An experimental technique for measuringtransient natural/forced convective heatfluxes in a vertical channel

A series of systematic experiments for measuring transient natural andforced convected heat fluxes in a one-sided heated vertical channel have beenconducted. The total heat input in transient natural and forced experiments iscomposed of four kinds modes: radiative heat loss, conductiveheat lossm, thermal capacity of the plate, and convective heat transfer in thetest channel. In the transient periods, the generalized correlations for estimatingtransient convective heat flux are proposed in natural and forced convectionexperiments. By using the proposed q_c^″ distributions, satisfactory agreementsare achieved between the transient Nu_x predictions and experimentaldata.     

Three-dimensional unsteady flow simulations: Alternative strategies for a volume-averaged calculation

This work builds on a SIMPLE-type code to produce two numerical codes of greatly improved speed and accuracy for solution of the Navier–Stokes equations. Both implicit and explicit codes employ an improved QUICK (quadratic upstream interpolation for convective kinematics) scheme to finite difference convective terms for non-uniform grids. The PRIME (update pressure implicit, momentum explicit) algorithm is used as the computational procedure for the implicit code. Use of both the ICCG (incomplete Cholesky decomposition, conjugate gradient) method and the MG (multigrid) technique to enhance solution execution speed is illustrated. While the implicit code is first-order in time, the explicit is second-order accurate. Two- and three-dimensional forced convection and sidewall-heated natural convection flows in a cavity are chosen as test cases. Predictions with the new schemes show substantial computational savings and very good agreement when compared to previous simulations and experimental data.     

Synthesis,Structures, and Properties of Highly Strained Cyclophenylene–Ethynylenes with Axial and Helical Chirality

Single and double cyclophenylene–ethynylenes (CPEs) with axial and helical chirality have been synthesized by the Sonogashira cross-coupling of di- and tetraethynyl biphenyls with a U-shaped prearomatic diiodoparaphenylene followed by reductive aromatization. X-ray crystallographic analyses and DFT calculations revealed that the CPEs possess highly twisted bent structures. Bend angles on the edge of the paraphenylene units were close to the value of [5]cycloparaphenylene (CPP)—the smallest CPP to date. The double and single CPEs possessed stable chirality despite flexible biphenyl structures because of the high strain in the diethynyl–paraphenylene moiety. In both the single and double CPEs, orbital interactions along the biphenyl axis were observed by DFT calculations in LUMO and LUMO+2 of the single CPE and LUMO+1 of the double CPE, which likely cause lowering of these orbital energies. Concerning chiroptical properties: boosting of the g_abs value was observed in the biphenyl-based double CPE, as well as the binaphthyl-based single CPE, compared to the biphenyl-based single CPE.     

MS-based metabolomics revealing Bornean Sinularia sp. extract dysregulated lipids triggering programmed cell death in Hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Soft coral, Sinularia sp. had been proven to inherit promising anti-cancer properties against variety of cancer. Current study, Sinularia sp. extract was introduced to Hepatocellular carcinoma (Hep 3B). Cell viability assay indicated the extract exhibit a dose and time dependent cytotoxicity. LC₅₀ exhibited the lowest at 72?h post treatment estimated as 45.3 µg/mL. Morphological alterations including nuclear condensation, cytoplasm shrinkage and deformed cellular shape in treated Hep 3B were observable. Chemometric analysis revealed hydrophobic metabolites were significantly altered. Elevated vitamin D and derivatives tend to up-regulation Ca²⁺ and ROS subsequently triggering apoptosis. Dysregulated glycerolipids may suggest that they were biotransformed to compensate the needs of phospholipids during cell damage. Perturbation of sphingolipids, ceramide and carbohydrate-conjugated ceramides species increased the release of pro-apoptotic components reside within mitochondria and promote programmed cell death in treated Hep 3B. To conclude, MS-based metabolomics enabled the characterization of Sinularia sp. extract-induced cell death.     

Substituent effects in porphyrin dimer complexes studied by IR spectroscopy

A series of lanthanide porphyrin dimers have been synthesized and investigated with IR spectroscopic techniques. The spectra of the porphyrin dimers are compared not only with each other but also with those of their component monomer units. The experimental results exhibit that the IR spectra of the porphyrin dimers are closely related to those of their corresponding monomers. A detailed analysis of the IR spectra between the porphyrin dimers and monomers suggest that the dimer molecules can be treated as regular derivatives of metalloporphyrin monomers despite the symmetries of these two systems being different. The dimerization of the porphyrin rings only result in frequency shifts and intensity changes of the IR spectra. These shifts are attributed to the induced π–π interactions between these two macrocycles. The downshifts of the frequencies observed in Ce(OEP)₂ further indicate that the π–π interactions intrinsically decrease the bond strength of the entire molecule. Additionally, only the relative intensities instead of the frequencies of the ethyl vibrations in the region 2800–3000 cm⁻¹ are observed to be sensitive to the types and the positions of the substituent groups. These observations suggest that these ethyl vibrational modes of the OEP moiety can be used as characteristic bands to monitor subtle deformations of the porphyrin rings caused by the substituent groups in the dimer complexes.     

Direct observation of Sn crystal growth during the lithiation and delithiation processes of SnO(2) nanowires

Tin (Sn) crystal growth on Sn-based anodes in lithium ion batteries is hazardous for reasons such as possible short-circuit failure by Sn whiskers and Sn-catalyzed electrolyte decomposition, but the growth mechanism of Sn crystals during battery cycling is not clear. Here we report different growth mechanisms of Sn crystal during the lithiation and delithiation processes of SnO(2) nanowires revealed by in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Large spherical Sn nanoparticles with sizes of 20-200nm grew instantaneously upon lithiation of a single-crystalline SnO(2) nanowire at large current density (j>20A/cm(2)), which suppressed formation of the Li(x)Sn alloy but promoted agglomeration of Sn atoms. Control experiments of Joule-heating (j≈2400A/cm(2)) the pristine SnO(2) nanowires resulted in melting of the SnO(2) nanowires but not Sn particle growth, indicating that the abnormal Sn particle growth was induced by both chemical reduction (i.e., breaking the SnO(2) lattice to produce Sn atoms) and agglomeration of the Sn atoms assisted by Joule heating. Intriguingly, Sn crystals grew out of the nanowire surface via a different "squeeze-out" mechanism during delithiation of the lithiated SnO(2) nanowires coated with an ultra-thin solid electrolyte LiAlSiO(x) layer. It is attributed to the negative stress gradient generated by the fast Li extraction in the surface region through the Li(+)-conducting LiAlSiO(x) layer. Our previous studies showed that Sn precipitation does not occur in the carbon-coated SnO(2) nanowires, highlighting the effect of nanoengineering on tailoring the electrochemical reaction kinetics to suppress the hazardous Sn whiskers or nanoparticles formation in a lithium ion battery.     

The effective installation of an inclined plate for the enhancement of forced convection over rectangular sources

This paper investigates the unsteady flow and heat transfer characteristics of rectangular sources with and without an inclined plate in a channel. The results show that the installation of an inclined plate above an upstream source results in a periodically unsteady flow and it can effectively enhance the heat transfer performance. Moreover, the inclined angle of the plate is changed under different Reynolds numbers to study the heat transfer performance in the channel. Received on 18 June 1997     

A study of leveraged ETF based on geometric return

Leveraged (inverse) exchange-traded funds (LETFs) seek to deliver multiples (opposite) of the performance of the index or benchmark they track. LETFs typically are designed to achieve their stated performance objectives on a daily basis. Many real-life and hypothetical examples have been given to show that the performance of these ETFs over a period longer than one day can differ from their stated daily performance objectives. Formulae have been found using both continuous method and discrete method. A discrete method was used to find a formula linking the return of a leveraged fund with the corresponding multiple of the return of the unleveraged fund and its realized variance but the method needs to use some assumptions and statistical properties to create the volatility term. A CME report finds a very simple way to include volatility in their formula but fails to link to the return of the corresponding unleveraged product. In this paper, we find a natural way to link a leveraged fund with its corresponding unleveraged product and its realized variance in a discrete manner. Our derivation process is similar to that in the CME report, so we do not need to use assumptions and statistical properties to create the volatility term. Unlike the CME method, we use geometric return as opposed to arithmetic return. So, we are able to connect with the return of the corresponding unleveraged product.     

Formation Mechanisms of Sol-Gel-Derived Hydroxyapatite Using Different Thermal Processings

Sol-gel-derived hydroxyapatite (HA) precursors were calcined by two thermal processings, a rapid-thermal-calcine (RTC) heating at 100–600°C/min and a conventional-furnace-calcine (CFC) heating at 1.67°C/min, respectively. X-ray diffraction patterns revealed that the onset temperature of HA crystallization is lower in RTC, 350°C, as compared to 600°C in CFC. Pyrolytic-GC/MS programs showed that the evolved gases out of a sample subjected to RTC are mainly H₂O, N₂O and ethylamine, while those of a sample subjected to CFC are CO₂ and small organic molecules. The results leads to models that RTC can quickly remove organic portion of the gel networks, leading to a porous surface morphology and a collapse of gel networks at local areas, so that HA crystallite nucleation is facilitated due to intimate contacts among inorganic species at lower temperatures. On the other hand, slow evolution of organics during CFC leads to carbonaceous residues that isolate the inorganic species and inhibit nucleation of HA crystallites until at a higher temperature.