Molecular motion of small molecules in cellulose gels studied by NMR

Measurements of relaxation times, T₁ and T₂, and self-diffusion coefficients, D, for small molecules, viz., H₂O, dioxane and t-butanol, in the gel system cellulose/H₂O are reported and compared with those for H₂O in a polyacrylamide gel of the same polymer content. The temperature dependence of T₁ and D can for all the penetrants be represented by Arrhenius type relations which merely are parallel shifts by the same amount, towards smaller values, of those obtained without polymer. The T₂ values for H₂O in both gels pass through a shallow minimum over the considered temperature interval (14°?44°C). Furthermore, relaxation times T₁ of D₂O in the gel system cellulose/D₂O are reported; in a plot of ln T₁ vs. 1/T, a plateau region is observed at higher temperatures.     

Boundary layer model for char combustion and gasification

A non-steady boundary layer model is developed for numerical simulation of combustion and gasification of a single shrinking char particle. The model considers mass and energy conservation coupled with heterogeneous char reactions producing CO and homogeneous oxidation of CO to CO₂ in the boundary layer surrounding the char particle. Mass conservation includes accumulation, molecular diffusion, Stefan flow and generation by chemical reaction. Energy conservation includes radiation transfer at the particle surface and heat accumulation within the particle. Simulation results predict experimentally measured conversion and temperature profiles of a burning Spherocarb particle in a laminar flow reactor. Effects of bulk oxygen concentration and particle size on the combustion process are addressed. Predicted particle temperature is significantly affected by boundary layer combustion of CO to CO₂. With increasing particle size, char gasification to char combustion ratio increases, resulting in decreasing particle temperature and increasing peak boundary layer temperature.     

The cholesterol-lowering effect of guar gum is not the result of a simple diversion of bile acids toward fecal excretion

The effects of partially hydrolyzed, nonviscous, guar gum (PHGG) on cholesterol metabolism and digestive balance have been compared with those of native guar gum (GUAR) in rats adapted to 0.4% cholesterol diets. Both types of guar gum elicited acidic fermentations in the large intestine, but only GUAR effectively lowered plasma cholesterol (P<0.001), chiefly in the triglyceride-rich lipoprotein fraction. The biliary bile acid excretion was significantly enhanced in rats fed GUAR (P<0.05), as well as the intestinal and cecal bile acid pool (P<0.001). In rats fed GUAR and to a lesser extent in those fed PHGG, the fecal excretion of bile acids and neutral sterol was higher than in controls (P<0.01). The digestive balance (cholesterol intake-steroid excretion) was positive in control rats (+47 μmol/d), whereas it was negative in rats fed GUAR (−20 μmol/d), which could involve a higher rate of endogenous cholesterol synthesis. In rats fed PHGG, the steroid balance remained slightly positive. Liver 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase activity was very low (22 pmol/min/mg protein), owing to cholesterol supplementation, in control rats or in rats fed PHGG, whereas it was markedly higher (+463%) in rats fed GUAR. In conclusion, even if PHGG does alter some parameters of the enterohepatic cycle of cholesterol and bile acids, its effects are not sufficient to elicit a significant cholesterol-lowering effect. The intestinal (ileal or cecal) reabsorption of bile acids was not reduced, but rather increased, by GUAR; nevertheless the intestinal capacities of reabsorption were overwhelmed by the enlargement of the digestive pool of bile acids. In the present model, induction of HMG-CoA reductase probably takes place in the presence of elevated portal bile acid concentrations.     

On Efficiency of Multi-job Grid Allocation Based on Statistical Trace Data

The ever growing number of computation-intensive applications calls for utilizing large-scale, potentially interoperable distributed infrastructures. Nowadays, such distributed systems enable the management of heterogeneous scientific workflows of considerable sizes, where job scheduling and resource management is a crucial issue. In this paper we focus on the challenges of scheduling parameter sweep applications, a specific and commonly used type of workflows where ordering of job executions is irrelevant. A parameter sweep has a large set of independent job instances, called a multi-job, submitted for execution in a single step. In order to cope with the high uncertainty and unpredictable load of resources, and the simultaneous submissions of multi-job instances, we propose a statistics-based brokering approach for allocating jobs to resources so that the makespan is minimised. Earlier studies claim that users’ predictions on job runtime are inaccurate and unusable for scheduling. Our aim is to examine, whether statistical trace data for the same purpose is efficient compared to randomized allocation.     

Chaotic fluid mixing by alternating microparticle topologies to enhance biochemical reactions

We report experimental results on chaotic mass transport induced by alternating topological changes of magnetic particle chains actuated by a rotating magnetic field. Results on the induced fluid flows, through particle tracing experiments and mixing experiments, are obtained for (1) the regime of rigid chain rotation and (2) the regime wherein chains periodically fragment and reform. In the case of rigid rotating chains, the overall tracer particle trajectories are steady, slightly modulated circles around the center of the microparticle chains. In the regime of periodic chain breaking and reformation, the tracer particle trajectories become chaotic. The level of mixing is measured by using a mixing index (M) in a water–dye system, i.e., in a perfectly mixed system M = 0, while in an unmixed system M = 1. When particle chains periodically break and reform, we observe that the mixing index M decreases from 1 to 0.1 within 15 rotational cycles. For rigid rotating chains, M reaches a minimum of only 0.5. We also report the effect of the different actuation regimes on a biological binding reaction in the solution and indeed found that the reaction product (at equal actuation time) is significantly enhanced (3 times) by the dynamic chain regime as compared to the rigid chain regime. We conclude that the alternating topological change of microparticle chains—with repetitive chain breakup and chain reformation—is an effective mechanism to achieve chaotic mixing and thereby promote and homogenize reactions in lab-on-a-chip systems.     

有的放矢——评测欣朴软件2014款东风标致2008总线技术方案

正一年前,东风标致3008正式上市,时隔一年后东风标致第二款小型SUV车型2008在4月17日正式上市。简单翻阅了一下车主论坛上对这款新车的态度,让人惊讶的是居然都是一片叫好的声音。对于标致的车个人一直不太感冒,而它在国内销售情况也并不太乐观,相信包括笔者在内的很多人对于以前标致老款的车型,都很难对其萌生喜爱的感觉。不合时宜的外观设计也许正是阻碍标致国内销售的元凶之一。我们看到的情况,标致又怎么会不了解,或许是为了突破这种尴尬情况,从3008开始     

爽“朗”曲调 芬朗SP-6.5A两分频套装测试报告

正自2月在第十届AAITF展会上公布了今年陆续发售的众多全新产品后,笔者一直关注着芬朗公司的具体动向。本月中旬,笔者受邀前往广州车元素旗舰店测试芬朗Feelart推出不久的性价比型两分频套装喇叭——SP-6.5A。外观工艺简单介绍一下SP-6.5A的外观,其实从产品系列来讲,SP-6.5在芬朗的产品线中属于第三梯队的极速摇滚系列,该系列的产品定位是为满足车主在进入汽车音响改装之门后对音色声效     

一身是宝——美国DD 2500c系列DD 2250 D2测试报告

正澳良在国内汽车音响市场已经屹立多年的老牌品牌运营商,手上握着如德国彩虹、美国大地震、日本必伟等世界一线汽车音响品牌。不过不得不稍微批评一下,早几年的澳良公司确实是太"低调"。不过令人欣慰的是,从去年开始澳良公司开始发力宣传,效果可谓是立竿见影。     

不以事小而不为 兰莓LA-198行车记录仪测试报告

正行车记录仪,也许大家并不陌生,在国内也有几年的发展时间。近几年随着生活品质的提高,以及"碰瓷"的增多,被消费者关注并且使用者越来越多。对于行车记录仪,也许部分消费者还停留在外观漂亮的认识基础上,但是很多店家曾与我反映,常常会遇到消费者问"有没有晚上录的效果也清楚的行车记录仪?"。其实归根究底,行车记录仪之所以会在近些年忽然火起来,全因为它对于车主行车起到的重要作用。白天和晚上都要录的清楚,已成为现在以及未来消费者关注的焦点。     

净化心灵的天使 宝马X5改装案例

正配置清单前声场:芬朗RE-6.3功放:芬朗UT-2160功放低音:芬朗AL-300D超低音:美国大地震DBXI12隔音:四门、引擎盖、前轮毂狮龙顶级止震板线材:嘉利宝若干音符可以充当太多真善美的角色,在生活中它的作用也是不可或缺的。它是人类陶冶情操的良方,是文明传播的阶梯。让音乐走进每个人的心灵,去领悟那最美的真谛,感受人间真情的律动。《秋日私语》给人身临其境的感觉,大自然处处发出秋天的气息,落叶在脚下发出声响,微微的秋风笼罩了全身;《命运》给人以心灵的震撼;《青花瓷》令人进入古朴典雅的,有书香气息的时代;《二泉映月》让人沉