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Engineered bacteria can be leveraged for in situ tumor vaccinations with their tumor-targeting ability and adjuvanticity. Engineering strategies like chemical modification, nanotechnology, and genetic engineering improve their safety and efficacy.

The traditional cementitious product is prone to suffer from a high degree of deterioration in the case of exposure to acid solutions because of the decomposition of the binder network. However, the degradation of concrete structures in service by mild concentrations of acid under conditions involving sewage, industrial waters, and acid rain is more common and results in a significant environmental problem. The utilization of alkali-activated materials has been seen to potentially offer an attractive option with regard to acceptable durability and a low carbon footprint. With the aid of visual observation, mass loss, compressive strength tests, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and field-emission scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, the acid resistance of alkali-activated fly ash mortars in which the precursor was partially replaced (0-30% by mass proportion) with ordinary Portland cement (OPC) was evaluated after 180 days of exposure to mild-concentration sulfuric and acetic solutions (pH = 3). A conventional cement mortar (100% OPC) was used as a reference group. The results demonstrate that the addition of OPC into the alkali-activated system causes a significant increase in compressive strength (around 16.08-36.61%) while showing an opposite influence on durability after acid attack. Based on a linear mean value and nonlinear artificial neural network model simulation, the mass losses of the specimens were evaluated, and the alkali-activated pure-fly ash mortar demonstrated the lowest value (i.e., a maximum of 5.61%) together with the best behavior in the aspect of discreteness at 180 days. The results from microstructure analysis show that the coexistence of the N-A-S-H and C-S-H networks in the blend system occurred by both OPC hydration and FA. However, the formation of the gypsum deposition within the fly ash-OPC blend systems at sulfuric acid was found to impose internal disintegrating stresses, causing a significant area of delamination and cracks. In addition, alkali metal ion leaching, dealumination, as well as the disappearance of some crystalline phases occurred in specimens immersed in both types of acids.

Online reviews have become an increasingly popular information source in consumer’s decision making process. To help consumers make informed decisions, how to select products through online reviews is a valuable research topic. This work deals with a personized product selection problem with review sentiments under probabilistic linguistic circumstances. To this end, we propose a multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) method incorporating personalized heuristic judgments in the prospect theory (PT). We focus on the role of personalized heuristic judgments on review helpfulness in the final decision outcomes. We demonstrate the consistency between the three common heuristic judgments (with respect to review valence, sentiment extremity, and aspiration levels) and the three behavioral principles of the PT. Then, the products are ranked with the probabilistic linguistic term set (PLTS) input, based on the proposed adjustable PT framework, in which the coefficients of negativity bias are derived from the consumer’s heuristic judgments. Finally, a real case on TripAdvisor.com and two simulation experiments are given to illustrate the validity of the proposed method.

3-Methyl-5-benzofuranol was prepared by a one-pot process from morpholine, propionaldehyde, and p-benzoquinone in 85–87% isolated yields. Avoiding the tedious multistep isolation and purification o...

The laboratory experiment regarding esterification of ethylene glycol with acetic acid to ethylene glycol diacetate using resin catalysts in a continuous flow was designed to carry out the reaction in a flow through an inquiry-guided approach. Incorporating the burgeoning field of continuous flow chemistry into the educational infrastructure, the experiment showed the practical application of heterogeneous catalysts in continuous flow synthesis. In a discussion of the importance of continuous flow chemistry and heterogeneous catalysis, students were encouraged to seek effective, sustainable, and environmentally friendly approaches to synthesize compounds.

2-Pyridyl ketones widely appear in bioactive molecules, natural products, and are employed as precursors of chiral 2-pyridine alky/aryl alcohols or 2-aminoalkyl pyridine ligands for asymmetric catalysis. Herein, a practical method for the rapid synthesis of 2-pyridyl ketone library in continuous flow is reported, in which the 2-lithiopyridine formed by Br/Li exchange reacts with commercially available esters to obtain 2-pyridyl ketones in a good yield at short reaction time. This protocol functions broadly on a variety of esters and has been applied to the synthesis of TGF-β type 1 receptor inhibitor LY580276 intermediate in an environmentally friendly method. It is rapid, reliable, and cost-efficient to afford diverse kinds of 2-pyridyl ketones in the compound library.

The authors reveal a thermal actuating bilayer that undergoes reversible deformation in response to low‐energy thermal stimuli, for example, a few degrees of temperature increase. It is made of an aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) sheet covalently connected to a polymer layer in which dibenzocycloocta‐1,5‐diene (DBCOD) actuating units are oriented parallel to CNTs. Upon exposure to low‐energy thermal stimulation, coordinated submolecular‐level conformational changes of DBCODs result in macroscopic thermal contraction. This unique thermal contraction offers distinct advantages. It's inherently fast, repeatable, low‐energy driven, and medium independent. The covalent interface and reversible nature of the conformational change bestow this bilayer with excellent repeatability, up to at least 70 000 cycles. Unlike conventional CNT bilayer systems, this system can achieve high precision actuation readily and can be scaled down to nanoscale. A new platform made of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) in tandem with the bilayer can harvest low‐grade thermal energy and convert it into electricity. The platform produces 86 times greater energy than PVDF alone upon exposure to 6 °C thermal fluctuations above room temperature. This platform provides a pathway to low‐grade thermal energy harvesting. It also enables low‐energy driven thermal artificial robotics, ultrasensitive thermal sensors, and remote controlled near infrared (NIR) driven actuators., A bilayer in which actuating submolecular units are aligned undergoes reversible and controlled shape changes in response to low‐energy stimuli. It is inherently reversible, operating on polymer thermal contraction originating from a submolecular conformational change. Combined with a piezoelectric film, the bilayer's ultra‐sensitivity to temperature variations is exploited for low‐grade thermal energy harvesting.

Purpose This paper aims to describe carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) bars as a way to strengthen a 40-year-old stone arch bridge. To investigate effectiveness of the strengthening method, fielding-load tests were carried out before and after strengthening. Design/methodology/approach High-strength CFRP bars with minor radius, high tensile strain and good corrosion resistance were used in this reinforcement. The construction process for strengthening with CFRP bars – including CFRP bars cutting, crack grouting, original structural surface treatment, implant drilling, CFRP bars installation and pouring mortar – was described. Ultimate bearing capacity of the bridge after strengthening was discussed. Findings The results of concrete stress and deflection show that the strength and stiffness of the strengthened bridge are improved. The strengthened way with CFRP bars is feasible and effective. Originality/value This paper describes CFRP bars as a way to strengthen a 40-year-old stone arch bridge.

This paper describes an innovative technique, a composite of prestressed steel wire ropes (PSWRs) embedded in polyurethan-cement composite (PUC), used to strengthen a 34-year-old reinforced...

China is very ambitious for the development of fusion energy system using the fusion reaction of hydrogen isotopes. According to China magnetic confinement fusion development roadmap, the China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR) is expected to be constructed in 2020s, which will be the first hydrogen fusion reactor in China. However, China has not yet established the safety regulatory framework for the licensing of a hydrogen fusion reactor such as CFETR, while the existing regulatory framework is based on the fission reactor development and there are huge differences in the safety characteristics between fusion reactor and fission reactor. In this paper, China's nuclear safety regulation system is reviewed and then key issues are raised for adapting the regulatory framework to the hydrogen fusion reactor, considering the fusion safety characteristics as well as lessons learnt from the licensing of ITER in the French regulations. Gaps between China nuclear safety regulations and CFETR safety concerned demands are also identified and discussed. It is suggested that the engineering design of CFETR shall be done together with the development of corresponding safety regulatory framework.

This paper proposes a test for the null of sphericity in a fixed effects panel data model with time-varying variances. We construct new test statistics using the within residuals from the fixed effects panel data regression model on the basis of Li and Yao’s (2018) test procedure. We show that the newly proposed test converges to a standard normal distribution as ( n , T ) → ∞ with n ∕ T → c ∈ ( 0 , ∞ ) . The power properties of the test are studied under both weak and strong factor model alternatives. Monte Carlo simulations are conducted to examine the finite sample performance.

Fullerenes, as hydrophobic molecules, are limited in biomedical function due to their very low solubility. But taking C₆₀(OH)ₓ as an example, the properties of fullerenols were analyzed. It was found that fullerenols had good stability, water solubility, good biocompatibility and low cytotoxicity by adding a hydroxyl group to carbon atoms. In the biomedical field, it has been found that fullerene C₆₀ can be used as a powerful free radical scavenger, with antioxidant activity, with antibacterial and inhibitory effects on cancer cells. Fullerenols inherit the good properties of fullerenes, and are better used in cancer treatment, including loading drug therapy and directly as an anticancer drug. In addition, fullerenols are also used in the repair of myocardial injury, the treatment of myocardial infarction and neuroprotection. With the development of tissue engineering technology, the preparation of nerve scaffolds which can improve ischemia, hypoxia and oxidative stress after nerve injury has become a research hotspot. The electron absorption and reduction characteristics of fullerenols in biomedical research bring new ideas for the treatment of oxidative stress in the repair of peripheral nerve defects. It seems that the research on fullerenols loaded neural scaffold has great prospects.

Quantitatively optimizing critical factors for geopolymer production and explaining the interaction effects between each factor are significant for engineering applications. A three-level Box–Behnken design of response surface methodology was applied to optimize the fly ash–slag-based geopolymer paste (17 experimental mixture) and the main factors selected for the investigation were alkali equivalent, activator modulus, and slag replacement ratio to achieve maximum compressive strength. The results were fitted with the quadratic polynomial equation using multiple regression analysis and the model provided an accurate and reliable fit to the factual data. Afterward, this study investigates the use of optimized paste as a sustainable stabilizer (grouting reinforcement method) for improving the mechanical performance of soft soil in Hangzhou, China. By studying the compressive strength of stabilized soil with various stabilizer content (8%–14%), curing age (0–28 days), and moisture content (30%–60%), the effects of these preparation parameters were evaluated. Moreover, the quasi-water–cement ratio was introduced to predict the stabilized soil’s strength development and a corresponding empirical formula (correlation coefficient of 0.98) was proposed. The changes in microstructure, mineral phase, and molecule bonds were investigated using the XRD, FTIR, and FESEM, respectively. The results reveal that the decrease in the initial moisture content and increase in geopolymer inclusion have several improvement effects on curing strength. The geopolymer gel structure gradually formed, binding soil particles together with the new hydration product formation after curing, and the final stabilized soil was presented to have a more compact and strong microstructure.

Liquid PbLi blanket is one of the promising designs for fusion reactor, which requires tritium permeation barriers (TPBs) with higher corrosion resistance. The corrosion behavior under flowing PbLi is more reasonable for it is closer to the actual working condition of the liquid blanket. In this paper, long-term corrosion behavior of three ceramics for TPB in flowing PbLi are studied using a rotating corrosion facility. Results show that flowing situation will accelerate the chemical corrosion and physical erosion of Al2O3. AlN and SiC present outstanding corrosion resistance which are proposed as the tritium permeation barriers for liquid PbLi blanket.

The integration of the large-scale clean energy to the grid leads to a scenario of multi-type power generators joint operation, however the limitation of the control capability of the clean power generators result in large-scale power generators off-grid when the power grid is seriously faulty. Based on this background, this paper proposes a multi-type power generators coordinated control strategy. Firstly, by analyzing the characteristics of different power generators, it is concluded that different operating conditions and protection parameters under the same fault conditions are the main factors affecting the disordered off-grid of clean energy. Secondly the power base set and objective function are defined, in which the power generators and geographical location characteristics are considered. Based on the grid fault traversal, the initial off-grid capacities of clean energy generators are determined, and the threshold intervals of off-grid capacities are studied under the changes of power base operating conditions and protection parameters, the coordinated control process of multi-power joint operation is proposed. Finally, the operability and effectiveness of the control and protection coordination control strategy are verified through the simulation of a real power system, which can provide a solution to reduce the disordered off-grid of clean energy.

“New Engineering” is an engineering education reform carried out in China under the background of a new round of industrial technology revolution, which puts forward higher requirements for students’ engineering practical ability and innovative thinking. Civil engineering construction course is one of the important required modules for civil engineering majors, which has the characteristics of complex course content, lack of connection between chapters, and less practical knowledge. The traditional teaching model cannot effectively adapt to the curriculum, leading students to lack of practical ability, interest and other problems. Starting with the educational concept of “New Engineering”, this paper analyzes the problems in the current teaching process of civil engineering construction course, and puts forward the corresponding teaching reform measures to provide reference.

In order to evaluate the comprehensive degradation effect of photocatalytic pavement material on vehicle exhaust gas, the test samples were prepared by the spraying and mixing methods separately. The concentration variation of nitrogen oxide (mainly NO), hydrocarbons (HC) and CO was measured by using vehicle exhaust gas degradation test in the mixed input mode to simulate road working conditions, and the evolution law of each pollutant instantaneous degradation rate with time was analyzed. The results show that the concentration of each pollutant in vehicle exhaust gas will decrease by itself under ultraviolet (UV) radiation, but the speed is very slow, and photocatalytic pavement containing nano-TiO2 can play a significant role in improving degradation efficiency. The efficiency of photocatalytic pavement material to degrade different pollutants is unbalanced, so its comprehensive degradation effect on vehicle exhaust gas can not be reflected by the degradation evaluation index to a single pollutant. In this study, a new evaluation index suitable for vehicle exhaust gas degradation test in the mixed input mode is put forward, which called comprehensive degradation rate (CDR). Its value is the instantaneous comprehensive degradation rate (ICDR) when any pollutant appears degradation failure. This index can not only reflect the comprehensive degradation effect of photocatalytic pavement material on vehicle exhaust gas, but also show its maximum degradation capacity to each pollutant.

As an important and basic course of civil engineering, soil mechanics has a wide range of contents and complex basic concepts, which puts forward higher requirements for students’ theoretical level besides theoretical mechanics, material mechanics, structural mechanics and other knowledge. Under the current background of new engineering, applied colleges and universities have put forward new requirements for engineering students. As a basic course of civil engineering, soil mechanics is of great significance to the training of students majoring in civil engineering. Aiming at some problems in soil mechanics education in recent years, based on CDIO mode, combined with the virtual simulation technology of BIM and the connotation of higher soil mechanics, the solutions are put forward in order to provide reference for the teaching reform of soil mechanics in colleges and universities.

Due to the issues of weak practical ability of students, ineffective curriculum teaching, this paper attempts to make a preliminary reform on concrete structural design principle course for undergraduate colleges based on the shortcomings of the course of concrete structural principle design: after reform, students will become as the main body of teaching link. Starting from the pathway of theory and practice and bring students into the lab and let them participate in scientific research activities to enrich their practice ability through optimizing the blackboard teaching pattern and introducing the new media supplementary teaching for enhancing the teaching efficiency. Our school also implemented the teaching activities of concrete structure design principle under the new mode for undergraduate students in 2015 and 2016. The students’ achievements and practical ability have been improved to a certain extent and good teaching results have been achieved. The authors try to provide some suggestions for the teaching reform of concrete structural design principle course in undergraduate colleges.

The human ERG protein (HERG or Kv 11.1) encoded by the human ether-a-go-go-related gene (herg) is the pore-forming subunit of the cardiac delayed rectifier potassium current (IKr) responsible for action potential (AP) repolarization. Mutations in HERG lead to long-QT syndrome, a major cause of arrhythmias. Protein-protein interactions are fundamental for ion channel trafficking, membrane localization, and functional modulation. To identify proteins involved in the regulation of the HERG channel, we conducted a yeast two-hybrid screen of a human heart cDNA library using the C-terminus or N-terminus of HERG as bait. Fifteen proteins were identified as HERG amino terminal (HERG-NT)-interacting proteins, including Caveolin-1 (a membrane scaffold protein with multiple interacting partners, including G-proteins, kinases and NOS), the zinc finger protein, FHL2 and PTPN12 (a non-receptor tyrosine phosphatase). Eight HERG carboxylic terminal (HERG-CT)-interacting proteins were also identified, including the NF-κB-interacting protein myotrophin, We have identified multiple potential interacting proteins that may regulate cardiac IKr through cytoskeletal interactions, G-protein modulation, phosphorylation and downstream second messenger and transcription cascades. These findings provide further insight into dynamic modulation of HERG under physiological conditions and arrhythmogenesis.

In the work, N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide monohydrate (NMMO·H2O) was used as a solvent to solve bacterial cellulose (BC) and hydroxypropyl chitosan (HPCS) together, and regenerated bacterial cellulose (RBC)/HPCS blend as-spun fibers were prepared by blending BC with HPCS via wet-spinning in the Lyocell process. Structure and properties of the blend as-spun fibers were characterized by different techniques, together with the antibacterial activity of the blend as-spun fibers against Staphylococcus aureus. Results revealed that HPCS was mixed with BC very well. The blend as-spun fibers showed a rough and folded surface morphology and an interior pore structure on the cross-section. Compared with pure RBC as-spun fibers, the blend as-spun fibers had lower degree of crystallinity and thermal stability. Although extension at break of the blend as-spun fibers was lower than the pure RBC as-spun fibers, their tensile strength and modulus had been enhanced obviously. The blend as-spun fibers were also found to exhibit excellent antibacterial activities against S. aureus.

In this article, we prepare chitosan (CS) membrane on polyacrylonitrile (PAN) ultrafiltration membrane, and utilize the protonated amine group (NH3+) on the CS to retain γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in a solution with a pH condition below the amino acid isoelectric point, so as to separate the amino acid from a mixture with sodium acetate that simulates the amino acid fermentation broth. To improve the acid resistance of the composite membrane, we chelate the amine groups on the CS by copper sulfate first, then crosslink the hydroxyl groups in glutaraldehyde solution, and remove the copper ion in hydrochloric acid finally to release the amine groups. This crosslinked CS/PAN composite membrane achieves 95% GABA rejection in pH 4.69 solution under the operation pressure of 0.2 MPa, while over 90% of the sodium acetate permeates the membrane. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013

In this study, cold plasma technology was applied for the surface modification of porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) film to improve the hydrophilicity. The surface properties of PTFE, modified by air, helium (He) or acrylic acid (AAc), were investigated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), scanning probe microscope (SPM), in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and water contact angle measurements. The changes of the surface property before and after plasma treatment were discussed. According to SEM and SPM measurements, the surface roughness increased at different levels after plasma treatment. Compared to air and AAc plasma treatment, the He plasma treatment introduced large amounts of oxygen into the surface, as known from XPS results. Contact angle measurements revealed that the hydrophilicity of the PTFE film surface was greatly improved due to the surface roughness and changes of chemical elements on the PTFE surface.

Luffa fiber is a renewable resource material with low cost and that contributes to a healthier ecosystem by its biodegradability. Its natural structure can be considered as a naturally occurring composite consisting mainly of cellulose fibrils imbedded in a lignin matrix. Surface pretreatment is necessary to maximize their potential use. In this work, plasma treatment at atmospheric pressure was carried out on the raw luffa fibers. The orthogonal method was used to optimize the plasma treatment condition. The optimal conditions were obtained at a discharge time of 10 s, power of 110 W, and electrode distance of 6 mm for the system used. The surface characterization of untreated and pretreated luffa fibers was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric (TGA) analysis. The results showed that plasma treatment did not cause significant harm to the fiber integrity and the inner cellulose fibrils were exposed from the lignin matrix....

Bacterial cellulose (BC) was dissolved in zinc chloride aqueous solution (ZnCl 2 ·3H 2 O) with a maximal concentration of 5.5 wt%, and regenerated bacteria cellulose (RBC) nascent fibers were spun with a wet-spinning process. The behavior of the BC/ZnCl 2 ·3H 2 O solution was investigated, together with the structure and properties of the RBC nascent fibers. Results revealed that the BC/ZnCl 2 ·3H 2 O solution showed typical shear thinning behavior. Though there was no chemical reaction occurred during the dissolution and spinning process, crystal forms of the RBC were transformed from cellulose I to cellulose II. Compared with the original BC fibers, the RBC fibers had lower degree of crystallinity and thermal stability, and showed round brilliants along the fiber axis with surface cracks and fibrillation, which caused lower tensile strength of 0.66–0.83cN/dtex, and extension at break of 1.95–3.66%.

Poly(L-lactic) acid (PLLA) scaffolds, prepared by electrospinning technology, have been suggested for use in tissue engineering. They remain a challenge for application in biological fields due to PLLA's slow degradation and hydrophobic nature. We describe PLLA, PLLA/poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), and PLLA/PHBV/gelatin (Gt) composite nanofiberous scaffolds (Gt–PLLA/PHBV) electrospun by changing the electrospinning technology. The morphologies and hydrophilicity of these fibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and water contact angle measurement. The results showed that the addition of PHBV and Gt resulted in a decrease in the diameters and their distribution and greatly improved the hydrophilicity. The in-vitro degradation test indicated that GT–PLLA/PHBV composite scaffolds exhibited a faster degradation rate than PLLA and PLLA/PHBV scaffolds. Dermal fibroblasts viabilities on nanofibrous scaffolds were characterized by [3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-dipheny...

In the present study, submicron ion-exchange fibers (IEFs) of polystyrene (PS) and its blends with styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer (SBS) were prepared by electrospinning and postsulfonating modification. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that the diameters of the fibers enlarged significantly after treatment and the surfaces become rougher. Mechanical properties analysis showed that the electrospun fibers (EF) and the IEFs from PS/SBS blend fabrics possessed better mechanical performances than those from pure PS. The ion-exchange capacity (IEC) of 4.35 mmol/g and and copper ions (Cu2+) adsorption value of 3.08 mmol/g for IEFs from PS/SBS blends were both higher than that of IEFs from pure PS and the conventional IEFs produced by coating or grafting fibrous substrates with functionalized resins or monomers. Dynamic adsorption experiments were made to test the behavior of adsorption for Cu2+. The results of dynamic adsorption experiments with Cu2+ showed that the IEFs from PS/SBS wo...

In this work, bacterial cellulose (BC) was dissolved in N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide monohydrate (NMMO·H 2 O), and regenerated BC fibers were prepared. Structure and properties of the regenerated BC fibers were characterized by different techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), x-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and single filament electric tenacity tester. Results revealed that whole fibers showed a circular shape with fairly regular size along the fiber axis. There was no significant difference between the structure of native BC and the regenerated BC fibers. The regenerated BC fibers had a cellulose II crystalline structure, lower degree of crystallinity, smaller crystallite sizes, and better thermal stability than the native BC. Tensile strength of the regenerated BC fibers was 0.5–1.5 cN/dtex, and their extension at break was 3–8%.

High molecular-weight bacterial cellulose (BC) was found to be soluble in a lithium chloride/N,N-dimethylacetamide (LiCl/DMAc) solvent system with a maximal concentration of 3 wt% if an activation procedure was performed beforehand. The granular BC was not favored and had to be ground to powders before dissolution. To facilitate subsequent dissolution, an activation procedure consisting of stewing the BC samples at 45°C–50°C in DMAc containing dissolved KMnO4 was adopted. It was found that a swelling temperature of 45°C was preferred, for about 4 h, but continuous, constant temperature heating during dissolving procedure was unfavorable, possibly due to the instability of the intermediate complex formed between the Li+ ion and the carbonyl oxygen of DMAc. However, the BC sample would be gradually dissolved if placed at room temperature for a long enough time.

Dibutyrylchitin was prepared by an acylating reaction in a heterogeneous system with butyric anhydride as an acylating agent and perchloric acid as a catalyst. The effects of the preparation conditions, including chitin grain size, reaction temperature, and reaction time, on conversion ratio of chitin to dibutyrylchitin are discussed in detail. By adjusting reaction time and reaction temperature, dibutyrylchitin with an adequate intrinsic viscosity could be obtained. Steady-state rheological measurement was also performed and the results revealed that concentration, temperature, and shear rate had a great influence on the rheological properties of dibutyrylchitin/dimethylformamide solutions. Thus, a suitable spinning condition could be determined from the rheological analyses.