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We report the effect of ethanol on monooxygenase activities in primary hamster hepatocyte cultures maintained on collagen-coated dishes. The addition of 50mM ethanol to cell cultures both from control and ethanol pretreated animals almost completely maintained, at least for 72hr, the P4502E1-dependent aniline hydroxylase (AnH) activity and the 2E1 immunodetectable apoprotein content at the levels of the corresponding 4-hr plated hepatocytes. On the contrary, other P450-dependent monooxygenase activities, as assayed by testosterone hydroxylases, kept decreasing falling-after 72hr of culture-to the levels of the 4-hr plated hepatocytes. In both cases, in the absence of ethanol, a rapid decline of AnH activities and 2E1 apoprotein contents were also observed, attaining undetectable levels at 72hr. The hybridizable 2E1 mRNA also rapidly declined in both cultures, but such decline was not significantly altered by the presence of 50mM ethanol in the culture medium. Furthermore, we show that P4502E1 in the liver possesses a rapid degradation phase with a half-life of about 6hr. Thus, in the hamster, P4502E1 appears regulated at post-translational level, as in rat, probably by a protein stabilization mechanism.

The effect of external EGR on knock was evaluated using a CFR engine. Combustion pressure was sampled on a time basis. A band pass filter in the time domain was applied to the pressure cycles. Five knock indices were calculated for each combustion cycle. The problem to quantify knock intensity was focused. At this extent, measurements were carried out on standard iso-octane-n-heptane blends in the test conditions used for the determ of the Motor Method Octane Number (MON). Knock intensity was varied acting on compression ratio. For each index, the conditions of absence of knock were determined using motored cycles. The indices were compared and one of them, showing the lowest C.O.V., was selected for further measurements. The effect of EGR on test fuels having different composition was evaluated varying the compression ratio, at fixed ignition timing. In this way, the same level of detonation, obtained in the absence of EGR, was realized with different amounts of external EGR. Percent variation of compression ratio was used to compare the ability of fuels, having different octane number, to tolerate compression ratio increase in presence of EGR. In particular, the tests were carried out on a matrix of twelve fuels with three levels of EGR. The results show that with all tested fuels the percent increase of compression ratio is strongly dependent on EGR.

In the present work, an experimental study on a lab-scale adsorption refrigerator, based on activated carbon/ethanol working pair is reported. An extensive testing campaign has been carried out at the CNR ITAE laboratory, with multiple aims. First, the performance has been evaluated in terms of both COP and Specific Cooling Power (SCP), under different boundary conditions, including both air conditioning and refrigeration applications. Attractive SCPs, up to 180 W/kg and 70 W/kg for air conditioning and refrigeration, respectively, were measured. Under the same conditions, COP between 0.17 and 0.08 were obtained. In addition, different management strategies, namely, heat recovery between adsorbers and re-allocation of phase durations, were evaluated to identify their influence on the system. Both strategies confirmed the possibility of increasing COP and SCP up to 40% and 25%, respectively. Moreover, a design analysis based on the experimental results has been carried out, to suggest possible improvements of the system. The obtained results demonstrated the possibility of employing a non-toxic refrigerant like ethanol reaching performance comparable with other harmful refrigerants like ammonia and methanol.

The official involvement of Italy in Antarctic research dates back to 1985, when Mario Zucchelli Station (the former Terra Nova Bay Station) was established in Terra Nova Bay. Italy joined the Antarctic Treaty in 1987. This article is an overview of the wide-ranging research in marine biology performed in the last three decades by the author's team in the Ross Sea. Fundamental questions have been addressed, related to cold adaptations--with special attention to the molecular bases--evolved by marine organisms along with progressive cooling in this geographic area, also analysed in comparison with other important areas, such as the Peninsula, the Weddell Sea, the sub-Antarctic and the Arctic. The basic stepping stone of this research was the integration of ecophysiology with molecular aspects, in the general framework of biodiversity, adaptation and evolution. Investigations have addressed a number of Ross Sea taxa, comprising fish, birds, urchins, whales, seals and bacteria. Its significance has special meaning in view of the control that Antarctica exerts on the world climate and ocean circulation, which has awakened great interest in the evolutionary biology of the organisms that live there.

The unprecedented improvement of the quality of life occurred in some regions of the world during the last century has been predominantly powered by fossil fuels, which still provide over 80% of our primary energy supply. This share has to be drastically reduced to curb the effects of a catastrophic climate change. The chief candidate to phase out the oil-gas-coal age is solar energy, which is available in several direct and indirect forms and is by far the most abundant, sustainable, and safe energy source we can rely on [1,2]. The transition to a solar-powered civilization will be a long and difficult process in which some key trends can be already envisaged: (1) growing share of electricity in energy end use [3]; (2) increase of efficiency in energy production [1,2]; (3) establishment of technologies for the manufacturing of solar fuels [4]; (4) recycling the equipment used for converting renewable energy flows that is often made of materials available in limited supply [5]. Solutions to the tremendous challenge of energy transition require the mobilization of huge human and economic resources in several scientific and technological fields, with chemistry playing a prominent role. In this broader context, some research results from our laboratories in the fields of materials for solar energy conversion and efficient lighting technologies will be illustrated [6,7]. [1] N. Armaroli and V. Balzani, Energy for a Sustainable World - From the Oil Age to a Sun Powered Future, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, Germany, 2011. [2] N. Armaroli, V. Balzani and N. Serpone, Powering Planet Earth - Energy Solutions for the Future, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, Germany, 2013. [3] N. Armaroli and V. Balzani Energ. Environ. Sci., 2011, 4, 3193-3222. [4] J. Barber Chem. Soc. Rev., 2009, 38, 185-196. [5] B. K. Reck and T. E. Graedel Science, 2012, 337, 690-695. [6] R. D. Costa, E. Orti, H. J. Bolink, F. Monti, G. Accorsi and N. Armaroli Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2012, 51, 8178-8211. [7] K. Yoosaf, J. Iehl, I. Nierengarten, M. Hmadeh, A.-M. Albrecht-Gary, J.-F. Nierengarten and N. Armaroli Chem.-Eur. J., 2014, 20, 223-231.?

An unsteady model is developed for the particle size distribution in fluidized-bed reactors including fragmentation, abrasion, elutriation and the chemical reactions of wood gasification. Based on the assumption of constant conditions (gas composition, temperature, velocity) of the surrounding atmosphere, an analytical solution is developed for the distribution of sizes belonging to the classes of mother and fine particles. It is found that for the typical feed sizes (minimum above 3 x 10 (2) mm) and the usual maximum size of fine particles (2.4 x 10 (3) mm), the behavior of fine particles is quasi-steady with respect to mother particles. The numerical solution of the quasi-steady formulation of particle population balances is also coupled with a two-phase (bubble and emulsion), three-zone (bed, splash zone and freeboard) model for a bubbling fluidized-bed reactor, giving predictions of the producer gas composition in agreement with measurements for air gasification of wood. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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AbstractA bis(ZnII–porphyrin) tweezer host with anthracene components as apex and side‐arms has been synthesized. Mono‐ (pyridine) and bidentate (4,4′‐bipyridine) guests were used as models for single and double axial coordination inside the cavity, respectively. A series of dipyridylporphyrin guests with different substitution patterns and excited‐state energy levels have association constants with the tweezers that are of the order of 106 M−1, which is indicative of complexation with the inside of the cavity. This complexation can only occur upon an important distortion of the cavity that opens the bite by about 30 %. This characteristic, in conjunction with their ability to reduce the bite distance by rotation around single bonds, makes these porphyrin tweezers amongst the most versatile so far reported, with tuning of the bite distance in the range of approximately 5–20 Å. Energy transfer to the free‐base guest within the triporphyrin complex is nearly quantitative (95–98 %) and the rates of transfer are consistent with a Förster mechanism that is characterized by a reduced orientation factor.