Design,Construction and Characterization of AC Atmospheric Pressure Air Non-thermal Plasma Jet

This paper presents the design and construction of non-thermal plasma jet device which was built in plasma phys. Dept., NRC, AEA, Egypt with a plasma application group. This design will be useful to initiate research in different fields such as low temperature plasma, polymer and biomedical applications. The experimental operation of this device is conducted with power supply of (10 kV, 30 mA, and 20 kHz). The discharge process takes place by using Air as input gas with different flow rates. The experimental results showed that the maximum plasma jet length of 7 mm is detected at air flow rate of 12 L/min. The electrical characteristics of discharge at different flow rates of Air such as discharge voltage, current, mean power, power efficiency, and energy have been studied by using potential dividers and Lissajous figure techniques. The results of plasma jet temperature along the jet length showed that the jet plasma has approximately a room temperature at the end of jet column.     

Novel functionalized bis(imino)pyridine cobalt(II) catalysts for ethylene polymerization

This report describes synthesis and ethylene polymerization in the various conditions by two novel 2,6-bis(imino)pyridine (BIMP) catalysts B and C based on cobalt activated by methylaluminoxane (MAO) in a slurry semi-batch reactor. The catalyst activities as well as polymer properties were affected dramatically by electronic effects of the attached substitutions on the para-position of the pyridine ring. Theoretical study exhibited more positive charge on the central metal of the catalyst B resulted in higher activity at the expense of lower thermal stability and lifetime. The polymer obtained using the catalysts exhibited high molecular weight and almost narrow molecular weight distribution (MWD) ranging from 2.35 to 4.10 at the employed polymerization conditions. The highest and lowest molecular weight of the obtained polymers were produced by the catalyst A and C respectively. Hydrogen could slightly increase the catalyst activities with the exception of the catalyst B. The catalyst C bearing electron-donor OMe substitution at the para-position of the pyridine ring, produced PE with narrower PDI relative to the polymer resulted by catalysts A and B.     

Synthesis and characterization of some new aromatic polytriazoles as proton conductive membranes

A series of new poly(1,2,4-triazole)s (PTAs) containing pyridine heterocyclic ring, bearing bulky aromatic pendent groups, were synthesized from the reaction of the corresponding polyhydrazides with aniline or 4-aminobenzenesulfonic acid in polyphosphoric acid (PPA) at 175 °C. The non-sulfonated PTAs showed glass transition temperatures (T _gs) of 220–250 °C and inherent viscosities (η _inh) equal to 0.48–0.78 dL/g, and the sulfonated poly(1,2,4-triazole)s (S-PTAs) exhibited T _gs of 235–265 °C and inherent viscosities equal to 0.50–0.83 dL/g. The former polymers were soluble in conc. H₂SO₄ and partially soluble in hot N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), dimethylacetamide (DMAc), and 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), and the latter were soluble in DMF, NMP, DMSO and DMAc at room temperature. All polymers had useful levels of thermal stability and were stable up to 450 °C in nitrogen. The proton conductivities of undoped sulfonated polytriazole membranes and the acid-doped sulfonated polytriazole membranes lie in the range of 5 × 10^?4–8.1 × 10^?3 and 5 × 10^?3–2.3 × 10^?2 S/cm, respectively, at 90 °C and 100 % relative humidity.     

Co-Stimulation of Oxytocin and Arginine-Vasopressin Receptors Affect Hypothalamic Neurospheroid Size

Oxytocin (OXT) is a neuropeptide involved in a plethora of behavioral and physiological processes. However, there is a prominent lack of 3D cell culture models that investigate the effects of OXT on a cellular/molecular level. In this study, we established a hypothalamic neuronal spheroid model to investigate the cellular response in a more realistic 3D setting. Our data indicate that the formation of spheroids itself does not alter the basic characteristics of the cell line and that markers of cellular morphology and connectivity are stably expressed. We found that both OXT and arginine vasopressin (AVP) treatment increase spheroid size (surface area and volume), as well as individual nucleus size, which serves as an indicator for cellular proliferation. The cellular response to both OXT and AVP seems mainly to be mediated by the AVP receptor 1a (V1aR); however, the OXT receptor (OXTR) contributes significantly to the observed proliferative effect. When we blocked the OXTR pharmacologically or knocked down the OXTR by siRNA, the OXT- or AVP-induced cellular proliferation decreased. In summary, we established a 3D cell culture model of the neuronal response to OXT and AVP and found that spheroids react to the treatment via their respective receptors but also via cross-talk between the two receptor types.     

Transmission of nanoscale information-based neural communication-aware ligand–receptor interactions

Neural Computing and Applications - In this paper, we develop an analytical framework for modeling the transmission of nanoscale information in nanonetwork-based molecular communication and aware...     

Oxidation of Primary Amines to N‐Monoalkylhydroxylamines using Sodium Tungstate and Hydrogen Peroxide‐Urea Complex

The sodium tungstate‐catalyzed (10 mol %) oxidation of primary amines with a urea‐hydrogen peroxide complex (UHP) gives the corresponding N‐monoalkylhydroxylamines, which are important biologically active compounds, in good to excellent yields. The method is applicable for a wide range of primary amines, including chiral benzylic amines, α‐1,2‐hydroxylamine and α‐amino esters.     

An Efficient Numerical Solution of Fractional Optimal Control Problems by using the Ritz Method and Bernstein Operational Matrix

This paper deals with the Ritz spectral method to solve a class of fractional optimal control problems (FOCPs). The developed numerical procedure is based on the function approximation by the Bernstein polynomials along with fractional operational matrix usage. The approximation method is computationally consistent and moreover, has a good flexibility in the sense of satisfying the initial and boundary conditions of the optimal control problems. We construct a new fractional operational matrix applicable in the Ritz method to estimate the fractional and integer order derivatives of the basis. As a result, we achieve an unconstrained optimization problem. Next, by applying the necessary conditions of optimality, a system of algebraic equations is obtained. The resultant problem is solved via Newton's iterative method. Finally, the convergence of the proposed method is investigated and several illustrative examples are added to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new methodology.     

Gasoline permeation behavior and mechanical properties of polyamide 6/nanoclay,polyamide 6/PE‐g‐maleic anhydride blend,and polyamide 6/PE‐g‐maleic anhydride/clay nanocomposite

In this article, polyamide 6 (PA6)/clay nanocomposites, PA6/polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride (PE‐g‐MA) blends, and PA6/PE‐g‐MA/clay nanocomposites were prepared and their gasoline permeation behavior and some mechanical properties were investigated. In PA6/clay nanocomposites, cloisite 30B was used as nanoparticles, with weight percentages of 1, 3, and 5. The blends of PA6/PE‐g‐MA were prepared with PE‐g‐MA weight percents of 10, 20, and 30. All samples were prepared via melt mixing technique using a twin screw extruder. The results showed that the lowest gasoline permeation occurred when using 3 wt % of nanoclay in PA6/clay nanocomposites, and 10 wt % of PE‐g‐MA in PA6/PE‐g‐MA blends. Therefore, a sample of PA6/PE‐g‐MA/clay nanocomposite containing 3 wt % of nanoclay and 10 wt % of PE‐g‐MA was prepared and its gasoline permeation behavior was investigated. The results showed that the permeation amount of PA6/PE‐g‐MA/nanoclay was 0.41 g m^?2 day^?1, while this value was 0.46 g m^?2 day^?1 for both of PA6/3wt % clay nanocomposite and PA6/10 wt % PE‐g‐MA blend. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40150.     

Optimal power factor correction

The authors discuss the different parameters affecting the economic feasibility of power factor correction. It is shown that the specific costs of the transmission and compensation elements as well as those of the electrical energy and power losses have a decisive influence on the achievable overall economic saving. After formulating an objective function representing this overall saving, taking the load factor into account, the authors present an analytical approach to the determination of the optimal size of the compensation equipment. A generalized chart is given which enables the designer to know whether the power factor correction is feasible under any circumstances. Also, the most suitable degree of reactive power compensation can be directly found. The results obtained from a digital program are also given to indicate the sensitivity of the optimal compensation factor to changes in system parameters such as the specific energy loss cost and the annual rate of interest and depreciation