Three-dimensional MHD boundary layer flow due to an axisymmetric shrinking sheet with radiation, viscous dissipation and heat source/sink

An analysis is made to study a three dimensional MHD boundary layer flow and heat transfer due to a porous axisymmetric shrinking sheet. The governing partial differential equations of momentum and energy are transformed into self similar non-linear ordinary differential equations by using the suitable similarity transformations. These equations are, then solved by using the variational finite element method. The flow phenomena is characterised by the magnetic parameter M, suction parameter S, porosity parameter Kp, heat source/sink parameter Q, Prandtl number Pr, Eckert number Ec and radiation parameter Rd. The numerical results of the velocity and temperature profiles are obtained and displayed graphically

Mechanical control of molecular aggregation and fluorescence switching/enhancement in an ultrathin film

Optical responses of molecular aggregates and assemblies are often different from that of the individual molecules. Self-assembly approaches provide little physical control on the extent of aggregation. Mechanical compression of amphiphilic molecules (with chromophore/fluorophore head groups) at the air–water interface, followed by transfer as Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) films, should prove to be an elegant route to molecular assemblies with systematically tunable aggregation and optical responses. This concept is demonstrated using monolayer LB films of a diaminodicyanoquinodimethane (DADQ)-based amphiphile fabricated at different surface pressures. Films deposited above a threshold pressure exhibit a strong blue-shift in the absorption and fluorescence relative to those deposited below; computational investigations suggest that this is due to the formation of 2-dimensional close-packed assemblies. Significantly, the blue emission of the films deposited above the threshold pressure increases with compaction, demonstrating aggregation-induced fluorescence enhancement in ultrathin films, a phenomenon well-established in crystals and nanocrystals of selected classes of molecules including the DADQs. The sharp contrast with aggregation-induced fluorescence quenching observed with most dye molecules is illustrated by a parallel investigation of LB films of a hemicyanine-based amphiphile. The present study illustrates the efficacy of simple mechanical compression and the LB technique in fabricating ultrathin films with tailored supramolecular assembly and optical responses

Determination and Analysis of Line-Shape Induced Enhancement of Stimulated Brillouin Scattering in Noise Broadened, Narrow Linewidth, High Power Fiber Lasers

We investigate the origin of line-shape induced enhancement of stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) in narrow linewidth, noise broadened, high-power fiber lasers. A polarization-maintaining seed laser with continuously tunable linewidth (single frequency to >10 GHz), based on white noise modulation was developed for this study. With increasing linewidths, a substantial difference in SBS thresholds was observed depending on the end termination utilized. This observation can be explained by the line-broadened source, having significant power in the Stokes frequency at larger linewidths, seeding the SBS process. Here, SBS threshold for the system terminated with an anti-reflection coated delivery cable is compared with a simple angle cleaved end termination. The influence of end termination on SBS threshold becomes significant with increased linewidths, showing >20% difference in output power between the two cases at ∼10 GHz linewidth. The experiments are complemented by simulations, analyzing relative contributions of Rayleigh scattering and fiber end-facet reflections to SBS. At larger linewidths, due to substantial overlap between laser line-shape and SBS Stokes, with low end-facet reflectivity, Rayleigh is the dominant mechanism, which gives way to end-facet reflections with increasing reflectivity. The Rayleigh contribution is negligible at smaller linewidths, and end-facet reflectivity has a weaker influence than with larger linewidths

Enhanced optical and nonlinear optical responses in a polyelectrolyte template Longmuir-Blodgett film

Optical and nonlinear optical properties like fluorescence and second harmonic generation (SHG) of molecular materials can be strongly influenced by the mode of assembly of the molecules. The Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique is an elegant route to the controlled assembly of molecules in ultra thin films, and complication of ionic amphiphiles in the Langmuir film by polyions introduced in the aqueous subphase provides a simple and efficient access to further control, stabilization, and optimization. The monolayer LB film of the hemicyanine-based amphiphile, N-n-octadecyl-4-[2-(4-(N,N-ethyloctadecylamino)phenyl)ethenyl]pyridinium possessing a "tail-head-tail" structure, shows fluorescence as well as SHG response. The concomitant enhancement of both of these linear and nonlinear optical attributes is achieved through templating with the polyanion of carboxymethylcellulose. Brewster angle and atomic force microscopy reveal the influence of polyelectrolyte templating on the morphology of the Langmuir and LB films. Polarized absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy provide insight into the impact of complexation with the polyelectrolyte on the orientation and deaggregation of the hemicyanine headgroup leading to fluorescence and SHG enhancement in the LB film

Food functionalities and bioactivities of protein isolates recovered from skipjack tuna roe by isoelectric solubilization and precipitation

Four roe protein isolates (RPIs) from skipjack tuna were prepared using isoelectric solubilization (pH 11 and 12) and precipitation (pH 4.5 and 5.5) (ISP) at different pH points to evaluate their physicochemical and functional properties and in vitro bioactivities. Moisture (<6.3%) and protein (71%–77%) content were maintained. Sulfur, sodium, phosphorus, and potassium were the major elements, and glutamic acid and leucine were the prevalent amino acids (12.2–12.8 and 9.6–9.8 g/100 g protein, respectively) in RPIs. RPI-1 showed the highest buffering capacity at pH 7–12. RPIs and casein showed similar water-holding capacities. At pH 12, RPI-1(pH 11/4.5) showed the highest solubility, followed by RPI-3(pH 12/4.5), RPI-2(pH 11/5.5), and RPI-4(pH 12/5.5) (p < .05). Oil-in-water emulsifying activity indices of RPI-1 and RPI-3 significantly differed. At pH 2 and 7–12, pH-shift treatment improved the food functionality of RPIs, which was superior to positive controls (casein and hemoglobin). RPI-1 showed ABTS+ radical scavenging (102.7 μg/ml) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activities (44.0%)