[en] Thermodynamic analysis and optimization method is applied to provide design guidelines for improving energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness of natural gas liquids recovery processes. Exergy analysis is adopted in this study as a thermodynamic tool to evaluate the loss of exergy associated with irreversibility in natural gas liquids recovery processes, with which conceptual understanding on inefficient design feature or equipment can be obtained. Natural gas liquids processes are modeled and simulated within UniSim^® simulator, with which detailed thermodynamic information are obtained for calculating exergy loss. The optimization framework is developed by minimizing overall exergy loss, as an objective function, subject to product specifications and engineering constraints. The optimization is carried out within MATLAB^® with the aid of a stochastic solver based on genetic algorithms. The process simulator is linked and interacted with the optimization solver, in which optimal operating conditions can be determined. A case study is presented to illustrate the benefit of using exergy analysis for the design and optimization of natural gas liquids processes and to demonstrate the applicability of design method proposed in this paper. - Highlights: • Application of exergy analysis for natural gas liquids (NGL) recovery processes. • Minimization of exergy loss for improving energy efficiency. • A systematic optimization framework for the design of NGL recovery processes

[en] A theoretical model which takes into account the structural distortion of double-crossover DNA tiles has been studied to investigate its effect on lattice formation sizes. It has been found that a single vector appropriately describes the curvature of the tiles, of which a higher magnitude hinders lattice growth. In conjunction with these calculations, normal mode analysis reveals that tiles with relative higher frequencies have an analogous effect. All the theoretical results are shown to be in good agreement with experimental data.

[en] Germ cell tumours (GCTs) are one of the most threatening malignancies in young men and women. Although several reports have suggested the importance of OCT4 in human GCTs, its role has not been clearly investigated on a molecular level. In this study, we revealed GCT-specific direct transcriptional target genes of OCT4. Conditional knockdown of OCT4 in GCT cell lines reduced cell proliferation by affecting both cell cycle and death. Knockdown of OCT4 also reduced stemness of GCTs, as assessed by the expression of other stemness factors, alkaline phosphatase staining, and tumour sphere formation ability. Analysis of whole mRNA expression patterns among GCT cells harbouring endogenous, depleted, and rescued OCT4 revealed 1133 OCT4 target genes in GCT. Combined analysis of both the chromatin binding signature of OCT4 and the genes whose expression levels were changed by OCT4 revealed 258 direct target genes of OCT4 in GCTs. In a similar way, 594 direct target genes in normal embryonic stem cells (ESCs) were identified. Among these two sets of OCT4 direct target genes, 38 genes were common between GCTs and ESCs, most of which were related to regulation of pluripotency, and 220 genes were specific to GCTs, most of which were related to focal adhesion and extracellular matrix organisation. These results provide a molecular basis for how OCT4 regulates GCT stemness and will aid our understanding of the role of OCT4 in other cancers.

[en] We present a novel UV-curable patch system that can be used to repair the cracked surfaces of chemical reservoirs. When a crack occurs in a chemical reservoir, the patch can be quickly attached to the damaged area, and then cured with a portable UV source in order to prevent the further spread of toxic chemicals. Crosslinked acrylated epoxidized soy bean oil (AESO) materials with various compositions and crosslinking densities were prepared by reacting AESO with the triethylenetetramine (TETA) crosslinker and tested as UV-curable pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs). The optimum curing behavior and adhesion performance of the UV-curable patch system were found by using various analytical methods, namely oscillatory rheology, and peel, tack strength, and tensile tests. Finally, an optimized patch was applied to a laboratory scale chemical reservoir in order to assess its performance as a UV-curable crack repairing patch system for the prevention of chemical spills from cracked reservoirs.

[en] Highlights: • Yap overexpression in mice results in obesity. • Yap overexpression results in feedback downregulation of YAP and TAZ. • TAZ suppression in adipose stem cells activates PPARγ and promotes differentiation. • In vivo, TAZ is necessary for adipocyte commitment and differentiation. Obesity is characterized by an expansion of white adipose tissue (WAT) mass, which mainly consists of adipocytes. During the commitment and differentiation of adipocytes, PPARγ functions as a key transcriptional factor for adipogenesis, and is associated with its suppressive coregulator, TAZ. Previous studies have shown the importance of TAZ in adipogenesis using an in vitro model; however, the understanding of its role in adipogenesis in vivo remains limited. Here, we report a unique obese mouse model that is associated with TAZ downregulation, which arose from the overexpression of Yap, a Taz paralog. YAP activation facilitated Hippo signaling feedback, which induced a compensatory reduction in YAP, subsequently neutralizing its functional activity. This feedback also induced TAZ suppression and exclusion from the nucleus. In Yap transgenic mice, TAZ downregulation in adipose stem cells activated PPARγ, leading to their differentiation into mature adipocytes and consequently increased adipose tissue. These results highlight the in vivo necessity of TAZ for adipocyte commitment and differentiation, which could provide insight into anti-obesity therapeutics.