Fast finite difference solution for steady-state Navier-Stokes equations using the BID method

A first biharmonic boundary value problem is obtained by combining the coupled steady-state Navier-Stokes equations in their stream-function-vorticity formulation. This biharmonic boundary value problem is solved by a fast biharmonic solver developed by the authors wherein the idea of preconditioned conjugate gradient method is used. The biharmonic driver (BID) method using this solver has been found fast converging, and produces accurate results up to moderately large Reynolds numbers. Also, the mesh size does not affect the convergence rate.     

An extension of the edge covering problem

In this paper we define a weightedr-covering problem, and show that there exists an optimum solution of ther-covering problem which can be decomposed into the sum of a rounded down solution of its linear relaxation and an optimal solution of a weighted edge covering problem on a reduced graph. Vertexr-packing problem can also be reduced to ther-covering problem.     

Methodology to account for multi-stage ignition phenomena during simulations of RCM experiments

RCM experiments are used to investigate the ignition behavior of fuels at engine relevant conditions. Modern designs utilize pistons with crevice volumes machined around the circumference of the crown in order to suppress boundary layer effects during the volumetric compression process. While piston crevices have been successful in controlling heat loss from the reaction chamber gases and improving the overall homogeneity of the reacting mixture, multi-stage ignition events can be sufficiently perturbed by spatial non-uniformities and there can be substantial gas flow into the crevice volume due to the preliminary, or low-temperature heat releases. Ignition delay times can be lengthened by up to 25% as a result of these effects. These features are difficult to incorporate into 0D chemical kinetic simulations where volumetric expansion curves from non-reacting experiments are often used to prescribe the heat loss characteristics of reacting chamber mixtures. A new methodology is presented here to account for multi-stage ignition phenomena during simulations of RCM experiments. The approach and a range of demonstrative examples are presented in this study.     

A dual-catalysis/anion-binding approach to the kinetic resolution of allylic amines

A dual-catalysis approach enables the small-molecule catalyzed kinetic resolution of allylic amines by acylation. By employing 2 mol % of each 4-(pyrrolidino)pyridine (PPY) and a readily available chiral hydrogen-bonding cocatalyst, the first nonenzymatic kinetic resolution of allylic amines was accomplished with s factors of up to 20.     

Multiple double cross-section transmission electron microscope sample preparation of specific sub-10 nm diameter Si nanowire devices

The ability to prepare multiple cross-section transmission electron microscope (XTEM) samples from one XTEM sample of specific sub-10 nm features was demonstrated. Sub-10 nm diameter Si nanowire (NW) devices were initially cross-sectioned using a dual-beam focused ion beam system in a direction running parallel to the device channel. From this XTEM sample, both low- and high-resolution transmission electron microscope (TEM) images were obtained from six separate, specific site Si NW devices. The XTEM sample was then re-sectioned in four separate locations in a direction perpendicular to the device channel: 90° from the original XTEM sample direction. Three of the four XTEM samples were successfully sectioned in the gate region of the device. From these three samples, low- and high-resolution TEM images of the Si NW were taken and measurements of the NW diameters were obtained. This technique demonstrated the ability to obtain high-resolution TEM images in directions 90° from one another of multiple, specific sub-10 nm features that were spaced 1.1 μm apart.     

Development and Validation of a Spectrofluorimetric Method for the Determination of Erlotinib in Spiked Human Plasma

A rapid and sensitive spectrofluorimetric method was developed and validated for the determination of erlotinib (ETB), a potent anticancer drug, in spiked human plasma without any derivatization. The described method was validated and the analytical parameters of linearity, accuracy, precision (intra- and inter-day), limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ) were evaluated. The relation between the fluorescence intensity and concentration was found to be linear (r² 0.9998) over the range 125 to 1000?ng/mL with the detection limit of 15?ng/mL. A simple liquid-liquid extraction method was followed in order to extract the drug from spiked plasma. The mean absolute recoveries of ETB were 85.59?% (±0.57), 86.91?% (±1.77) and 89.31?% (±3.01) at spiked plasma ETB concentration of 5000, 3750 and 2500?ng/mL, respectively. The spectrofluorimetric method presented here is a rapid, simple, specific, and reproducible method and can be used to characterize the plasma pharmacokinetics of ETB.     

Application of Mie theory and fractal models to determine the optical and surface roughness of Ag–Cu thin films

Thin films of Ag/Cu were deposited by reactive DC magnetron sputtering on (001)-oriented Si and glass substrates for various deposition times (4–24 min). These films were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), and a power law scaling was performed on the obtained micrographs to investigate the self-affine nature of the sample morphology, which is indicative of a fractal structure. We applied the Higuchi’s algorithm to the AFM data to determine the fractal dimension of each sample, and the Hurst exponents were computed. The deposition time dependences of these parameters and the grain size distributions estimated from the UV–visible spectra using the Mie theory, allowed us to describe a particle formation mechanism during the deposition process, in which the length of continuous paths of conductive particles increases as the deposition time is increased. In agreement with this explanation, the electrical resistance decreased with the increment of the deposition time.