Efficiency,recovery and productivity of continuous reverse osmosis systems: new closed expressions

Numerical and approximate analytical solutions for salt concentration polarization in hyperfiltration with laminar flow in a flat sheet configuration are presented. The analysis accounts for the variation of the water flux in the longitudinal direction. Approximate solutions were obtained with an integral method which was found to provide good agreement with the numerical solution. The integral method allows one to obtain closed expressions for the productivity Q, the recovery R and the efficiency E of a reverse osmosis system which can be applied relatively quickly in design calculations.In this analysis the physical properties of the solution are taken to be constant.     

Solid state bonding of Al2O3 with Cu, Ni and Fe: characteristics and properties

A solid state bonding technique under hot pressing was used for joining alumina with thin metal sheets of Ni, Cu and Fe. The microstructure and microchemistry of the ceramic–metal interface and of the fracture interface were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), in order to identify the adhesion mechanisms and the nature of strength limiting flaws. Interaction between the selected metals and alumina can be physical or physico-chemical in nature: very low amounts of interfacial compounds were formed, depending on the processing conditions and on the presence of oxygen in the system. Fracture and toughness tests indicated that high ceramic–metal interface strengths (up to 177 MPa) were achieved under the adopted processing conditions and that strength and toughness were directly related. Moreover, an increase in hardening in the metal interlayer at a distance of 2–3 m from the interface was observed in the samples with high strength values. The mechanical behaviour was related to several factors that strongly depend on the bonding conditions: plastic deformation of the metal, metal creep, metal intrusion and diffusion into alumina, and chemical reactions at the interface. © 1998 Chapman & Hall     

Proteomics and Extracellular Vesicles as Novel Biomarker Sources in Peritoneal Dialysis in Children

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) represents the dialysis modality of choice for pediatric patients with end-stage kidney disease. Indeed, compared with hemodialysis (HD), it offers many advantages, including more flexibility, reduction of the risk of hospital-acquired infections, preservation of residual kidney function, and a better quality of life. However, despite these positive aspects, PD may be associated with several long-term complications that may impair both patient’s general health and PD adequacy. In this view, chronic inflammation, caused by different factors, has a detrimental impact on the structure and function of the peritoneal membrane, leading to sclerosis and consequent PD failure both in adults and children. Although several studies investigated the complex pathogenic pathways underlying peritoneal membrane alterations, these processes remain still to explore. Understanding these mechanisms may provide novel approaches to improve the clinical outcome of pediatric PD patients through the identification of subjects at high risk of complications and the implementation of personalized interventions. In this review, we discuss the main experimental and clinical experiences exploring the potentiality of the proteomic analysis of peritoneal fluids and extracellular vesicles as a source of novel biomarkers in pediatric peritoneal dialysis.     

Supplementation with SCFAs Re-Establishes Microbiota Composition and Attenuates Hyperalgesia and Pain in a Mouse Model of NTG-Induced Migraine

Migraine is a common brain-disorder that affects 15% of the population. Converging evidence shows that migraine is associated with gastrointestinal disorders. However, the mechanisms underlying the interaction between the gut and brain in patients with migraine are not clear. In this study, we evaluated the role of the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) as sodium propionate (SP) and sodium butyrate (SB) on microbiota profile and intestinal permeability in a mouse model of migraine induced by nitroglycerine (NTG). The mice were orally administered SB and SP at the dose of 10, 30 and 100 mg/kg, 5 min after NTG intraperitoneal injections. Behavioral tests were used to evaluate migraine-like pain. Histological and molecular analyses were performed on the intestine. The composition of the intestinal microbiota was extracted from frozen fecal samples and sequenced with an Illumina MiSeq System. Our results demonstrated that the SP and SB treatments attenuated hyperalgesia and pain following NTG injection. Moreover, SP and SB reduced histological damage in the intestine and restored intestinal permeability and the intestinal microbiota profile. These results provide corroborating evidence that SB and SP exert a protective effect on central sensitization induced by NTG through a modulation of intestinal microbiota, suggesting the potential application of SCFAs as novel supportive therapies for intestinal disfunction associated with migraine.     

Synthesis of scanning electron microscopy images by high performance computing for the metrology of advanced CMOS processes

Scanning electron microscopy is still the technique of choice for imaging and for in-line measurement of critical dimensions and overlay accuracy in most of the core technology processes. In particular, critical dimension microscopy provides information about design template matching and edge placement errors through links with design having proven beneficial effects on process yield and product reliability. In this paper, the use of high performance computing is demonstrated to simulate linescans and 2D secondary electron images to be used in optical proximity error correction strategies for nanometer scale technologies.     

Semantic-driven grid-enabled computer-aided engineering of aperture-antenna arrays

In this paper, we propose a novel architecture for computer-aided engineering (CAE) of rectangular aperture arrays that takes advantage of semantic grid computing technologies. This allows the implementation of the CAE environment in a service-oriented framework, where CAE applications are built up at run time, by exploiting remote services through the grid. The identification and localization of remote services and their orchestration is simplified by semantic facilities, centered around a CAE ontology. This provides a structured, conceptual representation of hardware and software resources, including CAE services, which is understandable both by humans and software agents. The implemented prototype demonstrates how semantic grids satisfy the strong need for cooperation tools in the CAE of microwave circuits and antennas, and represents an effective pathway towards the automatic generation of design tools, attained by integrating electromagnetic software available through the Web.     

Nanostructured Metallo‐Dielectric Quasi‐Crystals: Towards Photonic‐Plasmonic Resonance Engineering

The first evidence of out‐of‐plane resonances in hybrid metallo‐dielectric quasi‐crystal (QC) nanostructures composed of metal‐backed aperiodically patterned low‐contrast dielectric layers is reported. Via experimental measurements and full‐wave numerical simulations, these resonant phenomena are characterized with specific reference to the Ammann‐Beenker (quasi‐ periodic, octagonal) tiling lattice geometry and the underlying physics is investigated. In particular, it is shown that, by comparison with standard periodic structures, a moderately richer spectrum of resonant modes may be excited, due to the easier achievement of phase‐matching conditions endowed by its denser Bragg spectrum. Such modes are characterized by a distinctive plasmonic or photonic behavior, discriminated by their field distribution and dependence on the metal film thickness. Moreover, the response is accurately predicted via computationally affordable periodic‐approximant‐based numerical modeling. The enhanced capability of QCs to control number, spectral position, and mode distribution of hybrid resonances may be exploited in a variety of possible applications. To assess this aspect, label‐free biosensing is studied via characterization of the surface sensitivity of the proposed structures with respect to local refractive index changes. Moreover, it is also shown that the resonance‐engineering capabilities of QC nanostructures may be effectively exploited in order to enhance the absorption efficiency of thin‐film solar cells.     

Grid computing for electromagnetics: a beginner's guide with applications

The demand for computing power in computational electromagnetics (CEM) is continuously increasing. Meanwhile, cooperative engineering is becoming more and more present in daily research and development workflows. Projects are often developed by teams, which interact remotely, and need tighter and tighter connectivity. Grid computing (GC), from the perspective of progress in computer networks, seems a promising way to satisfy both the need of high-performance computing platforms, and the requirements for effective cooperative computing. In this paper, researchers involved in CEM are introduced to grid computing, and to the use of grid computing for CEM. Two real applications are proposed, with a critical discussion on potential benefits and drawbacks with respect to alternative strategies.