The reservoir network: A new network topology for district heating and cooling

Thermal district networks are effective solutions to substitute fossil fuels with renewable energy sources for heating and cooling. Moreover, thermal networking of buildings allows energy efficiency to be further increased. The waste heat from cooling can be reused for heating in thermal district systems. Because of bidirectional energy flows between prosumers, thermal networks require new hydraulic concepts. In this work, we present a novel network topology for simultaneous heating and cooling: the reservoir network. The reservoir network is robust in operation due to hydraulic decoupling of transfer stations, integrates heat sources and heat sinks at various temperature levels and is flexible in terms of network expansion. We used Modelica simulations to compare the new single-pipe reservoir network to a basecase double-pipe network, taking yearly demand profiles of different building types for heating and cooling. The electric energy consumed by the heat pumps and circulations pumps differs between the reservoir and base case networks by less than 1%. However, if the reservoir network is operated with constant instead of variable mass flow rate, the total electrical consumption can increase by 48% compared to the base case. As with any other network topology, the design and control of such networks is crucial to achieving energy efficient operation. Investment costs for piping and trenching depend on the district layout and dimensioning of the network. If a ring layout is applied in a district, the reservoir network with its single-pipe configuration is more economical than other topologies. For a linear layout, the piping costs are slightly higher for the reservoir network than for the base case because of larger pipe diameters

Radiant measurement accuracy of micrometeors detected by the Arecibo 430 MHz dual-beam radar

International audiencePrecise knowledge of the angle between the meteor vector velocity and the radar beam axis is one of the largest source of errors in the Arecibo Observatory (AO) micrometeor observations. In this paper we study ~250 high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) meteor head-echoes obtained using the dual-beam 430 MHz AO Radar in Puerto Rico, in order to reveal the distribution of this angle. All of these meteors have been detected first by the radar first side lobe, then by the main beam and finally seen in the side lobe again. Using geometrical arguments to calculate the meteor velocity in the plane perpendicular to the beam axis, we find that most of the meteors are travelling within ~15° with respect to the beam axis, in excellent agreement with previous estimates. These results suggest that meteoroids entering the atmosphere at greater angles may deposit their meteoric material at higher altitudes explaining at some level the missing mass inconsistency raised by the comparisson of meteor fluxes derived from satellite and radar observations. They also may be the source of the observed high altitude ions and metallic layers observed by radars and lidars respectively

Mediterráneo (Mar) (Cuenca). Mapas físicos. ca. 1949

Al verso consta Mediterráneo físicoMeridiano de origen: Greenwich. - Relieve representado por sombreado y tintas hipsométricas. - Márgenes graduadosSegún Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze este mapa se editó ca. 194

Inhibition of osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption by N-methylpyrrolidone

Regulation of RANKL (receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand)-induced osteoclast differentiation is of current interest in the development of antiresorptive agents. Osteoclasts are multinucleated cells that play a crucial role in bone resorption. In this study, we investigated the effects of N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) on the regulation of RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis. NMP inhibited RANKL-induced tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase activity and the formation of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive multinucleated cells. The RANKL-induced expression of NFATc1 (nuclear factor of activated T cells, cytoplasmic 1) and c-Fos, which are key transcription factors for osteoclastogenesis, was also reduced by treatment with NMP. Furthermore, NMP induced disruption of the actin rings and decreased the mRNAs of cathepsin K and MMP-9 (matrix metalloproteinase-9), both involved in bone resorption. Taken together, these results suggest that NMP inhibits osteoclast differentiation and attenuates bone resorption. Therefore, NMP could prove useful for the treatment of osteoporosis or other bone diseases associated with excessive bone resorption

Randomly Evolving Idiotypic Networks: Structural Properties and Architecture

We consider a minimalistic dynamic model of the idiotypic network of B-lymphocytes. A network node represents a population of B-lymphocytes of the same specificity (idiotype), which is encoded by a bitstring. The links of the network connect nodes with complementary and nearly complementary bitstrings, allowing for a few mismatches. A node is occupied if a lymphocyte clone of the corresponding idiotype exists, otherwise it is empty. There is a continuous influx of new B-lymphocytes of random idiotype from the bone marrow. B-lymphocytes are stimulated by cross-linking their receptors with complementary structures. If there are too many complementary structures, steric hindrance prevents cross-linking. Stimulated cells proliferate and secrete antibodies of the same idiotype as their receptors, unstimulated lymphocytes die. Depending on few parameters, the autonomous system evolves randomly towards patterns of highly organized architecture, where the nodes can be classified into groups according to their statistical properties. We observe and describe analytically the building principles of these patterns, which allow to calculate number and size of the node groups and the number of links between them. The architecture of all patterns observed so far in simulations can be explained this way. A tool for real-time pattern identification is proposed.Comment: 19 pages, 15 figures, 4 table

As above, so below? Effects of fungicides on microbial organic matter decomposition are stronger in the hyporheic than in the benthic zone

Microbial organic matter decomposition is a critical ecosystem function, which can be negatively affected by chemicals. Although the majority of organic matter is stored in sediments, the impact of chemicals has exclusively been studied in benthic systems. To address this knowledge gap, we assessed the impact of a fungicide mixture at three concentrations on the decomposition of black alder leaves in the benthic and hyporheic zone. We targeted two sediment treatments characterized by fine and coarse grain sizes (1-2 vs. 2-4 mm). Besides microbial communities' functioning (i.e., decomposition), we determined their structure through microbial biomass estimates and community composition. In absence of fungicides, leaf decomposition, microbial biomass estimates and fungal sporulation were lower in the hyporheic zone, while the importance of bacteria was elevated. Leaf decomposition was reduced (40%) under fungicide exposure in fine sediment with an effect size more than twice as high as in the benthic zone (15%). These differences are likely triggered by the lower hydraulic conductivity in the hyporheic zone influencing microbial dispersal as well as oxygen and nutrient fluxes. Since insights from the benthic zone are not easily transferable, these results indicate that the hyporheic zone requires a higher recognition with regard to ecotoxicological effects on organic matter decomposition

Applications of Direct Injection Soft Chemical Ionisation-Mass Spectrometry for the Detection of Pre-blast Smokeless Powder Organic Additives

Analysis of smokeless powders is of interest from forensics and security perspectives. This article reports the detection of smokeless powder organic additives (in their pre-detonation condition), namely the stabiliser diphenylamine and its derivatives 2-nitrodiphenylamine and 4-nitrodiphenylamine, and the additives (used both as stabilisers and plasticisers) methyl centralite and ethyl centralite, by means of swab sampling followed by thermal desorption and direct injection soft chemical ionisation-mass spectrometry. Investigations on the product ions resulting from the reactions of the reagent ions H3O+ and O2+ with additives as a function of reduced electric field are reported. The method was comprehensively evaluated in terms of linearity, sensitivity and precision. For H3O+, the limits of detection (LoD) are in the range of 41-88 pg of additive, for which the accuracy varied between 1.5 and 3.2%, precision varied between 3.7 and 7.3% and linearity showed R20.9991. For O2+, LoD are in the range of 72 to 1.4 ng, with an accuracy of between 2.8 and 4.9% and a precision between 4.5 and 8.6% and R20.9914. The validated methodology was applied to the analysis of commercial pre-blast gun powders from different manufacturers.(VLID)4826148Accepted versio

A fully echo-guided trans-apical aortic valve implantation.

The trans-apical aortic valve implantation (TA-AVI) is an established technique for high-risk patients requiring aortic valve replacement. Traditionally, preoperative (computed tomography (CT) scan, coronary angiogram) and intra-operative imaging (fluoroscopy) for stent-valve positioning and implantation require contrast medium injections. To preserve the renal function in elderly patients suffering from chronic renal insufficiency, a fully echo-guided trans-catheter valve implantation seems to be a reasonable alternative. We report the first successful TA-AVI procedure performed solely under trans-oesophageal echocardiogram control, in the absence of contrast medium injections