pinecone/core-2020-05-10-deduplication huggingface dataset:
Towards process intensification : remediation of fouling in continuous microscale synthesis of phosphated TiO2

The use of continuous flow microreactors offers an interesting approach among the process intensification tools available. Fouling in a microreactor during synthesis of industrially relevant nanoparticles was investigated. In order to achieve this, microscale synthesis of phosphated TiO2 nanoparticles from titanium(IV) isopropoxide (TTIP) and titanium(IV) butoxide (TBUT) was employed. A continuous three step process, consisting of hydrolysis of the respective alkoxide, phosphate modification and precipitation was developed. The resulting catalyst was characterized by means of nitrogen adsorption, dynamic light scattering and SEM/EDX. It was observed that TTIP resulted in massive fouling, while a stable process was possible with TBUT. This was related to the nucleation time of the particles. The particle size directly after the critical hydrolysis step was investigated. The particles formed with TTIP as a precursor (3.4 nm) were larger than those obtained from TBUT (2.4 nm). Diffusion based reactant concentration gradients within the multilamellar micromixer were calculated, and the corresponding Damköhler numbers for mixing were estimated to be 2.6∙10−3 for TBUT and 3.5∙10−2 for TTIP respectively. These numbers highlight the influence of incomplete mixing on fouling for TTIP as a precursor. Thus, our work demonstrates the necessity to consider the reaction kinetics during process intensification by miniaturization
Major agricultural changes required to mitigate phosphorus losses under climate change

Phosphorus losses from land to water will be impacted by climate change and land management for food production, with detrimental impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Here we use a unique combination of methods to evaluate the impact of projected climate change on future phosphorus transfers, and to assess what scale of agricultural change would be needed
to mitigate these transfers. We combine novel high-frequency phosphorus flux data from three representative catchments across the UK, a new high-spatial resolution climate model,
uncertainty estimates from an ensemble of future climate simulations, two phosphorus transfer models of contrasting complexity and a simplified representation of the potential
intensification of agriculture based on expert elicitation from land managers. We show that the effect of climate change on average winter phosphorus loads (predicted increase up to
30% by 2050s) will be limited only by large-scale agricultural changes (e.g., 20–80% reduction in phosphorus inputs)
Quinine doped hybrid sol-gel coatings for wave guiding and optical applications

Pure and quinine doped silica coatings have been prepared over sodalime glasses. The coatings were consolidated at low temperature (range 60-180 A degrees C) preserving optical activity of quinine molecule. We designed a device to test the guiding properties of the coatings. We confirmed with this device that light injected in pure silica coatings is guided over distances of meters while quinine presence induces isotropic photoluminescence. With the combined use of both type of coatings, it is possible to design light guiding devices and illuminate regions in glass elements without electronic circuits
Differences between low-end and high-end climate change impacts in Europe across multiple sectors

The Paris Agreement established the 1.5 and 2 °C targets based on the recognition “that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change”. We tested this assertion by comparing impacts at the regional scale between low-end (< 2 °C; RCP2.6) and high-end (> 4 °C; RCP8.5) climate change scenarios accounting for interactions across six sectors (agriculture, forestry, biodiversity, water, coasts and urban) using an integrated assessment model. Results show that there are only minor differences in most impact indicators for the 2020s time slice, but impacts are considerably greater under high-end than low-end climate change in the 2050s and 2080s. For example, for the 2080s, mitigation consistent with the Paris Agreement would reduce aggregate Europe-wide impacts on the area of intensive agriculture by 21% (on average across climate models), on the area of managed forests by 34%, on water stress by 14%, on people flooded by 10% and on biodiversity vulnerability by 16%. Including socio-economic scenarios (SSPs 1, 3, 4, 5) results in considerably greater variation in the magnitude, range and direction of change of the majority of impact indicators than climate change alone. In particular, socio-economic factors much more strongly drive changes in land use and food production than changes in climate, sometimes overriding the differences due to low-end and high-end climate change. Such impacts pose significant challenges for adaptation and highlight the importance of searching for synergies between adaptation and mitigation and linking them to sustainable development goals
Trkb receptors modulation of glutamate release is limited to a subset of nerve terminals in the adult rat hippocampus

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) modulates glutamatergic excitatory transmission in hippocampal primary cultures by acting at a presynaptic locus. Although it has been suggested that BDNF also modulates adult hippocampus glutamatergic transmission, this remains a matter of controversy. To clarify a putative role for this neurotrophin in the modulation of glutamate release we applied exogenous BDNF to isolated adult rat hippocampal nerve terminals. BDNF, at 100 ng/ml, potentiated by 25% the K+-evoked release of [3H]glutamate from hippocampal synaptosomes. The small effect of BDNF on [3H]glutamate release correlated with a modest increase in phospholipase Cgamma (PLCgamma) phosphorylation, and with the lack of effect of BDNF on extracellular-signal regulated kinase (ERK) and Akt phosphorylation. Immunocytochemistry studies demonstrated that only about one-third of glutamatergic synaptosomes were positive for TrkB immunoreactivity. Furthermore, biotinylation and subsynaptic fractionation studies showed that only one-fourth of total full-length TrkB was present at the plasma membrane, evenly distributed between the presynaptic active zone and the postsynaptic density. These results indicate that BDNF modulates synaptic transmission presynaptically in a small subset of hippocampal glutamatergic synapses that contain TrkB and that express the receptor on the plasma membrane. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jnr.2078
Caspase-dependent and -independent cell death induced by 3-nitropropionic acid in rat cortical neurons

Mitochondria play a critical role in cell death by releasing apoptogenic factors, such as cytochrome c and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), from the intermembrane space into the cytoplasm. Because mitochondrial dysfunction has been shown to be involved in several neurodegenerative diseases, mitochondrial toxins are largely used to model these disorders. These include 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP), an irreversible inhibitor of succinate dehydrogenase, which has been used to model Huntington's disease and was previously reported by us to induce apoptotic cell death through caspase activation. In the present study, we evaluated the involvement of caspase-independent neuronal cell death induced by 3-NP (1 mM) and the effect of z-VDVAD-fmk, an inhibitor of caspase-2, using cortical neurons in culture. Our results highly suggest that 3-NP induces both caspase-dependent and -independent cell death. We showed that z-VDVAD-fmk prevented both caspase-2 and -3-like activities evoked by 3-NP, but only partly prevented chromatin fragmentation/condensation. However, z-VDVAD-fmk did not avoid 3-NP-induced release of cytochrome c or AIF from mitochondria nor did it affect the levels of mitochondrial Bax. Furthermore, 3-NP-mediated decrease in plasma membrane integrity was not affected by z-VDVAD-fmk. Under these conditions, the inhibitor prevented the caspase-dependent cell death. J. Cell. Biochem. 98: 93-101, 2006. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jcb.2074
Regulation of AMPA Receptor Activity, Synaptic Targeting and Recycling: Role in Synaptic Plasticity

The alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors for the neurotransmitter glutamate are oligomeric structures responsible for most fast excitatory responses in the central nervous system. The activity of AMPA receptors can be directly regulated by protein phosphorylation, which may also affect the interaction with intracellular proteins and, consequently, their recycling and localization to defined postsynaptic sites. This review focuses on recent advances in understanding the dynamic regulation of AMPA receptors, on a short- and long-term basis, and its implications in synaptic plasticity.http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:102561012277
Mannosylglycerate is essential for osmotic adjustment in  Thermus thermophilus strains HB27 and RQ-1

Abstract  We disrupted the mpgS encoding mannosyl-3-phosphoglycerate synthase (MpgS) of Thermus thermophilus strains HB27 and RQ-1, by homologous recombination, to assess the role of the compatible solute mannosylglycerate (MG) in osmoadaptation of the mutants, to examine their ability to grow in NaCl-containing medium and to identify the intracellular organic solutes. Strain HB27 accumulated only MG when grown in defined medium containing 2% NaCl; mutant HB27M9 did not grow in the same medium containing more than 1% NaCl. When trehalose or MG was added, the mutant was able to grow up to 2% of NaCl and accumulated trehalose or MG, respectively, plus amino acids. T. thermophilus RQ-1 grew in medium containing up to 5% NaCl, accumulated trehalose and lower amounts of MG. Mutant RQ-1M1 lost the ability to grow in medium containing more than 3% NaCl and accumulated trehalose and moderate levels of amino acids. Exogenous MG did not improve the ability of the organism to grow above 3% NaCl, but caused a decrease in the levels of amino acids. Our results show that MG serves as a compatible solute primarily during osmoadaptation at low levels of NaCl while trehalose is primarily involved in osmoadaptation during growth at higher NaCl levels.http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00792-007-0106-
Comparative study of auxetic geometrics by means of computer-aided design and engineering

Auxetic materials (or metamaterials) are those with a negative Poisson ratio (NPR) and display the unexpected property of lateral expansion when stretched, as well as an equal and opposing densification when compressed. Such geometries are being progressively employed in the development of novel products, especially in the fields of intelligent expandable actuators, shape morphing structures and minimally invasive implantable devices. Although several auxetic and potentially auxetic geometries have been summarized in previous reviews and research, precise information regarding relevant properties for design tasks is not always provided.\ud
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In this study we present a comparative study of two-dimensional and three-dimensional auxetic geometries carried out by means of computer-aided design and engineering tools (from now on CAD–CAE). The first part of the study is focused on the development of a CAD library of auxetics. Once the library is developed we simulate the behavior of the different auxetic geometries and elaborate a systematic comparison, considering relevant properties of these geometries, such as Poisson ratio(s), maximum volume or area reductions attainable and equivalent Young's modulus, hoping it may provide useful information for future designs of devices based on these interesting structures
Geochemical study of the Northwest Africa 6148 Martian meteorite and its terrestrial weathering processes

The number of studies of Mars geology through the geochemical analysis of Martian meteorites has been increasing in the last
years because of the amount of information that can be obtained about the planet. In this study, a Martian meteorite, the
Northwest Africa 6148 nakhlite, has been analysed and characterised, as there were few studies about it. After analysing it by
Raman spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscope–Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy coupled to the Structural and
Chemical Analyser interface, augite and olivine were identified as the main mineral phases of the sample. Moreover, using the
Raman bands position, both minerals’ metal proportions were estimated. This methodology used in meteorite studies provides
good semi-quantitative results and can offer some advantages to other techniques. In addition, calcite was found, being
associated with Earth weathering processes. Surprisingly, Co3O4 was detected in the matrix of the meteorite. This is the first time
that this oxide is observed in ameteorite. Itwas not possible to determine if it is an original compound fromMars or a product of a
weathering process on Earth. However, whichever the case may be, solely the presence of this cobalt oxide represents a relevant
finding, as it could provide a deeper knowledge of theMartian geochemistry or the Earth weathering processes. Copyright © 2017
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.Proyecto MINECO Retos de la Sociedad. Ref. ESP2014-56138-C3-2-
Analysis and resolution of the ground-state degeneracy of the
  two-component Bose-Hubbard model

We study the degeneracy of the ground-state energy $E$ of the two-component
Bose-Hubbard model and of the perturbative correction $E_1$. We show that the
degeneracy properties of $E$ and $E_1$ are closely related to the connectivity
properties of the lattice. We determine general conditions under which $E$ is
nondegenerate. This analysis is then extended to investigate the degeneracy of
$E_1$. In this case, in addition to the lattice structure, the degeneracy also
depends on the number of particles present in the system. After identifying the
cases in which $E_1$ is degenerate and observing that the standard (degenerate)
perturbation theory is not applicable, we develop a method to determine the
zeroth-order correction to the ground state by exploiting the symmetry
properties of the lattice. This method is used to implement the perturbative
approach to the two-component Bose-Hubbard model in the case of degenerate
$E_1$ and is expected to be a valid tool to perturbatively study the asymmetric
character of the Mott-insulator to superfluid transition between the particle
and hole side
Exact Solutions of a Non-Polynomially Nonlinear Schrodinger Equation

A nonlinear generalisation of Schrodinger's equation had previously been
obtained using information-theoretic arguments. The nonlinearities in that
equation were of a nonpolynomial form, equivalent to the occurence of
higher-derivative nonlinear terms at all orders. Here we construct some exact
solutions to that equation in 1+1 dimensions. On the half-line, the solutions
resemble exponentially damped Bloch waves even though no external periodic
potential is included: the periodicity is induced by the nonpolynomiality. The
solutions are nonperturbative as they do not reduce to solutions of the linear
theory in the limit that the nonlinearity parameter vanishes. An intriguing
feature of the solutions is their infinite degeneracy: for a given energy,
there exists a very large arbitrariness in the normalisable wavefunctions. We
also consider solutions to a q-deformed version of the nonlinear equation and
discuss a natural discretisation implied by the nonpolynomiality. Finally, we
contrast the properties of our solutions with other solutions of nonlinear
Schrodinger equations in the literature and suggest some possible applications
of our results in the domains of low-energy and high-energy physics.Comment: 11 page
Full-field strain measurement and identification of composites moduli at high strain rate with the Virtual Fields Method

The present paper deals with full-field strain measurement on glass/epoxy composite tensile specimens submitted to high strain rate loading through a split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) device and with the identification of their mechanical properties. First, the adopted methodology is presented: the device, including an Ultra-High Speed camera, and the experimental procedure to obtain relevant displacement maps are described. The different full-field results including displacement, strain and acceleration maps for two mechanical tests are then addressed. The last part of the paper deals with an original procedure to identify stiffnesses on this dynamic case only using the actual strain and acceleration maps (without the applied force) by using the Virtual Fields Method. The results provide very promising values of Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio on a quasi-isotropic glass-epoxy laminate. The load reconstructed from the moduli and strains compares favourably with that from the readings.UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (Grant n°: EP/G001715/1
A new kinetic model for predicting polyamide 6-6 hydrolysis and its mechanical embrittlement

PA 6-6 hydrolysis at 60, 70, 80 and 90 °C in distilled water has been studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, viscometry in molten state, differential scanning calorimetry and uniaxial tensile testing. The molar mass decreases sharply from the early periods of exposure to reach an equilibrium value of about MnE ≈ 10−11 kg mol−1 almost temperature independent. Hydrolytic chain scissions destroy the entanglement network in the amorphous phase and liberate small macromolecular segments which rearrange locally and initiate a chemicrystallisation. As expected, the embrittlement occurs at a very low conversion of the hydrolysis, in particular when the number average molar mass becomes lower than a critical value of about MnF ≈ 17 kg mol−1, i.e. very close to its initial value. A new kinetic model has been derived from the classical mechanistic scheme of reversible hydrolysis. This model describes satisfyingly all the kinetic characteristics of the reversible hydrolysis of PA 6-6 not controlled by water diffusion: decrease in molar mass, increase in crystallinity ratio and decrease in ultimate elongation, but also of other types of polyamides previously studied, such as PA 11. Moreover, when it is used as an inverse method, this model gives access to the rate constants of hydrolysis and condensation reactions. It is thus an interesting tool for elucidating structure/rate constant relationships in common families of hydrolysable polymers
Ellipticity loss analysis for tangent moduli deduced from a large strain elastic–plastic self-consistent model

In order to investigate the impact of microstructures and deformation mechanisms on the ductility of materials, the criterion first proposed by Rice is applied to elastic–plastic tangent moduli derived from a large strain micromechanical model combined with a self-consistent scale-transition technique. This approach takes into account several microstructural aspects for polycrystalline aggregates: initial and induced textures, dislocation densities as well as softening mechanisms such that the behavior during complex loading paths can be accurately described.
In order to significantly reduce the computing time, a new method drawn from viscoplastic formulations is introduced so that the slip system activity can be efficiently determined. The different aspects of the single crystal hardening (self and latent hardening, dislocation storage and annihilation, mean free path, etc.) are taken into account both by the introduction of dislocation densities per slip system as internal variables and the corresponding evolution equations. Comparisons are made with experimental results for single and dual-phase steels involving linear and complex loading paths. Rice’s criterion is then coupled and applied to this constitutive model in order to determine the ellipticity loss of the polycrystalline tangent modulus. This criterion, which does not need any additional “fitting” parameter, is used to build Ellipticity Limit Diagrams (ELDs).ArcelorMittal Researc
Stir casting process for manufacture of Al–SiC composites

Stir casting is an economical process for the fabrication of aluminum matrix composites. There are many\ud
parameters in this process, which affect the final microstructure and mechanical properties of the\ud
composites. In this study, micron-sized SiC particles were used as reinforcement to fabricate Al-3 wt% SiC\ud
composites at two casting temperatures (680 and 850 C) and stirring periods (2 and 6 min). Factors of\ud
reaction at matrix/ceramic interface, porosity, ceramic incorporation, and agglomeration of the particles\ud
were evaluated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and high-resolution transition electron microscope\ud
(HRTEM) studies. From microstructural characterizations, it is concluded that the shorter stirring period is\ud
required for ceramic incorporation to achieve metal/ceramic bonding at the interface. The higher stirring temperature (850 C) also leads to improved ceramic incorporation. In some cases, shrinkage porosity and intensive formation of Al4C3 at the metal/ceramic interface are also observed. Finally, the mechanical\ud
properties of the composites were evaluated, and their relation with the corresponding microstructure and\ud
processing parameters of the composites was discussed
Nanosized IrOx–Ir Catalyst with Relevant Activity for Anodes of\ud
Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolysis Produced by a Cost-Effective\ud
Procedure

We have developed a highly active nanostructured iridium catalyst for anodes of proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis. Clusters of nanosized crystallites are obtained by reducing surfactant-stabilized IrCl3 in water-free conditions. The catalyst shows a five-fold higher activity towards oxygen evolution reaction (OER) than commercial Ir-black. The improved kinetics of the catalyst are reflected in the high performance of the PEM electrolyzer (1 mgIr cm−2), showing an unparalleled low overpotential and negligible degradation. Our results demonstrate that this enhancement cannot be only attributed to increased surface area, but rather to the ligand effect and low coordinate sites resulting in a high turnover frequency (TOF). The catalyst developed herein sets a benchmark and a strategy for the development of ultra-low loading catalyst layers for PEM electrolysis
VentanaTM power train features and performance

Most CPV systems are based on Fresnel lenses. Among these, LPI-patented Fresnel-Köhler (FK) concentrator outstands owing to performance and practical reasons. The VentanaTM power train is the first off-the-shelf commercial product based on the FK and comprises both the primary (POE) lenses (a 36-units 1×1 m2 acrylic panel manufactured by EVONIK and 10×) and glass (or Savosil) secondary optics (SOE). This high concentration optical train (Cg=1,024×, ~250mm optical depth) fits with 5×5 mm2 (at least) solar cells. The optical train is the fruit of a 1-year development that has included design, modeling, prototyping and characterization, and through the process LPI had the opportunity to find out how well the actual performance correlates with models, but also learned practical aspects of a CPV system of this kind, some of which have very positive impact on system performance and reliability
Recovery of Disruptions in Rapid Transit Networks

This paper studies the disruption management problem of rapid transit rail networks. Besides optimizing the timetable and the rolling stock schedules, we explicitly deal with the effects of the disruption on the passenger demand.\ud
We propose a two-step approach that combines an integrated optimization model (for the timetable and rolling stock) with a model for the passengers’ behavior.\ud
We report our computational tests on realistic problem instances of the Spanish rail operator RENFE. The proposed approach is able to find solutions with a very good balance between various managerial goals within a few minutes.\ud
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Se estudia la gestión de las incidencias en redes de metro y cercanías. Se optimizan los horarios y la asignación del material rodante, teniendo en cuenta el comportamiento de los pasajeros. Se reallizan pruebas en varias líneas de la red de cercanías de Madrid, con resultados satisfactorios