Single particle flame-combustion studies on solid biomass fuels

Combustion of solid biomass in large scale power generation has been recognized as a key technology for the transition to a decarbonized electricity sector in the UK by 2050. Much of the near-term forecast capacity is likely to be by the conversion of existing coal-fired pulverized fuel plant (DECC, 2012). In such applications, it will be necessary to ensure that the combustion behaviour of the solid biomass fuels is engineered to match, as far as practical, that of the original plant design. While biomass feedstock characteristics vary considerably, one controllable variable for pulverized fuel is the size of the particles.Useful modelling for adaptation and design of boiler plant can be improved with more detailed measurement of the real behaviour of individual particles of the varying fuels. Typical power plant biomass fuels including pine, eucalyptus and willow with particle sizes ranging from up to 3. mm (Van Loo and Koppejan, 2008) and with differing moisture content and aspect ratios were selected for study. Single particles were supported in a water-cooled cover and then exposed above a flame, simulating biomass combustion in a furnace. Measurements of ignition delay, volatile burning time and char burn-out time were undertaken using high speed image capture. Temperatures of the surrounding environment and near to the particle surface were measured with thermocouples and thermometric imaging. Thermo-gravimetric measurements on separate samples complement the single particle measurements as a means of verifying the demarcation between the different stages of combustion and providing kinetic data.Analysis of the data identified correlations between the biomass fundamental characteristics, particle size, and the observed combustion profiles. Empirical expressions for the duration of each combustion stage have been derived. These have been validated with basic modelling including the predicted devolatilisation stage calculated by the FG-Biomass model (Chen et al.,1998)

Estrogen receptor regulates MyoD gene expression by preventing AP-1-mediated repression.

Cell growth and differentiation are opposite events in the myogenic lineage. Growth factors block the muscle differentiation program by inducing the expression of transcription factors that negatively regulate the expression of muscle regulatory genes like MyoD. In contrast, extracellular clues that induce cell cycle arrest promote MyoD expression and muscle differentiation. Thus, the regulation of MyoD expression is critical for muscle differentiation. Here we show that estrogen induces MyoD expression in mouse skeletal muscle in vivo and in dividing myoblasts in vitro by relieving the MyoD promoter from AP-1 negative regulation through a mechanism involving estrogen receptor/AP-1 protein-protein interactions but independent of the estrogen receptor DNA binding activity

Effects of aldehydes on CD36 expression

Introduction: During the oil frying process lipid peroxidation compounds are formed. These products can modulate gene expression and alter cellular behaviour. The cellular uptake of oxidized LDL, a key step in the development of atherosclerosis, is mediated by the CD36 scavenger receptor, whose expression is down-regulated by α-tocopherol. Objective: To determine the effects of water-soluble aldehydes, obtained from thermally oxidized sunflower oil on the expression of CD36 scavenger receptor in human monocytes (THP-1 cells). We also wanted to study the effects of α-tocopherol on CD36 expression in the presence of water-soluble aldehydes. Materials and Methods: Sunflower oil was heated in a frying pan, at 180-200°C for 40 min, water-soluble aldehydes were isolated, and the content of thiobarbituric acid reacting substances (TBARS) was determined. THP-1 monocytes were cultured in RPMI medium during 24 h and incubated with increasing concentrations of the water-soluble aldehydes (ranging from 0.05 to 1 μM) and with or without 50 μM of α-tocopherol. In parallel, THP-1 cells were cultured with the same volume of an extract obtained from non-oxidized oil or distilled water. The CD36 expression at the cell surface was studied with fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Results: Monocytes incubated in a medium containing water-soluble aldehydes, showed a dose dependent increase in the expression of the CD36 protein on the cell surface, compared to with the control groups. When the cells were treated simultaneously with 50 μM of α-tocopherol a significant reduction in the expression of the CD36 protein was observed. Conclusion: Water-soluble aldehydes, extracted from thermally oxidized culinary oil, increase the expression of CD36. This effect is partially decreased by the presence of α-tocopherol

Influência da estrutura molecular dos policarboxilatos na hidratação do cimento Portland

O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar os dados de literatura que enfatizam a influência da estrutura molecular de policarboxilatos na hidratação do cimento, estudada por ensaios de calor de hidratação, tempos de pega e análise termogravimétrica em pastas de cimento. Com essa mesma metodologia foram avaliados dois policarboxilatos, agente ativo de dois aditivos nacionais cujas estruturas moleculares diferem no tamanho das cadeias laterais. Tanto os dados da literatura quanto os resultados dos ensaios realizados mostram que o fator da estrutura molecular do policarboxilato que determina o retardo da pasta de cimento é a densidade de carga aniônica presente no sistema, a qual é maior quanto menor a densidade de cadeias laterais. Adicionalmente, se comparada a influência na hidratação do cimento de policarboxilatos com igual densidade de cadeias laterais, porém, de tamanhos diferentes, utilizados em igual quantidade em massa, observa-se que aqueles com cadeias laterais menores geram maior retardo

Characterization of three human sec14p-like proteins: a-Tocopherol

Three closely related human sec14p-like proteins (hTAP1, 2, and 3, or SEC14L2, 3, and 4, respectively) have been described. These proteins may participate in intracellular lipid transport (phospholipids, squalene, tocopherol analogues and derivatives) or influence regulatory lipid-dependent events. Here, we show that the three recombinant hTAP proteins associate with the Golgi apparatus and mitochondria, and enhance the in vitro transport of radioactively labeled α-tocopherol to mitochondria in the same order of magnitude as the human α-tocopherol transfer protein (α-TTP). hTAP1 and hTAP2 are expressed in several cell lines, whereas the expression level of hTAP3 is low. Expression of hTAP1 is induced in human umbilical cord blood-derived mast cells upon differentiation by interleukin 4. In tissues, the three hTAPs are detectable ubiquitously at low level; pronounced and localized expression is found for hTAP2 and hTAP3 in the perinuclear region in cerebellum, lung, liver and adrenal gland. hTAP3 is well expressed in the epithelial duct cells of several glands, in ovary in endothelial cells of small arteries as well as in granulosa and thecal cells, and in testis in Leydig cells. Thus, the three hTAPs may mediate lipid uptake, secretion, presentation, and sub-cellular localization in a tissue-specific manner, possibly using organelle- and enzyme-specific docking sites