Automatic correction of background phase offset in 4D-flow of great vessels and of the heart in MRI using a third-order surface model

Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine - To evaluate an automatic correction method for velocity offset errors in cardiac 4D-flow acquisitions. Velocity offset correction was...     

Ca and K decorated germanene as hydrogen storage: An ab initio study

The hydrogen storage capacity and performance of Ca and K decorated germanene were studied using density functional theory calculation. The Ca and K adatoms were found to be sufficiently bonded to the germanene without clustering at the hollow site. Further investigation has shown an ionic bonding is apparent based on the charge density difference and Bader charge analysis. Upon adsorption of H₂ on the decorated germanene, it was found that the Ca and K decorated systems could adsorb 8 and 9 H₂ molecules, respectively. The adsorption energies of H₂ molecules were within the Van der Waals energy (400–435 meV), suggesting weak physisorption. The charge density profile revealed that the electron of H₂ moved toward the adatom decoration without leaving the local region of H₂. This suggests that a dipole-dipole interaction was apparent and consistent with the energy range found. Finally, the gravimetric density obtained from the adsorption of H₂ on the decorated germanene shows that this material is a potential for H₂ storage media.     

Growth ofStaphylococcus aureus and synthesis of enterotoxins in home-made yoghurt

Summary Staphylococcus aureus strains FRI-100, S6, FRI-137 and FRI 472 were inoculated into milk to study growth and enterotoxin production in homemade yogurts. The yogurt used as starter was progressively weakened by successive inoculations (up to four) in milk to prepare other yogurts in order to study the ability of yogurt microflora to inhibit staphylococci. After elaboration, yogurts were stored at 4 °C, 22 °C, and 37 °C for a maximum of 21 days. Periodically, staphylococcal counts, pH and the production of enterotoxins A, B, C, and D were determined. Enterotoxins were only detected in the last batch. It was concluded that the inhibitory effect of the starter culture is not only due to the decrease of pH, but also to other factors.

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Wachstum vonStaphylococcus aureus und Synthese von Enterotoxinen in hausgemachtem Joghurt

Zusammenfassung Stämme vonStaphylococcus aureus wurden in Milch überimpft, um ihr Wachstum und die Enterotoxin-Produktion zu studieren. Der als Joghurt verwendete Starter war durch die fortlaufende Überimpfung (bis zu viermal) in Milch geschwächt, um damit Joghurt herzustellen und seine Fähigkeit zu studieren, Staphylokokken zu hemmen. Nach der Entwicklung wurden die Joghurtproben für 21 Tage bei 4 °C, 22 °C und 37 °C aufbewahrt. Periodisch wurde die Zahl der Staphylokokken, der pH-Wert und die Produktion der Enterotoxine A, B, C und D bestimmt, die allerdings nur in der letzten Partie nachgewiesen wurden konnten. Daraus wurde geschlossen, daß der Hemmeffekt des Starters nicht nur auf die Abnahme des pH-Wertes zuriickzufiihren ist, sondern auch auf andere Faktoren.

     

Determination and risk assessment of by-products resulting from photocatalytic oxidation of toluene

The generation of harmful by-products during photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is a bottleneck problem for the application of PCO technology in indoor environment. Toluene is a typical VOC found in indoor air. In this work, the by-products at ppb level were studied during PCO decomposition of toluene in a plate-type reactor and identified using PTR-MS (proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry) and GC–MS (gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy). The results indicated that benzaldehyde, methanol, acetaldehyde, acetone/propionaldehyde, formic acid/ethanol and acetic acid were the main by-products in the gas phase. By adjusting the concentration of water vapor, some compounds adsorbed on the TiO₂ surface were ascertained, which resulted in the deactivation of TiO₂. They were benzoic acid, benzene, acrylaldehyde, butyraldehyde and pentanal. Some of these by-products have not been reported in the literature. Possible photocatalytic oxidation pathways of toluene were proposed. A health-related index (HRI) was introduced to assess the risk level to human health of these ppb-level by-products. It concludes that although some undesired by-products (even carcinogenic) are generated during PCO decomposition of toluene, it seems that these by-products do not have negative effects to human health because of their low concentrations.     

Case Study: Impact of Reservoir Stratification on Interflow Travel Time

A case study is presented on the relation between interflow travel time and reservoir stratification. A simulation model is calibrated and validated for the Wachusett Reservoir in Massachusetts. The Reservoir has a major controlled inflow which traverses the reservoir as an interflow. The model is used with a range of alternate inflow schedules and the resulting travel time of the interflow is examined. The inflow density is within the range of densities found in the reservoir thermocline and the inflow rate is sufficient to maintain a continuous interflow. Under these conditions it is found that a linear relation exists between the average interflow travel time, as measured by the arrival of a specified fraction of interflow water at the outlet, and the degree of stratification, as measured by the maximum difference in reservoir thermocline temperature, at the initiation of the inflow. The results may be useful for operation of the reservoir under study subject to continued validation of the simulation model used.     

Finite element Euler computations in three dimensions

An explicit finite element solution procedure for the three dimensional Euler equations is presented. The solution domain is automatically meshed using a tetrahedral mesh generator which is an extension of our previous two dimensional work. Several examples are included to illustrate the performance of the generator and solver. An adaptive mesh regeneration procedure is used for the first time in three dimensions.     

Size exclusion chromatographic approach for the evaluation of processes for upgrading heavy petroleum

A new application of size exclusion chromatography for the evaluation of processes for upgrading heavy crudes is described. The comparison of the elution curves of a feedstock of heavy crude, selected for an upgrading process, is made with the resulting products of the process. A quantitative assessment of the extent of the improvement as a result of the hydrogenation in the crude is presented by defining an algorithm which measures the conversion of material up to 550 °C. The defined conversion is correlated with conventional crude properties and there is a linear relation between the conversion obtained by s.e.c. and certain selected properties. The results for a number of products are included and the relation between conversion and process conditions is discussed.     

Application of 13C nmr spectroscopy to the elucidation of the electrochemical oxidation mechanism of the l-ascorbic and d-araboascorbic acids

The previously proposed electrochemical oxidation mechanism of the l-ascorbic and d-araboascorbic acids in basic medium must be rejected because of the variation in the carbon chemical shifts and coupling constants with the pH, which shows that the supposed rupture of the furanose rings at pH ～ 9 does not occur. Electrolysis in basic medium yields the same products as those obtained when the pH of the products of the electrolysis in acid medium are raised to pH ～ 11. This suggests that the oxidation mechanisms in acid and basic media are similar. The assigned carbon chemical shifts of the oxidation products in acid medium $\text{3}$ (or $\text{4}$) and in basic medium $\text{5}$ (or $\text{6}$) and $\text{7}$ (or $\text{8}$) are reported.     

Etude du diagramme de phases et cristallogenese des phosphovanadates de plomb

The phase diagram of lead phosphovanadate Pb₃(P_xV_1?xO₄)₂ for 0.5 ≤ x ≤ 1 has been investigated. Liquidus and solidus have been determined by means of differential thermal analysis and X-ray techniques. These results are confirmed through a molecular absorption spectrophotometry analysis of phosphor and vanadium, by comparing the compositions of lead phosphovanadate single crystals, grown by Czochralski pulling, with that of the starting melts. Good optical and crystallographic quality crystals of large size are obtained for x = 0 and x = 0.5, while for other compositions, they are still suitable for physical measurements. A definite, congruently melting compound with trigonal symmetry at room temperature is found for x = 0.5.     

The role of nickel in hydrodesulphurisation catalysts

The acidity and activity of promoted (with NiO) and unpromoted MoO₃/A1₂O3 catalysts were studied by ammonia adsorption, titration using acid/base colour indicators, and thiophene hydrodesulphurisation. The incorporation of nickel into supported MoO₃ produced significant changes in activity, which was attributed to changes in the number and strength of the acid sites. Specifically, the nickel decreased the concentration of highly acid sites and increased the number of sites with intermediate acidity in the oxide catalyst. At the same time, the nickel markedly increased the steady state catalytic activity but decreased the initial activity. Carbon and sulphur analyses, as well as acid site concentration of used catalysts, suggest that this behaviour may be associated with modifications brought about by nickel on MoS₂ crystallite growth and on deactivation by carbon deposition. These suggestions are found to be consistent with other effects attributed to the promoter, such as hydrogen spill-over and p-semiconductivity.