Kinetic Modelling for Tar Evolution and Formation in a Downdraft Gasifier

Biomass gasification modeling is a powerful tool used to optimize the design of a gasifier. A detailed kinetic model was built by the current authors [1] to predict the behavior of air blown downdraft gasifier for a wide range of materials within the range of (38≤C≤52) %, (5.2≤H≤7) %, and (21.7≤O≤45) %. The model was verified and showed a good stability for a wide range of working parameters like equivalence ratio and moisture content. In the current research, 4 main tar species are added to the model to represent tar formation using detailed kinetic reactions. The yield of tar species is discussed for different zones of a gasifier based on temperature of each zone. Mass and energy balance are calculated. 18 different kinetic reactions are implemented in the kinetic code to predict the optimum working conditions that leads to the production of higher value producer gas. Results conclude that using ER of 0.3 with moisture content levels lower than 10% will lead to the production of higher yields of syngas with lower amounts of tar

Goal-directed visual attention drives health goal priming: an eye-tracking experiment

Objective: Several lab and field experiments have shown that goal priming interventions can be highly effective in promoting healthy food choices. Less is known, however, about the mechanisms by which goal priming affects food choice. This experiment tested the hypothesis that goal priming affects food choices through changes in visual attention. Specifically, it was hypothesized that priming with the dieting goal steers attention toward goal-relevant, low energy food products, which, in turn, increases the likelihood of choosing these products. Methods: In this eye-tracking experiment, 125 participants chose between high and low energy food products in a realistic online supermarket task while their eye movements were recorded with an eye-tracker. One group was primed with a health and dieting goal, a second group was exposed to a control prime, and a third group was exposed to no prime at all. Results: The health goal prime increased low energy food choices and decreased high energy food choices. Furthermore, the health goal prime resulted in proportionally longer total dwell times on low energy food products, and this effect mediated the goal priming effect on choices. Conclusions: The findings suggest that the effect of priming on consumer choice may originate from an increase in attention for prime-congruent items. This study supports the effectiveness of health goal priming interventions in promoting healthy eating and opens up directions for research on other behavioral interventions that steer attention toward healthy foods

A 10-bit Charge-Redistribution ADC Consuming 1.9 μW at 1 MS/s

This paper presents a 10 bit successive approximation ADC in 65 nm CMOS that benefits from technology scaling. It meets extremely low power requirements by using a charge-redistribution DAC that uses step-wise charging, a dynamic two-stage comparator and a delay-line-based controller. The ADC requires no external reference current and uses only one external supply voltage of 1.0 V to 1.3 V. Its supply current is proportional to the sample rate (only dynamic power consumption). The ADC uses a chip area of approximately 115--225 μm2. At a sample rate of 1 MS/s and a supply voltage of 1.0 V, the 10 bit ADC consumes 1.9 μW and achieves an energy efficiency of 4.4 fJ/conversion-step

Climate Change:What Psychology Can Offer in Terms of Insights and Solutions

Can psychological science offer evidence-based solutions to climate change? Using insights and principles derived from the literature on social dilemmas and human cooperation, we discuss evidence in support of three solutions: crossing the borders of thought, time, and space. First, borders of thought could be crossed by using persuasion that is concrete and tailored to local circumstances and by highlighting information about people’s efforts as evidence against the myth of self-interest. Second, borders of time could be crossed by using kinship cues, which can help make the future less distant, and relatively uninvolved advisors, who may help make the future salient. And third, borders of space could be crossed by showing group representatives how they might benefit from a frame of altruistic competition—focusing on the benefits of being seen as moral and global in orientation. Our overall conclusion is that psychological science can offer evidence-based solutions to climate change

Social Mindfulness and Psychosis: Neural response to socially mindful behavior in first-episode psychosis and patients at clinical high-risk

Background: Psychosis is characterized by problems in social functioning and trust, the assumed glue to positive social relations. But what helps building trust? A prime candidate could be social mindfulness: The ability and willingness to see and consider another person’s needs and wishes during social decision making. We investigated whether first-episode psychosis patients (FEP) and patients at clinical high-risk (CHR) show reduced social mindfulness, and examined the underlying neural mechanisms. Methods: Twenty FEP, 17 CHR and 46 healthy controls, aged 16-31, performed the social mindfulness task (SoMi) during fMRI scanning, spontaneously and after the instruction “to keep the other’s best interest in mind”. As first of two people, participants had to choose one out of four products, of which three were identical and one was unique, differing in a single aspect (e.g., color). Results: FEP tended to choose the unique item (unmindful choice) more often than controls. After instruction, all groups significantly increased the number of mindful choices compared to the spontaneous condition. FEP showed reduced activation of the caudate and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) during mindful, and of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), mPFC, and left dorso-lateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) during unmindful decisions. CHR showed reduced activation of the ACC compared to controls. Discussion: FEP showed a trend towards more unmindful choices. A similar increase of mindful choices after instruction indicated the ability for social mindfulness when prompted. Results suggested reduced sensitivity to the rewarding aspects of social mindfulness in FEP, and reduced consideration for the other player. FEP (and CHR to a lesser extent) might perceive unmindful choices as less incongruent with the automatic mindful responses than controls. Reduced socially mindful behavior in FEP may hinder the building of trust and cooperative interactions

HUBUNGAN ANTARA BEBAN KERJA, MASA KERJA DAN KEJENUHAN KERJA DENGAN STRES KERJA PADA TENAGA KERJA AREA OPENING SHELLER PT.SASA INTI KECAMATAN TENGA KABUPATEN MINAHASA SELATAN

Stres kerja merupakan tekanan dari pekerjaan yang dapat mempengaruhi psikologis pekerja. Beberapa faktor penyebab yang dipengaruhi oleh stres kerja yaitu beban kerja, masa kerja dan kejenuhan kerja. Tujuan penelitian adalah untuk mengetahui hubungan antara beban kerja, masa kerja dan kejenuhan  kerja dengan stres kerja pada tenaga kerja area Opening Sheller di PT. Sasa Inti Kecamatan Tenga Kabupaten Minahasa Selatan. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode survey analitik dengan pendekatan cross sectional. Total populasi berjumlah 100 orang. Instrumen penelitian ini menggunakan kuesioner stres kerja, beban kerja dan kejenuhan kerja.  Analisis data meliputi univariat dan bivariat menggunakan uji chi-square (p < 0,05). Didapati hasil dari penelitian ini bahwa beban kerja  (p= 0,000) masa kerja  (p= 0,689) dan kejenuhan kerja   (p= 0,000) secara siginifikan berhubungan dan tidak berhubungan dengan stres kerja. Dengan demikian terdapat Hubungan antara Beban Kerja dan  Kejenuhan Kerja dengan Stres Kerja dan tidak terdapat hubungan yang signifikan antara Masa Kerja dengan stres kerja di PT. Sasa Inti Kecamatan Tenga Kabupaten Minahsa Selatan.  Kata Kunci : Beban Kerja, Masa Kerja, Kejenuhan Kerja, Stres Kerja                                                                                                                                ABSTRACTJob stress is pressure from work that can affect the psychology of workers. Several contributing factors are influenced by work stress, namely workload, work period and work saturation. The research objective was to determine the relationship between workload, work period and work saturation with work stress in the Opening Sheller area workforce at PT. Sasa Inti, Tenga District, South Minahasa Regency. This study used an analytic survey method with a cross sectional approach. The total population is 100 people. The research instrument used a questionnaire on work stress, workload and work saturation. Data analysis included univariate and bivariate using the chi-square test (p <0.05). It was found from the results of this study that workload (p = 0.000), work period (p = 0.689) and work burnout (p = 0.000) were significantly related and not related to work stress. Thus there is a relationship between Workload and Work Saturation with Work Stress and there is no significant relationship between Work Period and work stress at PT. Sasa Inti, Tenga District, South Minahsa Regency. Keywords : Workload, Future of Work, Job Burnout, Work Stres

Sweet lies: neural, visual, and behavioral measures reveal a lack of self-control conflict during food choice in weight-concerned women

Despite their intentions, weight-concerned individuals generally fail to control their eating behavior. However, it is unknown whether this failure is due to a lack of effortful self-control, or to not experiencing an internal conflict between weight goals and food temptations. The present study used fMRI, eye tracking and reaction times to assess the degree of conflict experienced by weight-concerned women during food choices that posed either a self-control dilemma (i.e., requiring a choice between healthy and palatable foods), or not. Contrary to the common assumption in self-control theory that food choices posing a self-control dilemma evoke internal conflict, we found that choices requiring self-control induced no conflict, as demonstrated by lower reaction times, fixation durations, number of gaze switches between snacks, and lower activation of the anterior cingulate cortex. Self-control failure might be due to a lack of experienced conflict, rather than to failing to act upon the perception of such conflict. This implies that effectiveness of weight maintenance interventions might be improved if they also focus on increasing the ability to detect a self-control dilemma, in addition to the current focus on increasing self-regulatory capacity

Advanced Glycation End Products, the Hidden Bridge between Diabetes and Periodontitis - A Review

An association between oral infections and systemic diseases especially diabetes mellitus has been suspected for centuries. It has been assumed that is due to the fact that diabetic patients have a compromised ability to respond to infectious challenges which predisposes the patient to bacterial infections such as periodontal disease.Over the past decade, a growing body of scientific evidence suggests an exquisite association between oral infection (eg, viruses, bacteria, yeast) and systemic diseases. However, the possibility that periodontal disease either predisposes or exacerbates the diabetic condition has received only little attention. This review highlights the two-way relationship between diabetes mellitus and periodontal disease