Quality control of gasohol using a micro-unit for membraneless gas diffusion

This work describes the development of a new spectrophotometric flow technique suitable for monitoring of ethanol content in gasohol fuel. Membraneless gas-diffusion (MBL-GD) was applied with one-step aqueous extraction of gasohol (1:2 gasohol/water). Segments of aqueous extract and color developing reagent were allowed to flow into two separate channels in the MBL-GD device. Inside the device, ethanol vapor can diffuse across a small headspace between the two channels (donor and acceptor). Introduction of an air-segment behind the zone of acceptor reagent to stop dispersion of the colored zone greatly improves the rapidity of analysis using this MBL-GD technique. Two methods were developed for quality control of gasohol by measuring ethanol content. Method I is suitable for direct calibration of E5 and E10. Method II is recommended for E20. These methods have high accuracy with good precision (% RSD: 1 to 4.9, n&#8201;=&#8201;45) and have a sample throughput of 26 samples per hour. E10 samples were compared with analysis using a standard GC method. </p

Biodiesel from beef tallow: a technological patent mapping / Biodiesel de sebo bovino: um mapeamento de patente tecnológica

Beef tallow has become indispensable for the production of biodiesel since the introduction of biofuel manufacturing methods. The objective of this study is to create a technological map of patents that have employed bovine tallow in the manufacturing of biodiesel over the last ten years (2009–2019). The methodological approach was established using a bibliographic survey and a content analysis, in which keywords from the European Patent Office's (Espacenet) and Derwent Innovations Index databases were employed (DII). After a preliminary examination, 34 patents were found, divided into eight patent families, with China being the largest repository of these technologies, suggesting that the companies that promoted the use of beef tallow as a fuel had diversified completely, with no monopoly on technological content for a specific group of institutions

The influence of tool coating on the length of the normal operating region (steady-state wear) for micro end mills

Increasing miniaturisation has significantly increased demand for highly accurate small parts to be machined. Micro milling presents a viable method for series machining parts such as miniature heat exchangers or fuel injectors. Micro end mill tool wear, however, is considerably more difficult to monitor than its macro counterpart, and the tools often fail due to chipping or shaft failure. High tool breakage rates make costs unpredictable and machining times inefficient. Conversely, macro end mill wear is well characterised, and the typical wear curve well understood. The aim of this work is to elongate the steady state region (SSR) of the wear curve for micro end mills, as this is the practical life of the tool. Coatings can be applied to achieve this, improving wear rates and cutting performance. This study examines the wear that took place during straight-slot machining with 500 μm micro end mills. This was then compared with observed wear mechanisms on the macro scale. The length of the SSR was used to evaluate the ability of various new coatings to extend the working tool life. The relative predictability in the SSR allows tool paths to be modified to account for changing tool geometry. The results demonstrate that for micro-mills, the SSR could be elongated, in spite of less predictable wear mechanisms. Overall, this work presents a successful attempt to manipulate the wear curve for micro end mills and highlights the importance of developing an understanding of the wear mechanisms taking place for micro-mills as compared with macro-mills

Applying experimental micro-tool wear measurement techniques to industrial environments

Productivity in micro-milling is hindered by premature fracture of tools and difficulty predicting wear. This work builds upon previous investigations into tool wear mechanisms and coatings for micro-mills.The technology readiness level of this work exceeds previous studies by investigating the micro-mills for practical applications and comparing this data. 0.5 mm micro end mills are tested with different coatings on CuZn38, and wear curves produced both in the case of simple straight slot testing and milling of complex parts representing industrial applications. The results show that curves produced using straight slots can be used to predict the behaviour of tools used to machine industrial parts. Due to interrupted cutting, tools used in straight slot tests reach the end of steady state wear after approximately 12 s of cutting as compared with 170 s in continuous milling. Typical cutting forces seen for the tools are in the order of 2–4 N. Catastrophic failure is seen towards the end of tool life for a TiAlN tool with a cutting force of over 30 N seen. For the first time a comparison has been made between fundamental tool wear studies and tool wear observed when producing test pieces representative to micro-industrial parts. This presents a novel perspective on tool wear and facilitates the integrating of existing micro-milling research into industr

Decolorization of a chromophore molecule with immobilized horseradish peroxidase / Descoloração de uma molécula de cromóforo com peroxidase de rábano imobilizada

The enzymes can modify some effluent characteristics in order to increase the degradability, or the bioconversion of liquid  effluents. The oxireductases, laccases and peroxidases have been used due their high potentiality in many environmental treatments of natural and synthetic organic compounds as dyes, phenols and polyphenolics molecules. The performance of immobilized horseradish peroxidase on aminopropyl glass beads was investigated in this work in a decolorization reaction of methylene blue colorant. The experiments were conducted in batch conditions during 3 hours, with different aqueous solutions of peroxide hydrogen (H2O2) concentration solutions (2-10 mg/L), methylene blue (ME)  (5-20 mg/L) and the pH in the range from 4 to 8, according an experimental design proposed by the software STATISTICA®. After 3 hours of treatment the reduction of  the color was 60% when comparing to the original color and 50% when the immobilized enzymes were reused in five sequential batch treatment cycles for a 10 mg/L of H2O2 solution, 20 mg/L of ME  and pH 8.0.  Working in continuous process with two microreactors in series the system showed a good performance with 97% of decolorization in the first 15 minutes. After 1 hour of continuous treatment the percentage of the color removing was around 70%.

An analysis of the quality of experimental design and reliability of results in tribology research

In recent years several high profile projects have questioned the repeatability and validity of scientific research in the fields of psychology and medicine. In general, these studies have shown or estimated that less than 50% of published research findings are true or replicable even when no breaches of ethics are made. This high percentage stems from widespread poor study design; either through the use of underpowered studies or designs that allow the introduction of bias into the results. In this work, we have aimed to assess, for the first time, the prevalence of good study design in the field of tribology. A set of simple criteria for factors such as randomisation, blinding, use of control and repeated tests has been made. These criteria have been used in a mass review of the output of five highly regarded tribology journals for the year 2017. In total 379 papers were reviewed by 26 reviewers, 28% of the total output of the journals selected for 2017. Our results show that the prevalence of these simple aspects of study design is poor. Out of 290 experimental studies, 2.2% used any form of blinding, 3.2% used randomisation of either the tests or the test samples, while none randomised both. 30% repeated experiments 3 or more times and 86% of those who repeated tests used single batches of test materials. 4.4% completed statistical tests on their data. Due to the low prevalence of repeated tests and statistical analysis it is impossible to give a realistic indication of the percentage of the published works that are likely to be false positives, however these results compare poorly to other more well studied fields. Finally, recommendations for improved study design for researchers and group design for research group leaders are given

How PETE comes to matter in the performance of social justice education

Background: For over four decades there have been calls for physical education (PE) and physical education teacher education (PETE) to address social inequality and foster social justice. Yet, as numerous studies demonstrate, attempts to educate for social justice in PETE are infrequent and rarely comprehensive. This raises the question why it appears to be possible in some situations but not others, and for some students and not others.    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the multiple socio-political networks or assemblages in which PETE is embedded and explore how these shape the possibilities for students to engage with the concept of social justice and sociocultural issues when learning to teach PE. Two research questions guided this study: How does an orientation for social justice education within education policy affect the standards for enacting PETE programs? How is social justice education encouraged within PETE programs? Methodology: Methodology: Drawing from a broader study of over 70 key personnel in more than 40 PETE programs, we examined how faculty in PETE understand their professional world, identify their subjective meanings of their experiences, and address sociocultural issues (SCI) and social justice education (SJE) within PETE. Data sources included an initial survey, a semi-structured interview, and program artifacts. We analyze the ways that SJE/SCI was represented in three national settings (England, the United States, and New Zealand) and identified common themes. Results:  Examination of each national setting reveals ways that SJE and SCI were enabled and constrained across the national, programmatic, and individual level in each of the countries. The coherence of explicit National policy and curricula, PETE program philosophies, and the presence of multiple individual interests in social justice served to reify a sociocultural agenda. Conversely possibilities were nullified by narrow or general National Standards, programs that failed to acknowledge sociocultural interests, and the absence of a critical mass of actors with a socio-critical orientation. These differences in assemblage culminated in variations in curriculum time that served to restrict or enable the breadth, frequency, and consistency of the messages surrounding SCI in PETE Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of acknowledging socio-political networks where PETE operates. The agency of PETEs to enact pedagogies that foreground sociocultural interests is contingent on congruity of the networks. The authors caution that although the ‘perfect storm’ of conditions have a profound influence of the possibility of transformational learning of SCI in PETE, this arrangement is always temporary, fluid, and subject to changes in any of the three network levels. Additionally, the success of PETE in enabling graduating PE teachers to recognize the inequities that may be reinforced through the ‘hidden curriculum’ and to problematize the subject area is contingent on the expectations of the schools in which they teach.   

Reclaiming the humanity in personality Disorder.

This paper provides a commentary upon the nursing care of individuals diagnosed with personality disorder and associated education courses. The discussion focuses upon recent policy trends in the UK as a point of departure. This policy discourse is critical of mainstream mental health services in previously operating to exclude such individuals. One of the consequences has been a recent growth in interest in relevant training courses, many of which devote significant attention to staff attitudes regarding this client group. Various previous researchers and commentators have remarked upon the implications for practice of a perceived negative attitude among care staff. We reflect upon our own anecdotal experience of developing and delivering new university-based courses for practitioners working in the field of personality disorder to offer a particular critique of the UK context, in which this policy, training, and practice is framed. Social constructionist theories are drawn on to offer insights into public and practitioner discourse and the possible effects on therapeutic relationships. The available discourse constructs individuals with a diagnosis of personality disorder as essentially different from other people. We argue that staff training and practice development initiatives are likely to be more successful if such discourse is challenged, and attempts are made in therapeutic encounters to recognize shared characteristics and positive attributes as much as perceived difference and negative attributes. We refer to this as a re-engagement with common humanity. Despite the singular national context, the discursive themes explored are not necessarily restricted to the UK

Age-dependent effects of protein restriction on dopamine release

FUNDING AND DISCLOSURE This work was supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council [grant # BB/M007391/1 to J.E.M.], the European Commission [grant # GA 631404 to J.E.M.], The Leverhulme Trust [grant # RPG-2017-417 to J.E.M.] and the Tromsø Research Foundation [grant # 19-SG-JMcC to J. E. M.). The authors declare no conflict of interest. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors would like to acknowledge the help and support from the staff of the Division of Biomedical Services, Preclinical Research Facility, University of Leicester, for technical support and the care of experimental animals.Peer reviewedPublisher PD