Evaluation of effect of paddle element stagger angle on the local velocity profiles in a twin-screw continuous mixer with viscous flow using Finite Element Method simulations

The effect of paddle element geometry, specifically a systematic change in stagger angle, on the velocity distribution of a Newtonian corn syrup was evaluated in the mixing region of a 2″ Readco continuous processor using 3D FEM simulations. Local velocities and regions of backflow were compared for three configurations of the paddle elements in the mixing region consisting of nine pairs of paddle elements with the central three being in a neutral (FLAT), staggered 45° forward (45F) or staggered 45° reverse (45R) configuration. The total material flow rate through the mixer was independent of the paddle element stagger but increased with screw speed when the mixer was operated with the barrel fully filled. The stagger angle variation caused only local disturbances in axial flow. The overall magnitudes of velocity were highest for the FLAT configuration followed by 45F and 45R. The local X and Y velocity components in the region of stagger showed no significant variation with paddle element stagger while the Z velocity component varied significantly in this region. Increased forward flow was seen for the 45F configuration while significant local backflow was seen for the 45R configuration at all positions of the paddle element rotation. The FLAT configuration had greater levels of pressure in the intermeshing region, suggesting a squeeze flow while there were not significant variations in pressure for the 45F and 45R configurations, suggesting a predominantly conveying/leakage flow in the axial direction. Variation in local flows is critical to good mixing.     

Design procedure of simple and accurate model of electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) targeting fast verification purposes of heat transfer simulations

From the macrostructure of electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) and from heat transfer point of view, the volumetric properties of EDLC act as surrounding anisotropy. The core of the supercapacitor is made of coil, which is composed of a number of turns. This coil is from the physical aspect represented as a anisotropic structure that has to be considered during the design of a 3D model. Such structure of capacitor’s core is then in axial direction geometrically and physically different comparing to radial direction. This results in diverse expression of thermal conductivities in the mentioned directions. Therefore, it is necessary to analytically determine axial and radial parts of heat conduction thus avoiding high degree of thermal model’s complexity. After mathematical analysis, this paper will also describe the procedure of design of the EDLC thermal simulation model. During development of EDLC thermal model, and for computational and simulation purposes, the CFD software, COMSOL 3.5a, has been used. The principal aim was to reach very close proximity of the simulation results as compared to measurements, and simultaneously achieve very low computational time. Targeting high degree of model’s accuracy, several alternatives of model complexity will be shown.     

Protocadherin 19 Clustering Epilepsy and Neurosteroids: Opportunities for Intervention

Steroids yield great influence on neurological development through nuclear hormone receptor (NHR)-mediated gene regulation. We recently reported that cell adhesion molecule protocadherin 19 (encoded by the PCDH19 gene) is involved in the coregulation of steroid receptor activity on gene expression. PCDH19 variants cause early-onset developmental epileptic encephalopathy clustering epilepsy (CE), with altered steroidogenesis and NHR-related gene expression being identified in these individuals. The implication of hormonal pathways in CE pathogenesis has led to the investigation of various steroid-based antiepileptic drugs in the treatment of this disorder, with mixed results so far. Therefore, there are many unmet challenges in assessing the antiseizure targets and efficiency of steroid-based therapeutics for CE. We review and assess the evidence for and against the implication of neurosteroids in the pathogenesis of CE and in view of their possible clinical benefit.     

Applications of fuzzy‐based linguistic patterns for the assessment of computer screen design quality

The main objective of this study was to develop a modeling framework which would unify different aspects of computer screen design and result in a quantitative criterion for an optimized computer screen format. The fuzzy set‐based linguistic design patterns were utilized as a tool to build this model. The linguistic patterns are based on categories of expressions related closely to natural language and truth values, which are close to a human designer's intuition. The proposed framework is capable of assessing the quality of computer screen design based on existing knowledge in human‐computer interface domain using the fuzzy‐based linguistic pattern approach. Exemplary patterns for an optimal screen density, information grouping, and some aspects of screen layout are presented, along with a sequence of calculations based on the exemplary screen format. This study showed that it is possible to achieve a rational and relatively easy to interpret assessment of different screen designs in the form of the degrees of truth. Such an evaluation criterion reflects the compatibility of a given screen design with the optimal one based on the current knowledge in the field. It is believed that the proposed methodological framework for computer screen design should significantly augment the efforts of human designers.     

Classifying the risk of work related low back disorders due to manual material handling tasks

Work related low back disorders (LBDs) due to manual lifting tasks (MLTs) have long been recognized as one of the main occupational disabling injury that affects the quality of life of the industrial working population in the U.S. There have been a number of intensive research efforts devoted to understanding the phenomena of LBDs and building classification models that could effectively distinguish between high risk and low risk MLTs that contribute to LBDs. As of today, however, such models and the occupational exposure limits of different risk factors causing LBDs as well as the guidelines preventing them have not yet been fully proposed. One of the first efforts to comprehend the nature and phenomenon of LBDs was undertaken by Marras et al. (1993). They created a seminal data set and used it to build logistic regression (LR) models to identify significant variables and classify MLTs into high risk and low risk with respect to LBDs. Since then a number of studies have used the same data set to build and test various classifiers to detect the likelihood of LBDs due to manual material handling jobs. This paper summarizes and critiques the previous studies. It also employs this data set to build and test seven classification models, two of which have not been applied in this context yet. The parameters of the models have been calibrated for the best performance, and the models were constructed and validated on the full set and the reduced set of features. Though the performances of our best models are better than those reported in National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOHS) Guides and two of our previous studies, they are generally less optimistic than those reported in several other studies; this paper proposes a systematic and more reliable approach to creating and validating classifiers to distinguish between low and high risk MLTs that contribute to LBDs.     

The influence of the die and floating plug geometry on the drawing process of tubing

Nowadays, the development of tube drawing process with a floating plug technique has moved our limit up to the production of thick-walled tubes; production of which still belongs to marginal techniques which are different from drawing of standard tubes. The submitted paper is basically a survey of research in fundamental characteristics of tube drawing with a floating plug with the aim to summarize some important results from the theory, which have not yet been published in any English publication. The purpose of this survey is to fill the gap in English literature to promote transfer and exploitation of knowledge. Research in fundamental characteristics was further developed and conditions under which it is possible to draw thick-walled tubes are defined. Confirmed possibility of thick-walled tubes drawing with support provided by a floating plug having negative overlap is the result of theoretical study and practical verification, which enables further moving of drawing process limit.     

Further study on the one-pot synthesis of (E)-2-nonenal from castor oil

A one-step procedure is described for the synthesis of (E)-2-nonenal from commercial castor oil by ozonolysis in methanol, followed by reduction of the ozonide products with dimethyl sulfide and exposure of the resulting intermediate product to dilute sulfuric acid. The developed process allows the production of the aldehyde with a yield of 80% at a purity of 95%. The method has advantages over all those reported earlier, because of inexpensive raw material and reducing agent, recycling of the solvent and its unusual simplicity.     

Characterization of antibacterial polyethersulfone membranes using the respiration activity monitoring system (RAMOS)

Membranes with antibacterial properties were developed using surface modification of polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membranes. Three different modification strategies using polyelectrolyte layer-by-layer (LbL) technique are described. The first strategy relying on the intrinsic antibacterial properties of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) and poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) exhibits only little antibacterial effects. The other two strategies contain silver in both ionic (Ag⁺) and metallic (Ag⁰) form. Ag⁺ embedded into negatively charged poly(sodium 4-styrene sulfonate) (PSS) layers totally inhibits bacterial growth. Ag⁰ nanoparticles were introduced to the membrane surface by LbL deposition of chitosan- and poly(methacrylic acid) - sodium salt (PMA)-capped silver nanoparticles and subsequent UV or heat treatment. Antibacterial properties of the modified membranes were quantified by a new method based on the Respiration Activity Monitoring System (RAMOS), whereby the oxygen transfer rates (OTR) of E. coli K12 cultures on the membranes were monitored online. As opposed to colony forming counting method RAMOS yields more quantitative and reliable data on the antibacterial effect of membrane modification. Ag-imprinted polyelectrolyte film composed of chitosan (Ag⁰)/PMA(Ag⁰)/chitosan(Ag⁰) was found to be the most promising among the tested membranes. Further investigation revealed that the concentration and equal distribution of silver in the membrane surface plays an important role in bacterial growth inhibition.     

Detection of lead in Zea mays by dual‐energy X‐ray microtomography at the SYRMEP beamline of the ELETTRA synchrotron and by atomic absorption spectroscopy

This study is related to the application of the X‐ray dual‐energy microradiography technique together with the atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) for the detection of lead on Zea mays stem, ear, root, and leaf samples. To highlight the places with lead intake, the planar radiographs taken with monochromatic X‐ray radiation in absorption regime with photon energy below and above the absorption edge of a given chemical element, respectively, are analyzed and processed. To recognize the biological structures involved in the intake, the dual‐energy images with the lead signal have been compared with the optical images of the same Z. mays stem. The ear, stem, root, and leaf samples have also been analyzed with the AAS technique to measure the exact amount of the hyperaccumulated lead. The AAS measurement revealed that the highest intake occurred in the roots while the lowest in the maize ears and in the leaf. It seems there is a particular mechanism that protects the seeds and the leaves in the intake process. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. This article was published online on 1 December 2009. An error was subsequently identified. This notice is included in the online and print version to indicate that both have been corrected 19 February 2010.