Insights into the oxidation of propylene oxide through the analysis of experiments and kinetic modeling

Cyclic ethers are important intermediates in the oxidation of hydrocarbons and biofuels. Studying the oxidation and pyrolysis of cyclic ethers will help in improving our understanding of this functional group and provide consistency to the base mechanism where they play an important role. In this aspect, propylene oxide has been investigated in this study by obtaining ignition delay time measurements in the rapid compression machine and shock tube. The experiments were performed in a range of pressures varying from 10 to 40 bar at different equivalence ratios (0.5–2.0) and dilution percentages. Additionally, speciation measurements in the shock tube at pyrolysis conditions have been performed at a pressure of 40 bar to explore the isomerization pathways. A detailed kinetic mechanism was developed to describe both the oxidation and pyrolysis chemistry of propylene oxide. The mechanism is not only able to predict the data obtained from this study but also reproduces the data from the literature in a consistent trend. For a better understanding of the oxidation and pyrolysis chemistry of propylene oxide, the kinetic analyses were performed using the developed mechanism to comprehend the important reaction pathways and sensitive reactions. At the investigated regime, the consumption of propylene oxide through its isomerization channels is the critical pathway that controls the reactivity of the fuel.     

Insights into brain microstructure from the T2 distribution

T2 weighting is particularly sensitive, but notoriously unspecific, to a wide range of brain pathologies. However, careful measurement and analysis of the T2 decay curve from brain tissue promise to provide much improved pathological specificity. In vivo T2 measurement requires accurate 180 pulses and appropriate manipulation of stimulated echoes; the most common approach is to acquire multiple echoes from a single slice. The T2 distribution, a plot of component amplitude as a function of T2, can be estimated using an algorithm capable of fitting a multi-exponential T2 decay with no a priori assumptions about the number of exponential components. T2 distributions from normal brain show peaks from myelin water, intra/extracellular water and cerebral spinal fluid; they can be used to provide estimates of total water content (total area under the T2 distribution) and myelin water fraction (MWF, fractional area under the myelin water peak), a measure believed to be related to myelin content. Experiments on bovine brain suggest that magnetization exchange between water pools plays a minor role in the T2 distribution. Different white matter structures have different MWFs. In normal white matter (NWM), MWF is not correlated with the magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) or the diffusion tensor fractional anisotropy (FA); hence it provides unique information about brain microstructure. Normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) in multiple sclerosis (MS) brain possesses a higher water content and lower MWF than controls, consistent with histopathological findings. Multiple sclerosis lesions demonstrate great heterogeneity in MWF, presumably due to varying myelin contents of these focal regions of pathology. Subjects with schizophrenia were found to have significantly reduced MWF in the minor forceps and genu of the corpus callosum when compared to controls, suggesting that reduced frontal lobe myelination plays a role in schizophrenia. In normal controls, frontal lobe myelination was positively correlated with both age and education; this result was not observed in subjects with schizophrenia. A strong correlation between MWF and the optical density from the luxol fast blue histological stain for myelin was observed in formalin-fixed brain, supporting the use of the MWF as an in vivo myelin marker.     

Insights into hazard from intense impulses from a mathematical model of the ear

In order to provide insight into the mechanisms that operate in the ear when it is exposed to intense sounds, time and frequency domain mathematical models of the ear including significant nonlinearities in the middle ear were developed to trace energy flow from the free field to the inner ear and ultimately allow the calculation of basilar membrane displacement and a consequent hazard function. These models match the ear's behavior at low intensities and also reproduce many of the features of the data on hearing hazard from intense impulses. They provide critical insights into the loss mechanisms, suggest new strategies for protecting hearing as well as reducing hazard at the source and could also serve as a framework for a new, accurate, theoretically based method for rating hazard from intense sounds.     

Insights into homonuclear decoupling from efficient numerical simulation: techniques and examples

A combination of techniques, including rational number synchronisation and pre-diagonalisation of the time-dependent periodic Hamiltonian, are described which allow the efficient simulation of NMR experiments involving both magic-angle spinning (MAS) and RF irradiation, particularly in the important special case of phase-modulated decoupling sequences. Chebyshev and conventional diagonalisation approaches to calculating propagators under MAS are also compared, with Chebyshev methods offering significant advantages in cases where the Hamiltonian is large and time-dependent but not block-diagonal (as is the case for problems involving combined MAS and RF). The ability to simulate extended coupled spin systems efficiently allows 1H spectra under homonuclear decoupling to be calculated directly and compared to experimental results. Reasonable agreement is found for the conditions under which homonuclear decoupling is typically applied for rigid solids (although the increasing deviation of experimental results from the predictions of theory and simulation at higher RF powers is still unexplained). Numerical simulations are used to explore three features of these experiments: the interaction between the magic-angle spinning and RF decoupling, the effects of tilt pulses in acquisition windows and the effects of "phase propagation delays" on tilted axis precession. In each case, the results reveal features that are not readily anticipated by previous analytical studies and shed light on previous empirical observations.     

Insights into the Second Law of Thermodynamics from Anisotropic Gas-Surface Interactions

Thermodynamic implications of anisotropic gas-surface interactions in a closed molecular flow cavity are examined. Anisotropy at the microscopic scale, such as might be caused by reduced-dimensionality surfaces, is shown to lead to reversibility at the macroscopic scale. The possibility of a self-sustaining nonequilibrium stationary state induced by surface anisotropy is demonstrated that simultaneously satisfies flux balance, conservation of momentum, and conservation of energy. Conversely, it is also shown that the second law of thermodynamics prohibits anisotropic gas-surface interactions in “equilibrium”, even for reduced dimensionality surfaces. This is particularly startling because reduced dimensionality surfaces are known to exhibit a plethora of anisotropic properties. That gas-surface interactions would be excluded from these anisotropic properties is completely counterintuitive from a causality perspective. These results provide intriguing insights into the second law of thermodynamics and its relation to gas-surface interaction physics. Sandia National Laboratories is the author’s employer, but is not officially affiliated with this work.     

Insights into Associating Fluid Properties and Microstructure from Classical Density Functional Theory

Self-assembly, important in industrial and biological processes, is governed not only by molecular size and shape, but also by hydrogen bonding forces and hydrophobicities, both of which have important temperature-dependent consequences. Recent advances in statistical mechanics enable the study of these processes at the molecular level. We discuss one such approach based on classical density functional theory. The theory, based on extensions and simplifications of Wertheim’s theory for associating molecules, is applicable to study the behavior of water at hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces and supramolecular assembly based on intermolecular association of polyatomic molecules. Insights into the theory and into the physics of associating molecules are discussed.     

Insights into a spatially embedded social network from a large-scale snowball sample

Much research has been conducted to obtain insights into the basic laws governing human travel behaviour. While the traditional travel survey has been for a long time the main source of travel data, recent approaches to use GPS data, mobile phone data, or the circulation of bank notes as a proxy for human travel behaviour are promising. The present study proposes a further source of such proxy-data: the social network. We collect data using an innovative snowball sampling technique to obtain details on the structure of a leisure-contacts network. We analyse the network with respect to its topology, the individuals’ characteristics, and its spatial structure. We further show that a multiplication of the functions describing the spatial distribution of leisure contacts and the frequency of physical contacts results in a trip distribution that is consistent with data from the Swiss travel survey.     

Insights into fractal feature evolution from Au/Ge thin films after annealing

We report a perplexing behavior of fractal shape transition that results from a change in the annealing temperature and time or the film thickness ratio. We find that a compact-to-open fractal shape transition can be induced by increasing the annealing temperature and time or decreasing the thickness ratio of the Au and Ge films. This behavior is not completely consistent with what is predicted by theories based on diffusion-limited aggregation and previous experimental observations. In this new system, we find that fractal shape transitions are truly dominated by the random-successive nucleation and growth mechanism. PACS 61.43.Hv; 68.55.-a; 81.05.Gc     

Insights into the ninhydrin chemiluminescent reaction and its potential for micromolar determination of human serum albumin

The N-terminal region of human serum albumin (HSA) has an inherent affinity for Co(II) ions. On this basis a new continuous flow method for detection of HSA has been developed taking advantage of the strong quenching effect of the albumin in the ninhydrin-H₂O₂-Co(II) chemiluminescent system. The analytical potential of the system is compared with other conventional chemiluminescent reagents. The method gives linear responses from the detection limit (0.30 μM HSA) up to 6.8 μM. The repeatability of the method is good (RSD=7%), it is cheap and rapid to apply and does not require the use of insoluble or expensive reagents nor sophisticated equipment.     

Insights into enzyme catalysis from QM/MM modelling: transition state stabilization in chorismate mutase

Chorismate mutase provides an important test of theories of enzyme catalysis, and of modelling methods. The Claisen rearrangement of chorismate to prephenate in the enzyme has been modelled here by a combined quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) method. Several pathways have been calculated. The sensitivity of the results to details of model preparation and pathway calculation is tested, and the results are compared in detail to previous similar studies and experiments. The potential energy barrier for the enzyme reaction is estimated at 24.5—31.6 kcal mol^?1 (AMl/CHARMM), and 2.7—11.9 kcal mol^?1 with corrections (e.g. B3LYP/6-31 + G(d)). In agreement with previous studies, the present analysis of the calculated paths provides unequivocal evidence of significant transition state stabilization by the enzyme, indicating that this is central to catalysis by the enzyme. The active site is exquisitely complementary to the transition state, stabilizing it more than the substrate, so reducing the barrier to reaction. A number of similar pathways for reaction exist in the protein, as expected. Small structural differences give rise to differences in energetic contributions. Major electrostatic contributions to transition state stabilization come in all cases from Arg90, Arg7, one or two water molecules, and Glu78 (Glu78 destabilizes the transition state less than the substrate), while Arg63 contributes significantly in one model.     

Insights into the Maillard reaction. The mechanism of Schiff's base formation from the reaction force perspective

Schiff's base formation of the Maillard reaction is described from a theoretical viewpoint. The double proton transfer reaction was investigated within the frame of reaction force analysis in which global and local electronic properties were monitored within reaction regions defined along the reaction coordinate. Calculations based on density functional theory show that Schiff's base formation in the Maillard reaction occurs through an asynchronous double proton transfer, the second proton transfer being the determinant step of the reaction.     

Insights into the molecular mechanism of membrane fusion from simulation: evidence for the association of splayed tails

We present coarse-grained simulations of fusion between two liposomes from which a detailed picture of lipid movements emerges. In these simulations the bilayers dilate at the contact edge, and the resulting increase in the area per lipid produces a tilting of the individual molecules as predicted. Fusion is initiated when some of these tilted lipids splay their aliphatic tails, such that the molecules are shared between the opposing leaflets. Multiple splayed lipids subsequently associate with their aliphatic tails in contact, which produces a new hydrophobic core. As the tails extend into a more parallel conformation the two outer leaflets become contiguous to produce a hemifused structure. The results have interesting implications for biological membrane fusion and suggest new possibilities for designing molecules that control fusion.     

Quantum limits to oscillator stability: Theory and experiments on acoustic emissions from the human ear

Statistical properties of acoustic emissions from a human ear are measured and compared with the theory of quantum-limited oscillations. Theory and experiment are in excellent agreement, both in qualitative and quantitative features, strongly supporting previous theoretical arguments for the importance of quantum noise in the inner ear.     

Cr2O3催化合成气转化至甲醇的微观动力学研究

Cr₂O₃是双功能催化合成气转化的重要氧化物组分,其可将合成气转化为重要的中间物种甲醇. 结合密度泛函理论计算和微观动力学模拟,本文系统研究了干净Cr₂O₃(001)和(012)表面,以及氢覆盖或含有氧空位的还原(012)表面的结构及催化合成气转化至甲醇的活性. 本文探讨了合成气转化为甲醇的分步或协同反应路径,并确定CO或CHO氢化是决速步骤. 微观动力学分析表明,Cr₂O₃(001)表面难以催化合成气转化为甲醇,在673 K 时,两个还原性(012)表面的反应速率(25∽28 s^-1)比干净的(012)表面(4.3 s^-1)高出约五倍. 计算结果表明了Cr₂O₃表面还原性对催化活性的重要性,或许可以为双功能催化体系中氧化物组分的设计提供参考.     

Mesoporous onion-like carbon nanostructures from natural oil for high-performance supercapacitor and electrochemical sensing applications: Insights into the post-synthesis sonochemical treatment on the electrochemical performance

Although onion-like carbon nanostructures (OLCs) are attractive materials for energy storage, their commercialization is hampered by the absence of a simple, cost-effective, large-scale synthesis route and binder-free electrode processing. The present study employs a scalable and straightforward technique to fabricate sonochemically tailored OLCs-based high-performance supercapacitor electrode material. An enhanced supercapacitive performance was demonstrated by the OLCs when sonicated in DMF at 60 °C for 15 min, with a specific capacitance of 647 F/g, capacitance retention of 97% for 5000 cycles, and a charge transfer resistance of 3 Ω. Furthermore, the OLCs were employed in the electrochemical quantification of methylene blue, a potential COVID-19 drug. The sensor demonstrated excellent analytical characteristics, including a linear range of 100 pM to 1000 pM, an ultralow sensitivity of 64.23 pM, and a high selectivity. When used to identify and quantify methylene blue in its pharmaceutical formulation, the sensor demonstrated excellent reproducibility, high stability, and satisfactory recovery.     

Rates of rotational diffusion and Heisenberg spin exchange as obtained from CW ESR and ESR tomographic experiments on model systems and human skin

The purpose of the present paper is to describe possibilities and limitations for the determination of the rates of rotational diffusion and Heisenberg spin exchange, obtained from continuous-wave electron spin resonance (cw ESR) and ESR tomographic experiments. Model systems including nitroxides as paramagnetic reporter molecules have been examined in order to verify data, which have been obtained from cw ESR and ESR tomography. This has been done with particular emphasis on checking the influence of concentration, temperature, and viscosity on the spectral-spatial properties. These findings have been applied to the evaluation of penetration and permeation studies on human skin. The extracted full spectral information from ESR tomography allows the determination of the above mentioned dynamic parameters for model systems of definite geometry and for samples of human skin. It has been found that the signal-to-noise ratio is critical for all discussed applications.