Transmission of nanoscale information-based neural communication-aware ligand–receptor interactions

Neural Computing and Applications - In this paper, we develop an analytical framework for modeling the transmission of nanoscale information in nanonetwork-based molecular communication and aware...     

Sulfonated graphene oxide‐doped proton conductive membranes based on polymer blends of highly sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) and sulfonated polybenzimidazole

Simultaneously improving the proton conductivity and mechanical properties of a polymer electrolyte membrane is a considerable challenge in commercializing proton exchange membrane fuel cells. In response, we prepared a new series of miscible polymer blends and thus the corresponding crosslinked membranes based on highly sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) and sulfonated polybenzimidazole. The blended membranes showed more compact structures, due to the acid‐base interactions between the two constituents, and improved mechanical and morphological properties. Further efforts by doping sulfonated graphene oxide (s‐GO) forming composite membranes led to not only significantly elevated proton conductivity and electrochemical performance, but also better mechanical properties. Notably, the composite membrane with the filler content of 15 wt % exhibited a proton conductivity of 0.217 S cm^?1 at 80 °C, and its maximum power density tested by the H₂/air single PEMFC cell at room temperature reached 171 mW cm^?2, almost two and half folds compared with that of the native membrane. As a result, these polymeric membranes provided new options as proton exchange membranes for fuel‐cell applications. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46547.     

Homogeneous Optical and Electronic Properties of Graphene Due to the Suppression of Multilayer Patches During CVD on Copper Foils

A synthesis method of strictly monolayer and fully homogeneous graphene across tens of centimeter squares, by chemical vapour deposition onto standard copper foils, is presented. The growth technique involves cyclic injection of a carbon precursor separated by idle times with constant hydrogen exposure. The formation of spurious multilayer patches, which accompanies the standard growth techniques based on continuous exposure to methane, is inhibited here, in a broad range of pressure and gas composition, including in two pressure regimes which are known to yield distinctive grain morphologies (dendritic versus hexagonal). Raman spectra confirm the absence of defects within the graphene films. A mechanism for growth/suppression of the multilayer patches based on the carbon storage at defective regions is proposed. The importance of multilayer suppression is highlighted in a comparative study showing the detrimental effect of patches on the performances of graphene transistors and on the optical transparency of stacked layers. The full‐layer graphene sheets are superiorly homogeneous in terms of their optical and electronic properties, and are thus suited for applications for high‐density integration as well as transparent electrodes with spatially continuous optical absorbance. Graphene transistors fabricated by the pulsed CVD method exhibit room‐temperature mobilities with a mean value of 5000 cm² V^?1 s^?1.     

Analysis of native biological surfaces using a 100 kV massive gold cluster source

In the present work, the advantages of a new, 100 kV platform equipped with a massive gold cluster source for the analysis of native biological surfaces are shown. Inspection of the molecular ion emission as a function of projectile size demonstrates a secondary ion yield increase of ~100× for 520 keV Au(400)(4+) as compared to 130 keV Au(3)(1+) and 43 keV C(60). In particular, yields of tens of percent of molecular ions per projectile impact for the most abundant components can be observed with the 520 keV Au(400)(4+) probe. A comparison between 520 keV Au(400)(4+) time-of-flight-secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) data showed a similar pattern and similar relative intensities of lipid components across a rat brain sagittal section. The abundant secondary ion yield of analyte-specific ions makes 520 keV Au(400)(4+) projectiles an attractive probe for submicrometer molecular mapping of native surfaces.     

Numerical study of a bubble plume generated by bubble entrainment from an impinging jet

The current paper presents the prediction results of a bubbly flow under plunging jet conditions using multiphase mono- and poly-dispersed approaches. The models consider interfacial momentum transfer terms arising from drag, lift, and turbulent dispersion force for the different bubble sizes. The turbulence is modeled by an extended k–? model which accounts for bubble induced turbulence. Furthermore in case of a poly-dispersed air–water flow the bubble size distribution, bubble break-up and coalescence processes as well as different gas velocities in dependency on the bubble diameter are taken into account using the Inhomogeneous MUSIG model. This model is a generalized inhomogeneous multiple size group model based on the Eulerian modeling framework which was developed in the framework of a cooperative work between ANSYS-CFX and Forschungszentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (FZD). The latter is now implemented into the CFD code CFX.According to the correlation on the lateral lift force obtained by Tomiyama (1998); this force changes its sign in dependence on the bubble size. Consequently the entrained small bubbles are trapped below the jet. They can escape from the bubble plume only by turbulent fluctuations or by coalescence. If the size of the bubbles generated by coalescence exceeds the size at which the lift force changes its sign these large bubbles go out from the plume and rise to the surface.A turbulent model based on an additional source term for turbulence kinetic energy and turbulence eddy dissipation equation is compared to the common concept for modeling the turbulence quantities proposed by Sato et al. (1981). It has been found that the large bubble distribution is slightly affected by the turbulence modeling which affects particularly the bubble coalescence and break-up process.     

"Eyewitness researchers as experts in court: responsive to change in a dynamic and rational process": Comment.

Responds to the comments by M. L. McCullough (see record 2002-12932-018) on the original article (see record 2001-17140-001) which discussed eyewitness testimony. The current author states that McCullough's commentary rests on a foundation of assumptions that were both na?ve and erroneous. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Performance analysis of four-pad hydrostatic squeeze film dampers loaded between pads under laminar and turbulent flow conditions

This paper presents a theoretical study of the effects of Poiseuille Reynolds number and eccentricity ratio on the performance of four-pad hydrostatic squeeze film dampers. The finite difference method has been used to solve Reynolds equation based on Constantinescu’s turbulent lubrication theory. The numerical results obtained are analysed and compared between three and four-lobe hybrid journal bearings. The computed results indicate that the performance of a hydrostatic squeeze film damper loaded between pads is significantly influenced by the flow regimes. The results presented in this work can be useful to the bearing designers.     

Some hydrolases in human schistosomiasis with special reference to arylsulfatase B

Among many tested enzymes, lipase was found to be the one most affected by schistosomiasis in human serum, where it is increased eightfold. Arylsulfatases A and B and aspartyl protease displayed a significant decrease in the serum, while other enzymes showed a significant increase. α‐Amylase and Leucine aminopeptidase were significantly increased and arylsulfatase B showed a significant decrease. Arylsulfatase B from a patient's leucocytes did not show either changed kinetic behaviour or temperature‐dependent conformational changes. These results indicate that the diminished activity of this enzyme may be attributed to an opposing mechanism of regulation.     

Determination and analysis of the electrical components of a PEF treated equivalent circuit of potato tissue

The permeabilized membrane state of a pulsed electric field (PEF) treated biological sample is invisible to the naked eye, but can be deduced as the permeabilization causes loss of the insulating properties of the membrane, which can be determined by measuring the electrical impedance. This paper reports a spectroscopic analysis of a PEF treated and untreated potato sample to determine the electrical components of the biological tissue equivalent circuit model. The measurements concern flat potato samples which were subjected to different values of factors such as electric field, pulse number, pulse width and frequency. Cole–Cole plots are used to calculate the pore resistance and capacitance. This method of impedance measurement is used to establish the appropriate equivalent circuit model of the potato tissue according to the measured data, and thus explanations about the cell model from the impedance spectra are deduced. The PEF parameters had significant effect on the impedance and structural changes of the biological tissue. The treatment frequency does not have significant effect on the impedance when the electrical field, pulse number and width are kept constant.