The action of human plasma factor XIIIa (thrombin-activated blood coagulation factor XIII) and guinea pig liver transglutaminase on purified caseins, fibrin, the derivatized gamma chain of fibrin, and a number of synthetic glutamine peptides, and peptide derivatives is reported. There are wide variations in the properties of the individual proteins and peptides as substrates for amine incorpora...

In this study, a new proposed multi-generation system as a promising integrated energy conversion system is studied, and its performance is investigated thermodynamically. The system equipped with parabolic trough collectors and biomass combustor to generate electricity, heating and cooling loads, hydrogen and potable water. A double effect absorption chiller to provide cooling demand, a proton...

This study compares environmental and economic impacts of using nanofluids to enhance solar collector efficiency as compared to conventional solar collectors for domestic hotwater systems. Results show that for the current cost of nanoparticles the nanofluid based solar collector has a slightly longer payback period but at the end of its useful life has the same economic savings as a convention...

Energy consumption becomes a primary concern in a Wireless Sensor Network. Wireless sensor network (WSN) requires robust and energy efficient communication protocols to minimize the energy consumption as much as possible. We propose a polling-based mobile gathering approach and formulate it into an optimization problem, named bounded relay hop mobile data gathering (BRH-MDG). Specifically, a su...

In this study, we report the production of amine functionalized nanodiamond. The amine functionalized nanodiamond forms a conformal monolayer on a negatively charged surface produced via plasma polymerization of acrylic acid. Nanodiamond terminated surfaces were studied as substrates for neuronal cell culture. NG108-15 neuroblastoma-glioma hybrid cells were successfully cultured upon amine func...

Organocatalysis, now running its second decade of life, is being considered one of the main tools a synthetic chemist has to perform asymmetric catalysis. In this review the synthesis of six-membered rings, that contain multiple chiral centers, either by a ring closing process or by a functionalization reaction on an already existing six-membered ring, utilizing bifunctional (thio)ureas will be...

Benthic macroinvertebrates play a vital role in ecosystem functioning, such as nutrient cycling, primary production, decomposition and material translocation. A study was done to determine the functional feeding groups (FFGs) distribution along two streams of Olifants River System, South Africa. There were longitudinal differences but more pronounced Dwars than Spekboom River. Collector-gathere...