1,209 research outputs found
Supported liquid membranes modification with sulphonated poly(ether ether ketone). Permeability, selectivity and stability
The development of a new type of composite membrane consisting of a microfiltration support membrane, an immobilised liquid membrane phase and a hydrophilic, charged polymer layer and its function as a supported liquid membrane (SLM) for copper selective transport are described. The ion-exchange layers function as stabilisation layers to improve the membrane lifetime and consist of sulphonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK). This polymer shows a high permeability for copper ions due to the presence of fixed negative charges and to its swelling capacity in an aqueous phase. A method was developed to prepare composite membranes composed of the support membranes Celgard with one stabilisation layer on either the feed or strip side of the membrane or on both sides. Good adhesion of homogeneous, negatively charged, hydrophilic SPEEK layers to the hydrophobic macroporous support membranes could only be established when the support membranes were first hydrophilised with a concentrated sulphuric acid solution containing 5 wt% free SO3. The lifetime of the SLMs is significantly improved when one stabilisation layer is applied at the strip side or two layers at both sides of the SLM. A second advantage of this composite SLM is the increase in copper flux caused by a decrease in thickness of liquid membrane phase. However, when SPEEK penetrates entirely through some pores of the support membrane, ions diffuse non-specifically through the SPEEK matrix resulting in an undesired selectivity loss. This phenomenon occurs only when thin Celgard membranes are used as support membranes
Reversible Random Sequential Adsorption of Dimers on a Triangular Lattice
We report on simulations of reversible random sequential adsorption of dimers
on three different lattices: a one-dimensional lattice, a two-dimensional
triangular lattice, and a two-dimensional triangular lattice with the nearest
neighbors excluded. In addition to the adsorption of particles at a rate K+, we
allow particles to leave the surface at a rate K-. The results from the
one-dimensional lattice model agree with previous results for the continuous
parking lot model. In particular, the long-time behavior is dominated by
collective events involving two particles. We were able to directly confirm the
importance of two-particle events in the simple two-dimensional triangular
lattice. For the two-dimensional triangular lattice with the nearest neighbors
excluded, the observed dynamics are consistent with this picture. The
two-dimensional simulations were motivated by measurements of Ca++ binding to
Langmuir monolayers. The two cases were chosen to model the effects of changing
pH in the experimental system.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figure
Hepatitis C Virus NS5B Protein Is a Membrane-Associated Phosphoprotein with a Predominantly Perinuclear Localization
AbstractHepatitis C virus NS5B protein is an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. To investigate the properties and function of this protein, we have expressed the NS5B protein in insect and mammalian cells. NS5B was found to be present as fine speckles in the cytoplasm, particularly concentrated in the perinuclear region, suggesting its association with the nuclear membrane, the endoplasmic reticulum, or the Golgi complex. This conclusion was supported by the biochemical demonstration that NS5B was associated with the membranes in the cells. Furthermore, it was shown that NS5B protein is a phosphoprotein. These properties may be related to its function as an RNA polymerase
Electronic Raman scattering and photoluminescence from LaSrMnO exhibiting giant magnetoresistance
Raman and Photoluminescence (PL) experiments on correlated metallic
LaSrMnO have been carried out using different excitation
wavelengths as a function of temperature from 15 K to 300 K. Our data suggest a
Raman mode centered at 1800 cm and a PL band at 2.2 eV. The intensities
of the two peaks decrease with increasing temperature. The Raman mode can be
attributed to a plasmon excitation whose frequency and linewidths are
consistent with the measured resistivities. The PL involves intersite
electronic transitions of the manganese ions.Comment: 10 pages + 4 eps figures, Revtex 3.0, figures available on reques
Standing Spin Wave Resonances in Manganite Films
We report the first observation of spin wave resonances in 110 nm thick films
of LBMO. The spin wave stiffness follows = 47 (1 - 3 \times 10
) meV.Comment: 5 pages LATEX, 3 figures available on request. Submitted to Nature.
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Long-term trends in tropical cyclone tracks around Korea and Japan in late summer and early fall
This study investigates long-term trends in tropical cyclones (TCs) over the extratropical western North Pacific (WNP) over a period of 35 years (1982-2016). The area analyzed extended across 30-45 degrees N and 120-150 degrees E, including the regions of Korea and Japan that were seriously affected by TCs. The northward migration of TCs over the WNP to the mid-latitudes showed a sharp increase in early fall. In addition, the duration of TCs over the WNP that migrated northwards showed an increase, specifically in early to mid-September. Therefore, more recently, TC tracks have been observed to significantly extend into the mid-latitudes. The recent northward extension of TC tracks over the WNP in early fall was observed to be associated with changes in environmental conditions that were favorable for TC activities, including an increase in sea surface temperature (SST), decrease in vertical wind shear, expansion of subtropical highs, strong easterly steering winds, and an increase in relative vorticity. In contrast, northward migrations of TCs to Korea and Japan showed a decline in late August, because of the presence of unfavorable environmental conditions for TC activities. These changes in environmental conditions, such as SST and vertical wind shear, can be partially associated with the Pacific decadal oscillation
SO(10) unified models and soft leptogenesis
Motivated by the fact that, in some realistic models combining SO(10) GUTs
and flavour symmetries, it is not possible to achieve the required baryon
asymmetry through the CP asymmetry generated in the decay of right-handed
neutrinos, we take a fresh look on how deep this connection is in SO(10). The
common characteristics of these models are that they use the see-saw with
right-handed neutrinos, predict a normal hierarchy of masses for the neutrinos
observed in oscillating experiments and in the basis where the right-handed
Majorana mass is diagonal, the charged lepton mixings are tiny.
In addition these models link the up-quark Yukawa matrix to the neutrino
Yukawa matrix Y^\nu with the special feature of Y^\nu_{11}-> 0 Using this
condition, we find that the required baryon asymmetry of the Universe can be
explained by the soft leptogenesis using the soft B parameter of the second
lightest right-handed neutrino whose mass turns out to be around 10^8 GeV. It
is pointed out that a natural way to do so is to use no-scale supergravity
where the value of B ~1 GeV is set through gauge-loop corrections.Comment: 26 pages, 2 figures. Added references, new appendix of a relevant fit
and improved comment
Meson Exchange Currents in (e,e'p) recoil polarization observables
A study of the effects of meson-exchange currents and isobar configurations
in reactions is presented. We use a distorted wave
impulse approximation (DWIA) model where final-state interactions are treated
through a phenomenological optical potential. The model includes relativistic
corrections in the kinematics and in the electromagnetic one- and two-body
currents. The full set of polarized response functions is analyzed, as well as
the transferred polarization asymmetry. Results are presented for proton
knock-out from closed-shell nuclei, for moderate to high momentum transfer.Comment: 44 pages, 18 figures. Added physical arguments explaining the
dominance of OB over MEC, and a summary of differences with previous MEC
calculations. To be published in PR
Evolution and Flare Activity of Delta-Sunspots in Cycle 23
The emergence and magnetic evolution of solar active regions (ARs) of
beta-gamma-delta type, which are known to be highly flare-productive, were
studied with the SOHO/MDI data in Cycle 23. We selected 31 ARs that can be
observed from their birth phase, as unbiased samples for our study. From the
analysis of the magnetic topology (twist and writhe), we obtained the following
results. i) Emerging beta-gamma-delta ARs can be classified into three
topological types as "quasi-beta", "writhed" and "top-to-top". ii) Among them,
the "writhed" and "top-to-top" types tend to show high flare activity. iii) As
the signs of twist and writhe agree with each other in most cases of the
"writhed" type (12 cases out of 13), we propose a magnetic model in which the
emerging flux regions in a beta-gamma-delta AR are not separated but united as
a single structure below the solar surface. iv) Almost all the "writhed"-type
ARs have downward knotted structures in the mid portion of the magnetic flux
tube. This, we believe, is the essential property of beta-gamma-delta ARs. v)
The flare activity of beta-gamma-delta ARs is highly correlated not only with
the sunspot area but also with the magnetic complexity. vi) We suggest that
there is a possible scaling-law between the flare index and the maximum umbral
area
In Reply: Neoadjuvant TKI Study in Early- and Intermediate Stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma
This letter to the editor responds to comments from Rizzo et al on recently reported results of a phase II study of dovitinib therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.Cellular mechanisms in basic and clinical gastroenterology and hepatolog
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