Dimensions of the average pore,the number of pores,and the surface area of hardened Portland cement paste

In the course of their small angle x-ray scattering work, Winslow and Diamond also calculated the radius of gyration of the pores. Using its value for a paste, Diamond adopted two models for the average pore: a sphere and a cylinder of equal height and diameter. This model leads to absurd values for the surface area of the paste. Using a cylindrical model, and the radius of gyration plus the hydraulic radius, the present authors calculated for a similar paste the dimensions of the average pore and obtained the values: $\text{diameter}\text{= 47.2}\text{A}\text{?}\text{,}\text{length}\text{= 466}\text{A}\text{?}$. The number of pores per gram of paste was 2.26 × 10¹⁷. The paper also discusses the surface area of hardened paste, and points out the extremely important contributions of Winslow and Diamond to the subject.     

Quadratic approximate dynamic programming for input‐affine systems

We consider the use of quadratic approximate value functions for stochastic control problems with input‐affine dynamics and convex stage cost and constraints. Evaluating the approximate dynamic programming policy in such cases requires the solution of an explicit convex optimization problem, such as a quadratic program, which can be carried out efficiently. We describe a simple and general method for approximate value iteration that also relies on our ability to solve convex optimization problems, in this case, typically a semidefinite program. Although we have no theoretical guarantee on the performance attained using our method, we observe that very good performance can be obtained in practice.Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fuel properties and emissions of soybean oil esters as diesel fuel

The effects of using blends of methyl and isopropyl esters of soybean oil with No. 2 diesel fuel were studied at several steady-state operating conditions in a four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine. Fuel blends that contained 20, 50, and 70% methyl soyate and 20 and 50% isopropyl soyate were tested. Fuel properties, such as cetane number, also were investigated. Both methyl and isopropyl esters provided significant reductions in particulate emissions compared with No. 2 diesel fuel. A blend of 50% methyl ester and 50% No. 2 diesel fuel provided a reduction of 37% in the carbon portion of the particulates and 25% in the total particulates. The 50% blend of isopropyl ester and 50% No. 2 diesel fuel gave a 55% reduction in carbon and a 28% reduction in total particulate emissions. Emissions of carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons also were reduced significantly. Oxides of nitrogen increased by 12%.     

The allelopathic mechanisms of dominance in bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) in Southern California

Bracken,Pteridium aquilinum, exerts a strong dominance over associated plants throughout much of its worldwide range. Associated plants are often severely inhibited or even excluded from dense stands of the fern. This study investigated the various aspects of herb suppression in bracken stands and assessed the contribution of the various forms of interference between plants to the establishment and maintenance of bracken dominance. It was shown that competition for soil moisture, light, and nutrients could not account for the lack of herbs in bracken stands. Further, uniformity of soil pH, texture, water-holding capacity, and organic matter content ruled out variability in physical factors as a cause. Baiting and trapping experiments showed that the higher concentration of animal activity inside the bracken stands contributed significantly to the pattern of herb suppression, but only against select species. The maintenance of this pattern in the animal-free Santa Cruz Island stands indicates the importance of another factor, allelopathy. It was found that phytotoxins leached from the dead, standing bracken fronds with the first few rains of the wet season were largely responsible for herb suppression. These toxins were isolated in raindrip and from soil inside the fern stands. Removal of the fronds from the stand before the rains could leach them resulted in reinvasion by the herbs after several seasons, and, conversely, placing fronds over the herbs in the grassland brought about herb inhibition. A number of known allelopathic chemicals were tentatively identified from bracken leachates. The importance of the interaction of allelopathy with other factors of plant interference is illustrated by bracken.     

Comments on the use of buckminsterfullerene encapsulated in zeolite Y as a potential catalyst

Buckminsterfullerene encapsulated within zeolite Y is found not to be a reactive radical initiator for the formation of dimethoxyethane from dimethyl ether below 200° C. Above this temperature the expected acid catalysed conversion of dimethyl ether to hydrocarbons is observed. Dimethoxyethane formation is observed when bibenzoyl peroxide is used as a radical initiator. These studies indicate that any radical formed by the encapsulated buckminsterfullerene is relatively unreactive.     

GC/MS characterization of effluents front the ozone bleaching of eucalypt kraft pulps

Concerns regarding the possible environmental effects of organochlorine by‐products from bleaching of pulp with chlorine‐based compounds have led to the pulp and paper industry developing new bleaching sequences. Ozone, oxygen and hydrogen peroxide are the main reagents in these Totally Chlorine Free (TCF) bleaching processes.

In this study, eucalypt kraft pulps from a variety of Australian wood sources were subjected to bleaching sequences comprising oxygen, ozone and hydrogen peroxide/alkali extraction stages. The aqueous liquid effluents from each stage were analyzed by GC/MS for aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, carboxylic acids and other by‐products. Pentafluorobenzyl oxime derivatives of the aldehydes and ketones were analyzed by electron impact GC/MS. The major carbonyl compounds detected were formaldehyde, glyoxal, dimethylglyoxal and acetone. An homologous series of n‐aldehydes corresponding to cleavage of ω‐3, 6, 9 and 12 unsaturated fatty acids also was detected. Aromatic aldehydes were identified in the oxygen stage and high consistency ozone stages, but not in any medium consistency ozone or post‐ozone bleach stages. In all stages a series of saturated alkyl carboxylic acids from formic to octacosanoic acid was detected. Formic and acetic acids were present in the highest yield. Only trace quantities of unsaturated fatty acids were detected. Details of these and other compounds detected are discussed.     

The stability and unfolding of an IgG binding protein based upon the B domain of protein A from Staphylococcus aureus probed by tryptophan substitution and fluorescence spectroscopy

The stability and unfolding of an immunoglobulin (Ig) G bindingprotein based upon the B domain of protein A (SpAB) from Staphylococcusaureus were studied by substituting tryptophan residues at strategiclocations within each of the three a-helical regions (al-a3)of the domain. The role of the C-terminal helix, a3, was investigatedby generating two protein constructs, one corresponding to thecomplete SpAB, the other lacking a part of ct3; the Trp substitutionswere made in both one-and two-domain versions of each of theseconstructs. The fluorescence properties of each of the single-tryptophanmutants were studied in the native state and as a function ofguanidine-HCl-mediated unfolding, and their IgG binding activitieswere determined by a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbentassay. The free energies of folding and of binding to IgG foreach mutant were compared with those for the native domains.The effect of each substitution upon the overall structure andupon the IgG binding interface was modelled by molecular graphicsand energy minimization. These studies indicate that (i) 3 contributesto the overall stability of the domain and to the formationof the IgG binding site in l and 2, and (ii) al unfolds first,followed by 2 and 3 together.     

Surface mass transfer processes using peat as an adsorbent for dyestuffs

The factors affecting the initial rate of Telon Blue (Acid) dye adsorption onto peat have been investigated. The surface mass transfer coefficients for the rate of dye removal from solution have been determined and correlated as the dimensionless mass transfer term Sh/Sc^0.33. The function Sh/Sc^0.33 has been correlated with respect to four variables, namely, agitation, initial dye concentration, peat particle size range and the temperature of the dye solution. The mass transfer term varies with T^5.5, d_p^0.13, c_o^?1.1 and R.P.M.^0.26; consequently temperature has the most pronounced effect on the mass transfer coefficient.     

Complex refractive index,single scattering albedo,and mass absorption coefficient of secondary organic aerosols generated from oxidation of biogenic and anthropogenic precursors

Refractive index and optical properties of biogenic and anthropogenic secondary organic aerosol (SOA) particles were investigated. Aerosol precursors, namely longifolene, α-pinene, 1-methylnaphthalene, phenol, and toluene were oxidized in a Teflon chamber to produce SOA particles under different initial hydrocarbon concentrations and hydroxyl radical sources, reflecting exposures to different levels of nitrogen oxides (NO_x). The real and imaginary components (n and k, respectively) of the refractive index at 375?nm and 632?nm were determined by Mie theory calculations through an iterative process, using the χ² function to evaluate the fitness of the predicted optical parameters with the measured scattering, absorption, and extinction coefficients from a Photoacoustic Extinctiometer and Cavity Attenuated Phase Shift Spectrometer. Single scattering albedo (SSA) and bulk mass absorption coefficient (MAC) at 375?nm were calculated. SSA values of SOA particles from biogenic precursors (longifolene and α-pinene) were ～0.98–0.99 (～6.3% uncertainty), reflecting purely scattering aerosols regardless of the NO_x regime. However, SOA particles from aromatic precursors were more absorbing and displayed NO_x-dependent SSA values. For 1-methylnaphthalene SOA particles, SSA values of 0.92–0.95 and ～0.75–0.90 (～6.1% uncertainty) were observed under intermediate- and high-NO_x conditions, respectively, reflecting the absorbing effects of SOA particles and NO_x chemistry for this aromatic system. In mixtures of longifolene and phenol or longifolene and toluene SOA under intermediate- and high-NO_x conditions, k values of the aromatic-related component of the SOA mixture were higher than that of 1-methylnaphthalene SOA particles. With the increase in OH exposure, k_phenol decreased from 0.10 to 0.02 and 0.22 to 0.05 for intermediate- and high-NO_x conditions, respectively. A simple relative radiative forcing calculation for urban environments at λ?=?375?nm suggests the influence of absorbing SOA particles on relative radiative forcing at this wavelength is most significant for aerosol sizes greater than 0.4?µm.

Copyright © 2019 American Association for Aerosol Research     

Automation in the pharmaceutical analysis laboratory: a centralized/decentralized approach

It has been over 10 years since robots have appeared in the pharmaceutical analysis laboratory. In the early days, it was common for one selected individual to be responsible for the programming, usage and maintenance of the robots(s). However, the increasing use of robotics has prompted the formation of robotics ‘laboratories’ and/or ‘groups’. This is especially true when multiple robotic systems and applications are involved.Over the past several years at ISLAR, many champions of robotics have given presentations on the setup and usage of robotics within their organizations. These managers have described both the ‘centralized’ and ‘decentralized’ approaches to the implementation of robotics. In the centralized system, a single group is charged with all aspects of the robotic project, including justification, purchase, validation, use and maintenance. Under such an arrangement, samples are usually given to the robotics group for analysis. In contrast, a totally decentralized approach to robotics would have units interspersed throughout the organization, with each individual group responsible for their respective unit(s), in much the same way as liquid chromatographs are considered.At Hoffmann-La Roche, aspects of both the centralized and decentralized approaches to robotics are used which make our combined system the ‘best of both worlds’. This paper describes the Roche philosophy towards robotics and highlights the advantages to the system used.