Use of Salt Baths in the Temperature Range from 175?��C to 540?��C with Uncertainties of Less than 30?m��C

Calibration of thermometers in the temperature range from ?80 °C to 550 °C requires liquid baths; alcohol, water, silicon oil, salt baths and dry block furnaces. In this study, the use of salt baths outside of their usual range of 250 °C to 540 °C for calibrating thermometers in the range between 175 °C and 250 °C is proposed. The calibration range from 150 °C to 250 °C is usually covered by an oil bath, but utilizing a salt bath saves calibration time and resources, improves stability and homogeneity, allows longer term usage of the liquid, and reduces hazardous chemical vapors evaporated at temperatures above 175 °C. This proposal is based on a study of the uncertainty contributions at varying salt bath temperatures in the range from 175 °C to 540 °C which was carried out in this study. Results achieved and analyzed in this study indicate that the implementation of salt baths in this lower temperature range provides opportunities to calibrate reference and/or working thermometers with an uncertainty below 30 m°C, almost the same as the oil-bath uncertainty in the range of 175 °C to 250 °C. The main components of uncertainty contributed by a salt bath over this temperature range are discussed in this study.     

Application of economical models for dye removal from aqueous solutions: cash flow,cost–benefit,and alternative selection methods

Although there are numerous adsorption studies performed by using various adsorbents, there is no deterministic knowledge about selection of appropriate adsorbent type from present alternatives. In order to evaluate the advantages of the selected adsorbent species mathematically, researchers may use economical models such as cash flow diagrams, cost–benefit analyses, and alternative selection methods. In spite of the fact that these models have been used in many other engineering branches they are rarely applied in environmental research. In this study we have aimed to investigate usability of the mentioned economical models in adsorption of reactive azo dyes from aqueous solutions. Activated ash, a waste material, and commercial granular activated carbon were decided to be adsorbent alternatives. By applying economical models appropriate adsorbent type was selected considering both adsorption efficiencies and economical conditions. Although similar tendencies were monitored in cash flow diagrams; considering the amount of expenses activated ash exhibited remarkable advantages compared to granular activated carbon. Furthermore, results of cost–benefit analyses showed that activated ash has been advantageous when total costs and profits were evaluated together. Results of this study suggest usage of these economical models even in adsorption studies in order to provide accurate information on the selection of appropriate adsorbent type. These methods enable evaluation of economical conditions, which is generally neglected, together with the obtained removal efficiencies.     

Design and optimization of high-speed resonant cavity enhancedSchottky photodiodes

Resonant cavity enhanced (RCE) photodiodes (PD's) are promising candidates for applications in optical communications and interconnects where high-speed high-efficiency photodetection is desirable. In RCE structures, the electrical properties of the photodetector remain mostly unchanged; however, the presence of the microcavity causes wavelength selectivity accompanied by a drastic increase of the optical field at the resonant wavelengths. The enhanced optical field allows to maintain a high efficiency for faster transit-time limited PD's with thinner absorption regions. The combination of an RCE detection scheme with Schottky PD's allows for the fabrication of high-performance photodetectors with relatively simple material structures and fabrication processes. In top-illuminated RCE Schottky PD's, a semitransparent Schottky contact can also serve as the top reflector of the resonant cavity. We present theoretical and experimental results on spectral and high-speed properties of GaAs-AlAs-InGaAs RCE Schottky PD's designed for 900-nm wavelength     

The effect of octreotide on wound healing: an in vitro and in vivo experimental study

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of octreotide on wound healing. DESIGN: Experimental studies in vitro and in rats. SETTING: Teaching hospital, Israel. MATERIAL: Cultured human diploid fetal fibroblasts, and 36 male Wistar rats. INTERVENTIONS: Octreotide was added to cultures of fibroblasts in doses of 2, 10, 30, 60 and 120 ng/ml and fibroblasts were counted after 2, 4, and 6 days. Intestinal anastomoses were made in 36 rats. Rats in the octreotide group (n = 18) were given subcutaneous injections of 0.25 microg/kg twice daily and 6 rats were killed at 3, 7, and 14 days. The control group were given injections of saline. Anastomotic bursting pressures and hydroxyproline content were measured at each of the three times. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Fibroblast counts, anastomotic bursting pressures, and hydroxyproline concentrations. RESULTS: Octreotide did not inhibit fibroblast proliferation in any of the doses at any of the time periods. The anastomotic bursting pressure was slightly higher in the octreotide group at each of the time points, but not significantly so, and there was no difference in hydroxyproline content between the octreotide and control groups. Octreotide did not inhibit wound healing either in vitro or in vivo.     

A Novel Cross-layer Routing Protocol for Increasing Packet Transfer Reliability in Mobile Sensor Networks

In mobile sensor networks (MSNs), sensor data is generally transferred via mobile sensor nodes by multi-hop fashion. Because of the mobility of the nodes in the network, the efficient routing protocols are needed to ensure end-to-end route reliability while incurring minimal power consumption and packet delay. In this study, we developed a new routing protocol to meet these requirements for MSNs based on a cross-layer interaction among five reference layers (application, transport, network, MAC and physical). The proposed protocol primarily exploits the idea of interaction among these five layers all-in-one protocol. Its primary goals are (i) to discover the most reliable route in network, (ii) to sustain the route reliability and (iii) to be energy efficient and delay aware. It has been designed, modeled and simulated by using OPNET Modeler simulation software. The simulation results of the proposed protocol have been compared to three well known routing protocols (i.e., AODV, Leach-Mobile, CBR-Mobile). According to the obtained results, the proposed protocol outperforms its counterparts in terms of route reliability and end-to-end delay performances.     

Organic semiconductor-based photonic crystals for solar cell arrays: band gap and optical properties

Photonic crystals (PCs) hold great potential for designing new optical devices because of the possibility of the manipulation of light with PCs. There has been an increase in research on tuning the optical properties of PCs to design devices. We design organic semiconductor-based PC structures and calculate optical properties using the plane wave expansion method and finite-difference time-domain method in an air background for a hexagonal lattice. We showed the possibility of the solar cell arrays for a 2D PC cavity on an organic semiconductor base infiltrated with a nematic liquid crystal. E7 type has been used as a nematic liquid crystal and 4,4′-Bis[4-(diphenylamino) styryl]biphenyl as an organic semiconductor material.     

Statistical evaluation of the damage potential of earthquake ground motions

This study focuses on the damage potential of earthquake ground motions based on the inelastic dynamic response of equivalent single degree of freedom structures. Their yield resistances are selected in accordance with seismic design codes. An index accounting for the accumulation of damage due to inelastic excursions is used to represent structural damage. A set of 94 ground motions are employed for this analysis, which are all scaled to the same peak ground acceleration of 0.4 g. Earthquake ground motions are classified with respect to both the ratio of peak velocity to peak acceleration (V/A ratio) and their effective excitation duration. The effect of these parameters on damage potential is investigated by using sensitivity analysis and probabilistic techniques. It is concluded that both V/A ratio and effective duration significantly influence the damage potential of earthquake ground motions, although they are not represented appropriately by the spectral definitions of earthquake excitations in seismic design codes.     

EFFECT OF FINE SOLID PARTICLES ON GAS-LIQUID MASS TRANSFER RATE IN A SLURRY REACTOR

The influence of suspended fine particles of differing adsorbing capacity (activated carbon, avicell cellulose, SiO₂, and molecular sieves) on the liquid-film mass transfer coefficient κ_L, was examined experimentally in a stirred cell of well-defined gas-liquid interfacial area by chemical methods. The greatest effect on κ_L was observed with the activated carbon (about a threefold increase). An addition of glycerine in excess of 2.5 × 10^-3 k mol/m³, which was adsorbed on the particles preferentially, removed this increase in κ_L totally. Amongst other particles, only avicell cellulose showed measureable effects. The increase in κ_L values was inversely proportional to the temperature and the stirring speed, and the particle loading was found to be immaterial after a certain value. When the reaction rate increased (hence, when the thickness of dissolved gas-rich layer decreased) by gradual addition of a homogeneous catalyst (i.e. Co⁺⁺ for sulphite oxidation), the effect of particles on κ_L decreased and eventually it disappeared.