Hydrocarbon fuel effects in solid-oxide fuel cell operation: an experimental and modeling study of n-hexane pyrolysis

Pyrolysis experiments of n-hexane were performed and the product distribution and fuel consumption were measured as a function of temperature. The experimental temperatures ranged from 550-675 degrees C, with a pressure of approximately 1 atm, and residence times of approximately 5 s. N-Hexane was used as a model compound to represent the linear alkanes that might be found in practical hydrocarbon fuels. Under these conditions, high fuel conversion was observed at the higher temperatures and a wide range of products were formed. The experimental observations were compared to predictions from a plug-flow model using a reaction mechanism consisting of 205 species and 1403 reactions. The hydrogen abstraction and isomerization rate coefficients in this model were based on CBS-QB3 calculations. The only model modification was adjustment of the A-factor of the initiation rates to match conversion at one temperature. This model was able to successfully predict the observed trends in both product selectivities as well as fuel conversion over the temperature range. The mechanism was also used to capture the trends previously observed in n-butane pyrolysis under similar experimental conditions. Significant differences in the sensitivity coefficients for the hexane and butane systems are discussed in terms of the competition between beta-scission and isomerization of the initial radicals formed. The kinetic model predicts that n-hexane will be completely converted within 0.1 s in the higher temperature environment ( approximately 800 degrees C) of the anode channel of a solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC). This result clearly illustrates the need to explicitly account for gas-phase reactions in SOFC models for those cases where hydrocarbons, especially those larger than methane, are fed directly to an SOFC.     

Structural acoustic control of plates with variable boundary conditions: design methodology

A method for optimizing a structural acoustic control system subject to variations in plate boundary conditions is provided. The assumed modes method is used to build a plate model with varying levels of rotational boundary stiffness to simulate the dynamics of a plate with uncertain edge conditions. A transducer placement scoring process, involving Hankel singular values, is combined with a genetic optimization routine to find spatial locations robust to boundary condition variation. Predicted frequency response characteristics are examined, and theoretically optimized results are discussed in relation to the range of boundary conditions investigated. Modeled results indicate that it is possible to minimize the impact of uncertain boundary conditions in active structural acoustic control by optimizing the placement of transducers with respect to those uncertainties.     

Near-field and far-field approximations by the Adomian and asymptotic decomposition methods

The Adomian decomposition method and the asymptotic decomposition method give the near-field approximate solution and far-field approximate solution, respectively, for linear and nonlinear differential equations. The Padé approximants give solution continuation of series solutions, but the continuation is usually effective only on some finite domain, and it can not always give the asymptotic behavior as the independent variables approach infinity. We investigate the global approximate solution by matching the near-field approximation derived from the Adomian decomposition method with the far-field approximation derived from the asymptotic decomposition method for linear and nonlinear differential equations. For several examples we find that there exists an overlap between the near-field approximation and the far-field approximation, so we can match them to obtain a global approximate solution. For other nonlinear examples where the series solution from the Adomian decomposition method has a finite convergent domain, we can match the Padé approximant of the near-field approximation with the far-field approximation to obtain a global approximate solution representing the true, entire solution over an infinite domain.     

Polydentate analogues of 8-hydroxyquinoline and their complexes with ruthenium

Selective reduction of 2-nitro-3-methoxybenzaldehyde provides 2-amino-3-methoxybenzaldehyde that undergoes the Friedl?nder condensation with a variety of acetyl-substituted derivatives of pyridine and 1,10-phenanthroline. After cleavage of the methyl ether, the resulting polydentate analogues of 8-hydroxyquinoline are excellent ligands for ruthenium. The resulting oxidation state of the metal center depends on the anionic character of the ligands. The presence of two electron donating anionic ligands results in a Ru(III) complex as evidenced by paramagnetic NMR behavior. The electronic absorption and redox properties of the complexes were measured and found to be consistent with the anionic character of the 8-HQ moieties. A planar pentadentate ligand provides two Ru-O and two Ru-N bonds in the equatorial plane. An X-ray structure shows that the central pyridine of the ligand is oriented toward the metal but held at a distance of 2.44 ?.     

Vesicle and bilayer formation of diphytanoylphosphatidylcholine (DPhPC) and diphytanoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DPhPE) mixtures and their bilayers' electrical stability

Lipid bilayers are of interest in applications where a cell membrane mimicking environment is desired. The performance of the lipid bilayer is largely dependent on the physical and chemical properties of the component lipids. Lipid bilayers consisting of phytanoyl lipids have proven to be appropriate choices since they exhibit high mechanical and chemical stability. In addition, such bilayers have high electrical resistances. Two different phytanoyl lipids, 1,2-diphytanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPhPC) and 1,2-diphytanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DPhPE), and various combinations of the two have been investigated with respect to their behavior in aqueous solutions, their interactions with solid surfaces, and their electrical stability. Dynamic light scattering, nuclear magnetic resonance diffusion, and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy measurements showed that pure DPhPC as well as mixtures of DPhPC and DPhPE consisting of greater than 50% (mol%) DPhPC formed unilamellar vesicles. If the total lipid concentration was greater than 0.15g/l, then the vesicles formed solid-supported bilayers on plasma-treated gold and silica surfaces by the process of spontaneous vesicle adsorption and rupture, as determined by quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring and atomic force microscopy. The solid-supported bilayers exhibited a high degree of viscoelasticity, probably an effect of relatively high amounts of imbibed water or incomplete vesicle fusion. Lipid compositions consisting of greater than 50% DPhPE formed small flower-like vesicular structures along with discrete liquid crystalline structures, as evidenced by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, electrophysiology measurements were performed on bilayers using the tip-dip methodology and the bilayers' capacity to retain its electrical resistance towards an applied potential across the bilayer was evaluated as a function of lipid composition. It was shown that the lipid ratio significantly affected the bilayer's electrical stability, with pure DPhPE having the highest stability followed by 3DPhPC:7DPhPE and 7DPhPC:3DPhPE in decreasing order. The bilayer consisting of 5DPhPC:5DPhPE had the lowest stability towards the applied electrical potential.     

‘Negative of my money,positive of her money’: secondary students’ ways of relating equations to a debt context

We interviewed 40 students each in grades 7 and 11 to investigate their integer-related reasoning. In one task, the students were asked to write and interpret equations related to a story problem about borrowing money from a friend. All the students solved the story problem correctly. However, they reasoned about the problem in different ways. Many students represented the situation numerically without invoking negative numbers, whereas others wrote equations involving negative numbers. When asked to interpret equations involving negative numbers in relation to the story, students did so in two ways. Their responses reflect distinct perspectives concerning the relationship between arithmetic equations and borrowing/owing. We discuss these findings and their implications regarding the role of contexts in integer instruction.     

c-MycERTAM transgene silencing in a genetically modified human neural stem cell line implanted into MCAo rodent brain

Background

To date, functional imaging studies of treatment-induced recovery from chronic aphasia only assessed short-term treatment effects after intensive language training. In the present study, we show with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), that different brain regions may be involved in immediate versus long-term success of intensive language training in chronic post-stroke aphasia patients.

Results

Eight patients were trained daily for three hours over a period of two weeks in naming of concrete objects. Prior to, immediately after, and eight months after training, patients overtly named trained and untrained objects during event-related fMRI. On average the patients improved from zero (at baseline) to 64.4% correct naming responses immediately after training, and treatment success remained highly stable at follow-up. Regression analyses showed that the degree of short-term treatment success was predicted by increased activity (compared to the pretraining scan) bilaterally in the hippocampal formation, the right precuneus and cingulate gyrus, and bilaterally in the fusiform gyri. A different picture emerged for long-term training success, which was best predicted by activity increases in the right-sided Wernicke's homologue and to a lesser degree in perilesional temporal areas.

Conclusion

The results show for the first time that treatment-induced language recovery in the chronic stage after stroke is a dynamic process. Initially, brain regions involved in memory encoding, attention, and multimodal integration mediated treatment success. In contrast, long-term treatment success was predicted mainly by activity increases in the so-called 'classical' language regions. The results suggest that besides perilesional and homologue language-associated regions, functional integrity of domain-unspecific memory structures may be a prerequisite for successful (intensive) language interventions.     

One‐Pot Synthesis of 3‐Cyano‐2‐pyridones

A versatile synthesis of 3‐cyano‐2‐pyridones via a one‐pot, four‐component condensation of ethyl cyanoacetate, ketones, aldehydes, and ammonium acetate under very mild conditions has been developed. This method provides rapid access to this type of valuable heterocyclic compounds from readily available materials in a single operation.     

Generalizations of the neumann system—a curve theoretical approach part III: Order n systems

The Neumann system is a well-known algebraically completely integrable Hamiltonian system. Its geometry has roots in hyperelliptic curve theory and the isospectral deformation theory of Hill's operator. In this paper generalizations of the Neumann system are found for n-sheeted Riemann surfaces and the isospectral deformation theory of operators of order n. Trace formulas, Lax pairs, and constants of motion are found. The new systems are shown to be algebraically completely integrable.