Nonlinear elastic constitutive relations of residually stressed composites with stiff curved fibres

Applied Mathematics and Mechanics - Mechanical models of residually stressed fibre-reinforced solids, which do not resist bending, have been developed in the literature. However, in some residually...     

Sample preparation,instrumental analysis,and natural distribution of complex organic pollutants in the wastewater from unconventional gas production

Large amounts of flowback and produced water (FPW) have been generated from hydraulic fracturing process for the production of unconventional gas such as shale gas. Complex organic pollutants are abundantly present in FPW with revealed toxicity to aquatic organisms and these contaminants may transfer into surrounding aquatic environment. Characterization and determination of complicated organic pollutants in FPW remains a challenge due to its complex composition and high salinity matrix. This review article covers the progress of recent 5 years regarding the sample preparation and instrumental analysis methods and thus summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of these methods for critical analysis of organic contaminants in FPW samples. Furthermore, the natural distribution of detected organic compounds and their transformation were reviewed and discussed to enhance the understanding of spatial and temporal behaviors of these organic pollutants in natural environment, paving the way for future development of pollution control policies and strategies. Enlightened by the studies of FPW contamination in the US, the investigations of FPW contamination in China continued to grow due to rapidly growing production of shale gas in China and resulted pollution.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of Acyclic Stereotriads Featuring Fluorinated Tetrasubstituted Stereocenters

Elaboration of enantioenriched complex acyclic stereotriads represents a challenge for modern synthesis even more when fluorinated tetrasubstituted stereocenters are targeted. We have been able to develop a simple strategy in a sequence of two unprecedented steps combining a diastereoselective aldol-Tishchenko reaction and an enantioselective organocatalyzed kinetic resolution. The aldol-Tishchenko reaction directly generates a large panel of acyclic 1,3-diols possessing a fluorinated tetrasubstituted stereocenter by condensation of fluorinated ketones with aldehydes under very mild basic conditions. The anti 1,3-diols featuring three contiguous stereogenic centers are generated with excellent diastereocontrol (typically >99 : 1 dr). Depending upon the precursors both diastereomers of stereotriads are accessible through this flexible reaction. Furthermore, from the obtained racemic scaffolds, development of an organocatalyzed kinetic resolution enabled to generate the desired enantioenriched stereotriads with excellent selectivity (typically er >95 : 5).     

紫色球杆菌视紫红质光谱特性的机器学习研究

近年来，机器学习等人工智能技术被应用于蛋白质工程，其在蛋白质结构、功能预测、催化活性等研究中具有独特优势。在未知蛋白质结构的情况下，将蛋白质序列和功能特性与机器学习相结合，基于序列-活性关系（innovative sequence-activity relationship，ISAR）算法，将蛋白质氨基酸序列数字化，用快速傅里叶变换（fast four transform，FFT）进行预处理，再进行偏最小二乘回归建模，可在数据集较少情况下拟合得到最佳模型。通过机器学习对紫色球杆菌视紫红质（gloeobacter violaceus rhodopsin，GR）的突变体蛋白质氨基酸序列与光谱最大吸收波长进行建模，获得了最佳模型。用最佳索引LEVM760106建模得到的确定系数R² 为0.944，均方误差E为11.64。用小波变换进行的预处理，其R² 虽也约为0.944，但E大于11.64，不及FFT进行的预处理。方法较好地解决了蛋白质序列与功能特性之间的数学建模问题，在蛋白质工程中可为预测更优的突变体提供支持。     

More efficient time integration for Fourier pseudospectral DNS of incompressible turbulence

Time integration of Fourier pseudospectral DNS is usually performed using the classical fourth-order accurate Runge-Kutta method or other second- or third-order methods, with a fixed step size. We investigate the use of higher-order Runge-Kutta pairs and automatic step size control based on local error estimation. We find that the fifth-order accurate Runge-Kutta pair of Bogacki and Shampine gives much greater accuracy at a significantly reduced computational cost. Specifically, we demonstrate speedups of 2× to 10× for the same accuracy. Numerical tests (including the Taylor-Green vortex, Rayleigh-Taylor instability, and homogeneous isotropic turbulence) confirm the reliability and efficiency of the method. We also show that adaptive time stepping provides a significant computational advantage for some problems (like the development of a Rayleigh-Taylor instability) without compromising accuracy.     

Spectral estimates for saddle point matrices arising in weak constraint four‐dimensional variational data assimilation

We consider the large sparse symmetric linear systems of equations that arise in the solution of weak constraint four‐dimensional variational data assimilation, a method of high interest for numerical weather prediction. These systems can be written as saddle point systems with a 3 × 3 block structure but block eliminations can be performed to reduce them to saddle point systems with a 2 × 2 block structure, or further to symmetric positive definite systems. In this article, we analyse how sensitive the spectra of these matrices are to the number of observations of the underlying dynamical system. We also obtain bounds on the eigenvalues of the matrices. Numerical experiments are used to confirm the theoretical analysis and bounds.     

A molecular fluorophore in citric acid/ethylenediamine carbon dots identified and quantified by multinuclear solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance

The composition of fluorescent polymer nanoparticles, commonly referred to as carbon dots, synthesized by microwave-assisted reaction of citric acid and ethylenediamine was investigated by ¹³C, ¹³C{¹H}, ¹H─¹³C, ¹³C{¹⁴N}, and ¹⁵N solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments. ¹³C NMR with spectral editing provided no evidence for significant condensed aromatic or diamondoid carbon phases. ¹⁵N NMR showed that the nanoparticle matrix has been polymerized by amide and some imide formation. Five small, resolved ¹³C NMR peaks, including an unusual ═CH signal at 84 ppm (¹H chemical shift of 5.8 ppm) and ═CN₂ at 155 ppm, and two distinctive ¹⁵N NMR resonances near 80 and 160 ppm proved the presence of 5-oxo-1,2,3,5-tetrahydroimidazo[1,2-a]pyridine-7-carboxylic acid (IPCA) or its derivatives. This molecular fluorophore with conjugated double bonds, formed by a double cyclization reaction of citric acid and ethylenediamine as first shown by Y. Song, B. Yang, and coworkers in 2015, accounts for the fluorescence of the carbon dots. Cross-peaks in a ¹H─¹³C HETCOR spectrum with brief ¹H spin diffusion proved that IPCA is finely dispersed in the polyamide matrix. From quantitative ¹³C and ¹⁵N NMR spectra, a high concentration (18 ± 2 wt%) of IPCA in the carbon dots was determined. A pronounced gradient in ¹³C chemical-shift perturbations and peak widths, with the broadest lines near the COO group of IPCA, indicated at least partial transformation of the carboxylic acid of IPCA by amide or ester formation.     

The production of enantiomerically pure 1-phenylethanol by enzymatic kinetic resolution method using response surface methodology

As the enantiomers of 1-phenylethanol are valuable intermediates in several industries, the lipase catalyzed kinetic resolution of (R,S) -1-phenylethanol is a relevant research topic. In this study, the goal was to determine the optimum reaction parameters to produce enantiomerically pure 1-phenylethanol by lipase (Novozyme 435) catalyzed kinetic resolution using response surface methodology (RSM). Reactions were performed with 40–400 mM (R,S)-1-phenylethanol, 120–1200 mM vinyl acetate and 2–22 mg/mL biocatalyst concentrations (BC _L ), at 20–60 °C and with a stirring rate of 50–400 rpm for 5–120 min. The samples were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a Chiralcel OB column. Optimum reaction parameters to reach 100% enantiomeric excess for the substrate ( ee _s ) were determined as follows: substrate concentration (C _s ): 240 mM, BC _L : 11 mg/mL, at 42 °C with a reaction time of 75 min. Model validation was performed using these conditions and ee _s was calculated as 100%, which indicates the predicted model was efficient and accurate. When compared to the literature, it was observed that the reaction time decreased significantly. This is an important result considering the industrial scale perspective.     

Determination of nitrofuran and chloramphenicol residues by high resolution mass spectrometry versus tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry

An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography based method, coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC–HRMS), was developed to permit the detection and quantification of various nitrofuran and chloramphenicol residues in a number of animal based food products. This method is based on the hydrolysis of covalently bound metabolites and derivatization with 2-nitrobenzaldehyde. Clean-up is achieved by a liquid/liquid and a reversed phase/solid phase extraction. Not only are the four conventional nitrofurans (nitrofurantoin, furazolidone, nitrofurazone and furaltadone) detected, but also nifursol, nitrovin and nifuroxazide. Furthermore, an underivatizable nitrofuran (nifurpirinol) and another banned drug (chloramphenicol) can be quantified as well. The compounds are detected in the form of their precursor ions, [M + H]⁺ and [M − H]⁻, respectively. The mass resolving power of 70,000 FWHM, and the applied mass window ensure sufficient selectivity and sensitivity. Confirmation is obtained by monitoring the HRMS resolved product ions which were derived from the unit-mass resolved precursor ions. The multiplexing capability of the utilized Orbitrap instrument provides not only highly selective, but also sensitive confirmatory signals. This method has been validated according to the CD 2002/657/EC for the following matrices: muscle, liver, kidney, fish, honey, eggs and milk.     

Definition and detection of data-based uniqueness in evaluating bilinear (two-way) chemical measurements

Multivariate curve resolution methods, frequently used in analyzing bilinear data sets, result in ambiguous decomposition in general. Implementing the adequate constraints may lead to reduce the so-called rotational ambiguity drastically, and in the most favorable cases to the unique solution. However, in some special cases, non-negativity constraint as minimal information of the system is a sufficient condition to resolve profiles uniquely. Although, several studies on exploring the uniqueness of the bilinear non-negatively constrained multivariate curve resolution methods have been made in the literature, it has still remained a mysterious question. In 1995, Manne published his profile-based theorems giving the necessary and sufficient conditions of the unique resolution. In this study, a new term, i.e., data-based uniqueness is defined and investigated in details, and a general procedure is suggested for detection of uniquely recovered profile(s) on the basis of data set structure in the abstract space. Close inspection of Borgen plots of these data sets leads to realize the comprehensive information of local rank, and these argumentations furnish a basis for data-based uniqueness theorem. The reported phenomenon and its exploration is a new stage (it can be said fundament) in understanding and describing the bilinear (matrix-type) chemical data in general.