Nanostructured hematite thin films produced by spin-coating deposition solution: Application in water splitting

Doped and undoped hematite films for photoelectrochemical hydrogen production were prepared by spin-coating deposition solution (SCDS). To understand the influence of the Si-doping and identify the critical parameters of the proposed SCDS method an extensive characterization was conducted. The Si-doped hematite exhibited higher photocurrent response when compared with undoped films. We have shown that the crystallographic orientation degree of the films appears to be a dominant factor affecting the photocurrent. The performance of our hematite electrodes is well below the maximum theoretical efficiency and the conceivable explanation could be given by the high value of recombination phenomena (electron/hole pair).     

Technological properties of glass-ceramic tiles obtained using rice husk ash as silica precursor

This paper reports the results of a study focused on the obtainment of glass-ceramic by using rice husk ash (RHA) as silica precursor. RHA is a by-product generated in biomass plants using rice husk as fuel for kilns or in the rice mills to generate steam for the parboiling process. Worldwide, it is annually produced about 132 Mt of rice husk, which gives rise to a production of 33 Mt/year of RHA. Glass-ceramic tiles were produced by a sinter-crystallization process using a glassy frit formulated in the MgO–Al₂O₃-SiO₂ composition system. The realized glass-ceramics were studied according to ISO rules for sintering and technological properties (water absorption, apparent density, bending strength, Young's modulus, deep abrasion, Mohs hardness). To complete the investigation crystalline phase formation and microstructural characterization of the glass-ceramic materials was carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Finally, chemical durability tests on parent glass and derived glass-ceramics were performed. The results obtained showed that it is possible to use RHA to produce glass-ceramic tiles by a sinter-crystallization process, obtaining nepheline (Na₂O*Al₂O₃*SiO₂) as main crystalline phase and forsterite (2MgO*SiO₂) at 900 °C. Regarding technological features, the sintered materials showed bending strength values and Mohs hardness higher with respect to commercial glass-ceramics like NeopariesR. Other properties as water absorption (0.5%) allowed to classify these materials into the Group BIa characteristic of high sintered ceramic tiles according to European Standard rule.     

Distributed Fault Diagnosis With Overlapping Decompositions: An Adaptive Approximation Approach

This technical note deals with the problem of designing a distributed fault detection methodology for distributed (and possibly large-scale) nonlinear dynamical systems that are modelled as the interconnection of several subsystems. The subsystems are allowed to overlap, thus sharing some state components. For each subsystem, a local fault detector is designed, based on the measured local state of the subsystem as well as the transmitted variables of neighboring states that define the subsystem interconnections. The local detection decision is made on the basis of the knowledge of the local subsystem dynamic model and of an adaptive approximation of the interconnection with neighboring subsystems. The use of a specially-designed consensus-based estimator is proposed in order to improve the detectability of faults affecting variables shared among different subsystems. Simulation results provide an evidence of the effectiveness of the proposed distributed fault detection scheme.     

Design and characterization of a current sensing platform for silicon-based nanopores with integrated tunneling nanoelectrodes

Solid-state nanopores have been gaining popularity in nano-biotechnology for single molecule detection, in particular for label-free high-throughput DNA sequencing. In order to address the improvement of the resolution/speed trade-off critical in this application, here we present a new two-channel current amplifier tailored for solid-state nanopore devices with integrated tunneling electrodes. The simultaneous detection of ion and tunneling currents provides enhanced molecule tracking capability. We describe the system design starting from a detailed noise analysis and device modeling, highlighting the detrimental role of the conductive silicon substrate and of all the stray capacitive couplings between the electrodes. Given the high input capacitance (0.1–1 nF), the input voltage noise has been carefully minimized choosing a discrete couple of matched low-noise JFETs as input stage, thus achieving an equivalent input noise of 1.5 nV/√Hz (corresponding to a current noise floor of 15 fA/√Hz at 10 kHz). Low-noise performance (11 pA rms noise integrated over a 75 kHz bandwidth) is preserved at a wide bandwidth (300 kHz) and high gain (100 MΩ) thanks to the adoption of an improved integrator/differentiator cascade topology. Furthermore, along with biasing networks and selectable low-pass filters, an AC-coupled channel providing additional gain has been introduced in order to “zoom” in the current signature during pore blockade events. Together with an experimental characterization of the system (and comparison with the noise performance of other instruments), the platform is validated by demonstrating the detection of λ-DNA with 20 nm pores.     

Considerations on nonlinear model predictive control techniques

The nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) is an on-line application based on nonlinear convolution models. It is an appealing control methodology, but it is difficult to implement and its solution is not so performing since it unavoidably means to solve a usually large-scale, constrained, and multidimensional optimization. To increase the difficulty, this optimization problem is subject to computationally heavy differential and algebraic constraints constituting the same convolution model and the least squares nature of the objective function easily leads to narrow valleys and multimodality issues.Beyond a short review of the state-of-the-art, the paper is aimed at highlighting the possibility to exploit at best the intrinsic features of the specific system one is going to control using the NMPC. The idea is to give the NMPC the possibility to automatically select the best combination of algorithms (differential solvers and optimizers) in accordance with the specific problem to be solved. From this perspective, the NMPC could be easily extended to many scientific fields traditionally far from process systems and computer-aided process engineering and the user has not to worry about which specific differential solvers and optimizers are needed to solve his/her problem.     

Mercury speciation in the French seasonal snow cover

Snow samples have been collected in the French Alps in 1998, 1999 and 2000 in order to measure both total Hg (HgT) and reactive Hg (HgR). Concentrations of HgT were between 13 and 130 pg g(-1) and HgR concentrations were below the detection limit (approximately 0.8 pg g(-1)). Hg speciation in snow was evaluated on the basis of ionic complexation equilibrium with chloride, hydroxide, oxalate. The pH of the snow was found to be an important parameter for Hg speciation. For pH values near 3, HgC2O4 is predominant in snow samples except for snow strongly influenced by anthropogenic sources (in which case HgCl2 predominates). When pH > 4, Hg(OH)2 and HgOHCl are predominant. These latter pH values are observed for precipitation not influenced by anthropogenic sources but more by soil erosion, e.g. Saharan dusts. The knowledge of Hgr speciation in snow is a key question for understanding the mechanisms of transformation of these complexes in snow after precipitation.     

Study of the dosimetric characteristics of cosmic radiation at civil aviation altitudes

The dependence of the doses on solar activity for intermediate levels of the solar modulation parameter has been studied by means of simulations carried out by the Monte Carlo transport code FLUKA. The vertical cut-off rigidities investigated lie between 0.4 and 6.1 GV. The calculated results show that the linear dependence proposed in a previous work, for the effective dose rate as a function of the solar modulation parameter, can be considered as an acceptable approximation. In addition, some dosimetric characteristics of cosmic radiation and some properties of the dosemeters in use for monitoring in the cosmic ray environment have been analysed with a view to simplifying measurements. The depth-dose curves in the ICRU sphere and the response of a tissue-equivalent ionisation chamber have been determined by the FLUKA code for a number of cosmic ray spectra On the basis of the calculated results, it is concluded that a value of the depth. d, which would make the ambient dose equivalent a conservative predictor of the effective dose, cannot be specified for cosmic radiation. However, the operational quantity can be useful in order to verify the predictions of Monte Carlo calculations. It is demonstrated that a crude approximation of the ambient dose equivalent could be obtained by multiplying by 2 the absorbed dose measured by a tissue-equivalent ionisation chamber with wall thickness of 10 mm.     

Classical tone-shock conditioning induces zenk expression in the pigeon (Columba livia) hippocampus.

The hippocampus is involved in fear conditioning, although the molecular events underlying this function are still under investigation. The authors analyzed the expression of the Zenk proto-oncogene product within the pigeon (Columba livia) hippocampus after training with a classical aversive conditioning protocol using tone-shock associations. Control groups were trained with shock or tone alone or were only exposed to the experimental chamber and manipulated. Experimental pigeons showed significant increases of Zenk expression in the ventromedial region of the hippocampus, whereas both the experimental and shock groups had increased Zenk expression in the dorsal region. The expression of Zenk in specific neuronal populations within the pigeon hippocampus may be indicative of plasticity-associated aversive classical conditioning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mark, a Reasoning Kit for Mobility

The experience gained to date in the development of network applications has shown the difficulties of using traditional software technologies: reasoning about network applications is subtly different from reasoning about ordinary programs because of stronger requirements on security, different forms of termination, and phenomena like mobility and network-awareness. There are currently no standard methods, techniques and tools to support specification, development and (property) certification of these applications.To support property certification of network applications, we propose to use the network-aware logic Mobadtl and its proof assistant, Mark (Mobadtl Reasoning Kit). In the paper we present the prototype implementation of Mark and, as a validating example, we consider applications where mobile components are allowed to carry some resources with them when moving around the network.     

An authorization system for digital libraries

Digital Libraries (DLs) introduce several challenging requirements with respect to the formulation, specification, and enforcement of adequate data protection policies. Unlike conventional database environments, a DL environment typically is characterized by a dynamic subject population, often making accesses from remote locations, and by an extraordinarily large amount of multimedia information, stored in a variety of formats. Moreover, in a DL environment, access policies are often specified based on subject qualifications and characteristics, rather than subject identity. Traditional authorization models are not adequate to meet access control requirements of DLs. In this paper, we present a Digital Library Authorization System (DLAS). DLAS employs a content-based authorization model, called a Digital Library Authorization Model (DLAM) which was proposed in previous work [1]. Edited by Y. Yesha. Received: 21 December 2000 / Accepted: 6 March 2002 Published online: 14 May 2002