WRs at baseline or after the LCD period. The LCD resulted in significant decreases in body weight and in several plasma variables in both groups. WMs experienced a significant reduction in insulin secretion in response to an oral-glucose-tolerance test after the LCD; in contrast, no changes in insulin secretion were observed in WRs after the LCD. An ANOVA of scAT gene expression showed that genes regulating fatty acid metabolism, citric acid cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, and apoptosis were regulated differently by the LCD in WM and WR subjects. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that LCD-induced changes in insulin secretion and scAT gene expression may have the potential to predict successful short-term weight maintenanc

Adipose Gene Expression Prior to Weight Loss Can Differentiate and Weakly Predict Dietary Responders

BACKGROUND: The ability to identify obese individuals who will successfully lose weight in response to dietary intervention will revolutionize disease management. Therefore, we asked whether it is possible to identify subjects who will lose weight during dietary intervention using only a single gene expression snapshot. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The present study involved 54 female subjects from the Nutrient-Gene Interactions in Human Obesity-Implications for Dietary Guidelines (NUGENOB) trial to determine whether subcutaneous adipose tissue gene expression could be used to predict weight loss prior to the 10-week consumption of a low-fat hypocaloric diet. Using several statistical tests revealed that the gene expression profiles of responders (8-12 kgs weight loss) could always be differentiated from non-responders (<4 kgs weight loss). We also assessed whether this differentiation was sufficient for prediction. Using a bottom-up (i.e. black-box) approach, standard class prediction algorithms were able to predict dietary responders with up to 61.1%+/-8.1% accuracy. Using a top-down approach (i.e. using differentially expressed genes to build a classifier) improved prediction accuracy to 80.9%+/-2.2%. CONCLUSION: Adipose gene expression profiling prior to the consumption of a low-fat diet is able to differentiate responders from non-responders as well as serve as a weak predictor of subjects destined to lose weight. While the degree of prediction accuracy currently achieved with a gene expression snapshot is perhaps insufficient for clinical use, this work reveals that the comprehensive molecular signature of adipose tissue paves the way for the future of personalized nutrition