bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aftertreatment Technologies: State‐of‐the‐Art and Emerging Technologies
Authors: Fino Debora , Russo Nunzio , Bensaid Samir
Published: July 2015

In recent years increasing attention has been paid to the emissions from gasoline diesel engines. Meeting the emission levels imposed by legislation requires the development of a number of critical technologies to fulfill these very stringent limits. This article is focused on these innovative technologies with special reference to catalytic reactors for carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), particulate matter (PM), removals for gasoline and diesel engines.
The Potential of Crowdsourcing for the Renewable Energy Sector
Authors: See Linda , Kraxner Florian , Fuss Sabine , Perger Christoph , Schill Christian , Aoki Kentaro , Leduc Sylvain , McCallum Ian , Forsell Nicklas , Fritz Steffen
Published: July 2015

Crowdsourcing and citizen science represent one potentially powerful avenue for gathering information that is relevant to energy modeling. Unlike other fields such as ecology, conservation, and biology, which have a long history of citizen science, the energy sector is only just beginning to recognize the benefits offered by involving citizens in data collection, analysis, and scientific research. Examples are provided of how different forms of crowdsourcing, citizen science, and crowdfunding are being integrated within the energy sector, with an emphasis on renewable energy and improving energy efficiency. A more specific need for energy modeling is then presented, that is, information about power plants and renewable energy projects, which is crucial information for carbon accounting, monitoring ofCO2emissions and making decisions about where to locate new sources of renewable energy and identifying possible benefits of existing infrastructures. Three examples are highlighted: theRepowermap.orginitiative, the Ventus project, and the Energy Landscapes Geo‐Wiki tool. As citizen involvement in the energy sector will likely increase in the future, the key is finding ways of incentivizing participation and building communities while simultaneously meeting the needs of the energy modeling community.
Policies and Modeling of Energy Systems for Reaching European Bioenergy Targets
Authors: Leduc Sylvain , Wetterlund Elisabeth , Dotzauer Erik , Schmidt Johannes , Natarajan Karthikeyan , Khatiwada Dilip
Published: July 2015

To mitigate carbon dioxide emissions, the European Union (
EU
) and many countries around the world have set into action different policy tools such as a carbon tax or feed‐in tariffs. Most instruments have, directly or indirectly, an impact on the use of biomass for energy purposes. The principal policy tools relevant to bioenergy production and applied in the
EU
are described in this article and their observed impact on bioenergy production levels is assessed. In addition, a model application on the policy tools is presented to assess future impact of policies on production of energy carriers from lignocellulosic biomass at the
EU
level and at the international level. This model application is based on the optimization model
BeWhere
, which determines the optimal location and technology of a set a bioenergy conversion plants, minimizing the cost of the supply chain. Sweden, Austria, and Finland are the three countries that are highlighted in the
EU
. An international perspective is also included by presenting a Brazilian case study. From the modeling results, it can be derived that integrated biofuel production would be the most competitive way for biofuel production and that a carbon tax and the emission trading scheme are the most cost‐efficient solutions to decrease emissions.
Combined Design and Control Optimization of Hybrid Vehicles
Authors: Murgovski Nikolce , Hu Xiaosong , Johannesson Lars , Egardt Bo
Published: July 2015

Hybrid vehicles play an important role in reducing energy consumption and pollutant emissions of ground transportation. The increased mechatronic system complexity, however, results in a heavy challenge for efficient component sizing and power coordination among multiple power sources. This article presents a convex programming framework for the combined design and control optimization of hybrid vehicles. An instructive and straightforward case study of design and energy control optimization for a fuel cell/supercapacitor hybrid bus is delineated to demonstrate the effectiveness and the computational advantage of the convex programming methodology. Convex modeling of key components in the fuel cell/supercapacitor hybrid powertrain is introduced, while a pseudo code in CVX is also provided to elucidate how to practically implement the convex optimization. The generalization, applicability, and validity of the convex optimization framework are also discussed for various powertrain configurations (i.e., series, parallel, and series–parallel), different energy storage systems (e.g., battery, supercapacitor, and dual buffer), and advanced vehicular design and controller synthesis accounting for the battery thermal and aging conditions. The proposed methodology is an efficient tool that is valuable for researchers and engineers in the area of hybrid vehicles to address realistic optimal control problems.
Electric, Hybrid, and Advanced Vehicles: Finding a Lane on the Road Ahead
Authors: Simmons Richard A. , Garimella Suresh V.
Published: July 2015

Growing concern about the resource volatility and environmental impacts associated with the combustion of fossil fuels has accelerated efforts to diversify vehicle power plants by employing hybrid, electric, and other advanced technology strategies. Increasingly stringent efficiency and emissions regulations alongside efforts to reduce oil dependence have placed these technologies front and center in meeting mid‐ and long‐term objectives to transform the profile of future automotive fleets. However, given the critical performance, range, cost, infrastructure, and convenience metrics set by internal combustion and petroleum fuels, the challenges to full market integration are as nontrivial as they are multifaceted. This article explores recent technological developments underlying advanced vehicles that are delivering a steady stream of promising innovations and new products to the proving grounds and showroom floors. It includes a discussion of current technologies, their advantages and tradeoffs, and potential breakthrough research that can improve the overall value proposition within a decade. A sensitivity analysis on alternative vehicle competitiveness is introduced that considers vehicle and battery life; capital, fuel, and electricity costs; increased efficiency from conventional technologies; and policy context among other relevant factors. The article concludes with a review of selected economic and regulatory considerations that can help put lower carbon vehicles in the passing lane to the future.
NOxEmission and Mitigation Technologies
Authors: Vascellari Michele
Published: July 2015

NOxare one of the most important pollutants produced during combustion of fossil fuels. Emissions of NOxfrom combustion systems are primarily in the form of nitric oxides (NO). They are generally produced from the oxidation of the nitrogen contained in the atmospheric air or by the oxidation of the nitrogen‐bounded compounds in the fuel. NO is the main compound produced from the combustion; however, once it has been released in the atmosphere, it rapidly reacts producing NO2, which is more stable than NO. For this reason, NO2are generally regulated as representative NOxcompound. In general, NOxare toxic, they also react to form smog and acid rain, and they play a central role in the formation of ozone in the troposphere. In addition, NOx, is a major greenhouse gas.

This article reviews the mechanisms that govern the formation of NOxemissions from fossil fuels combustion and the main transformations in the atmosphere. Thermal, prompt, and fuel NOxmechanisms are presented. Finally, the modern technologies for mitigating the NOxemissions from power systems are presented, divided as precombustion, combustion modifications, and postcombustion techniques.
Hot Gas Filtration Technologies for Particles in Gasification and Combustion Systems
Authors: Lupion M.
Published: July 2015

High efficient hot gas particulate filtration is necessary to protect the downstream heat exchanger and gas turbine components from fouling and erosion to meet emission requirements in advanced combustion systems. The development and optimization of these advanced systems have the role to increase energy efficiency in power generation, complying with international commitments concerning more comprehensive, competitive, sustainable, and secure energy strategies.

There have been significant improvements in the development of filters since 1980s. However, filtration at high temperature has not been yet reliably proven, especially above 400°C. High process temperatures impose severe limitations on the mechanical durability and corrosion resistance of components in the gas cleaning units. The identification of suitable technologies, from an operational and economic point of view, capable of overcoming current and future limitations in hot gas filtration processes is therefore of the utmost importance in the context of energy efficiency policies and clean technologies.

A range of technologies has been proposed for hot gas particulate filtration but few have been developed sufficiently to enable commercial exploitation. Six types of devices (cyclones,ESPs, granular bed, metallic, bag, and rigid filters) are available today, with important differences in capture and rejection mechanisms, pressure drop, flow capacity, and collection efficiency. Special emphasis is made to the development of barrier filter systems which have been supported through an important number of pilot and demonstration projects with considerable contribution from public and national funding bodies. Significant efforts in the development of hot gas filtration technologies have been also made by industry.

Ceramic and metallic filters are nowadays the most promising technologies for the application of particulate removal, mainly atPFBC,IGCC, and hybrid power generation systems but also at other applications such as incineration or glass melting factories. However, the need of advanced materials—with higher resistance to fatigue, corrosion, thermal shock, and strength—, higher collection efficiency and proper sealing systems makes crucial the continuation of R&D programs. The development of multipollutants removal devices (particulates in combination with SOx, NOx, or others), the integration of the filter systems into the process, or cost and energy savings are priority areas of interest in the near future.
New Electric Transmission Systems: Experiences from Turkey
Authors: Başaran Filik Ümmühan , Filik Tansu , Nezih Gerek Ömer
Published: July 2015

In this case study, the existing situations of Turkey's energy generation and transmission systems are investigated along actual data between 1999 and 2011. The increasing trends of electricity consumption, as well as other growth parameters are revealed. Future energy demand is forecasted with a novel layered mathematical model at hourly resolution. It is shown that the prediction follows the average growth even after over‐growth or crisis years, which makes the proposed method a reliable load forecasting tool. The model outcomes for certain future years are generated, and compared to current energy sources. It is concluded that, with the available electric production technology, the current resource potential will not be sufficient by year 2023, so alternative electric generation systems must be adopted to keep up with the expected growth.
Limits to Efficiency for Energy Utilization
Authors: Rosen Marc A.
Published: July 2015

Designing efficient energy systems is a significant challenge. In a world with finite natural resources and large energy demands, it is important to understand not only actual efficiencies but also limits to efficiency, as the latter identify margins for efficiency improvement. Energy analysis methods, which yield energy efficiencies, do not provide limits to efficiency. To obtain meaningful and useful efficiencies for energy systems, and to clarify losses, exergy analysis is a beneficial and useful tool. Exergy efficiencies establish upper limits to efficiency and provide a measure of approach to ideality. This is the focus of this article. Limits to efficiency are subject to two constraints, which are often not clearly understood: theoretical and practical. The energy utilization of systems as small as a device to as large as a country can be assessed using exergy analysis to gain insights into efficiency; examples of the benefits of applying exergy to such examples are given. Furthermore, the insights gained through the exergy analyses presented here in terms of meaningful efficiencies and quantified margins for improvement are examined to determine their range of applicability. Exergy analyses are shown to be able to provide useful information about devices and regions such as a country, including limiting and actual efficiencies, and can consequently help achieve savings in resource use through efficiency, conservation, and other measures. Exergy analyses also help identify margins for improvement, and thus are useful for informing energy planning and research.
SOxMitigation Technologies for Combustion Systems
Authors: Qin Siqiang , Spörl Reinhold , Maier Jörg
Published: July 2015

SOxemissions from coal‐fired plants cause harmful impacts on the environment and human being health. To limit SOxemissions, air pollution control regulations have been established on international and national levels, and industrially relevant SOxmitigation technologies have been rapidly developed and applied over the past few decades. In this article, fluidized bed combustion (FBC) for in‐furnace DeSOx, dry sorbent injection (DSI), spray drier absorber, circulating dry scrubber (CDS), and wet scrubber processes are comprehensively discussed.

The wet scrubber process is the most widespread SO2mitigation technology around the world and is reviewed in detail. The chemistry of wet scrubber processes is analyzed. Four typical wet scrubber configurations are presented. Wet scrubber operational challenges are shortly discussed. The DSI process is comprehensively discussed as well. In this process, fine and dry sorbents are directly injected into flue gas to capture SOxand other acid gases. In the CDS process, flue gas flows upward through a fluidized bed of sorbents to create a long contact time and have good mass transfer conditions. The spray drier process uses an atomizer to generate fine droplets to contact and react with SO2. The regenerable processes are presented, in which sorbents are regenerated. The absorbed SO2is further processed to sealable elemental sulfur or sulfuric acid products. Finally, an outlook of recent and future developments and challenges for SOxmitigation technologies is given.

Even though different effective SOxmitigation technologies are available, the economics of their application are dominated by many factors, such as emission limits, fuel quality, sulfur content, size of plant, firing system, availability of sorbents, and utilization of by‐products. Therefore, a case‐by‐case evaluation is recommended to find the most suitable flue gas desulfurization (FGD) process for a particular application.
Smart Grids with Large‐Scale Implementation of Automatic Meter Reading: Experiences fromFinland
Authors: Järventausta Pertti
Published: July 2015

Finland is a forerunner in large‐scaleAMR(automated meter reading, known also assmart metering) roll‐out worldwide, not only in coverage of installations, but also in functionality and utilization ofAMRsystem in various business processes.

In 2009, the Finnish Government passed a new act, which states that at least 80% of the customers of each distribution system operator (DSO) must haveAMRimplemented by 31 December 2013. In practice, almost all customers are provided by a newAMRmeter. The law requires theAMRmeter that features hourly energy measurement and registrations of quality of supply‐and‐demand response functionality.

AMRsystem installation is not only energy remote reading, but it enables real‐time two‐way communication between customers and other actors and offers huge amount of data for developing new functions for smart grids. The use ofAMRdata in various functions increases cost effectiveness ofAMRinvestments.AMRsystem with relatingICT(information and communications technology) systems and business processes forms a larger entity to create added value for customers,DSO, energy retailer, and service providers.AMRis an enabler of competition in electricity market for enhancing flexible change of energy retailer.

Hourly measurements enable new kind of dynamic tariffs that support energy‐efficient targets and operation of electricity market. Using hourly measurements, more accurate and even customer‐specific load models can be created to support load estimation and forecasting.

By integratingAMRsystem withSCADA(supervisory control and data acquisition) system andDMS(distribution management system), network management can be enlarged also to cover low voltage networks, for example, for automatic indication of burnt fuse.

AMRsystem enables also new functions for customer service, for example, as web‐based applications for the end customers. Household‐level loads now in time‐of‐use control can also be dynamically controlled by electricity retailers viaAMRsystems.
Gas/Steam Combined Cycles Fueled by Various Energy Sources for Large‐Scale Power Production
Authors: Macchi Ennio , Lozza Giovanni , Romano Matteo C. , Manzolini Giampaolo , Chiesa Paolo
Published: July 2015

This article will consider large‐scale power generation by means of combined cycles, that is, a gas turbine engine coupled to a heat recovery steam cycle. After an introduction (outlining the fundamental role of combined cycles in today's generating systems), the thermodynamic aspect of heat recovery steam cycles are addressed. Therefore, the main components of combined cycles are described: the gas turbine (an update of large heavy‐duty units), heat recovery steam generators, steam turbines, and heat rejection devices. General considerations on the performance and flexibility are addressed, with reference to combined cycle fed by natural gas, by far the most frequent situation. The final part will provide an overview of the gasification process, necessary to make combined cycles a viable option also for heavy feedstocks (such as coal, refinery residues, and biomass) and to gas turbine adaptability to operate with synthetic low‐Btu gaseous fuel.
Tidal Range
Authors: Baldock Andrew J.
Published: July 2015

The idea of extracting significant, utility‐scale energy from the difference in sea level height between high and low tides (the tidal range) has been actively considered for around a century. As well as being a low carbon technology, the scale of the resource is significant, particularly for certain countries, such as the United Kingdom, France, Canada, and Korea.

However, tidal range power schemes also present complex challenges, most notably the economics and (particularly more recently) environmental aspects, which are connected. The economics of tidal power schemes is very strongly dependent on the discount rate applied to the cost of energy (CoE) calculation because of the long construction period and the very long life of the main structure, which may represent ca. 50% of the overall costs. Historically, ebb generation has been focused on, as this was expected to have the lowest CoE. However, effective ebb generation, optimized for CoE, generally means that the tidal range within the impounded basin is around 50% of the natural tidal range, and one of the key issues is quantifying the loss of intertidal habitat and its relative impacts, as well as how compensatory habitats could be created. More recently, dual mode generation has been focused on as a means to reduce some of the undesirable environmental impacts of ebb generation, as the tidal range more closely matches the natural tidal range; in addition, the power output may be smoother and therefore easier to absorb onto the grid.

As tidal range schemes must have a reasonably significant effect on the natural tidal cycle in order to extract useful energy, mathematical modeling of the tides and associated aspects is required to allow an understanding of both the operation of the tidal range scheme, especially its energy output, and its impacts on aspects such as water levels, currents, sedimentation, and water quality.

Although various tidal range schemes have been under development for around a century, only two significant utility‐scale schemes have been built, both being ca. 250 
MW
. The La Rance barrage in France has been operating for ca. 50 years, and the technology has been well proven. Few significant tidal range schemes are under active development outside the United Kingdom and South Korea; and the United Kingdom's Swansea Bay lagoon scheme in particular may determine the success of the sector in France, the United Kingdom, and Canada over the next few decades. This project attempts to address some of the key economic and environmental constraints that have hampered the sector.
Internal Combustion Engine Simulation
Authors: Shuai Shijin , Wang Zhi , Xu Hongming
Published: July 2015

The underlying reasons why energy may be stored are outlined. The full range of both thermal and electrical energy storage systems are considered in a strategic overview of technology choices. The key characterises of each technology are outlined. Particular attention is given to the system context within which particular energy storage technologies may be beneficial. The main technical, economic and application‐specific criteria that determine the selection and subsequent sizing are specified. It is demonstrated that a clear appreciation of the life cycle costs of energy storage is a prerequisite for overseeing the viability and competencies of stored energy.
Germany's “Energiewende” as a Role Model for Reaching Sustainability of National Energy Systems? History, Challenges, and Success Factors
Authors: Nippa Michael , Meschke Stephan
Published: July 2015

For various reasons, the world is well advised to change its energy generation systems from fossil and nuclear to renewable energy resources. Hence, a couple of countries all over the world are starting or are fostering reforms of their national energy policy aiming at more clean energy and sustainability. The economic powerhouseGermany stands in the forefront of a fundamental transition or turnaround of a national energy system through claiming and pursuing the “Energiewende”. An important question is, however, whether such a highly developed and industrialized country with its huge demand for energy will be able to successfully rebuild its energy system. IfGermany succeeds, it will be a role model for other governments and economies—if it fails, others may profit from analyzing and learning from it, anyhow. This article does not aim at assessing theGerman “Energiewende” regarding its efficiency and likelihood to succeed. Rather, we attempt to inspire readers to make up their own mind based on a variety of information regarding the historical background, current challenges, and possible success factors ofGermany's energy transition.
Development and Validation of an Ecosystem Sustainability Indicator for Metropolitan Areas: A Case Study
Authors: Rastan Soheil , Larocque Hugo
Published: July 2015

This article addresses energy systems from an ecological perspective with a particular emphasis on landscapes. As a measure of ecosystem sustainability an indicator is developed and tested to gauge the extent of change in three components of landscapes: land cover class, road length, and population count. Other components covering aspects of air, water, and soil will be added in the future. Mimicking the concept of “potential energy” in energy systems, the indicator developed in this study is a proxy for the “potential capacity” of landscapes. That is, the potential capacity of landscapes in provisioning ecosystem goods and services. The indicator is designed with a particular emphasis on metropolitan areas. The metropolitan area of Montréal, Canada, is selected as the case study. The indicator is based on processing binary signals, a nonparametric approach toward a composite indicator, where each signal represents either a change or no change in one or more components and elements of the landscape. In this case study, changes between 2001 and 2011 are examined. The potential capacity of landscapes in 2001 is used as the baseline. Macro‐ and microscale measures are assigned to landscapes from different sources of data including satellite‐interpreted land cover data and two census‐based administrative records, the road network and population data. The addition of road network and population data adds to the intensities of signals that may have been underestimated by the satellite‐based land cover data alone. Estimates are wholly and partly validated using higher resolution land cover data and images for ground truthing. Results indicate that between 2001 and 2011 landscapes within a 25‐km diameter encircling the metropolitan area of Montréal have been experiencing different levels of depletions in their potential capacities. An upper limit estimate generated by the methodology applied suggests that the potential ecological capacity of landscapes in the study area has been depleting at a rate of 22 km
2
per year. The estimates presented are considered proof‐of‐concept and are not intended for use as official statistics.
Energy Conservation in Industry: Steam Energy Fingerprint of Paper Machine
Authors: Lindberg Carl‐Fredrik , Bhutani Naveen , Starr Kevin , Horton Robert
Published: July 2015

There is a large value in making the industry more energy efficient. The benefit is not only energy savings and reduction of

CO
2

emissions, but the industry also becomes more competitive because of lower costs for energy and, often, also improved production rate and product quality because of positive side effects when processes are made more efficient. Several factors influence efficiency; the most important ones are presented, as well as advices for an assessment and actions for improvements.

As an example, a steam energy fingerprint of a paper machine is discussed. In the assessment, energy flows are quantified, energy users in the paper machine benchmarked, and actions for improving efficiency suggested.
Finance and Investments in Renewable Energy in Asia
Authors: Gubbi Sagar , Lillis Maura C. , Li Jia , Tharakan Pradeep
Published: July 2015

Access to clean sources of energy is essential for countries in developing Asia to promote economic growth, strengthen energy and national security, confront global climate change, and ensure environmental sustainability. Countries in developing Asia largely recognize the benefits of investing in renewable energy and clean technologies but vary in their ability to create enabling environments conducive to private sector investment in their clean energy sectors. Significant financing for clean technology in the region exists in the form of long‐term debt, multilateral and bilateral development finance, venture capital and private equity funding, and carbon funding which could all be scaled up to facilitate investment in national clean technology sectors. These mechanisms will be most effective in countries where strong, flexible, and transparent regulatory environments are in place and enforced.
Thermal Energy Storage Materials Challenges and Availability
Authors: Fernández Ana Inés , Barreneche Camila , Martínez Mònica , Segarra Mercè , Martorell Ingrid , Cabeza Luisa F.
Published: July 2015

Energy consumption is growing up in several important sectors such as industry and buildings (homes and services) and it is actually a crucial matter that all policy makers and governments are taking into consideration today. Thermal energy storage (
TES
) is presented in the new scenario as a key solution in order to reduce the peak consumption periods by reducing the gap between energy supply and energy demand. Three different methods are used to store thermal energy: sensible heat storage (
SHTES
), latent heat storage (
LHTES
), and thermochemical heat storage (
TCTES
). However, the materials used in these methods present requirements, constrains, and challenges which are presented here. Moreover, the availability of these materials is an important issue and it is taken into account in this article.
Advancements in Biomass and Waste Gasification for Power Generation
Authors: Kerdsuwan Somrat , Laohalidanond Krongkaew
Published: July 2015

Nowadays, the world energy consumption is depending on fossil fuel, whose reserves are still decreasing, but on the contrary whose prices are still increasing. Hence, the world has promoted the utilization of nonfossil fuel and has set the target of using it to replace fossil fuel. However, the consumption of nonfossil fuel is still behind the use of fossil energy sources as its use has faced many challenges in terms of high capital expenditure, low energy conversion efficiency, and high environmental impacts. Among the different nonfossil energy sources, biomass and waste have been considered as the main contributors to power production. There are many conversion pathways for power generation from biomass and waste; however, the gasification process is considered as one of the suitable technologies because it can be applied to a variety of biomass and waste feedstock and can produce high quality gaseous products. Emphasizing small‐scale power generation for distributed power generation, downdraft gasification technology has been proven to be a promising technology. The system should consist of a downdraft gasifier, a gas cleaning unit, and a gas engine generator. However, a biomass and waste feedstock preparation process, for example, drying, sizing, or densification process, is required. From lab‐scale tests, it was found that the high density biomass and waste feedstock has higher potential for energy production than low density biomass in terms of the heating value of the producer gas and the cold gas efficiency. The prototype scale tests indicate that the heating value of the producer gas of more than 6 
MJ
/Nm
3
and the cold gas efficiency of 80% can be achieved from downdraft gasification of biomass and waste. The overall power production efficiency of 16–20% can be reached.
Hydrogen Blending in Natural Gas Pipelines
Authors: Melaina Marc W. , Penev Michael , Zuboy Jarett
Published: July 2015

Surplus renewable energy can be converted to hydrogen by way of electrolysis. In some cases, injection of the resulting hydrogen as renewable gas into the natural gas pipeline system may result in increased social and environmental benefits at lower overall costs than delivering additional renewable energy as electricity. The result would be increased utilization of installed renewable generation capacity, such as wind or solar facilities. This article reviews key issues related to the option of injecting hydrogen into natural gas pipeline systems, including impact on end‐use systems, safety, material durability and integrity management, leakage, and downstream extraction.
First‐Generation Biofuels
Authors: Naqvi Muhammad , Yan Jinyue
Published: July 2015

Global energy demand is primarily dependent on the fossil fuel resources, and the energy consumption is growing significantly that will cause increased concentration of greenhouse gases (
GHGs
) in the atmosphere and depletion of known non‐renewable energy resources that will cause threat to future energy security. The fossil resources are regarded as unsustainable in terms of economy, ecology, and environmental perspective. The increased utilization of biomass can play a significant role in replacing conventional fossil‐based fuels and reducing emissions due to strict regulations for reducing
GHG
emissions. Biomass‐based fuels can contribute as additional energy resource in the global energy mix. This article has discussed first‐generation biofuel, concept of biorefineries, first‐generation‐feedstock‐derived biofuels, global first‐generation‐biofuel‐producing countries/regions and major sustainability challenges. The most common first‐generation biofuels include bioethanol, biodiesel, and biogas derived mainly from corn, sugarcane, soybean, vegetable oil, palm oil, wastes, and so on. From the sustainability perspective, first‐generation biofuels face numerous sustainability challenges including food and fuel competition, change in land use, potential increased
GHG
emissions due to fossil fuel utilization in the upstream processes. First‐generation biofuels appear unsustainable because of the potential stress that their production places on food commodities. The economic aspects of first‐generation biofuel largely depend on the type of feedstock and region where the feedstock has been cultivated and produced. Food prices will be affected because of increased production of energy crops that potentially compete with food crops for land use. In addition, the substantial production of biomass and conversion of biomass feedstock to biofuel may create new jobs and increase revenue from the agricultural sector.
Sodium–Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Hueso Karina Beatriz , Palomares Verónica , Singh Gurpreet , Armand Michel , Rojo Teófilo
Published: July 2015

Sodium–sulfur (Na–S) battery technology has high potential for energy storage and load leveling in power systems, and it is one of the most developed types of high temperature battery. Owing to outstanding energy density, high efficiency of charge/discharge, low materials cost, and cycle life of up to 15 years, Na–S batteries are attractive for their use in relatively large‐scale energy storage system applications. However, there are several challenges to overcome for the safe operation of Na–S batteries, mostly related to the high operation temperatures. In this sense, the development of new solid electrolytes that possess high ionic conductivities at intermediate or room temperature is crucial. β‐Alumina andNASICONstructure electrolytes are revised, and new alternatives, such as ceramic/polymer composites, are also gathered. There also exists novel focus on Na–S technology in order to increase the obtained capacity and cyclability consisting of using nanostructured carbon to host sulfur or to bind it to a polymer. In addition, hybrid technologies combining Na–S withZEBRAor oxygen rocking‐chair batteries are currently arising as alternative storage devices. As Na–S technology was introduced in the mid‐1970s, a number of different patents have been developed. Trends observed in the new patents are twofold: on the one hand, they aim to integrate these batteries into the electrical grid in order to compensate the fluctuations of renewable energies; on the other hand, they show battery component improvements in order to obtain lower operating temperatures.
Rhodium‐Catalyzed Addition of Alkyltrifluoroborate Salts to Imines
Authors: Lee Sumin , Lee Woo Lim , Yun Jaesook
Published: July 2015

An efficient rhodium‐catalyzed addition of potassium alkyltrifluoroborate salts to imines is presented. In this reaction, secondary alkyltrifluoroborate salts were coupled with N‐sulfonylimines in the presence of bis[(1,5‐cyclooctadiene)(hydroxy)rhodium] {[Rh(OH)(cod)]2} in good yields under mild reaction conditions, and the γ‐amino ester products could be converted to β,γ‐substituted lactams via cyclization. It was shown that the addition of enantiomerically enriched substrates to imines proceeded with excellent enantiospecificity and stereoretention without β‐hydride elimination.

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Assisted Tandem Catalysis: Metathesis Followed by Asymmetric Hydrogenation from a Single Ruthenium Source
Authors: Renom‐Carrasco Marc , Gajewski Piotr , Pignataro Luca , de Vries Johannes G. , Piarulli Umberto , Gennari Cesare , Lefort Laurent
Published: July 2015

Here we report the first example of a tandem metathesis–asymmetric hydrogenation protocol where the prochiral olefin generated by metathesis is hydrogenated with high enantioselectivity by an in situ formed chiral ruthenium catalyst. We show that either the ruthenium metathesis catalysts or the ruthenium species formed during the metathesis reaction can be converted into an efficient asymmetric hydrogenation catalyst upon addition of a chiral ligand and an alcohol. The performance in asymmetric hydrogenation appears to be very dependent on the solvent, the chiral ligand, and the prochiral substrate.

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Targeted leukodystrophy diagnosis based on charges and yields for testing
Authors: Richards Jackson , Korgenski E. Kent , Taft Ryan J. , Vanderver Adeline , Bonkowsky Joshua L.
Published: July 2015

Inherited leukodystrophies are a group of neurological disorders with significant morbidity and mortality. Children and their families can experience lengthy diagnostic odysseys; however, there is no data on the charges related to testing for diagnosis in leukodystrophy patients, compared to approaches using next‐generation sequencing (NGS). Our objective was to determine charges related to the determination of diagnosis, and overall yield of diagnostic testing, for leukodystrophy patients. We determined and quantified all inpatient and outpatient lab testing, including brain MRIs, obtained for the purpose of diagnosis, in a retrospective population cohort of children with inherited leukodystrophies. Each patient had average charges of $8,231 (range $543–26,437) for diagnostic testing. Overall charges related to diagnosis for the entire cohort was $526,794. A final etiological diagnosis was determined in 34% of patients. In those in whom a specific diagnosis was determined, average time to diagnosis was 1.4 years. If NGS on the entire cohort had been performed instead, charges would have been ∼$359,600 (at $5,800/patient). Alternatively, a two‐tier approach consisting of first, biochemical testing (serum very‐long chain fatty acids and leukocyte lysosomal enzyme testing), and then with NGS for remaining undiagnosed patients, would have resulted in total cohort charges of $361,309. We have determined the charges directly associated with diagnostic testing in a population cohort of children with leukodystrophy. We conclude that appropriately incorporating NGS into diagnostic algorithms could lower charges; reduce time to diagnosis; and reduce amount of testing. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Nasal nitric oxide as a marker of sinus mucosal health in patients with nasal polyposis
Authors: Lee John M. , McKnight Carmen L. , Aves Theresa , Yip Jonathan , Grewal Amandeep S. , Gupta Samir
Published: July 2015

Background

Reduced nasal nitric oxide (nNO) has been shown in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) but its clinical significance remains uncertain. The objective of this study was to measure nNO changes in patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) for CRS and to explore its relationship to clinical measures of sinus mucosal health postoperatively.

Methods

This was a prospective study of CRS patients undergoing ESS. Patients had the following measurements at baseline and at 1 and 6 months post‐ESS: nNO levels, Lund‐Kennedy Endoscopy Score (LKES), and 22‐item Sino‐Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT‐22) score. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism 6.

Results

Thirty‐nine patients were enrolled, of these 84.6% had CRS with nasal polyps. Baseline Lund‐Mackay computed tomography (CT) score was 16.9 ± 5.1. There was a statistically significant increase in nNO levels from baseline to 1 month and 6 months postoperatively (p < 0.0001). The SNOT‐22 and LKES followed a similar trend with a significant and sustained improvement at 1 month and 6 months post‐ESS (p < 0.0001). Subgroup analysis revealed that changes in nNO were driven by the polyp cohort because nonpolyp patients had no significant changes in their nNO postoperatively. No correlation was found between nNO levels and SNOT‐22. However, a significant negative correlation was found between nNO and LKES (p < 0.0001), suggesting healthier sinus mucosa was associated with higher nNO levels.

Conclusion

This is the first study to show that nNO levels may be a marker of sinus mucosal health following ESS in patients with polyps. This has important implications for nNO in its potential etiologic role in mediating ongoing sinus inflammation.
Chiral Carbonaceous Nanotubes Modified with Titania Nanocrystals: Plasmon‐Free and Recyclable SERS Sensitivity
Authors: Qiu Bocheng , Xing Mingyang , Yi Qiuying , Zhang Jinlong
Published: July 2015

Chiral carbonaceous nanotubes (CNT) were successfully used in plasmon‐free surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) for the first time. Further modification of TiO2 nanocrystals on the chiral CNTs successfully realized the recycling of SERS substrate as chiral CNT/TiO2 hybrids. The high SERS sensitivity of methylene blue (MB) over the chiral CNT/TiO2 hybrids is ascribed to the laser‐driven birefringence induced by the helical structure, which provides much more opportunities for the occurrence of Raman scattering. The TiO2 nanocrystals highly dispersed on the surface and inside the hollow cavity of chiral CNTs can completely degrade the MB under the solar light irradiation, leading to the self‐cleaning of SERS substrate. The present research opens a new way for the application of chiral inorganic materials in plasmon‐free SERS detection.
Structure, mechanical, and electrical properties of high‐density polyethylene/multi‐walled carbon nanotube composites processed by compression molding and blown film extrusion
Authors: Xiang Dong , Harkin‐Jones Eileen , Linton David , Martin Peter
Published: July 2015

The structure and properties of melt mixed high‐density polyethylene/multi‐walled carbon nanotube (HDPE/MWCNT) composites processed by compression molding and blown film extrusion were investigated to assess the influence of processing route on properties. The addition of MWCNTs leads to a more elastic response during deformations that result in a more uniform thickness distribution in the blown films. Blown film composites exhibit better mechanical properties due to the enhanced orientation and disentanglement of MWCNTs. At a blow up ratio (BUR) of 3 the breaking strength and elongation in the machine direction of the film with 4 wt % MWCNTs are 239% and 1054% higher than those of compression molded (CM) samples. Resistivity of the composite films increases significantly with increasing BURs due to the destruction of conductive pathways. These pathways can be recovered partially using an appropriate annealing process. At 8 wt % MWCNTs, there is a sufficient density of nanotubes to maintain a robust network even at high BURs. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42665.
Increased Surface Area, but not Cortical Thickness, in a Subset of Young Boys With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Ohta Haruhisa , Nordahl Christine Wu , Iosif Ana‐Maria , Lee Aaron , Rogers Sally , Amaral David G.
Published: July 2015

The Autism Phenome Project is the largest, single site, longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study of young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Previous analyses from this cohort have shown that the children with autism have a total brain volume at time 1 (∼3 years of age) that is 6% larger than typically developing (TD) children. This finding is driven primarily by 15% of the boys with ASD that have disproportionate megalencephaly (ASD‐DM) or brain size that is 1.5 standard deviations above what would be expected for the child's height. In the current study, cerebral cortical grey matter volume, thickness, and surface area were assayed from MRI scans of 112, 3‐year‐old boys with ASD and 50 age‐matched TD boys. The boys with ASD‐DM (n = 17) were analyzed separately from the boys with normal brain size (ASD‐N, n = 95). Previous studies of cortical thickness and surface area for ASD children in this age range have come to diametrically different conclusions concerning the significance of cortical thickness vs. surface area. Current analyses indicate that cortical thickness was comparable across the ASD and TD groups. However, surface area was significantly greater in the ASD group compared to the TD group. This result was driven largely by the children with ASD‐DM. Even in the ASD‐DM group, not all cortical regions demonstrated increased surface area. These results provide strong evidence that the early cortical overgrowth associated with ASD is due primarily to increased surface area and not to increased cortical thickness. Autism Res 2016, 9: 232–248. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Axonal wiring in neural development: Target‐independent mechanisms help to establish precision and complexity
Authors: Petrovic Milan , Schmucker Dietmar
Published: July 2015

The connectivity patterns of many neural circuits are highly ordered and often impressively complex. The intricate order and complexity of neuronal wiring remain not only a challenge for questions related to circuit functions but also for our understanding of how they develop with such an apparent precision. The chemotropic guidance of the growing axon by target‐derived cues represents a central paradigm for how neurons get connected with the correct target cells. However, many studies reveal a remarkable variety of important target‐independent wiring mechanisms. These mechanisms include axonal sorting, axonal tiling, growth cone polarization, as well as cell‐intrinsic mechanisms underlying growth cone sprouting, and neurite branching. Our review focuses on target independent wiring mechanisms and in particular on recent progress emerging from studies on three different sensory systems: olfactory, visual, and somatosensory. We discuss molecular mechanisms that operate during axon‐axon interactions or constitute axon‐intrinsic functions and outline how they complement the well‐known target‐dependent wiring mechanisms.
William Cruikshank (1745–1800), anatomist and surgeon, and his illustrious patient, Samuel Johnson
Authors: McDonald Stuart W.
Published: July 2015

William Cumberland Cruikshank (1745–1800) was a Scot who from 1771 until his death taught anatomy at the famous school of anatomy in Great Windmill Street, London, founded by William Hunter (1718–1783). Arguably, his most famous patient was Samuel Johnson, the celebrated 18th Century man of letters and author of the first English dictionary. This article, largely drawn from Johnson's correspondence, documents the medical condition that caused Johnson to consult Cruikshank and some of the social links between Johnson, Hunter, and Cruikshank. Clin. Anat. 28:836–843, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Efficient Transformation of Anisole into Methylated Phenols over High‐Silica HY Zeolites under Mild Conditions
Authors: Meng Qinglei , Fan Honglei , Liu Huizhen , Zhou Huacong , He Zhenhong , Jiang Zhiwei , Wu Tianbin , Han Buxing
Published: July 2015

Transformation of anisole (methoxybenzene), a typical component of bio‐oil, into phenol and methylated phenols was studied over HY zeolites with framework Si/Al ratios of 5, 15, 25, and 35. It was demonstrated that the amounts of Brønsted acid and Lewis acid sites, the ratio of Lewis acid and Brønsted acid sites, and the textural properties of the zeolites were all crucial parameters that influenced the catalytic performance. The Brønsted acid and Lewis acid sites of the zeolites catalyzed the reaction cooperatively and efficiently promoted the transmethylation. The hierarchical channel system with fully open micropore–mesopore connectivity was favorable to reduce the amount of coke generated.