Produce Temperature Gradients Research Articles

Synthesis and characterization of a fluorescent polymeric nano-thermometer: dynamic monitoring of 3D temperature distribution in co-cultured tumor spheroids.

Temperature governs the reactivity of a wide range of biomolecules in the cellular environment dynamically. The complex cellular pathways and molecules in solid tumors substantially produce temperature gradients in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Hence, visualization of these temperature gradients at the cellular level would give physiologically relevant spatio-temporal information about solid tumors. This study used fluorescent polymeric nano-thermometers (FPNTs) to measure the intratumor temperature in co-cultured 3D tumor spheroids. A temperature-sensitive rhodamine-B dye and Pluronic F-127 were conjugated through hydrophobic and hydrophobic interactions and then cross-linked with urea-paraformaldehyde resins to form the FPNTs. The characterization results exhibit monodisperse nanoparticles (166 ± 10 nm) with persistent fluorescence. The FPNTs exhibit a linear response with a wide temperature sensing range (25-100 °C) and are stable toward pH, ionic strength, and oxidative stress. FPNTs were utilized to monitor the temperature gradient in co-cultured 3D tumor spheroids and the temperature difference between the core (34.9 °C) and the periphery (37.8 °C) was 2.9 °C. This investigation demonstrates that the FPNTs have great stability, biocompatibility, and high intensity in a biological medium. The usage of FPNTs as a multifunctional adjuvant may demonstrate the dynamics of the TME and they may be suitable candidates to examine thermoregulation in tumor spheroids.

Field-Enhanced Nanoconvection Accelerated Electrocatalytic Conversion of Water Contaminants and Electricity Generation.

The development of high-performance electrocatalytic systems for the extraction of energy from contaminants in wastewater are urgently needed in emerging renewable energy technologies. However, given that most of the contaminants are present in low concentrations, the heterogeneous catalytic reactions often suffer from slow kinetics due to mass transfer limitations. Here, we report that localized free convection induced by enthalpy change of the reaction can enhance interfacial mass transport. This phenomenon can be found around high-curvature nanosized tips. The finite-element numerical simulation shows that the heat of reactions can produce temperature gradients and subsequently lead to fluid motion at the interfaces, which facilitates the rate-limiting step (mass transfer). To demonstrate the effects of localized field-enhanced mass transport in electrocatalytic conversion of aqueous dilute species, a galvanic cell is constructed with a vertically aligned polyaniline array with sharp tips (as cathode) for the detoxification of a low concentration of carcinogenic chromate and synchronous electricity generation, which show lower overpotential (0.17 V decreased), higher reaction rate (increased by 28%), and power density (22.3 W m-2 in 2 mM chromate). The power output can be scaled up (open voltage of ∼3.7 V and volumetric power density of 840.1 W m-3) by using a continuous flow-through cell with stacked electrodes for further improve the mass transport.

Thermal heterogeneity within aqueous materials quantified by 1H NMR spectroscopy: Multiparametric validation in silico and in vitro

We recently suggested a new paradigm for statistical analysis of thermal heterogeneity in (semi-)aqueous materials by 1H NMR spectroscopy, using water as a temperature probe. Here, we present a comprehensive in silico and in vitro validation that demonstrates the ability of this new technique to provide accurate quantitative parameters characterizing the statistical distribution of temperature values in a volume of (semi-)aqueous matter. First, line shape parameters of numerically simulated water 1H NMR spectra are systematically varied to study a range of mathematically well-defined temperature distributions. Then, corresponding models based on measured 1H NMR spectra of agarose gel are analyzed. In addition, dedicated samples based on hydrogels or biological tissue are designed to produce temperature gradients changing over time, and dynamic NMR spectroscopy is employed to analyze the resulting temperature profiles at sub-second temporal resolution. Accuracy and consistency of the previously introduced statistical descriptors of temperature heterogeneity are determined: weighted median and mean temperature, standard deviation, temperature range, temperature mode(s), kurtosis, skewness, entropy, and relative areas under temperature curves. Potential and limitations of this method for quantitative analysis of thermal heterogeneity in (semi-)aqueous materials are discussed in view of prospective applications in materials science as well as biology and medicine.

Air turbulence effects on performance of optical wireless communication with crosstalk in server backplane

Free space optical interconnections (FSOIs) are anticipated to become a prevalent technology for short-range high-speed communication. FSOIs use lasers in board-to-board and rack-to-rack communication to achieve improved performance in next generation servers and are expected to help meet the growing demand for massive amounts of inter-card data communication. An array of transmitters and receivers arranged to create an optical bus for inter-card and card-to-backplane communication could be the solution. However, both chip heating and cooling fans produce temperature gradients and hot air flow that results in air turbulence inside the server, which induces signal fading and, hence, influences the communication performance. In addition, the proximity between neighboring transmitters and receivers in the array leads to crosstalk in the received signal, which further contributes to signal degradation. In this Letter, the primary objective is to experimentally examine the off-axis crosstalk between links in the presence of turbulence inside a server chassis. The effects of geometrical and inter-chassis turbulence characteristics are investigated and first-and second-order statistics are derived.

Modified Bonnor-Ebert spheres with ambipolar diffusion heating

Magnetic fluctuations through the molecular cloud cores can produce ambipolar diffusion (AD) heating, which consequently can produce temperature gradients through the core. The aim of this paper is to investigate the effects of these produced temperature gradients on the radius and mass of the non-isothermal modified Bonnor-Ebert spheres (MBES). Here, we use the parameter $\kappa$ to represent the magnetic fluctuations through the molecular cloud cores. This parameter introduces the change of magnetic filed strength in the length-scale. The results show that increasing of $\kappa$ leads to an increase of the radius and mass of MBES. The most important result is existence of the gravitationally stable high-mass prestellar cores at the low-density molecular medium with great magnetic fluctuations.

Deformation of the Free Surface in a Moving Locally-Heated Thin Liquid Layer

Liquid film flow on a vertical surface is studied experimentally and theoretically under the determining influence of the thermocapillary forces. In the two-dimensional steady-state case the shape of the film surface is calculated numerically within the thin layer approximation with allowance for the temperature dependence of the viscosity of the liquid and redistribution of the heat flux in the heating element. A local heat source was used in the experiments to produce temperature gradients up to 10 K/mm on the liquid surface. The film thickness was determined by means of the schlieren method with reflection. The relative thickness of the roller in the upper heater edge zone, characteristic of the formation of regular structures, is measured. The thickness is h/h0=1.32 ±0.07, which agrees satisfactorily with the results of numerical calculations.

Very fast chilling of beef and tenderness—a report from an EU concerted action

Very Fast Chilling (VFC) in Beef is a European Union funded concerted action begun in November 1994. Scientists from the Union have met several times to review their work. Muscle is defined as VFC when it is chilled to −1 °C by 5h post mortem. The sub-zero conditions necessary will produce temperature gradients in all muscles and these give rise to considerable variation in biochemical and physical parameters. Calcium ions released by the cold within muscle fibres stimulate proteolytic action which tenderises the meat, but also stimulate contraction which toughens meat. The studies considered here suggest that a combination of proteolysis and crust freezing can produce tender beef. More research is needed into the biochemical mechanisms and pilot scale investigations could be undertaken. The early cutting and processing of the beef side would improve abattoir efficiency but VFC technique is not yet ready for full-scale industrial implementation.