Proposal for All-Optical Generation of Ultra-Wideband Impulse Radio Signals in Mach–Zehnder Interferometer With Quantum-Dot Optical Amplifier

We developed a theoretical analysis of a novel method of ultra-wideband impulse radio signals all-optical generation based on cross-phase modulation and cross-gain modulation in a nonsymmetric integrated Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) containing quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifier. The proposed method is promising due to the advantages of compact, easily controlled, and low energy integrated MZI structures as compared to optical fiber systems.     

Voltage Unbalance Mitigation in Low Voltage Distribution Networks with Photovoltaic Systems

This paper proposes a technique to mitigate the voltage unbalance issue caused by the high penetration of photovoltaic(PV) systems into the low voltage distribution networks(LVDN) using a single phase energy storage system(ESS).The ESS comprises a bi-directional power flow inverter and a battery bank.The system is capable of absorbing the excess power and delivering power to the network in order to keep the voltage unbalance factor(VUF) below the statutory limit of 1%.Investigations are carried out in the experimental small-scale energy zone(SSEZ).The experimental results demonstrate that the ESS is capable of mitigating the VUF of the network.     

Reflections on methods of statistical inference in research on the effect of safety countermeasures

Sensible management of traffic safety is predicated on having reasonable expectations about the effect of various safety countermeasures. It is the role of evaluative research to derive such intelligence from empirical data. In spite of decades of research and experience, the safety effect of many countermeasures remains unknown. This sorry state of affairs is largely due to the objective difficulty of conducting conclusive experiments. Recognition of this objective difficulty should lead to the realization that in transport safety, knowledge is accumulated gradually from small, noisy and diverse experiments. The statistical tools used to extract knowledge from data should reflect this aspect of reality. One must therefore question the usefulness of classical tests of significance as a device for scientific progress in this field. It is argued that the unquestioning and all-pervasive use of significance testing in evaluative research on transport safety amounts to a self-inflicted learning disability. In contrast, it is shown that classical Point Estimation. Likelihood-Support and Bayesian methods can all make good use of experimental evidence which comes in small doses. In particular, the likelihood function is an efficient device for the accumulation of objective information and a necessary ingredient for Bayesian decision analysis.     

Traffic conflicts and exposure

The concepts “unit of exposure” and “conflict” have proven difficult to tell apart. This paper shows that when conflicts are used to measure safety and exposure is used to estimate risk, the two concepts are diametrically opposed. Conflicts can not be used to measure exposure and vice versa. The last part of the paper is devoted to the elucidation of the concept “exposure”.     

Pea Aphids, Acyrthosiphon Pisum, Suppress Induced Plant Volatiles in Broad Bean, Vicia Faba

Plants defend themselves against herbivory through several means, including the production of airborne volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These VOCs benefit plants by attracting natural enemies of their herbivores. The pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum, is able to feed on its host plant, Vicia faba, without inducing detectable changes in plant VOC emission. Levels of VOCs emission are not significantly different between control plants and those fed upon by aphids for up to 5 days. Using a second herbivore, the beet armyworm caterpillar, Spodoptera exigua, we demonstrate that several expected caterpillar-induced VOCs are reduced when co-infested with pea aphids, thus demonstrating that pea aphids have the ability to inhibit the release of certain VOCs. This study shows, for the first time, that aphids not only avoid triggering plant volatile emission, but also can actively inhibit herbivore-induced volatiles.     

Circadian Release of Male-Specific Components of the Greater Date Moth,Aphomia (Arenipses) Sabella,Using Sequential SPME/GC/MS Analysis

The greater date moth (GDM), Aphomia sabella Hampson (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae: Galleriinae), is a serious pest of date palms, Phoenix dactylifera. The release of volatiles from both males and females was investigated using sequential SPME/GC/MS analysis. Males release a complex mixture of compounds in a circadian rhythm during the night between 03:00 and 05:00 hr. Six compounds were identified: benzaldehyde, sulcatol (6-methyl-5-hepten-2-ol), geranyl acetone [(E)-6,10-dimethyl-5,9-undecadien-2-one], phenylacetaldehyde, 2-phenylpropenal, and (R)-fuscumol [(R)-(E)-6, 10-dimethyl-5, 9-undecadien-2-ol]. Benzaldehyde, sulcatol, and geranyl acetone were found only in trace amounts. These compounds were in glands located in the forewing of males only. Small amounts of acetoin and 2,3-butanediol were found sporadically in the SPME/GC/MS analyses of volatiles from females, and these compounds probably originate from microorganisms. This is the first finding of a circadian release of male-specific compounds in moths. GC/EAD analyses with synthetic standards of compounds released by males showed that the female antenna is stimulated by all six compounds, while the male antenna responded only to phenylacetaldehyde. A possible pheromonal role for the male-specific compounds is suggested by the circadian rhythm of their release and the EAD response of females to them. However, trapping tests with the main male-specific compounds in screen cages in the laboratory or in the field did not reveal any significant behavioral responses from females or males. Copulation in the laboratory was observed only in the presence of date palm tissue, thus suggesting that sexual communication and mating of GDM moths probably occurs in the crown of date palms.     

Engineering biodegradable polymer blends containing flame retardant-coated starch/nanoparticles

We have shown that the addition of resorcinol di(phenyl phosphate) (RDP)-coated starch can improve the compatibility to either Ecoflex or poly(lactic acid) (PLA). The increased compatibilization enhanced the tensile properties such as yield strength and impact toughness. In particular, we examined the effect of addition of RDP-coated starch on thermal responses of a blend of Ecoflex/PLA. We found that the combination of RDP-coated starches with nanoclays could render the blends self-extinguishing since they are formed as a shell-like chars on the exposure surface against heat, which can prevent the melt polymers against dripping. With an examination on the scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) images of the blends, the Ecoflex domains were well dispersed in the PLA matrix, while the domains became smaller when the RDP-coated starch was added. Moreover, we demonstrated that the introduction of either flat-like or tube-like clays could provide an increase of interfacial area on the RDP-coated starch surfaces, where each polymer chain preferentially segregates to either the starch or the clay surface. Thus, large complex in-situ grafts with polymers can be formed at the interfaces. Additionally, the complex in-situ grafts could influence flammability of the blends. We have shown that the addition of RDP-coated clays can decrease the mass loss rate of Ecoflex/Starch blends, while a lot of nanofiber are formed on the chars surface, which are entangled each other with the clay platelets. The mechanical properties of the chars structures were examined by nano-indentation, where a good elastic chars formation could keep the internal pressures built up with decomposed gases from melt polymers as well as ductility of the chars could play an important role on releasing the internal gases through small vents on its surface, steadily where a good elastic and ductile chars formation could require keeping the internal pressures built up with decomposed gases from melt polymers.     

Inactivation and surface interactions of MS-2 bacteriophage in a TiO2 photoelectrocatalytic reactor

Inactivation of MS-2 bacteriophage in a TiO₂ photoelectrocatalytic system was evaluated, wherein TiO₂ particles were coated onto an indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode and an electrical potential was applied under black light blue (BLB) irradiation. MS-2 phage inactivation was greatly enhanced by anodic potential, whereas cathodic potential completely inhibited inactivation. Experiments performed with radical scavengers showed that inactivation was primarily caused by hydroxyl radicals, both in the bulk phase and on the TiO₂ surface. Application of positive potential to the electrode was found to result in two distinct beneficial effects: (i) electrostatic attraction between the negatively charged viral capsid and catalyst surface, causing improved usage of surface-bound hydroxyl radical, in comparison to conventional TiO₂ photocatalytic disinfection; and (ii) higher reactive oxygen species production. Results also suggest that inactivation of various microorganisms including Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus subtilis spores and Cryptosporidium parvum oocyst was enhanced via positive potential induction to TiO₂.     

Discussion on the influence of DES content in CA-based polymer electrolytes

The degree of crystallinity in the matrix formed by cellulose acetate (CA) and lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) were reduced by embedding with deep eutectic solvent (DES) which is a type of ionic mixture synthesized from choline chloride and urea in a specific ratio. The fabrications of thin films were done by solution casting technique. The sample with composition of CA:LiTFSI:DES (28 wt%:12 wt%:60 wt%) appears as the highest conducting sample with the calculated value of 2.61 × 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹ at ambient temperature. This high conducting sample possesses low relative viscosity so as to have high ion fluidity of 0.19. SEM micrographs were used to study the structural alternation that took place in the presence of DES at different ratio in the polymer electrolytes matrix. The dielectric loss tangent plot reveals the low relaxation time for high conducting sample which has immense movements of lithium conducting ion (Li⁺). The enhancement in the ionic conductivity of the DES plasticized samples with temperature obeys Arrhenius rule.