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The shift from outcrossing to self-fertilization is one of the main evolutionary transitions in plants and has broad effects on evolutionary trajectories. In Brassicaceae, the ability to inhibit self-fertilization is controlled by 2 genes, SCR and SRK , tightly linked within the S -locus. A series of small non-coding RNAs also encoded within the S -locus regulates the transcriptional activity of SCR alleles, resulting in a linear dominance hierarchy between them. In Brassicaceae, natural allopolyploid species are often self-compatible (SC) even when one of the progenitor species is self-incompatible, but the reason why polyploid lineages tend to lose self-incompatibility (SI) and the timing of the loss of SI (immediately after ancestral hybridization between the progenitor species, or at a later stage after the formation of allopolyploid lineages) have generally remained elusive. We used a series of synthetic diploid and tetraploid hybrids obtained between self-fertilizing Capsella orientalis and outcrossing Capsella grandiflora to test whether the breakdown of SI could be observed immediately after hybridization, and whether the occurrence of SC phenotypes could be explained by the dominance interactions between S -haplotypes inherited from the parental lineages. We used RNA-sequencing data from young inflorescences to measure allele-specific expression of the SCR gene and infer dominance interactions in the synthetic hybrids. We then evaluated the seed set from autonomous self-pollination in the synthetic hybrids. Our results demonstrate that self-compatibility of the hybrids depends on the relative dominance between S -alleles inherited from the parental species, confirming that SI can be lost instantaneously upon formation of the ancestral allopolyploid lineage. They also confirm that the epigenetic regulation that controls dominance interactions between S -alleles can function between subgenomes in allopolyploids. Together, our results illustrate how a detailed knowledge of the mechanisms controlling SI can illuminate our understanding of the patterns of co-variation between the mating system and changes in ploidy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Brassicaceae self‐incompatibility (SI), self‐pollen rejection is initiated by the S‐haplotype specific interactions between the pollen S cysteine‐rich/S‐locus protein 11 (SCR/SP11) ligands and the stigma S receptor kinases (SRK). In Brassica SI, a member of the Plant U‐Box (PUB) E3 ubiquitin ligases, ARM‐repeat containing 1 (ARC1), is then activated by SRK in this stigma and cellular events downstream of this cause SI pollen rejection by inhibiting pollen hydration and pollen tube growth. During the transition to selfing, Arabidopsis thaliana lost the SI components, SCR, SRK, and ARC1. However, this trait can be reintroduced into A. thaliana by adding back functional copies of these genes from closely related SI species. Both SCR and SRK are required for this, though the degree of SI pollen rejection varies between A. thaliana accessions, and ARC1 is not always needed to produce a strong SI response. For the A. thaliana C24 accession, only transforming with Arabidopsis lyrataSCR and SRK confers a strong SI trait (SI‐C24), and so here, we investigated if ARC1‐related PUBs were involved in the SI pathway in the transgenic A. thaliana SI‐C24 line. Two close ARC1 homologs, PUB17 and PUB16, were selected, and (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR‐associated protein 9 (Cas9) technology was used to generate pub17 and pub16 mutations in the C24 accession. These mutants were then crossed into the transgenic A. thaliana SI‐C24 line and their potential impact on SI pollen rejection was investigated. Overall, we did not observe any significant differences in SI responses to implicate PUB17 and PUB16 functioning in the transgenic A. thaliana SI‐C24 stigma to reject SI pollen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The area of Sarajevo at the beginning of April 1992 was violently divided. Units of the 4th Corps of the 2nd Military District of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), the armed forces that were gathered and supported the Serbian Democratic Party (SDS) as well as many local and foreign volunteers and mercenaries occupied strategic positions in and around Sarajevo. Open armed aggression began after Bosnia and Herzegovina was recognized as an international independent state. After that, Sarajevo was blocked and put under siege for almost four years. After the partial withdrawal of the JNA from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the 2nd Military District of the JNA was transformed into a part of the Army of the Serbian Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (VSr RBiH), from August 1992 under the name of the Army of the Republika Srpska (VRS). Through the transformation, the 4th Corps of the JNA became the Sarajevo-Romanian Corps (SRK) VSr RBiH. In the period of the four-year siege of Sarajevo, in order to control Sarajevo, the said forces carried out a “coordinated systematic and long-term campaign of shelling and sniping” in order to “kill, maim, injure and terrorize the civilian population of Sarajevo”. In addition to artillery attacks, which were the most widespread way in which the inhabitants of Sarajevo were killed, another frequent way of killing was sniper attacks. The sniper clearly sees his victim and kills him with intent. Residents of Sarajevo were intentional victims of sniper attacks and were not safe anywhere. Without water, electricity, gas and other necessities of life, the residents fought a daily struggle for bare survival. It was a day and night fight for survival. Cruel individual and mass murders of civilians, including those of the youngest residents, followed by daily wounding, terrorizing, violations of psychological integrity, illegal actions and others, are part of the crimes committed against the inhabitants of Sarajevo in the period 1992-1995. years. Guided primarily by the verdicts and documents of the International Tribunal for War Crimes in The Hague, as well as other relevant archival documents and the statements and expertise of experts, the author shows in her work what the sniping campaign meant. A very important part is the display and description of the types of weapons that were used in such operations, as well as the description of localities and parts of the city from which snipers were most often used. Based on these data, it is very clear to see what the daily life of the inhabitants of the city under siege looked like. The organization of sniper training as well as the places where the training was conducted and in what way are also important parts of the work. The demand and delivery of sniper weapons and ammunition to the Sarajevo-Romania Corps, as well as the identities of the snipers, as well as hired mercenaries and volunteers from other countries, are parts of the work presented by the author. Based on the examples of the victims of sniping, primarily the killing of children, it is clear that the enemy's goal was to kill civilians with intent, directly and in a targeted manner. In this section, the investigated and identified minor victims of sniper attacks as well as the circumstances of the murder are presented in chronological order. As a clear indication that the sniper's intention was to kill them or seriously injure them with permanent consequences, the parts of the body that were hit, which are very often the head, the area around the heart, the stomach, and the lungs, are also shown. In the final part of the paper, the emphasis is on the prosecution and non-prosecution of persons responsible for crimes committed by snipers, before domestic and international courts. Although there is irrefutable evidence of sniper killings of Sarajevo residents, very few or no indictments are filed against those responsible. The direct perpetrators - snipers, who killed the inhabitants of Sarajevo with intent, have not yet been brought to justice and convicted of the crime.

Key message: S29 haplotype does not require the MLPK function for self-incompatibility in Brassica rapa. Self-incompatibility (SI) in Brassicaceae is regulated by the self-recognition mechanism, which is based on the S-haplotype-specific direct interaction of the pollen-derived ligand, SP11/SCR, and the stigma-side receptor, SRK. M locus protein kinase (MLPK) is known to be one of the positive effectors of the SI response. MLPK directly interacts with SRK, and is phosphorylated by SRK in Brassica rapa. In Brassicaceae, MLPK was demonstrated to be essential for SI in B. rapa and Brassica napus, whereas it is not essential for SI in Arabidopsis thaliana (with introduced SRK and SP11/SCR from related SI species). Little is known about what determines the need for MLPK in SI of Brassicaceae. In this study, we investigated the relationship between S-haplotype diversity and MLPK function by analyzing the SI phenotypes of different S haplotypes in a mlpk/mlpk mutant background. The results have clarified that in B. rapa, all the S haplotypes except the S29 we tested need the MLPK function, but the S29 haplotype does not require MLPK for the SI. Comparative analysis of MLPK-dependent and MLPK-independent S haplotype might provide new insight into the evolution of S-haplotype diversity and the molecular mechanism of SI in Brassicaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In plants, macroautophagy/autophagy is an essential mechanism responsible for a large variety of processes throughout the plant’s lifecycle, including nutrient processing, immunity, stress responses and senescence. Previous studies had observed the presence of autophagosomes in an Arabidopsis sexual reproduction system that prevents self-fertilization (self-incompatibility), but their requirement in this pathway was unclear. Using autophagy-deficient mutants, we have recently found that autophagy is a key contributor in the Arabidopsis self-incompatibility response to reject self-pollen.

The supercritical extraction process is a technique that has increasingly been applied in various industries in recent years. Solubility determination in the supercritical region is the key feature for this process. However, high expenses and time consuming experiments for this task obligates the need for process modeling. In this study, a thermodynamic model is proposed to correlate the solubility of solid hydrocarbons, namely, 1-hexadecanol, 1-octadecanol, anthracene, benzoin, fluorene, hexamethylbenzene, mandelic acid, naphthalene, palmitic acid, phenanthrene, propyl 4-hydroxybenzoate, pyrene and stearic acid in supercritical conditions, using Peng–Robinson (PR) and Soave–Redlich–Kwong (SRK) equations of state with one-parameter van der Waals (vdW1) and two-parameters (vdW2) and covolume dependent (CVD) mixing rules. For the above combination of equations of state and mixing rules, binary interaction parameters were determined, utilizing the differential evolution optimization strategy. The validity of the model was assessed by comparing the experimental solubility data with the results obtained from thermodynamic model based on average absolute relative deviation (AARD). An empirical correlation was proposed for the correlation of the solid solubilities in supercritical CO2. For each compound, the constants of this equation were obtained in such a manner to correlate the solubility at different temperatures and pressures.

In this study, the solubility of the tramadol hydrochloride (T-HCl) drug in supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO 2) was determined for the first time. The experiments were conducted at various operating pressures (100–270 bar) and temperatures (308–338 K). The solubility of T-HCl ranged from 0.309 × 10−4 to 1.384 × 10−4 in terms of mole fraction. Two different models, namely the Soave-Redlich-Kwong (SRK) and the simplified perturbed chain statistical associating fluid theory (sPC-SAFT) EoSs, along with seven semi-empirical correlations (including the Kumar-Johnston, Sung-Shim, Garlapati and Madras, Chrastil, Bian et al., Bartle et al., and Sodeifian et al., models), were employed to predict the solubility of T-HCl in SC-CO 2. The findings indicated that the sPC-SAFT EoS (with an average absolute relative deviation of 10.18%) and the Sung-Shim correlation (with an average absolute relative deviation of 7.29%) outperformed the other models, respectively. The total, solvation, and vaporization enthalpies of the T-HCl/SC-CO 2 binary system were estimated by applying these semi-empirical correlations. [Display omitted] • Solubility of tramadol hydrochloride in SC-CO 2 was measured for the first time. • Various operational conditions were at P (120 to 270 bar) and T (308 to 338 K). • The solubility data were in the range of 0.309 × 10−4 to 1.384 × 10−4. • Thermodynamic modeling was performed by SRK, sPC-SAFT EoSs & semi-empirical models. • The total vaporization, and solvation (∆ H sol) enthalpies of drug were determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this communication, the solubility of digitoxin drug in supercritical CO 2 was studied at different operating conditions (311 < T (K) < 343, 120 < P (bar) < 300). The results revealed digitoxin drug solubility (in mole fraction) was between 0.095 × 10−5 to 1.12 × 10−5. In the case of thermodynamic solubility modeling, cubic and non-cubic equation of states i.e. SAFT (statistical associating fluid theory), SRK (Soave-Redlich-Kwong) and sPC-SAFT (simplified perturbed chain SAFT) EoSs and six density-based correlations (Chrastil, Kumar-Johnston (KJ), Mendez-Santiago-Teja (MST), Garlapati and Madras (GM), Bartle et al. and Sung-Shim models) were considered. All used equations indicated reasonable behavior with appropriate accuracy for the solubility of the digitoxin drug. Meanwhile, sPC-SAFT EoS and Kumar-Johnston correlation with AARD% set to 8.96 % and 6.25 %, respectively exhibited greater accuracy in fitting the solubility data. Moreover, total, solvation and vaporization enthalpies of the digitoxin /supercritical carbon dioxide binary mixture were calculated based on KJ, Chrastil and Bartle et al. models. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main motivation of this study is development of density prediction of mixture including ionic liquid (IL) using semi-empirical and cubic equations of state (CEoS). The considered systems are contained of 51 ILs, 41 solvents and 4626 data point in the wide temperature range (278.15–348.15 K), ionic liquid mole fraction (0.0040–0.9977) and atmospheric pressure. Six simple semi-empirical equations with different mixing rules and two CEoSs (Soave-Redlich-Kwong EoS and Patel-Teja EoS) is investigated to predict the IL-mixture density. For each semi-empirical equation, the coefficients are optimized using laplacian whale optimization algorithm based on cation-family. These generalized modifications have not been used to ILs beforehand consequently, the accuracy and appropriateness of these equations to predict IL-mixture density are unsknown until now. The obtained results based on semi-empirical equations indicate that the performed modification provides low deviation of experimental data and can be applied by confidence in engineering and thermodynamic calculations. However, the results based on two CEoS show inacceptable accuracy.

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• Modeling the density of DESs using two/three-parameter cubic EoSs, for the first time. • - Modeling the density of DESs using sPC-SAFT EoS. • - Investigation the effect of volume-translated concept on modeling the density of DESs, for the first time. • - Presented three correlations for calculation of c -parameter for DESs. In this communication, the capability of a two-parameter cubic equation of state (EoS) i.e. Soave-Redlich-Kwong (SRK) EoS to predict the density behavior of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) in the wide range of temperature conditions and at atmospheric pressure, was improved using the volume-translated concept. At first, the c -parameter of 139 DESs (1793 experimental data points) was obtained referring to volume-translated SRK (VTSRK) EoS. The obtained results were compared with the original SRK and Patel-Teja (PT) EoSs and sPC-SAFT (simplified perturbed chain statistical associating fluid theory) EoS. Afterward, three c -parameter correlations were recommended based on molecular weight and acentric factor (Case 1), acentric factor (Case 2), and critical compressibility factor (Case 3). The capability of recommended c -parameter correlations was investigated by density modeling of 67 new DESs systems (419 experimental data). The AARD% (average absolute relative deviation) of Case 1, Case 2, Case 3 and sPC-SAFT EoS was 4.24%, 3.24%,4.19% and 0.5677%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, the effect of equations of state and mixing rules in a thermodynamic approach has been investigated for the correlation of the solubility of four new solid pharmaceutical compounds, namely, benzamide, cetirizine, metaxalone and niflumic acid in supercritical CO2 at different temperatures and pressures. Two equations of state, the Peng–Robinson (PR) and Soave–Redlich–Kwong (SRK), coupled with mixing rules of one-parameter van der Waals (vdW1) and two-parameter van der Waals (vdW2) were used, where the binary interaction parameters for these sets of equations were evaluated. The approach correlations and the robustness of the numerical technique were validated with the experimental data previously reported for these compounds at different temperatures and pressures. The calculated average absolute relative deviations (AARD) were 7.51 and 5.31 % for PR/vdW1 and PR/ /vdW2 couples, and 11.05 and 10.24 % for SRK/vdW1 and SRK/vdW2 couples, respectively. It was also found that the PR equation of state results in modeling performance better than the SRK equation, and the vdW2 mixing rule better than the vdW1 one. These results obviously demonstrate that the combined approach used in this study is applicable for correlation of solid solubilities of some pharmaceutical compounds in supercritical CO2. Additionally, a semiempirical correlation is proposed for estimating the solubility of drug solids in supercritical CO2 as a function of pressure and temperature.

In the present study, the effect of equations of state and mixing rules in a thermodynamic approach has been investigated for the correlation of the solubility of four new solid pharmaceutical compounds, namely, benzamide, cetirizine, metaxalone and niflumic acid in supercritical CO2 at different temperatures and pressures. Two equations of state, the Peng-Robinson (PR) and Soave-Redlich-Kwong (SRK), coupled with mixing rules of one-parameter van der Waals (vdW1) and two-parameter van der Waals (vdW2) were used, where the binary interaction parameters for these sets of equations were evaluated. The approach correlations and the robustness of the numerical technique were validated with the experimental data previously reported for these compounds at different temperatures and pressures. The calculated average absolute relative deviations (AARD) were 7.51 and 5.31 % for PR/vdW1 and PR/vdW2 couples, and 11.05 and 10.24 % for SRK/vdW1 and SRK/vdW2 couples, respectively. It was also found that the PR equation of state results in modeling performance better than the SRK equation, and the vdW2 mixing rule better than the vdW1 one. These results obviously demonstrate that the combined approach used in this study is applicable for correlation of solid solubilities of some pharmaceutical compounds in supercritical CO2. Additionally, a semiempirical correlation is proposed for estimating the solubility of drug solids in supercritical CO2 as a function of pressure and temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genres have often been a safe space for ideological containment, reworking popular conventions and fulfilling audience expectations. But many popular genres including science fiction, horror and the gangster film are also vehicles for subversion. This article will use Raees (Dholakia, 2017), a big budget Bollywood film starring Shah Rukh Khan (SRK), to demonstrate how the Indian gangster film acts as a rejoinder to Hindutva cultural politics, challenging the notion that popular Hindi cinema is merely in the bind of normalizing a nationalist agenda. Using the yatra (procession/journey) sequence as a focal point for textual analysis, I will cover three key areas. This includes the use of political iconography, the violent resistance that emerges to stop the yatra and that is instigated by Raees, a liminal figure of proletarian and secularist ideals, and finally, how the imagining of the Muslim harbours a punitive refrain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reproductive barriers and directional geneflow may play a key role in maintaining genetic gradients, thereby allowing ecological differentiation along ecological clines. In Brassicaceae, a sporophytic incompatibility system (SI) contributes to such barriers to geneflow, with the maternal component represented by a large diversity of SRK (stigma-specific S locus receptor kinase) alleles at varying frequencies and levels of dominance. Such clinal genetic gradient along an ecological gradient following a shift towards much drier and warmer conditions and also the bedrock type shifts from calcareous to silicious has been found earlier in an Arabidopsis introgression system involving A. lyrata and A. arenosa. The metapopulation system spans from the northeastern Austrian forealps northward towards the Danube river and the Bohemian massif. Here we explore diversification of population-level SRK gene pools across these hybrid Arabidopsis tetraploid metapopulation system and its putative parental source populations. Since it has been demonstrated that A. lyrata served as the maternal parent and A. arenosa introgressed via pollen constituting a genetic cline with decreasing contribution of A. arenosa genetic background, we test the hypothesis that this cline can be also explained by SRK allelic differentiation. A total of 603 individuals from 45 populations of introgressed and non-introgressed A. lyrata and A. arenosa across a 80 km transect were analysed for SRK allele variation. In total, 22 alleles from all four previously described dominance classes have been documented. Although there is clinal morphological and genetic variation following the introgression zone, SRK alleles do not follow this signature of the paternal taxa. Furthermore, the functional SI system is fully maintained across the transect, and crossing experiments show that there is no decrease in fitness depending on varying distances between populations along the transect studied herein. We conclude that transmission and structure of the SRK allelic gene pool contributes to the postglacial colonization success along such a pronounced ecological gradient maintaining a functional SI system and counteracting genetic depletion. • We explored SRK allelic diversity in an introgressed metapopulation system of Arabidopsis lyrata. • Allelic richness of SRK was high and not structured according to clinal variation. • No fitness decrease was observed from crossing experiments according to varying geographic inter-populational distances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the emerging application of near-critical fluid, the subject of equation of state (EoS) covering the critical point is of great significance as the thermodynamic behavior of fluids near the critical point is different. Although many different EoSs are available for fluids at the moment, the ones which can give good quantitative results are still rare. Therefore, it is essential to have a suitable model for proper prediction of fluids behavior and their thermodynamic properties near the critical region. In this study, the crossover translation, which applies the asymptotic behavior of fluids and scaling laws near and far from the critical point, was used. Thermodynamic properties including density, vapor pressure and isochoric heat capacity of fifteen pure components in the saturated state and single-phase region on different isotherms were investigated near the critical point by Soave-Redlich-Kwong (SRK) equation of state and crossover SRK EoS and the results were compared with experimental data. According to the results, crossover SRK EoS predicted all of the mentioned properties with quantitative accuracy. The average absolute percent deviation (AAPD) of the saturated liquid density, saturated vapor density, density on isotherms, vapor pressure and isochoric heat capacity based on crossover SRK EoS were 0.0060,0.1287, 0.0171, 0.057 and 2.53, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predictions of vapor liquid equilibrium for Fischer-Tropsch mixtures were compared using the classical Soave-Redlich-Kwong (SRK) and cubic-plus-association (CPA) equations of state. The performance of the two equations of state was evaluated based on comparison with results from eight sets of experimental runs in which different process conditions (pressure, reactants feed ratio, space velocity) were used. Flash calculations were used to determine the phase split at defined process conditions, whereas the phase equilibrium was defined utilizing the concept of equal fugacities in the vapor and the liquid phase for all components. A total of 75 components were considered in the reaction mixture: CO, H2, H2O, CO2, C1-C57 paraffins and C2-C15 olefins. All calculations were performed in MATLAB. The results showed that both equations of state had similar performance regarding the hydrocarbons, whereas CPA gave better results with inorganic components and SRK with prediction of the composition of the liquid phase. Computational time for CPA was substantially (100 times with the CPU used) higher than that for SRK. Overall, the use of CPA did not improve VLE prediction for FTS systems significantly enough to be recommended for use in FTS reactor models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A critique of risk assessment application to modern interconnected railway systems. • Asserts some methods are not practical and constrains on complexity are required. • Systems and software engineering fields are used to revise a risk assessment method. • Further research is proposed to create a simplified risk analysis system. Abstract This paper provides a review of the current approach to risk analysis in the GB railway. It is set against a background of a comparatively high level of perceived safety. The railway is undergoing a modernisation that will result in new operating paradigms which rely on the interconnection of systems and integration of operating processes to obtain efficiencies. There is recognition that in the modern railway environment complexity has increased which has led to questions of whether current methods are still appropriate without modification or support. Conceptually current methods may be usable, but a robust analysis would prove complex and is difficult to demonstrate completeness. There is an understanding that a trade-off is required between complexity created by all the interconnections and the ability of the human engineer to understand. A modified approach is proposed that takes advantage of systems engineering to simplify the problem while at the same time capturing key system risks. There is an outline of the proposed further research to develop the method of analysis further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Railway traffic control is based on specialized devices that are designed to exclude collision runs that may lead to loss of safety. A research issue arises in the context of determining effective maintenance intervals and the manner of conducting a technical service policy for existing devices. The aim of the article is to determine the structure of reliability research of selected railway traffic control devices in the aspect of device structure, the current strategy and the state of knowledge on service strategies. The article describes railway traffic control devices to discuss the issue of scheduling technical maintenance of this type of system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mercury distribution in an offshore natural gas processing platform is simulated. • The UMR-PRU and SRK thermodynamic models are employed. • The effect of a possible reaction between Hg0 and H 2 S is also studied. • Simulation results are compared to measured Hg concentrations in process fluids. In this work, the distribution of mercury in an offshore natural gas processing platform in Norway is simulated, and the results are compared to field measurements regarding elemental and total mercury concentration in process fluids. The effect of a possible reaction between mercury and H 2 S that leads to solid β-HgS formation is also examined. For the simulation, the UMR-PRU group-contribution equation of state (EoS) and the SRK cubic EoS are employed, which have been extended to mercury mixtures in our previous works. The results show that both models satisfactorily predict mercury concentration in process gases, while they overpredict mercury concentration in condensates as compared to the field measurements. When the reaction is also considered, the predicted mercury concentrations in condensates are closer to the measured values. Overall, it is concluded that both models can satisfactorily predict the distribution of mercury in a gas processing plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vapour–liquid interfacial properties of linear alkanes (n-hexane, n-heptane, n-octane, n-nonane, and n-decane) were studied via the square gradient theory (SGT) and by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The objectives were the determination of interfacial density profiles, surface tensions, molecular orientations, and conformations via order parameters and radii of gyration, the self-diffusion coefficients and free energy profiles. The Soave-Redlich-Kwong (SRK) and Perturbed-Chain SAFT (PC-SAFT) equations of state (EoSs) were combined with SGT to correlate experimental surface tensions and to predict density profiles. SGT-EoSs and MD interfacial density profiles and interface thicknesses are very similar, especially at low reduced temperatures. MD simulations revealed that not only does the density change throughout the interface but also the average molecular orientation and conformation change. The interface can be roughly divided into three main regions: around the Gibbs dividing surface the molecules, on average, lie at the interface; and in the two regions close to the bulk phases they favour a non-parallel orientation. With respect to the self-diffusion coefficients, three different zones were also observed: close to the bulk phases, the diffusivity is a nonlinear function of the local density, whereas in the middle zone it is linear and coincides with the quasi-linear portion of the density profile. Free energy profiles were obtained via umbrella sampling technique, showing an increase of energy at the interfacial region. These profiles show a similar behaviour as the density profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study based on the Soave-Redlich-Kwong equation of state (SRK EOS), a new viscosity model for light hydrocarbons, CO 2 and N 2 has been proposed. The proposed model can be applied in both liquid and gas phases and in high and low ranges of pressure and temperature. The optimal values of the parameters in the proposed model are determined by using the Genetic algorithm and generalized in term of acentric factor. The performance of the proposed model has been compared with the performance of Peng-Robinson EOS-based viscosity model of Guo et al. (2001), the Peng-Robinson EOS-based viscosity model of Fan and Wang (2006) and the Lohrenz-Bray-Clark (LBC) method. In order to have a fair comparison, the binary interaction coefficients in the mixing rules are set to zero. The results of calculations for seventeen pure components (6449 data), thirty eight binary mixtures (2772 data), ten simple and twenty complex mixtures (74 data) show the superiority of the proposed model compared to the other viscosity models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The equation of state Soave-Redlich-Kwong (SRK) and its modification (predictive SRK or PSRK) are applied to simulate multicomponet distillation, which separate main component of spearmint essential oil. The simulation model is based on bubble point method, and the Wang-Henke algorithm. Spearmint essential oil is considered in the study and the original experimental data were obtained from pilot plant. The models were validated by continuous distillation column with trays of one to five numbers. The work allows concluding on the advantages, disadvantages and expected accuracy of SRK and PSRK equations of state for multicomponent distillation data in the system as those studied..

The solubility of carbon monoxide is measured in four different bio-oil compounds (furan, diacetyl, 2-methylfuran, and trans -crotonaldehyde) at temperatures (273.15, 283.15, 298.15, and 323.15 K) and pressures up to 8 MPa using a static-analytical VLE measurement method. The equipment was validated by measuring the solubility of CO 2 in methanol at 298.15 K and pressures (P = 2.9–5.7 MPa). The results were compared with the abundantly available literature values. PC-SAFT, Polar PC-SAFT (PPC-SAFT), and Cubic (SRK, PR) EoS, part of commercial process simulator Aspen Plus V. 8.6, are used here for modelling purpose. The pure component parameters needed for PC-SAFT and PPC-SAFT EoS models, are regressed using the experimental liquid density and vapour pressure data of the pure components. It was observed that furan, 2-methylfuran and diacetyl, having weak dipole moments ( μ < 1.0 D), could be modelled reasonably well without the addition of polar contribution using conventional PC-SAFT, while it is recommended to use PPC-SAFT for the description of a polar compound like trans -crotonaldehyde ( μ ∼ 3.67 D). It was observed that SRK and PR EoS have similar predictive ability in comparison to PC-SAFT for a mixture of CO with weakly polar compounds in this study. A comparison between the performances of EoS models was made in two ways: first by setting the binary interaction parameter k ij to zero, and second by adjusting a temperature-dependent binary interaction parameter ( k ij ). All the models perform with comparable accuracy with adjusted binary interaction parameters. However, due to the large differences between the chemical and physical properties of the compounds in this study, it is challenging to make a general statement on which is the best model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Perturbed-Chain Statistical Associating Fluid Theory (PC-SAFT) equation of state correctly predicts Type I phase behavior for binary n-alkane + aromatic and naphthenic mixtures, while cubic equations of state (Peng-Robinson (PR) and Soave-Redlich-Kwong (SRK)) predict a transition from Type I to Type II phase behavior within these families of mixtures, unless unconventional large and negative interaction parameters (k ij ) are used. In this work, bubble pressures and L = V critical loci are evaluated for 13 binary n-alkane + benzene mixtures, including new data obtained for benzene + n-C 20 , n-C 24 , n-C 28 and n-C 36 binary mixtures. Computed bubble pressures for the Peng-Robinson (PR), Soave-Redlich-Kwong (SRK) and Perturbed-Chain Statistical Associating Fluid Theory (PC-SAFT) equations of state are compared with one another and with experimental measurements. The PC-SAFT EOS, with pure component parameters rescaled to conform with critical temperatures and pressures following the recommendation of Alfradique and Castier (2007), and interaction parameter values set to zero, yield accurate bubble pressures and critical loci for all benzene + n-alkane mixtures. By contrast, the PR and SRK EOS require mixture specific k ij values in order to provide quantitative bubble pressure and critical loci estimates, and best-fit k ij values exhibit significant temperature dependence. In the absence of experimental bubble pressures, options for estimating interaction parameters for cubic EOS for binary benzene + n-alkane mixtures, and for aromatic or naphthenic + alkane mixtures more broadly are discussed. While subject to further testing, selection of interaction parameter values for cubic EOS such that computed bubble pressures closely mimic bubble pressures predicted by the scaled PC-SAFT EOS is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-incompatibility (AI) is a widespread mechanism used by flowering plants to prevent inbreeding depression and helps create and maintain genetic diversity within a species. Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) and especially its modern varieties are characterized by high level of self-fertility. In an effort to increase the production current breeding is focused on the production of inbred lines for making the F1 hybrids and the self-incompatibility can be an interesting tool for production self- sterile lines. In Brassica napus, we found two recessive alleles of a gene SCR II. Different expression of both alleles does not correspond to phenotypic manifestation of self-incompatibility and we can assume that it is prevailed by repressor gene that does not lie on the S-locus. This is also reason, why the SCR gene cannot serve as a molecular marker of self-incompatibility in Brassica napus, although many authors believe that this gene is essential in AI reaction. Brassica napus belong to plants with complex genetic constitution, is composed by two genomes, A and C, which give the possibility of different interactions and makes it difficult to study compared with diploid B. rapa and B. oleracea. In further study it is therefore important to focus on the interactions between genes SCR, SRK and SLG, and their influence on others, such as supressor gene systems.

Brassica rapa and Raphanus sativus are strictly self-incompatible (SI) plants; however, x Brassicoraphanus (baemoochae) is an intergeneric hybrid synthesized following hybridization of B. rapa and R. sativus that is self-compatible (SC). Self-incompatibility in Brassicaceae is controlled by multiple alleles of the S-locus. Two S-locus genes, SRK ( S-locus receptor kinase) and SP11/SCR ( S-locus protein 11 or S-locus cysteine-rich), have been reported to date, both of which are classified into class I and II. In this study, we investigate if there is an alteration in the structure or the expression in SRK or SP11 genes behind the alteration of SI to SC in baemoochae. Class I and II SRK were identified by PCR of the genomic DNA of baemoochae using SRK-specific universal primers. Cloning and sequencing of both classes of SRK was conducted and compared with SRK genes of parental species. Comparison analysis showed no genomic alterations and both of them showed expression in the stigma. Similarly, SP11 genes also showed no genomic alterations and normally are expressed in the anther. Other SI-related genes ( MLPK, ARC1, THL) also showed normal expression in the stigma and anther. Taken together, these results revealed that no structural/gene expression change in these genes was responsible for the breakdown of SI in baemoochae. Rather, the transformation from SI parents to SC descendants could be responding to epigenetic mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phase behavior of the carbon dioxide + cycloalkane mixtures usually receives low attention, though these systems are important for many industries, e.g. the carbon capture and storage. In this paper calculations results for the carbon dioxide + cyclopentane binary system are presented, based on SRK and PR cubic equations of state with classical van der Waals mixing rules. A single set of binary parameters for each model was proposed to predict the global phase behavior of the system in a wide range of pressure and temperature. Albeit the thermodynamic models used are simple, they are able to represent fairly well the phase behavior of the system analyzed in this paper. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New vapor-liquid equilibria (VLE) data at 323.15, 333.15, 343.15, and 353.15 K and pressures up to 112.9 bar are reported for the carbon dioxide + 2-methyl-2-propanol system. The experimental method used in this work was a static analytical method with liquid and vapor phases sampling using a rapid online sampler injector (ROLSI™) coupled to a gas chromatograph (GC) for analysis. Measured VLE data and literature data for carbon dioxide + 2-methyl-2-propanol system were modeled with the Soave-Redlich-Kwong (SRK) cubic equation of state with classical van der Waals (two-parameter conventional mixing rule, 2PCMR) mixing rules. A single set of interaction parameters that lead to a correct phase behavior was used in this work to model the new VLE data and critical points of the mixtures in a wide range of temperature and pressure. The SRK prediction results were compared to the new data measured in this study and to available literature data. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most wild plants and some crops of the Brassicaceae express self-incompatibility, which is a mechanism that allows stigmas to recognize and discriminate against "self" pollen, thus preventing self-fertilization and inbreeding. Self-incompatibility in this family is controlled by a single S locus containing two multiallelic genes that encode the stigma-expressed S-locus receptor kinase and its pollen coat-localized ligand, the Slocus cysteine-rich protein. Physical interaction between receptor and ligand encoded in the same S locus activates the receptor and triggers a signaling cascade that results in inhibition of "self" pollen. Sequence information for many S-locus haplotypes in Brassica species has spurred studies of dominance relationships between S haplotypes and of S-locus structure, as well as the development of methods for S genotyping. Furthermore, molecular genetic studies have begun to identify genes that encode putative components of the self-incompatibility signaling pathway. In parallel, standard genetic analysis and QTL analysis of the poorly understood interspecific incompatibility phenomenon have been initiated to identify genes responsible for the inhibition of pollen from other species by the stigma. Herewith, we review recent studies of selfincompatibility and interspecific incompatibility, and we propose a model in which a universal polleninhibition pathway is shared by these two incompatibility systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in GHG concentration has a direct effect on global climate conditions. Among the possible technologies to mitigate GHG emissions, CCS is being accepted to gain emission reduction. Such technology also involves cryogenic CO2 capture processes based on CO2 freeze-out or where the formation of solid CO2 must be avoided. Captured CO2 is usually transported in pipelines for the reinjection. The risk associated to the release of CO2 is due to the changing temperatures and pressures the system may experience, which can lead to the deposition of solid CO2 where it must be avoided. Prolonged exposure to dry ice can cause severe skin damage and its resublimation could pose a danger of hypercapnia. It is, thus, necessary to build up a tool able to predict the conditions in which CO2 can freeze-out. A thermodynamic methodology based on cubic EoSs has been developed which is able to predict solid--liquid--vapor equilibrium of CO2 mixtures with n-alkanes or H2S which are usually found in equipment for acidic gas, mainly natural gas, treatment. The focus is a detailed analysis of the method performances when more than two components are present since, for such a case, literature does not provide significant modeling results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isothermal (P, T, x, y) data have been measured for the binary system carbon dioxide + ethanol at 333.15 K. The pressure range under investigation was between 6.8 and 105.5 bar. The phase equilibrium apparatus used in this work was a variable-volume visual cell coupled with ROLSITM (Rapid Online Sample Injector) valves and a GC (gas chromatograph). The new experimental data are modeled with the Soave-Redlich-Kwong (SRK) equation of state coupled with GE-EOS (excess Gibbs free energy) mixing rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A total of 16 known S haplotypes were observed in 107 cabbage inbred lines. [•] The recombination between the S and kinase domains of the SRK gene was observed. [•] For haplotype test, the SRK S domain sequence is more important than kinase domain. [•] S15 was the most common haplotype with a frequency of 21.62% in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Three-phase equilibrium data, (VLWH), were measured for HCFC22 and HFC134a hydrates. [•] The pressures were evaluated by simple EoSs (modified mixing rule) and CPA EOS. [•] The Kihara potential parameters were obtained by optimizing scheme for refrigerants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]