Palladium and carbon synergistically catalyzed room-temperature hydrodeoxygenation(HDO) of vanillyl alcohol–A typical lignin model molecule

Vanillyl alcohol, which is made up of an aromatic ring, an alcoholic hydroxyl group, a phenolic hydroxyl group and a methoxy group, was selected as the model molecule of lignin. Various carbon materials supported Pd catalysts were chosen to catalyze the HDO of vanillyl alcohol. The catalysts were characterized via TEM, TPD, XRD, XPS and CO-chemisorption. It was found that different carbon materials could obviously influence the particle sizes, dispersion and distribution of Pd or PdO particles. Palladium and carbon can synergistically catalyze the room-temperature HDO of vanillyl alcohol even at room temperature, and the carboxyl group was found to be the effective active acid site during the reaction. Possible reaction mechanism was also proposed. The existence of the effective active acid sites on the carbon supports could obviously lower the reaction temperature without decreasing the selectivity, as a result, making the production of renewable fuels by HDO much more economically feasible, which is of much importance. © 2016 Science Press

CFD modeling and laboratory studies of dust cleaning efficacy of an efficient four stage non-clogging impingement filter for flooded-bed dust scrubbers

Fibrous-type flters are used to capture dust particles in mining and other occupations where personnel are exposed for prolonged periods.Dust cleansing devices including fooded-bed dust scrubbers use these mesh-type multi-layered flters.These flters trap dust particles efciently on their surface and inside their mesh.However,their continued operation leads to dust build-up and clogging.This results in increased resistance of the flter and lowered airfow rate through the scrubber.This could potentially enhance the exposure of the miners.A non-clogging self-cleaning impingement screen type dust flter was designed by the authors for use in mining and industrial dust cleansing applications.The flter guides dirt-laden air through rapidly turning paths which forces it to shed heavier particles.The particles impact one of the impermeable solid metallic flter surfaces and are removed from the airstream.A full cone water spray installed upstream prevents any surface buildup of dust.This paper summaried the computer models generated to show the flter operations and laboratory experiments including optical particle counting to establish the cleaning efciency.

Comprehensive Overview of Multi-agent Systems for Controlling Smart Grids

Agents are intelligent entities that act flexibly and autonomously and make wise decisions based on their intelligence and experience.A multi-agent system(MAS)contains multiple,intelligent,and interconnected collaborating agents for solving a problem beyond the ability of a single agent.A smart grid(SG)combines advanced intelligent systems,control techniques,and sensing methods with an existing utility power network.For controlling smart grids,various control systems with different architectures have already been developed.MAS-based control of power system operations has been shown to overcome the limitations of time required for analysis,relaying,and protection;transmission switching;communication protocols;and management of plant control.These systems provide an alternative for fast and accurate power network control.This paper provides a comprehensive overview of MASs used for the control of smart grids.The paper provides a wide-spectrum view of the status of smart grids,MAS-based control techniques and their implementation for the control of smart grids.Use of MASs in the control of various aspects of smart grids-including the management of energy,marketing energy,pricing,scheduling energy,reliability,network security,fault handling capability,communication between agents,SG-electrical vehicles,SG-building energy systems,and soft grids—have been critically reviewed.More than a hundred publications on the topic of MAS-based control of smart grids have been critically examined,classified,and arranged for fast reference.

Feasibility and efficacy of gentamicin for treating neonatal sepsis in community-based settings:a systematic review

Background:Neonatal sepsis is a leading cause of neonatal deaths in developing countries.The current recommended in-hospital treatment is parenteral ampicillin(or penicillin)and gentamicin in young infants for 10-14 days;however,very few could access and afford.The current review is to evaluate the feasibility of gentamicin in community based settings.Methods:Both observational and randomized controlled trials were included.Medline,Embase,Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Central Trial Register of India were searched until September 2013.We assessed the risk of bias by Cochrane Collaboration’s"risk of bias"tool.Results:Two observational studies indicated feasibility ensuring coverage of population,decrease in case fatality rate in the group treated by community health workers.In an RCT,no significant difference was observed in the treatment failure rates[odds ratio(OR)=0.88],and the mortality in the first and second week(OR=1.53;OR=2.24)between gentamicin and ceftriaxone groups.Within the gentamicin group,the combination of penicillin and gentamicin showed a lower rate of treatment failure(OR=0.44)and mortality at second week of life(OR=0.17)as compared to the combination of gentamicin and oral cotrimoxazole.Conclusion:Gentamicin for the treatment of neonatal sepsis is both feasible and effective in community-based settings and can be used as an alternative to the hospitalbased care in resource compromised settings.But there was less evidence in the management of neonatal sepsis in hospitals as was seen in this review in which we included only one RCT and three observational studies.

Paget-Schroetter Syndrome

To the Editor：A 40-year-old male working as a manual labor with a history of smoking presented with a swelling in the neck and right upper extremity with the breathlessness since 5 days.The swelling in the neck region was acute in onset,pain associated with the generalized swelling in a right upper extremity.Breathlessness was acute in onset but was not associated with chest pain.There was no history of cough,fever,trauma and family history of other coagulopathies.