An integrated radiotracer approach for the laboratory evaluation of scale inhibitors performance in geological environments

The applicability of a newly developed radiotracer technique as a reliable laboratory procedure for the evaluation of scale inhibitors performance to prevent mineral precipitation is demonstrated. The performance of two new environmentally friendly inhibitors to prevent calcite and barite scale was evaluated experimentally in connection with a standard phosphonate-type scale inhibitor using the radioactive tracer technology. The radiotracers ⁴⁷Ca and ¹³¹Ba were employed in order to monitor at real-time calcite and barite scale formation, respectively. The results show that the developed radiotracer technique can be established as a novel method for the determination of the minimum inhibitor concentration (MIC) under dynamic, reservoir conditions. In addition, the radioactive tritiated water (HTO) was used as a reference water tracer to identify the inhibitors’ properties, such as adsorption/desorption characteristics, in sandpack-flooding tests. Further issues regarding the implementation of the radiotracer technology for the laboratory evaluation of scale inhibitors performance are also discussed.     

Bayesian feature and model selection for Gaussian mixture models

We present a Bayesian method for mixture model training that simultaneously treats the feature selection and the model selection problem. The method is based on the integration of a mixture model formulation that takes into account the saliency of the features and a Bayesian approach to mixture learning that can be used to estimate the number of mixture components. The proposed learning algorithm follows the variational framework and can simultaneously optimize over the number of components, the saliency of the features, and the parameters of the mixture model. Experimental results using high-dimensional artificial and real data illustrate the effectiveness of the method.     

The global k-means clustering algorithm

We present the global k-means algorithm which is an incremental approach to clustering that dynamically adds one cluster center at a time through a deterministic global search procedure consisting of N (with N being the size of the data set) executions of the k-means algorithm from suitable initial positions. We also propose modifications of the method to reduce the computational load without significantly affecting solution quality. The proposed clustering methods are tested on well-known data sets and they compare favorably to the k-means algorithm with random restarts.     

Theoretical and experimental investigation of pulsed laser grooving process

A theoretical model has been developed for simulating the laser grooving process. It takes into account the interaction among subsequent pulses, the required time for the melting temperature to be reached and the subsequent removal of a finite volume of material during each laser pulse. The model predicts the maximum groove depth that can be achieved for a specified set of process parameters, such as laser power, pulsing frequency, and scanning velocity. The theoretical predictions have been experimentally tested with a medium-power laser beam.     

A new method for the control of the river Nile

This paper introduces a new stochastic control method, Extended Linear Quadratic Gaussian control, that appears to be particularly promising for the management of complex reservoir configurations such as the River Nile system. The method is introduced by means of a short case study related to the regulation of the Equatorial Lakes in the Nile basin. If the necessary data are available, the method can be easily adapted to the entire Nile system and used to investigate a variety of management issues.     

First experience with the use of compression cerclage Gundolf in orthopaedic and trauma surgery. A preliminary report

A frequent side effect of cyclosporin A (CsA) administration is gingival overgrowth. Although the molecular mechanisms of CsA-induced gingival overgrowth are still unknown, it has been postulated that CsA acts on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce fibroblastic activity, which results in an increase of the extracellular matrix. Here we provide evidence that CsA is able to affect signal transduction of LPS-induced collagenase expression in fibroblasts. Treatment of fibroblasts with LPS caused activation of collagenase gene, activator protein-1 (AP-1) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). These activations were blocked by CsA. We suggest that inhibitory effects of CsA on LPS-induced signal transduction may contribute to the mechanism of CsA-induced gingival overgrowth.     

Thermal characteristics of an air-cooled open-cathode proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack via numerical investigation

In light of stricter emissions regulations and depleting fossil fuel reserves, fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) are one of the leading alternatives for powering future vehicles. An open-cathode, air-cooled proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stack provides a relatively simple electric generation system for a vehicle in terms of system complexity and number of components. The temperature within a PEMFC stack is critical to its level of performance and the electrochemical efficiency. Previously created computational models to study and predict the stack temperature have been limited in their scale and the inaccurate assumption that temperature is uniform throughout. The present work details the creation of a numerical model to study the temperature distribution of an 80-cell Ballard 1020ACS stack by simulating the cooling airflow across the stack. Using computational fluid dynamics, a steady-state airflow simulation was performed using experimental data to form boundary conditions where possible. Additionally, a parametric study was performed to investigate the effect of the distance between the stack and cooling fan on stack performance. Model validation was performed against published results. The temperature distribution across the stack was identical for the central 70% of the cells, with eccentric temperatures observed at the stack extremities, while the difference between coolant and bipolar plate temperatures was approximately 10°C at the cooling channel outlets. The results of the parametric study showed that the fan-stack distance has a negligible effect on stack performance. The assumptions regarding stack temperature uniformity and measurement were challenged. Lastly, the hypothesis regarding the negligible effect of fan-stack distance on stack performance was confirmed.     

Fibro/chondrogenic differentiation of dental stem cells into chitosan/alginate scaffolds towards temporomandibular joint disc regeneration

Tissue engineering (TE) may provide effective alternative treatment for challenging temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pathologies associated with disc malpositioning or degeneration and leading to severe masticatory dysfunction. Aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of chitosan/alginate (Ch/Alg) scaffolds to promote fibro/chondrogenic differentiation of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and production of fibrocartilage tissue, serving as a replacement of the natural TMJ disc. Ch/Alg scaffolds were fabricated by crosslinking with CaCl2 combined or not with glutaraldehyde, resulting in two scaffold types that were physicochemically characterized, seeded with DPSCs or human nucleus pulposus cells (hNPCs) used as control and evaluated for cell attachment, viability, and proliferation. The DPSCs/scaffold constructs were incubated for up to 8 weeks and assessed for extracellular matrix production by means of histology, immunofluorescence, and thermomechanical analysis. Both Ch/Alg scaffold types with a mass ratio of 1:1 presented a gel-like structure with interconnected pores. Scaffolds supported cell adhesion and long-term viability/proliferation of DPSCs and hNPCs. DPSCs cultured into Ch/Alg scaffolds demonstrated a significant increase of gene expression of fibrocartilaginous markers (COLI, COL X, SOX9, COM, ACAN) after up to 3 weeks in culture. Dynamic thermomechanical analysis revealed that scaffolds loaded with DPSCs significantly increased storage modulus and elastic response compared to cell-free scaffolds, obtaining values similar to those of native TMJ disc. Histological data and immunochemical staining for aggrecan after 4 to 8 weeks indicated that the scaffolds support abundant fibrocartilaginous tissue formation, thus providing a promising strategy for TMJ disc TE-based replacement.

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Multiscale modeling reveals poisoning mechanisms of MgO-supported Au clusters in CO oxidation

Catalyst deactivation mechanisms on MgO-supported Au(6) clusters are studied for the CO oxidation reaction via first-principle kinetic Monte Carlo simulations and shown to depend on support vacancies. In defect-poor MgO or in the presence of a Mg vacancy, O(2) does not bind to the clusters and the catalyst is poisoned by CO. On Au clusters interacting with O vacancies of the support, O(2) can be chemisorbed and transient activity is observed. In this case, an unexpected catalyst "breathing" mechanism (restructuring) leads to carbonate formation and catalyst deactivation, rationalizing several experimental observations. Our study underscores the importance of the cluster's charge state and dynamics on catalytic activity.