An Analysis of the Effect of Electric Vehicle Charging on the Operation of the Single Electricity Market

To meet European Union renewable energy and greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets the Irish government set a target in 2008 that 10% of all vehicles in the transport fleet be powered by electricity by 2020. Similar electric vehicle targets have been introduced in other countries. However, reducing energy consumption and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions in transport is a considerable challenge due to heavy reliance on fossil fuels. In fact, transport in the Republic of Ireland in 2009 accounted for 29% of non-emissions trading scheme greenhouse gas emissions, 32% of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, 21% of total greenhouse gas emissions and approximately 50% of energy-related non-emission trading scheme greenhouse gas emissions. In this paper the effect of electric vehicle charging on the operation of the single wholesale electricity market for the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland is analysed. The energy consumed, greenhouse gas emissions generated and changes to the wholesale price of electricity under peak and off-peak charging scenarios are quantified and discussed. Results from the study show that off-peak charging is more beneficial than peak charging.

A New Model for Automated Examination Timetabling

Automated examination timetabling has been addressed by a wide variety of methodologies and techniques over the last ten years or so. Many of the methods in this broad range of approaches have been evaluated on a collection of benchmark instances provided at the University of Toronto in 1996. Whilst the existence of these datasets has provided an invaluable resource for research into examination timetabling, the instances have significant limitations in terms of their relevance to real-world examination timetabling in modern universities. This paper presents a detailed model which draws upon experiences of implementing examination timetabling systems in universities in Europe, Australasia and America. This model represents the problem that was presented in the 2nd International Timetabling Competition (ITC2007). In presenting this detailed new model, this paper describes the examination timetabling track introduced as part of the competition. In addition to the model, the datasets used in the competition are also based on current real-world instances introduced by EventMAP Limited. It is hoped that the interest generated as part of the competition will lead to the development, investigation and application of a host of novel and exciting techniques to address this important real-world search domain. Moreover, the motivating goal of this paper is to close the currently existing gap between theory and practice in examination timetabling by presenting the research community with a rigorous model which represents the complexity of the real-world situation. In this paper we describe the model and its motivations, followed by a full formal definition.

Purification and characterization of a novel naphthalene dioxygenase from Rhodococcus sp strain NCIMB12038

We report here the characterization of the catalytic component (ISPNAR) of a new naphthalene dioxygenase from Rhodococcus sp. strain NCIMB12038. The genes encoding the two subunits of ISPNAR are not homologous to their previously characterized counterparts in Pseudomonas. The deduced amino acid sequences have only 33 and 29% identity with the corresponding subunits in Pseudomonas putida NCIB 9816-4, for which the tertiary structure has been reported.

Variation in stable carbon isotope fractionation during aerobic degradation of phenol and benzoate by contaminant degrading bacteria

Variation in the natural abundance stable carbon isotope composition of respired CO2 and biomass has been measured for two types of aerobic bacteria found in contaminated land sites. Pseudomonas putida strain NCIMB 10015 was cultured on phenol and benzoate and Rhodococcus sp. I-1 was cultured on phenol. Results indicate that aerobic isotope fractionations of differing magnitudes occur during aerobic biodegradation of these substrates with an isotopic depletion in the CO2 (Delta(13)C(phenol-CO2)) as much as 3.7 parts per thousand and 5.6 parts per thousand for Pseudomonas putida and Rhodococcus sp. I-1 respectively. This observation has significant implications for the use of a stable isotope mass balance approach in monitoring degradation processes that rely on indigenous bacterial populations. The effects of the metabolic pathway utilised in degradation and inter-species variation on the magnitude of isotope fractionation are discussed. Possible explanations for the observed isotope fractionation include differences in the metabolic pathways utilised by the organisms and differences in specific growth rates and physiology. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Contrasting effects of a nonionic surfactant on the biotransformation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to cis-dihydrodiols by soil bacteria

The biotransformation of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) naphthalene and phenanthrene was investigated by using two dioxygenase-expressing bacteria, Pseudomonas sp. strain 9816/11 and Sphingomonas yanoikuyae B8/36, under conditions which facilitate mass-transfer limited substrate oxidation. Both of these strains are mutants that accumulate cis-dihydrodiol metabolites under the reaction conditions used. The effects of the nonpolar solvent 2,2,4,4,6,8,8-heptamethylnonane (HMN) and the nonionic surfactant Triton X-100 on the rate of accumulation of these metabolites were determined. HMN increased the rate of accumulation of metabolites for both microorganisms, with both substrates. The enhancement effect was most noticeable with phenanthrene, which has a lower aqueous solubility than naphthalene. Triton X-100 increased the rate of oxidation of the PAHs with strain 9816/11 with the effect being most noticeable when phenanthrene was used as a substrate. However, the surfactant inhibited the biotransformation of both naphthalene and phenanthrene with strain B8/36 under the same conditions. The observation that a nonionic surfactant could have such contrasting effects on PAH oxidation by different bacteria, which are known to be important for the degradation of these compounds in the environment, may explain why previous research on the application of the surfactants to PAH bioremediation has yielded inconclusive results. The surfactant inhibited growth of the wild-type strain S. yanoikuyae B1 on aromatic compounds but did not inhibit B8/36 dioxygenase enzyme activity in vitro.

Metabolism of naphthalene, 1-naphthol, indene, and indole by Rhodococcus sp strain NCIMB 12038

The regulation of naphthalene and 1-naphthol metabolism in a Rhodococcus sp. (NCIMB 12038) has been investigated. The microorganism utilizes separate pathways for the degradation of these compounds, and they are regulated independently, Naphthalene metabolism was inducible, but not by salicylate, and 1-naphthol metabolism, although constitutive, was also repressed during growth on salicylate. The biochemistry of naphthalene degradation in this strain was otherwise identical to that found in Pseudomonas putida, with salicylate as a central metabolite and naphthalene initially being oxidized via a naphthalene dioxygenase enzyme to cis-(1R,2S)-1,2-dihydroxy-1,2-dihydronaphtalene (naphthalene cis-diol). A dioxygenase enzyme was not expressed under growth conditions which facilitate 1-naphthol degradation, However, biotransformations with indene as a substrate suggested that a monooxygenase enzyme may be involved in the degradation of this compound, Indole was transformed to indigo by both naphthalene-grown NCIMB 12038 and by cells grown in the absence of an inducer, Therefore, the presence of a naphthalene dioxygenase enzyme activity was not necessary for this reaction. Thus, the biotransformation of indole to indigo may be facilitated by another type of enzyme (possibly a monooxygenase) in this organism.

Isolation of Rhodococcus rhodochrous NCIMB13064 derivatives with new biodegradative abilities

Rhodococcus rhodochrous NCIMB13064 can dehalogenate and utilise a number of halogenated aliphatic compounds as sole carbon and energy source. Mutants of NCIMB13064 can be easily isolated with an enlarged range of 1-chloroalkane utilising ability. Dehalogenation of 1-chlorononane, 1-chlorodecane and short-chain 1-chloroalkanes (C-3-C-8) is encoded by the same plasmid pRTL1. However, a different genetic element(s) is required for the dehalogenation of 3-chloropropionic acid. Two derivatives (P200 and P400) of R. rhodochrous NCIMB13064 were isolated which had acquired the ability to utilise naphthalene as sole carbon and energy source. Both strains lost the ability to utilise short-chain 1-chloroalkanes and underwent some rearrangements associated with pRTL1 plasmid.

Determination of thyreostat residues from bovine matrices using high-performance liquid chromatography

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methodologies were evaluated for the detection and quantification of thyreostatic drug residues in cattle serum and thyroid tissue. The paper details a protocol, using a simple ethyl acetate extraction for the determination of thiouracil, tapazole, methyl thiouracil, propyl thiouracil and phenyl thiouracil in thyroid tissue. Using two sequential HPLC injections, and quantitative analysis, in two steps, all five thyreostats were detectable at concentrations greater than 2.45-4.52 ng/g. Modifications to a published method for detection of thyreostatic residues in serum involving the addition of mercaptoethanol and a freezing step are described. The modifications improved sensitivity and allowed detection of the five thyreostats at levels greater than 16.98-35.25 ng/ml. Young bulls were treated with thyreostats to demonstrate the validity of the methodologies described. Administered thyreostats were not absorbed equally by the test animals and the compounds were not all detected in the serum samples removed at 7 days following drug withdrawal. These experiments indicate the necessity to be able to detect thyreostat residues in a variety of matrices. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Design considerations for the autism spectrum disorder-friendly Key Stage 1 classroom

There is a growing consensus that an appropriate classroom environment will aid the performance of the pupil with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There are, however, very few design guidelines available when considering ASD and the school environment. Such guidelines that do exist tend only to be in general terms. Therefore, this article seeks to highlight design considerations specifically for the ASD-friendly Key Stage 1 (age five to eight) classroom. It will first highlight some of the challenges for those with autism spectrum disorder in a school environment and the triad of challenges faced by architects and designers when considering ASD-friendly classroom design. It will then go on to describe the findings and results of a two-year study carried out in conjunction with the ASD teaching staff of Northern Ireland's Southern Education and Library Board. These consist of 16 specific design considerations for the Key Stage 1 ASD-friendly classroom applicable to all classrooms for pupils between five and eight years of age.