Eccentricity Based Topological Invariants of Tightest non-adjacently Configured Stable Pentagonal Structure of Carbon Nanocones

Conjugated open ended cones in which the configured pentagons are consistent, lies in the circle of Fries Kekule structure [8]. This non-adjacent tightest configuration of pentagons as shown in the Fig. 1 is consistent with a Fries Kekule structure and thus provides the most stable cone. In the study, various topological indices of the same structure in regard of physico-concoction resources and bioactivity of substance mixtures are studied which further helps to study the behavior of chemical compounds. In this regard, Zagreb indices M_1^* (G) and M_2^* (G) of a molecular graph G are used to evaluate the complexity in chemical systems and biological organisms. In this manuscript, we consider two complex families of stable carbon nanocones and compute their ECI, TEI and eccentricity-based Zagreb indices.

Needle insertion-induced quasiperiodic cone cracks in hydrogel

Needle insertion in hydrogel characterised by a gradual increase in the force followed by a sharp fall corresponds to propagation of stable cone crack. This is the first report of periodic, stable and controlled 3-D cone cracks inside the hydrogel.

Electrospray Printing of Graphene Layers for Chemiresistive Gas Sensors

In this work, we investigate the electrospray technique for the preparation of graphene layers for use in chemiresistive gas sensors. A dispersion of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) in isopropyl alcohol (0.1 mg/mL) is electrosprayed and the rGO flakes are deposited onto a polymeric substrate with printed interdigitated electrodes. The surface area of the substrate covered with rGO is mainly determined by the distance between the needle and the substrate, while the rGO deposition pattern strongly depends on the flowrate and the applied voltage. Homogeneous layers of rGO are obtained in a stable cone-jet regime, and the room temperature detection behavior of the sensors towards NO2, O3 and CO is assessed. The sensors were not capable of detecting CO (up to 5 ppm), but they detected 0.2 ppm NO2 and 0.05 ppm O3. The results are encouraging regarding the use of electrospray for the production of low-cost and low-power gas sensors based on graphene for air quality applications.

Lignin Nanoparticles as A Promising Way for Enhancing Lignin Flame Retardant Effect in Polylactide

The present study investigates the effect of using lignin at nanoscale as new flame-retardant additive for polylactide (PLA). Lignin nanoparticles (LNP) were prepared from Kraft lignin microparticles (LMP) through a dissolution-precipitation process. Both micro and nano lignins were functionalized using diethyl chlorophosphate (LMP-diEtP and LNP-diEtP, respectively) and diethyl (2-(triethoxysilyl)ethyl) phosphonate (LMP-SiP and LNP-SiP, respectively) to enhance their flame-retardant effect in PLA. From the use of inductively coupled plasma (ICP) spectrometry, it can be considered that a large amount of phosphorus has been grafted onto the nanoparticles. It has been previously shown that blending lignin with PLA induces degradation of the polymer matrix. However, phosphorylated lignin nanoparticles seem to limit PLA degradation during melt processing and the nanocomposites were shown to be relatively thermally stable. Cone calorimeter tests revealed that the incorporation of untreated lignin, whatever its particle size, induced an increase in pHRR. Using phosphorylated lignin nanoparticles, especially those treated with diethyl (2-(triethoxysilyl)ethyl) phosphonate allows this negative effect to be overcome. Moreover, the pHRR is significantly reduced, even when only 5 wt% LNP-SiP is used.

Unilateral Keratoconus after Chronic Eye Rubbing by the Nondominant Hand

Introduction: To report the development of unilateral keratoconus in a healthy male after persistent unilateral eye rubbing by the nondominant hand which was not needed for professional activities. Methods: Observational case report. Results: A 60-year-old male was first seen in our clinic due to decreased vision in his left eye. Slit-lamp biomicroscopy of the left eye revealed Vogt’s striae, stromal thinning, and a stromal scar. Corneal topography showed a stage 4 keratoconus. Clinical examination and corneal topography of the right eye were normal. Medical history revealed a habit of chronic eye rubbing only in the left eye because of the right hand being occupied for professional needs. During follow-up of 5 years, Scheimpflug images of the right eye stayed normal while the left eye showed a stable cone. Discussion: This case report supports the hypothesis of mechanical fatigue of the cornea due to repetitive shear stress on the surface caused by eye-rubbing.

Improving the Current Stability through the Bubbles-Free Microfluidic Electro-Spray Ionizing Chip

The bubbles in the microfluidic based electro-spray ionizing chips seriously affect the performance of the system. This paper presents a bubble capture method to stabilize the current of the microfluidic based electro-spray ionizing sources. A bubble capture structure was introduced to collect the bubbles. A normal close clamp valve assured a suitable pressure in the bubble capture structure that no liquid in the microfluidic channel can enter; when the bubble capture structure was filled with gas bubbles, the clamp valve was opened to release the bubble and balance the pressure. The results indicated that the current fluctuation, which reflects the stability of the electro-spray ionizing devices, was below 1.8% during the stable cone-jet electro-spray stage (2000V~4500V) for the proposed system, which was a notable improvement comparing with normal microfluidic-based electro-spray ionizing chip without the bubble capture structure.