• Energy Research
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In a forward chemical equilibrium problem (FCEP), the state of minimum Gibbs energy for a chemical system is sought, in which temperature, pressure, elemental amounts, and thermodynamic model parameters are prescribed. We herein present a mathematical framework for characterizing and solving inverse chemical equilibrium problems (ICEP), a class of problems for which one or more of those prescribed conditions in a FCEP are unknown in advance. In an ICEP, complementary conditions must be imposed, which are referred to here as equilibrium constraints. Examples of ICEPs include those in which a certain property is known at equilibrium (e.g., volume is specified instead of pressure; enthalpy is specified instead of temperature; pH is specified instead of the amount of element H). The equilibrium constraints may also be specified by equations that govern the relationship between several equilibrium properties (e.g., the equations relating temperature, pressure, density, energy, and velocity of the gases produced during the detonation of an explosive). Chemical Engineering Science, 252 ISSN:0009-2509

We document the species richness and volatile oil diversity in Sonoran Desert plants found in the Arizona Uplands subdivision of this binational USA/Mexico region. Using floristics, we determined that more than 60 species of 178 native plants in the ancient ironwood-giant cactus forests emit fragrant biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), especially with the onset of summer monsoons. From these desert species, more than 115 volatile oils have been identified from one biogeographic region. For the 5 BVOCs most commonly associated with “forest bathing” practices in Asian temperate forests, at least 15 Sonoran Desert plant species emit them in Arizona Uplands vegetation. We document the potential health benefits attributed to each of 13 BVOCs in isolation, but we also hypothesize that the entire “suite” of BVOCs emitted from a diversity of desert plants during the monsoons may function synergistically to generate additional health benefits. Regular exposure to these BVOC health benefits may become more important to prevent or mitigate diseases of oxidative stress and other climate maladies in a hotter, drier world.

The fast decay in PEM fuel cells of a highly active, high performance, but unstable Fe/N/C catalyst like our NC_Ar + NH3 follows a chemical, not an electrochemical, demetallation mechanism for its ORR active FeN4 sites in the catalyst micropores.

Sensory stimuli in an architectural space play an important role in the human perception of the indoor environment, no matter whether they are static or dynamic, isolated, or combined. By enhancing some perceptions in the sensory stimuli, the overall perceptions of an architectural space can be improved, especially for an intelligent architectural space. As yet, there are few studies reported about the sensory perception mechanism for the sensory stimuli operation in the architectural experience. In this research, a wooden micro building was prepared for the study of the sensitivity level of participants to various sensory stimuli in the same and in different sensory domains. Participants’ visual, auditory, olfactory, tactile and kinaesthesia perceptions were discussed statistically in terms of the sensitivity level. Based on the study, the effect of a single dynamic sensory stimulus (a dynamically coloured light) on the participants’ perception was studied in a paper architectural model from two aspects including preference and emotion. The dynamically coloured light was discussed statistically in terms of the level of preference. The study showed that there are significant differences among participants’ levels of sensitivity to the different sensory domains and to the different sensory stimuli. In particular, the sensitivity level to the stimulus that is the colour of a space is the highest of all stimuli. As a single changing sensory stimulus, a dynamically coloured light can lead to significant mood fluctuations and changes in the preference level. In particular, yellow is the favourite colour of light. The object of this study is expected to provide a theoretical foundation that is related to sensory choice, sensory perception enhancement and the combination forms of sensory perceptions. Based on the theoretical foundation, the perception design of overlapped multi-sensory stimuli and a single dynamic stimulus can be conducted to improve the quality of the indoor environment of normal and intelligent multi-sensory architecture.

Sustainable nitrogen (N) management in agriculture is one of the most important issues affecting the environmental performance of modern agriculture. It is actually well perceived that coordinated efforts and holistic approaches are required to regulate N use by farmers. The purpose of this study was to provide an initial examination of stakeholders’ views in Japan regarding N use in agriculture and challenges to increase its sustainability. The analysis was based on a questionnaire study of five types of stakeholders (farmers, advisors, researchers, suppliers, policy makers). By means of multivariate analysis techniques it was revealed that consensus was lacking either in the acknowledgment of the causes and effects of unsustainable N management or in the challenges that need to be addressed. N losses from farms and the effects of N use were perceived but not conceived equally by all stakeholders. Organic farming and mandatory measures were the most controversial challenges, while those involving awareness, training and advisory were the most popular. This study cannot provide safe conclusions that can be generalized in the Japanese context, but it indicates domains where further research is required and orientations for future policy design towards more sustainable N use.

Although soils provide social and ecological services which are of a clearly transnational dimension, the management of soils needs to be addressed locally. Thus, an appropriate - or better, effective governance for sustainable soil management at national level is essential. This chapter provides some fundamental recommendations for an effective governance based on legal studies from several African countries, namely Cameroon, Kenya and Zambia.

Ethanol is associated with oxidative stress. Exposure to ethanol during childhood may lead to neurological disorders. Congenital disorders induced by alcohol are mainly caused by an oxidative-inflammatory cascade due to extensive apoptotic neurodegeneration in the brain, particularly in the hippocampus. Simvastatin, which acts as an inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA), is widely used to manage cardiovascular diseases. Recently, the neuroprotective effects of simvastatin against nervous system disorders have been introduced. In this study, we examined the protective effects of simvastatin on ethanol-related neurotoxicity in the hippocampus of rat pups. Ethanol (5.27 g/kg) in a milk solution (27.8 mL/kg) was administered to male rat pups via intragastric intubation at 2-10 days after birth. Also, 10 and 20 mg/kg of simvastatin were injected to the animals. By using Morris water maze task, the hippocampus-dependent memory and spatial learning was evaluated 36 days after birth. An ELISA assay was performed to investigate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of simvastatin by measuring the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and antioxidant enzymes. To assess the expression levels of Iba1 immunohistochemical staining and caspase-3 immunofluorescence staining was performed. The current study demonstrated that administration of simvastatin significantly attenuates spatial memory impairment (P < 0.01) after ethanol neurotoxicity. Also simvastatin could considerably increase the total superoxide dismutaseand glutathione levels (P < 0.01). Moreover, it was associated with a greater reduction in malondialdehyde (P < 0.05) and TNF-α levels, compared to the ethanol group (P < 0.01). Furthermore, in the simvastatin group, the hippocampal level of caspase-3 and the level of Iba1-positive cells, reduced (P < 0.01). This study demonstrated that apoptotic signaling, mediated by the oxidative-inflammatory cascade, could be inhibited by simvastatin in rat pups with ethanol exposure in the postnatal period.