Industry and engineering education interacting in an interregional project: a Flanders' perspective

The Interreg-IVa 2-Seas project i-MOCCA (“interregional MObility and Competence Centers in Automation”) concentrates on two fast evolving topics in industrial automation: industrial data communication and embedded control [1]. Both require high-end training of practicing engineers in industry and demonstrators illustrating proof-of-principle of emerging technologies. The i-MOCCA project aims to develop competence centers in different universities in the coastal regions of the UK, France and Flanders, Belgium. The project started in July 2011 and ends in September 2014

Synthesis by sol–gel route of oxyapatite powders for dense ceramics : applications as electrolytes for solid oxide fuel cells

Solid oxide fuel cells have considerable interest in recent years, because of their high efficiency and environmentally friendly nature. Such systems required oxygen-conducting electrolytes and now the most common electrolyte is yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ). This compound exhibits high oxide ion conductivity at elevated temperatures (850–1000 °C). However, this high working temperature causes problems in terms of materials selection and lifetime. One solution is to develop new oxide ions conductors exhibiting high oxide ion conductivity at intermediary temperatures (700–800 °C). Recent work has identified Ln10−xSi6O26±z (Ln = rare earths) as a good fast oxide ion conductor. Undoped and doped Ln10−xB6O26±z (B = Si or Ge) oxides are currently prepared by solid-state methods. In that work, we propose a sol–gel process to synthesize powders of La9.33Si6O26 type-silicated apatites. The main advantage is to decrease the crystallization temperature in ,comparison to the conventional methods, allowing the synthesis of reactive powders with nanometric particles size. These oxides are synthesized using silicon alkoxide and lanthanum nitride as precursors. In the litterature, no study refers to the synthesis of mixed oxides with silicon alcoxides. However, there are several studies on sol–gel synthesis of glasses with this precursor. In this study, several processing parameters have been investigated (the hydrolysis ratio, the concentration of metallic precursors in the sol and the role of organic compounds) in order to synthesize pure phases after the decomposition of the sols. Pure powders of La9.33Si6O26 type-silicated apatites are obtained at 800 °C. These powders were used to prepare ceramics. Several processing parameters as morphology of powders (agglomeration, particle sizes) and, heating profiles have been studied on the densification. Dense ceramics (90–95%) have been prepared at temperatures around 1400 °C. The used of sol–gel powders allow the decrease of the sintering temperature of about 200 °C

Evaluation of a sol–gel process for the synthesis of La1−xSrxMnO3+δ cathodic multilayers for solid oxide fuel cells

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are electrical energy conversion devices with high efficiency and low pollution. In order to increase performances of SOFCs at intermediate temperature (700–800 °C) and to decrease materials cost, an alternative sol–gel synthesis method has been investigated to deposit La1−xSrxMnO3+δ (LSMx) as cathode thin films. Polycrystalline LSMx thin films were prepared by dip-coating using a polymeric solution. Lanthanum, strontium and manganese nitrates were used as raw materials. The viscosity of the solution was adjusted and the solution was deposited on polycrystalline ZrO2–8% Y2O3 ceramics. Prior to experiments, the substrate surface was eroded until a roughness of 20 nm and then cleaned with ethanol and dried. Film thicknesses were adjusted with the number of layers. Porosity and grain size of monolayers or multilayers were evaluated. Typical thickness of monolayer is 250 nm. A key parameter in the multilayer process was the intermediate calcination temperature (400, 700 or 1000 °C) of each further layer deposition. A correlation between this intermediate temperature and morphology, thickness and porosity was found; porosity is ranging from 3 to 40% and thickness can reach 1 micron for multilayers. Concerning electrochemical performances, the best results were obtained for LSM0.4 multilayers with an intermediate calcination temperature (called Ti) of 400 °C

Intermediate temperature SOFC single cell test using Nd1.95NiO4+δ as cathode

This work deals with SOFC single cell tests using neodymium nickelate Nd1.95NiO4+δ as cathode material. This MIEC oxide exhibits high values of both surface exchange coefficient (k) and oxygen diffusion coefficient (D*), as well as high electronic conductivity, which result in an enhanced electrochemical activity with respect to classical materials. The SOFC cells were fabricated from an anode-supported electrolyte half-cell provided by InDEC B.V. Corporation, with a 36mmdiameter. The Nd1.95NiO4+δ cathode was prepared as a two-stage electrode consisting of a thin interlayer of several hundred nanometers covered by a thicker layer of dozens microns. The Nd1.95NiO4+δ oxide powders were synthesized using different routes in order to reduce the final annealing temperature, and to subsequently obtain submicronic powders. I–V characteristics of the single cells were investigated under hydrogen–air conditions. The power densities versus current densities curves are reported and the results of impedance spectroscopy measurements performed under these operating conditions are discussed

Extraction of flavored coriander vegetable oil through extrusion technology

In an age where fossil resources are steadily depleting and environmental concerns have become an established subject of public and political discussions, the pursuit of sustainability is deeply entrenched in society. With regard to this and considering the consistently growing demand, the implementation of renewable resources in industrial processes could be a decisive solution. An interesting novel bioresource could be presented by Coriandrum sativum L., an annual herb from the family of Apiaceae and native to the eastern Mediterranean region. The coriander fruits are of particular interest, as they contain two distinct oil fractions. These comprise an essential oil with about 70% linalool and a vegetable oil, characterized by the presence of petroselinic acid, which constitutes over 70% of all fatty acids. Petroselinic acid, or cis-6-octadecenoic acid, presents a rare fatty acid common amongst the vegetable oils from Apiaceae crops. As a positional isomer of the more ubiquitous oleic acid, it may give rise to the synthesis of a series of novel, biobased compounds that could be of great interest to several industries. This renders the vegetable oil from coriander fruits particularly promising and as a consequence, the establishment of an efficient and economically favorable extraction process will constitute a major challenge for future research. Extrusion technology could present an attractive alternative to solvent extraction as it produces high quality vegetable oil that has not come into contact with any chemical substances. Further, the press cakes may find various profitable applications due to their essential oil content and antioxidant activity. Next to this, the extrusion cakes constitute natural biocomposites and could be transformed to value-added agromaterials through thermopressing. These biodegradable polymers could possibly replace less sustainable materials in automobile, building and furniture industries. The major disadvantage of mechanical pressing is considered its relatively low extraction yields and consequently a high residual oil content within the press cakes. A possible solution may lie within the application of seed pretreatments prior to the extrusion process. Therefore, the moisture content of coriander fruits was varied and the effect on the crushing behavior and extraction efficiency through single-screw, as well as twin-screw extrusion was assessed

Mimicking the extracellular matrix – a biomaterials approach to inhibit tissue fibrosis

Epithelial tissue is marked by the presence of a specialized, highly cross-linked, sheet-like extracellular matrix, the basement membrane. Tissue-invasive events, such as the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) - a key event in gastrulation, tissue fibrosis and cancer metastasis – are characterized by irreversible structural changes of the basement membrane through proteolytic processing by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). We have recently reported a previously unidentified laminin fragment that is released during EMT by MMP2 and that modulates key EMT-signalling pathways. Specifically, interaction of the laminin fragment with α3β1-integrin triggers the down-regulation of MMP2 expression, thereby constituting a cell-basement membrane-cell feedback mechanism. Inhibiting MMPs has been proposed as a strategy to prevent pathological cell migration and basement membrane breakdown in the course of EMT. Here, we explore this cell-matrix-cell feedback mechanism to target pathological EMT in the course of tissue fibrosis. We present an electrospun biomaterial that is functionalized with the recombinant laminin fragment and that can be directly interfaced with epithelial tissue to interfere with EMT pathways and inhibit MMP2 expression and activity in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrate how interaction of the functionalized synthetic membrane with peritoneal tissue inhibits mesothelial EMT in a mouse model of TGFβ-induced peritoneal fibrosis by decreasing active MMP2 levels, and propose a mechanism of how the laminin fragment acts downstream of α3β1-integrin in epithelial cells, after it is released from the basement membrane

Comparison of focus HerpesSelect and Kalon HSV-2 gG2 ELISA serological assays to detect herpes simplex virus type 2 antibodies in a South African population.

INTRODUCTION: Sero-epidemiological studies of herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 2 infection in Africa remain difficult to interpret as a result of the high rate of false-positive results observed when using the new recombinant gG2 HSV-2 ELISA tests. The performance of two widely used gG2 ELISA was compared to derive an appropriate testing algorithm for use in South Africa. METHODS: Sera from 210 women attending family planning clinics in Johannesburg were tested using HerpeSelect and Kalon HSV-2 gG2 assays. Sera from 20 discordant pairs, 44 concordant positive and 33 concordant negative samples were further tested by HSV Western blot. The sensitivity and specificity of each test and of combination algorithms compared with Western blot were calculated. RESULTS: HerpeSelect had a sensitivity of 98% (95% CI 95 to 100) and specificity of 61% (95% CI 48 to 74). Kalon was less sensitive (89%, 95% CI 83 to 94) but more specific (85%, 95% CI 61 to 100). Seroprevalence may have been overestimated by as much as 14% by HerpeSelect. Specificity was improved by raising the cut-off index for the determination of a positive result for HerpeSelect (to >or=3.5), but not for Kalon. HIV-1 infection reduced the specificity of HerpeSelect to 30%. Improved sensitivity and specificity were obtained by a two-test algorithm using HerpeSelect (>or=3.5) as the first test and Kalon to resolve equivocal results (sensitivity 92%, 95% CI 82 to 98; specificity 91%, 95% CI 79 to 98). CONCLUSION: Newer HSV-2 serological tests have low specificity in this South African population with a high HIV-1 prevalence. Two-step testing strategies could provide rational testing alternatives to Western blot

Extraction of Coriander Oil Using Twin‑Screw Extrusion: Feasibility Study and Potential Press Cake Applications

This study presents an assessment of the vegetable oil extraction from coriander fruits through mechanical pressing, more specifically twin-screw extrusion. This comprises an evaluation of the oil recovery obtained and its respective quality, as well as the specific mechanical energy, representing an economical point of view. With regard to the extrusion optimization, the screw configuration, the device’s filling coefficient and the pressing temperature were varied. The screw configuration was shown to exhibit a key influence on the extraction efficiency and oil recoveries of at least 40 % were reached when the pressing zone was positioned immediately after the filter and consisted of 50 mm long, reverse screws with a -33 mm pitch. Furthermore, with a device’s filling coefficient of 39.4 g/h rpm and a pressing temperature of 120 °C, an oil recovery of 47 %, the highest of this study, was reached with concurrent low energy consumption. Next to this, operating parameters of 47.1 g/h rpm and 80 °C resulted in the production of a press cake with the lowest residual oil content (15 %) in this study, although this also involved a significant increase in the filtrate’s foot content. All the produced oils were of acceptable quality (<1.5 % acidity), showed high petroselinic acid content (73 %), and were pleasantly scented