Sharif Digital Repository

In this study, the effect of the geometrical parameters of the Lateral Flow Immunoassay (LFI) membrane on the performance of the pregnancy kits is investigated. Consequently, a new geometry for LFI membrane is proposed based on some theoretical, numerical and experimental observations in order to improve the performance of the related kits. A pregnancy kit (for the detection of hCG in urine samples) is developed and the effect of the relocation of the test and the control lines over the membrane was studied based on the variation of the sample fluid velocity. Using Lattice-Boltzmann simulation of the lateral flow within the porous media and the experimental results, the fluid flow within the... 

In puffer type Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6) Circuit Breakers (CBs), the refill valve is the main inlet duct for the SF6 gas to enter the puffer volume. When the CB is closing and moving contacts and the nozzle are moving toward fixed contacts, the SF6 gas enters the puffer volume via the refill valve. Since changing the refill valve diameter can alter the direction of the SF6 gas motion in the closing operation of CBs, understanding its effects on CBs' function and performance may help to improve the CB design. This paper has focused on the effects of refill valve diameter on prestrike occurrence in the closing operation of puffer type SF6 CBs. In order to accurately study these effects, some... 

In this paper, the evolution of elastic–plastic damage in the composite laminates under fatigue conditions is modeled. Continuum damage mechanics (CDM) has been coupled with the bridge micromechanics model to estimate the fatigue damage and life for laminated composite structures. Based on the elastic–plastic bridging model, three damage variables are defined. These variables estimate the fiber, matrix, and fiber/matrix damage response at the ply scale. To model the beginning of plastic deformation, a yield function is utilized, and evolution equations of the damage variables are obtained. Then the developed deformation plastic model is calculated. The model parameters are calibrated by... 

The purpose of this study is to define a piecewise fatigue damage model (PFDM) for the prediction of damage in composite laminates under cyclic loading based on the continuum damage mechanics (CDM) model. Assuming that damage in fiber-reinforced plastic structures accumulates nonlinearly, a piecewise degradation growth function is defined and coupled with CDM and micromechanics approaches. The model divides the damage behavior of fiber, matrix, and fiber/matrix debonding at the ply scale, into three different stages. For generality, a fully multi-stage damage formulation on a single-ply level is employed. The unknown parameters of the PFDM are estimated according to obtained experimental... 

In this paper, two types of carbon black (CB) masterbatch with different carriers, i.e. HDPE and LDPE, are used to produce black compounds using three PE100 resins with various short chain branching distributions. Due to difference in short chain branch (SCB) distribution, the used polyethylene resins behave differently in microstructure development and long-term creep behavior. The microstructural analysis using different DSC techniques and rheological measurements revealed more sensitivity of the polyethylene resin with uniform comonomer distribution to the carbon black aggregates and their polymeric carriers. The Full Notched Creep Test (FNCT) was performed to determine the long-term... 

This paper deals with the cancer treatment scheduling via observer-based feedback control of a tumor growth biodynamical model. An experimental nonlinear model is utilized to design a feedback controller. This model was validated by a pharmacological study on xenograft models obtained by transplantation of colon carcinoma cell lines in athymic mice. Input-output feedback linearization approach is used to linearize the nonlinear model of the system and design a control law. It is assumed that tumor weight can be measured in definite intervals. So a continuous-discrete observer is designed to estimate states of the system based on discrete sampled data which are tumor weight in this case. To... 

Molecular surface electrostatic potential was used to predict the solvent effect on the reaction rate, endo/exo selectivity and diastereomeric excess of a Diels-Alder reaction. It is shown that these quantities can be expressed in terms of molecular surface electrostatic potentials of solvents which are obtained computationally by the HF/6-31++G* procedure. Regression analyses and an experimental database are used to obtain analytical representation of rate constant, endo/exo selectivity and diastereomeric excess. The models obtained show that the hydrogen bond donor ability of solvents on the above mentioned properties is substantial, whereas solvophobicity only affects the reaction rate... 

Hydrogen bonding effects of protic solvents, apart from bulk properties, on the reaction rate of the cycloaddition of cylopentadiene and vinyl acetate in the presence of water and methanol in the gas phase were investigated. The results showed that methanol increases the reaction rate in the gas phase more than the water. This is attributed to the stronger hydrogen bonding effect of methanol in this phase. Ab initio and semi-empirical calculations show that methanol stabilizes the transition state of the reaction more than water. This arises from two different origins, distribution of charge and geometry of the hydrogen bond. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd  

Reaction kinetics of 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene with piperidine was studied spectrophotometrically in aqueous solutions of methanol, ethanol, and propan-2-ol at 25 °C. The reaction in these solutions is not catalyzed by piperidine. The plots of second-order rate constants of the reaction vs. mole fraction of water show maxima in the all-aqueous solutions. Single-parameter correlations of log k2 vs. π* (dipolarity/polarizability), α (hydrogen-bond donor acidity), and ETN (normalized polarity parameter) are very poor in the all solutions (for example, in aqueous solutions of ethanol, regression coefficients are 0.814, 0.113, and 0.486, respectively). Dual-parameter correlations of log k2 vs.... 

Second-order rate constants and activation parameters of 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction between C,N-diphenylnitrone and dimethyl fumarate were obtained in various solvents and aqueous solutions at 65 °C. Second-order rate constants of the reaction in water and ethylene glycol are approximately 33 and 8 times faster than those expected from solvent polarity, respectively. Increase of the reaction rate in aqueous solutions of ethanol is higher than that of propan-1-ol. A multiparameter correlation of log k2 vs Sp and ETN in various solvents and aqueous solutions of ethanol shows that solvophobicity and solvent polarity parameter are important factors in occurrence of the reaction  

The second-order rate constants of the [2 + 2] cycloaddition reaction between diethyl azodicarboxylate and ethyl vinyl ether were obtained spectrophotometrically in various solvents and aqueous solutions of 1,4-dioxane and methanol at 30 ± 0.1 °C. In all media except aqueous solutions, a very good linear correlation of logk2 vs ETN (normalized polarity parameter) was obtained (n = 11, r = 0.991, s = 0.086). Because of the higher polarity of the activated complex relative to the reactants, the rate of the reaction increase with increasing solvent polarity parameter. Dual-parameter correlation of logk2 vs π* (dipolarity/polarizability) and a (hydrogen bonding acidity) also gives good results... 

DNA sequencing has faced a huge demand since it was first introduced as a service to the public. This service is often offloaded to the sequencing companies who will have access to full knowledge of individuals' sequences, a major violation of privacy. To address this challenge, we propose a solution, which is based on separating the process of reading the fragments of sequences, which is done at a sequencing machine, and assembling the reads, which is done at a trusted local data collector. To confuse the sequencer, in a pooled sequencing scenario, in which multiple sequences are going to be sequenced simultaneously, for each target individual, we add fragments of one non-target individual,... 

The local oscillator phase noise can severely affect the performance of OFDM systems. In this paper a new method is presented for compensation of this phase noise. The method is based on the fact that the scattered pilots, which are used for channel estimation, are subject to the same phase error as the OFDM symbols. Least square approach is used to exploit the phase noise information that exists in the scattered pilots and compensate the phase noise on the OFDM symbols. Simulation results show that the method is very effective, especially in high SNR  

A large number of generators failed due to stator winding problems, mainly insulation deterioration. Insulation degradation assessment plays vital role in the asset life management. Electro thermal analysis is the main characteristic for simulation of generator behavior and to improve the design of stator slot's insulation. Dielectric parameters such as insulation thickness, spacing, material types, geometry of winding and slot are major design consideration. A very powerful method available to analyze electro thermal performance is Finite Element Method (FEM) which is used in this paper. The analysis of various stator coil and slot configurations are used to design the better dielectric... 

The positive coupling effect decreases the condensate saturation as a result of very high flow rates in vicinity of the wellbore. The current work challenges the notion that the positive rate effect does not lead in falling trend of condensate saturation around the wellbore in the case of rich gas composition. According to the results obtained from this parameter case study, four distinct trends would appear in the condensate saturation profile of both lean and rich gas compositions. These quadruplet trends are consistent and their occurrence is mainly related to the considered base capillary number (Ncb) which is likely dependent to the composition of the fluid  

Degradation of Clindamycin phosphate (CMP) was studied in aqueous solutions by an anodic oxidation process under galvanostatic conditions. The electrolysis cell consisted of a Ti/SnO2-Sb anode, prepared by dip-coating technique, and a 316 stainless steel cathode, both of which had a surface area of 6 cm2. The effects of critical factors, including CMP concentration, current density, initial pH, and the supporting electrolyte were evaluated. The electrochemical oxidation of CMP was controlled by mass transport within the studied range. The kinetic analysis indicated that the degradation reactions followed pseudo-first-order equation. The rate of CMP decay, as well as that of COD removal,... 

The second-order rate constants for cycloaddition reaction of cyclopentadiene with naphthoquinone were determined spectrophotometrically in various compositions of 1-(1-butyl)-3-methylimidazolium terafluoroborate ([bmim]BF4) with water and methanol at 25°C. Rate constants of the reaction in pure solvents are in the order of water > [bmim]BF 4 > methanol. Rate constants of the reaction decrease sharply with mole fraction of the ionic liquid in aqueous solutions and increase slightly to a maximum in alcoholic mixtures. Multi-parameter correlation of logk 2 versus solute-solvent interaction parameters demonstrated that solvophobicity parameter (Sp), hydrogen-bond donor acidity (α) and... 

The solvatochromic parameters (ETN, normalized polarity parameter; π*, dipolarity/polarizability; β, hydrogen-bond acceptor basicity; α, hydrogen-bond donor acidity) were determined for binary solvent mixtures of 1-(1-butyl)-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([bmim]BF4) with water, methanol, and ethanol at 25°C over the whole range of mole fractions. In nonaqueous solutions, the ETN value of the mixture increases with mole the fraction of [bmim]BF4 and then decreases gradually to the value of pure [bmim]BF4. Positive deviation from ideal behavior was observed for the solvent parameters ETN, π*, and α, whereas the deviation of the β parameter is negative. The applicability of the combined... 

Direct CO dissociation is seen the main path of the first step in the Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) on the reactive iron surfaces. Cu/Fe alloy film is addressed with various applications over face-centered-cubic (fcc)-Cu and body-centered-cubic (bcc)-Fe in the FTS, i.e. preventing iron carbide formation (through direct CO dissociation) by moderating the surface reactivity and facilitating the reduction of iron surfaces, respectively. In this study by density functional theory, the stable configurations of CO molecule on various Cu/Fe alloys over fcc-Cu(100) and bcc-Fe(100) surfaces with different CO coverage (25% and 50%) have been evaluated. Our results showed that the ensemble effect... 

In this study, three PE100 polyethylene materials with fairly different short chain branch distributions were used to characterize the relation between thermal properties and creep test failure time. The samples were thermally characterized using isothermal and non-isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The three resins showed different behavior after fitting on the Avrami equation. N-100J2 sample, in which short chain branches (SCBs) are located on longer molecule chains, has a lower chain mobility and higher crystallization time, while N-100J1 has the opposite crystallization properties. Also, these samples had different Avrami index, n. Microstructural evaluation of these...