Multi-Field Synergy Process for Polymer Plasticization: A Novel Design Concept for Screw to Facilitate Phase-to-Phase Thermal and Molecular Mobility

A novel concept of screw design has been proposed considering the multi-field synergy principle to facilitate phase-to-phase thermal and molecular mobility; subsequently, a torsion element has been designed. This new screw design allows an innovative and effective way to resolve a growing challenge in polymer process engineering, especially for nanocomposites or biopolymers, that is, an inadequate control of mass transfer and thermal management for multicomponent melt flows through narrow channels during extrusion or injection. The adaption of torsion element in the screw facilitated the plasticization mixing and thermal distribution in polymer melts, and the torsional flow induced by the torsion elements shows a synergistic effect on the melt-phase mass flow and the thermal flow field. The latter effect enhances the mass and heat transfer of heterogeneous polymer systems and realizes effective heat management to achieve properly uniform temperature field

Changes in English writing in computer mediated communication a case study

This research study aims to identity the shifts in form and function of English writing in Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) and determine whether writing changed through CMC. It critically evaluates English writing in CMC in South Africa, and includes a case study of both synchronous and asynchronous forms of CMC. Chapter 1, outlines the problem concerning the changes of writing in both form and function in the present age of CMC. This chapter, also gives a detailed description and outlines the methodology of this study. Chapter 2, centres on the historical and theoretical aspects of writing using the work done by scholars such as McLuhan, Shlain and Baron. The literature is divided into two subsections. The research and theories highlights the importance and complexity of writing in human history. It also gives insight into understanding the impacts of different mediums on writing. This chapter similarly depicts an understanding in the use of writing to represent language, and in particular, how speech and writing divvied up communication functions in literature societies. Chapter 3, gives a detailed theoretical and critical outline of writing in the present age of CMC. Based on the nature of the computer medium, writing in CMC often has its own characteristics which can serve both developmental and social purposes. The aim of this chapter is to grasp an appropriate analogy through which to capture the changes the computer technology would engender in writing communication, and re-examine the relationship between writing and speech in CMC. Chapter 4, comprises of an empirical research study done in South African on-line discourse, focusing on the changes of writing in CMC. The hypothesis of this case study is that writing in CMC differentiates the conventional writing in a variety of ways. Therefore, the study looks at the particular writing style in CMC and determines whether computer-mediated writing is gradually becoming a mirror of speech. This chapter explains methodology and the process of data coding in this case study. It also includes a summary of the survey results, as well as a discussion of the findings from this case study. Chapter 5, includes a conclusion of this study and suggestions for further research. It is the hope of the researcher that this study will provoke questions and thoughts for further inquiries

Estimation of the Conifer-Broadleaf Ratio in Mixed Forests Based on Time-Series Data

Most natural forests are mixed forests, a mixed broadleaf-conifer forest is essentially a heterogeneously mixed pixel in remote sensing images. Satellite missions rely on modeling to acquire regional or global vegetation parameter products. However, these retrieval models often assume homogeneous conditions at the pixel level, resulting in a decrease in the inversion accuracy, which is an issue for heterogeneous forests. Therefore, information on the canopy composition of a mixed forest is the basis for accurately retrieving vegetation parameters using remote sensing. Medium and high spatial resolution multispectral time-series data are important sources for canopy conifer-broadleaf ratio estimation because these data have a high frequency and wide coverage. This paper highlights a successful method for estimating the conifer-broadleaf ratio in a mixed forest with diverse tree species and complex canopy structures. Experiments were conducted in the Purple Mountain, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province of China, where we collected leaf area index (LAI) time-series and forest sample plot inventory data. Based on the Invertible Forest Reflectance Model (INFORM), we simulated the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) time-series of different conifer-broadleaf ratios. A time-series similarity analysis was performed to determine the typical separable conifer-broadleaf ratios. Fifteen Gaofen-1 (GF-1) satellite images of 2015 were acquired. The conifer-broadleaf ratio estimation was based on the GF-1 NDVI time-series and semi-supervised k-means cluster method, which yielded a high overall accuracy of 83.75%. This study demonstrates the feasibility of accurately estimating separable conifer-broadleaf ratios using field measurement data and GF-1 time series in mixed broadleaf-conifer forests

Studies on Macroeconomic Impacts of Consumption Tax Changes based on DSGE Model : An Overview

This paper aims to clarify the characteristics of the rules of the Japanese tax system, and to verify the effect of tax policy by overviewing the relevant studies based on DSGE model. After surveying this field of research, we find that, although the increase in consumption tax has a direct and a negative impact on the economy on a short-term basis, it seems to be necessary for the Japanese economy on a long-term basis. Some of the overviewed studies in this paper suggest that some appropriate tax reform with a combination of an increase in consumption tax and a cut in corporate tax can improve the economy.樫原正澄先生退職記念

Contribution of CRISPRable DNA to human complex traits

CRISPR-Cas is a powerful genome editing tool for various species and human cell lines, widely used in many research areas including studying the mechanisms, targets, and gene therapies of human diseases. Recent developments have even allowed high-throughput genetic screening using the CRISPR system. However, due to the practical and ethical limitations in human gene editing research, little is known about whether CRISPR-editable DNA segments could influence human complex traits or diseases. Here, we investigated the human genomic regions condensed with different CRISPR Cas enzymes’ protospacer-adjacent motifs (PAMs). We found that Cas enzymes with GC-rich PAMs could interfere more with the genomic regions that harbor enriched heritability for human complex traits and diseases. The results linked GC content across the genome to the functional genomic elements in the heritability enrichment of human complex traits. We provide a genetic overview of the effects of high-throughput genome editing on human complex traits

Preparation of supported skeletal Ni catalyst and its catalytic hydrogenation performance of C9 fraction from coking process

Currently, the inferior compressive strength of traditional Raney-Ni catalyst restricts its application in fixed-bed reactor. To approach this problem a series of supported skeletal Ni catalysts were prepared by mixing pseudo boehmite and Ni-Al alloy powder. In the process,the calcination temperature and atmosphere, mass ratio of pseudo boehmite to Ni-Al alloy powder and the sodium hydroxide solution concentration were investigated. The catalysts characterized by intelligent granule intensity tester(IGIT), scanning electron microscopy(SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD),low temperature nitrogen adsorption, temperature programmed reduction of hydrogen (H2-TPR), and thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA).The results were shown that the calcination atmosphere had a considerable impact on the compressive strength of the catalyst. Compared with air atmosphere, the compressive strength of the catalyst increased from 12.62 N/mm to 23.96N/mm, obviously, in argon atmosphere, which was almost twice as much as the former.The inherent reason for this was that the argon obviously inhibited the transform of NiAl3 to Ni2Al3 in which the latter was the key factor to improve compressive strength. Additionally, coke-oven C9 hydrogenation was used to evaluate the performance of the catalyst and the results indicated that the conversion of indene, the key component of coke-oven C9, was as high as 90% in 1000h under the optimum reaction conditions:T=220oC, P(H2)=2.5MPa, H2/oil=200(v/v), LHSV=3.0h-1. Our data demonstrated that the supported skeletal Ni catalyst have a good industrial prospect in the fixed-bed reactor in future