Delay and link utilization aware routing protocol for wireless multimedia sensor networks

Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks (WMSNs) consist of networks of interconnected devices involved in retrieving multimedia content, such as, video, audio, acoustic, and scalar data, from the environment. The goal of these networks is optimized delivery of multimedia content based on quality of service (QoS) parameters, such as delay, jitter and distortion. In multimedia communications each packet has strict playout deadlines, thus late arriving packets and lost packets are treated equally. It is a challenging task to guarantee soft delay deadlines along with energy minimization, in resource constrained, high data rate WMSNs. Conventional layered approach does not provide optimal solution for guaranteeing soft delay deadlines due to the large amount of overhead involved at each layer. Cross layer approach is fast gaining popularity, due to its ability to exploit the interdependence between different layers, to guarantee QoS constraints like latency, distortion, reliability, throughput and error rate. The paper presents a channel utilization and delay aware routing (CUDAR) protocol for WMSNs. This protocol is based on a cross-layer approach, which provides soft end-to-end delay guarantees along with efficient utilization of resources. Extensive simulation analysis of CUDAR shows that it provides better delay guarantees than existing protocols and consequently reduces jitter and distortion in WMSN communication.     

Arm length dependency of Pt-decorated CdSe tetrapods on the performance of photocatalytic hydrogen generation

Pt-decorated CdSe tetrapods with different arm lengths were tested for the photocatalytic hydrogen generation reaction. Well-defined CdSe tetrapods with controlled wurtzite arm lengths were synthesized by the continuous precursor injection (CPI) approach. Pt nanocrystals with an extremely small size of ～1 nm were directly decorated on the overall surfaces of CdSe tetrapods. Ligand-exchanged Pt-decorated CdSe tetrapods with different arm lengths were employed as photocatalysts for photocatalytic hydrogen generation reaction in the presence of hole scavengers. Pt-decorated CdSe tetrapods with shorter arm length showed the highest photocatalytic efficiency, which is due to higher probability of charge separation.     

Localized Electrochemical Deposition of Copper Monitored Using Real‐Time X‐ray Microradiography

We have developed a novel strategy for localized electrochemical deposition (LECD) to improve both the lateral resolution of the process and the porosity of the fabricated high‐aspect‐ratio microstructures. The strategy is based on accurately controlling the motion of the anode. Its implementation is made possible by the use of coherent, synchrotron X‐ray microradiography with high time and lateral resolution, enabling the observation of the copper LECD process in real time. Microradiography reveals a deposition mechanism that differs as a function of the distance between the electrode (anode) and the growing structure (cathode). Specifically, the interplay of migration and diffusion of the metal ions in the baths affects the deposition rate and the characteristics of the fabricated structure. This enables us to optimize the anode motion control and greatly improve the quality of the structure grown.     

A new slideline/eroding algorithm for EPIC2

This paper describes a new slideline/eroding algorithm implemented into EPIC2 code (Johnson , 1986). It also presents some results of impact calculations which show that this new algorithm not only better resolved the interface between two impacting bodies, but also smoothed out the curvature of the slideline. This was all done without an undue increase of CPU (central processing unit) time.     

Corrosion and wear characteristics of pulse-plated chromium deposits

Corrosion and wear characteristics of pulse-plated chromium deposits, obtained from a self-regulating highspeed (SRHS) bath have been studied as a function of pulse current parameters such as duty cycle, average current density and pulse period. The chromium deposits obtained at duty cycles of 100 (direct current) to 60% were composed of a hemispherical nodular growth with a body centred cubic (b c c) lattice while those obtained at 20% duty cycle were composed of a needle-like structure containing a mixture of b c c lattice and hexagonal hydride. Corrosion rate, wear loss of chromium deposits and occluded hydrogen content in the deposits decreased up to 60% duty cycle, and then increased with further decrease in duty cycle to 20%. A two-stage variation of corrosion and wear properties with decreasing duty cycle is discussed in terms of crack density and the crystal structure of chromium deposits.     

Relationship between hydrogen-assisted crack propagation rate and the corresponding crack path in AISI 4340 steel

In the present investigation, relationship between hydrogen-assisted (HA) crack propagation rate and the corresponding fracture mode in AISI 4340 steel has been elucidated with critical hydrogen concentration concept. Hydrogen assisted crack-propagation rate and the corresponding fracture surface morphology were determined from double cantilever beam (DCB) specimens as a function of hydrogen pressure and temperature. As hydrogen pressure decreased, threshold stress intensity factor necessary for the onset of hydrogen-assisted crack propagation increased and the stage II (plateau) crack-propagation rate decreased. The kinetics of stage II crack propagation indicated substantial difference, i.e., positive and negative responses in the two investigated low and high temperature regions, respectively. Fractographic analysis showed that increased amounts of the microvoid coalescence mode resulted in slower crack-propagation rates. The observed changes in crack-propagation rate and the corresponding fracture mode with hydrogen pressure and temperature are discussed in terms of critical stress or strain and critical hydrogen concentration concepts.     

Antimicrobial activity of torilin isolated from Torilis japonica fruit against Bacillus subtilis

ABSTRACT:  Torilis japonica fruit has been used in therapeutic antimicrobial treatments in Korea and China since ancient times, but there is still little information on the mechanism underlying this activity. We found that the ethanol extract of T. japonica fruit showed excellent antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 spores and vegetative cells. The crude ethanol extract (75%) reduced the spore concentration by 3 log cycles and the vegetative cell concentration to lower than the detection level (reduction in spore concentration by more than 6 orders of magnitude) at a concentration of 1% (w/v). The ethanol extract of T. japonica fruit was fractionated into n -hexane (H) and a water layer. The active antimicrobial compound was isolated and purified from the hexane layer, and identified as torilin (5-[1-(acetyloxy)-1-methylethyl]-3,8-dimethyl-2-oxo-1,2,4,5,6,7,8,8a-octa-hydroazulen-6-yl(2 E )-2-methylbut-2-enoate; C₂₂H₃₂O₅). Torilin immediately reduced vegetative cells counts by 5 to 6 orders of magnitude, and reduced spores counts by 1 order of magnitude. The integrity of structures such as the inner, middle, and outer layers of the coat and the cortex, protoplast membrane, and core are vital to spores. Torilin functions as a surfactant with hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties related to denaturalization of various proteins. The distortion of coat proteins due to direct binding polar groups of spore coats with hydrophilic groups of torilin may be responsible for the observed rapid inactivation of bacterial spores.     

Stress corrosion cracking of Al-Zn-Mg alloy AA-7039 by slow strain-rate method

The stress corrosion behaviour of Al-Zn-Mg alloy AA-7039 in an aqueous 3.5 wt % Nad solution (pH=1) was studied with the specimens under constant strain rate as function of ageing state and cold working. The tests were carried out at temperatures of 30 and 45°C and strain rates between 7.6×10^–7 and 7.6×10^–6 sec^–1 and the apparent activation energy for mechanical deformation in oil and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) process in NaCl solution were determined. The fracture energy in NaCl solution under constant strain rate, as compared with experiments in oil, was lowered in the overaged specimens and markedly lowered in sequence of the peak-aged and the underaged specimens. The values of fracture energy for peak-aged and overaged specimens were nearly similar to those in oil at the higher strain rate of 7.6×10^–6 sec^–1. The relative fracture energy was comparatively lowered in the fine-grained specimens, as compared to coarsegrained specimens. The apparent activation energy for mechanical processes in oil was found to be 103 kJ mol^–1 in the peak-aged and 96.5 kJ mol^–1 in the overaged specimens. Those for SCC processes in NaCl solution were 47.5 kJ mol^–1 in the peak-aged and 51.5 kJ mol^–1 in the overaged specimens. The results suggest that stress corrosion (SC) cracks are initiated by electrochemical dissolution of grain boundaries (gbs) and propagated by mechanical processes such as creep.     

Theoretical approach to faradaic admittance of hydrogen absorption reaction on metal membrane electrode

Faradaic admittance of hydrogen absorption reaction (har) on metal membrane electrode has been derived on the basic of “two models” of the har under the permeable boundary condition by using an extension of Armstrong's kinetic approach. In the case of the har through adsorbed phase (model A), two limiting cases of the Faradaic admittance are considered depending upon the magnitude of rate of hydrogen transfer from bulk to metal surface. One involves the diffusion-controlled har for fast rate of hydrogen transfer and the other is the interface-controlled har for slow rate of hydrogen transfer from bulk to metal surface. Depressing and/or tailing of the second semicircle, often found in the complex-plane impedance spectra for hydrogen evolution reaction (her), is fairly explained by the diffusion-controlled har. In the case of the direct har without passing through the adsorbed phase (model B), the Faradaic admittance is differentiated by the absence of adsorption capacitance from that based upon the model A.