This paper delves into the intricate dynamics of industrial fluid catalytic cracking, a pivotal process in refining universal oil products (UOP). At the core of this investigation is the endeavor to derive a comprehen...
详细信息
This paper delves into the intricate dynamics of industrial fluid catalytic cracking, a pivotal process in refining universal oil products (UOP). At the core of this investigation is the endeavor to derive a comprehensive mathematical model that captures the essence of mass and energy balances within a UOP fluid catalytic cracking unit. The study's central objective is to explore and apply a ratio control algorithm in two distinct operational scenarios. In the first scenario, the ratio controller is strategically positioned after the control valve for the regenerator's input air, while in the second, it precedes the control valve. The primary focus here is the meticulous control of outlet temperatures for both the riser and regenerator reactors. Leveraging the capabilities of MATLAB software, the research methodically simulates the fluid catalytic cracking process. It introduces variables such as the gas oil feed rate, along with the temperatures of the gas oil feed and air, to rigorously test the efficacy of the proposed ratio control algorithm. The results of this investigation reveal a notable superiority of the ratio control in case one over case two. In the riser and regenerator reactors, this advantage is demonstrated by improved stability and operational efficiency, as evidenced by lower integral absolute error (IAE) readings and a quicker approach to the intended setpoint temperatures.
The problem of packing a given set of freely translated and rotated convex polygons in a minimum-perimeter convex polygon (in particular the minimum-perimeter convex hull) is introduced. A mathematical model of the pr...
详细信息
The problem of packing a given set of freely translated and rotated convex polygons in a minimum-perimeter convex polygon (in particular the minimum-perimeter convex hull) is introduced. A mathematical model of the problem using the phi-function technique is provided. Problem instances with up to 6 convex polygons are solved by the global NLP solver BARON to get a minimum-perimeter convex hull. Numerical experiments for larger instances are reported using the local NLP solver IPOPT.
Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) has been a standard technique in semiconductor manufacturing for achieving smooth surfaces. CMP utilizes a synergistic interplay of chemical and mechanical interactions to achieve t...
详细信息
Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) has been a standard technique in semiconductor manufacturing for achieving smooth surfaces. CMP utilizes a synergistic interplay of chemical and mechanical interactions to achieve the desired removal rates, selectivity, and ultimately planarity with different substrate materials. In this study, the impact of CMP on the surface properties of steel used in the petroleum industry was examined, with a focus on its corrosion behavior posttreatment. Steel samples were subjected to CMP with and without an oxidizer in a silica-based slurry, and their surface characteristics were compared to those of samples polished mechanically. The addition of an oxidizer to the slurry resulted in increased material removal rates and the formation of an oxide layer on the surface;this phenomenon was not observed in CMP without an oxidizer. However, in mechanical polishing, the action of silicon carbide grains on the steel surface led to an increase in the removal rate but caused a decrease in its corrosion resistance. Compared with other treatments, the oxide layer provided a good protective barrier against corrosion and improved the corrosion resistance of the steel substrate. Based on the results from the practical study, an improvement in the corrosion resistance properties was observed due to the chemical reaction of the oxidizer and the mechanical action of the silica nanoparticles;these results showed the importance of chemical mechanical polishing as an alternative method to reduce the corrosion of steel in acidic environments. Additionally, the effect of hydrogen peroxide in a silica slurry with respect to the wettability, surface roughness, and hardness of steel was examined using contact angle measurements, profilometry, scanning electron microscopy, and microhardness tests.
Objective: Prior to implementing any robotic device or new rehabilitation technique into clinical practice, it is essential to examine metrics that reflect the instrument's utility and range of action. For this pu...
详细信息
Objective: Prior to implementing any robotic device or new rehabilitation technique into clinical practice, it is essential to examine metrics that reflect the instrument's utility and range of action. For this purpose, this study assesses, based on biomechanical data, the ergonomics and action range of a wrist exoskeleton that may be implemented into clinical practice for the rehabilitation of this joint in patients with Parkinson' disease (PD). Materials and Methods: Eleven individuals with rigidity caused by PD participated in the *** distinct tasks were proposed: maximum voluntary contraction and sequential wrist flexion and extension;while electromyography and kinematic data were collected in two stages, with and without the exoskeleton. For statistical analysis, Bootstrap resampling, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, and paired Wilcoxon Mann tests were used. Results and Conclusion: Using the exoskeleton resulted in a 22% increase in muscle activation of the carpal extensors and a 9% decrease in wrist extension. According to the biomechanical parameters evaluated, the exoskeleton guaranteed the amplitude considered functional for the wrist joint, indicating good mechanical adequacy for use in clinical practice.(c) 2022 AGBM. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.
beta-glucosidases play a pivotal role in second-generation biofuel (2G-biofuel) production. For this application, thermostable enzymes are essential due to the denaturing conditions on the bioreactors. Random amino ac...
详细信息
beta-glucosidases play a pivotal role in second-generation biofuel (2G-biofuel) production. For this application, thermostable enzymes are essential due to the denaturing conditions on the bioreactors. Random amino acid substitutions have originated new thermostable beta-glucosidases, but without a clear understanding of their molecular mechanisms. Here, we probe by different molecular dynamics simulation approaches with distinct force fields and submitting the results to various computational analyses, the molecular bases of the thermostabilization of the Paenibacillus polymyxa GH1 beta-glucosidase by two-point mutations E96K (TR1) and M4161 (TR2). Equilibrium molecular dynamic simulations (eMD) at different temperatures, principal component analysis (PCA), virtual docking, metadynamics (MetaDy), accelerated molecular dynamics (aMD), Poisson-Boltzmann surface analysis, grid inhomogeneous solvation theory and colony method estimation of conformational entropy allow to converge to the idea that the stabilization carried by both substitutions depend on different contributions of three classic mechanisms: (i) electrostatic surface stabilization;(ii) efficient isolation of the hydrophobic core from the solvent, with energetic advantages at the solvation cap;(iii) higher distribution of the protein dynamics at the mobile active site loops than at the protein core, with functional and entropic advantages. Mechanisms i and ii predominate for TR1, while in TR2, mechanism iii is dominant. Loop A integrity and loops A, C, D, and E dynamics play critical roles in such mechanisms. Comparison of the dynamic and topological changes observed between the thermostable mutants and the wildtype protein with amino acid coevolutive networks and thermostabilizing hotspots from the literature allow inferring that the mechanisms here recovered can be related to the thermostability obtained by different substitutions along the whole family GH1. We hope the results and insights discussed her
In strategic conflicts, the behavior of decision makers (DMs) is affected by their beliefs about how their opponents will respond, how they will counter respond, and more generally by the number of action-reaction ste...
详细信息
In strategic conflicts, the behavior of decision makers (DMs) is affected by their beliefs about how their opponents will respond, how they will counter respond, and more generally by the number of action-reaction steps they consider. In this article, we propose several notions of stability with variable horizon that vary in whether the focal DM and her opponents are allowed to make moves that are immediately disadvantageous, called unilateral disimprovements. Credible maximin stability reflects the assumption that opponents will attempt to deter a focal DM from a move by imposing the strongest possible sanction. We analyze the effects of varying the horizon on this form of stability, and on the relationships among the solution concepts that result. Requiring the focal DM to make only unilateral improvements does not influence the stability of states, but restricting opponents' responses to unilateral improvements reduces the set of stable states. An application to a water-pricing conflict illustrates the analysis of a graph model using credible maximin stabilities.
The main-protease (M-pro) catalyzes a crucial step for the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle. The recent SARS-CoV-2 presents the main protease (M-pro(CoV2)) with 12 mutations compared to SARS-CoV (M-pro(CoV2)). Recent studies poi...
详细信息
The main-protease (M-pro) catalyzes a crucial step for the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle. The recent SARS-CoV-2 presents the main protease (M-pro(CoV2)) with 12 mutations compared to SARS-CoV (M-pro(CoV2)). Recent studies point out that these subtle differences lead to mobility variances at the active site loops with functional implications. We use metadynamics simulations and a sort of computational analysis to probe the dynamic, pharmacophoric and catalytic environment differences between the monomers of both enzymes. So, we verify how much intrinsic distinctions are preserved in the functional dimer of M-pro(CoV2), as well as its implications for ligand accessibility and optimized drug screening. We find a significantly higher accessibility to open binding conformers in the M-pro(CoV2) monomer compared to M-pro(CoV2). A higher hydration propensity for the M-pro(CoV2) S2 loop with the A46S substitution seems to exercise a key role. Quantum calculations suggest that the wider conformations for M-pro(CoV2) are less catalytically active in the monomer. However, the statistics for contacts involving the N-finger suggest higher maintenance of this activity at the dimer. Docking analyses suggest that the ability to vary the active site width can be important to improve the access of the ligand to the active site in different ways. So, we carry out a multiconformational virtual screening with different ligand bases. The results point to the importance of taking into account the protein conformational multiplicity for new promissors anti M-pro(CoV2) ligands. We hope these results will be useful in prospecting, repurposing and/or designing new anti SARS-CoV-2 drugs.
Safety assessment is an essential component of the regulatory acceptance of industrial chemicals. Previously, we have developed a model to predict the skin sensitization potential of chemicals for two assays, the huma...
详细信息
Safety assessment is an essential component of the regulatory acceptance of industrial chemicals. Previously, we have developed a model to predict the skin sensitization potential of chemicals for two assays, the human patch test and murine local lymph node assay, and implemented this model in a web portal. Here, we report on the substantially revised and expanded freely available web tool, Pred-Skin version 3.0. This up-to-date version of Pred-Skin incorporates multiple quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models developed with in vitro, in chemico, and mice and human in vivo data, integrated into a consensus naive Bayes model that predicts human effects. Individual QSAR models were generated using skin sensitization data derived from human repeat insult patch tests, human maximization tests, and mouse local lymph node assays. In addition, data for three validated alternative methods, the direct peptide reactivity assay, KeratinoSens, and the human cell line activation test, were employed as well. Models were developed using open-source tools and rigorously validated according to the best practices of QSAR modeling. Predictions obtained from these models were then used to build a naive Bayes model for predicting human skin sensitization with the following external prediction accuracy: correct classification rate (89%), sensitivity (94%), positive predicted value (91%), specificity (84%), and negative predicted value (89%). As an additional assessment of model performance, we identified 11 cosmetic ingredients known to cause skin sensitization but were not included in our training set, and nine of them were accurately predicted as sensitizers by our models. Pred-Skin can be used as a reliable alternative to animal tests for predicting human skin sensitization.
Sparsest packing for irregular 3D objects is introduced. This problem is motivated by the thermal deburring - modern clean and energy saving technology of removing burrs from machine parts (objects) by detonating gas ...
详细信息
Sparsest packing for irregular 3D objects is introduced. This problem is motivated by the thermal deburring - modern clean and energy saving technology of removing burrs from machine parts (objects) by detonating gas mixtures in a deburring chamber. The objects in the chamber are placed in a vertical cylindrical rack (container) divided into sub-containers by horizontal shelves rigidly fixed on a thin rod passing through the centre of the rack. To achieve a stable processing quality and the most uniform distribution of thermal and power effects, the parts have to be placed sufficiently distant one from another, as well as from the lateral cylindrical surface of the container. The objects are assigned to specific shelves and are represented by a union of basic convex 3D shapes (e.g., cylinders, prisms, cuboids, cones). The sparsest packing is aimed to place the 3D objects as distant as possible, freely sliding and rotating on the shelves subject to balancing conditions. Using the phi-function technique a corresponding nonlinear programming model is constructed. A solution algorithm is proposed and computational results are presented. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Resuscitation and detection of stressed total coliforms in chlorinated water samples is needed to assess and prevent health effects from adverse exposure. In this study, we report that the addition of a growth enhance...
详细信息
Resuscitation and detection of stressed total coliforms in chlorinated water samples is needed to assess and prevent health effects from adverse exposure. In this study, we report that the addition of a growth enhancer mix consisting of trehalose, sodium pyruvate, magnesium chloride, and 1x trace mineral supplement improved growth of microorganisms from chlorinated secondary effluent in the base medium with Colilert-18. Improving growth of chlorine stressed microorganisms from secondary effluent is crucial to decreased detection time from 18 to 8 h.
暂无评论