939 research outputs found
Sustainable CO2 adsorbents prepared by coating chitosan onto mesoporous silicas for large-scale carbon capture technology
In this article, we report a new sustainable synthesis procedure for manufacturing chitosan/silica CO2 adsorbents. Chitosan is a naturally abundant material and contains amine functionality, which is essential for selective CO2 adsorptions. It is, therefore, ideally suited for manufacturing CO2 adsorbents on a large scale. By coating chitosan onto high-surface-area mesoporous silica supports, including commercial fumed silica (an economical and accessible reagent) and synthetic SBA-15 and MCF silicas, we have prepared a new family of CO2 adsorbents, which have been fully characterised with nitrogen adsorption isotherms, thermogravimetric analysis/differential scanning calorimetry, TEM, FTIR spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. These adsorbents have achieved a significant CO2 adsorption capacity of up to 0.98 mmol g−1 at ambient conditions (P=1 atm and T=25 °C). The materials can also be fully regenerated/recycled on demand at temperatures as low as 75 °C with a >85 % retention of the adsorption capacity after 4 cycles, which makes them promising candidates for advanced CO2 capture, storage and utilisation technology
High-speed, high-frequency ultrasound, \u3ci\u3ein utero\u3c/i\u3e vector-flow imaging of mouse embryos
Real-time imaging of the embryonic murine cardiovascular system is challenging due to the small size of the mouse embryo and rapid heart rate. High-frequency, linear-array ultrasound systems designed for small-animal imaging provide high-frame-rate and Doppler modes but are limited in regards to the field of view that can be imaged at fine-temporal and -spatial resolution. Here, a plane-wave imaging method was used to obtain high-speed image data from in utero mouse embryos and multi-angle, vector-flow algorithms were applied to the data to provide information on blood flow patterns in major organs. An 18-MHz linear array was used to acquire plane-wave data at absolute frame rates ≥10 kHz using a set of fixed transmission angles. After beamforming, vector-flow processing and image compounding, effective frame rates were on the order of 2 kHz. Data were acquired from the embryonic liver, heart and umbilical cord. Vector-flow results clearly revealed the complex nature of blood-flow patterns in the embryo with fine-temporal and -spatial resolution
Stationary Localized States Due to a Nonlinear Dimeric Impurity Embedded in a Perfect 1-D Chain
The formation of Stationary Localized states due to a nonlinear dimeric
impurity embedded in a perfect 1-d chain is studied here using the appropriate
Discrete Nonlinear Schrdinger Equation. Furthermore, the nonlinearity
has the form, where is the complex amplitude. A proper
ansatz for the Localized state is introduced in the appropriate Hamiltonian of
the system to obtain the reduced effective Hamiltonian. The Hamiltonian
contains a parameter, which is the ratio of stationary
amplitudes at impurity sites. Relevant equations for Localized states are
obtained from the fixed point of the reduced dynamical system. = 1 is
always a permissible solution. We also find solutions for which . Complete phase diagram in the plane comprising of both
cases is discussed. Several critical lines separating various regions are
found. Maximum number of Localized states is found to be six. Furthermore, the
phase diagram continuously extrapolates from one region to the other. The
importance of our results in relation to solitonic solutions in a fully
nonlinear system is discussed.Comment: Seven figures are available on reques
Comparison of Small RNA Profiles of Glycine max and Glycine soja at Early Developmental Stages
published_or_final_versio
Induced Metric And Matrix Inequalities On Unitary Matrices
Recently, Chau [Quant. Inform. & Comp. 11, 721 (2011)] showed that one can
define certain metrics and pseudo-metrics on U(n), the group of all
unitary matrices, based on the arguments of the eigenvalues of the unitary
matrices. More importantly, these metrics and pseudo-metrics have quantum
information theoretical meanings. So it is instructive to study this kind of
metrics and pseudo-metrics on U(n). Here we show that any symmetric norm on
induces a metric on U(n). Furthermore, using the same
technique, we prove an inequality concerning the eigenvalues of a product of
two unitary matrices which generalizes a few inequalities obtained earlier by
Chau [arXiv:1006.3614v1].Comment: 6 pages, extensively rewritten with an earlier error fixed. It
generalizes and simplifies the mathematical results concerning certain matrix
inequalities originally reported in arXiv:1006.3614v1. To appear in J.Phys.
State Transition Algorithm
In terms of the concepts of state and state transition, a new heuristic
random search algorithm named state transition algorithm is proposed. For
continuous function optimization problems, four special transformation
operators called rotation, translation, expansion and axesion are designed.
Adjusting measures of the transformations are mainly studied to keep the
balance of exploration and exploitation. Convergence analysis is also discussed
about the algorithm based on random search theory. In the meanwhile, to
strengthen the search ability in high dimensional space, communication strategy
is introduced into the basic algorithm and intermittent exchange is presented
to prevent premature convergence. Finally, experiments are carried out for the
algorithms. With 10 common benchmark unconstrained continuous functions used to
test the performance, the results show that state transition algorithms are
promising algorithms due to their good global search capability and convergence
property when compared with some popular algorithms.Comment: 18 pages, 28 figure
Antimicrobial properties of gallium (III)-and iron (III)-loaded polysaccharides affecting the growth of escherichia coli, staphylococcus aureus, and pseudomonas aeruginosa, in vitro
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a global concern as many bacterial species have developed resistance to commonly prescribed antibiotics, making them ineffective to treatments. One type of antibiotics, gallium(III) compounds, stands out as possible candidates due to their unique “Trojan horse” mechanism to tackle bacterial growth, by substituting iron(III) in the metabolic cycles of bacteria. In this study, we tested three polysaccharides (carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), alginate, and pectin) as the binding and delivery agent for gallium on three bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus) with a potential bioresponsive delivery mode. Two types of analysis on bacterial growth (minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC)) were carried out while iron(III)-loaded polysaccharide samples were also tested for comparison. The results suggested that gallium showed an improved inhibitory activity on bacterial growth, in particular gallium(III)-loaded carboxymethyl cellulose (Ga-CMC) sample showing an inhibiting effect on growth for all three tested bacteria. At the MIC for all three bacteria, Ga-CMC showed no cytotoxicity effect on human dermal neonatal fibroblasts (HDNF). Therefore, these bioresponsive gallium(III) polysaccharide compounds show significant potential to be developed as the next-generation antibacterial agents with controlled release capability.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio
A Study of The Formation of Stationary Localized States Due to Nonlinear Impurities Using The Discrete Nonlinear Schr\"odinger Equation
The Discrete Nonlinear Schrdinger Equation is used to study the
formation of stationary localized states due to a single nonlinear impurity in
a Caley tree and a dimeric nonlinear impurity in the one dimensional system.
The rotational nonlinear impurity and the impurity of the form where is arbitrary and is the nonlinearity
parameter are considered. Furthermore, represents the absolute
value of the amplitude. Altogether four cases are studies. The usual Greens
function approach and the ansatz approach are coherently blended to obtain
phase diagrams showing regions of different number of states in the parameter
space. Equations of critical lines separating various regions in phase diagrams
are derived analytically. For the dimeric problem with the impurity , three values of , namely, , at and and
for are obtained. Last two values are lower than the
existing values. Energy of the states as a function of parameters is also
obtained. A model derivation for the impurities is presented. The implication
of our results in relation to disordered systems comprising of nonlinear
impurities and perfect sites is discussed.Comment: 10 figures available on reques
Right pulmonary artery agenesis presenting with uncontrolled asthma in an adult: a case report
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Unilateral absence of the pulmonary artery (UAPA) or pulmonary artery agenesis is a rare congenital disorder presenting with a wide spectrum of symptoms. The clinical presentation is variable and many patients can be asymptomatic for many years and even throughout their lives.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report the case of a 53-year-old African-American woman who was diagnosed with right pulmonary artery agenesis after presenting with uncontrolled asthma and recurrent bronchopulmonary infections.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In an unexplained case of recurrent respiratory infections and shortness of breath, the possibility of a rare congenital anomaly like UAPA should be considered and an appropriate evaluation should be done.</p
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