Design of High Sensitive Temperature Sensor Based on Two-Dimensional Photonic Crystal

In this effort, a two-dimensional photonic crystal ring resonator (2DPCRR) is simulated. This device is developed for temperature detection in harsh enviro     

Mask‐free Localized Grafting of Organic Polymers at the Micrometer or Submicrometer Scale on Composite Conductors or Semiconductor Substrates

This work presents a new one‐step process enabling the mask‐free localized functionalization by organic polymers of the conducting or semiconducting parts of composite surfaces at the micrometer and submicrometer scale. The functionalization is carried out via cathodic electrografting of suitable precursors of composite cathodes, which gives an insulating polymer film strongly grafted to selected parts of the composite electrodes and guarantees that the resolution is that of the pre‐existing pattern, even when the whole surface is dipped into the reaction medium. The presumed mechanism is based on a regioselective extraction of electrons from the composite surface according to its apparent local work function in solution.     

Granulomatous orchitis. A case report and review of the literature

We developed a method for determination of motor conduction along the mandibular and sensory conduction along the lingual and inferior alveolar nerves in 10 controls and 6 patients with lingual neuropathy following lower wisdom tooth extraction. Patients with lingual neuropathy had reduced/absent or delayed compound sensory action potentials and normal conduction along the fibers of the inferior alveolar nerve and mandibular nerve. The method provides a useful electrophysiological means of evaluating lingual nerve lesions.     

Low-cost embedded spirometer based on micro machined polycrystalline thin film

There is a great need for a low cost and low power consumption portable spirometer for the home care of respiratory diseases. A mobile monitoring system utilizing Bluetooth and mobile messaging services (SMS) with low-cost hardware equipment is proposed. A proof of concept prototype has been developed and implemented to enable transmission of a flow or volume of gas during inspiratory and expiratory process signal of a patient, which can be expanded to include other vital signs. Communication between a mobile smart-phone and the spirometer is implemented using the popular personal area network standard specification Bluetooth. We used SMS for transmission, the mobile phone plots the received signal and displays the flow measurement application software running on the client mobile phone itself, where the plot can be captured and saved as an image before transmission. The acquired signal is transmitted via the Bluetooth to the processing and diagnostic unit with wireless protocol between sensors and the electronics board. The flow measurement is done with a silicon hot wire anemometer manufactured with MEMS technology. The design, manufacturing, calibration, and basic characterization of MEMS hot-wire anemometer and digital spiromerter is presented.     

First-order indicators for the estimation of discrete fractures in porous media

Faults and geological barriers can drastically affect the flow patterns in porous media. Such fractures can be modelled as interfaces that interact with the surrounding matrix. We propose a new technique for the estimation of the location and hydrogeological properties of a small number of large fractures in a porous medium from given distributed pressure or flow data. At each iteration, the algorithm builds a short list of candidates by comparing fracture indicators. These indicators quantify at the first order the decrease of a data misfit function; they are cheap to compute. Then, the best candidate is picked up by minimization of the objective function for each candidate. Optimally driven by the fit to the data, the approach has the great advantage of not requiring remeshing, nor shape derivation. The stability of the algorithm is shown on a series of numerical examples representative of typical situations.     

Toward a wider use of formal methods for aerospace systems design and verification

Nowadays, it is well accepted that the development of critical systems involves the use of formal methods. One of the major fields where these methods made a lot of progress are the avionics, aerospace and more generally transport areas. Several methods, tools and techniques have been applied for the development of such systems in different parts of the world, and they have been actually put into practice during the development of specific aircraft programs. The aim of this introductory article and of this STTT special issue is to propose a brief overview of the state-of-the-art of current researches in formal methods applied to the development of avionics and aerospace systems and more broadly to take stock of the integration of formal methods in the aerospace industry.     

Study of Proton Leakage at Interface of Anion-Exchange Membrane in Solutions of Acids,Salts, and Solvents Using Current/Voltage Characteristics

Water dissociation and proton leakage using the anionic exchange membrane (AMH) are studied by means of current/voltage characteristics and confirmed by simulation of transport number using Hittorf's method. The acids used are HCl, HNO₃, and H₂SO₄ and the salts are NaCl, ZnCl₂, and NaNO₃. Concentration polarization of such membrane is accompanied by a change in the electrolyte concentration/solution interface due hydrolysis reactions. The results show that when the concentration of the electrolyte increases, the limiting current density increases linearly and the transmembrane resistance decreases systematically. The thickness of the diffusion layer is always higher in presence of acid than salt, making in evidence the proton leakage through the membrane. Besides, when the membrane is selectively permeable to chloride anion in the case of ZnCl₂, the thickness of the double layer is rather bigger and far exceeds that of the membrane. The voltamperometry method seems reliable and offers some advantages over that of Hittorf because it shows the effects of some parameters on the value of limiting current: concentration, counter-ion types (Cl^?, NO₃^? SO₄^2?), and the gradient of concentration in the anode and cathode compartments. It can, therefore, allow to optimize the value of the current which should be used in electrodialysis in any form and without a great consumption of energy. Moreover, the simulation carried out for transport number of proton, shows its sensitivity toward the variation in concentration in the receiving compartment. In effect, a small decrease in concentration implies an enormous decrease in its value.     

Experimental and theoretical investigations of the adhesion time of Penicillium spores to cedar wood surface

In this study, the adhesion of 4 Penicillium strains (Penicillium granulatum, Penicillium crustosum, Penicillium commune and Penicillium chrysogenum) on cedar wood was examined qualitatively and quantitatively by using the extended DLVO (XDLVO) approach and the environmental scanning electronic microscopy (ESEM) technique. A comparison between the XDLVO theories and the ESEM technique was also investigated. The adhesion tests revealed that P. chrysogenum was not able to adhere on the cedar wood substrata, as predicted by the XDLVO approach. We have also found by ESEM that the three Penicillium strains (P. granulatum, P. crustosum, P. commune) adhered on wood, as not predicted theoretically.Moreover, the time of adhesion (3 h and 24 h) was used not only to compare the capacity of adhesion according to contact time but also to explain the discrepancies between the XDLVO approach prediction and the adhesion experiments. A positive relationship between the XDLVO approach and adhesion experiments has been observed after 3 h of adhesion. In contrast, a contradiction between the XDLVO predictions and the adhesion test results has been noted after 24 h of adhesion of Penicillium strains to the wood surface.     

2D and 3D numerical simulation of the wind-rotor/nacelle interaction in an atmospheric boundary layer

Two-dimensional axisymmetric and three-dimensional steady turbulent flow computations around two horizontal-axis wind turbines (Nordex N80 and Jeumont J48) are carried out to investigate the wind-rotor/nacelle interaction and quantify its effects on the wind speed at the nacelle anemometry. The actuator disk concept has been used to model the action of the blades. For both turbines, the geometry of the nacelle was reproduced as faithfully as possible. The terrain was represented by an appropriate law of the wall to account for roughness with particular attention paid to the boundary conditions in order to reproduce the neutral atmospheric boundary layer. The calculated velocity field in the vicinity of the nacelle exhibits good agreement with available experimental data. The results also show that for a complex nacelle geometry, like that of the N80, a three-dimensional calculation is necessary to obtain a good prediction of the velocity field in the near wake. The hub height effect is evaluated for the J48 by raising the nacelle from a height of 36 to 60 m. No significant impact is noted on the ratio nacelle wind speed/freestream wind speed.