Effects of multiple injection strategies on gaseous emissions and particle size distribution in a two-stroke compression-ignition engine operating with the gasoline partially premixed combustion concept

[EN] In order to improve performance of internal combustion engines and meet the requirements of the new pollutant emission regulations, advanced combustion strategies have been investigated. The newly designed partially premixed combustion concept has demonstrated its potential for reducing NOx and particulate matter emissions combined with high indicated efficiencies while still retaining proper control over combustion process by using different injection strategies. In this study, parametric variations of injection pressure, second injection and third injection timings were experimentally performed to analyze the effect of the injection strategy over the air/fuel mixture process and its consequent impact on gaseous compound emissions and particulate matter emissions including its size distribution. Tests were carried out on a newly designed two-stroke high-speed direct injection compression-ignition engine operating with the partially premixed combustion concept using 95 research octane number gasoline fuel. A scanning particle sizer was used to measure the particles size distribution and the HORIBA 7100DEGR gas analyzer system to determine gaseous emissions. Three different steady-state operation modes in terms of indicated mean effective pressure and engine speed were investigated: 3.5 bar indicated mean effective pressure and 2000 r/min, 5.5 bar indicated mean effective pressure and 2000 r/min, and 5.5 bar indicated mean effective pressure and 2500 r/min. The experimental results confirm how the use of an adequate injection strategy is indispensable to obtain low exhaust emissions values and a balance between the different pollutants. With the increase in the injection pressure and delay in the second injection, it was possible to obtain a trade-off between NOx and particulate matter emission reduction, while there was an increase in hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions under these conditions. In addition, the experiments showed an increase in particle number emissions and a progressive shift in the particles size distribution toward larger sizes, increasing the accumulation-mode particles and reducing the nucleation-mode particles with the decrease in the injection pressure and delay in the third injection.The authors kindly recognize the technical support provided by Mr Pascal Tribotte from RENAULT SAS in the frame of the DREAM-DELTA-68530-13-3205 Project.Bermúdez, V.; Ruiz-Rosales, S.; Novella Rosa, R.; Soto-Izquierdo, L. (2018). Effects of multiple injection strategies on gaseous emissions and particle size distribution in a two-stroke compression-ignition engine operating with the gasoline partially premixed combustion concept. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part D Journal of Automobile Engineering. 233(10):1-19. https://doi.org/10.1177/0954407018802960S1192331

An entropy test for single-locus genetic association analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The etiology of complex diseases is due to the combination of genetic and environmental factors, usually many of them, and each with a small effect. The identification of these small-effect contributing factors is still a demanding task. Clearly, there is a need for more powerful tests of genetic association, and especially for the identification of rare effects</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We introduce a new genetic association test based on symbolic dynamics and symbolic entropy. Using a freely available software, we have applied this entropy test, and a conventional test, to simulated and real datasets, to illustrate the method and estimate type I error and power. We have also compared this new entropy test to the Fisher exact test for assessment of association with low-frequency SNPs. The entropy test is generally more powerful than the conventional test, and can be significantly more powerful when the genotypic test is applied to low allele-frequency markers. We have also shown that both the Fisher and Entropy methods are optimal to test for association with low-frequency SNPs (MAF around 1-5%), and both are conservative for very rare SNPs (MAF<1%)</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We have developed a new, simple, consistent and powerful test to detect genetic association of biallelic/SNP markers in case-control data, by using symbolic dynamics and symbolic entropy as a measure of gene dependence. We also provide a standard asymptotic distribution of this test statistic. Given that the test is based on entropy measures, it avoids smoothed nonparametric estimation. The entropy test is generally as good or even more powerful than the conventional and Fisher tests. Furthermore, the entropy test is more computationally efficient than the Fisher's Exact test, especially for large number of markers. Therefore, this entropy-based test has the advantage of being optimal for most SNPs, regardless of their allele frequency (Minor Allele Frequency (MAF) between 1-50%). This property is quite beneficial, since many researchers tend to discard low allele-frequency SNPs from their analysis. Now they can apply the same statistical test of association to all SNPs in a single analysis., which can be especially helpful to detect rare effects.</p

High resolution mapping of a novel late blight resistance gene Rpi-avll, from the wild Bolivian species Solanum avilesii

Both Mexico and South America are rich in Solanum species that might be valuable sources of resistance (R) genes to late blight (Phytophthora infestans). Here, we focus on an R gene present in the diploid Bolivian species S. avilesii. The genotype carrying the R gene was resistant to eight out of 10 Phytophthora isolates of various provenances. The identification of a resistant phenotype and the generation of a segregating population allowed the mapping of a single dominant R gene, Rpi-avl1, which is located in an R gene cluster on chromosome 11. This R gene cluster is considered as an R gene “hot spot”, containing R genes to at least five different pathogens. High resolution mapping of the Rpi-avl1 gene revealed a marker co-segregating in 3890 F1 individuals, which may be used for marker assisted selection in breeding programs and for further cloning of Rpi-avl

Early-transition-metal ketenimine complexes:Synthesis, reactivity, and structure of ketenimine-containing titanocene and zirconocene complexes

Reaction of Cp2M(PMe3)(2) complexes (M = Ti, Zr; Cp = eta(5)-C5H5) with the N-(p-tolyl)-diphenylketenimine Ph'N=C=CPh2 (Ph' = p-MeC6H4) in a 1:1 molar ratio affords the ketenimine-containing metallocene derivatives Cp2M(eta(2)-(C,N)-Ph'N=C=CPh2)(PMe3) (M = Ti (1); Zr (2)). The ketenimine ligand reacts in the same way with the ''Cp*M-2'' species (Cp* = eta(5)-C5Me5) generated from the reduction of the corresponding Cp*2MCl2 complexes with (LiBu)-Bu-t (1:2 molar ratio) to give the related complexes Cp*M-2(eta(2)-(C,N)-Ph'N=C=CPh2) (M = Ti (3); Zr (4)). The molecular structure of 3 shows a titanium atom bonded to two eta(5)-cyclopentadienyl rings and a eta(2)-(C,N)-bonded ketenimine ligand. Reaction of ''Cp*Ti-2'' with the ketenimine ligand in a 1:2 molar ratio gives 1,1,5,5-tetraphenyl-3-(p-tolyl)-2-(p-toluidino)-3-aza-1,4-pentadiene, which probably results from the coupling, followed by hydrolysis, of two ketenimine molecules coordinated to one titanocene moiety. Protonation of 3 with Et3NHCl or H2O (1:1 molar ratio) affords the intermediate species Cp*Ti-2(X)(eta(2)-(C,N)-Ph'N=C(H)=CPh2) (X = Cl (5); OH (6)), which on hydrolysis evolves to give the enamine Ph'N(H)-CH=CPh2 as the final product. Finally, 3 reacts reversibly with H-2 to give the hydride enamidate complex Cp*Ti-2(H)(eta(1)-Ph'N-CH=CPh2) (7). The structures of the different compounds have been determined by IR and NMR spectroscopic methods

Preparation and surface functionalization of MWCNTs: study of the composite materials produced by the interaction with an iron phthalocyanine complex

Carbon nanotubes [CNTs] were synthesized by the catalytic vapor decomposition method. Thereafter, they were functionalized in order to incorporate the oxygen groups (OCNT) and subsequently the amine groups (ACNT). All three CNTs (the as-synthesized and functionalized) underwent reaction with an iron organometallic complex (FePcS), iron(III) phthalocyanine-4,4",4",4""-tetrasulfonic acid, in order to study the nature of the interaction between this complex and the CNTs and the potential formation of nanocomposite materials. Transmission electronic microscopy, N2 adsorption at 77 K, thermogravimetric analysis, temperature-programmed desorption, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were the characterization techniques employed to confirm the successful functionalization of CNTs as well as the type of interaction existing with the FePcS. All results obtained led to the same conclusion: There were no specific chemical interactions between CNTs and the fixed FePcS

Grammatical evolution decision trees for detecting gene-gene interactions

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A fundamental goal of human genetics is the discovery of polymorphisms that predict common, complex diseases. It is hypothesized that complex diseases are due to a myriad of factors including environmental exposures and complex genetic risk models, including gene-gene interactions. Such epistatic models present an important analytical challenge, requiring that methods perform not only statistical modeling, but also variable selection to generate testable genetic model hypotheses. This challenge is amplified by recent advances in genotyping technology, as the number of potential predictor variables is rapidly increasing.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Decision trees are a highly successful, easily interpretable data-mining method that are typically optimized with a hierarchical model building approach, which limits their potential to identify interacting effects. To overcome this limitation, we utilize evolutionary computation, specifically grammatical evolution, to build decision trees to detect and model gene-gene interactions. In the current study, we introduce the Grammatical Evolution Decision Trees (GEDT) method and software and evaluate this approach on simulated data representing gene-gene interaction models of a range of effect sizes. We compare the performance of the method to a traditional decision tree algorithm and a random search approach and demonstrate the improved performance of the method to detect purely epistatic interactions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The results of our simulations demonstrate that GEDT has high power to detect even very moderate genetic risk models. GEDT has high power to detect interactions with and without main effects.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>GEDT, while still in its initial stages of development, is a promising new approach for identifying gene-gene interactions in genetic association studies.</p

Increasing work-place healthiness with the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri: A randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled study

BACKGROUND: Short term illnesses, usually caused by respiratory or gastrointestinal diseases are disruptive to productivity and there is relatively little focus on preventative measures. This study examined the effect of the probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri protectis (ATCC55730) on its ability to improve work-place healthiness by reducing short term sick-leave caused by respiratory or gastrointestinal infections. METHODS: 262 employees at TetraPak in Sweden (day-workers and three-shift-workers) that were healthy at study start were randomised in a double-blind fashion to receive either a daily dose of 10(8 )Colony Forming Units of L. reuteri or placebo for 80 days. The study products were administered with a drinking straw. 181 subjects complied with the study protocol, 94 were randomised to receive L. reuteri and 87 received placebo. RESULTS: In the placebo group 26.4% reported sick-leave for the defined causes during the study as compared with 10.6% in the L. reuteri group (p < 0.01). The frequency of sick-days was 0.9% in the placebo group and 0.4% in the L. reuteri group (p < 0.01). Among the 53 shift-workers, 33% in the placebo group reported sick during the study period as compared with none in the L. reuteri group(p < 0.005)

Display of native antigen on cDC1 that have spatial access to both T and B cells underlies efficient humoral vaccination

Follicular dendritic cells and macrophages have been strongly implicated in presentation of native Ag to B cells. This property has also occasionally been attributed to conventional dendritic cells (cDC) but is generally masked by their essential role in T cell priming. cDC can be divided into two main subsets, cDC1 and cDC2, with recent evidence suggesting that cDC2 are primarily responsible for initiating B cell and T follicular helper responses. This conclusion is, however, at odds with evidence that targeting Ag to Clec9A (DNGR1), expressed by cDC1, induces strong humoral responses. In this study, we reveal that murine cDC1 interact extensively with B cells at the border of B cell follicles and, when Ag is targeted to Clec9A, can display native Ag for B cell activation. This leads to efficient induction of humoral immunity. Our findings indicate that surface display of native Ag on cDC with access to both T and B cells is key to efficient humoral vaccination

Politische Dimensionen von Militärübungen und Manövern – ein Projektbericht

Die virtuellen Kriege und Operationen, die in Militärübungen gespielt und geprobt werden, können entweder der Abschreckung dienen oder aber Angriffe vorbereiten bzw. zur Maskierung tatsächlicher Angriffe dienen. Für Beobachter ist es vielfach nicht offensichtlich, um welche Art von Militärübung es sich handelt. Die Ergebnisse eines vierjährigen internationalen Projektes zu politischen Dimensionen von Militärübungen richten das Schlaglicht insbesondere auf Missverständnisse und deren ungewollte politische Auswirkungen, die im Extremfall unbeabsichtigt zum Krieg führen können

The burden of neglected tropical diseases in Ethiopia, and opportunities for integrated control and elimination

Background: Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of chronic parasitic diseases and related conditions that are the most common diseases among the 2·7 billion people globally living on less than US$2 per day. In response to the growing challenge of NTDs, Ethiopia is preparing to launch a NTD Master Plan. The purpose of this review is to underscore the burden of NTDs in Ethiopia, highlight the state of current interventions, and suggest ways forward. Results: This review indicates that NTDs are significant public health problems in Ethiopia. From the analysis reported here, Ethiopia stands out for having the largest number of NTD cases following Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ethiopia is estimated to have the highest burden of trachoma, podoconiosis and cutaneous leishmaniasis in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the second highest burden in terms of ascariasis, leprosy and visceral leishmaniasis, and the third highest burden of hookworm. Infections such as schistosomiasis, trichuriasis, lymphatic filariasis and rabies are also common. A third of Ethiopians are infected with ascariasis, one quarter is infected with trichuriasis and one in eight Ethiopians lives with hookworm or is infected with trachoma. However, despite these high burdens of infection, the control of most NTDs in Ethiopia is in its infancy. In terms of NTD control achievements, Ethiopia reached the leprosy elimination target of 1 case/10,000 population in 1999. No cases of human African trypanosomiasis have been reported since 1984. Guinea worm eradication is in its final phase. The Onchocerciasis Control Program has been making steady progress since 2001. A national blindness survey was conducted in 2006 and the trachoma program has kicked off in some regions. Lymphatic Filariasis, podoconiosis and rabies mapping are underway. Conclusion: Ethiopia bears a significant burden of NTDs compared to other SSA countries. To achieve success in integrated control of NTDs, integrated mapping, rapid scale up of interventions and operational research into co implementation of intervention packages will be crucial