Fully Compressible Low-Mach Number Simulations of Carbon-dioxide at Supercritical Pressures and Trans-critical Temperatures

This work investigates fully developed turbulent flows of carbon-dioxide close to its vapour-liquid critical point in a channel with a hot and a cold wall. Two direct numerical simulations are performed at low Mach numbers, with the trans-critical transition near the channel centre and the cold wall, respectively. An additional simulation with constant transport properties is used to selectively investigate the effect of the non-linear equation of state on turbulence. Compared to the case where the pseudo-critical transition occurs in the channel center, the case with the pseudo-critical transition close to the cold wall reveals that compressibility effects can exist in the near-wall region even at low Mach numbers. An analysis of the velocity streaks near the hot and the cold walls also indicates a greater degree of streak coherence near the cold wall. A comparison between the constant and variable viscosity cases at the same Reynolds number, Mach number and having the same isothermal wall boundary conditions reveals that variable viscosity increases turbulence near the cold wall and also causes higher velocity gradients near the hot wall. We also show that the extended van Driest transformation results in a better agreement of the velocity profile with the log-law of the wall compared to the standard van Driest transformation. The semi-locally scaled turbulent velocity fluctuations and the turbulent kinetic energy budgets on the hot and the cold sides of the channel collapse on top of each other, thereby establishing the validity of Morkovin’s hypothesis.     

Statistical distributions of avalanche size and waiting times in an inter-sandpile cascade model

Sandpile-based models have successfully shed light on key features of nonlinear relaxational processes in nature, particularly the occurrence of fat-tailed magnitude distributions and exponential return times, from simple local stress redistributions. In this work, we extend the existing sandpile paradigm into an inter-sandpile cascade, wherein the avalanches emanating from a uniformly-driven sandpile (first layer) is used to trigger the next (second layer), and so on, in a successive fashion. Statistical characterizations reveal that avalanche size distributions evolve from a power-law p(S)≈S^−1.3 for the first layer to gamma distributions p(S)≈S^αexp(−S/S₀) for layers far away from the uniformly driven sandpile. The resulting avalanche size statistics is found to be associated with the corresponding waiting time distribution, as explained in an accompanying analytic formulation. Interestingly, both the numerical and analytic models show good agreement with actual inventories of non-uniformly driven events in nature.     

Nanoscale deformation of a liquid surface

We study the interaction between a solid particle and a liquid interface. A semianalytical solution of the nonlinear equation that describes the interface deformation points out the existence of a bifurcation behavior for the apex deformation as a function of the distance. We show that the apex curvature obeys a simple power-law dependency on the deformation. Relationships between physical parameters disclose the threshold distance at which the particle can approach the liquid before capillarity provokes a "jump to contact." A prediction of the interface original position before deformation takes place, as well as the attraction force measured by an approaching probe, are produced. The results of our analysis agree with the force curves obtained from atomic force microscopy experiments over a liquid puddle.     

Glucosylated sesquiterpene alcohols from Fraxinus griffithii

Phytochemical investigation of the leaves of Fraxinus griffithii has led to the isolation of two new glucosylated acyclic sesquiterpene alcohols, griffithosides D (1) and E (2), along with iridoid and secoiridoid glycosides. The molecular structures of these compounds were elucidated using NMR, MS and other spectroscopic techniques, as well as comparison with literature data. The isolated compounds were tested for radical-scavenging activity and cytotoxicity against A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells and Leishmania major parasites.     

Immunoextraction of zinc proteins from human plasma using chicken yolk antibodies immobilized onto paramagnetic particles and their electrophoretic analysis

Zinc(II) as the only transition metal lacking redox activity is an essential part of approximately 10% proteins as a cofactor of these proteins. Considering the fact that there are numerous zinc(II) containing proteins, proteomics and metallomics studies aimed on them require accurate methods for preparation of real biological samples prior to their subsequent analysis using 2DE and MS. For this purpose, we suggested a new method based on chicken anti-zinc antibodies and magnetizable particles. Antibodies were covalently immobilized to the surface of paramagnetic beads activated with tosyl group. Binding of the antibody to the beads was confirmed by secondary anti-chicken antibody conjugated with horseradish peroxidase. The immunoextraction conditions, such as concentration of the beads (6-18 μg/mL of the sample), time of immunoextraction (6-34 min), pH and composition of the elution buffer, and time of extraction (48-300 s) were optimized. Subsequently, zinc proteins were extracted from human plasma and total concentration of zinc was monitored by electrochemical detection in the extracts. Under optimal conditions it was possible to monitor the proteins and zinc removal from the sample by chip CE, SDS-PAGE, and indirectly using electrochemistry.     

Triblock Copolymer Based on Poly(propylene oxide) and Poly(1‐[11‐acryloylundecyl]‐3‐methyl‐imidazolium bromide)

The controlled atom transfer radical polymerization of an ionic liquid, 1‐(11‐acryloylundecyl)‐3‐methyl imidazolium bromide (ILBr), from both ends of a telechelic poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) macroinitiator, end‐functionalized with bromoisobutyryloyl is reported. The resulting highly water‐soluble triblock, poly(ILBr‐b‐PO‐b‐ILBr) is multistimuli responsive. This new class of triblocks exhibits classical surface activity in lowering surface tension at the air–water interface and in modifying wetting in waterborne coatings. It also immunizes model colloids against coagulation induced by Debye–Hückel (indifferent electrolyte) electrostatic screening. Further, sol–gel thermoreversibility is unexpectedly found as an additional form of stimuli responsiveness.     

Photochemical,Metal-Free Sigmatropic Rearrangement Reactions of Sulfur Ylides

Sigmatropic rearrangement reactions constitute one of the most fundamental reactions of carbenes. While state-of-the-art synthetic methods require the use of expensive precious metal catalysts, the application of visible light for the photolysis of α-aryldiazoacetates is much less investigated and provides an operationally simple entry to carbenes under mild reaction conditions. Herein, we report on blue-light induced sigmatropic rearrangement reactions of sulfur compounds with α-aryldiazoacetates. This process, depending on the substitution pattern of the sulfide, opens up formal insertion reactions of carbenes into S−N, S−C, or C−H bonds.     

Stability in the Kuramoto–Sakaguchi model for finite networks of identical oscillators

Nonlinear Dynamics - We study the Kuramoto–Sakaguchi model composed by N identical phase oscillators symmetrically coupled. Ranging from local (one-to-one, $$R=1$$ ) to global (all-to-all,...     

Applying Digital Image Processing to SEM-EDX and BSE Images to Determine and Quantify Porosity and Salts with Depth in Porous Media

 Digital image processing is applied to X-ray element maps and back-scattered electron (BSE) images obtained with scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX), to quantify and identify salts and porosity with depth in porous media. Until now, only salt chemical composition with depth has been characterised and salt mineral composition inferred, so that no salt quantification was possible. The method we present can be used stand-alone or integrated with other techniques to fill certain gaps in our knowledge. It can be used to quantify texture and porosity of clay minerals, with implications in petroleum research. Also, salts may be identified and quantified with depth in porous media; this is important when selecting among salt extraction procedures in order to conserve cultural heritage. Finally, the method can help in interpreting salt weathering processes and links between stone decay forms at different scales, with consequences for geomorphology. To demonstrate the method, salt and pore percentages with depth are determined in two limestone types from monuments in the Aunis province, SW France: i) Crazannes sparite, showing alveolisation and black crust, and ii) La Pallice micrite, suffering from micro-delamination. In most of the micrites no salts are identified. Porosity data show that micro-fissures are confined between the surface and 9 mm depth in LPAM5, the only micrite with loading salts with depth (NaCl = 1.9% at the surface versus 1.4% at 18 mm; and Na₂SO₄ · H₂O and MgCl₂ ∼ 0.02% in the first 3 mm). In the sparites, those samples with no crust display an alveolisation zone with lower porosity and higher diversity and percentage of salts. In CRZM6, the stone crust-alveolisation front lies at a depth of 9 mm. In the crust, porosity is lower than in the alveolisation zone (12%). Salt concentration, by contrast, is higher in the crust (2.91% versus 0.14% in the alveolisation zone). Received September 1, 2000 Revision November 2, 2001