Noncentrosymmetric Tetrel Pnictides RuSi4P4 and IrSi3P3: Nonlinear Optical Materials with Outstanding Laser Damage Threshold

Noncentrosymmetric (NCS) tetrel pnictides have recently generated interest as nonlinear optical (NLO) materials due to their second harmonic generation (SHG) activity and large laser damage threshold (LDT). Herein nonmetal-rich silicon phosphides RuSi₄P₄ and IrSi₃P₃ are synthesized and characterized. Their crystal structures are reinvestigated using single crystal X-ray diffraction and ²⁹Si and ³¹P magic angle spinning NMR. In agreement with previous report RuSi₄P₄ crystallizes in NCS space group P1, while IrSi₃P₃ is found to crystallize in NCS space group Cm, in contrast with the previously reported space group C2. A combination of DFT calculations and diffuse reflectance measurements reveals RuSi₄P₄ and IrSi₃P₃ to be wide bandgap (E_g) semiconductors, E_g = 1.9 and 1.8 eV, respectively. RuSi₄P₄ and IrSi₃P₃ outperform the current state-of-the-art infrared SHG material, AgGaS₂, both in SHG activity and laser inducer damage threshold. Due to the combination of high thermal stabilities (up to 1373 K), wide bandgaps (≈2 eV), NCS crystal structures, strong SHG responses, and large LDT values, RuSi₄P₄ and IrSi₃P₃ are promising candidates for longer wavelength NLO materials.     

Anaerobic co-digestion of food waste and FOG with sewage sludge – realising its potential in Ireland

The severe environmental pollution in many countries is caused by indiscriminate discharge of large quantities of food waste (FW), fat oil and grease (FOG) and sewage sludge (SS) to the environment. There are many possible treatment routes, but anaerobic digestion (AD) is now well accepted for treating several kinds of organic wastes. But AD of FW alone presents some operational challenges because of substrates and variability. Anaerobic co-digestion of two or more substrates is better than single substrate digestion. This can use a plant’s unused capacity, in line with the trend to renewable energy. Co-digestion technology, although well established in many European countries, is still in its infancy in Ireland. There are problems with different regulatory arrangements. They should be resolved. The paper reviews anaerobic co-digestion technology is reviewed, with special focus on possible application in Ireland.     

Adoption and usage of Academic Social Networks: a Japan case study

Scientometrics - Engaging in the international academic environment is now facilitated by a range of Academic Social Networks (ASNs) that are being used by an increasing number of early career and...     

Multimodal sensing and active continuous closed‐loop feedback for achieving reliable manipulation in the outdoor physical world

The use of field robots can greatly decrease the amount of time, effort, and associated risk compared to if human workers were to carryout certain tasks such as disaster response. However, transportability and reliability remain two main issues for most current robot systems. To address the issue of transportability, we have developed a lightweight modularizable platform named AeroArm. To address the issue of reliability, we utilize a multimodal sensing approach, combining the use of multiple sensors and sensor types, and the use of different detection algorithms, as well as active continuous closed‐loop feedback to accurately estimate the state of the robot with respect to the environment. We used Challenge 2 of the 2017 Mohammed Bin Zayed International Robotics Competition as an example outdoor manipulation task, demonstrating the capabilities of our robot system and approach in achieving reliable performance in the fields, and ranked fifth place internationally in the competition.     

Multi-band power oscillation damping controller for power system supported by static VAR compensator

Electrical Engineering - Low-frequency electromechanical oscillations damping is powerfully crucial in power system operation. In order to fulfill this requirement, power oscillation damping (POD)...     

Does life satisfaction moderate the effects of stressful life events on psychopathological behavior during adolescence?

Psychologists within a positive psychology framework have proposed the existence of a set of psychological strengths that buffer against the development of psychopathology. To date, most research efforts in positive psychology have focused on adults. This longitudinal study tested the prediction that adolescents' judgments of life satisfaction moderate the influence of stressful life events on the subsequent development of psychopathological behavior. Using a sample of 816 middle and high school students, the study demonstrated support for the moderational model for externalizing behavior outcomes, but not internalizing behavior problems. Specifically, adolescents with positive life satisfaction (vs. those who were dissatisfied with their lives) were less likely to develop later externalizing behaviors in the face of stressful life events. The study also revealed that adolescent life satisfaction reports show moderate stability across a one-year time frame and independently predict subsequent externalizing behavior even while controlling for prior levels of externalizing behavior... (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

A semantic modeling approach for image retrieval by content

We introduce a semantic data model to capture the hierarchical, spatial, temporal, and evolutionary semantics of images in pictorial databases. This model mimics the user's conceptual view of the image content, providing the framework and guidelines for preprocessing to extract image features. Based on the model constructs, a spatial evolutionary query language (SEQL), which provides direct image object manipulation capabilities, is presented. With semantic information captured in the model, spatial evolutionary queries are answered efficiently. Using an object-oriented platform, a prototype medical-image management system was implemented at UCLA to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach.     

Interfacing systems LOCA (ISLOCA) component pressure capacity methodology and typical plant results

A proposed methodology and sample results from several plant investigations are presented for evaluating the expected pressure capacity of nuclear power plant components which could potentially be subjected to Interfacing Systems LOCA (ISLOCA) conditions. Included in this evaluation are tanks, heat exchangers, filters, pumps, valves and flanged connections for systems designed for relatively low-pressure, low temperature conditions, but which could possibly be exposed to reactor coolant conditions, either through human error or isolation valve failures. The probabilities of failure, as a function of internal pressure, are evaluated as well as the variabilities associated with them. Leak rates or leak areas are estimated for the controlling modes of failure. Pressure capacities for the pipes and vessels are evaluated using limit-state analyses for the various failure modes considered. The capacities are dependent on several factors, including the material properties, modeling assumptions, and the postulated failure criteria. The failure modes for gasketed-flange connections, valves and pumps do not lend themselves to evaluation by conventional structural mechanics techniques and evaluation must rely primarily on the results from ongoing gasket research test programs and available vendor information and test data.     

Breath and blood ethanol following use of a cough-cold preparation

All leaders in health care today are charged with the responsibility of transforming present practices into new and different ones that are needed for the future. The structural side of transforming is ultimately easier than the human side. However, the most frequent failures come from not concentrating sufficiently on the behavioral side of the change. Structural and psychological change must occur simultaneously and embrace each other for best results.     

Amorphous chromium silicide formation in hydrogenated amorphous silicon

The interaction between thin films of hydrogenated amorphous silicon and sputter-deposited chromium has been studied. Following deposition of the chromium films at room temperature, the films were annealed over a range of times and temperatures below 350°C. It was found that an amorphous silicide was formed only a few nanometers thick with the square of thickness proportional to the annealing time. The activation energy for the process was 0.55±0.05 eV. The formation process of the silicide was very reproducible with the value of density derived from the thickness and Cr surface density being close to the value for crystalline CrSi₂ for all films formed at temperatures ≤300°C. The specific resistivity of the amorphous CrSi₂ was ≈600 μΩ·cm and independent of annealing temperature.