G. Mondragon, C. Peña-Rodriguez, A. Eceiza, A. Arbelaiz^*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.5, No.5, pp. 345-356, 2017, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2017.634124

Abstract In this work, the main chemical reactions conditions of a succession of specific chemical treatments used for the isolation of nanocellulose from sisal fibers were evaluated. The novelty of this work is the study done to analyze the effect of different reaction conditions (time or concentration) in fiber structure and composition as well as in the characteristics of obtained cellulosic samples. In order to achieve this goal different physicochemical, thermal and morphological characterization techniques were used after each chemical treatment and the most suitable reaction conditions were selected for the subsequent treatment. Moreover, the thermal stability evolution of cellulose nanocrystals… More >

Mary Isabel Lopretti^1,2*, Natalia Irene Baldyga³, Maria Gonzalez¹, Laura Beatriz Olazabal³, Marina Graciela Torres³, Fernando Resquin⁴, Leonidas Carrasco⁴

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.1, pp. 66-71, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2015.634133

Abstract Nowadays, there is a great interest in using lignocellulosic materials as substrate for the production of biorefi nery products. Eucalypti are good options to use as crops to obtain different kinds of biofuels and derivatives, since their plantations show high adaptation potential to soil and weather conditions in Uruguay. The basic process steps involved in the obtainment of biorefi nery materials are: pretreatment, hydrolysis, fermentation and products separation. As delignifi cation is an important process to obtain biorefi nery products, in this context the evaluation of the biological (BT) and hydrothermal (TT) pretreatment of different species of Eucaliptus was studied.… More >

José M. R. C. A. Santos^*, Ana R. Sampaio, Joana Branquinho

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.1, pp. 31-40, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2015.634123

Abstract Cellulose-based materials are one of the most widely used materials provided by nature to mankind. In particular, cotton fi bers have been used for millennia to produce clothing items. This wide usage stems from the inherent properties of cotton fabrics such as hydrophilicity and permeability to water vapor. However, increasingly sophisticated uses for cotton-based clothing (e.g., technical textiles) demand specifi c properties such as hydrophobicity and oleophobicity for repellent functions. The current surface treatments used to attain these functionalities are based on thermally initiated polymerization reactions, using water-based formulations. Thus, the current technologies are energy- and water-intensive. The advantages of… More >

Yaghoub Dabiri^1,3, Kevin L. Sack^1,2, Semion Shaul¹, Gabriel Acevedo-Bolton¹, Jenny S. Choy³, Ghassan S. Kassab³, Julius M. Guccione^1,*

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, No.3, pp. 185-197, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.07364

Abstract We hypothesized that minimally invasive injections of a softening agent at strategic locations in stiff myocardium could de-stiffen the left ventricle (LV) globally. Physics-based finite element models of the LV were created from LV echocardiography images and pressures recorded during experiments in four swine. Results confirmed animal models of LV softening by systemic agents. Regional de-stiffening of myocardium led to global de-stiffening of LV. The mathematical set up was used to design LV global de-stiffening by regional softening of myocardium. At an end diastolic pressure of 23 mmHg, when 8 ml of the free wall was covered by intramyocardial injections,… More >

Jianhang Du^1,2,3, Liang Wang⁴

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.12, No.4, pp. 249-263, 2015, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2015.012.249

Abstract Growing evidences suggest that long-term enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) treatment can inhibit the initiation of atherosclerotic lesion by improving the hemodynamic environment in aortas. However, whether this kind procedure will intervene the progression of advanced atherosclerotic plaque remains elusive and causes great concern in its clinical application presently. In the current paper, a pilot study combining animal experiment and numerical simulation was conducted to investigate the acute mechanical stress variations during EECP intervention, and then to assess the possible chronic effects. An experimentally induced hypercholesterolemic porcine model was developed and the basic hemodynamic measurement was performed in vivo before and… More >

Jie Wu^∗,†, Yan Cai^‡, Shixiong Xu^§, Quan Long^¶, Zurong Ding^*, Cheng Dong^∗,||

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.9, No.2, pp. 95-126, 2012, DOI:10.3970/mcb.2012.009.095

Abstract The effects of vascular-disrupting treatments on normalization of tumor microvasculature and its microenvironmental flow were investigated, by mathematical modeling and numerical simulation of tumor vascular-disrupting and tumor haemodynamics. Four disrupting approaches were designed according to the abnormal characteristics of tumor microvasculature compared with the normal one. The results predict that the vascular-disrupting therapies could improve tumor microenvironment, eliminate drug barrier and inhibit metastasis of tumor cells to some extent. Disrupting certain types of vessels may get better effects. In this study, the flow condition on the networks with "vascular-disrupting according to flowrate" is the best comparing with the other three… More >

Chuanrong Wu^1,*, Veronika Lee¹, Mark E. McMurtrey²

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.60, No.1, pp. 365-378, 2019, DOI:10.32604/cmc.2019.06949

Abstract Product innovation is regarded as a primary means for enterprises to maintain their competitive advantage. Knowledge transfer is a major way that enterprises access knowledge from the external environment for new product innovation. Knowledge transfer may face the risk of infringement of the intellectual property rights of other enterprises and the termination of licensing agreements by the knowledge source. Enterprises must develop independent innovation knowledge at the same time they profit from knowledge transfers. Therefore, new product development by an enterprise usually consists of three types of new knowledge: big data knowledge transferred from big data knowledge providers, private knowledge… More >

Zhiliang Wang^1,*, Nuocheng Tian², Jianguo Wang³, Shengqi Yang³, Guang Liu¹

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.59, No.1, pp. 275-296, 2019, DOI:10.32604/cmc.2019.04247

Abstract The mechanical behaviors and energy dissipation characteristics of heat-treated granite were investigated under repeated impact loading. The granite samples were firstly heat-treated at the temperature of 20°C, 200°C, 400°C, and 600°C, respectively. The thermal damage characteristics of these samples were then observed and measured before impact tests. Dynamic impact compression tests finally were carried out using a modified split-Hopkinson pressure bar under three impact velocities of 12 m/s, 15 m/s, and 18 m/s. These test results show that the mineral composition and the main oxides of the granite do not change with these treatment temperatures. The number of microcracks and… More >

Ali Raza¹, Muhammad Shoaib Arif^1,*, Muhammad Rafiq², Mairaj Bibi³, Muhammad Naveed¹, Muhammad Usman Iqbal⁴, Zubair Butt⁴, Hafiza Anum Naseem⁴, Javeria Nawaz Abbasi³

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.120, No.2, pp. 445-465, 2019, DOI:10.32604/cmes.2019.06454

Abstract This writing is an attempt to explain a reliable numerical treatment for stochastic computer virus model. We are comparing the solutions of stochastic and deterministic computer virus models. This paper reveals that a stochastic computer virus paradigm is pragmatic in contrast to the deterministic computer virus model. Outcomes of threshold number C^∗ hold in stochastic computer virus model. If C^∗ < 1 then in such a condition virus controlled in the computer population while C^∗ > 1 shows virus persists in the computer population. Unfortunately, stochastic numerical methods fail to cope with large step sizes of time. The suggested structure… More >

Zhe Li¹, Fan Yang^1,*, Yaping Liu¹, Yukui Gao¹

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.120, No.1, pp. 157-175, 2019, DOI:10.32604/cmes.2019.05187

Abstract In this paper, we investigated the shot blast treatment for derusting application through finite element (FE) simulations with a large number of random shots. The element deletion technique based on dynamic failure criteria was used to model the removal of rust. The cohesive surface model with damage evolution was used to characterize the decohesion of the rust/substrate interface. The effects of various processing and material parameters on the derusting effectiveness were examined. The results show that the rate of derusting mainly depends on the shot size, velocity and impinging angle, with little relevance to the rust thickness. The spalling of… More >