Self-Assembly Propensity Dictates Lifetimes in Transient Naphthalimide–Dipeptide Nanofibers

Transient self-assembly of dipeptide nanofibers with lifetimes that are predictably variable through dipeptide sequence design are presented. This was achieved using 1,8-naphthalimide ( NI ) amino acid methyl-esters (Phe, Tyr, Leu) that are biocatalytically coupled to amino acid-amides (Phe, Tyr, Leu, Val, Ala, Ser) to form self-assembling NI -dipeptides. However, competing hydrolysis of the dipeptides results in disassembly. It was demonstrated that the kinetic parameters like lifetimes of these nanofibers can be predictably regulated by the thermodynamic parameter, namely the self-assembly propensity of the constituent dipeptide sequence. These lifetimes could vary from minutes, to hours, to permanent gels that do not degrade. Moreover, the in-built NI fluorophore was utilized to image the transient nanostructures in solution with stimulated emission depletion (STED) based super-resolution fluorescence microscopy.     

Role of curing conditions and silanization of glass fibers on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) reinforced glass fiber epoxy composites

Curing behavior of amino-functionalized carbon nanotubes (ACNT) used as reinforcing agent in epoxy resin has been examined by thermal analysis. Experiments performed as per supplier’s curing conditions showed that modification of the curing schedule influences the thermo-mechanical properties of the nanocomposites. Specifically, the glass transition temperature (T_g) of ACNT-reinforced composites increased likely due to the immobility of polymer molecules, held strongly by amino carbon nanotubes. Further, a set of composites were prepared by implementing the experimentally determined optimal curing schedule to examine its effect on the mechanical properties of different GFRP compositions, while focusing primarily on reinforced ACNT and pristine nanotube (PCNT) matrix with silane-treated glass fibers. From the silane treatment of glass fibers in ACNT matrix composition it has been observed that amino silane is much better amongst all the mechanical (tensile and flexural) properties studied. This is because of strong interface between amino silane-treated glass fibers and modified epoxy resin containing uniformly dispersed amino-CNTs. On the other hand, PCNT GFRP composites with epoxy silanes demonstrated enhanced results for the mechanical properties under investigation which may be attributed to the presence of strong covalent bonding between epoxy silane of glass fiber and epoxy–amine matrix.     

Comparison of piezoelectricity in Ta and La substituted lead calcium titanate ceramics

This paper reports the experimental investigations on the effect of La³⁺ and Ta⁵⁺ substitution on the structural characteristics and dielectric and piezoelectric properties of lead calcium titanate (PCT) ceramic. The PCT samples with A-site and B-site substitution having the composition formula Pb_0.76−x/2La_xCa_0.24(Ti_0.98Mn_0.02)_1−x/2O₃ and Pb_0.76Ca_0.24Mn_0.02Ti _0.98−5x/4Ta_xO₃, x=0 and 0.02, respectively_, were prepared using conventional solid-state reaction method. Phase formation and structural analysis were studied using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Dielectric constant (ε′) and loss tangent (tan δ) as a function of frequency were measured at room temperature as well as elevated temperature. Both ε′ and tan δ decreased with increase in frequency at room temperature. Curie temperature decreased with La and Ta doping in PCT ceramics due to a decrease in the tetragonality of PCT ceramics. Piezoelectric charge coefficients (d₃₃, d₃₁) increased with La³⁺ substitution due to reorientation of the grains and decreased with Ta⁵⁺ substitution because of the increase in porosity. Figure of merit d_hg_h increased and decreased with La and Ta substitution, respectively. A good ferroelectric behaviour is obtained for La substitution, while no hysteresis is obtained for Ta substitution.     

Sensitivity Analysis of Contact Type Vibration Measuring Sensors

With the Internet of Things (IoT) era dawning in, we are surrounded by a plethora of sensors. The present paper focuses on MEMS-based vibration measuring accelerometers, which are ubiquitously present in smartphones, tablets, smartwatches/bands, etc. These contact type vibration sensors have the unique advantage of being very small, low cost, low power, less weighing, and easily accommodatable in electronics. However, the accuracy of these sensors needs to be quantified with respect to more accurate sensors. With this objective, the paper presents a comparison of the relative sensitivity of a MEMS-based accelerometer (MPU 6050), a Geophone, and a sensor from Xiaomi Y2 smartphone with respect to a more standard Piezoelectric ICP based accelerometer, when all sensors are tested on a shaker table. Data are measured with harmonic excitation over a frequency range of 2–184 Hz. The relative sensitivity of MPU 6050 was 90% accurate in the frequency range 18–116 Hz for RMS measurements. Other sensors such as the one used in the Xiaomi Y2 smartphone and the Geophone were less accurate. The relative sensitivity measured in this work can be used to obtain sensitivity and hence more accurate data from these low-cost accelerometers.     

Statistics and Modelling of Turbulent Kinetic Energy Transport in Different Regimes of Premixed Combustion

The statistical behaviour of turbulent kinetic energy transport in turbulent premixed flames is analysed using data from three-dimensional Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) of freely propagating turbulent premixed flames under decaying turbulence. For flames within the corrugated flamelets regime, it is observed that turbulent kinetic energy is generated within the flame brush. By contrast, for flames within the thin reaction zones regime it has been found that the turbulent kinetic energy decays monotonically through the flame brush. Similar trends are observed also for the dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy. Within the corrugated flamelets regime, it is demonstrated that the effects of the mean pressure gradient and pressure dilatation within the flame are sufficient to overcome the effects of viscous dissipation and are responsible for the observed augmentation of turbulent kinetic energy in the flame brush. In the thin reaction zones regime, the effects of the mean pressure gradient and pressure dilatation terms are relatively much weaker than those of viscous dissipation, resulting in a monotonic decay of turbulent kinetic energy across the flame brush. The modelling of the various unclosed terms of the turbulent kinetic energy transport equation has been analysed in detail. The predictions of existing models are compared with corresponding quantities extracted from DNS data. Based on this a-priori DNS assessment, either appropriate models are identified or new models are proposed where necessary. It is shown that the turbulent flux of turbulent kinetic energy exhibits counter-gradient (gradient) transport wherever the turbulent scalar flux is counter-gradient (gradient) in nature. A new model has been proposed for the turbulent flux of turbulent kinetic energy, and is found to capture the qualitative and quantitative behaviour obtained from DNS data for both the corrugated flamelets and thin reaction zones regimes without the need to adjust any of the model constants.     

Choosability with union separation

List coloring generalizes graph coloring by requiring the color of a vertex to be selected from a list of colors specific to that vertex. One refinement of list coloring, called choosability with separation, requires that the intersection of adjacent lists is sufficiently small. We introduce a new refinement, called choosability with union separation, where we require that the union of adjacent lists is sufficiently large. For $t\ge k$, a $(k,t)$-list assignment is a list assignment $L$ where $\left|L\left(v\right)\right|\ge k$ for all vertices $v$ and $|L\left(u\right)\cup L\left(v\right)|\ge t$ for all edges $uv$. A graph is $(k,t)$-choosable if there is a proper coloring for every $(k,t)$-list assignment. We explore this concept through examples of graphs that are not $(k,t)$-choosable, demonstrating sparsity conditions that imply a graph is $(k,t)$-choosable, and proving that all planar graphs are $(3,11)$-choosable and $(4,9)$-choosable.     

Strong valid inequalities for orthogonal disjunctions and bilinear covering sets

In this paper, we derive a closed-form characterization of the convex hull of a generic nonlinear set, when this convex hull is completely determined by orthogonal restrictions of the original set. Although the tools used in this construction include disjunctive programming and convex extensions, our characterization does not introduce additional variables. We develop and apply a toolbox of results to check the technical assumptions under which this convexification tool can be employed. We demonstrate its applicability in integer programming by providing an alternate derivation of the split cut for mixed-integer polyhedral sets and finding the convex hull of certain mixed/pure-integer bilinear sets. We then extend the utility of the convexification tool to relaxing nonconvex inequalities, which are not naturally disjunctive, by providing sufficient conditions for establishing the convex extension property over the non-negative orthant. We illustrate the utility of this result by deriving the convex hull of a continuous bilinear covering set over the non-negative orthant. Although we illustrate our results primarily on bilinear covering sets, they also apply to more general polynomial covering sets for which they yield new tight relaxations.     

Lifted inequalities for 0\mathord {-}1 mixed-integer bilinear covering sets

In this paper, we study $0\mathord {-}1$ mixed-integer bilinear covering sets. We derive several families of facet-defining inequalities via sequence-independent lifting techniques. We then show that these sets have a polyhedral structure that is similar to that of a certain fixed-charge single-node flow set. As a result, we also obtain new facet-defining inequalities for the single-node flow set that generalize well-known lifted flow cover inequalities from the integer programming literature.     

Can correlations drive a band insulator metallic?

We analyze the effects of the on-site Coulomb repulsion U on a band insulator using dynamical mean field theory (DMFT). We find the surprising result that the gap is suppressed to zero at a critical Uc1 and remains zero within a metallic phase. At a larger Uc2 there is a second transition from the metal to a Mott insulator, in which the gap increases with increasing U. These results are qualitatively different from Hartree-Fock theory which gives a monotonically decreasing but nonzero insulating gap for all finite U.     

Condensation of plasmid DNA by benzyl hydraphiles and lariat ethers: dependence on pH and chain length

Lariat ethers and hydraphiles have been studied by the use of gel electrophoresis to evaluate the complexation of a 10 kilobase plasmid DNA. Both receptor systems show behaviour that reflects differences in side or spacer chain lengths. In addition, the formation of complexes or aggregates (identified by transmission electron microscopy, TEM) is pH dependent. Some detergents and polyamines can affect the formation and/or deaggregation of the complexes which TEM shows form particles of a relatively uniform size (~100–150 nm) and density for a specific receptor.