Cu nanoclusters-based ratiometric fluorescence probe for ratiometric and visualization detection of copper ions

Copper is a highly toxic environmental pollutant with bioaccumulative properties. Therefore, sensitive detection of Cu²⁺ is very important to prevent over-ingestion, and visual detection is preferred for practical applications. In this work, we developed a simple and environmental friendly approach to synthesize hyperbranched polyethyleneimine-protected copper nanoclusters (hPEI-Cu NCs) with great stability against extreme pH, high ionic strength, thiols etching and light illumination, which were then conjugated to the surface of silica coated CdSe quantum dots (QDs) to design a ratiometric fluorescence probe. In the presence of different amounts of Cu²⁺ ions, the fluorescence of Cu NCs can be drastically quenched, while the emission from QDs stayed constant to serve as a reference signal and the color of the probe changed from yellow-green to red, resulting in ratiometric and visualization detection of Cu²⁺ ion with high accuracy. The detection limit for Cu²⁺ was estimated to be 8.9 nM, much lower than the allowable level of Cu²⁺ in drinking water (∼20 μM) set by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Additionally, this probe can be also applied for the determination of Cu²⁺ ion in complex real water samples.     

ORSIS – News and further developments

The paper deals with the simulation program Off Road Systems Interactive Simulation (ORSIS) which is the w,orldwide leading simulation tool for off road driving of wheeled vehicles. Even though the present state of development allows a very realistic simulation of the man–vehicle–terrain system, there is continuous further improvement in the computer program’s detail. Some of the recent innovations integrated into the program are presented in this paper. These examples were chosen in a way that the scope of the further developments can be demonstrated. They represent three main directions of the work carried out: the refining of the tire–soil-model, the integration of new technologies and subsystems into the vehicle model and the improvement of the man–machine–interface especially in driving simulators.The first part of the paper describes a further development of the tire–soil-model. A significant improvement has been achieved to include the influence of slippery surfaces on traction in combination with the tire tread pattern. Results from finite element method (FEM) as well as real measurements were used to build up an approach, which qualitatively allows the influence of the positive–negative portion of the tire tread and the lug height of the tire tread on traction to be considered. The basic idea is very simple and straightforward. Moreover the calculation costs are very low, so the enhancement does not affect real time operation.In the second part a physical model for the central tire inflation system (CTIS) is presented. With this model it is possible to simulate the complete pneumatic system of a CTIS, including the air compressor with an accumulator, the pressure line and the wheel valves. The components are modelled by their physical parameters, so an adaptation to different existing tire-pressure-control-systems (TPC) can be made. The paper presents a short review of the modelling and a first validation using real measurements. Furthermore the influence of each parameter, e.g. the discharge flow of the compressor on the inflation time, is presented.The third part of the paper describes a further development of the visualization system. The ORSIS OpenGL graphic engine was separated from the main ORSIS simulation and can be run on different PCs controlled via a network. It is therefore possible to build up very cheap multi-channel visualization systems using consumer PCs running under LinuX. The fact that ORSIS itself is running on a normal PC allows the assembly of comparatively cheap driving simulators of a high end simulation quality.     

Influence of physical properties and operating parameters on hydrodynamics in Centrifugal Partition Chromatography

Besides the selection of a suitable biphasic solvent system the separation efficiency in Centrifugal Partition Chromatography (CPC) is mainly influenced by the hydrodynamics in the chambers. The flow pattern, the stationary phase retention and the interfacial area for mass transfer strongly depend on physical properties of the solvent system and operating parameters. In order to measure these parameters we visualized the hydrodynamics in a FCPC-chamber for five different solvent systems with an optical measurement system and calculated the stationary phase retention, interfacial area and the distribution of mobile phase thickness in the chamber. Although inclined chambers were used we found that the Coriolis force always deflected the mobile phase towards the chamber wall reducing the interfacial area. This effect increased for systems with low density difference. We also have shown that the stability of phase systems (stationary phase retention) and its tendency to disperse increased for smaller values of the ratio of interfacial tension and density difference. But also the viscosity ratio and the flow pattern itself had a significant effect on retention and dispersion of the mobile phase. As a result operating parameters should be chosen carefully with respect to physical properties for a CPC system. In order to reduce the effect of the Coriolis force CPC devices with greater rotor radius are desirable.     

Experimental and numerical study on the falling film flow characteristics outside circular tube applied in floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) under offshore conditions

Spiral wound heat exchanger (SWHE) relying on falling film evaporation and boiling is often used for FLNG. The performance of SWHE can be impacted strongly by the motion of the FLNG caused by the wave and typhoon. The falling film characteristics of SWHE outside circular tube are studied experimentally and numerically by a visualization experimental device based on the high-speed camera and a numerical model based on the dynamic grid. The results show that the wave crest of the liquid film moves to the titled side under offshore conditions. The evolution process of falling film flow pattern outside circular tube with the tilt angle of 9° can be divided into four stages: droplet formation and migration, liquid column formation and migration, liquid column coalescence, liquid sheet formation. A correlation permitting the prediction of the falling film flow pattern outside circular tube and the other one permitting the prediction of the average film thickness of circular tube are developed respectively based on the experimental and numerical data.     

Schematization of networks

We study the problem of computing schematized versions of network maps, like railroad or highway maps. Every path of the schematized map has two or three links with restricted orientations, and the schematized map must be topologically equivalent to the input map. Our approach can handle several types of schematizations, and certain additional constraints can be added, such as a minimum vertical distance between two paths. Our algorithm runs in O(nlogn) time, and experimental results showing the quality of the output are given.     

Direct observation of cellulose dissolution in subcritical and supercritical water over a wide range of water densities (550–1000 kg/m<Superscript>3</Superscript>)

Direct observations of the heating of microcrystalline cellulose (230 DP) in water at temperatures up to 410 °C and at pressures up to 700 MPa were made with a batch-type microreactor. Cellulose particles were found to dissolve with water over temperatures ranging from 315 to 355 °C at high pressures. Dissolution temperatures depended on water density and decreased from about 350 °C at a water density of 560 kg/m³ to a minimum of around 320 °C at a water density of 850 kg/m³. At densities greater than 850 kg/m³, the dissolution temperatures increased and reached a value of about 347 °C at 980 kg/m³. The cellulose dissolution temperatures were independent of heating rates for values ranging from 10 to 17 °C/s. The low dependence of dissolution temperatures on the heating rates is strong evidence for simultaneous dissolution and reaction of the cellulose. Different phenomena occurred depending on water density. At low densities, particles turned transparent and seemed to dissolve into the aqueous phase from the surface. From 670 to 850 kg/m³, the cellulose particles visibly swelled just before completely collapsing and dissolving into the aqueous phase. The swelling probably increased water accessibility and particle surface area and thus lead to the lower dissolution temperatures observed. From 850 to 1000 kg/m³, the particles required longer times to dissolve and many fine brown-like particles were generated as the particles dissolved. FT-IR spectra of the residues were analyzed. Residues formed from heating cellulose at high densities still retained some cellulose character whereas those as low densities had little cellulose character, especially in the O–H stretching vibration region.     

Tools for simulating non-stationary incompressible flow via discretely divergence-free finite element models

We develop simulation tools for the non-stationary incompressible 2D Navier--Stokes equations. The most important components of the finite element code are: the fractional step ?-scheme, which is of second-order accuracy and strongly A-stable, for the time discretization; a fixed point defect correction method with adaptive step length control for the non-linear problems (stationary Navier-Stokes equations); a modified upwind discretization of higher-order accuracy for the convective terms. Finally, the resulting nonsymmetric linear subproblems are treated by a special multigrid algorithm which is adapted to the quadrilateral non-conforming discretely divergence-free finite elements. For the graphical postprocess we use a fully non-stationary and interactive particle-tracing method. With extensive test calculations we show that our method is a candidate for a ‘black box’ solver.     

The strength of weak proximity

This paper studies weak proximity drawings of graphs and demonstrates their advantages over strong proximity drawings in certain cases. Weak proximity drawings are straight line drawings such that if the proximity region of two points p and q representing vertices is devoid of other points representing vertices, then segment (p,q) is allowed, but not forced, to appear in the drawing. This differs from the usual, strong, notion of proximity drawing in which such segments must appear in the drawing.Most previously studied proximity regions are associated with a parameter β, 0β∞. For fixed β, weak β-drawability is at least as expressive as strong β-drawability, as a strong β-drawing is also a weak one. We give examples of graph families and β values where the two notions coincide, and a situation in which it is NP-hard to determine weak β-drawability. On the other hand, we give situations where weak proximity significantly increases the expressive power of β-drawability: we show that every graph has, for all sufficiently small β, a weak β-proximity drawing that is computable in linear time, and we show that every tree has, for every β less than 2, a weak β-drawing that is computable in linear time.     

Investigating young students’ multiplicative thinking: The 12 little ducks problem

Children’s multiplicative thinking as the visualization of equal group structures and the enumeration the composite units was the subject of this study. The results were obtained from a small sample of Australian children (n = 18) in their first year of school (mean age 5 years 6 months) who participated in a lesson taught by their classroom teacher. The 12 Little Ducks problem stimulated children to visualize and to draw different ways of making equal groups. Fifteen children (83 %) could identify and create equal groups; eight of these children (44 %) could also quantify the number of groups they formed. These findings show that some young children understand early multiplicative ideas and can visualize equal group situations and communicate about these through their drawings and talk. The study emphasises the value of encouraging mathematical visualization from an early age; using open thought-provoking problems to reveal children’s thinking; and promoting drawing as a form of mathematical communication.