Performance of a write-once multilayer optical disk that uses transparent recording material with an optical switching layer

A volumetric optical disk that has multiple transparent films with optical switching layers is used as a recording medium to increase the number of recording layers. In the disk the optical switching layer is adapted to reduce decay of laser energy and increase reading and recording sensitivity. Well-defined marks of approximately 100-nm depth can be placed precisely on the transparent films by a focused laser beam. Writing and reading of a four-layer recordable disk, fabricated by molding and spin bonding, have been demonstrated experimentally. The volumetric disk can achieve a high recording capacity with conventional optical pickups.     

The formation of fine relaxation cracks along the compressive maximum shear crack

The formation of fine short relaxation cracks frequently found along the cyclically propagating 45° compressive maximum shear crack were analyzed. Comparison was made of the results computed from two different fracture criteria, the minimum strain energy density (MSED) and the maximum tensile (tangential) stress (MTS). The measured directions θ₀ of the relaxation cracks were in excellent accord with both the theoretical MSED directions and the MTS directions. The computed MSED crack directions were predicated on two conditions: 1) the strain energy density factor was minimum, S _min, and 2) the volume change component S _v of S _min was greater than the distortion component S _d. Such requirements correspond to crack directions with locally maximum tensile tangential stresses.     

The relation of microstructure and fracture properties of electron beam melted,modified SAE 4620 steels

A method is described for the transmission and scanning electron microscope study of the relationship between the microstructure and the fracture properties of two quenched and tempered, electron beam melted, modified SAE 4620 steels consisting of tempered low carbon martensite. Among all the microstructure constituents considered, the constituentR (randomly oriented, “tempered low carbon martensite, TLCM”) achieved the highest probability for dimple fracture. The thick TLCM laths (designated as the microstructure constituent II) exhibited higher probability of dimple plus quasi-dimple mode of fracture than the thin laths (I). It is concluded that the steel EB1035 derived the high toughness from a) the high concentration of the “high toughness” microstructure constituentsR and II, b) “non-embrittled” prior austenite grain boundaries with 50 pct probability for smooth plus quasi-smooth mode and 50 pct dimple plus quasi-dimple mode of intergranular fracture. In contrast, besides having low content ofR and II, the steel EB1014 displayed “completely embrittled” prior austenite grain boundaries with 100 pct probability for smooth plus quasi-smooth intergranular fracture. The conclusions derived from the microconstituentsR, II and I seemed to reflect the “embrittling” effect of decreased spacings between the pseudo twin related laths and between the lath boundary cementite films, and the “toughening” effect of the randomly oriented laths. Auger spectra obtained from the fracture surface before and after sputtering is analyzed to determine the presence of grain boundary sulfur segregation.     

PMD-Supported Coherent Optical OFDM Systems

Although polarization-mode dispersion (PMD) greatly impairs conventional high-speed single-carrier systems, it is shown that for multicarrier systems such as coherent optical orthogonal frequency-division-multiplexed systems (CO-OFDM), not only does PMD not cause any impairment, but it also provides a benefit of polarization diversity against polarization-dependent-loss-induced fading and consequently improves the system margin. The PMD benefit to fiber nonlinearity reduction in CO-OFDM systems is also predicted     

Linear quadratic Nash game-based tracker for multiparameter singularly perturbed sampled-data systems: digital redesign approach

In this paper, a linear quadratic Nash game-based tracker for multiparameter singularly perturbed sample-data systems is developed. A generalized cross-coupled multiparameter algebraic Riccati equation (GCMARE) with two quadratic cost functions is solved by applying the LQR design methodology for the optimal tracker design. Firstly, the asymptotic expansions of the GCMARE are newly established, and the proposed algorithm is able to effectively solve the GCMARE with the quadratic convergence rate. Then, the low-gain digital controller with a high design performance is realized through the prediction-based digital redesign method. Finally, for further improving the tracking performance, the chaos-evolutionary-programming algorithm (CEPA) is utilized to optimally tune the parameters of the tracker. An example is presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.     

Classification of non-vegetated areas using Formosat-2 high spatiotemporal imagery: the case of Tseng-Wen Reservoir catchment area (Taiwan)

The occurrence of landslides in the catchment area is a potential threat to the water quality and the lifespan of a reservoir. Due to the limitations of spatial coverage in ground surveys and of temporal resolution in aerial photos, it is difficult to monitor such events in the entire catchment area at short intervals. Formosat-2 is the first commercial satellite dedicated to site surveillance with a high-spatial-resolution sensor placed in a daily revisit orbit (2 m in panchromatic and 8 m in multi-spectral). In this research, a new approach is proposed to identify the non-vegetated areas in the multi-temporal and multi-spectral images taken by Formosat-2 by integrating the Getis statistic, the spectral index and the unsupervised K-means classification. With this new approach, we analyse a total of 16 pairs of Formosat-2 images, taken in the catchment area of Tseng-Wen Reservoir from February to December 2006 at an interval of three to four weeks. The results show that newly developed non-vegetated areas are closely related to earthquakes and rainfall. Once the slump material is generated by an earthquake, a comparatively low amount of rainfall will trigger its flushing. However, once the slump material has gone, there are no significant changes in the non-vegetated areas, even with severe weather events such as typhoons or storms. This suggests that the most critical time for protecting the reservoir is right after an earthquake and before the next rain. If the slump material is not managed or removed during this crucial period of time, eventually it will fall into the reservoir. Since the catchment area of Tseng-Wen Reservoir is protected and restricted from access, most of the non-vegetated areas should be closely related to landslides caused by natural processes (such as rainfall or earthquake) rather than man-made processes (such as tree cutting or degradation of vegetation). This research demonstrates the potential of Formosat-2 imagery in monitoring the spatial and temporal variations of landslides in the catchment areas of reservoirs.     

An all-digital phase-locked loop (ADPLL)-based clock recoverycircuit

A new algorithm for all-digital phase-locked loops (ADPLL) with fast acquisition and large pulling range is presented in this paper. Based on the proposed algorithm, portable cell-based implementations for clock recovery with functions of a frequency synthesizer and on-chip clock generator are completed by standard cell. These modules have been designed and verified on a 0.6-μm CMOS process. Test results are summarized as follows: 1) the proposed ADPLL can satisfy full locked bandwidth and fast acquisition within one data transition; 2) the on-chip clock generator can generate any target clock rate f_clock ; and 3) the function of nonreturn-to-zero clock recovery has a maximum f_clock/4 recovering capability with a locking range of (τ_input±τ_input/2)) where τ _input is the input period     

Color‐breakup suppression and low‐power consumption by using the Stencil‐FSC method in field‐sequential LCDs

Abstract— Field‐sequential color (FSC) is a potential technique for low‐power liquid‐crystal displays (LCDs). However, it still experiences a serious visual artifact, color break‐up (CBU), which degrades image quality. Consequently, the “Stencil Field‐Sequential‐Color (Stencil‐FSC)” method, which applies local color‐backlight‐dimming technology at a 240‐Hz field rate to FSC‐LCDs, is proposed. Using the Stencil‐FSC method not only suppressed CBU efficiently but also enhanced the image contrast ratio by using low average power consumption. After backlight signal optimization, the Stencil‐FSC method was demonstrated on a 32‐in. FSC‐LCD and effectively suppressed the CBU, which resulted in more than a 27,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio and less than 40‐W average power consumption.     

A continuous ultrasound‐assisted packed‐bed bioreactor for the lipase‐catalyzed synthesis of caffeic acid phenethyl ester

BACKGROUND: The focus of this paper is the ultrasound‐assisted synthesis of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) from caffeic acid and phenyl ethanol in a continuous packed‐bed bioreactor. Immobilized Novozym^® 435 (from Candida antarctica) is used as the catalyst. A three‐level–three‐factor Box–Behnken design and a response surface methodology (RSM) are employed to evaluate the effects of temperature, flow rate, and ultrasonic power on the percentage molar conversion of CAPE. RESULTS: Based on ridge max analysis, it is concluded that the optimum condition for synthesis is reaction temperature 72.66 °C, flow rate 0.046 mL min^?1, and ultrasonic power 1.64 W cm^?2. The expected molar conversion value is 97.84%. An experiment performed under these optimal conditions resulted in a molar conversion of 92.11 ± 0.75%. The enzyme in the bioreactor was found to be stable for at least 6 days. CONCLUSIONS: The lipase‐catalyzed synthesis of CAPE by an ultrasound‐assisted packed‐bed bioreactor uses mild reaction conditions. Enzymatic synthesis of CAPE is suitable for use in the nutraceutical and food production industries. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Deficiency in collagen and fibronectin phagocytosis by human buccal mucosa fibroblasts in vitro as a possible mechanism for oral submucous fibrosis

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF), a chronic oral mucosal condition commonly found in south Asians, is a disorder characterized by a quantitative as well as a qualitative alteration of collagen deposition within the subepithelial layer of the oral mucosa. Since degradation of collagen by fibroblast phagocytosis is an important pathway for physiological remodelling of soft connective tissues, we have investigated phagocytosis of collagen- and fibronectin-coated latex beads by fibroblast cultures with an in vitro model system. Coated fluorescent latex beads were incubated with human oral mucosa fibroblasts and the fluorescence associated with internalized beads was measured by flow cytometry. Cells from normal tissues that had been incubated with beads for 16 h contained a mean of 75% collagen phagocytic cells and 70% fibronectin phagocytic cells; however, about 15% and 10% of phagocytic cells individually contained more than twice the mean number of beads per cell. In contrast, cells from OSF tissues exhibited a 40% reduction of the proportions of collagen phagocytic cells (mean=35%) and a 48% decrease of the proportions of fibronectin phagocytic cells (mean=22%), none of the cells having a high number of beads as compared to normal fibroblasts. OSF lesions appear to contain fibroblasts with marked deficiencies in collagen and fibronectin phagocytosis. To investigate if inhibition of phagocytosis could be demonstrated in vitro, normal fibroblast cultures were incubated with areca nut alkaloids (arecoline, arecaidine). The cultures had a dose-dependent reduction in the proportions of phagocytic cells. On the other hand, corticosteroid used in the treatment of OSF exhibited a dose-dependent enhancement in the proportion of phagocytic cells. Therefore, our hypothesis for OSF, although oversimplified, is that betel nut alkaloids (arecoline, arecaidine) inhibit fibroblast phagocytosis and this provides a mechanism for the development of OSF. The benefit of a local intralesional injection of corticosteroid is also possibly, at least in part, through an enhancement of fibroblast collagen phagocytosis.