Box-Behnken Design a Key Tool to Achieve Optimized PCL/Gelatin Electrospun Mesh

Hybrid electrospun nanofibers of polycaprolactone (PCL)/gelatin are considered as drug-delivery systems for increasing the treatment efficacy in superficial (skin) wounds. Continuous delivery of therapeutic agents, skin extracellular matrix similarity, management of wound exudate, and antimicrobial barrier effect are the major advantages of electrospun nanofibers in skin applications. Additionally, combining the favorable properties of PCL and gelatin, regarding their biocompatibility, biodegradability and mechanical performance have been revealed promising parameters to be considered for blend in hybrid structures. However, the usual optimization protocol of nanofibers’ production in electrospinning is based on the observation of one-variable-at-time being this methodology expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, in this research work, a statistical model based on four input variables namely, the flow rate, the needle-working distance, the applied voltage, and the ratio of PCL in the solution, is developed to predict the behavior of nanofibers. The performance of nanofibers is monitored by measurements of fiber's diameter, mesh's thickness, and mesh's permeability. Overall, the model showed to be statistically significant (p-value < 0.05) and an independent analysis validated the predicted response for optimal condition. Finally, a delivery study is performed to evaluate the electrospun mesh performance as a drug carrier.     

A survey on tracking control of unmanned underwater vehicles: Experiments-based approach

This paper aims to provide a review of the conceptual design and theoretical framework of the main control schemes proposed in the literature for unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs). Additionally, the objective of the paper is not only to present an overview of the recent control architectures validated on UUVs but also to give detailed experimental-based comparative studies of the proposed control schemes. To this end, the main control schemes, including proportional–integral–derivative (PID) based, sliding mode control (SMC) based, adaptive based, observation-based, model predictive control (MPC) based, combined control techniques, are revisited in order to consolidate the principal efforts made in the last two decades by the automatic control community in the field. Besides implementing some key tracking control schemes from the classification mentioned above on Leonard UUV, several real-time experimental scenarios are tested, under different operating conditions, to evaluate and compare the efficiency of the selected tracking control schemes. Furthermore, we point out potential investigation gaps and future research trends at the end of this survey.     

双对苯醌的抗氧化活性分析及其固体发酵条件优化

为探索生物活性未知的双对苯醌（2,7-dihydroxy-3,6,9-trimethyl-9H-xanthene-1,4,5,8-tetraone，DTXT）的抗氧化活性，并提高其发酵产量，考察DTXT的还原力以及对超氧阴离子自由基、羟自由基、1,1-二苯基-2-三硝基苯肼（1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl，DPPH）自由基的清除效果，在单因素试验基础上，采用响应面法优化了DTXT产生菌瓶生顶孢霉（Acremonium cavaraeanum）CA022菌株的固体发酵培养基。结果表明：在200 μg/mL质量浓度下，DTXT的还原力与芦丁差异不显著，高于VE和2,6-二叔丁基-4甲基苯酚，对超氧阴离子自由基清除率达到67.00%，对羟自由基清除率达到78.83%，对DPPH自由基清除率达到76.53%。通过响应面试验，得到最佳培养基配方为葡萄糖0.773%、硝酸钠0.185%、H3BO3 0.032%、VB1 100 μg/100 g，在此条件下实际获得的DTXT产量为4 150.8 mg/kg，是优化前产量的（2 864.83 mg/kg）1.45 倍。     

新建本科大学物理化学实验课程建设的实践与研究

新建本科大学的物理化学实验课程体系建设是相对复杂且系统性的工程。基于大学教育目标,融合物理化学实验课程体系建设的研究及实践,对新建本科大学物理化学实验教育现状展开分析,并提出物理化学实验课程体系构建策略,以供参考。     

Impacts of the subsurface storage of natural gas and hydrogen mixtures

The subsurface storage of hydrogen (H₂) provides a potential solution for load-balancing of the intermittent electricity production from renewable energy sources. In such technical concept, surplus electricity is used to power electrolyzers that produce H₂, which is then stored in subsurface formations to be used at times when renewable electricity is not available. Blending H₂ with natural gas (NG) for injection into depleted gas/oil reservoirs, which are already used for NG storage, is considered a good option due to the lower initial capital cost and investment needed, and potential lower operating costs. In this study, the potential impact of storing a mixture of H₂ and NG in an existing NG storage field was investigated. Relevant reservoir, caprock and cement samples from a NG storage formation in California were characterized with respect to their permeability, porosity, surface area, mineralogy and other structural characteristics, before and after undergoing 3-month incubation experiments with H₂/NG gas mixtures at relevant temperature and pressure conditions. The results indicated relatively small changes in porosity and mineralogy due to incubation. However, the observed changes in permeability were more dramatic. In addition, polymeric materials, similar to those used in NG storage operations were also incubated, and their dimensions were measured before and after incubation. These measurements indicated swelling due to the exposure to H₂. However, direct evidence of geochemical reactions involving H₂ was not observed.     

异丙醇铝控制水解制备高纯拟薄水铝石和多孔氧化铝

主要进行异丙醇铝水解制备高纯拟薄水铝石和高纯多孔γ-Al_2O_3的研究。合成路线以异丙醇铝为原料,改变反应过程中水化液组成、水化温度和水化时间,制备一系列拟薄水铝石及其焙烧产物多孔γ-Al_2O_3。结果表明,水化液中异丙醇的存在会抑制无定型氢氧化铝的晶化,但也有助于形成大孔径、高比表面和大孔容的氧化铝;纯水体系下,60℃以下水化会出现三水铝石,60℃以上水化的产物则为拟薄水铝石;γ-Al_2O_3孔结构与前驱体拟薄水铝石的结晶度有关,晶粒越大的拟薄水铝石,焙烧所得氧化铝的孔径和孔容也增大。因此,水化条件的改变可以实现拟薄水铝石结构的控制,进而获得不同结构的多孔氧化铝。为由异丙醇铝水解制备高纯拟薄水铝石和多孔氧化铝的工业化提供相应的研究基础。     

Complexity and performance of an Augmented Lagrangian algorithm

Algencan is a well established safeguarded Augmented Lagrangian algorithm introduced in [R. Andreani, E. G. Birgin, J. M. Martínez, and M. L. Schuverdt, On Augmented Lagrangian methods with general lower-level constraints, SIAM J. Optim. 18 (2008), pp. 1286–1309]. Complexity results that report its worst-case behaviour in terms of iterations and evaluations of functions and derivatives that are necessary to obtain suitable stopping criteria are presented in this work. In addition, its computational performance considering all problems from the CUTEst collection is presented, which shows that it is a useful tool for solving large-scale constrained optimization problems.