Dissolution Dynamics Research Articles

Formation, Dissolution, and Transfer Dynamics of a Millimeter-Scale Thin Liquid Droplet in Glycine Solution by Laser Trapping

The formation, dissolution, and transfer of a millimeter-scale dense liquid droplet are demonstrated by focusing a CW near-infrared laser beam into a thin film of glycine solution in heavy water. The entire process is investigated by directly monitoring the temporal change in the two-dimensional surface profile using a laser displacement meter. Upon laser irradiation, the surface depression is initially induced by laser heating, followed by the formation of the shallow convex-shaped droplet around the focal spot, in which the droplet is always in contact with the surrounding solution through the ultrathin solution layer. After the laser is switched off, the dissolution occurs through the recovery from the ultrathin layer toward the original solution film. When the laser is set to the outside of the droplet, the solution depression is similarly induced, and subsequently the droplet starts moving toward the focal spot. These processes are summarized and discussed in view of laser-induced effects of concentr...

Temporal dynamics of communities in social bookmarking systems

Unprecedented growth in social bookmarking systems is making accessible the perspectives of millions of users on online content. This makes possible the ability to detect temporal group formation and their transient interests in online social systems. Here, we introduce a community evolution framework for studying and analyzing social bookmarking communities over time. We apply this framework to a large set of social bookmarking data, over 13 million unique postings, collected over a period of 15 weeks. We inspect the temporal dimension of social bookmarking and explore the dynamics of community formation, evolution, and dissolution. We show how our approach captures evolution, dynamics, and relationships among the discovered communities, which has important implications for designing future bookmarking systems, and anticipating user’s future information needs.

New materials of Sphinxiocarpon, a seed-like organ of putative lycopsid affinity, from the Late Devonian of Hubei, China

New materials of a seed-like organ, Sphinxiocarpon wuhanium (Li, Hilton et Hemsley) Wang, Xue et Prestianni, from the lower part of the Wutung Formation (Frasnian) at Xiannüshan Quarry of Wuhan, eastern Hubei, China provide new insights into its dehiscence mechanism. It is suggested that the oblique, longitudinally striated fibers within the sporophyll tissue serve as a structural mechanic to dehisce, and that the fimbriately opened apex of S. wuhanium is likely a result of the tissular dissolution and mechanical dynamics within its sporophyll and sporangial wall when it becomes mature. Sphinxiocarpon Wang, Xue et Prestianni, neither a seed nor a preovule, has the closest affinity to lycopsids and might represent an aberrant developmental form and/or an ecological adaptation to the local adversity.

The dynamics of sexual contact networks: Effects on disease spread and control

Sexually transmitted pathogens persist in populations despite the availability of biomedical interventions and knowledge of behavioural changes that would reduce individual-level risk. While behavioural risk factors are shared between many sexually transmitted infections, the prevalence of these diseases across different risk groups varies. Understanding this heterogeneity and identifying better control strategies depends on an improved understanding of the complex social contact networks over which pathogens spread. To date, most efforts to study the impact of sexual network structure on disease dynamics have focused on static networks. However, the interaction between the dynamics of partnership formation and dissolution and the dynamics of transmission plays a role, both in restricting the effective network accessible to the pathogen, and in modulating the transmission dynamics. We present a simple method to simulate dynamical networks of sexual partnerships. We inform the model using survey data on sexual attitudes and lifestyles, and investigate how the duration of infectiousness changes the effective contact network over which disease may spread. We then simulate several control strategies: screening, vaccination and behavioural interventions. Previous theory and research has advanced the importance of core groups for spread and control of STD. Our work is consistent with the importance of core groups, but extends this idea to consider how the duration of infectiousness associated with a particular pathogen interacts with host behaviours to define these high risk subpopulations. Characteristics of the parts of the network accessible to the pathogen, which represent the network structure of sexual contacts from the “point of view” of the pathogen, are substantially different from those of the network as a whole. The pathogen itself plays an important role in determining this effective network structure; specifically, we find that if the pathogen’s duration of infectiousness is short, infection is more concentrated in high-activity, high-concurrency individuals even when all other factors are held constant. Widespread screening programmes would be enhanced by follow-up interventions targeting higher-risk individuals, because screening shortens the expected duration of infectiousness and causes a greater relative decrease in prevalence among lower-activity than in higher-activity individuals. Even for pathogens with longer durations of infectiousness, our findings suggest that targeting vaccination and behavioural interventions towards high-activity individuals provides comparable benefits to population-wide interventions.

Assembling of graphene oxide in an isolated dissolving droplet

Controlling of the morphology and assembly of graphene oxide (GO) is important in the structure design of carbon materials using GO sheets as building blocks. In this work, we have studied GO assembling driven by the dissolution of a droplet immersed in a surrounding liquid phase. The as-assembled GO structures were highly crumpled with exotic morphology, which we refer to as GO snowballs. The detailed structure of GO snowballs was closely related to the dissolution dynamics of the droplet, which could be adjusted by the composition of the surrounding liquid.

Biological controls on dissolution of diatom frustules during their descent to the deep ocean: Lessons learned from controlled laboratory experiments

The majority of opal produced by diatoms dissolves during their sedimentation to the seafloor, but spatial and temporal variability of dissolution rates are large. Controlled laboratory experiments using live phytoplankton or phyto-detritus may help identify the different processes, including those that are biologically mediated or physico-chemically driven, that impact the dissolution of frustules and the aforementioned variability. Results of eight bSiO 2 dissolution experiments, seven of which were conducted at low temperatures (<6 °C) are presented within the context of earlier similar studies, and different phases of dissolution dynamics characterized. TEP concentration, aggregation and the physiological status of the diatoms determined the period during which diatoms may maintain the protective membrane that surrounds their frustule and effectively reduces or completely inhibits (lag period) dissolution for some time. Once diatoms loose the capability to maintain their protective membrane, bacterial activity compromises it. Physico-chemical dissolution, which depends on frustule structure and abiotic environmental conditions, begins once the protective membrane is damaged. The ability of diatoms to maintain their membrane, the bacterial composition and activity governing its degradation, and the physico-chemical dissolution dynamics of exposed frustules are all impacted by temperature. In our experiments instantaneous dissolution rates were not dependant on bSiO 2 concentration at low temperatures, although such a relationship was observed under otherwise identical conditions at 15 °C, implying that biotic factors rather than physico-chemical processes initially dominated dissolution at polar temperatures. Since inhibition of bSiO 2 dissolution at low temperatures was inhibited to a greater extent than organic matter degradation, we postulate that it was not reduced bacterial activity but the enhanced ability of diatoms to maintain their membrane and thus withstand microbial attack that caused the low initial dissolution rates at <6 °C. In situ, interactions between the different biotic and abiotic processes impacting dissolution combined with differences in sinking velocity of diatom aggregates and grazing effects could easily explain high spatial and temporal variability in the accumulation of diatoms on the seafloor. Simple calculations based on our experimental results suggest that Fragilariopsis kerguelensis, for example, would be appreciably more likely to reach the seafloor than Chaetoceros debilis if both grow at low growth rates, e.g. under growth limiting conditions. However, dissolution behavior of Chaetoceros debilis during sedimentation may differ under conditions where this species forms large blooms.

Dissolution and precipitation dynamics during dedolomitization

We simulate the processes of dedolomitization and calcium carbonate precipitation using particle tracking. The study is stimulated by the results of a laboratory experiment that examined reactive transport of injected CaCl2/HCl, into a column of sucrosic dolomite particles, with a constant flow field. The injected fluid supplies Ca2+ and H+. Dedolomitization is a protonation reaction yielding carbonic acid; a subsequent deprotonation reaction yields , and reaction with the abundant Ca2+ forms the precipitate CaCO3. The dedolomitization and precipitation processes involve multistep, multispecies chemical reactions, with both irreversible and reversible stages. The particle tracking is governed by spatial and temporal distributions within a continuous time random walk framework. This accounts for the effects of disorder of heterogeneous media (leading to non‐Fickian transport) and includes the option of treating purely advective‐dispersive (Fickian) transport. The dynamics of dedolomitization are examined for different flow conditions and reaction rates. The fluctuations in the local velocity distributions, due to porosity changes, create conditions for positive feedbacks leading to development of preferential pathways, large‐scale nonlinearity, and precipitation banding. These features have been observed in the laboratory experiments and are now accounted for by the simulation results at similar time frames, velocities, and pH levels.

Transmission ofChlamydia trachomatisthrough sexual partnerships: a comparison between three individual-based models and empirical data

Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) in many developed countries. The highest prevalence rates are found among young adults who have frequent partner change rates. Three published individual-based models have incorporated a detailed description of age-specific sexual behaviour in order to quantify the transmission of C. trachomatis in the population and to assess the impact of screening interventions. Owing to varying assumptions about sexual partnership formation and dissolution and the great uncertainty about critical parameters, such models show conflicting results about the impact of preventive interventions. Here, we perform a detailed evaluation of these models by comparing the partnership formation and dissolution dynamics with data from Natsal 2000, a population-based probability sample survey of sexual attitudes and lifestyles in Britain. The data also allow us to describe the dispersion of C. trachomatis infections as a function of sexual behaviour, using the Gini coefficient. We suggest that the Gini coefficient is a useful measure for calibrating infectious disease models that include risk structure and highlight the need to estimate this measure for other STIs.

Dynamics of Dissolution and Diffusion-Controlled Drug Release Systems

Analytical expressions were derived to explain the influence of the dissolution/diffusion number (Di) on the time constant and steady-state flux when dispersed drugs are released from a finite matrix. A key novelty of this work is the introduction of a single time-constant that combined the analysis of both dissolution- and diffusion-based systems. Focus is placed on systems with a constant dissolution rate and diffusion coefficient. Solutions, based on the residue theorem, were in agreement with published results describing the transport of estradiol in a polymeric matrix. The experimental cumulative amount of drug released was 0.1 mg/cm² in 100 hours compared to 0.084 mg/cm² predicted by the theoretical model. The process time constant, estimated from the first eigenvalue (t0) and a more accurate statistical approach (t(eff)), showed a consistent decrease with increasing Di values. For a dissolution/diffusion number of 0.21, t0 and t(eff) were estimated at 58.44 and 73.02 hrs, respectively. With the presence of a skin layer, t(eff) increased to 575.7 hrs. These results can be used to assess the relative impact of dissolution and diffusion on the time it takes drugs to attain a therapeutic level in the bloodstream.

Determination of the hydrogen diffusion coefficient in transformer oil

The hydrogen diffusion coefficient in transformer oil is determined by optically monitoring the dynamics of the hydrogen bubble dissolution in pure degassed oil. The diffusion coefficient is found to be roughly two orders of magnitude smaller than those determined earlier. This result is of great importance for chromatographic analysis of gases dissolved in transformer oil, since it gives grounds to suspect that hydrogen is not so volatile as implicitly believed in a number of works. Accordingly, the reliability of diagnostic data for high-voltage oil-filled equipment improves.

Dynamics of crystallization and dissolution of calcium orthophosphates at the near-molecular level

Although extensive investigations of biogenic and geological calcium phosphate crystallization/dissolution and their phase transformations have been performed, the mechanisms of crystallization and dissolution of sparingly soluble calcium phosphates in geological settings have not been completely determined at the near-molecular level. In particular, an understanding of the physical-chemical processes at the earliest nucleation stage and the subsequent crystal surface dynamics in soil solutions is lacking. This review focuses on the earliest events in homo/heterogeneous nucleation from an initial supersaturated solution phase, the subsequent growth of calcium phosphate phases, and the relevant influences of the presence of additional inorganic and organic molecules in both geological and biological settings. These studies have implications for the understanding of the complex processes of calcium phosphate transformations in soils, and provide possible physical-chemical mechanisms for the biogeochemical behavior of phosphorus at the near-molecular level.

Remediation of NAPL Source Zones: Lessons Learned from Field Studies at Hill and Dover AFB

Innovative remediation studies were conducted between 1994 and 2004 at sites contaminated by nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) at Hill and Dover AFB, and included technologies that mobilize, solubilize, and volatilize NAPL: air sparging (AS), surfactant flushing, cosolvent flooding, and flushing with a complexing-sugar solution. The experiments proved that aggressive remedial efforts tailored to the contaminant can remove more than 90% of the NAPL-phase contaminant mass. Site-characterization methods were tested as part of these field efforts, including partitioning tracer tests, biotracer tests, and mass-flux measurements. A significant reduction in the groundwater contaminant mass flux was achieved despite incomplete removal of the source. The effectiveness of soil, groundwater, and tracer based characterization methods may be site and technology specific. Employing multiple methods can improve characterization. The studies elucidated the importance of small-scale heterogeneities on remediation effectiveness, and fomented research on enhanced-delivery methods. Most contaminant removal occurs in hydraulically accessible zones, and complete removal is limited by contaminant mass stored in inaccessible zones. These studies illustrated the importance of understanding the fluid dynamics and interfacial behavior of injected fluids on remediation design and implementation. The importance of understanding the dynamics of NAPL-mixture dissolution and removal was highlighted. The results from these studies helped researchers better understand what processes and scales are most important to include in mathematical models used for design and data analysis. Finally, the work at these sites emphasized the importance and feasibility of recycling and reusing chemical agents, and enabled the implementation and success of follow-on full-scale efforts.

Boussinesq approximation of the Cahn-Hilliard-Navier-Stokes equations

We use the Cahn-Hilliard approach to model the slow dissolution dynamics of binary mixtures. An important peculiarity of the Cahn-Hilliard-Navier-Stokes equations is the necessity to use the full continuity equation even for a binary mixture of two incompressible liquids due to dependence of mixture density on concentration. The quasicompressibility of the governing equations brings a short time-scale (quasiacoustic) process that may not affect the slow dynamics but may significantly complicate the numerical treatment. Using the multiple-scale method we separate the physical processes occurring on different time scales and, ultimately, derive the equations with the filtered-out quasiacoustics. The derived equations represent the Boussinesq approximation of the Cahn-Hilliard-Navier-Stokes equations. This approximation can be further employed as a universal theoretical model for an analysis of slow thermodynamic and hydrodynamic evolution of the multiphase systems with strongly evolving and diffusing interfacial boundaries, i.e., for the processes involving dissolution/nucleation, evaporation/condensation, solidification/melting, polymerization, etc.

The effect of Y 2O 3 on the dynamics of oxidative dissolution of UO 2

In this work, we have studied the impact of Y 2O 3 on the kinetics of oxidative dissolution of UO 2 and the consumption of H 2O 2. The second order kinetics of catalytic consumption of H 2O 2 on Y 2O 3 was investigated in aqueous Y 2O 3 powder suspensions by varying the solid surface area to solution volume ratio. The resulting second order rate constant is 10 −8 m s −1, which is of the same magnitude as for the reaction between H 2O 2 and UO 2. Powder experiments with mixtures of UO 2 and Y 2O 3 show that Y 2O 3 has no effect on the oxidative dissolution of UO 2, whereas the consumption of H 2O 2 seems to be slightly slower in the presence of Y 2O 3 and H 2 respectively. UO 2 pellets with solid inclusions of Y 2O 3 show a decrease in oxidative dissolution by a factor of 3.3 and 5.3 under inert and hydrogen atmosphere, respectively. The rate of H 2O 2 consumption is similar for all cases and is well in line with kinetic data from powder experiments. The effects of H 2 and Y 2O 3 on the oxidative dissolution of UO 2 under gamma irradiation are similar to those found in experiments with H 2O 2. No significant difference in dissolution between inert and reducing atmosphere can be observed for pure UO 2.

Investigation of the physicochemical and physicomechanical properties of a novel intravaginal bioadhesive polymeric device in the pig model.

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate the bioadhesivity, in vitro drug release, and permeation of an intravaginal bioadhesive polymeric device (IBPD) loaded with 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT) and polystyrene sulfonate (PSS). Modified polyamide 6,10, poly(lactic-coglycolic acid), polyacrylic acid, polyvinyl alcohol, and ethylcellulose were blended with model drugs AZT and PSS as well as radio-opaque barium sulfate (BaSO4) and then compressed into caplet devices on a tableting press. One set of devices was coated with 2% w/v pentaerythritol polyacrylic acid (APE-PAA) while another remained uncoated. Thermal analysis was performed on the constituent polymers as well the IBPD. The changes in micro-environmental pH within the simulated human vaginal fluid due to the presence of the IBPD were assessed over a period of 30 days. Textural profile analysis indicated that the bioadhesivity of the APE-PAA-coated devices (3.699 +/- 0.464 N; 0.0098 +/- 0.0004 J) was higher than that of the uncoated devices (1.198 +/- 0.150 N; 0.0019 +/- 0.0001 J). In addition, BaSO4-facilitated X-ray imaging revealed that the IBPD adhered to pig vaginal tissue over the experimental period of 30 days. Controlled drug release kinetics was obtained over 72 days. During a 24-h permeation study, an increase in drug flux for both AZT (0.84 mg cm(-2) h(-1)) and PSS (0.72 mg cm(-2) h(-1)) was realized up to 12 h and thereafter a steady-state was achieved. The diffusion and dissolution dynamics were mechanistically deduced based on a chemometric and molecular structure modeling approach. Overall, results suggested that the IBPD may be sufficiently bioadhesive with desirable physicochemical and physicomechanical stability for use as a prolonged intravaginal drug delivery device.

The spatial dynamics of fibrin clot dissolution catalyzed by erythrocyte-bound vs. free fibrinolytics.

Coupling fibrinolytic plasminogen activators to red blood cells (RBCs) has been proposed as an effective, yet safe method of thromboprophylaxis, because of increased circulation lifetime and reduced propensity to induce hemorrhage by selectivity for nascent thrombi rather than pre-formed hemostatic clots. We used confocal microscopy of fluorescently labeled fibrin and erythrocytes in plasma-derived clots to study the spatial dynamics of lysis catalyzed by RBC-coupled vs. free plasminogen activators (RBC-PA vs. PA). Clot lysis catalyzed by free PA progressed gradually and uniformly. In contrast, distinct holes formed surrounding RBC-PA while the rest of the clot remained intact until these holes enlarged sufficiently to merge, causing sudden clot dissolution. Compared with naïve RBCs within clots lysed by free PA, RBC-PA moved faster inside the fibrin network prior to clot dissolution, providing a potential mechanism for spatial propagation of RBC-PA induced lysis. We also showed the focal nature of fibrinolysis by RBC-PA as dense loading of PA onto RBCs initiates more efficient lysis than equal amounts of PA spread sparsely over more RBCs. In an in vitro model of clots exposed to buffer flow, incorporated RBC-PA increased permeability and formed channels eventually triggering clot dissolution, whereas clots containing free PA remained intact. Clot lysis by RBC-PA begins focally, has a longer lag phase when measured by residual mass than homogeneous lysis by PA, is propagated by RBC-PA motility and provides more effective clot reperfusion than free PA, making RBC-PA attractive for short-term thromboprophylaxis.

Modeling calcium dissolution from oil shale ash: Part 1. Ca dissolution during ash washing in a batch reactor

Batch dissolution experiments were carried out to investigate Ca leachability from oil shale ashes formed in boilers operating with different combustion technologies. The main characteristics of Ca dissolution equilibrium and dynamics, including Ca internal mass transfer through effective diffusion coefficients inside the ash particle were evaluated. Based on the collected data, models allowing simulation of the Ca dissolution process from oil shale ashes during ash washing in a batch reactor were developed. The models are a set of differential equations that describe the changes in Ca content in the solid and liquid phase of the ash–water suspension.

Dissolution dynamics of thin films measured by optical reflectance

Measuring the dissolution dynamics of thin films in situ both with spatial and temporal resolution can be a challenging task. Available methods such as scanning electrochemical microscopy rely on scanning the specimen and are intrinsically slow. We developed a characterization technique employing only an optical microscope, a digital charge coupled device camera, and a computer for image processing. It is capable of detecting dissolution rates of the order of nm/min and has a spatial and temporal resolution which is limited by the imaging and recording setup. We demonstrate the capabilities of our method by analyzing the electrochemical dissolution of copper thin films on gold substrates in a mild hydrochloric acid solution. Due to its simplicity, our technique can be implemented in any laboratory and can be applied to a variety of systems such as thin film sensors or passive coatings.

Implicit partner affect, relationship satisfaction, and the prediction of romantic breakup

The current research investigated the role of spontaneous partner feelings ( implicit partner affect) in the dynamics of relationship satisfaction, commitment, and romantic dissolution. Participants completed a variant of the name-letter task as a measure of implicit partner affect, and self-report measures of relationship satisfaction and commitment. Approximately 4 months later, participants were contacted to assess their current relationship status. Overall, participants showed a biased preference for their partner’s initials (after adjusting for proper baselines), indicating the presence of positive implicit partner affect. Participants with more positive implicit partner affect were more satisfied with, but not more committed to, their relationship. Additionally, implicit partner affect exerted a significant indirect effect on relationship stability. These effects were independent of relationship length, age, and gender. Implications for the role of automatic affective processes in relationship processes and the utility of indirect measures for shedding light on relationship dynamics are discussed.

Growth and Dissolution of an Encapsulated Contrast Microbubble: Effects of Encapsulation Permeability

Gas diffusion from an encapsulated microbubble is modeled using an explicit linear relation for gas permeation through the encapsulation. Both the cases of single gas (air) and multiple gases (perfluorocarbon inside the bubble and air dissolved in surrounding liquid) are considered. An analytical expression for the dissolution time for an encapsulated air bubble is obtained; it showed that for small permeability the dissolution time increases linearly with decreasing permeability. A perfluorocarbon-filled contrast microbubble such as Definity® was predicted to experience a transient growth because of air infusion before it dissolves in conformity with previous experimental findings. The growth phase occurs only for bubbles with a critical value of initial mole fraction of perfluorocarbon relative to air. With empirically obtained property values, the dissolution time of a 2.5-micron diameter (same as that of Definity), lipid-coated octafluoropropane bubble, with surface tension 25 mN/m, is predicted to be 42 min in an air-saturated medium. The properties such as shell permeability, surface tension and relative mole fraction of octafluoropropane are varied to investigate their effects on the time scales of bubble growth and dissolution, including their asymptotic scalings where appropriate. The dissolution dynamics scales with permeability, in that when the time is nondimensioanlized with permeability, curves for different permeabilities collapse on a single curve. Investigation of bubbles filled with other gases (nonoctafluoropropane perfluorocarbon and sulfur hexafluoride) indicates longer dissolution time because of lower solubility and lower diffusivity for larger gas molecules. For such micron-size encapsulated bubbles, lifetime of hours is possible only at extremely low surface tension (<1 mN/m) or at extreme oversaturation. (E-mail: sarkar@udel.edu)