Using Aspen HYSYS to Develop a Custom Molecule-based Reformer Model

A new continuous catalytic reforming model was configured by using a molecule-based reactor module. Themodel was based on the Sinopec Research Institute of Petroleum Processing Co., Ltd. continuous catalytic reformer fullmodel, and was reduced to a size of 157 naphtha molecules (C1−C12) that underwent 764 reactions. The new model inheritedthe advantages of the original model, and had better solving performance and flexibility owing to support by the AspenHYSYS environment. Typical commercial plant data were selected for model validation, which showed advantages in theaccuracy of detailed predictions and the range of its application. In addition, the solving time was reduced from minutes toseconds. Therefore, the simplified model proved to be feasible for industrial application.

Chromatographic finger print analysis of steroids in Aerva lanata L by HPTLC technique

Objective:To determine the chemical profile and steroids composition of the medicinally important plant Aerva lanata(A.lanata) L.Methods:Preliminary phytochemicul screening was done by the method as Harborne described.HPTLC studies were canied out as Harborne and Wagner et al described.The Ethyl acetate-ethanol-water(8:2:1.2) was employed as mobile phase for glycosides.Results:The desired aim was achieved using Chloroform-acetone(8:2) as the mobile phase.The methanolic extract of stem,leaves,root,flower and seeds of A.lanata showed the presence of 30 different types of steroids with 30 different Rf values from 0.04 to 0.97. Maximum number(11) of steroids has been observed in leaves followed by root(10).Conclusions: HPTLC profile of steroids has been chosen here to reveal the diversity existing in A.lanata.Such finger printing is useful in differentiating the species from the adulterant and act as biochemical markers for this medicinally important plant in the pharma industry and plant systematic studies.

Effect of particle micro-structure on the electrochemical properties of LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)O_(2) cathode material

Ni-rich layered material is a kind of high-capacity cathode to meet the requirement of electric vehicles.As for the typical LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)O_(2) material,the particle formation is significant for electrochemical properties of the cathode.In this work,the structure,morphology,and electrochemical performance of LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)O_(2) secondary particles and single crystals were systematically studied.A lower Ni^(2+)/Ni^(3+)molar ratio of 0.66 and a lower residual alkali content of 0.228wt%were achieved on the surface of the single crystals.In addition,the single crystals showed a discharge capacity of 191.6 mAh/g at 0.2 C(~12 mAh/g lower than that of the secondary particles)and enhanced the electrochemical stability,especially when cycled at 50℃ and in a wider electrochemical window(between 3.0 and 4.4 V vs.Li+/Li).The LiNi_(0.8)Co_(0.1)Mn_(0.1)O_(2) secondary particles were suitable for applications requiring high specific capacity,whereas single crystals exhibited better stability,indicating that they are more suitable for use in long life requested devices.

Combined automated screening for age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy in primary care settings

Background:Age-related macular degeneration(AMD)and diabetic retinopathy(DR)are among the leading causes of blindness in the United States and other developed countries.Early detection is the key to prevention and effective treatment.We have built an artificial intelligence-based screening system which utilizes a cloud-based platform for combined large scale screening through primary care settings for early diagnosis of these diseases.Methods:iHealthScreen Inc.,an independent medical software company,has developed automated AMD and DR screening systems utilizing a telemedicine platform based on deep machine learning techniques.For both diseases,we prospectively imaged both eyes of 340 unselected non-dilated subjects over 50 years of age.For DR specifically,152 diabetic patients at New York Eye and Ear faculty retina practices,ophthalmic and primary care clinics in New York city with color fundus cameras.Following the initial review of the images,308 images with other confounding conditions like high myopia and vascular occlusion,and poor quality were excluded,leaving 676 eligible images for AMD and DR evaluation.Three ophthalmologists evaluated each of the images,and after adjudication,the patients were determined referrable or non-referable for AMD DR.Concerning AMD,172 were labeled referable(intermediate or late),and 504 were non-referable(no or early).Concurrently,regarding DR,33 were referable(moderate or worse),and 643 were non-referable(none or mild).All images were uploaded to iHealthScreen’s telemedicine platform and analyzed by the automated systems for both diseases.The system performances are tested on per eye basis with sensitivity,specificity,accuracy,and kappa scores with respect to the professional graders.Results:In identifying referable DR,the system achieved a sensitivity of 97.0%and a specificity of 96.3%,and a kappa score of 0.70 on this prospective dataset.For AMD,the sensitivity was 86.6%,the specificity of 92.1%,and a kappa score of 0.76.Conclusions:The AMD and DR screening tools achieved excellent performance operating together to identify two retinal diseases prospectively in mixed datasets,demonstrating the feasibility of such tools in the early diagnosis of eye diseases.These early screening tools will help create an even more comprehensive system capable of being trained on other retinal pathologies,a goal within reach for public health deployment.

Numerical Analysis of a Combined Heat and Power Generation Technology from Residual Biomasses

Energy valorization of organic waste material is nowadays an assessed practice of circular economy.Combined heat and power(CHP)technologies based on biomass gasification represent viable substitutes to traditional energy conversion units based on combustion,whose need has recently experienced a huge growth,due to the increasing concerns about the release of greenhouse gases(GHGs)emissions and the related effects on climate changes.At present,only a few solutions have yet achieved a level of full development for commercialization.One of them is the system developed by CMD,the CMD ECO20,made of a gasifier,a syngas cleaning system and a spark ignition internal combustion engine working as a co-generator.In the present work,a numerical model is developed to study this system into detail and search for optimal controlling parameters.The simulation relies on a combined use of the Thermoflex?environment and a proper one-dimensional(1D)model of the engine module built within GT-Suite?.An original contribution is given to the turbulent combustion model that accounts for the laminar flame speed of the specific syngas.The numerical model,that covers the entire biomass-to-energy conversion process,is validated under real operative conditions.The final purpose of the work is the optimization of input parameters,as the initial biomass moisture content,the equivalence ratio at the gasifier or the timing of spark advance,to maximize the system electrical energy output.

Optimization of ITO/V_(2)O_(5)/Alq3/TPBi/BPhen/LiF/Al Layers Configuration for OLED and Study of Its Optical and Electrical Characteristics

Nowadays,OLEDs have shown aesthetic potential in smart cards,sensor displays,other electronic devices,sensitive medical devices and signal monitoring etc.due to their wide range of applications like low power consumption,high contrast ratio,speed highly electroluminescent,wide viewing angle and fast response time.In this paper,a highly efficient organic LED ITO/V_(2)O_(5)/Alq3/TPBi/BPhen/LiF/Al with low turn-on voltage and high optically efficiency is presented including electrical and optical characteristics.The simulation of electrical characteristics like current versus applied voltage,current density versus applied voltage,recombination prefactor versus excess carrier density characteristics and optical characteristics like light flux versus current density,light flux versus applied voltage and optical efficiency versus applied voltage has been explained.The physical design,working principle and thickness of different layers along with the process of formation of singlet and triplet excitons are discussed in detail.Here double electron transport layer(ETL),cathode layers are used to enhance the electrical and optical efficiency of OLED.The operating voltage is found to be~3.2 V for the ITO/V_(2)O_(5)/Alq3/TPBi/BPhen/LiF/Al heterostructure based OLED.The designed organic LED has achieved the maximum optical efficiency at 3 V.

Advancing 5G Network Applications Lifecycle Security:An ML-Driven Approach

As 5th Generation(5G)and Beyond 5G(B5G)networks become increasingly prevalent,ensuring not only networksecurity but also the security and reliability of the applications,the so-called network applications,becomesof paramount importance.This paper introduces a novel integrated model architecture,combining a networkapplication validation framework with an AI-driven reactive system to enhance security in real-time.The proposedmodel leverages machine learning(ML)and artificial intelligence(AI)to dynamically monitor and respond tosecurity threats,effectively mitigating potential risks before they impact the network infrastructure.This dualapproach not only validates the functionality and performance of network applications before their real deploymentbut also enhances the network’s ability to adapt and respond to threats as they arise.The implementation ofthis model,in the shape of an architecture deployed in two distinct sites,demonstrates its practical viability andeffectiveness.Integrating application validation with proactive threat detection and response,the proposed modeladdresses critical security challenges unique to 5G infrastructures.This paper details the model,architecture’sdesign,implementation,and evaluation of this solution,illustrating its potential to improve network securitymanagement in 5G environments significantly.Our findings highlight the architecture’s capability to ensure boththe operational integrity of network applications and the security of the underlying infrastructure,presenting asignificant advancement in network security.

Patients’dissatisfaction with multifocal intraocular lenses managed by exchange with other multifocal lenses of diferent optical profles

Background:The aim of the study was to evaluate the outcomes of dissatisfed patients reporting poor visual quality following implantation of multifocal intraocular lenses(MF-IOLs),managed by IOL exchange with another multifocal optical profle.Methods:This is a retrospective series of cases.MF-IOL exchange was done in 15 dissatisfed patients(30 eyes)with the perception of poor visual quality for far distance afected by neuroadaptation failure.Patients underwent a bilateral exchange of a MF-IOL with another MF-IOL of a diferent optical profle.Visual outcomes and complications were analyzed.Questionnaires including Quality of Vision(QoV),Visual Function Index-14(VF-14)and its Rasch-revised version(VF-8R)and a satisfaction questionnaire were also used for outcome evaluation.Results:The mean elapsed time from implantation to explantation-reimplantation was 11.8 months.The QoV scores improved signifcantly across all the three subscales.Visual function improved with a change in VF-14 score from 60.41±24.81 to 90.16±10.91(P<0.001).The VF-8R score improved as well.The uncorrected distance visual acuity improved from 0.24 to 0.12 logMAR after exchange(P<0.001)and corrected distance visual acuity improved from 0.15 to 0.04 logMAR(P<0.001).Safety and efcacy indexes reached 1.46 and 1.16,respectively.Concerning patients’satisfaction following MF-IOL exchange,80%of the patients reported they would have the MF-IOL reimplantation procedure again.Conclusions:Patient dissatisfaction with neuroadaptation failure following MF-IOL implantation can be managed in 80%of our cases by MF-IOL exchange with a diferent MF-IOL optical profle.

Low temperature chemical sintering of inkjet-printed Zn nanoparticles for highly conductive flexible electronic components

This study illustrates an innovative way to fabricate inkjet-printed tracks by sequential printing of Zn nanoparticle ink and curing ink for low temperature in situ chemical sintering.Employing chemical curing in place of standard sintering methods leads to the advantages of using flexible substrates that may not withstand the high thermal budgets of the standard methods.A general formulation engineering method is adopted to produce highly concentrated Zn ink which is cured by inkjet printing an over-layer of aqueous acetic acid which is the curing agent.The experimental results reveal that a narrow window of acid concentration of curing ink plays a crucial role in determining the electrical properties of the printed Zn nanoparticles.Highly conductive(~10^(5)S m^(−1))and mechanically flexible printed Zn features are achieved.In addition,from systematic material characterization,we obtain an understanding of the curing mechanism.Finally,a touch sensor circuit is demonstrated involving all-Zn printed conductive tracks.

CRISPR-mediated gene editing to rescue haploinsufficient obesity syndrome

CRISPR and adeno-associated virus are becoming powerful tools to remedy genetic disorders in somatic cells of adulthood.A recent study published in Science(Matharu et al.,2019)safely targeted the non-coding genomic region of Sim1 and MC4R with rAAV packed with CRISPRa,and successfully rescued the obesity syndrome caused by hap?loinsufficiency in a murine model,which shed light on their potential therapeutic applications in the future(Matharu et al.,2019).

SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD-specific IgA and IgG antibodies in breast milk after vaccination with the protein subunit vaccine Abdala

Background:COVID-19 vaccines that trigger a strong secretory antibody response in breast milk may achieve effective passive protection of vulnerable newborns and breastfed infants of immunized mothers.The aim of this work was to investigate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD-specific IgA and IgG antibodies in breast milk,5 and 9 weeks after vaccination with 3 doses of the protein subunit vaccine Abdala,compared to those found in breast milk from COVID-19-recovered women,collected at least 40 days after the infection.Methods:SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD-specific IgA and IgG antibodies were semi-quantified by indirect ELISA,using a homemade standard generated by pooling twenty breast milk samples with high absorbance values according to preliminary data.The validity of the standard curves was proved following the European Medicines Agency Guideline.Two breast milk samples from 2 unvaccinated women who had not been infected with COVID-19 were included as negative controls.Potentially neutralizing antibodies was assessed by a SARS-CoV-2 surrogate virus neutralization test.Results:High levels of anti-RBD IgA antibodies were detected in breast milk samples 9 weeks after vaccination and anti-RBD IgG antibodies rise from the fifth to the ninth week.In the post-COVID-19 time that was evaluated,the IgG-type response was notably higher compared to both post-vaccination periods.Neutralizing antibody titers were similar in breast milk from vaccinated and COVID-19 recovered women.Conclusions:This is the first report about the immune response in breast milk after the administration of a COVID-19 protein subunit vaccine,which could provide analogous protection to that conferred by SARS-CoV-2 infection.This implies a potential passive immunity that breastfed infants receive from their mothers vaccinated with Abdala.