Applications of extensive survey techniques to describe freshwater pearl mussel distribution and macrohabitat in the River Spey,Scotland

The spatial distribution and associated physical habitat of endangered freshwater pearl mussels (Margaritifera margaritifera) in a 145 km stretch of the River Spey, northeast Scotland, were investigated. The overall size of the Spey M. margaritifera population was estimated to be in the order of 10 million. Mussel distributions were compared with River Corridor Survey (RCS) macrohabitat data and found to be positively associated with coarse riverbed substrata, ‘fast‐flowing’ waters, riparian woodland, and river bends; and negatively associated with shingle bars, flood barriers, ‘slow‐flowing’ waters, eroding cliffs and aquatic macrophytes. Significant positive relationships between mussel density and channel slope, width and bank height, were also observed. Binary logistic regression models (based on four to six features) were used to predict the presence/absence of mussels or the occurrence of ‘optimal’ mussel habitat (i.e. mussel density >1 m^?2) at any given site. Overall predictive success rates of 79% and 78% were achieved, respectively. Discriminant function models (based on five variables) were also used, with predictive success rates of 78% and 88%, respectively. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Robust backstepping controller for grid‐side converter of DFIG‐based wind energy conversion systems

A robust backstepping controller with nonlinear damping is designed for the grid‐side converter (GSC) of a grid‐connected doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) in wind energy conversion systems (WECSs). The designed controller achieves the exponential ultimate boundedness of both the DC‐link voltage and GSC current errors with an arbitrarily fast decay rate and an arbitrarily small bound in the presence of both model uncertainties and time‐varying external disturbances. A desirable feature that distinguishes the proposed controller from other existing controllers is that the control input of GSC is constructed only by the static feedback of the measurable states. As a result, the control input becomes smooth and easy to implement without requiring differentiation or switching operations. The exponential boundedness and performance of the designed controller are demonstrated by simulation using a 1.5‐MW DFIG‐based WECS model built in MATLAB/SimPowerSystems and compared with a standard proportional‐integral controller. © 2016 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Copper‐Catalyzed Aerobic Formation of Unstable Sulfinyl Radicals for the Synthesis of Sulfinates and Thiosulfonates

Copper‐catalyzed aerobic coupling of thiols and alcohols affords sulfinates and thiosulfonates. These products are assumed to form via sulfinyl radicals which are not commonly found in oxidative coupling reactions of thiols. A reaction mechanism involving sulfinyl radicals is proposed, and mass and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experimental results are provided.

     

Characteristics of Y3Al5O12:Ce phosphor powders prepared by spray pyrolysis from ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid solution

Nanometer and submicron-sized YAG:Ce phosphor powders were prepared by spray pyrolysis from the spray solutions with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). The precursor powders with hollow and thin wall structure turned to the fine-sized YAG:Ce phosphor powders after post-treatment at high temperatures of 1400 and 1500 °C. The mean size of the phosphor powders post-treated at a temperature of 1500 °C was 0.72 μm. The white LEDs formed from the YAG:Ce phosphor powders post-treated at 1400 and 1500 °C showed (0.2781, 0.2871) and (0.2731, 0.2795) on the CIE chromaticity diagram, and about 78.20 and 79.04 of Ra. The luminous efficiency of the white LED formed from the commercial YAG:Ce phosphor powders was 84.36 lm/W. However, the luminous efficiencies of the white LEDs formed from the YAG:Ce phosphor powders post-treated at 1400 and 1500 °C were 47.74 and 76.64 lm/W.     

Two isomers containing a [Cu(Me2bpzb)] unit: Molecule (0-D) and 1-D

Two isomers (molecule 1 and 1-D 2) containing [Cu(Me₂bpzb)] units have been obtained under the different reaction conditions, and their structures have been determined by X-ray crystallography. From the temperature-dependent magnetic data for 2, there was no interaction between Cu²⁺ ions through the ligand. The photoluminescence of the free H₂Me₂bpzb molecule displayed an intense emission band centered at about 482 nm, while complexes 1 and 2 exhibited no obvious emission bands.     

Lifetime study of red phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes with a double doping structure

The lifetime of red phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes with a double doping structure was studied. Green and red phosphorescent dopants were co-doped in the emitting layer and the lifetime of the red devices with the doubly doped emitting structure was dependent on the doping concentration of the green dopant due to the energy transfer from the green dopant to the red dopant.     

Theoretical fitting characteristics of typical soft contact lens designs

Purose

To calculate theoretical fitting success rates (SR) for a range of typical soft contact lens (SCL) designs using a mathematical model.

An efficient one-step lookahead A* algorithm for PM-CT scheduling problems

In this paper, we present an improved one-step lookahead A* algorithm for the scheduling problem for parallel-mode cluster tools, where n wafer types are simultaneously processed on a cluster tool with m chambers. Specifically, we suggest a refined cost function, priority-based node selection, N-chamber cycle detection to identify deadlock situations, and a one-step lookahead method to reduce the number of unsafe states generated. Using numerical experiments, we show that the proposed algorithm leads to a significant reduction in the number of explored states and execution time necessary to find an optimal solution.     

Dehydration of methanol over Nordstrandite based catalysts for dimethyl ether synthesis

This study focused on the investigation of Nordstrandite as a catalyst for dehydration of methanol to dimethyl ether synthesis. The structure phase of Nordstrandite has been changed to boehmite and γ-Al₂O₃ in sequence via calcinations at various temperatures. Moreover, the properties of the samples have been varied significantly with heat treatment. The number of acid sites of Nordstrandite was much higher than the other aluminas. However, the catalytic activity of Nordstrandite was comparable to the other catalysts with fewer amounts of acid sites. This means that structure phase is one of the most important factors for catalytic performance in this reaction.