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Commercial Applications (commercial + application)
Selected AbstractsOptical and physicochemical properties of silica-supported TiO2 photocatalystsAICHE JOURNAL, Issue 8 2006Javier Marugán Abstract Commercial applications of photocatalysis in slurry reactors employing titanium dioxide particles present the disadvantage of the additional cost associated with the downstream catalyst separation. In past years a significant effort has been made to develop supported titania photocatalysts on particles of larger size in order to facilitate the sedimentation recovery process. In this work, two different silica materials have been used for preparing immobilized catalysts. Their physicochemical characteristics have been compared with those corresponding to two commercially available unsupported titanium dioxide catalysts. However, for reaction kinetics and reactor design purposes, three additional properties must be known: (i) the spectral specific radiation absorption coefficient, (ii) the spectral specific radiation scattering coefficient, and (iii) the asymmetry factor of a model for the angular distribution of the scattered photons (the phase function). They have been determined with specially designed spectrophotometer transmission, diffuse transmittance, and diffuse reflectance experiments and constitute the most significant addition to this contribution. © 2006 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2006 [source] Grafting of polyolefins with maleic anhydride: alchemy or technology?MACROMOLECULAR SYMPOSIA, Issue 1 2003Martin van Duin Abstract Nowadays, the process of maleic anhydride (MA) grafting and the application of MA-grafted polyolefins are viewed as mature technologies. The chemistry and technology of modifying apolar polyolefins with the polar and reactive MA either in solution or in the melt were already explored as far back as the 1950s. Commercial applications exploit the improved adhesion of polyolefins to polar materials, both at the macroscopic scale and on the microscopic scale. However, it is hardly recognised that, from a scientific point of view, grafting has still a strong resemblance to alchemy. Both process and application technologies have been developed in a trial and error fashion. Only in the last decade the structure of MA-grafted polyolefins has been elucidated and attempts to "look" inside the extruder during grafting were only recently successful. The first steps towards the development of sound chemical models are currently made. An overview will be given of the progress made in the various areas mentioned. [source] Commercial applications of porous Si: optical filters and componentsPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (C) - CURRENT TOPICS IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 6 2007V. Kochergin Abstract It is shown that porous Silicon in various geometries and morphologies can be used for novel optical elements by combining theoretical insights with suitable porous structures and some pre- and post-processing of the Silicon. The paper restricts itself to light propagation in the pore direction. Theoretical and experimental results will be presented for the following novel optical elements: environmentally stable optical components from mesoporous Silicon, long wave pass filters, macroporous Silicon UV Filters, and polarization components for the UV range. Either new components are presented, mostly with first experimental results, or the state-of-the art for previously discussed elements is considerably improved upon. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Towards Efficient Dispersion of Carbon Nanotubes in Thermotropic Liquid CrystalsADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 19 2010Stefan Schymura Abstract Motivated by numerous recent reports indicating attractive properties of composite materials of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and liquid crystals (LCs) and a lack of research aimed at optimizing such composites, the process of dispersing CNTs in thermotropic LCs is systematically studied. LC hosts can perform comparably or even better than the best known organic solvents for CNTs such as N -methyl pyrrolidone (NMP), provided that the dispersion process and choice of LC material are optimized. The chemical structure of the molecules in the LC is very important; variations in core as well as in terminal alkyl chain influence the result. Several observations moreover indicate that the anisotropic nematic phase, aligning the nanotubes in the matrix, per se stabilizes the dispersion compared to a host that is isotropic and thus yields random tube orientation. The chemical and physical phenomena governing the preparation of the dispersion and its stability are identified, taking into account enthalpic, entropic, as well as kinetic factors. This allows a guideline on how to best design and prepare CNT,LC composites to be sketched, following which tailored development of new LCs may take the advanced functional material that CNT,LC composites comprise to the stage of commercial application. [source] Progress in Nanoengineered Microstructures for Tunable High-Current, High-Temperature Superconducting Wires,ADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 3 2008G. Holesinger Abstract High critical current densities (Jc) in thick films of the Y1Ba2Cu3O7,, (YBCO, Tc , 92 K) superconductor directly depend upon the types of nanoscale defects and their densities within the films. A major challenge for developing a viable wire technology is to introduce nanoscale defect structures into the YBCO grains of the thick film suitable for flux pinning and the tailoring of the superconducting properties to specific, application-dependent, temperature and magnetic field conditions. Concurrently, the YBCO film needs to be integrated into a macroscopically defect-free conductor in which the grain-to-grain connectivity maintains levels of inter-grain Jc that are comparable to the intra-grain Jc. That is, high critical current (Ic) YBCO coated conductors must contain engineered inhomogeneities on the nanoscale, while being homogeneous on the macroscale. An analysis is presented of the advances in high-performance YBCO coated-conductors using chemical solution deposition (CSD) based on metal trifluoroacetates and the subsequent processing to nano-engineer the microstructure for tuneable superconducting wires. Multi-scale structural, chemical, and electrical investigations of the CSD film processes, thick film development, key microstructural features, and wire properties are presented. Prospects for further development of much higher Ic wires for large-scale, commercial application are discussed within the context of these recent advances. [source] Public Perceptions of BiotechnologyJOURNAL OF FOOD SCIENCE, Issue 9 2002K. Blaine ABSTRACT: Through commercial application, biotechnology may improve health, agriculture, farming practices and the quality of foods. However, along with the array of potential benefits are potential risks and uncertainties surrounding the commercial applications of biotechnology. Public support for a controversial technology such as agricultural biotechnology is crucial for deriving any benefits associated with the technology. Surveys are one tool to gauge public reactions and attitudes over time, and in identifying underlying concerns regarding a technology. This review article is built on the results of a collection of public opinion surveys on some aspects of biotechnology and its applications that have been conducted to date. [source] The application of product measures in directing software maintenance activityJOURNAL OF SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE AND EVOLUTION: RESEARCH AND PRACTICE, Issue 2 2007M. P. Ware Abstract This paper is concerned with enhancing aspects of project-management techniques in relation to maintenance in commercial object-oriented software. Maintenance forms a significant proportion of the lifecycle of a product and consequently its costs. Techniques such as lean production attempt to reduce cost by focusing team effort and to pre-empt issues by the use of early detection and resolution strategies. This study involves a commercial application written in C++ and its evolution over a one-year period. Software product measures are used in conjunction with Pareto analysis to determine effective predictive class targeting in a release cycle. We assess the capability of the measures and consider how the results can be used by the project team. The study extends the work of others in this field in three ways. First, other studies have analysed procedural code, whereas we use an object-oriented code base. Second, most studies assess the predictive capability of measures against the number of software issues; we examine these factors, but uniquely test for change density using density modified measures and we also test for revision volume. Finally, we examine the implications of these results and offer a cohesive framework of recommendations placed within the lean management philosophy. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Matchsimile: A flexible approximate matching tool for searching proper namesJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 1 2003Gonzalo Navarro We present the architecture and algorithms behind Matchsimile, an approximate string matching lookup tool especially designed for extracting person and company names from large texts. Part of a larger information extraction environment, this specific engine receives a large set of proper names to search for, a text to search, and search options; and outputs all the occurrences of the names found in the text. Beyond the similarity search capabilities applied at the intraword level, the tool considers a set of specific person name formation rules at the word level, such as combination, abbreviation, duplicity detections, ordering, word omission and insertion, among others. This engine is used in a successful commercial application (also named Matchsimile), which allows searching for lawyer names in official law publications. [source] Effects of Varying Dietary Protein Levels and Feeding Frequencies on Condition and Reproductive Performance of Channel Catfish to Produce Hybrid CatfishJOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY, Issue 5 2009Herbert E. Quintero The interspecific hybridization of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, females with blue catfish, I. furcatus, males has been identified as a method to further improve production; however, lack of spawning success has affected its commercial application. To facilitate our understanding of the interaction of brood stock nutrition and reproductive performance, we evaluated the interaction of feed quality and feeding frequency. Channel catfish females were classified into two genetic groups, namely, high and low spawning. The treatments were offered during the spring season 70,90 d prior to the start of the spawning season. Induced reproduction was performed using luteinizing hormone releasing hormone analog. Condition of the fish as well as reproductive performance using spawning success, egg production, egg size, and fertilization at 48 h were determined. Changing protein level of the diet from 32 to 42% did not influence spawning, fecundity, or fertilization, but affected egg size and biochemical composition of the eggs. Increasing the feeding frequency from three to six times per week negatively affected spawning in one of the two genetics groups, did not affect egg production and egg fertilization, but had a significant effect on egg size. Older fish performed better than younger fish in terms of spawning success and egg production. [source] Development of novel conducting composites of nanostructured poly(1-naphthylamine) with poly(vinyl chloride)POLYMER COMPOSITES, Issue 5 2009Ufana Riaz Investigations on the synthesis of nanoconducting polymers have gained much popularity during the past few decades. The processibility of the nanostructured conducting polymers is poor, which hinders their commercial application. Considering the drawbacks of nanostructured conducting polymers, this article reports for the first time the synthesis of processible composites of nanostructured poly(1-naphthylamine) (PNA), a polyaniline derivative with poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC). The composites were prepared by loading different weight ratios of PNA (2,10 wt%) in PVC. The composites were characterized by spectral, thermal, morphological, and conductivity studies. The particle size of PNA/PVC composites was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and was found to be in the range of 5,20 nm. The highest conductivity of 2.5 × 10,2 S/cm was obtained in the composite with 4 wt% loading of PNA. The high conductivity of the composites was correlated to the agglomerate-free uniform dispersion of self-assembled nanofibrillar network of PNA particles in the PVC matrix. The PNA/PVC composites exhibited good mechanical properties, which holds potential for use in semiconductor nanodevices. POLYM. COMPOS., 2009. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers [source] Patents and Innovation in Cancer Therapeutics: Lessons from CellProTHE MILBANK QUARTERLY, Issue 4 2002Avital Bar-Shalom How scientific knowledge is translated into diagnostic and therapeutic tools is important to patients with dread diseases as well as to regulators and policymakers. Patents play a crucial role in that process. Indeed, concern that the fruits of federally funded research would languish without commercial application led to the passage of the Bayh-Dole Act (PL 96-517), which reinforced incentives to patent the results of inventions arising from federally funded research (Eisenberg 1996). Subsequently, rates of patenting among U.S. academic institutions have increased (Henderson, Jaffe, and Trajtenberg 1988). A recent survey by the Association of University Technology Managers counted 20,968 licenses and options from 175 academic institutions and 6,375 patent applications filed in fiscal year 2000 (Pressman 2002). Analysis suggests that the number of academic patents was already rising when the Bayh-Dole Act was passed in 1980 (Mowery et al. 2001), but it is clear that the act reinforced the patenting norm in research universities and mandated a technology transfer infrastructure at those universities that had not yet established a technology licensing office. This article discusses the interaction between intellectual property and cancer treatment. CellPro developed a stem cell separation technology based on research at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. A patent with broad claims to bone marrow stem cell antibodies had been awarded to Johns Hopkins University and licensed to Baxter Healthcare under the 1980 Bayh-Dole Act to promote commercial use of inventions from federally funded research. CellPro got FDA approval more than two years before Baxter but lost patent infringement litigation. NIH elected not to compel Hopkins to license its patents to CellPro. CellPro went out of business, selling its technology to its competitor. Decisions at both firms and university licensing offices, and policies at the Patent and Trademark Office, NIH, and the courts influenced the outcome. [source] The economic value of ensemble forecasts as a tool for risk assessment: From days to decadesTHE QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY, Issue 581 2002T. N. Palmer Abstract Despite the revolutionary development of numerical weather and climate prediction (NWCP) in the second half of the last century, quantitative interaction between model developers and forecast customers has been rather limited. This is apparent in the diverse ways in which weather forecasts are assessed by these two groups: root-mean-square error of 500 hPa height on the one hand; pounds, euros or dollars saved on the other. These differences of approach are changing with the development of ensemble forecasting. Ensemble forecasts provide a qualitative tool for the assessment of weather and climate risk for a range of user applications, and on a range of time-scales, from days to decades. Examples of the commercial application of ensemble forecasting, from electricity generation, ship routeing, pollution modelling, weather-risk finance, disease prediction and crop yield modelling, are shown from all these time-scales. A generic user decision model is described that allows one to assess the potential economic value of numerical weather and climate forecasts for a range of customers. Using this, it is possible to relate analytically, potential economic value to conventional meteorological skill scores. A generalized meteorological measure of forecast skill is proposed which takes the distribution of customers into account. It is suggested that when customers' exposure to weather or climate risk can be quantified, such more generalized measures of skill should be used in assessing the performance of an operational NWCP system. Copyright © 2002 Royal Meteorological Society. [source] Advances in rearing techniques of Pagrus pagrus, (Linnaeus, 1758): comparison between intensive and semi-intensive larval rearing systemsAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 3 2010Francisco Javier Roo Abstract Red porgy, Pagrus pagrus L., is a potential candidate for marine finfish diversification on commercial Mediterranean and Atlantic coastal aquaculture. This paper described the development of a suitable larval rearing protocol for commercial application. Red porgy eggs were reared under Intensive and Semi-intensive systems until 50 days after hatching. In addition, two different weaning protocols were tested for each rearing system. The effects of these treatments were evaluated on the growth, survival and whole-body biochemical and fatty acid composition of red porgy larvae. Significant differences in growth but not in survival at 50 days after hatching were detected in trial A for the semi-intensive and intensive rearing system (23.5 ± 2.7,18.9 ± 3.4 mm; 4.4,4.9%); however, modifications in initial prey density and illumination conditions, implemented in trials B (29.5 ± 3.0,25.2 ± 1.9 mm; 21.8,5.3%) and C (26.2 ± 2.6,24.6 ± 2.6 mm; 22.7,3.8%), significantly improved survival and growth rates in the semi-intensive rearing system. Furthermore, the results in trial C confirmed the feasibility of a partial reduction in Artemia use and the significant improvement in survival rates with the new weaning protocol applied (26.4 ± 2.3,24.1 ± 3.9 mm; 28.7,12.5%) in the intensive systems. The results of this study concluded that the best larval rearing protocol for commercial production of red porgy fingerlings should include the use of semi-intensive systems. [source] Protein instability during HIC: Hydrogen exchange labeling analysis and a framework for describing mobile and stationary phase effectsBIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOENGINEERING, Issue 1 2007Yunzhi Xiao Abstract Unfolding of marginally stable proteins is a significant factor in commercial application of hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC). In this work, hydrogen-deuterium isotope exchange labeling has been used to monitor protein unfolding on HIC media for different stationary phase hydrophobicities and as a function of ammonium sulfate concentration. Circular dichroism and Raman spectroscopy were also used to characterize the structural perturbations experienced by solution phase protein that had been exposed to media and by protein adsorbed on media. As expected, greater instability is seen on chromatographic media with greater apparent hydrophobicity. However, increased salt concentrations also led to more unfolding, despite the well-known stabilizing effect of ammonium sulfate in solution. A thermodynamic framework is proposed to account for the effects of salt on both adsorption and stability during hydrophobic chromatography. Using appropriate estimates of input quantities, analysis with the framework can explain how salt effects on stability in chromatographic systems may contrast with solution stability. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2007;96: 80,93. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Production and Characterization of Poly-,-hydroxyalkanoate Copolymers from Burkholderiacepacia Utilizing Xylose and Levulinic AcidBIOTECHNOLOGY PROGRESS, Issue 6 2004Thomas M. Keenan Poly(,-hydroxybutyrate - co -,-hydroxyvalerate) (P(3HB - co -3HV)) copolymers were prepared via shake-flask fermentations of Burkholderia cepacia(formerly Pseudomonas cepacia) containing 2.2% (w/v) xylose and concentrations of levulinic acid ranging from 0.07% to 0.67% (w/v). Periodic harvest of shake-flask cultures from 48 to 92 h post-inoculation yielded 4.4,5.3 g/L of dry cell biomass, containing 42,56% (w/w) P(3HB - co -3HV), with optimal product yield occurring between 66 and 74 h. Growth and PHA accumulation enhancement were observed with concentrations of levulinic acid from 0.07 to 0.52% (w/v), producing dry cell biomass and P(3HB - co -3HV) yields of 9.5 and 4.2 g/L, respectively, at the 0.52% (w/v) concentration of levulinic acid. Representative samples were subjected to compositional analysis by 300 MHz 1H and 150 MHz 13C NMR, indicating that these random copolymers contained between 0.8 and 61 mol % 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV). Solvent-cast film samples were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, which demonstrated melting temperatures ( Tm) to decrease in a pseudoeutectic fashion from 174.3 °C (0.8 mol % 3HV) to a minimum of 154.2 °C (25 mol % 3HV) and the glass transition temperatures ( Tg) to decrease linearly from 2.1 to ,11.9 °C as a function of increasing mol % 3HV. Thermogravimetric analysis of the copolymer series showed the temperature for onset of thermal decomposition ( Tdecomp) to vary as a function of mol % 3HV from 273.4 to 225.5 °C. Intrinsic viscosities (,) varied from 3.2 to 5.4 dL/g, as determined by dilute solution viscometry. Viscosity average molecular weights ( Mv) of the copolymers were determined to range from 469 to 919 kDa, indicating that these P(3HB - co -3HV) copolymers are of sufficient molecular mass for commercial application. [source] High Production of D -Tagatose, a Potential Sugar Substitute, Using Immobilized L -Arabinose IsomeraseBIOTECHNOLOGY PROGRESS, Issue 1 2001Pil Kim An L -arabinose isomerase of Escherichia coli was immobilized using covalent binding to agarose to produce D -tagatose, a bulking sweetener that can be economically used as a sugar substitute. The immobilized L -arabinose isomerase stably produced an average of 7.5 g-tagatose/L·day for 7 days with a productivity exceeding that of the free enzyme (0.47 vs 0.30 mg/U·day). Using a scaled-up immobilized enzyme system, 99.9 g-tagatose/L was produced from galactose with 20% equilibrium in 48 h. The process was repeated two more times with production of 104.1 and 103.5 g-tagatose/L. D -Tagatose production using an immobilized L -arabinose isomerase has a high potential for commercial application. [source] Report from a workshop on multianalyte microsphere assays,,§CYTOMETRY, Issue 5 2002Marie C. Earley Abstract Multiplexed assays using fluorescent microspheres is an exciting technique that has been gaining popularity among researchers, particularly those in the public health field. Part of its popularity is due to its flexibility, as both immunoassays and oligonucleotide hybridization assays can be developed on this platform. This report summarizes a workshop held by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that discussed issues surrounding these assays and the Luminex 100 xMAP instrument. Topics included instrumentation, assay design, sample matrix and volume, quality control, and development of commercial applications. Cytometry (Clin. Cytometry) 50:239,242, 2002. Published 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Commercialization of Nanostructured Metals Produced by Severe Plastic Deformation ProcessingADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 5 2003T.C. Lowe Abstract The promise of nanotechnology is increasingly being realized as governments, universities, public and private research laboratories, and the various industrial sectors devote resources to this emerging area. Estimates for the economic impact of nanotechnology on existing global markets exceed 700 billion by the year 2008. Nanomaterials are projected to be one of the earliest components of nanotechnology to appear in commercial applications. Amongst the emerging new nanomaterials, bulk nanostructured metals produced by severe plastic deformation (SPD) have shown promise in a wide range of application areas. In this paper, we overview developments in severe plastic deformation technology, emphasizing progress since the international workshop "Investigations and Applications of Severe Plastic Deformation" held 2,8 August 1999 in Moscow, Russia. Then, we overview some of principal areas of application for SPD metals and alloys. [source] Capacitors with an Equivalent Oxide Thickness of <0.5 nm for Nanoscale Electronic Semiconductor MemoryADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 18 2010Seong Keun Kim Abstract The recent progress in the metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor technology is reviewed in terms of the materials and processes mostly for dynamic random access memory (DRAM) applications. As TiN/ZrO2 -Al2O3 -ZrO2/TiN (ZAZ) type DRAM capacitors approach their technical limits, there has been renewed interest in the perovskite SrTiO3, which has a dielectric constant of >100, even at a thickness ,10 nm. However, there are many technical challenges to overcome before this type of MIM capacitor can be used in mass-production compatible processes despite the large advancements in atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology over the past decade. In the mean time, rutile structure TiO2 and Al-doped TiO2 films might find space to fill the gap between ZAZ and SrTiO3 MIM capacitors due to their exceptionally high dielectric constant among binary oxides. Achieving a uniform and dense rutile structure is the key technology for the TiO2 -based dielectrics, which depends on having a dense, uniform and smooth RuO2 layer as bottom electrode. Although the Ru (and RuO2) layers grown by ALD using metal-organic precursors are promising, recent technological breakthroughs using the RuO4 precursor made a thin, uniform, and denser Ru and RuO2 layer on a TiN electrode. A minimum equivalent oxide thickness as small as 0.45 nm with a low enough leakage current was confirmed, even in laboratory scale experiments. The bulk dielectric constant of ALD SrTiO3 films, grown at 370 °C, was ,150 even with thicknesses ,15 nm. The recent development of novel group II precursors made it possible to increase the growth rate largely while leaving the electrical properties of the ALD SrTiO3 film intact. This is an important advancement toward the commercial applications of these MIM capacitors to DRAM as well as to other fields, where an extremely high capacitor density and three-dimensional structures are necessary. [source] Detailed Characterization of Contact Resistance, Gate-Bias-Dependent Field-Effect Mobility, and Short-Channel Effects with Microscale Elastomeric Single-Crystal Field-Effect TransistorsADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 5 2009Colin Reese Abstract The organic field-effect transistor (OFET) has proven itself invaluable as both the fundamental element in organic circuits and the primary tool for the characterization of novel organic electronic materials. Crucial to the success of the OFET in each of these venues is a working understanding of the device physics that manifest themselves in the form of electrical characteristics. As commercial applications shift to smaller device dimensions and structure/property relationships become more refined, the understanding of these phenomena become increasingly critical. Here, we employ high-performance, elastomeric, photolithographically patterned single-crystal field-effect transistors as tools for the characterization of short-channel effects and bias-dependent parasitic contact resistance and field-effect mobility. Redundant characterization of devices at multiple channel lengths under a single crystal allow the morphology-free analysis of these effects, which is carried out in the context of a device model previously reported. The data show remarkable consistency with our model, yielding fresh insight into each of these phenomena, as well as confirming the utility of our FET design. [source] The Use of Terahertz Spectroscopy as a Sensitive Probe in Discriminating the Electronic Properties of Structurally Similar Multi-Walled Carbon NanotubesADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 38-39 2009Edward P. J. Parrott Terahertz spectroscopy is used to definitively distinguish between two multiwalled carbon nanotubes (see figure), which have commercial applications in a number of advanced materials. Other techniques do not provide a sensitive discrimination of the measured properties. This observation is rationalized by considering the dielectric nature of the materials and the relationship of this to their structural differences. [source] The end-user application toolkit: a QoS portal for the next generation InternetINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS, Issue 7 2003Charilaos A. Tsetsekas Abstract The support of quality of service (QoS) in the Internet has become one of the most important topics within the Internet community. The introduction of the Integrated Services (IntServ) and the Differentiated Services (DiffServ) architectures was a major breakthrough in this direction. Enhanced by the Bandwidth Broker concept, DiffServ aims to provide QoS in the Internet through the prioritization of some IP flows over others. However, up to now the DiffServ architecture lacks a standard mechanism for the interaction between users/applications and the Bandwidth Brokers (BB), so that end-to-end QoS can be achieved. In this paper we present a distributed middleware architecture for the transparent support of QoS in the Internet. The paper focuses on bridging the gap that currently exists between applications and the network and presents the end-user application toolkit (EAT). The EAT middleware provides a framework for the presentation of network services to users, the description and selection of QoS parameters, the forwarding of reservation requests and the verification of the accredited QoS level. Through the concept of application profiles, it aims to support QoS for legacy applications, that is, commercial applications that cannot be modified to support QoS. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Thermoeconomic modeling of micro-CHP (micro-cooling, heating, and power) for small commercial applicationsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 9 2008Alan Moran Abstract The increasing demand for electrical power as well as energy for heating and cooling of residences and small commercial buildings is a growing worldwide concern. Micro-cooling, heating, and power (micro-CHP), typically designated as less than 30,kW electric, is decentralized electricity generation coupled with thermally activated components for residential and small commercial applications. The number of combinations of components and parameters in a micro-CHP system is too many to be designed through experimental work alone. Therefore, theoretical models for different micro-CHP components and complete micro-CHP systems are needed to facilitate the design of these systems and to study their performance. This paper presents a model for micro-CHP systems for residential and small commercial applications. Some of the results that can be obtained using the developed model include the cost per month of operation of using micro-CHP versus conventional technologies, the amount of fuel per month required to run micro-CHP systems, the overall efficiency of micro-CHP systems, etc. A case study is used to demonstrate differences in the system performances of micro-CHP systems driven by a natural gas internal combustion engine and a diesel engine. Some of the results show that both systems have similar performance and that system total efficiencies in cooler months of up to 80% could be obtained. Also, modeling results show that there is a limit in fuel price that economically prevents the use of CHP systems, which is $11 MBTU,1 for this specific case. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Thermoplastic matrix towpreg productionADVANCES IN POLYMER TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2010J. F. Silva Abstract This work was carried out to establish the processing window for the cost-efficient production of thermoplastic matrix towpregs with a recently developed powder-coating equipment. Three different fiber-reinforced thermoplastic matrix systems were studied: one for highly demanding markets (carbon fiber/PrimospireÔ) and other two for commercial applications (glass/polypropylene and glass/polyvinyl chloride). The mechanical properties determined on compression-molded composite components obtained from the produced towpregs were also evaluated. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 29:80,85, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20174 [source] The ecological research needs of businessJOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 2 2010Paul R. Armsworth Summary 1.,Businesses have an unrivalled ability to mobilize human, physical and financial capital, often manage large land holdings, and draw on resources and supply products that impact a wide array of ecosystems. Businesses therefore have the potential to make a substantial contribution to arresting declines in biodiversity and ecosystem services. To realize this potential, businesses require support from researchers in applied ecology to inform how they measure and manage their impacts on, and opportunities presented to them by, biodiversity and ecosystem services. 2.,We reviewed papers in leading applied ecology journals to assess the research contribution from existing collaborations involving businesses. We reviewed applications to, and grants funded by, the UK's Natural Environment Research Council for evidence of public investment in such collaborations. To scope opportunities for expanding collaborations with businesses, we conducted workshops with three sectors (mining and quarrying, insurance and manufacturing) in which participants identified exemplar ecological research questions of interest to their sector. 3.,Ten to fifteen per cent of primary research papers in Journal of Applied Ecology and Ecological Applications evidenced business involvement, mostly focusing on traditional rural industries (farming, fisheries and forestry). The review of UK research council funding found that 35% of applications mentioned business engagement, while only 1% of awarded grants met stricter criteria of direct business involvement. 4.,Some questions identified in the workshops aim to reduce costs from businesses' impacts on the environment and others to allow businesses to exploit new opportunities. Some questions are designed to inform long-term planning undertaken by businesses, but others would have more immediate commercial applications. Finally, some research questions are designed to streamline and make more effective those environmental policies that affect businesses. 5.,Business participants were forward-looking regarding ecological questions and research. For example, representatives from mining and quarrying companies emphasized the need to move beyond biodiversity to consider how ecosystems function, while those from the insurance sector stressed the importance of ecology researchers entering into new types of interdisciplinary collaboration. 6.,Synthesis and applications. Businesses from a variety of sectors demonstrated a clear interest in managing their impacts on, and exploiting opportunities created by, ecosystem services and biodiversity. To achieve this, businesses are asking diverse ecological research questions, but publications in leading applied ecology journals and research council funding reveal limited evidence of direct engagement with businesses. This represents a missed opportunity for ecological research findings to see more widespread application. [source] A study of the recycling and stability of flexographic photopolymer platesJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 3 2010Cristina C. Cordeiro Abstract Flexographic photopolymer plates have a wide range of commercial applications despite the fact that recycling of such materials is difficult. In consequence, there is a large bulk of leftover material around the world. In this research, the photopolymer plate waste products, identified as styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR)/polyester are blended into common polypropylene (PP) and ethylenevinylacetate (EVA) resins at different loading percentages. PP and EVA are used as the polymer matrix and the recovered styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) material as the filler. Evaluation of the mechanical, spectroscopic, thermal and chemical properties, as well as morphology, is done by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Mechanical results show that elongation strongly depends on the matrix polymer: the greater the amount of solid-sheet photopolymer (SSP), the smaller the elongation. No specific interactions were detected; however, thermal degradation and transitions were displaced, suggesting some miscibility. More homogeneity is seen for EVA blends, with no significant chemical attack detected. It is possible to reuse these recycled materials in blends with PP and EVA resins. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010 [source] Improving mechanical performance of injection molded PLA by controlling crystallinityJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 4 2008Angela M. Harris Abstract Currently, use of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) for injection molded articles is limited for commercial applications because PLA has a slow crystallization rate when compared with many other thermoplastics as well as standard injection molding cycle times. The overall crystallization rate and final crystallinity of PLA were controlled by the addition of physical nucleating agents as well as optimization of injection molding processing conditions. Talc and ethylene bis-stearamide (EBS) nucleating agents both showed dramatic increases in crystallization rate and final crystalline content as indicated by isothermal and nonisothermal crystallization measurements. Isothermal crystallization half-times were found to decrease nearly 65-fold by the addition of only 2% talc. Process changes also had a significant effect on the final crystallinity of molded neat PLA, which was shown to increase from 5 to 42%. The combination of nucleating agents and process optimization not only resulted in an increase in final injection molded crystallinity level, but also allowed for a decreased processing time. An increase of over 30°C in the heat distortion temperature and improved strength and modulus by upwards of 25% were achieved through these material and process changes. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008 [source] Water-dispersible conducting polyaniline/nano-SiO2 composites without any stabilizerJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 1 2008Xingwei Li Abstract A water-dispersible conducting polyaniline/ nano-SiO2 composite, with a conductivity of 0.071 S cm,1 at 25°C, was prepared by the oxidative polymerization of aniline in the presence of amorphous nano-SiO2 particles. And the structure, morphology, thermal stability, conductivity, and electroactivity of this composite were also investigated. This composite has been steadily dispersed in the aqueous solution for about 10,36 h without the need for any stabilizer. It would significantly impulse the commercial applications of conducting polyaniline/nano-SiO2 composite as fillers for antistatic and anticorrosion coatings. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008 [source] Miscibility and rheological properties of poly(vinyl chloride)/styrene,acrylonitrile blends prepared by melt extrusionJOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 1 2007Hyun Sik Moon Abstract Styrene,acrylonitrile (SAN) with acrylonitrile (AN) concentrations of 11.6,26 wt % and ,-methylstyrene acrylonitrile (,MSAN) with a wide range of AN concentrations are miscible with poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) through solution blending. Here we examine the rheological properties and miscibility of PVC/SAN and PVC/,MSAN blends prepared by melt extrusion for commercial applications. We have investigated the rheological properties of the blends with a rheometer and a melt indexer. The PVC/SAN and PVC/,MSAN blends have a low melting torque, a long degradation time, and a high melt index, and this means that they have better processability than pure PVC. The miscibility of the blends has been characterized with differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, and advanced rheometrics expansion system analysis. The miscibility of the blends has also been characterized with scanning electron microscopy. The SAN series with AN concentrations of 24,31 wt % is immiscible with PVC by melt extrusion, whereas ,MSAN with 31 wt % AN is miscible with PVC, even when they are blended by melt extrusion, because of the strong interaction between PVC and ,MSAN. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007 [source] Purification and characterization of solvent-tolerant, thermostable, alkaline metalloprotease from alkalophilic Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC 7926JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 9 2009Ulhas Patil Abstract BACKGROUND: Microbial proteases are becoming imperative for commercial applications. The protease secreted by Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC 7926, isolated from solvent-contaminated habitat was purified and characterized for activity at various edaphic conditions. The purified alkaline protease was investigated for dehairing of animal skin, anti-staphylococcal activity and processing of X-ray film. RESULTS: The protease was 24-fold purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation, sephadex G-100 gel filtration and DEAE-cellulose, with 36% recovery. KM and Vmax, using casein were 2.94 mg mL,1 and 1.27 µmole min,1, respectively. The apparent molecular mass by SDS-PAGE was 35 kDa. Alkaline protease was active at pH 6,11 and temperature 25,65 °C. Its activity was (a) 86.8% in 100 mmol L,1 NaCl, (b) >95% in metal ions (Mn2+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Fe2+) for 1 h, (c) >90% in bleaching agents and chemical surfactants, (d) 135.4 ± 2.0% and 119.9 ± 6.2% with rhamnolipid and cyclodextrin, respectively, (e) stable in solvents for 5,30 days at 27 °C, and (f) inhibited by EDTA, indicating metalloprotein. CONCLUSION: This work showed that purified protease retained its activity in surfactants, solvents, metals, and bleaching agents. The enzyme is an alternative for detergent formulations, dehairing of animal skin, X-ray film processing, treatment of staphylococcal infections and possibly non-aqueous enzymatic peptide synthesis. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||