Centroid virtual coordinates – A novel near-shortest path routing paradigm

Geographic routing has received increasing attention in the context of Wireless Sensor Networks since it frees the network from the energy-demanding task of building and maintaining a structure. It requires however each node to know its position, which may be a prohibitive assumption for many applications. To this end, some prior work has focused on inferring a node’s location from a set of location-aware anchor nodes.In this work, we free ourselves from positioning techniques and anchor nodes altogether, and introduce and analyze the concept of virtual coordinates. These coordinates are chosen randomly when a node is switched on, and are updated each time the node relays a packet. As this process goes on, the virtual coordinates of the nodes converge to a near-optimal state. When using a greedy geographic approach on top of these coordinates, we show that the number of hops to reach the destination exceeds the shortest path by a few percent only. Moreover, our approach guarantees delivery even when nodes appear/disappear in the network, and under realistic transmission models.We analytically prove the correctness of our protocol. Moreover, extensive simulations are used to show that our position-free solution outperforms existing geographic protocols – such as Greedy-Face-Greedy (GFG) or Greedy Perimeter Stateless Routing (GPSR) – in terms of energy-efficiency, path length and robustness.     

Land degradation and erosion risk mapping by fusion of spectrally-based information and digital geomorphometric attributes

The Guadalentin basin, located in the SE of Spain, has a semiarid climate and presents typical characteristics of Mediterranean landscapes vulnerable to land degradation processes and desertification risks. In such an environment, when the vegetation cover is low, the signal received by satellites is dominated by the spectral properties of soils. Changes in these properties can be interpreted in terms of varying soil surface conditions. These optical changes underline the major modifications affecting soil surface under land degradation processes. The present research uses remote sensing techniques to characterise land degradation based on two approaches: spectral mixture analysis and a set of indices describing the spectrum shape. It also presents an integrated approach for evaluating ecosystem vulnerability to land degradation, through the combined analysis of spectrally-derived land units and geomorphometric units. Specific objectives consist of evaluating the potential of extending the indices describing the spectrum shape to the short-wave infrared region, and of identifying landscape units according to their sensitivity to land degradation. Our results demonstrate that the spatial distribution of regional patterns of land degradation can be reliably mapped by using both indices describing the spectrum shape and spectral unmixing. The latter holds great potential for operational mapping of soil conditions and erosion features from optical images. Moreover, landscape-unit analysis shows that DEM (Digital Elevation Model) variables combined with spectral information are very useful for land degradation assessment. This approach allowed us to segment the landscape into different units according to their lithology and vegetation characteristics, as well as their susceptibility to water erosion.     

Capillary electrophoresis and contactless conductivity detection of ions in narrow inner diameter capillaries

Capillary electrophoresis and conductometry represent a combination of a high-resolution separation method with a sensitive detection principle for the analysis of ionic species. In this paper, results are reported that are obtained with a contactless conductivity detector. This device works without a galvanic contact of the electrolyte and the electrodes. The conductivity sensor is based on two metal tubes that act as cylindrical capacitors. These electrodes are both placed around a fused-silica capillary with a detection gap of 1 mm left in between. When a high audio or low ultrasonic oscillation frequency between 40 and 100 kHz is applied to one of the electrodes, a signal is produced as soon as an analyte zone with a different conductivity compared to the background electrolyte passes the detection gap. An amplifier and rectifier is connected to the other electrode where the signal is further processed. Limits of detection for lithium and fluoride are 4 and 13 ppb, respectively, with a linear range over 4 orders of magnitude from 90 ppb up to more than 1000 ppm for both anions and cations. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that for species with lower equivalent conductivities, such as organic ions, indirect conductivity detection is a sensitive alternative to indirect optical detection methods. Limits of detection of 50 ppb and below are obtained for organic acids.     

The wetting behavior of alkanes on water

This paper presents recent experimental and theoretical results concerning the wetting behavior of n-alkanes on water as a function of thermodynamic conditions (i.e., temperature, pressure, etc.). The transition from lenses to a macroscopically thick film, that takes place when the temperature is increased, occurs for n-alkanes on water in a manner very different from that encountered in other fluid systems. For n-pentane on water, ellipsometric measurements reveal that the growth of the pentane layer to a macroscopically thick film occurs in a continuous manner, for a temperature (≈53°C) corresponding to a change in the sign of the Hamaker constant. A theoretical approach based on the Cahn–Landau theory, which takes into account long-range (van der Waals) forces, enables us to explain the mechanism of this continuous wetting transition. This transition is preceded (at a lower temperature) by a discontinuous transition from a thin film (of adsorbed molecules) to a thick (but not macroscopically thick) film. The latter transition was not visible for pentane on water (it should occur below the freezing temperature for water), but we expect to observe it for longer alkanes (e.g., hexane) on water. Work is underway to examine the wetting behavior of oil/brine systems more representative of reservoir conditions.     

Upconversion Nanocarriers Encapsulated with Photoactivatable Ru Complexes for Near‐Infrared Light‐Regulated Enzyme Activity

Enzyme activity is important for metabolism, cell functions, and treating diseases. However, remote control of enzyme activity in deep tissue remains a challenge. This study demonstrates near‐infrared (NIR) light‐regulated enzyme activity in living cells based on upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs) and a photoactivatable Ru complex. The Ru complex is a caged enzyme inhibitor that can be activated by blue light. To prepare a nanocarrier for NIR photoinhibition of enzyme activity, a UCNP and the caged enzyme inhibitors are encapsulated in a hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticle. In such a nanocarrier, the UCNP can harvest NIR light and convert it into blue light, which can activate the caged enzyme inhibitors. This photoactivation process is feasible in deep tissue because of the tissue penetration ability of NIR light. The nanocarrier is compatible to LNCaP, PC3, and SAOS‐2 cells, which show high enzyme expression. NIR irradiation induces release of the inhibitors and inhibition of enzyme activity in living cells. NIR light provides high spatiotemporal resolution to regulate enzyme activity in deep tissue.     

Monolithic porous polymer layer for the separation of peptides and proteins using thin-layer chromatography coupled with MALDI-TOF-MS

Plates for thin-layer chromatography (TLC) with an attached layer of porous polymer monolith have been prepared and used for the separation of small molecules, peptides, and proteins. The 50-200-mum. thin poly(butyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) layers were prepared in situ using UV-initiated polymerization. Precise control of the reaction conditions enables the preparation of monolithic layers with a well-defined porous structure that determines the chromatographic performance. Compared to conventional TLC and high-performance TLC using precoated layers based on silica, the small layer thickness and absence of any binder is expected to improve both retention characteristics and separation efficiency of the polymer-based monolithic thin-layer chromatographic plates. Spots of the separated compounds were first detected using typical UV imaging. Since the monolithic thin layers can be also prepared directly on the stainless steel MALDI carrier plate, the separation in TLC format can be coupled with MALDI-TOF-MS. Application of a conventional MALDI matrix facilitated desorption and ionization of peptides and proteins for molecular weight determination of the separated compounds.     

Requirements for stress gradient‐based fatigue assessment of notched structures according to theory of critical distance

Notches, local stress raisers within structural components, are one of the most important locations for fatigue crack initiation. It is well known that fatigue is governed by the effective stresses in the vicinity of notches. Within this study, differences in prediction accuracy between different types of theory of critical distance methods, that is, point and line methods, are systematically investigated in conjunction with a sensitivity study regarding mesh refinement, assumed strength hypothesis and material behaviour. For this purpose, a finite element analysis parameter study on notched structures is performed and recommendations for the application of stress gradient methods are presented. Difference in effective stress of up to 30%, and hence a significant difference in fatigue life (e.g., 185% for a slope of S‐N curve of k = 4), is found for typical notch shapes, for example, in welded joints.     

Contactless conductivity detection for capillary electrophoresis

A contactless capacitively coupled conductivity detector for capillary electrophoresis is introduced. The detector consists of two electrodes which are placed cylindrically around the outer polyimide coating of the fused-silica capillary with a detection gap of 2 mm. The electrodes form a cylindrical capacitor, and the electric conductivity of the solution in the gap between the electrodes is measured. A high audio or low ultrasonic frequency for coupling of the ac voltage is used in order to minimize the influence of reactance of the liquid. For an improved version of the detector, two syringe cannulas are used as the electrodes and the capillary is simply assembled into the tubing. This allows an easy placement of the detector on various positions along the capillary. The limit of detection of inorganic cations and anions is 200 ppb, as determined for sodium and chloride, respectively.     

Quantifying Polaron Formation and Charge Carrier Cooling in Lead‐Iodide Perovskites

Notwithstanding the success of lead‐halide perovskites in emerging solar energy conversion technologies, many of the fundamental photophysical phenomena in this material remain debated. Here, the initial steps following photogeneration of free charge carriers in lead‐iodide perovskites are studied, and timescales of charge carrier cooling and polaron formation, as a function of temperature and charge carrier excess energy, are quantified. It is found, using terahertz time‐domain spectroscopy (THz‐TDS), that the observed femtosecond rise in the photoconductivity can be described very well using a simple model of sequential charge carrier cooling and polaron formation. For excitation above the bandgap, the carrier cooling time depends on the charge carrier excess energy and lattice temperature, with cooling rates varying between 1 and 6 meV fs^?1, depending on the cation. While carrier cooling depends on the cation, polaron formation occurs within ≈400 fs in CH₃NH₃PbI₃ (MAPbI₃), CH(NH₂)₂PbI₃ (FAPbI₃), and CsPbI₃. Its formation time is independent of temperature between 160 and 295 K. The very similar polaron formation dynamics observed for the three perovskites points to the critical role of the inorganic lattice, rather than the cations, for polaron formation.     

Review of Health consequences of abuse in the family: A clinical guide for evidence-based practice.

Reviews the book, Health consequences of abuse in the family: A clinical guide for evidence-based practice, edited by Kathleen A. Kendall-Tackett (see record 2003-88342-000). This book is a comprehensive clinical guide that stresses the necessity of assessing and understanding the effects of abuse on physical health. Each chapter succinctly captures unique issues relevant to the assessment and treatment of abuse with at-risk populations (e.g., children with disabilities, battered women, those with traumatic brain injuries, elderly individuals, and minority women). The book gives thoughtful consideration to the barriers in assessing abuse and provides insightful suggestions on how to overcome those obstacles. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)