Computationally efficient methods for bit-error rate evaluation inweakly coherent optical systems

A semianalytical method to estimate the bit-error rate performance of nonsynchronous ASK and FSK optical heterodyne systems is presented. This approach takes into account numerous system details with an accuracy similar to Monte-Carlo simulation, but with a computation time reduced by several orders of magnitude. An analytical approximation, based on a closed-form expression for the decision variable moment generating function, is also presented. The results obtained with the semianalytical method and the analytical approximation are compared to Monte-Carlo simulation results and to measurements obtained on a practical FSK system     

Computer-controlled ion-selective electrode switch

The construction of a microcomputer-controlled electrode switch for use in potentiometric determinations is described. This can be coupled to most of the analytical equipment usually found in laboratories, to enable a setting up of automatic systems capable of performing sequential determinations with several ion-selective electrodes. The assessment of its analytical usage and behaviour are discussed.     

Uniform Polarization Scattering With Fiber-Coil-Based Polarization Controllers

A detailed study of fiber-coil-based polarization controllers (PCs) is performed. First, a method to deterministically calculate the PC configuration in order to transform between any two states of polarization is presented. In a second stage, the case in which the configuration angles are randomly changed is studied. The cases of a single PC and of the system obtained with the concatenation of several PCs are analyzed. For both cases, a general expression for the variance of the Stokes parameters is obtained. Using this expression, it is demonstrated that it is possible to achieve uniform polarization scattering using a concatenation of fiber-coil-based PCs. Finally, it is shown that fiber-coil-based PCs can be used to emulate both first- and second-order polarization-mode dispersions     

Mycological survey for potential aflatoxin and ochratoxin producers and their toxicological properties in harvested Brazilian black pepper.

A mycological survey was carried out on 115 samples of whole dried black pepper seeds, from two main production regions of Brazil (Pará and Espírito Santo). A high incidence of contamination was verified in both regions when 99.1% of the samples showed filamentous fungi contamination. A total of 497 species of nine different genera were isolated (Aspergillus, Eurotium, Rhizopus, Penicillium, Curvularia, Cladosporium, Absidia, Emericella and Paecilomyces). The genus Aspergillus was the predominant (53.5%) followed by species from the Eurotium genus (24.5%). Eurotium chevalieri (16.4%) was the most predominant species followed by A. flavus (14.6%) present on 55 samples of black pepper (47.8%) analysed. Twenty-five samples (21.7%) were contaminated with aflatoxigenic strains of A. flavus and A. parasiticus. In relation to the types of aflatoxins produced by mycotoxigenic strains, it was observed that 25 strains (44.6%) of 56 isolated of A. flavus produced aflatoxins. From 12 samples, A. ochraceus species were isolated in low frequency (3.5%). Two strains of A. ochraceus from 16 isolated were producers of ochratoxin A. With respect to the aflatoxins and ochratoxin A natural contamination, none of the samples presented detectable levels of these mycotoxins using thin-layer chromatographic analysis.     

美国的灭火与救援机器人研发综述

设想某一个城镇生产木材调色板的流水线车间里 ,由于电器原因引发了一场火灾 ,致使建筑物坍塌。没有人能够确切地说出有多少工人被埋压在里面 ,更糟的是 ,当毗邻墙体坍塌时 ,隔壁的旧轮胎储藏室也被埋压在下面。于是市消防局派遣一批机器人去现场救援。第一个到达的机器人进入现场调查情况 ,该机器人能忍耐80 0℃的高温炙烤 ,身上安装了摄像机 ,可以给 90 m外的控制室发送图片 ,控制室的指挥人员就可以根据图片决定是否派消防队员冒险进入现场。第二个机器人是无人驾驶卡车 ,进入后便从 75 m远的地方以2 6 gal/ s的速度往火场喷水 ,并用它所…     

Effect of catalysts in the quality of syngas and by-products obtained by co-gasification of coal and wastes. 1. Tars and nitrogen compounds abatement

The aim of this work is to analyse the possibility of using co-gasification technology to process coal mixed with wastes to take profit of its energy content and at the same time to minimize the environmental impact associated with the use of wastes and to diminish the costs of flue gas treatment. The addition to coal of different types of materials, like: pine based waste, petcoke and polyethylene (PE), was not found to give rise to any operational problems, regarding both the feeding system and gasification process and led to higher energy conversions, however, the gas presented higher tars and hydrocarbons content. Several catalysts were tested, such as, dolomite, olivine, nickel and magnesium oxides, zinc oxides and cobalt and molybdenum oxides. Catalyst action was analysed in tars release and also in ammonia compounds reduction. The presence of catalysts allowed increasing hydrogen release, whilst there was a decrease in hydrocarbons and tars contents. A nickel-magnesium oxide was the catalyst that led to the highest reduction in hydrocarbons and tars. This catalyst also led to the lowest NH₃ content in the fuel gas produced, due to the catalyst efficiency in NH₃ destruction.     

炭黑填充硬聚氯乙烯的改性

为使聚氯乙烯具有抗静电性能,采用加入具有导电性填料的方法,但加入大量的填料,会使硬聚氯乙烯的冲击性能降低,加工性能变差。本文是在以炭黑为填料的基础上,研究不同的改性剂和加工助剂改进硬聚氯乙烯的效果,结果表明,加入冲击改性剂和加工助剂后,大大增加了硬聚氯乙烯的冲击强度,且加工性能也得到改善,同时由于炭黑具有补强效果,其拉伸强度和弯曲强度在加入改性剂后也能满足使用要求。