bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biorefinery: Production of Biofuel, Heat, and Power Utilizing Biomass
Authors: Naqvi Muhammad , Yan Jinyue
Published: July 2015

The world's energy consumption is projected to increase rapidly that will cause depletion of known fossil fuel resources, global warming, and threat to future energy security. Biomass is likely to play a significant role in the future energy systems replacing conventional fuels because of strict regulations for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and contributing as additional resource in the global energy mix. Biomass is processed in a biorefinery facility for polygeneration of bioenergy products such as biofuels, heat, and power. Polygeneration system can be categorized based on various process routes producing electricity or biofuels or even providing only heat, for example, biomass gasification system, integrated biogas production with combined heat and power by treating organic waste, and tri‐generation systems. The successful commercialization of biorefinery systems for polygeneration requires pilot plants to demonstrate improvements in energy efficiency, substantial biofuel, heat, and power production potential from biomass together with reduced cost. From the sustainability perspective, biorefinery systems show numerous economic, social, and environmental benefits including diversification in biomass resources and bioenergy products.
Clean and Sustainable Biodiesel Production
Authors: Christopher Lew P. , Kumar Hemanathan
Published: July 2015

To date, the majority of world's primary energy is derived from fossil fuels. However, the fossil fuel recourses are in an inevitable decline as energy demand continues to grow exponentially with population growth, urbanization, and improved standards of living. Crude oil prices have recently risen several times and their current annual volatility exceeds 30%. The potential scarcity of fossil fuels has prompted a global search for alternative energy resources. Biodiesel fulfills the major requirements for production of alternative fuels such as feedstock availability, technical feasibility, and economic competitiveness. Together with other renewable biofuels, the use of biodiesel as a substitute of fossil‐based fuels is expected to reduce the dependence on imported petroleum and associated political and economic vulnerability, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and revitalize the economy. The objective of this article was to provide an update of the most recent technological advancements toward clean and sustainable biodiesel production through a thorough overview of biodiesel feedstocks, most promising transesterification processes, and opportunities for glycerol utilization for value‐added products. A critical analysis of the techno‐economical barriers and environmental challenges that need to be addressed in future R&D efforts toward commercialization and establishment of a sustainable and cost‐efficient biodiesel production is provided.
Seasonal Thermal Storage
Authors: Griffiths Philip , Colclough Shane
Published: July 2015

To improve the use of nondispatchable renewable energy, technical interventions are required to store the obtained energy for use when demanded. Electrical energy can be stored in a variety of ways such as mechanically, chemically, and using potential energy. However, energy demand in buildings, especially those in northern Europe, is dominated by thermal energy. The sun is a good source of thermal energy but it is at most available during the season with the least demand. Seasonal thermal energy storage methods seek to store the thermal energy in the summer for use in the winter.
New Energy Crops for Biofuel Production
Authors: Jin Yunkai , Su Jun , Liu Chunlin , Sun Chuanxin
Published: July 2015

The Sun is sending an enormous amount of light energy to the Earth that is converted and stored as bioenergy in biomass via photosynthesis. Energy in biomass is enough for human energy consumption including ingested food energy, and the question is how to efficiently extract the energy from biomass for different applications. This article describes the development of the first‐, second‐, and third‐generations of biofuels from different biomass materials. Definition and category of energy crops are given. Authors have provided in detail how to generate new energy crops and described their
status quo
. The article analyzes the potentials of different new energy crops with an emphasis on economic benefits, energy efficiency (
EE
), bottlenecks, and impact on agriculture and environment. A deep discussion on the future barriers in the development of the third‐generation biofuels has been carried out. Good and promising candidate crops in the second‐ and third‐generation biofuels have been pointed out. Even the drawbacks of new energy crops have been realistically analyzed. The future directions in the development of new energy crops to meet human consumptions have been suggested. Finally, potential applications of new energy crops for the first‐, second‐, and third‐generations of biofuels have been discussed.
The Simple Logistics of Biofuels, Sustainability, and Indirect Energy Needs
Authors: Bonilla David , Whittaker Carly
Published: July 2015

Delivering energy to a biorefinery plant, or to a conversion plant, requires effective decision making and efficient logistics planning for the transport of biomass feedstock. Our goals are two: to review the latest policy research on biomass deployment and to provide information on estimates of indirect energy needs for biomass feedstocks. For the
UK
context, implementation barriers are identified by examining the indirect energy inputs and associated

CO
2

emissions per ton of biomass moved through specific logistics pathways of six types of biomass (renewable energy) systems to supply power, heat, and biofuels. These impacts arise from moving biomass feedstock. Extensive utilization of biomass will increase freight transport services and acceptable distances travelled will vary from long distances for rail to short distances for trucks. Trucks will require more energy per kilometer travelled against railways. Railways, as well as ships, are capable of magnifying the market and technology potential of biomass deployment and its utilization as railways require less energy per ton moved in the country. Successful biomass delivery to plants will need railway capacity expansion requiring new infrastructure investment. The demand for bioenergy feedstock expands freight transport services by increasing (i)

CO
2

emissions, (ii) non‐

CO
2

emissions, (iii) accidents, (iv) environmental costs, and (v) social costs of
UK
‐generated biomass schemes. Some policy recommendations include the need to carefully select rail freight or truck freight or maritime mode, and the need to select siting and spatial factors when designing large‐scale deployment of bioenergy and of biofuels. Designing an energy policy based on biomass requires infrastructure planning of ports, trucks, and railways and ships bringing new challenges as biomass may itself be freight transport intensive. This article contributes to improved decision making for optimizing the biomass fuel supply chain.
The Potential for Carbon Dioxide Sequestration in Subsurface Geological Formations
Authors: Nomeli Mohammad A. , Riaz Amir
Published: July 2015

Fossil fuels are projected to serve as the major source of energy worldwide in the decades to come. Emissions to the atmosphere of green house gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) produced by the consumption of energy derived from fossil fuels are now comparable to the natural carbon cycle. Such emissions are already beginning to exert an observable influence on climate change, perturbing natural climate stability. Carbon sequestration has been proposed to gradually reduce and eventually eliminate anthropogenic emissions of CO2into the atmosphere. The success of sequestration depends on the identification and manipulation of appropriate storage sites where CO2can be sequestrated over long periods of time. Deep saline aquifers are the preferred storage sites because of their potential for secure sequestration over long periods of time as well as their abundance and large capacity. The primary mechanism for long‐term sequestration in saline aquifers is solubility trapping associated with the dissolution of CO2into brine. The solution of saline water and dissolved CO2is negatively buoyant within the subsurface environment. The positively buoyant‐free CO2is thus trapped and loses its ability to escape from the aquifer. The key aspect of solubility trapping is gravitational convection associated with the unstable density stratification of dissolved CO2. The rate of mixing of free CO2with brine is enhanced significantly as a result of gravitational convection compared with the extremely slow process of diffusion limited mixing. The strength of convection depends on solubility, which is a function of temperature and pressure and brine salinity. Dissolution of CO2into brine leads further to the formation of carbonic acid that provides carbonate ions needed for the formation of mineral precipitates. This process of mineral trapping of CO2is considered to be the most permanent form of sequestration. The objective of this study is to provide a perspective on the progress made thus far toward the modeling of the solubility of CO2in brine and the dependence of pH on the saturated mole fraction as a function of pressure, temperature, and salinity. This study is an attempt to facilitate the development of an integrated model for the prediction of the amount of CO2that can be safely sequestered in saline aquifers.
Modeling and Simulation of Smart Energy Systems
Authors: Connolly David , Lund Henrik , Mathiesen Brian Vad
Published: July 2015

At a global level, it is essential that the world transfers from fossil fuels to renewable energy resources to minimize the implications of climate change, which has been clearly demonstrated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2007a). At a national level, for most countries, the transition to renewable energy will improve energy security of supply, create new jobs, enhance trade, and consequently grow the national economy. However, even with such promising consequences, renewable energy only provided approximately 13% of the world's energy in 2007 (International Energy Agency, 2009a). Therefore, identifying how to utilize more renewable energy is one of the most pressing challenges facing many countries at present.

Owing to the ever‐growing complexity of modern energy systems, energy‐system‐analysis tools are often used to analyze the potential of renewable energy in future energy systems. As renewable energy becomes more prominent, more energy‐system‐analysis tools are being created. The key element in this transfer is often to show coherent technical analyses of how renewable energy can be implemented, and what effects renewable energy has on other parts of the energy system. However, when beginning an investigation into the potential of renewable energy, it is difficult to identify which energy‐system‐analysis tool is the most suitable one for the investigation. As a result, a selection of energy tools will be presented here to illustrate the type modeling that is possible for renewable energy systems and also to illustrate the variety of energy tools that exist. For example, some tools focus on local community energy projects, whereas others consider national energy systems; some tools consider the annual amount of energy being consumed, whereas others focus on the hourly operation of the system. The variety of tools available has led to the conclusion that the optimum tool for a study is very dependent on the initial objectives that have been set.

This article (i) gives an overview/review of a number of different energy tools and models and (ii) provides a deeper description of one of these tools (EnergyPLAN) along with the methodology followed with it.EnergyPLANhas been used to establish how intermittent renewable energy, primarily in the form of wind power, can be accommodated in Denmark while reliably operating the electric grid. In addition, various case studies are presented on individual technologies and complete energy system strategies, which outline how it is possible to reach a 100% renewable energy system in the coming decades.
Energy Economy Modeling of the Electricity Sector
Authors: Nian Victor
Published: July 2015

Energy economy modeling of the electricity sector typically involves large amount of data at high granularity. This is especially true for the
TIMES
/
MARKAL
family of models. Owing to the level of sensitivity of data, agencies are generally reluctant to provide detailed information to modelers, thereby creating a barrier to building a comprehensive and reliable energy economy model. In most cases, based on limited data available in the public domain, it is still possible to build a meaningful model with an acceptable level of accuracy for the base year. This article describes a methodology that can systematically tackle the challenges associated with data paucity using Singapore as an example. Firstly, the total electricity demand is disaggregated by sectors. For each type of end‐use electricity demand, a set of key electricity consuming technologies relevant to the country is analyzed to examine their efficiency improvement potentials. The potentials are derived from the best available technologies relevant to the country and existing and planned energy policies. On the basis of these potentials, a set of end‐use demand scenarios is obtained. Corresponding to the end‐use demand scenarios, running the
TIMES
/
MARKAL
models generates the supply side scenarios. The key differentiating point of this modeling effort is the development of a “naturally evolving scenario” as the reference scenario on the demand side. This is to allow the use of quantitative analysis to mitigate the dependence on data. However, in the model run, the reference demand side scenario is changed to the “business‐as‐usual” scenario, which is developed from the “Naturally Evolving Scenario.” Using the quantitative method so developed, the base year data have been accurately obtained by verifying against the agencies' published information. Besides the discussion on the methodology of obtaining reliable model input data, there is also a case study at the end of this article to demonstrate some of the modeling results for the electricity sector of Singapore.
Investment in Conventional and Renewable Generating Units
Authors: Jalal Kazempour S. , Baringo Luis
Published: July 2015

An electricity producer competing with rival producers within an electricity market needs a mathematical tool to make informed decisions on generation‐capacity investment. A pool‐based network‐constrained electricity market is considered in which each producer/consumer is paid/charged at the locational marginal price (
LMP
) of the bus at which it is located. As it is customary in the generation investment studies, a static investment approach is used. Thus, a single future target year is considered. As generation investment candidates, two different types of generating units are considered: (i) conventional units and (ii) stochastic renewable units. The demand and renewable production levels at different buses of the network throughout the target year are represented using the K‐means clustering technique, whereas the stochastic nature of demand growth and rival producers' actions is represented via scenarios. The generation investment decision‐making problem is then formulated as a stochastic bilevel model, which can be recast as a mixed‐integer linear programming (
MILP
) problem. The resulting model allows the electricity producer to determine the most profitable investment actions, that is, the optimal type, sizing, and siting of the candidate units to be built. Results pertaining to an illustrative example are reported and discussed.
Analysis of the Core Problems in China's Carbon Emission Trading Market
Authors: Liu Lan‐Cui , Liang Qiao‐Mei
Published: July 2015

Chinese pilot carbon trading programs have been established by the central and local governments. Beijing, Tianjin, Shenzhen, Guangdong, and Shanghai began trading last year. However, the trading volumes and prices of every pilot region were very different. However, owing to the lack of relative capacity, there are several important problems that limit the further development of carbon trading in China, especially the historical emission data quality, the regional
GDP
or industrial value added, the grandfathering permit allocation methods, and the
MRV
system. Therefore, the following important ideas should be considered in China: (i) establishing a national reporting and monitoring system for greenhouse gas (
GHG)
emissions at the enterprise level; (ii) integrating the carbon trading schemes with a carbon tax scheme to include enterprises with fewer emissions; and (iii) considering the linkage between carbon trading and pollution trading.
Economic, Market Design, and Regulatory Issues that Pertain to Energy Storage in the United States
Authors: Walawalkar Rahul , Judson Judith , Kulkarni Pramod , Chintapalli Raj
Published: July 2015

Energy storage is considered to be the missing link for smarter grid. The need for energy storage technologies is driven by a number of factors including growth of variable renewable resources in the grid as well as need for efficient ancillary services. Recent decade has seen huge investments being made in developing and commercializing range of storage technologies both through publicly funded and private investments. There are a number of technologies currently available commercially that are getting deployed around the globe. The adoption of these technologies has been aided by the changes in the regulatory environment where regulators have addressed traditional barriers for emerging technologies such as energy storage through series of amendments to regulations. In addition, various trade groups at regional and national levels are helping to advance education, collaboration, and proven frameworks about the benefits of energy storage.
Thermal Energy Storage: Selection and Sizing Criteria
Authors: Norton Brian
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 characteristic of each technology is 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.
TES
Materials: Embodied Energy and

CO
2

Footprint
Authors: Fernández Ana Inés , Barreneche Camila , Martínez Mònica , Miró Laia , Cabeza Luisa F.
Published: July 2015

Increasing the efficiency in many energy conversion processes is crucial for sustainability perspective, and thermal energy storage (
TES
) is proposed as a promising solution to complement technologies and to reduce the energy consumption. In this article, the embodied energy of materials, which is the energy required to produce a unit mass, and the reduction of operational energy and

CO
2

mitigation using
TES
are analyzed in several examples and case studies.
Energy Efficiency Improvement in Office Buildings by Benchmarking Models
Authors: Chung William , Yeung M. H. Iris
Published: July 2015

Benchmarking energy efficiency is an important tool to promote the efficient use of energy in buildings that can be considered energy consumers of municipal energy systems. Benchmarking models are mostly constructed in a simple benchmark table (percentile table) of energy‐use intensities, which can be developed by means of simple normalization (simple) with floor area, regression analysis (
RA
) to normalize not only floor area but also some explanatory factors (e.g., operating hours), stochastic frontier analysis (
SFA
), and data envelopment analysis (
DEA
). Because of the properties of these four mathematical methods, we can have two kinds of benchmarking systems, public and internal benchmarking systems. Simple,
RA
, and
SFA
can be used to develop the public benchmarking systems by a set of reference buildings, which can function as a public yardstick of energy‐use performance in buildings. That is, other nonreference building owners (including reference one) can use the resulting yardstick to benchmark their performance. On the other hand,
DEA
can be applied to develop the internal benchmarking system that cannot be used by public users, and only the reference buildings can be benchmarked. Depending on the benchmarking purposes, we can find that both types of benchmarking models can provide the benchmarking results to encourage poor reference performers to improve their performance. For example, energy use of public service area of office buildings can be improved by applying the internal benchmarking system to the chiller system coefficient of performance, while tenants' energy‐use performance by the public benchmarking systems.
Clean Energy‐Based Production of Hydrogen: An Energy Carrier
Authors: Olateju Babatunde , Kumar Amit
Published: July 2015

In the context of a global energy market with rising demand along with an increasing aversion to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the demand for clean energy production and, in particular, environmentally benign energy carriers and storage media are considerable. In this article, the production of hydrogen as a clean energy storage medium is addressed from a techno‐economic perspective. Furthermore, emphasis is placed upon hydrogen production channels that can facilitate large‐scale production and significantGHGmitigation at a relatively moderate cost. A number of hydrogen pathways are considered, which include wind‐powered electrolytic hydrogen production, biohydrogen production via gasification and pyrolysis, steam methane reforming (SMR) with and without carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), and underground coal gasification (UCG) with and withoutCCS. This article presents a holistic discussion of the salient techno‐economic trade‐offs and implications, challenges, and competitive advantages, as well as the environmental footprint pertaining to each hydrogen pathway.
Improving Efficiency in Electricity Generation: A Technological Perspective
Authors: Tillman David A.
Published: July 2015

The combustion and power generation industry has been on a never‐ending search for more efficient methods of using fossil fuels. After the successful taming of electricity by Thomas Edison, power plants have continuously improved in efficiency as well as emissions control. As such they have been on a never‐ending quest that has effectively reduced their carbon footprint. Initially the power plant utilized stoker boilers and steam engines. Inventions and technology developments have included pulverized coal firing, fluidized bed combustion systems, improved heat transfer systems (economizers and air heaters), steam turbines, and more efficient steam turbines, combustion turbines, combined cycle power plants including heat recovery steam generators (HRSG) with reheat cycles, and coupling of coal gasification with combined cycle power generation in the integrated gasification‐combined cycle (IGCC) designs. Improvements have also come in instrumentation and controls to enhance the combustion and power generation processes. This article provides a brief review of such developments from an historical and from a technical perspective. It demonstrates that the industry has improved efficiency by an order of magnitude, and that there are future gains available that are in the process of being made.
Flow Battery Technology
Authors: Zhang Huamin
Published: July 2015

Flow batteries are among the most promising devices for the large‐scale energy storage owing to their attractive features like long cycle life, active thermal management, and independence of energy and power ratings. This article will give a detailed introduction on the research and development of flow batteries including the fundamental electrochemistry, key materials, components, and systems. The challenge and prospective of flow batteries will be briefly summarized.
CO2Transport by Ship
Authors: Yoo Byeong‐Yong
Published: July 2015

CO2is liquefied to be transported by ship, and it is currently a fully commercialized technology to transport liquefied gas by ship. At present, there is no technical barrier forCO2carrier to be realized, because shipping industry has accumulated experience of handling liquefied gases for long time, and they categorizedCO2is as less hazardous gas for transport. However, there is a commercial barrier that totalCO2shipping cost is relatively expensive considering uncertain profits from transportingCO2as cargo of a ship. In addition,CO2shipping requires additional facilities such as liquefaction plant, temporary storage inCO2export terminal,CO2carrier, and another temporary storage inCO2import terminal. All components ofCO2shipping are considered for the economic assessment ofCO2shipping for finding economically optimalCO2shipping chain. A feasibility study estimated costs ofCO2shipping can be more cost‐effective method than pipeline for a distance between 200 and 300 km for totalCO2transport amount of 10 Mt/yr. Furthermore,CO2network can provide optimized solution forCO2transport by combiningCO2shipping and pipeline. For commercialCCSprojects in the near future,CO2shipping can supportCO2pipeline network and enable more cost‐effective and reliableCO2transport.
Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (
SMES
) Systems
Authors: Yuan Weijia , Zhang Min
Published: July 2015

Superconducting magnetic energy storage (
SMES
) systems can store energy in a magnetic field created by a continuous current flowing through a superconducting magnet. Compared to other energy storage systems,
SMES
systems have a larger power density, fast response time, and long life cycle. Different types of low temperature superconductors (
LTS
) and high temperature superconductors (
HTS
) are compared. A general magnet design methodology, which aims to find the maximum operating current that can be taken by a magnet, is presented. However, for magnets using coated conductors, a more complicated model has to be used because of the shielding currents created by the magnetic field. The Virial theorem is discussed, which limits the maximum energy density in a
SMES
magnet. The topologies of persistent switch and
AC
/
DC
converters have been discussed and compared. In Section 4, an overview of the development history of
SMES
technologies are discussed. This covers early development of large‐scale
SMES
for bulk energy storage and recent development of small‐scale
SMES
for fast‐response applications. Finally, the applications of
SMES
systems are discussed, which include load leveling, frequency support, and voltage regulations.
Modern Energy Storage Applications
Authors: Zafirakis Dimitrios
Published: July 2015

Energy storage, in recent years, has attracted considerable interest, mainly owing to its potential to support large‐scale integration of renewable energy sources (
RES
). At the same time, contemporary energy storage technologies can take over multiple roles across the entire electricity sector, introducing modern applications for both private actors and system operators. In this context, an overview of energy storage applications is presented, followed by the examination of representative case studies looking into emerging energy storage strategies that capture arbitrage, interplay with demand side management, and support of large‐scale
RES
integration and electricity market regulation.
Electric Vehicles as a Mobile Storage Device
Authors: Codani Paul , Perez Yannick , Petit Marc
Published: July 2015

Using electric vehicles (EVs) as distributed storage units to obtain some complementary revenues on energy markets could be a way of reducing the total cost of ownership (TCO) of the electric cars. In order to measure the possible contribution ofEVas a mobile storage device, we recall the basic requirements and services needed by grid operators to manage the efficient working of an electric power system and the power system requirements in terms of frequency, voltage, and congestion management. Afterward, we present the characteristics of economic constraints for storage devices in electricity markets and what could be the potential role ofEVfleets in these settings. Finally, we present our simulation about the French case study to show that in 2020, with the new rules provided by network operators, theTCOofEVwill be reduced up to a significant proportion according to the user profiles.
Materials for Hydrogen Storage
Authors: Harrison David , Welchman Evan , Chabal Yves Jean , Thonhauser Timo
Published: July 2015

In this article, we discuss possible options for hydrogen‐storage systems. We begin by pointing out the tremendous advantages of hydrogen as an alternative fuel, but we also discuss the problems associated with it. We then move to the general constraints for hydrogen storage in automotive applications, followed by the targets that the US Department of Energy has established for the performance of hydrogen‐storage systems in order to be on track for a future hydrogen economy and to be competitive with the current technology of fossil fuel‐based combustion engines. We then move to the central topic of this book article—the three main categories of hydrogen‐storage systems, distinguished by their mechanism of storing hydrogen: mechanical storage, adsorption‐based storage, and chemical storage, with an emphasis on the latter two. Within these categories, we break the materials further into subgroups, pointing out strengths and weaknesses of each in reference to the US Department of Energy targets. We finally conclude with an outlook into the near‐term future.
Nanotechnology and Nanomaterials for Thermal Energy Storage
Authors: Mondragón Rosa , Martínez‐Cuenca Raúl , Hernández Leonor , Andreu‐Cabedo Patricia , Cabedo Luis , Juliá J. Enrique
Published: July 2015

Thermal energy storage is a key technology in order to optimize the performance of industrial systems such as concentrating solar power plants and heat insulation in buildings. This technology can be combined with the development of new materials with enhanced thermal properties thanks to the addition of nanoparticles to a conventional material. The new materials, generally referred to asnanocompositesandnanofluids, are produced by specific procedures in order to ensure their stability over time. The main results that have been published on the enhancement of thermal properties and energy storage through sensible heat storage and phase change materials are summarized.
Lithium‐Ion Batteries: Thermomechanics, Performance, and Design Optimization
Authors: Xue Nansi , Du Wenbo , Martins Joaquim R. R. A. , Shyy Wei
Published: July 2015

Lithium‐ion batteries have attracted considerable academic and commercial interests because of their higher energy and power density relative to other rechargeable electrochemical systems. Recently, they have been used to power an increasing range of appliances, ranging from implantable medical devices to electric vehicles. Since the commercialization of lithium‐ion batteries by Sony in 1991, there has been an increasing amount of research carried out to further improve their energy density, life cycle, and thermal management. In addition to experimental studies, numerical models have offered new insights into physical phenomena and processes occurring in the cell and have supported the design optimization of cells and modules. However, given the multiscale and multiphase nature of a cell, the detailed modeling of every aspect of the cell has been difficult to achieve. While thermomechanical issues play a key role in battery design, the importance of broader issues related to cell degradation, safety, manufacturing, and battery management cannot be ignored. As the achievable performance edges closer to the theoretical limits, further gains have to come from major changes, such as new electrode materials, new cell architectures, or transitioning from intercalation to conversion chemistry. Proper consideration of the wide variety of issues that impact battery performance is needed to support further investigation to meet these challenges.
Copper(I)‐Catalyzed Three‐Component Coupling of N‐Tosylhydrazones, Alkynes and Azides: Synthesis of Trisubstituted 1,2,3‐Triazoles
Authors: Zhang Zhikun , Zhou Qi , Ye Fei , Xia Ying , Wu Guojiao , Hossain Mohammad Lokman , Zhang Yan , Wang Jianbo
Published: July 2015

The copper(I)‐catalyzed three‐component reaction of N‐tosylhydrazones, terminal alkynes and azides has been realized in an efficient and regioselective manner. This reaction constitutes a convenient method for the synthesis of 1,4,5‐trisubstituted 1,2,3‐triazoles from simple starting substrates. Mechanistically, the reaction involves the trapping of the copper(I) triazolide intermediate to form a copper carbene and subsequent migratory insertion and protonation.

magnified image
Spezifische photochemische Dehydrokupplung N‐heterocyclischer Phosphane und ihre Anwendung in der photokatalytischen Erzeugung von H2
Authors: Puntigam Oliver , Könczöl László , Nyulászi László , Gudat Dietrich
Published: July 2015

N‐heterocyclische Phosphane reagieren unter UV‐Bestrahlung in einer hochselektiven Dehydrokupplungsreaktion zu Diphosphanen und H2. Computerchemische Studien legen nahe, dass die Produktbildung durch die Entstehung dimerer molekularer Assoziate eingeleitet wird, deren elektronische Anregung H2 und ein Diphosphan liefert. Kombination der Dehydrokupplung sterisch anspruchsvoller Phosphane mit einer Mg‐Reduktion der gebildeten Diphosphane erlaubt die Konstruktion eines Reaktionszyklus zur photokatalytischen Erzeugung von H2 aus Et3NH+.
Comparison of cure characteristics and mechanical properties of nano and micro silica‐filled CSM elastomers
Authors: Tabaei Tahereh Alsadat , Bagheri Rouhollah , Hesami Mahdis
Published: July 2015

In this study, the effect of micro and nano silica and their combination on mechanical and thermal properties of Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene compounds were investigated. Cure characteristics were studied using a Monsanto Moving Die Rheometer at 155°C. Incorporation of nano silica accelerated the vulcanization whereas the micro silica particles decelerated the curing process. Both micro and nano silica increased the crosslink density as evidenced by swelling test. However, this value has been more improved in CSM/nano silica composites. The physico‐mechanical properties of CSM/nano silica are superior compared to CSM/micro silica. Nano silica provided reinforcing efficiency which is not only because of higher specific surface area but also because of various interactions and especially physical interactions which are discussed in the text. Nano silica particles also improved the thermal properties more efficiently. Incorporation of 15 phr (part per hundred) nano and 5 phr micro silica to polymer improved the initial decomposition temperature for about 51°C and 16°C, respectively, using a TGA. The combination of micro and nano silica, showed that by coupling nano and micro fillers, the loading of fillers can be minimized. In other words, the hybrid samples with a lower filler loading behave as efficient as their separate counterpart with higher loading. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 42668.
The Impact of a Precision Teaching Intervention on the Reading Fluency of Typically Developing Children
Authors: Lambe Danielle , Murphy Carol , Kelly Michelle E.
Published: July 2015

This research investigated the efficacy of precision teaching (PT) on the reading fluency of typically developing children, aged 7–8 years. Seven participants were assigned to a PT intervention group and received 6 weeks of fluency training using Say All Fast a Minute Every Day Shuffled (SAFMEDS) fluency cards (Phase 1) and a Dolch story (Phase 2). Outcomes were measured using multiple baseline design (MBD) data, Standard Celeration Charts, and pre‐intervention–post‐intervention fluency scores. The MBD data show increased correct responding for PT participants from baseline to the end of each intervention phase. These improvements were maintained at a 3‐week post‐intervention follow‐up. The MBD clearly demonstrated a replication of intervention effects across participants. The study supports prior research in this area showing that PT can lead to large and socially relevant gains in children's reading fluency. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assumptions create exposure to claims of transgender discrimination
Authors: Porter Michael
Published: July 2015

While some higher ed administrators have a firm grasp on the legal aspects of providing adequate support and access to transgender students, staff and faculty members, many other administrators may be at a loss, leaving their institutions exposed to legal risk.
Der „Messmo“ – ein idealer „Anzeiger“ für kleine Stromstärken und Spannungen zum Selbstbau
Authors: Grabow Harald , Witt Alexander , Flint Alfred
Published: July 2015

Um eine geringe Potentialdifferenz oder einen kleinen Stromfluss zwischen zwei elektrochemischen Halbzellen anzuzeigen, ist es für Schülerinnen und Schüler deutlich eindrucksvoller, wenn dieses durch einen Motor geschieht, als wenn man nur die Digitalanzeige eines Messgerätes betrachtet. Im Folgenden wird beschrieben, wie man mit einfachen Mitteln einen Motor mit Messverstärker selber bauen kann, mit dem es möglich ist, auch bei Stromstärken im Mikroampere‐Bereich diese durch einen sich drehenden Rotor anzuzeigen. Passend dazu werden zwei Experimente mit dem „Messmo“ beschrieben.
Structural Distortion of the Epoxy Groups in Norbornanes: A Rotational Study of exo‐2,3‐Epoxynorbornane
Authors: Écija Patricia , Uriarte Iciar , Basterretxea Francisco J. , Millán Judith , Lesarri Alberto , Fernández José A. , Cocinero Emilio J.
Published: July 2015

Exo‐2,3‐epoxynorbornane is studied in the gas phase by pulsed jet Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy in the 4–18 GHz region. Six isotopologues were observed and characterized in their natural abundance. The experimental substitution and effective structures were obtained. Comparison with the structure of norbornane shows significant differences in several bond lengths and valence angles upon introduction of the epoxy group. All the work is supported by quantum chemical calculations.
Synthesis of silicon dioxide cone shaped highly ordered hedgehog‐like microstructures on gallium droplets
Authors: Bialoglowski Maciej , Jastrzebski Cezariusz , Dominik Pawel , Gebicki Wojciech , Jastrzebski Daniel J. , Podsiadlo Slawomir
Published: July 2015

A simple chemical transport method was used to obtain Ga‐core / SiO2‐shell microstructures. The cone‐shaped silica needles assembled in a highly ordered pattern on a gallium droplet. Morphology of those regularly arranged microstructures was present in scanning electron microscopy images. The chemical composition and structure were confirmed using energy dispersive X‐ray and Raman spectroscopy. Such core‐shell, gallium‐silicon dioxide regular microstructures are reported for the first time.
Highly Reversible Lithium‐ions Storage of Molybdenum Dioxide Nanoplates for High Power Lithium‐ion Batteries
Authors: Liu Xiaolin , Yang Jun , Hou Wenhua , Wang Jiulin , Nuli Yanna
Published: July 2015

Herein, MoO2 nanoplates have been facilely prepared through a hydrothermal process by using MoO3 microbelts as the intercalation host. The obtained MoO2 nanoplates manifest excellent electrochemical properties when the discharge cutoff voltage is simply set at 1.0 V to preclude the occurrence of conversion reactions. Its initial reversible capacity reaches 251 mAh g−1, which is larger than that of Li4Ti5O12, at a current rate of 0.2 C. The average capacity decay is only 0.0465 mAh g−1 per cycle, with a coulombic efficiency of 99.5 % (from the 50th cycle onward) for 2000 cycles at 1 C. Moreover, this MoO2 electrode demonstrates an outstanding high power performance. When the current rate is increased from 0.2 to 50 C, about 54 % of the capacity is retained. The superior electrochemical performance can be attributed to the metallic conductivity of MoO2, short Li+ diffusion distance in the nanoplates, and reversible crystalline phase conversion of the addition‐type reaction of MoO2. The prepared MoO2 nanoplates may hopefully replace their currently used analogues, such as Li4Ti5O12, in high power lithium‐ion batteries.
Bradykinin‐induced inhibition of proliferation rate during neurosphere differentiation: Consequence or cause of neuronal enrichment?
Authors: Pillat Micheli M. , Cheffer Arquimedes , de Andrade Cinthia M. , Morsch Vera M. , Schetinger Maria R. C. , Ulrich Henning
Published: July 2015

Neural stem cells proliferate and differentiate into neurons and glial cells, being responsible for embryonic and postnatal development of the central nervous system (CNS) as well as for regeneration in the adult brain. These cells also play a key role in maintaining the physiological integrity of the CNS in face of injury or disease. The previous study has demonstrated that bradykinin (BK) treatment simultaneously induces neuronal enrichment (indicating that BK contributes to neurogenesis) and reduced proliferation rates during in vitro differentiation of rat embryonic telencephalon neural precursor cells (NPCs). Here, we provide a mechanism for the unresolved question whether (i) the low rate of proliferation is owed to enhanced neurogenesis or, conversely, (ii) the alteration of the population ratio could result from low proliferation of NPCs and glial cells. In agreement with the previous study, BK promoted neuron‐specific β3‐tubulin and MAP2 expression in differentiating embryonic mouse neurospheres, whereas glial protein expression and global proliferation rates decreased. Furthermore, BK augmented the global frequency of cells in G0‐phase of cell cycle after differentiation. Heterogeneous cell populations were observed at this stage, including neurons that always remaining a quiescent state (G0‐phase). It is noteworthy that BK did not interfere with proliferation of any particular cell type, evidenced by coimmunostaining for nestin, β3‐tubulin, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and 5‐ethynyl‐2′‐deoxyuridine (EdU). Thus, we conclude that neuronal enrichment is owing only to the fostering of neurogenesis, and that the low proliferation rate on the seventh day of differentiation is a consequence and not the cause of BK‐induced neuronal enrichment. © 2015 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry
Flow cytometry in the diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndromes and the value of myeloid nuclear differentiation antigen
Authors: Bellos Frauke , Kern Wolfgang
Published: July 2015

Background

Confirming diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) is often challenging. Standard diagnostic methods are cytomorphology (CM) and cytogenetics. Multiparameter flow cytometry (MFC) is upcoming in MDS diagnostic work up, comparability and investigator experiences are critical. Myeloid nuclear differentiation antigen (MNDA) in myelomonocytic cells might be expressed more weakly in patients with MDS. The analysis of MNDA may thus improve diagnostic capabilities of MFC in MDS.

Methods

Staining methods and antibody combinations for MFC in MDS are outlined, giving details for interpretation of results in regard to dyspoiesis. MFC results are correlated with CM and CG and with survival data. Use of MNDA in MDS diagnostics was evaluated in 239 patients with MDS, AML, other cytopenic conditions, and in 30 negative controls.

Results

Strong correlation between findings in CM and MFC was found; MFC results correlated well with those of CG. Patients with higher grades of dysplasia in MFC had shorter overall survival. Percentages of granulocytes and monocytes with diminished MNDA expression (%dimG, %dimM) were higher in patients with MDS and AML. Mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) of MNDA in monocytes was lower in MDS and AML. Cut‐off values for %dimG (12%) and %dimM (22%) as well as for MFI in monocytes (72) were defined discriminating between MDS and non‐MDS.

Conclusion

MFC adds significant information on dyspoiesis in the diagnostic work up for MDS and provides prognostic information. MNDA expression can be assessed by MFC and may facilitate evaluation of dyspoiesis when added to MDS MFC panels. © 2015 International Clinical Cytometry Society
Evaluation of basophil activation test in suspected food hypersensitivity
Authors: Pignatti Patrizia , Yacoub Mona‐Rita , Testoni Claudia , Pala Gianni , Corsetti Maura , Colombo Giselda , Meriggi Antonio , Moscato Gianna
Published: July 2015

Background

Food hypersensitivity is characterized by a wide range of symptoms. The relationship between symptoms and food is more frequently suspected than objectively proven. Basophil activation test (BAT) is based on the evaluation of activation markers on blood basophils in vitro stimulated with drugs or allergens.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of BAT when introduced in the routine work‐up of suspected food hypersensitivity.

Methods

BAT was requested in subjects with food adverse reactions when a discrepancy existed among history and skin prick test (SPT) and/or specific IgE. Data from 150 subjects were analysed using CD63 as basophil activation marker. Thirty controls were evaluated for cut‐offs. Immunoblots was performed with the sera of representative subjects positive for BAT and negative for SPT and sIgE.

Results

1,024 BAT were carried out, the agreement (positive/positive and negative/negative) was 78.5% for BAT vs. SPT and 78.3% for BAT vs. IgE. Atopic patients, but not atopic controls, more frequently had a positive BAT than non‐atopic patients (P < 0.0001). Among subjects with positive BAT, those with negative sIgE had lower total IgE, P = 0.001. Nearly 23.3% of all subjects had positive BAT (for at least one tested food) and both negative sIgE and SPT. Immunoblots revealed the presence of sIgE for the tested foods in representative patients with positive BAT, negative SPT and sIgE.

Conclusion

Introduction of BAT in routine of food hypersensitivity, limited to subjects with a discrepancy between history and traditional tests, might be useful particularly when total IgE are low. © 2015 International Clinical Cytometry Society
Catching moving objects: Differential effects of background motion on action mode selection and movement control in 6‐ to 10‐month‐old infants
Authors: van Wermeskerken Margot , van der Kamp John , Hoozemans Marco J. M. , Savelsbergh Geert J. P.
Published: July 2015

In human adults the use of visual information for selecting appropriate modes for action appears to be separate from the use of visual information for the control of movements of which the action is composed (Milner & Goodale, [1995] The visual brain in action; [2008] Neuropsychologia 46:774–785). More specifically, action mode selection primarily relies upon allocentric information, whereas movement control mainly exploits egocentric information. In the present study, we investigated to what degree this division is already present in 6‐ to 10‐month‐old infants when reaching for moving objects; that is, whether allocentric information is uniquely exploited for action mode selection (i.e., reaching with one or the other hand) or whether it is also used for movement control (i.e., reaching kinematics). Infants were presented with laterally approaching objects at two speeds (i.e., 20 and 40 cm/s) against a stationary or moving background. Background motion affects allocentric information about the object's velocity relative to its background. Results indicated that object speed constrained both infants' action mode selection and movement control. Importantly, however, the influence of background motion was limited to action mode selection and did not extend to movement control. The findings provide further support for the contention that during early development information usage is—at least to some degree—separated for action mode selection and movement control. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 57: 921–934, 2015.