bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Disaster Response and Grassroots Environmental Advocacy: The Example of the World Trade Center Community Labor Coalition
Authors: Newman David M.
Published: April 2008

The tragic events of 9/11/01 and thereafter produced the worst environmental disaster in the history of New York City. Exposure to World Trade Center-derived toxic contaminants at Ground Zero and throughout Lower Manhattan has produced clinically diagnosed persistent respiratory and other illnesses in multiple exposure populations, with fatalities beginning to be reported. Government efforts to protect public health and to assess and remediate contaminants have been minimal. In response, a broad and sophisticated grassroots environmental movement has arisen in Lower Manhattan to push for environmental cleanup and for access to health care for impacted populations and communities. This movement unites community, labor, and environmental groups and continues to organize five years after 9/11. This article examines the development of grassroots response efforts, the work of the World Trade Center Community Labor Coalition, and obstacles encountered in coalition-building. Testimony of community and labor activists is provided in the appendix. The context for this article is provided by the companion article that precedes it in this issue of New Solutions. The preceding article examines the scope of the environmental disaster, the statutory requirements that regulate governmental response, and the nature of government response efforts.
Report of the Investigation Committee into the Cyanide Poisonings of Providence Firefighters
Authors: Varone J. Curtis , Warren Thomas N. , Jutras Kevin , Molis Joseph , Dorsey Joseph , Dunn Mary Lee
Published: April 2008

In the afternoon of March 23, 2006 a Providence firefighter was diagnosed as having cyanide poisoning after working at a building fire. In the aftermath of three fires at commercial and residential sites that day, eight additional firefighters (out of 28 tested) were found to have elevated levels of cyanide. Numerous other members reported symptoms consistent with cyanide poisoning, including headaches, weakness and fatigue, nausea, and shortness of breath. The Providence Fire Department (PFD) established a joint union management committee to review the situation.
Leveraging Green Power: Environmental Rules for Project Finance
Authors: Schaper Marcus
Published: April 2008

Environmental policies of providers of international finance – namely the World Bank, export credit agencies, and Equator Principles banks – provide interesting cases within which to study the power of business not as only an input to the political process or as a constraint on politics, but also as a conduit for both state and non-state actors.

This paper shows how targeting financial actors has allowed NGOs to transform their rather weak discursive power base into instrumental power over business actors in other sectors. NGOs have channeled their power through states, consumers, and financial institutions; this has allowed them to augment discursive power over their targets with additional indirect, yet more immediate, forms of structural and instrumental power. As a consequence of both direct and indirect NGO pressure, financial institutions have adopted environmental policies. This article posits a theoretical explanation of the underspecified power relationships in NGO strategies that allow NGOs to exploit weak links in commodity chains for their campaigns.

This paper argues that financial institutions wield considerable structural power through their ability to control access to finance. It is particularly this power base which has made them prime targets for NGOs campaigning for the greening of infrastructure development projects. As a consequence of NGO pressure, financial institutions have adopted environmental policies which in turn have provided the World Bank and Equator banks with additional sources of discursive power.
The Other Side of the Coin: Conceptualizing the Relationship between Business and the State in the Age of Globalisation
Authors: Bieling Hans-Jürgen
Published: April 2008

The concluding article to the special issue critically reflects on arguments and analysis presented in the preceding articles. It argues that globalisation, new forms of private authority and the increased power of transnational business have not generally weakened the state, but rather advanced a business-oriented transformation of statehood. To understand this transformation the article first provides a very short overview of the state-globalisation debate. Subsequently, it deals more explicitly with the state theoretical debate. In particular, it brings together neo-Marxist and post-Weberian conceptualisations in order to address both the social nature of the state and the particular forms and processes by which it is interactively embedded in the economy and society. After an outline of the transformation of statehood and the strategic options for non-state actors, the article concludes with some critical remarks on the future of democratic politics.
The Power of Business
Authors: Fuchs Doris , Lederer Markus ML
Published: April 2008

The introduction to the special issue develops a systematic and theoretically grounded framework for assessing business power in global governance. It is shown that power is said to have shifted from the world of states to the world of business. However, in order to evaluate such a claim first a differentiation of power in its instrumental, structural, and discursive facets is necessary. It is furthermore explained that the strength of such a three-dimensional assessment is that it combines different levels of analysis and considers actor-specific and structural dimensions and their material and ideational sources. Following a short introduction to the more empirical articles is provided summarizing their commonalities and differences.
Foreign Direct Investment Inward and Foreign Direct Investment Outward: Evidence from Panel Unit Root and Cointegration Tests with a Certain Number of Structural Changes
Authors: Apergis Nicholas
Published: April 2008

This article examines empirically the association between foreign direct investment inward and foreign direct investment outward. Using a panel data set for 35 economies over the period 1981-2004 as well as the methodology of panel unit root and panel cointegration tests with a certain number of structural changes, the empirical findings show that FDI inward does exhibit a significant (long-run) relationship with FDI outward.
Fairness, Consumer Consciousness and the Welfare of Less Developed Countries
Authors: Immordino Giovanni
Published: April 2008

Activist organizations, interest groups, unions and media reveal information about labour standards. In a world where some consumers are not self-interested, the price of a product made by a multinational enterprise and the latter's location and production decisions depend on the difference in labour standards between developed and less developed countries. We study the effect of an increase in the fraction of informed inequity-averse consumers on the behaviour of multinational frms, on the equilibrium level of labour standards and on the welfare of workers in the less developed countries. An increase in activism deteriorates labour practices and decreases welfare.
The OECD's Harmful Tax Competition Initiative and the Tax Havens: From Bombshell to Damp Squib
Authors: Kudrle Robert T.
Published: April 2008

The OECD's Harmful Tax Competition of 1998 departed in both tone and substance from almost anything the organization had published before. The roots of the associated project lie mainly in EU concerns that certain forms of intra-union competition were eroding both the corporate and personal income tax bases of member states. But it appeared impossible to deal with those problems unless policies were also changed in the 40 or so jurisdictions know as “tax havens.” HTC threatened sanctions against the tax havens if they failed to collect and share information upon request about individuals and corporations attempting to evade or avoid income taxes. HTC also set criteria for the legitimacy of claims about corporate location. A firm could claim location in a tax haven only if it had “substantial” activity there. The report created a furor among the tax havens, which complained loudly that they were facing a new form of colonial control by being held accountable for standards they had no role in setting. Over the next several years the corporate element of the project disappeared, and the style of the OECD's approach shifted from confrontation to cooperation. HTC was strongly supported by the Clinton Administration, and summaries of the project's development often stress how much change came with the election of George W. Bush. A careful look at OECD reports, however, reveals that much of the shift in direction occurred before the outcome of the U.S. election in 2000 had been determined.

The revised focus on bank secrecy did yield results. Virtually all of the tax havens had acceded to the revised OECD demands for transparency and information exchange by 2004. This article looks at the data on tax haven liabilities to gauge the impact of the project on tax evasion. It employs the ARIMA technique to investigate both tax haven activity as a whole and the particularly important case of the Cayman Islands. No significant impact can be found probably because investment in the havens remains very easy to disguise and very difficult to detect. This suggests that an effective attack on personal income evasion will require more than the OECD demanded. Automatic information-sharing on the ownership based on an internationally consistent set of identifying numbers over a range of financial instruments holds greater promise for a significant decline in the use of the havens for tax evasion.
Social Dumping: The Debate on a Multilateral Social Clause
Authors: Hurtado Inmaculada , Argerey Patricia
Published: April 2008

Competition between countries has rapidly increased in the current context of economic globalization. Both indirect competition (through trade) and direct competition (through illegal immigration) can breed social dumping, exerting downward pressure on labor conditions in developed countries. In this paper we show the need for a social clause in order to prevent firms from illegally obtaining a comparative advantage. The adoption of a social clause, based on agreed labour rights by all signatories to ILO Conventions and on the compliance by multinationals, would eliminate social dumping.

Linking labor standards and trade at the multilateral level has received a lot of criticism. Some claim that this is just another strategy to masquerade the protectionist ambitions of developed countries. We believe that it should be adopted at the multilateral level in order to favor an ethical behavior in both trade and investment. This is particularly crucial for less developed countries that have inserted themselves in the international economy.

A balanced analysis of the arguments in favor and against the adoption of a social clause reveals that there is a patent need for an international harmonization of workers' rights regardless of the instruments.
The European Union, Turkish Limitations, and American Disinterest
Authors: Horowitz Irving Louis
Published: April 2008

The purpose of this paper is threefold: First, to note an unspoken, but obvious fact. The European Union is a living organism that functions with relative success at several levels: legal, economic and monetary in particular. Second, the threat to the EU is from its very success, a desire to overreach natural and functional boundaries by including nation-states with profoundly different structures ands goals. Third, this paper seeks to awaken the policy making bodies in North America to the emergence of regional force in most of Europe that is by varying degrees complementary to US interests and at the same time competitive to the present notion of hegemony. The EU along with the US illustrates the power of bipolarity in the West. The issue of Turkish entrance indicates the limitations of such a condition.
Effect of Carbon Coating of TiO2/Fe3O4 Particles on Their Photocatalytic Activity
Authors: Gad Allah Tarek A. , Kato Shigeru , Satokawa Shigeo , Kojima Toshinori
Published: April 2008

Magnetic titanium dioxide particles were prepared by depositing different amounts of TiO2 on magnetite powder using a sol-gel process. Adsorptivity of TiO2/Fe3O4 particles was increased by carbon coating which was carried out by mixing the particles with poly (vinyl alcohol) as a source of carbon. The carbon coating and calcination of particles were carried out simultaneously by heating the mixture at different temperatures. X-ray diffraction, energy dispersion fluorescence x-ray spectrometry, carbon-nitrogen analyzer and surface area analysis were used for the characterization of the prepared samples. The phase transition temperature of TiO2 from anatase to rutile was found to decrease by decreasing titanium tetraisopropoxide to magnetite (TTIP:Fe3O4) ratio while BET surface area increased by increasing this ratio. Carbon content had a significant effect on the formed phases and surface areas of the samples. The photocatalytic efficiencies of the prepared samples were investigated against degradation of methyl orange. The effect of TTIP:Fe3O4 ratio and carbon content on the degradation rate were studied. Methyl orange degradation rate increased with the increase in TTIP:Fe3O4 ratio but decreased by increasing carbon content.
Nanostructure Ion-Sieves for Lithium Adsorption
Authors: Zhang Qin-Hui , Li Shao-Peng , Sun Shu-Ying , Yin Xian-Sheng , Yu Jian-Guo
Published: April 2008

This paper highlights our recent work on preparation and characterization of nanostructure transition metal (Me) oxide (Me = Mn, Ti and Zr) ion-sieves. The controlled hydrothermal and Sol-Gel method have been developed in the synthesis of ion-sieves by the acid treatment of Li-Me-O tri-oxide precursors. The structure characteristic and ion-exchange property are studied by XRD, TEM, nitrogen adsorption-desorption analysis, lithium ion adsorptive isotherm and kinetics measurement. The result shows that these transition metal oxide ion-sieves, promising in the lithium extraction from brine or seawater, have good selectivity and remarkable adsorption capacity for lithium ions. The maximum adsorption capacity of manganese dioxide and titania by now is 3.47 and 4.02 mmol/g, respectively. The adsorption capacity of zirconia ion-sieve is only 0.675 mmol/g. To the best of our knowledge there is no other report on zirconia with the lithium adsorption property up-to-date.
Conceptual Analysis of a Cyclic Water Gas Shift Reactor
Authors: Heidebrecht Peter , Hertel Christoph , Sundmacher Kai
Published: April 2008

The cyclic water gas shift reactor (CWGSR) is based on the repeated reduction of a fixed bed using a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide and its subsequent oxidation with steam to produce pure hydrogen. The reactor is analyzed on a conceptual level using a spatially distributed, dynamic model. The model assumptions and the resulting model equations are presented, and important parameters are discussed. Simulation results show that the CWGSR reactor has a poor performance for co-flow configuration of the gases during reduction and oxidation phase, but the reverse-flow configuration seems to be a very attractive option. Parameter variation of the duration of the reduction phase indicates that especially short cycling times not only yield high energetic performance, but they also decrease thermal and morphological stress on the fixed bed material. In addition, the counter-flow CWGSR with short cycling times shows an inherent heat integration like in a Matros reactor, which opens attractive options for system integration of this reactor with other process steps. The behavior of the CWGSR is compared to a pressure swing adsorption reactor (PSA), which shows common features, but also significant differences between both types of cyclic fixed bed reactors.
Reforming of Diesel Fuel in a Micro Reactor
Authors: Thormann Janina , Pfeifer Peter , Kunz Ulrich , Schubert Klaus
Published: April 2008

Reforming of diesel fuel is challenging but very attractive for hydrogen production. It can facilitate the market entrance of fuel cells due to the existing infrastructure for distribution of diesel fuel. Reforming in micro reactors enables good heat transfer and therefore small and compact fuel processing systems e.g. for electrical energy generation in auxiliary power units.Due to the complexity of diesel, reforming of different diesel components and conversion intermediates in a micro reactor is investigated systematically within this work. Methane and propane were applied as conversion intermediates and hexadecane as a diesel surrogate. All experiments were conducted over a rhodium catalyst on Al2O3 or CeO2.For evaporation of the higher boiling hydrocarbons a micro structured injection nozzle was fabricated to create a fine hydrocarbon spray which evaporates in water vapour. Furthermore a complex gas chromatographic method to analyse hydrocarbons up to C16 and the permanent gases in one analysis run was developed.Experimental results show that the turnover frequency of the fuel molecules in the feed decreases linearly for straight chain hydrocarbons with an increasing number of carbon atoms. Calculations show that the observed conversions and product gas compositions are close to the thermodynamic equilibrium. The catalyst system Rh/CeO2 offers better reforming performance and higher resistance to coking apparently due to less acidic sites compared to Al2O3 and the oxygen storage capacity of CeO2.The ongoing work will examine the reforming behaviour of more model diesel fuel components e.g. mixtures of hexadecane and methylnaphthalene or synthetic diesel fuel. Experiments will be conducted in an optimised micro reformer, which disposes the heating energy by burning e.g. fuel cell off-gases. This also offers the consideration of start up and load changing behaviour.
A Thermodynamic Model of the Outputs of Gasification of Solid Waste
Authors: Hau Jorge L , Ray Ruby , Thorpe Rex B , Azapagic Adisa
Published: April 2008

This paper presents a thermodynamic model for the estimation of impurities in the raw synthesis gas and in the slag resulting from gasification of solid waste. Based on thermodynamic equilibrium calculations and mass balances, the model takes into account the possibility of each impurity becoming an oxide, a chloride, or remaining in its elemental form. The model includes a comprehensive set of thermodynamic data for a wide variety of chemical species used to estimate the equilibrium constants. By solving the equilibrium reaction equations, the model predicts which pollutants are formed and in what amounts as well as their distribution in the raw synthesis gas and in the slag. Predicting the distribution and fate of these pollutants is particularly important for the design of a gas cleaning system for the raw synthesis gas and for deciding on the disposal options of the slag. The model can be applied to different waste materials, including municipal solid waste, mixed plastics waste, auto-shredder residue (ASR) and biomass. A comparison between the model predictions and the operational data from a commercially-available gasification process (Thermoselect) shows a close agreement between the estimated and real data.
Influence of Manufacturing Parameters on MEA and PEMFC Performance
Authors: Barrio Aránzazu , Parrondo Javier , Lombraña Jose Ignacio , Uresandi Maria , Mijangos Federico
Published: April 2008

Proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) are regarded as a possible alternative power source for stationary and mobile applications. Due to the catalyst costs, many researchers have been studying the membrane and the electrode assembly (MEA) manufacturing processes that can reduce the content of Pt in the electrocatalyst layer while maintaining the performance. The MEA is the heart of the PEMFC and the catalyst plays an important role in the fuel cell operation.There are different methods to prepare MEA. In this work, the catalyst ink was straightly applied on the gas diffusion layer (GDL) by an aerograph. Then, this electrode was assembled to the membrane by hot press.From the point of view of operation, the main variables are: temperature, pressure and time of press. Operational range was established from previous experiments to find roughly the optimal conditions. Finally, these MEAs were tested in a 5 cm2 PEMFC. The operational temperature was 30°C. Due to higher temperatures it was difficult to keep the humidity of the membrane constant. The operational pressure and flow were constant throughout the experiments. Different techniques to characterize the MEAs, linear sweep voltammetry and cyclic voltammetry were applied. With these techniques the permeation of hydrogen and the electrochemically active surface area of electrode catalyst were determined.With the results obtained in the experiments, the optimal values of the fabrication parameters were established.
Hydrogen Production by Ethanol Steam Reforming: Experimental Study of a Pd-Ag Membrane Reactor and Traditional Reactor Behaviour
Authors: Basile Angelo , Gallucci Fausto , Iulianelli Adolfo , De Falco Marcello , Liguori Simona
Published: April 2008

In this experimental work, the ethanol steam reforming reaction for producing hydrogen was studied in both a traditional reactor (TR) and a Pd-Ag dense membrane reactor (MR). Both reactors have been packed with a commercial Ru-based catalyst. The experimental tests have been performed in the temperature range 400-500 °C and in the pressure range 2.0-3.6 bar.The results are reported in terms of ethanol conversion, hydrogen production, product selectivities and hydrogen recovery (for the MR only). It has been found that the MR is able to increase the ethanol conversion as well as increase the hydrogen production with respect to a traditional reactor. Moreover, part of the hydrogen produced in the MR is recovered as a CO-free hydrogen stream and is suitable for feeding a PEM fuel cell system.
Experimental Study of the Reforming of Methane with Carbon Dioxide over Coal Char
Authors: Li Yanbing , Xiao Rui , Jin Baosheng , Zhang Huiyan
Published: April 2008

As one of the fundamental issues of the new poly-generation system on the basis of gasification gas and coke oven gas, carbon dioxide reforming of methane experiments have been performed over coal chars derived from different parent coals in a lab-scale fixed-bed reactor (internal diameter 12 mm, length 700 mm). The char derived from TongChuan coal exhibited higher activity than other samples employed under the same conditions. After the reforming reaction, the char samples were covered with different amounts of carbon deposition which resulted in the surface areas decrease. As the flow rate of feed gas increased from 200 ml/min to 600 ml/min over the Xuzhou char sample at 1050 degrees Celsius, the conversion of methane decreased from 52.7% to 17.5% and the H2 /CO dropped from 0.75 to 0.55. While maintaining the flow rate of CO2 at 20ml/min at 1050 degrees Celsius, the mole ratio of reactants CH4/CO2 was varied from 1 to 1.75 which led to the H2/CO ratio increase from 0.75 to 1.2.
Conceptual Design and Preliminary Hydrodynamic Study of an Agro Biomass Bench Gasification Fluidized Bed Reactor
Authors: Zabaniotou Anastasia , Skoulou Vasiliki , Koufodimos George , Samaras Zissis
Published: April 2008

Theoretical and experimental analysis was conducted in a bench scale, atmospheric fluidized bed gasifier, designed and constructed for exploitation of residues issued from olive oil production activity and other agricultural residues. Research was focused on the effect of bed material quantity and particle size diameter on the fluidization quality, characterized by regarding bed pressure drop and minimum fluidization velocity. Experiments were carried out, under cold conditions, with a bed with an external diameter of 60 mm (internal 54,4 mm), and a comparison of the first experimental data with theoretical results that addressed the validity of the theoretical model.
Modeling and Comparison of Continuous and Semi-Continuous Processes for Simulating Decontamination of Liquid Nuclear Wastes by the Coprecipitation of Strontium Ions with Barium Sulphate
Authors: Pacary Vincent , Barré Yves , Plasari Edouard
Published: April 2008

In the nuclear industry, large volumes of liquid wastes with a low radioactivity have to be treated. The method which is commonly applied to remove contaminants consists of the use of an insoluble finely divided solid material formed in situ by precipitation in the waste stream. In this study, a new mathematical approach of the adsorption of radioactive strontium on growing barium sulphate precipitate is established and used for the decontamination process modeling in both continuous and semi-continuous stirred tank reactors. The comparison of the two types of reactors is carried out under the same operating conditions by studying the influence of the stirring speed and, respectively, the mean residence time (for continuous stirred tank reactor) and/or process time (for semi-batch stirred tank reactor) on the efficiency of the decontamination process. Simulations have shown that the mean residence time is the critical parameter in controlling decontamination in the continuous reactor, while the stirring speed plays a minor role. Comparison of results indicates that the best configuration to carry out the decontamination process is the semi-batch stirred tank reactor.
SGGP 2007 - Understanding and Modelling of Crystallization Mechanisms by In-Situ Analytical Technologies Monitoring
Authors: Henry Manuel , Puel François E , Perrichon Philippe D , Wisniewski Caroline , Fevotte Gilles
Published: April 2008

The batch cooling crystallization of an industrial active pharmaceutical ingredient that exhibits a needle-like habit was investigated. A model of the time variations of key physical properties of particles (crystal size distribution CSD and specific area) was designed using an approach based on the simple population balance equation. The experiments were monitored thanks to three in-situ process analytical sensors (Mid-IR spectroscopy, in-situ microscopy and laser backscattering). Primary and secondary surface nucleation mechanisms as well as growth of the main crystal dimension (length) were described resulting in a six parameter model. The model roughly represents the effects of different cooling strategies on the supersaturation profile, the CSD and the specific area of the final particles. First, a very weak primary nucleation occurs leading to an initial population of a few large crystals. A second population of crystals is generated afterwards through secondary nucleation mechanisms. The particles issued from the second burst of nucleation largely dominate (in mass and in number) the final overall population. Second, two important features of the crystallization process are outlined, which are commonly observed during the industrial crystallization of APIs (Active Pharm. Ing.) in impure mother liquors.
SFGP 2007 - Pyrolysis of Supercritical Endothermic Fuel: Evaluation for Active Cooling Instrumentation
Authors: Gascoin Nicolas , Gillard Philippe , Bernard Stephane , Daniau Emeric , Bouchez Marc
Published: April 2008

Hypersonic flight is expected to be achieved in the coming years by use of Supersonic Combustion RAMJET (SCRAMJET). One of the main issues is the thermal management of the overall vehicle and more specifically the cooling of the engine. In order to simulate the behaviour of an actively cooled SCRAMJET by use of supercritical endothermic fuel, a one-dimensional transient numerical model has been developed with heat and mass transfer, fluid mechanics and detailed pyrolysis chemistry. A dedicated experimental test bench is now available since 2006 at the LEES laboratory of Bourges to study supercritical fuel pyrolysis under steady-state and transient conditions. It aims to provide understanding of coupled phenomena, validation data for the numerical code and evaluation of onboard and real-time measurement methods for industrial use. A brief overview of the numerical code and a presentation of the experimental bench are proposed in this paper. Experimental results are discussed and a comparison is provided between numerical and experimental data. Discrepancies are shown to be lower than a few percent in terms of molar chemical compositions. This is due to uncertainties on experimental temperature measurement and to 2-D effects, which are not taken into account by the modelling. The numerical code appears to be of great importance in accessing unmeasured data and providing new understanding of coupled phenomena. Experimental and numerical tools are proved to be efficient to test future measurement methods under extreme conditions, especially at supercritical states.
SFGP 2007 - Investigation of a Novel Principle of Chemical Grafting for Modification of Cellulose Fibers
Authors: Berlioz Sophie , Stinga Camelia , Condoret Jean , Samain Daniel
Published: April 2008

Natural cellulose fibres have been employed for packaging applications for a long time. Their use, however, has been hampered by their high hydrophilicity and their moisture sensitivity. It has, thus, been proposed to circumvent this problem through the hydrophobic modification of their surface thanks to the use of molecular grafting approaches.In this work, we describe the use of a novel solvent-free chemical pathway for molecular grafting that we have coined chromatogenic chemistry. It involves a reaction between a solid substrate and a reagent which is in a vapour-liquid equilibrium and diffuses within the solid substrate through a mechanism of adsorption/desorption akin to gas chromatography.Chromatogenic chemistry phenomenon has been studied and modelled through the extensive use of a new specific test, the Droplet Surface Migration Test. It involves the deposition upon a porous substrate of a small amount of reagent and in studying its subsequent migration and grafting. Whatman paper and various long chain acid chlorides were used for this modelling. The acid chloride carboxylic ends react with the external hydroxyl groups of cellulose fibres to give rise to the formation of long chain hydrophobic ester bonds. Upon immersion of the paper sheet in distilled water, a hydrophobic spot, extending well over the initial depot zone, could then be clearly visualized, allowing to follow conveniently the reagent migration and reaction. Grafting densities were performed by using the HPLC technique.The results obtained through the use of this test allowed a better understanding of chromatogenic chemistry phenomenon and an identification of the main parameters which affect the process: the nature of the reagent, the temperature, the reaction time, the nature of the substrate, etc. We have more particularly shown that the diffusion and grafting yields were maximal for a specific temperature which increases with the boiling point and therefore with the chain length of the reagents. We have proposed that this temperature should correspond to a compromise between the diffusion and reactivity properties of the reagent, its evaporation and its degradation by hydrolysis.
An Alternative Method for Designing Immobilized Column Reactors: An Application to L-Methionine Production
Authors: Ranjan Amalendu Prakash , Wu Wen-Teng , Su Chia-Hung , Gomes James
Published: April 2008

A new method for designing an immobilized column reactor is proposed. The method is iterative and minimizes an energy-cost function to determine the column reactor dimensions. The column reactor dimensions obtained by employing this method take into account the material balance, process constraints and productivity targets. The problem is formulated in such a way that it addresses and resolves multiple goals simultaneously to achieve the desired productivity. A case study of the application of this method for designing an immobilized cell column reactor for Lmethionine production is presented.
Spatiotemporal Compound Wavelet Matrix Framework for Multiscale/Multiphysics Reactor Simulation: Case Study of a Heterogeneous Reaction/Diffusion System
Authors: Mishra Sudib K , Muralidharan Krishna , Pannala S. , Simunovic Srdjan , Daw C. Stuart , Nukala Phani , Fox Rodney , Deymier Pierre A. , Frantziskonis George N
Published: April 2008

We present a mathematical method for efficiently compounding information from different models of species diffusion from a chemically reactive boundary. The proposed method is intended to serve as a key component of a multiscale/multiphysics framework for heterogeneous chemically reacting processes. An essential feature of the method is the merging of wavelet representations of the different models and their corresponding time and length scales. Up-and-down-scaling of the information between the scales is accomplished by application of a compounding wavelet operator, which is assembled by establishing limited overlap in scales between the models. We show that the computational efficiency gain and potential error associated with the method depend on the extent of scale overlap and wavelet filtering used. We demonstrate the method for an example problem involving a two-dimensional chemically reactive boundary and first order reactions involving two species.
Potential Health Benefits of Garlic (Allium Sativum): A Narrative Review
Authors: Bongiorno Peter B , Fratellone Patrick M , LoGiudice Pina
Published: April 2008

A member of the Liliaceae family, garlic (Allium sativum) is highly regarded throughout the world for both its medicinal and culinary value. Early men of medicine such as Hippocrates, Pliny and Aristotle encouraged a number of therapeutic uses for this botanical. Today, it is commonly used in many cultures as a seasoning or spice. Garlic also stands as the second most utilized supplement. With its sulfur containing compounds, high trace mineral content, and enzymes, garlic has shown anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and antioxidant abilities. Diseases that may be helped or prevented by garlic's medicinal actions include Alzheimer's Disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease (including atherosclerosis, strokes, hypertension, thrombosis and hyperlipidemias) children's conditions, dermatologic applications, stress, and infections. Some research points to possible benefits in diabetes, drug toxicity, and osteoporosis.
What Can the Economics of Intellectual Property Learn from the Economics of Insurance?
Authors: Watt Richard
Published: April 2008

This paper considers how the economics of intellectual property can benefit from what has been published in the area of the economics of insurance. The objective is to show that the two areas of study are sufficiently related for the insights of the latter to be relevant to the former. Since the economics of insurance is a very mature subject, while the economics of IP is much younger, it seems that there could be many valuable lessons from insurance that can be imported into IP, at least at a first degree of approximation.
Copyright Doctrines, Abstraction and Court Error
Authors: Khong Dennis W.K.
Published: April 2008

Copyright protection can be divided into ?ve levels: subject matter, level of abstraction, exceptions, term limit, and restricted acts. Although copyright exceptions, in particular the fair use doctrine, and term limit have been subject to signi?cant economic analyses, studies on protection and the limits of protection of subject matter, and level of abstraction in copyright are still fairly scarce. Furthermore, the dominant model for optimal copyright protection is problematic for it requires a standard-based copyright doctrine to achieve what was postulated. Since copyright doctrines in respect of protection based on the level of abstraction are more rule-based in nature, an alternative explanation is in order. In a recent article titled “Copyright as a Rule of Evidence”, Douglas Lichtman (2003) hinted such an approach where evidence plays a role in explaining this set of doctrines. In this paper, we use an abstraction and a probabilistic model to explain copyright doctrines. Copyright doctrines such as the idea-expression dichotomy, the originality requirement, de minimis rule, substantiality requirement, merger doctrine, and the scènes á faire doctrine, have the effect of creating a protection divide. Doctrines such as the causal connection requirement, independent creation defence, and the objective similarity requirement, further create an inference divide. We show that the protection and inference divides are relevant in protecting the literal and non-literal dimensions in a copyrighted work. Furthermore, we ?nd that between the protection divide and the inference divide, there is a region of non-strict liability protection. All these three regions, and the related copyright doctrines, are explained by an evidence theory of minimising the risk of court error in deciding infringement cases.
Copyright Infringement, Product Quality and Producer's Profit
Authors: Banerjee Dyuti , Mukherjee Vivekananda
Published: April 2008

This paper uses a strategic entry-deterrence framework to study the relationship between copying cost, and a monopolist’s profit and product quality. The potential entrant is a fake-producer producing and selling identical copies of the monopolist’s product. The monopolist’s subgame perfect equilibrium quality and profit is either unaffected or positively affected by changes in the copying cost. Tariffs on copying devices may be an effective copyright right protection instrument. Though an increase in tariff increases the product quality and monopolist’s profit, its welfare effects are ambiguous.
Rheological Properties of Chocolate Drink from Cupuassu
Authors: Lannes Suzana Caetano da Silva , Medeiros Magda Leite
Published: April 2008

Flow behavior of chocolate drinks from Cupuassu (Theobroma grandiflorum, Sterculiaceae) from instantised and normal formulation, and enriched with calcium, were studied. Flow behavior was described using common rheological models (Newton, Power Law, and Bingham plastic). Experimental results, obtained at 25 oC and 40oC, fitted mostly the Ostwald and Bingham models, with R2 ? 0.997. The Newtonian model has 0.886 ? R2 ? 0.991. At 25 oC, as expected, viscosity of samples was higher and pseudoplasticity increased (n values were lower than 1). The spray-dryer process lead to differences of rheology of the ``chocolate'' milk drinks. The addition of microcrystalline cellulose plus calcium leads to a lower viscosity.
Optimization of Osmotic Dehydration Process of Carrot Cubes in Sodium Chloride Solution
Authors: Singh Bahadur , Panesar Paramjit S , Nanda Vikas , Bera M B
Published: April 2008

For optimization of osmotic dehydration process of carrot cubes in sodium chloride solution by response surface methodology, the experiments were conducted according to Face-Centered Central Composite Design (CCF). The independent process variables for osmotic dehydration process were osmotic solution concentrations (5 -15% w/v sodium chloride), temperature (30 -50°C) and process durations (90 -150 minutes). The osmotic dehydration process was optimized for maximum water loss, minimum solute gain, maximum retention of colour and sensory score. The optimum conditions were 7.9 % sodium chloride concentration; 30°C osmotic solution temperature and 150 minutes process duration.
Isolation and Physico-chemical Characterization of Mung Bean Starches
Authors: Abdel-Rahman El-Sayed Ali , El-Fishawy Fawzy A , El-Geddawy Mohamed A , Kurz Tomas , El-Rify Mohamed N
Published: April 2008

The starch yields from both whole (MSI1) and decorticated mung bean seeds (MSI2) were 26.00 and 30.50% on total seed basis and 64.40 and 75.55% of total starch. Chemical analysis of the starch isolates i.e. MSI1 and MSI2 showed that they contained 9.00 and 8.90% moisture, 0.76 and 0.80% protein, 0.05 and 0.09% oil and 0.20 and 0.13% ash , respectively. The results also indicated that the purity of starch isolates was high. Microscopic examination (400X) showed that most mung bean starch granules had irregular shapes, which varied from oval, round to bean-shaped. Mung bean starch granule size varied from 7.65-33.15 µm with mean value at 20.40 µm. Studying the physico-chemical properties of mung bean starch indicated that the gelatinization temperature range was 65-69-75°C at initial, midpoint and final gelatinization of starch granules. Mung bean starch had a considerably lower degree of syneresis than other legume starches. Moreover, gel consistency decreased as starch concentration was increased. Viscosity of mung bean starch was high indicating that it had higher resistance to swelling and rupture than did cereal starches. The results indicated that the swelling power and solubility of the starch increased with increasing temperature. In addition, the solubility percentage increased, but non-linearly, with increasing swelling power.
Control of Main Stored-Grain Insects with New Formulations of Entomopathogenic Fungi in Diatomaceous Earth Dusts
Authors: Batta Yacoub Ahmad
Published: April 2008

The present research is aimed at a formulation of the entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana (Bal.) Vuillemin and Metarhizium anisopliae (Metch.) Sorokin, in two types of diatomaceous earth dusts, fossil shield and Silico-Sec, are then applied against the adults of three species of stored-grain insects: Sitophilus oryzae L., Rhyzopertha dominica Fab. and Tribolium castaneum Herbs. Effect of the treatment was assessed by comparing the mortality percentage of the adults of the three insect species exposed to the formulated fungi with that of the adults exposed to the unformulated fungi or the diatomaceous earth dusts or the undisturbed control. Results obtained from these exposures have indicated that treatment of the adults with the formulated fungi resulted in a significantly higher mean mortality percentage compared to the treatment with the unformulated fungi or the diatomaceous earth dusts or the undisturbed control. A synergistic interaction between the effect of fungal species and the diatomaceous earth dusts was shown. Viability of conidia of both fungal species in diatomaceous earth dusts was assessed by calculating the germination percentage of the conidia over time. Results indicated a small loss of mean germination percentage for formulated conidia of both fungal species versus a high loss of mean germination percentage for the unformulated conidia, thus the diatomaceous earth dusts used in the formulation of both fungi demonstrated a negligible effect on the viability of formulated conidia compared to the unformulated.
Simulation of an Effect of a Baffle Length on the Power Consumption in an Agitated Vessel
Authors: Sivashanmugam Palani , Prabhakaran S.
Published: April 2008

Agitated vessels are often used for homogenization of the miscible liquids in chemical, biochemical, and food industries. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a useful tool for studying fluid flows, including those of mixing systems. It is particularly powerful where the ability exists to corroborate model results with available data. The CFD simulation was carried out for Rushton and Smith turbines agitators. The standard k-? model has been used for turbulence modeling. The data obtained by simulation are matching with the literature experimental value for standard baffle with the discrepancy of less than +_4.5% for power number. The simulated results for agitated vessel with short baffle (non-standard) are agreeing with the literature values within plus or minus 5% for Power Number.
Stabilization of Moisture Sorption in Spray-Dried Bioactive Compounds by Using Novel Fibre Carriers to Crystallize the Powders
Authors: Langrish Tim , Chiou Don
Published: April 2008

Natural fruit fibres have been used when spray drying a bioactive material, hibiscus extract, which contains significant amounts of anthocyanin. The extracts, when spray dried alone, produce powders that adsorb so much moisture that they deliquesce, forming liquid droplets in storage. The use of these fibres has demonstrated that the resulting extract and fibre powders do not deliquesce and reach a stable moisture state as powders. This situation of greater stability in the extract and fibre powders, regarding moisture sorption, than the spray dried extracts alone, may be due to the crystallization in the final extract and fibre powders caused by the fibres. Using this crystallization process to stabilize a bioactive extract in this way appears to be a novel process.
Recovery of Polyphenolics from Apple Juice Utilizing Adsorbent Polymer Technology
Authors: Saleh Zaid S , Wibisono Reginald , Lober Katja
Published: April 2008

A food grade divinylbenzene adsorbent resin was used to separate/recover plyphenolics from diluted apple juice concentrate. The work was carried out to investigate the effect of processing parameters on the adsorption process, to compare the efficiency of divinylbenzene adsorbent resin to that of ethylene glycol cross-linked polymethylmethacrylate adsorbent resin used in our previous study and to determine the effect of oxygen on the adsorption of polyphenolics process.A laboratory scale adsorption was determined by mixing weighed amounts of the polymer with a diluted apple juice concentrate at 1060 oC and at pH values ranging from 2.0 to 3.9. At regular intervals, samples were withdrawn from the aqueous phase. Total phenolics, absorbance values at 280 and 420 nm, and the amounts of individual phenolics remaining in the liquid phase were determined. The analytical data were fitted to the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms.Findings from this study are in agreement with Kammerer et al. (2006) but, in contrast to previous studies, the pH value significantly affected the adsorption onto the resin. HPLC analyses revealed different affinities of individual compounds, which enabled selective enrichment of certain phenolics in the liquid phase or on the sorbent surface. HPLC profiling showed that the polyphenolics recovered did not differ significantly from those in the original apple extracts. This has confirmed that there is minimal damage during processing. The major losses in the process were due to polyphenols not binding to, or not being recovered from, the adsorbent. Optimization of the process would enable the losses to be minimized and up to 80% of the polyphenolics could be recovered in the extracts.Desorption studies were performed using a resin with known amounts of adsorbed phenolic compounds. Elution was carried out by an automated pressurized liquid extraction system, studying the effects of temperature (40180 oC) and solvents (water, ethanol, methanol). Again, individual compounds behaved differently, depending on their hydrophobicity. Therefore, a systematic change of parameters for the adsorption and desorption process can be helpful for the recovery of purified plant extracts enriched in certain target compounds.
Numerical Simulation of the Water Diffusion in Cylindrical Solids
Authors: da Silva Wilton Pereira , Silva Cleide M. D. P. S. , Silva Diogo D. P. S. , Silva Cleiton D. P. S.
Published: April 2008

In this article, a mathematical model was developed for the numerical simulation of the water diffusion in an infinite cylinder. A solver for the diffusion equation was created using the finite volume method, with a fully implicit formulation. In order to create such solver, it was assumed that the boundary condition of the first type is adequate to simulate the physical problem. The solver presupposes variable thermophysical properties and radius in the domain. In order to determine the parameters of the expression between the diffusivity and the moisture content, an optimizer was created, based on the inverse method. The developed mathematical model was applied to simulate the drying of banana and rough rice, using experimental data obtained from the literature. The results obtained in this article, considering the variable diffusivity, are better than the results obtained originally in the literature, where the water diffusivity was considered constant.