Mathematical programming approaches to the synthesis of chemical process systems

This paper presents a review of advances that have taken place in the mathematical programming approach to process design and synthesis. A review is first presented on the algorithms that are available for solving MINLP problems, and its most recent variant, Generalized Disjunctive Programming models. The formulation of superstructures, models and solution strategies is also discussed for the effective solution of the corresponding optimization problems. The rest of the paper is devoted to reviewing recent mathematical programming models for the synthesis of reactor networks, distillation sequences, heat exchanger networks, mass exchanger networks, utility plants, and total flowsheets. As will be seen from this review, the progress that has been achieved in this area over the last decade is very significant.     

A New Scheme of Finding the Master Sintering Curve

The master sintering curve approach represents densification data in terms of a master variable that combines sintering time and temperature. Recently, a finite-element scheme to predict sintering deformation that requires only the master sintering curve instead of a full constitutive law as the input data has been developed. Here, a modification to the original master sintering curve approach, so that it is more suitable for finite-element analysis, is presented. Finite-element shape functions are used to represent the densification data as well as the master sintering curve. This approach confers extra flexibility to the master sintering curve approach, even when it is not used with finite-element analysis. For example, by using shape functions, a varying activation energy can be used to obtain a master sintering curve for a set of densification data that cannot be fitted using a constant activation energy.     

Ballistic testing of surface‐treated alumina and silicon carbide with improved adhesive bond strength

The laser treatment of ceramics can lead to increased concentrations of hydroxyl ions on the surface, resulting in improved adhesive bond strength in quasi‐static tests. Whether the improvement can be translated to armor applications is investigated here. The ballistic testing of composite‐backed, surface‐treated, and nontreated “control” alumina and silicon carbide panels was undertaken. The failure locus of the ceramic to adhesive/composite joint and the qualitative degree of damage were assessed. Laser surface‐treated samples performed better than control samples, with silicon carbide moving from single shot to multi‐shot capability, thus giving significant advantages for the deployment of these materials.     

Fabrication of a Glass‐Ceramic‐to‐Metal Seal Between Ti–6Al–4V and a Strontium Boroaluminate Glass

Glass‐ceramics are widely utilized in the electronics industry to provide electrical insulation and to form leak‐tight joints with a range of metals. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the glass‐ceramic can be controlled by the extent of crystallization to reduce detrimental tensile stresses in the joint. In recent years, there has been interest in using titanium alloys, in place of stainless steels, due to their lower density and superior specific strength. In this study, the heat treatment of a strontium boroaluminate glass has been tailored to create glass‐ceramics with mean CTEs ranging from 5.7 ± 0.1 × 10^?6/K to 9.7 ± 0.1 × 10^?6/K over the temperature range 303–693 K. The resultant glass‐ceramic consists of three crystalline phases and residual glass. A glass‐ceramic with a mean CTE of 6.9 ± 0.1 × 10^?6/K was subsequently fabricated to form a compression seal with a Ti–6Al–4V housing and a preoxidized Kovar pin. Single pin assemblies were shown to be reproducible in terms of microstructure and all passed a standard helium leak test, indicating that a successful seal had been produced.     

Vulvovaginal hematomas complicating delivery. Rationale for drainage of the hematoma cavity

Coronary atherosclerosis is a pathologic process that produces thickening of the walls of the coronary arteries to the point that flow through those vessels may be impaired. This study attempts to use transthoracic echocardiography to detect coronary atherosclerosis. Eighty-nine patients undergoing coronary angiography were examined with a broad-band ultrasonic transducer with a frequency between 3 and 5 MHz. A modified short axis examination was utilized to identify left main and proximal left anterior descending arteries. The examination was recorded digitally and displayed in a 32-cell, quad screen cine loop. Fifty-six of the 89 patients (63%) had obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) (i.e, at least 1 vessel with 50% obstruction). There were 14 patients with CAD but no vessel had > or = 50% obstruction. Nineteen patients (21%) had angiographically normal arteries. The coronary echograms were judged qualitatively for brightness, uniformity, and persistence (defined as the ability to see segments of the artery walls in more frames than other segments). The length of the coronary artery visualized, the width of the left main coronary artery, and the width of the thickest segment of the coronary artery walls were quantitatively measured. More than 2 cm of the left coronary artery was seen in almost all patients. Segmental changes were noted in 52 of the 56 patients with obstructive CAD, 12 of the 14 patients with nonobstructive CAD, and 3 of the 19 patients with normal arteries. Persistence greatly enhanced the ability to judge the segmental changes. Forty-six patients with obstructive disease had wall thickness > or = 1.5 mm. Only 6 patients with nonobstructive coronary arteries had this wall thickness, and only 1 normal subject had thick walls. The ultrasonic findings were useful in predicting the presence or absence of coronary atherosclerosis to varying degrees of sensitivity and specificity based on the segmental findings and wall thickness measurements. The results of this study indicate that a transthoracic ultrasonic examination of the proximal left coronary artery could be a clinically valuable tool in the qualitative identification of coronary atherosclerosis.     

Nociceptive responses to high and low rates of noxious cutaneous heating are mediated by different nociceptors in the rat: electrophysiological evidence

Behavioral nociceptive responses evoked by relatively high rates of noxious radiant skin heating appear to be mediated by A delta nociceptor activation, whereas responses evoked by low rates of skin heating appear to be mediated by the activation of C-fiber nociceptors. This hypothesis was confirmed by the results of single unit recordings of A delta and C nociceptive afferent fibers isolated from the saphenous nerves of pentobarbital anesthetized rats. Heating the hind paw skin of the rat at a relatively high rate of 6.5 degrees C/sec activated A delta units within 2 sec after the onset of the stimulus. This response latency is similar to the 2.5 sec latency of the foot withdrawal response to a similar stimulus. In contrast, C-fibers were only slightly activated at a longer latency of 5-6 sec. Conversely, heating the hind paw skin at a relatively low rate of 0.9 degrees C/sec activated C-fibers, but evoked only a few action potentials in A delta nociceptors. C-fibers began firing at a rate less than 1 Hz between 8 and 10 sec after the onset of heating and fired at a mean rate of 1.5 Hz between 10 and 12 sec, which corresponds to the latency of the foot withdrawal response. Topical application of capsaicin to the hind paw skin decreased the latency of C-fiber responses from control values of 8-12 sec to approximately 4 sec after topical capsaicin treatment. The mean latency of the foot withdrawal response to skin heating at the low rate is also reduced from control values of 12-14 sec to 4-5 sec after capsaicin treatment. In contrast, capsaicin treatment did not significantly affect the responses of A delta nociceptors. These results support the conclusion that nociceptive foot withdrawal responses to a low rate of skin heating are mediated predominantly by the activation of C-fiber nociceptors. These results provide direct evidence that, under the conditions of these experiments, nociceptive foot withdrawal responses evoked by high rates of skin heating are primarily mediated by A delta nociceptors, and foot withdrawal responses evoked by low rates of skin heating are primarily mediated by C-fiber nociceptors.     

Influence of Particle Size Distribution on Ductile-Phase Toughening in Brittle Materials

In ductile-phase-toughened brittle materials the size distribution of the ductile phase sometimes has a remarkable effect on toughening. An equation for predicting the toughness increment due to crack bridging, taking into account a ductile-phase particle size distribution, has been deduced. Comparison between the toughness value predicted by the equation and that obtained from a double cantilever beam (DCB) method on a Al2O3–20 vol% Ni composite material has shown that the equation gives a more reasonable estimate of the toughness than previous equations.     

Maturation and differentiation of cultured fetal stomach. Effects of corticosteroids, pentagastrin, and cytochalasin B

Gastric mucosa of fetal rats undergoes striking developmental changes during the last few days of gestation in utero. To investigate some aspects of this process, gastric explants from 18-day fetuses (4 days before birth) were maintained in organ culture for 3 days, then assessed by light and electron microscopy. The epithelia from base line uncultured stomachs were stratified and morphologically undifferentiated. During culture in basic medium (Leibovitz L 15), modest maturation of antral and fundic architecture occurred, characterized by epithelial invagination to produce small pit-glands. Secretory granules appeared in occasional epithelial cells, and cytochemistry indicated that most were mucous granules. Addition of pentagastrin (10(-9) to 2 X 10(-7) M) did not induce further morphological maturation in this system. However, addition of cortisol (10(-6) to 10(-5) M) resulted in a marked, dose-related increase of pit-gland formation and of cytological differentiation (appearance of secretory granules). This cortisol-induced architectural maturation was completely inhibited by the mold metabolite cytochalasin B (10(-5) M). The results indicate that fetal gastric maturation can be partially reproduced by culture in chemically defined media, and also suggest that corticosteroids may plan an important role in gastric organogenesis.     

Lattice Boltzmann simulations of contact line motion in a liquid-gas system

We use a lattice Boltzmann algorithm for liquid-gas coexistence to investigate the steady-state interface profile of a droplet held between two shearing walls. The algorithm solves the hydrodynamic equations of motion for the system. Partial wetting at the walls is implemented to agree with Cahn theory. This allows us to investigate the processes which lead to the motion of the three-phase contact line. We confirm that the profiles are a function of the capillary number and a finite-size analysis shows the emergence of a dynamic contact angle, which can be defined in a region where the interfacial curvature tends to zero.     

Patient noncompliance in the managed care setting. The case of medical therapy for glaucoma

After treatment with TCDD, the activities of cytosolic AhR-associated c-Src kinase, microsomal protein kinase C (nPKC epsilon), microsomal c-Src kinase, nuclear p44/42 MAPK, c-Jun N terminus kinase, and the amount of microsomal pan-Ras protein were different in males and females. TCDD did not decrease body or adipose tissue weights in transgenic src-deficient male mice as compared to their wild-type littermates, and the activity of AhR-associated c-Src kinase was not increased by TCDD in src-deficient male mice. Similar results were obtained when TCDD was given to male guinea pigs treated with the Src-kinase inhibitor, geldanamycin. Treatment with estradiol protected male guinea pigs from TCDD-induced wasting. TCDD induced similar changes in protein tyrosine kinase activity in adipose tissues of castrated male and intact female guinea pigs. The gender-specific mechanisms of TCDD-induced toxicity appear to involve c-Src kinase, nPKC epsilon, and pan-Ras, as well as overlap in the cytosolic signal transduction pathways of TCDD and sex steroids.