A high density of vertically-oriented graphenes for use in electric double layer capacitors

The growth, capacitance and frequency response of vertically-oriented graphenes grown by radio frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition on nickel substrates and used as electrodes in electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs) are presented. The graphenes grown on the grain boundary of substrates show a faster growth rate, but less ordered structure than in the center of the nickel grain. At a few nanometers away from the grain boundaries the graphenes grow vertically at the rate of 70–80 nm per minute. The film height increased linearly with growth time from 700 nm (10 min sample) to 3.1 μm (40 min sample). Raman spectra show that the intensity ratio of the D band to G band gradually decreased with growth time to a value of 0.5, indicating that the crystalline order of the graphene increases with height. The specific capacitance of symmetric, parallel plate EDLC devices fabricated with these films was found to increase in a linear fashion with growth time up to values greater than 120 μF/cm² at 1 kHz. An impedance phase angle of ?45° was reached at 30 kHz. Specific capacitance normalized to growth height suggests that mechanisms other than double layer charge storage on planar surface area were operative.     

Glycerol citrate polyesters produced through heating without catalysis

The influence of various heating methods without catalysis to prepare polyesters from citric acid : glycerol blends were studied. In the presence of short-term microwave treatments, i.e., 60 s at 1200 W, blends of glycerol and citric acid invariably formed solid amorphous polyesters. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that citric acid and glycerol blends can form highly stable polymers composed of ester bonds. The glycerol citrate polyester polymers exhibited the least degradation in water, more in acid solutions (0.1–1.0M HCl), and the most deterioration in strong alkaline solutions (0.1–1.0M NaOH) after 72 h soakings. Polyesters of glycerol and citric acid were studied with differential scanning calorimetry and thermal gravimetric analysis. The polyesters were found to be thermally stable (up to 313°C). © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Tensile testing and fracture mechanism analysis of polyvinyl alcohol nanofibrous webs

A tensile properties testing study was conducted to understand the influence of thickness, cross-head speed (speed of testing), gauge length (GL; specimen test length), and sample shape on important tensile properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofiber webs. The effects of each testing parameter on load at break, extension at break, Young's modulus, and tensile stress–strain curve of PVA nanofiber webs are analyzed. The Welch two sample t-tests show the significant difference among tested data. Using interaction plots, two-way analysis of variance, and margin mean plots, the interaction effects among testing parameters have been analyzed. Of all the factors, cross-head speed, the interaction among GL, and sample thickness (GL: Thickness) and the interaction among GL, testing speed and sample thickness (GL: Speed: Thickness) have significant influence on the tensile properties of PVA nanofiber webs. Moreover, the hypothesized model of mechanism of tensile strain–stress curve of PVA nanofiber webs has been proposed. Based on the model, the tensile strain–stress curve can be split into three stages: linear elastic, partial break up, and complete breakage. This study will provide a better understanding of tensile testing parameters' effects and their interaction effects on the tensile properties of nanowebs.     

Selective Desulfurization Significantly Expands Sequence Variety of 3'-Peptidyl-tRNA Mimics Obtained by Native Chemical Ligation

Accessible: Functionally complex 3'-peptidyl-RNA conjugates can be efficiently desulfurized under free radical reaction conditions as demonstrated here. One-pot procedures for native chemical ligation (NCL) and desulfurization enable sequences for this class of bioconjugates that are inaccessible by other methods.     

H型气体水合物导热系数的分子动力学模拟

气体水合物^[1]是由水和小分子气体形成的非水学计量型笼型晶体。到目前为止,已经发现的气体水合物结构有3种,即Ⅰ型、Ⅱ型和H型,水合物的导热系数是一个很重要的物性参数,人们已对Ⅰ型和Ⅱ型水合物的导热系数进行了较多的实验和理论研究,包括分子模拟研究^[2],由于H型水合物发现较晚,其导热系数无论是实验值还是理论值均未见文献报道,因此本文对H型水合物的导热系数进行了分子动力学模拟。为了给H型气体水合物导热系数的模拟计算提供可靠的热能模型和模拟算法,本文首先对冰体系和空水合物的导热系数进行了分子动力学模拟。     

Synthetic Modular Antibody Construction by Using the SpyTag/SpyCatcher Protein-Ligase System

Efforts to engineer recombinant antibodies for specific diagnostic and therapy applications are time consuming and expensive, as each new recombinant antibody needs to be optimized for expression, stability, bio-distribution, and pharmacokinetics. We have developed a new way to construct recombinant antibody-like “devices” by using a bottom-up approach to build them from well-behaved discrete recombinant antibody domains or “parts”. Studies on antibody structure and function have identified antibody constant and variable domains with specific functions that can be expressed in isolation. We used the SpyTag/SpyCatcher protein ligase to join these parts together, thereby creating devices with desired properties based on summed properties of parts and in configurations that cannot be obtained by using genetic engineering. This strategy will create optimized recombinant antibody devices at reduced costs and with shortened development times.     

How the Influence of Different Salts on Interfacial Properties of Surfactant–Oil–Water Systems at Optimum Formulation Matches the Hofmeister Series Ranking

In this work, we present the effects of salts on sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate micellization and on the interfacial performance of a sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate–heptane–brine system at optimum formulation, i.e., hydrophilic–lipophilic deviation (HLD) = 0. In order to do that, interfacial tension and dilational interfacial rheology properties of surfactant–heptane–water systems at optimum formulation are measured using an interfacial spinning drop tensiometer with an oscillating velocity, which can accurately measure interfacial rheology properties at both low and ultralow interfacial tensions. The brines used contain one of the following salts: MgCl₂, CaCl₂, NaCl, NH₄Cl, NaNO₃, CH₃COONa, or Na₂SO₄. We performed a one-dimensional salinity scan with each of these salts to achieve an optimum formulation. In relation to the Hofmeister series, we found that, at optimum formulation, systems with chaotropic ions (NH₄⁺, NO₃⁻) present interfaces with ultralow interfacial tensions, very low dilational modulus, and a low phase angle, whereas kosmotropic ions (Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, SO₄⁻²) generate high interfacial tension and high rigidity monolayers. Intermediate ions in the Hofmeister series (Na⁺, CH₃COO⁻, Cl⁻) present interfaces with intermediate properties. Furthermore, according to the Hofmeister series, interfaces can be respectively ordered from higher to lower rigidity for surfactant counterions Mg²⁺ > Ca²⁺ > Na⁺ > NH₄⁺ and coions SO₄²⁻ > CH₃COO^– > Cl⁻ > NO₃⁻, which correspond to a salting-out (highest rigidity) and salting-in (lowest rigidity) effect. We observed that counterions have a more significant effect on surfactant–oil–water system properties than those that act as coions.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Telmisartan-Derived Cell Death Modulators to Circumvent Imatinib Resistance in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

New strategies to eradicate cancer stem cells in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) include a combination of imatinib with peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) ligands. Recently, we identified the partial PPARγ agonist telmisartan as effective sensitizer of resistant K562 CML cells to imatinib treatment. Here, the importance of the heterocyclic core on the cell death-modulating effects of the telmisartan-derived lead 4′-((2-propyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl)methyl)-[1,1′-biphenyl]-2-carboxylic acid ( 3 b ) was investigated. Inspired by the pharmacodynamics of HYL-6d and the selective PPARγ ligand VSP-51, the benzimidazole was replaced by a carbazole or an indole core. The results indicate no correlation between PPARγ activation and sensitization of resistant CML cells to imatinib. The 2-COOH derivatives of the carbazoles or indoles achieved low activity at PPARγ, while the benzimidazoles showed 60-100 % activation. Among the 2-CO₂CH₃ derivatives, only the ester of the lead ( 2 b ) slightly activated PPARγ. Sensitizing effects were further observed for this non-cytotoxic 2 b (80 % cell death), and to a lesser extent for the lead 3 b or the 5-Br-substituted ester of the benzimidazoles ( 5 b ).     

Static fatigue of Hi-Nicalon™-S fiber at elevated temperature in air,steam, and silicic acid-saturated steam

A facility for testing SiC fiber tows in static fatigue and creep at elevated temperatures in air and steam was developed. Static fatigue of Hi-Nicalon™-S fibers was investigated at 800°C-1100°C at applied stresses between 115 and 1250 MPa in air, in Si(OH)₄(g)-saturated steam, and in unsaturated steam. Fibers tested in Si(OH)₄(g)-saturated steam and in air had silica scales throughout the test sections, but those tested in unsaturated steam did not develop scales near the steam injection point. Fiber lifetimes in static fatigue were shortest in unsaturated steam, intermediate in Si(OH)₄(g)-saturated steam, and longest in air. Failure strains did not exceed 0.3%. Steady-state strain rates and static fatigue lifetimes are modelled empirically by the Monkman-Grant relationship. Failure mechanisms are discussed.     

Spatial and temporal variability in methane emissions from rice paddies: Implications for assessing regional methane budgets

Growing concern over anthropogenic global climate change has intensified the need to develop accurate budgets of atmospheric methane and other greenhouse gases. Globally, flooded rice cultivation represents a major source of atmospheric methane that is expected to grow with human population. However, current estimates of global methane flux from rice paddies vary by roughly 50%. Understanding the sources of this large variability is critical for developing management strategies for atmospheric methane. Using data collected each growing season from Texas, USA, rice paddies over a 9-year period we examined the spatial and temporal sources of methane flux variability. Using standard deviation of the mean methane flux as a measured of variability, we found that accounting for rice plant height and grain yield reduced spatial variability from 25.2 to 17.7% of the mean. Temporal variability over the entire 9-year data set was 49% of the mean, 71% of which was explained by variations in average rice plant height and total nitrogen fertilizer application. The magnitude of temporal and spatial variability suggests that reliance on single-field studies for determination of global methane budgets may be questionable.