Lithium ion rechargeable batteries: State of the art and future needs of microscopic theoretical models and simulations

This review deals with the recent developments and present status of the theoretical models for the simulation of the performance of lithium ion batteries. Preceded by a description of the main materials used for each of the components of a battery -anode, cathode and separator- and how material characteristics affect battery performance, a description of the main theoretical models describing the operation and performance of a battery are presented. The influence of the most relevant parameters of the models, such as boundary conditions, geometry and material characteristics are discussed. Finally, suggestions for future work are proposed.

Hydrophobic/hydrophilic P(VDF-TrFE)/PHEA polymer blend membranes

Polymer blend membranes have been obtained consisting of a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic polymers distributed in co-continuous phases. In order to obtain stable membranes in aqueous environments, the hydrophilic phase is formed by a poly(hydrohyethyl acrylate), PHEA, network while the hydrophobic phase is formed by poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) P(VDF-TrFE). To obtain the composites, in a first stage, P(VDF-TrFE) is blended with poly(ethylene oxyde) (PEO), the latter used as sacrificial porogen. P(VDF-TrFE)/PEO blend membranes were prepared by solvent casting at 70° followed by cooling to room temperature. Then PEO is removed from the membrane by immersion in water obtaining a P(VDF-TrFE) porous membrane. After removing of the PEO polymer, a P(VDF-TrFE) membrane results in which pores are collapsed. Nevertheless the pores reopen when a mixture of hydroxethyl acrylate (HEA) monomer, ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (as crosslinker) and ethanol (as diluent) is absorbed in the membrane and subsequent polymerization yields hybrid hydrophilic/hydrophobic membranes with controlled porosity. The membranes are thus suitable for lithium-ion battery separator membranes and/or biostable supports for cell culture in biomedical applications.

Cinética da secagem de clones de café (Coffea canephora Pierre) em terreiro de chão batido

Objetivou-se com o presente trabalho estudar a cinética da secagem de quatro clones de café da espécie Coffea canephora submetidos à secagem em terreiro de chão batido, bem como ajustar diferentes modelos matemáticos aos valores experimentais selecionando aquele que melhor representa o fenômeno em estudo. Foram utilizados frutos de café dos clones: Cpafro 194, Cpafro 193, Cpafro 167 e Cpafro180, colhidos com os teores de água iniciais de 1,20; 1,32; 1,51 e 1,46 (decimal base seca (b.s.)), respectivamente. A secagem prosseguiu em terreiro de chão batido até que o produto atingisse o teor de água de 0,137; 0,133; 0,142 e 0,140 (decimal b.s.) respectivamente para os clones Cpafro 194, Cpafro 193, Cpafro 167 e Cpafro 180. Aos dados experimentais foram ajustados dez modelos matemáticos citados na literatura específica e utilizados para representação do processo de secagem de produtos agrícolas. Baseando-se em parâmetros estatísticos, conclui-se que os modelos Verma, Dois Termos e Aproximação da Difusão foram adequados para representação da secagem dos quatro clones de café analisados, e além destes, para o clone Cpafro 167, os modelos Thompson, Page, Newton, Logarítmico, Henderson e Pabis e Exponencial de Dois Termos também se mostraram satisfatórios na descrição do fenômeno; já o tempo necessário para a secagem em terreiro de chão batido dos clones de café Cpafro 194, Cpafro 193, Cpafro 167 e Cpafro 180 foi de 189,5 h.

Gellan gum-Ionic liquid membranes for electrochromic device application

Biopolymer-based materials have been of particular interest and they are alternatives to synthetic polymers based on the decreasing oil resources. The polymer electrolytes were doped with choline-based IL N,N,Ntrimethyl- N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([N1 1 1 2(OH)][NTf2]), or Er (CF3SO3)3 or both. The polymer electrolytes were employed in the production of glass/ITO/WO3/electrolyte/ CeO2–TiO2/ITO/glass electrochromic devices (ECDs). The lowest onset temperature for the degradation of all the SPEs is at ~130 °C for the Gellan Er (CF3SO3)3 (10:1) this temperature range of stability is wide enough for a material to be applied as an electrolyte/separator component in electrochemical devices. The three ECDs displayed fast switching speed (ca. 15 s). Gellan [N1 1 1 2(OH)][NTf2] Er (CF3SO3)3 (5:1:10) exhibited an electrochromic contrast of 4.2% in the visible region, the coloration efficiency attained at 555 nm was 3.5 and 0.90 cm-2 C-1 in the “colored” and “bleached” states, respectively, and the open circuit memorywas 48 h. Preliminary tests performed with a prototype electrochromic device (ECD) incorporating WO3 as cathodic electrochromic layer, are extremely encouraging.

Retinal pigment epithelium tears after intravitreal injection of ranibizumab for predominantly classic neovascular membranes secondary to age-related macular degeneration.

PURPOSE: Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) tear is an extremely rare complication in patients with classic neovascular membranes without RPE detachment. We evaluate their incidence and functional outcome following treatment with intravitreal ranibizumab. METHODS: Observational study of 72 consecutive patients (74 eyes) treated at Jules Gonin University Eye Hospital, Lausanne, with intravitreal ranibizumab 0.5 mg for classic choroidal neovascularization (CNV) between March 2006 and February 2008. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), fundus examination and optical coherence tomography were recorded monthly; fluorescein angiography was performed at baseline and repeated at least every 3 months. RESULTS: RPE tears occurred in four (5.4%) eyes temporal to the fovea, after a mean of four injections (range 3-6). Mean baseline BCVA was 0.25 decimal equivalent (logMAR 0.67) and improved despite the RPE tear to 0.6 decimal equivalent (logMAR 0.22). CONCLUSION: RPE tears following intravitreal ranibizumab injections for classic CNV can occur in about 5% of patients, even in the absence of baseline RPE detachment. Nevertheless, vision may improve provided the fovea is not involved.

Factores determinantes del tiempo de demora y resultados funcionales en pacientes con desprendimiento de retina rhegmatógeno primario tratado mediante vitrectomía vía pars plana

Propósito: Determinar, en los pacientes afectados de desprendimiento de retina rhegmatógeno primario que acudieron a nuestro centro, el tiempo de demora entre la aparición de los primeros síntomas y la visita con el cirujano. Los objetivos secundarios son describir los factores que han influido en este tiempo de demora, determinar la relación existente entre el tiempo de evolución del desprendimiento rhegmatógeno de retina primario, el estado de la mácula y el resultado funcional tras la cirugía, y describir la sintomatología referida por los pacientes. Material y Método: Estudio descriptivo prospectivo de 59 ojos de 59 pacientes con desprendimiento de retina rhegmatógeno primario que acudieron al servicio de oftalmología del hospital Vall d’Hebron entre marzo y junio del 2008. Se realizó una anamnesis y exploración oftalmológica detallada a su llegada, fueron sometidos a cirugía mediante vitrectomía vía pars plana y se les realizó un seguimiento mínimo de 6 meses determinando los resultados funcionales de la cirugía. Resultados: El tiempo de demora medio desde la aparición de los síntomas hasta la primera consulta con el facultativo fue de 4,10 días. La media del tiempo de evolución del desprendimiento rhegmatógeno de retina fue de 17,03 días. Un 84,1% de los pacientes con la mácula desprendida tenían un tiempo de evolución menor o igual a 15 días y un 15,9% un tiempo de evolución mayor a 15 días. La agudeza visual media postoperatoria de los pacientes con la mácula aplicada fue de 0,55 en escala decimal, en los pacientes con la mácula afectada de menos de 15 días de evolución fue de 0,41, y en los pacientes con la mácula afectada de más de 15 días de evolución fue de 0,33. El síntoma más frecuente fue la visión borrosa (98,3%), seguido de miodesopsias (28,8%). Conclusiones: El tiempo de demora entre la aparición de los primeros síntomas del DRR y la visita con el cirujano es superior desde la remisión al cirujano por parte del facultativo que desde la aparición de síntomas y consulta con el facultativo por el paciente. La subestimación de la gravedad por parte del paciente es la causa de demora referida más frecuente. Los pacientes con un mayor tiempo de evolución tienen un mayor porcentaje de afectación macular. Los pacientes con la mácula aplicada han tenido un mejor resultado funcional tras la cirugía del DRR que los pacientes con la mácula desprendida.

Aplicación para la transformación y estudio de archivos log

La aplicación Log2XML tiene como objeto principal la transformación de archivos log en formato texto con separador de campos a un formato XML estandarizado. Para permitir que la aplicación pueda trabajar con logs de diferentes sistemas o aplicaciones, dispone de un sistema de plantillas (indicación de orden de campos y carácter separador) que permite definir la estructura mínima para poder extraer la información de cualquier tipo de log que se base en separadores de campo. Por último, la aplicación permite el procesamiento de la información extraída para la generación de informes y estadísticas.Por otro lado, en el proyecto se profundiza en la tecnología Grails.

Anatomic and functional outcome after 23-gauge sutureless transconjunctival vitrectomy, peeling and intravitreal triamcinolone for idiopathic macular epiretinal membranes

Purpose:To report the functional, anatomic outcome and safety profile of 23-gauge pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) combined with peeling and intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) in eyes with idiopathic epiretinal membranes (ERM). Methods:Retrospective, nonrandomized study of consecutive patients who underwent 23-gauge transconjunctival sutureless PPV with subsequent membrane peeling and intravitreal TA injection for an idiopathic ERM. All patients were operated between February 2007 and February 2008 at the Jules Gonin University Eye Hospital. The minimum follow-up was 6-months. Results:Thirty-nine eyes of 39 patients were included. The mean follow-up was 7 months (SD: 2.2, range: 6-15 months). Twenty-two (56%) eyes were pseudophakic and 17 (44%) were phakic at the time of surgery. Mean preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) was 14 mmHg (SD: 3.5). At the final follow-up mean IOP was 14.5 (SD: 2.7) that did not differ significantly from the IOP at baseline (P: 0.14- 2-tailed t test). Five patients (13%) needed temporary topical anti-glaucoma treatment.Mean preoperative BCVA was 0.28 decimal equivalent (logMAR 0.54, SD: 0.2, range: 1.0 - 0.2). and improved significantly (P <0.0001, 2-tailed t test) to a mean of 0.6 decimal equivalent (logMAR 0.22, SD: 0.16, range: 0.6 - 0) at the final follow-up. The visual acuity improved by a mean of 3.2 lines (SD 2.1, range 0- 8). Twenty-nine patients (74%) demonstrated a gain of 3 or more lines.Mean central macular thickness (CMT) was 456 µm (SD: 77) at the baseline that reduced significantly (P <0.0001, 2-tailed t test) at the final follow-up to 327µm (SD: 79). Average CMT reduction was 131µm (SD: 77, range: 36- 380 µm). A subgroup analysis of 15 selected cases that had CMT measurement 1 week after surgery demonstrated that 84% of the total final reduction in CMT occurred during the first week. Conclusions:23-gauge sutureless transconjunctival vitrectomy with the concomitant administration of intravitreal TA is a safe and effective technique for the treatment of idiopathic ERM and may speed up anatomical recovery.

Anatomic and functional outcome after 23-gauge vitrectomy, peeling, and intravitreal triamcinolone for idiopathic macular epiretinal membrane.

PURPOSE: To report both the functional and anatomic outcome and safety profile of 23-gauge pars plana vitrectomy combined with membrane peeling and intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide in eyes with idiopathic macular epiretinal membranes. METHODS: Retrospective study of 39 consecutive patients who underwent 23-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy, membrane peeling, and intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide injection for an idiopathic macular epiretinal membrane between February 2007 and February 2008. Minimum follow-up was 6 months. RESULTS: Thirty-nine eyes of 39 patients were included in the study. The mean follow-up was 7 +/- 2.2 months (range, 6-15 months). Twenty-two eyes (56%) were pseudophakic and 17 (44%) were phakic at the time of surgery. Five of the phakic eyes (29.4%) had worsening of cataracts during the follow-up period. Mean preoperative intraocular pressure was 14 +/- 3.5 mmHg. At the final follow-up, mean intraocular pressure was 14.5 +/- 2.7 mmHg, which did not differ significantly from the intraocular pressure at baseline (P = 0.14, two-tailed t-test). Five (13%) patients needed topical antiglaucoma treatment. Mean preoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.28 decimal equivalent (20/71 Snellen equivalent; logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution 0.54 +/- 0.2, range: 1.0-0.2) and improved significantly (P < 0.0001, two-tailed t-test) to a mean of 0.6 decimal equivalent (20/33 Snellen equivalent; logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution 0.22 +/- 0.16, range: 0.6-0) at the final follow-up. The BCVA improved by a mean of 3.2 +/- 2.1 lines (range: 0-8). Twenty-nine patients (74%) demonstrated a gain of > or =3 lines. Mean central macular thickness was 456 +/- 77 microm (mean +/- SD) at baseline, which was significantly reduced at the final follow-up to 327 +/- 79 microm (mean +/- SD; P < 0.0001, two-tailed t-test). Average central macular thickness reduction was 131 +/- 77 microm (mean +/- SD; range: 36-380 microm). A subgroup analysis of 15 selected cases, which had central macular thickness and BCVA measurements after the first postoperative week, demonstrated that 84% of the total final reduction in central macular thickness and 84% of the total final improvement in BCVA occurred already during the first postoperative week. CONCLUSION: Twenty-three-gauge sutureless transconjunctival vitrectomy is a safe and effective technique for the treatment of idiopathic macular epiretinal membranes. The concomitant administration of intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide after pars plana vitrectomy may speed up and improve the anatomic and functional outcome.

Intravitreal ranibizumab (Lucentis) in the treatment of retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP).

BACKGROUND: Retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) is a distinct variant of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The aim of this study is to evaluate the functional and anatomic outcome after intravitreal ranibizumab (Lucentis) treatment in patients with RAP. METHODS: Prospective study of consecutive patients with newly diagnosed or recurrent RAP treated with intravitreal ranibizumab at the Jules Gonin Eye Hospital between March 2006 and December 2007. Baseline and monthly follow-up visits included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), fundus exam and optical coherence tomography. Fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography were performed at baseline and repeated at least every 3 months. RESULTS: Thirty-one eyes of 31 patients were treated with 0.5 mg of intravitreal ranibizumab for RAP between March 2006 and December 2007. The mean age of the patients was 82.6 years (SD:4.9). The mean number of intravitreal injections administered for each patient was 5 (SD: 2.4, range 3 to 12). The mean follow up was 13.4 months (SD: 3, range 10 to 22). The baseline mean logMAR BCVA was 0.72 (SD: 0.45) (decimal equivalent of 0.2). The mean logMAR BCVA was improved significantly (P &lt; 0.0001) at the last follow-up to 0.45, SD: 0.3 (decimal equivalent 0.35). The visual acuity (VA) improved by a mean of 2.7 lines (SD 2.5). Mean baseline central macular thickness (CMT) was 376 microm, and decreased significantly to a mean of 224 microm (P &lt; 0.001) at the last follow-up. Mean reduction of CMT was 152 microm (SD: 58). An average of 81.5% of the total visual improvement and 85% of the total CMT reduction occurred during the first post-operative month after one intravitreal injection of ranibizumab. During follow-up, an RPE tear occurred in one eye (3.2%) of the study group. No injection complications or systemic drug-related side-effects were noted during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal ranibizumab injections appeared to be an effective and safe treatment for RAP, resulting in visual gain and reduction in macular thickness. Further long-term studies to evaluate the efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab in RAP are warranted.

Intravitreal ranibizumab (Lucentis) for the treatment of myopic choroidal neovascularization.

BACKGROUND: Macular choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is one of the most vision-threatening complications of myopia, which can lead to severe vision loss. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab in the treatment of myopic CNV. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, consecutive, interventional study of patients with subfoveal or juxtafoveal CNV secondary to pathologic myopia (PM) treated with intravitreal injection of ranibizumab in the Jules Gonin University Eye Hospital from June 2006 to February 2008. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fluorescein angiography (FA) were performed at baseline and monthly for all patients. Indications for retreatment were loss in BCVA associated either with persistent leakage from CNV shown on FA, and/or evidence of CNV activity on OCT. RESULTS: The study included 14 eyes of 14 patients. The mean spherical equivalent refractive error was -12.5 (range, -8.0 D to -16.0 D). Mean time of follow-up was 8.4 months (range from 3 to 16 months, SD: 3). The mean number of intravitreal injections administered for each patient was 2.36 (SD 1.5). The mean initial visual acuity (VA) was 0.19 decimal equivalent (log-MAR: 0.71, SD: 0.3). A statistically significant improvement to a mean VA of 0.48 decimal equivalent (log-MAR:0.32, SD: 0.25) was demonstrated at the final follow-up. VA improved by a mean of 3.86 (SD 2.74) lines. Nine patients (64%) demonstrated a gain of 3 or more lines. Mean central macular thickness (CMT) measured with OCT was 304 microm (SD: 39) at the baseline, and was reduced significantly at the final follow-up to 153 microm (SD: 23). Average CMT reduction was 170 microm (SD: 57). No injection complications or drug-related side effects were noted during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: In this small series of eyes with limited follow-up, intravitreal ranibizumab was a safe and effective treatment for CNV secondary to PM, resulting in functional and anatomic improvements.

Iowa Power Fund Board Project Report Update, July 29, 2009

Amana Farms is using an anaerobic digestion, which is a two-stage digester that converts manure and other organic wastes into three valuable by-products: 1) Biogas – to fuel an engine/generator set to create electricity; 2) Biosolids - used as a livestock bedding material or as a soil amendment; 3) Liquid stream - will be applied as a low-odor fertilizer to growing crops. (see Business Plan appendix H) The methane biogas will be collected from the two stages of the anaerobic digestion vessel and used for fuel in the combined heat and power engine/generator sets. The engine/generator sets are natural gasfueled reciprocating engines modified to burn biogas. The electricity produced by the engine/generator sets will be used to offset on-farm power consumption and the excess power will be sold directly to Amana Society Service Company as a source of green power. The waste heat, in the form of hot water, will be collected from both the engine jacket liquid cooling system and from the engine exhaust (air) system. Approximately 30 to 60% of this waste heat will be used to heat the digester. The remaining waste heat will be used to heat other farm buildings and may provide heat for future use for drying corn or biosolids. The digester effluent will be pumped from the effluent pit at the end of the anaerobic digestion vessel to a manure solids separator. The mechanical manure separator will separate the effluent digested waste stream into solid and liquid fractions. The solids will be dewatered to approximately a 35% solid material. Some of the separated solids will be used by the farm for a livestock bedding replacement. The remaining separated solids may be sold to other farms for livestock bedding purposes or sold to after-markets, such as nurseries and composters for soil amendment material. The liquid from the manure separator, now with the majority of the large solids removed, will be pumped into the farm’s storage lagoon. A significant advantage of the effluent from the anaerobic digestion treatment process is that the viscosity of the effluent is such that the liquid effluent can now be pumped through an irrigation nozzle for field spreading.

Intravitreal ranibizumab in the treatment of choroidal neovascularization associated with idiopathic central serous chorioretinopathy.

PURPOSE: We evaluate the functional and anatomic outcome after intravitreal ranibizumab treatment in patients with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) related to chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). METHODS: This is a small case series of 5 eyes with CNV associated with chronic CSC treated with intravitreal injection of 0.5 mg ranibizumab in the Jules Gonin University Eye Hospital from July 2007 to July 2009. Baseline and monthly follow-up visits included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), fundus examination, and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography (ICG) were performed at baseline and repeated at least every 6 months. RESULTS: We studied 5 eyes of 4 patients with a mean age of 66 years. Mean follow-up was 21 months (SD 1.9). The mean number of intravitreal injections administered for each patient was 10 (SD 4.6). The mean initial BCVA was 0.23 (decimal equivalent) (logMAR 0.64, SD 0.13). At the last follow-up, mean BCVA was 0.44 decimal equivalent (logMAR 0.36, SD 0.31). Mean central macular thickness (CMT) measured with OCT was 330 microm (SD 43) at baseline and decreased at the final follow-up to 243 microm (SD 44 ). Persistent intraretinal or subretinal fluid on OCT and/or multifocal areas of increased choroidal permeability on ICG angiographies were present in all patients at the last follow-up visit. CONCLUSIONS: Intravitreal ranibizumab appeared to be an effective treatment of CNV related to chronic CSC. However, residual intraretinal or subretinal fluid and increased choroidal permeability persisted. Prospective controlled studies are warranted to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab.

Iowa and Some Iowans : a Bibliography for Schools and Librarians, 1996

Iowa and Some Iowans is a classed bibliography of materials by Iowans or about Iowa. It is in the same order in which the average school or public library or media center would shelve materials, that is, nonfiction in order using the Dewey Decimal System, and fiction in alphabetical order by author. Biographies and autobiographies are generally entered 920's. A few may be entered under the subject with which the biography is related. An attempt is made to provide most of the information needed to catalog each title including the Iowa-related subject headings, and the joint authors, artists and series titles pertinent to the bibliography. These items are included at the bottom of the entry as numbered “tracings” and are a record of the items included in the indexes. The author or creator of a work and the title of the work are indexed also. Fourth Edition 1996. NOTE: this digital version has some pagination discrepancies in the transition from chapter to chapter, but all content is included.

Conflict-based Method for Conceptual Process Synthesis

The changing business environment demands that chemical industrial processes be designed such that they enable the attainment of multi-objective requirements and the enhancement of innovativedesign activities. The requirements and key issues for conceptual process synthesis have changed and are no longer those of conventional process design; there is an increased emphasis on innovative research to develop new concepts, novel techniques and processes. A central issue, how to enhance the creativity of the design process, requires further research into methodologies. The thesis presentsa conflict-based methodology for conceptual process synthesis. The motivation of the work is to support decision-making in design and synthesis and to enhance the creativity of design activities. It deals with the multi-objective requirements and combinatorially complex nature of process synthesis. The work is carriedout based on a new concept and design paradigm adapted from Theory of InventiveProblem Solving methodology (TRIZ). TRIZ is claimed to be a `systematic creativity' framework thanks to its knowledge based and evolutionary-directed nature. The conflict concept, when applied to process synthesis, throws new lights on design problems and activities. The conflict model is proposed as a way of describing design problems and handling design information. The design tasks are represented as groups of conflicts and conflict table is built as the design tool. The general design paradigm is formulated to handle conflicts in both the early and detailed design stages. The methodology developed reflects the conflict nature of process design and synthesis. The method is implemented and verified through case studies of distillation system design, reactor/separator network design and waste minimization. Handling the various levels of conflicts evolve possible design alternatives in a systematic procedure which consists of establishing an efficient and compact solution space for the detailed design stage. The approach also provides the information to bridge the gap between the application of qualitative knowledge in the early stage and quantitative techniques in the detailed design stage. Enhancement of creativity is realized through the better understanding of the design problems gained from the conflict concept and in the improvement in engineering design practice via the systematic nature of the approach.