Eugenia: towards disciplined and automated development of GMF-based graphical model editors

EMF and GMF are powerful frameworks for implementing tool support for modelling languages in Eclipse. However, with power comes complexity, implementing a graphical editor for a modelling language using EMF and GMF requires developers to handcraft and maintain several detailed interconnected models through a loosely guided, labour-intensive, and error-prone process. We demonstrate how the application of metamodel annotation and model transformation techniques can help to manage the complexity of GMF and EMF and deliver significant productivity, quality, and maintainability benefits. We present Eugenia, an open-source tool that implements the proposed approach, illustrate its functionality with an example, evaluate it through an empirical study, and report on the community’s response to the tool.     

Evaluation of physicochemical,thermomechanical, and structural properties of chickpea flour composite films reinforced with crystalline nanocellulose

Chickpea flour–crystalline nano-cellulose (CNC) composite films were prepared using chickpea flour as the film forming material, glycerol as the plasticizer and 2.5 to 10% CNC as reinforcement supplement. Mechanical properties of the composite films increased with an increase in the CNC content up to 5%. By inclusion of CNC up to 10%, the storage modulus of chickpea flour matrix increased by an order of magnitude from 7.3 to 86.4 MPa. The storage modulus of all samples, on the other hand, decreased as temperature increased. The T_g values measured by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were shifted toward higher temperatures by the addition of CNC. The creep resistance of chickpea flour films increased again up to 5% added CNC, and strain sweep tests confirmed the extension of linear viscoelastic region. X- ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed a positive correlation between the degree of crystallinity of chickpea flour composties and CNC content. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the molecular interaction between chickpea flour, glycerol and CNC. SEM results revealed agglomeration in the structure of the film with the addition of CNC beyond 5% and diminishing of surface homogeneity, while decreasing the pore size of chickpea flour matrix. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48389.     

Enantioselective Catalysis of an Anionic Oxy-Cope Rearrangement Enabled by Synergistic Ion Binding

Charge-accelerated rearrangements present interesting challenges to enantioselective catalysis, due in large part to the competing requirements for maximizing reactivity (ion-pair separation) and stereochemical communication. Herein, we describe application of a synergistic ion-binding strategy to catalyze the anionic oxy-Cope rearrangement of a symmetric bis-styrenyl allyl alcohol in up to 75 : 25 e.r. Structure-reactivity-selectivity relationship studies, including linear free-energy-relationship analyses, with bifunctional urea catalysts indicate that H-bonding and cation-binding interactions act cooperatively to promote the chemo- and enantioselective [3,3]-rearrangement. Implications for catalyst designs applicable to other transformations involving oxyanionic intermediates are discussed.     

Nonlinear size-dependent modeling and dynamics of nanocrystalline arc resonators

International Journal of Mechanics and Materials in Design - The adequate modeling of the micro/nano arc resonators' dynamics is vital for their successful implementation. Here, a...     

Low- and medium-pressure UV inactivation of microsporidia Encephalitozoon intestinalis

Newly recognized waterborne pathogens such as microsporidia are being detected in the world's water supplies with increasing frequency. Many of these organisms have been shown to cause negative health impacts for both immunocompetent as well as immunocompromised individuals. It is imperative that these emerging pathogens be investigated for their ability to resist both traditional and novel disinfection technologies that are currently in use or under consideration for drinking water treatment. Low- and medium pressure UV light is at the cutting edge of disinfection technologies for the drinking water industry. While previous UV disinfection studies have focused on the inactivation of Cryptosporidium and Giardia as well as viruses and common bacteria, this research reports the ability of low- and medium pressure UV light to inactivate > 3.6 log10 of microsporidia Encephalitozoon intestinalis spores at a dose of 6 mJ/cm2 or higher as determined using a cell culture approach.