125th anniversary review: fuel alcohol: current production and future challenges

Global research and industrial development of liquid transportation biofuels are moving at a rapid pace. This is mainly due to the significant roles played by biofuels in decarbonising our future energy needs, since they act to mitigate the deleterious impacts of greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere that are contributors of climate change. Governmental obligations and international directives that mandate the blending of biofuels in petrol and diesel are also acting as great stimuli to this expanding industrial sector. Currently, the predominant liquid biofuel is bioethanol (fuel alcohol) and its worldwide production is dominated by maize-based and sugar cane-based processes in North and South America, respectively. In Europe, fuel alcohol production employs primarily wheat and sugar beet. Potable distilled spirit production and fuel alcohol processes share many similarities in terms of starch bioconversion, fermentation, distillation and co-product utilisation, but there are some key differences. For example, in certain bioethanol fermentations, it is now possible to yield consistently high ethanol concentrations of ~20% (v/v). Emerging fuel alcohol processes exploit lignocellulosic feedstocks and scientific and technological constraints involved in depolymerising these materials and efficiently fermenting the hydrolysate sugars are being overcome. These so-called secondgeneration fuel alcohol processes are much more environmentally and ethically acceptable compared with exploitation of starch and sugar resources, especially when considering utilisation of residual agricultural biomass and biowastes. This review covers both first and second-generation bioethanol processes with a focus on current challenges and future opportunities of lignocellulose-to-ethanol as this technology moves from demonstration pilot-plants to full-scale industrial facilities

Biometric Boom: How the Private Sector Commodifies Human Characteristics

Biometric technology has become an increasingly common part of daily life. Although biometrics have been used for decades, recent ad- vances and new uses have made the technology more prevalent, particu- larly in the private sector. This Note examines how widespread use of biometrics by the private sector is commodifying human characteristics. As the use of biometrics has become more extensive, it exacerbates and exposes individuals and industry to a number of risks and problems asso- ciated with biometrics. Despite public belief, biometric systems may be bypassed, hacked, or even fail. The more a characteristic is utilized, the less value it will hold for security purposes. Once compromised, a biome- tric cannot be replaced as would a password or other security device. This Note argues that there are strong justifications for a legal struc- ture that builds hurdles to slow the adoption of biometrics in the private sector. By examining the law and economics and personality theories of commodification, this Note identifies market failure and potential harm to personhood due to biometrics. The competing theories justify a reform to protect human characteristics from commodification. This Note presents a set of principles and tools based on defaults, disclosures, incen- tives, and taxation to discourage use of biometrics, buying time to streng- then the technology, educate the public, and establish legal safeguards for when the technology is compromised or fails

Pediatric Cancers: Development and Treatment Methods

Pediatric cancers are cancers that develop in kids and adolescents ages 0-19. Pediatric cancers usually develop in three ways: through inherited gene mutations, parental exposure to toxins, and acquired gene mutations. While cancer can affect children and adults alike, treatment becomes more difficult for children due to their physical predevelopment stages. Therefore, it is important to discuss all methods of treatment when dealing with a particular pediatric cancer in order to choose the most effective method

Laboratory studies of interplanetary dust

Interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) are a form of primitive extraterrestrial material. In spite of the formidable experimental problems in working with particles that are too small to be seen with the naked eye, it has proven possible to obtain considerable information concerning their properties and possible origins. Dust particles collected in the stratosphere were reviewed. These particles are the best available samples of interplanetary dust and were studied using a variety of analytical techniques