Lattice Boltzmann simulation of natural convection and heat transfer from multiple heated blocks

This study is aimed to investigate the natural convection heat transfer from discrete heat sources (similar to heated microchips) using Bhatnagar‐Gross‐Krook lattice Boltzmann method via graphics process unit computing. The simulation is carried out separately for three and six heated blocks model for different Rayleigh numbers and fixed Prandtl number, $Pr=0.71$ (air). The uniformly heated blocks are placed at the bottom wall inside a rectangular enclosure. The enclosure is maintained by the cold temperature at its left and right walls. The top and bottom surface is maintained by adiabatic conditions apart from the regions where blocks are attached to the bottom wall. The numerical code is validated with the benchmark heat transfer problem of side‐heated square cavity as well as with an experimental study for one discrete heat source. The rate of heat transfer is presented in terms of the local Nusselt and average Nusselt number for each block. It is found that the heat transfer rate becomes maximized in the leftmost and rightmost blocks due to the adjacent cold walls. It is found that the number of blocks and their positions play a substantial role in determining their collective performance on the heat transfer rate.     

Physicochemical and rheological properties of interacted protein hydrolysates derived from tuna processing by-products with sodium alginate

The physicochemical properties of tuna protein hydrolysates were enhanced by interaction with sodium alginate. The increase in emulsifying capacity and stability was from 50 to 150 m² g⁻¹ and from 36 to 49 min, respectively. The increase in foaming capacity and stability was from 100% to 140% and from 65% to 70%, respectively. The reason for the increased physicochemical properties was the reduced zeta potential level of tuna protein hydrolysates after interaction with sodium alginate. The change in internal structure of tuna protein hydrolysates after interaction with sodium alginate was determined by SEM and FTIR. The SEM results showed that a net cross-linking structure was formed from a sheet structure after the tuna protein hydrolysates interacted with sodium alginate. FTIR demonstrated that parts of the β-sheet of tuna protein hydrolysates were changed into an irregular coiled structure or α-helix after interaction with sodium alginate. In order to understand the interacted complex better, the rheological properties of interacted tuna protein hydrolysates with sodium alginate were further determined. In this study, the one-step was developed, easy-to-operate and cost-effective process that can further add value to tuna protein hydrolysates derived from tuna processing by-products.     

Mixed-line-rate optical network design with wavebanding

To cope with ever increasing and more heterogeneous traffic demands, today’s optical backbone networks are expected to support mixed line rates (MLR) over different wavelength channels. MLR networks can be designed to provide flexible rate assignments to low-bit-rate services and high-bit-rate services in a cost-effective manner. But with increasing number of wavelengths in the network, aggregating wavelengths into wavebands can further reduce the network cost.In this study, we incorporate the idea of waveband switching in MLR network design. Wavebanding or grouping of optical paths reduces the optical switch size at the optical cross-connects (OXCs). When several lightpaths share several common links, they can be grouped together and routed as a single waveband. For optical bypass at a transit node, only two optical ports are required for each waveband, hence reducing the port cost. It can be a challenge for an MLR network to waveband wavelengths of different line rates that have different transmission reaches. In our design, we present a suitable switching architecture and propose an efficient and cost-effective approach for wavebanding in an MLR network. The design problem is formulated as a mixed integer linear program (MILP) where the objective is to minimize transponder cost and port cost. A heuristic algorithm for wavebanding in MLR networks is provided. To further optimize our solution, we also present a Simulated Annealing algorithm for wavebanding. Our results show a significant improvement in cost savings compared to single-line-rate (SLR) networks with wavebanding and an MLR network employing only wavelength switching.     

Discontinuous Precipitation of γ′ Phase in Ni-Co-Al Alloys

Decomposition of nickel-base alloys by precipitation of the γ′ phase occurs either continuously (homogeneously) or discontinuously. Under certain conditions of solute content and temperature, discontinuous precipitation is observed. Ni-Al-Co alloys have been characterized by coupling atom probe tomography with transmission electron microscopy studies. The primary focus was to investigate the discontinuous precipitation of γ and γ′ phases. When subjected to fast quenching after solution treatment, the γ′ precipitates exhibit a near-spherical shape and monomodal size distribution with an average size of less than 5 nm. After early stage annealing at 600°C for 10 min, discontinuous precipitation nucleated near the grain boundaries while some regions of homogeneous γ′ precipitates were observed. Discontinuous γ + γ′ product was completely transformed throughout the grain after 600°C/1 h. On long-term annealing (600°C/256 h), coarser γ + γ′ lamellae products replaced the fine discontinuous products that exhibited after 1 h annealing at 600°C. Equilibrium compositions of the γ and γ′ phases were achieved in this coarsening stage. The γ′ phase has an Al content of 25 at.%, which is consistent with the as-quenched condition where the (Ni + Co)₃Al stoichiometry is maintained after 600°C/256 h annealing.     

EMG analysis of sitting work postures in women

Based on EMG analysis on six middle-aged women, seven sitting work postures were compared with reference to relaxed standing position. The muscles included in the investigation are pectoralis major, levator scapulae, deltoideus, latissimus dorsi, upper fibres of the trapezius, erector spinae, vastus medialis and lateralis, rectus femoris and gastrocnemius muscles. The commoner sitting postures examined were sitting on the floor with crossed legs, sitting on the floor with right leg bent at the knee, sitting on the floor with left leg bent at the knee, squatting with both legs bent at the knee without any back support, sitting on a plank of 10 cm height with both legs bent at the knee, sitting on the floor with legs extended, and sitting upright on a stool of 40 cm height. The relative load on the muscles was highest in the case of sitting on the floor with the right leg bent at the knee. However, less muscle activity was noted when sitting on the floor with the legs extended, a posture commonly adopted by women performing various domestic and other activities.     

Composition Regulation by Flow Copolymerization of Methyl Methacrylate and Glycidyl Methacrylate with Free Radical Method

It is important to match the feeding ratio of comonomers to the composition ratio in the resulting copolymers as closely as possible in industrial production, where the goal is often to produce more a homogeneous composition in copolymers. In this study, a flow copolymerization system with a conventionally initiated free radical method, together with randomly selected polymerization conditions is investigated. It is succeeded in achieving a closer match between the composition ratio and feeding ratio than previously reported in the copolymerization of styrene with methyl methacrylate and of glycidyl methacrylate with methyl methacrylate, which will widen the range of applications, by precisely controlling the mixing and heating in a flow polymerization apparatus. This is confirmed by the fact that the estimated values of reactivity ratios, r₁ and r₂, which are used in the reaction kinetics of copolymerization, are close to 1.     

Facile de Novo Sequencing of Tetrazine-Cyclized Peptides through UV-Induced Ring-Opening and Cleavage from the Solid Phase

While most FDA-approved peptide drugs are cyclic, the robust cyclization chemistry of peptides and the deconvolution of cyclic peptide sequences by using tandem mass spectrometry render cyclic peptide drug discovery difficult. Here we present the successful design of cyclic peptides on solid phase that addresses both of these problems. We demonstrate that this peptide cyclization method using dichloro-s-tetrazine on solid phase allows successful cyclization of a panel of random peptide sequences with various charges and hydrophobicities. The cyclic peptides can be linearized and cleaved from the solid phase by simple UV light irradiation, and we demonstrate that accurate sequence information can be obtained for the UV-cleaved linearized peptides by using tandem mass spectrometry. The tetrazine linker used in the cyclic peptides can further be explored for inverse electron-demand Diels-Alder (IEDDA) reactions for screening or bioconjugation applications in the future.