Comparison of Klinkenberg-corrected gas permeability and water permeability in sedimentary rocks

We measured intrinsic permeability of sedimentary rocks from the western foothills of Taiwan by using nitrogen gas and distilled water as pore fluids in effective-pressure cycling tests at room temperature. The observed difference in gas and water permeabilities was analyzed in view of the Klinkenberg effect. This effect is due to the slip flow of gases at pore walls, which enhances gas flow when pore sizes are very small. Our experimental results showed that (1) gas permeability was larger than water permeability by several times to one order of magnitude, (2) gas permeability increased with increasing pore pressure, and (3) water permeability increased slightly as the pore-pressure gradient across the specimen increased. Results (1) and (2) can be explained quantitatively by an empirical power law in relation to the Klinkenberg constant b that is applicable in low permeable range. This correlation enables us to estimate water permeability from gas permeability. The Klinkenberg effect is important when permeability is lower than 10^?18 m² and at low pore-pressure differentials, and correction for the effect is essential to estimate water permeability from gas permeability measurement data. A simplified Bingham flow model for water can partially explain the trend of result (3), although non-Darcy flow behavior or inertial forces of water–rock interaction are needed to account for the observed deviation from Darcy's law.     

Dimeric C34 Derivatives Linked through Disulfide Bridges as New HIV-1 Fusion Inhibitors

C34, a 34-mer fragment peptide, is contained in the HIV-1 envelope protein gp41. A dimeric derivative of C34 linked through a disulfide bridge at its C terminus was synthesized and found to display potent anti-HIV activity, comparable with that of a previously reported PEGylated dimer of C34REG. The reduction in the size of the linker moiety for dimerization was thus successful, and this result might shed some light on the mechanism of the suppression of six-helix bundle formation by these C34 dimeric derivatives. Addition of a Gly-Cys(CH₂CONH₂)-Gly-Gly motif at the N-terminal position of a C34 monomeric derivative significantly increased the anti-HIV-1 activity. This moiety functions as a new pharmacophore, and this might provide a useful insight into the design of potent HIV-1 fusion inhibitors.     

In-fibre LP11–LP21 mode conversion using force-induced long-period fibre gratings with polarization controllers

ABSTRACT

Mode conversion between higher-order modes is attained in a step-index four mode fibre using an in-line polarization controller followed by a force-induced long period fibre grating. By adjusting the field orientation of the LP₁₁ mode to the antisymmetric fibre grating, the LP₁₁ mode is converted to the LP₂₁ mode with a spatially periodic force of 50 N along the fibre length of 50?mm. The mode conversion is evaluated by observing the far-field and near-field patterns of the fibre output and by comparing the transmitted optical power with and without the additional two-mode fibre. The phase-matching grating period is required of the accuracy of roughly ±5?μm and the radiation loss during the mode conversion is as low as 0.01?dB.     

Response of Predatory Insect Scolothrips takahashii Toward Herbivore-Induced Plant Volatiles Under Laboratory and Field Conditions

We studied the response of a predatory thrips, Scolothrips takahashii, towards herbivore-induced plant volatiles emitted by Lima bean plants infested by two-spotted spider mites Tetranychus urticae (green form). Tests were conducted with a Y-tube olfactometer in the laboratory and with traps under field conditions. The odor of artificially damaged and uninfested Lima bean leaves was not more attractive than clean air in the Y-tube olfactometer. The predatory insects showed a greater preference for Lima bean leaves infested by the two-spotted spider mites than for either clean air or uninfested bean leaves. They showed the same preference towards infested leaves from which all spider mites and their visible products had been removed. Neither the spider mites themselves nor their products attracted the predators. In a satsuma mandarin grove, two traps with infested Lima bean plants as an odor source attracted 42 adult S. takahashii in 55 days, whereas no S. takahashii were trapped in two control traps with uninfested Lima bean plants during the same period. No S. takahashii were found during this period in the vicinity of either the sample traps or the control traps (5-m radius of each trap). These data showed that S. takahashii use herbivore-induced plant volatiles in their foraging behavior in natural ecosystems.     

Threshold Stress for Crack Healing of Mullite Reinforced by SiC Whiskers and SiC Particles and Resultant Fatigue Strength at the Healing Temperature

A mullite/SiC whisker/SiC particle multi-composite, having excellent crack-healing ability and mechanical properties, was hot pressed in order to investigate the crack-healing behavior under stress and the resultant fatigue strength at the temperature of healing. A semi-elliptical surface crack 100 μm in surface length was introduced on each specimen. The pre-cracked specimens were crack healed under cyclic or constant stress by using a three-point bending stress at 1473 K, and the resultant bending strength and cyclic fatigue strength were measured at 1473 K. The pre-crack on the surface of the specimens could be healed even under stress. The threshold stresses for crack healing, as determined by evaluating the strengths of crack-healed specimens at a healing temperature of 1473 K, were 170 MPa for both constant and cyclic stresses, corresponding to 77% of the bending strength of the pre-cracked specimens. The static and cyclic fatigue behaviors of crack-healed specimens were also investigated at a healing temperature of 1473 K.     

Application and development of synthetic polymer membranes. VI. Pervaporation of aqueous ethanol solution through quaternized poly[3-(N′,N′-dimethyl) aminopropylacrylamide-co-acrylonitrile] membranes

Membranes obtained from polymers, quaternized poly[3-(N′,N′-dimethyl) aminopropylacrylamide-co-acrylonitrile]s, showed selective separation of water from aqueous ethanol solution by pervaporation. The separation factor toward water reached over 15,000. Membrane performance showed a good correlation to membrane polarity. Differential scanning calorimetric melting endotherms of the water-swollen membranes were studied to clarify the state of water in the membranes. The results suggested that there are two states of water in the membrane: bound and free. The higher the fraction of bound water in the membrane, clearly, the more preferentially was water permeated.     

Immersion‐Angle Dependence of the Resonant‐Frequency Shift of a Quartz Crystal Microbalance in Three Types of Newtonian Liquids

Abstract

The present work reports the new characteristics of the immersion‐angle dependence of the resonant‐frequency shift (ΔF) of the one‐face sealed quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) in three types of Newtonian liquids, i.e., sucrose, glucose, and glycerol solutions. Below some 1.80×10^?2 g cm^?2 · s^?1/2, the ΔF values are dependent on the immersion angles in all solutions. However, we have found that the transition phenomenon of ΔF occurs between 1.78×10^?2 and 4.80×10^?2 g · cm^?2 · s^?1/2 in the sucrose solution, between 1.75×10^?2 and 4.34×10^?2 g · cm^?2 · s^?1/2 in the glucose solution and between 1.83×10^?2 and 3.03×10^?2 g · cm^?2 · s^?1/2 in the glycerol solution, respectively. Moreover, above the concentrations of the end points of the transition phenomenon, the ΔF values of the sucrose solution are equal to those of 90° at all immersion angles. On the other hand, those of the glucose and the glycerol solutions are the same as those of 30°. This difference may be caused by inherent characteristics of adsorption to the surface of the QCM electrode.     

Ozonation of trichloroethylene in acetic acid solution with soluble and solid humic acid

The combined flushing and oxidation process using acetic acid and ozone has been used successfully to remove trichloroethylene (TCE) completely from contaminated soil. In this study, the effects of humic acid, a fraction of the organic matter in soil, over the performance of TCE decomposition was evaluated. TCE decomposition by ozone was enhanced by the presence of humic acid at concentrations lower than 8mgCL(-1) and then inhibited at higher concentrations. It is possible that the presence of the soluble humic acid fraction during the ozonation of TCE in acetic acid solutions produces hydroxyl radicals during the TCE ozonation which appears to be the reason for the enhanced TCE decomposition rate. Solid humic acid reduced TCE decomposition rate by acting as an ozone scavenger. Similarly, sorbed TCE reduced the amount of TCE available for decomposition by ozone in solution.     

Ag nanorod arrays tailored for surface-enhanced Raman imaging in the near-infrared region

Using a dynamic oblique angle deposition technique, we demonstrate the direct formation of Ag nanorods with quasi-parallel major axes on a template layer of oxide having a strongly anisotropic surface morphology. The optical properties of the nanorods are tuned by varying the deposition conditions without any pre-?or post-treatment, and the resulting Ag nanorod arrays exhibit high surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity. In addition to high macroscopic uniformity over a large area, our nanorod arrays contain a high density of isolated nanorods. Using the optimum Ag nanorod arrays, the SERS imaging of the microdroplets of a rhodamine 6G solution is successfully demonstrated. The space resolution of the imaging is of the order of at least a few μm. These features are suitable for the SERS imaging of biomaterials.