Prototype of fault adaptive embedded software for large-scale real-time systems

This paper describes a comprehensive prototype of large-scale fault adaptive embedded software developed for the proposed Fermilab BTeV high energy physics experiment. Lightweight self-optimizing agents embedded within Level 1 of the prototype are responsible for proactive and reactive monitoring and mitigation based on specified layers of competence. The agents are self-protecting, detecting cascading failures using a distributed approach. Adaptive, reconfigurable, and mobile objects for reliablility are designed to be self-configuring to adapt automatically to dynamically changing environments. These objects provide a self-healing layer with the ability to discover, diagnose, and react to discontinuities in real-time processing. A generic modeling environment was developed to facilitate design and implementation of hardware resource specifications, application data flow, and failure mitigation strategies. Level 1 of the planned BTeV trigger system alone will consist of 2500 DSPs, so the number of components and intractable fault scenarios involved make it impossible to design an ‘expert system’ that applies traditional centralized mitigative strategies based on rules capturing every possible system state. Instead, a distributed reactive approach is implemented using the tools and methodologies developed by the Real-Time Embedded Systems group.     

Liquid Phase Selective Catalytic Oxidation of Oleic Acid to Azelaic Acid Using Air and Transition Metal Acetate Bromide Complex

Industrially important di‐carboxylic acids are synthesized from mono‐carboxylic unsaturated and unsaturated fatty acids. In this study, the aim is to perform the simultaneous catalytic oxidative C=C cleavage of oleic acid (OA) to azelaic acid and pelargonic acid, and oxidation of the terminal methyl group in pelargonic acid to azelaic acid using cobalt‐ and manganese‐acetate as catalyst, hydrogen bromide as co‐catalyst and air in acetic acid at elevated pressure (2.8–5.8 barg) and temperature (353–383 K). Oxygen solubility is determined under varying pressure, temperature and OA loading. The effect of OA loading, pressure and temperature on OA conversion and azelaic acid selectivity is studied by varying one variable at a time; however, the presence of the synergistic effect of the catalyst and co‐catalyst is investigated by central composite design assisted response surface methodology. Oxidation of terminal methyl group in saturated fatty acid is also confirmed by the oxidation of stearic acid to octadecanedioic acid using identical oxidation conditions of OA. Oxidation products of fatty acids are quantified by gas chromatographic analysis. The innovation of the work is thus the ability of the catalytic system to perform a total oxidation of a terminal methyl group of the hydrocarbon chain. OA oxidation kinetics relating to catalyst and co‐catalyst concentration along with oxygen solubility at elevated temperature and pressure is established. The frequency factor and activation energy for OA oxidation is determined using the Arrhenius equation.     

Revelation of graphene-Au for direct write deposition and characterization

Graphene nanosheets were prepared using a modified Hummer''s method, and Au-graphene nanocomposites were fabricated by in situ reduction of a gold salt. The as-produced graphene was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). In particular, the HR-TEM demonstrated the layered crystallites of graphene with fringe spacing of about 0.32 nm in individual sheets and the ultrafine facetted structure of about 20 to 50 nm of Au particles in graphene composite. Scanning helium ion microscopy (HIM) technique was employed to demonstrate direct write deposition on graphene by lettering with gaps down to 7 nm within the chamber of the microscope. Bare graphene and graphene-gold nanocomposites were further characterized in terms of their composition and optical and electrical properties.     

Role of plant volatiles in resistance of selected rice varieties to brown planthopper,Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) (Homoptera: Delphacidae)

Rice plant volatiles extracted as steam distillates significantly affected the behavior and biology of the brown planthopper,Nilaparvata lugens (Stål). In a multichoice test, more females settled and fed on tillers of a susceptible rice variety Taichung Native 1 (TN1), sprayed with its own extract or acetone than on TN1 tillers sprayed with the extract of the resistant variety ARC6650 or Ptb33. In another test,N. lugens females ingested significantly more of a 10% sucrose solution mixed with TN1 steam distillate extract than of plain sucrose solution or that mixed with extracts of resistant varieties. Topical application of the extracts of resistant varieties Mudgo, ASD7, Rathu Heenati, Babawee, Ptb33, and ARC6650 caused significantly higher mortality of females than did the TN1 extract. Likewise, significantly more first-instar nymphs died when they were caged on susceptible TN1 plants sprayed with the extracts of resistant varieties than on plants sprayed with TN1 extract. The extract of 60-day-old resistant plants was more toxic than the extract of 30-, 45-, or 100-day-old plants. However, toxicity of the extract from susceptible TN1 remained low at all plant growth stages.Principal Research Scientist (ICIPE), based at International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), P.O. Box 933, Manila, Philippines.     

Effect of hexachlorocyclohexane on hsp26 expression in transgenic Drosophila melanogaster

The type and amount of lipophilic antioxidants in plasma of hyperlipidemic patients are of great importance since they play a central role in preventing deleterious oxidation of blood lipids and proteins. Isolation and quantitation of lipophilic antioxidants from hyperlipidemic plasma samples meet great obstacles because of increased levels of various intermediary lipid products. This study was designed to develop a rapid and efficient extraction and separation procedure for simultaneous analysis of ubiquinone-9 and -10 as well as alpha-, delta-, and gamma-tocopherol isomers. The levels of ubiquinone-10, alpha- and gamma-tocopherol were analyzed in human plasma samples using high-performance liquid chromatography. Lipid extraction was performed by petroleum ether/methanol/water. After phase separation, ubiquinone was reduced to ubiquinol by sodium borohydride and the lipids were separated on a C18 column. A binary gradient with solvents containing lithium perchlorate was used, and an electrochemical detector was employed for quantitation. This procedure was also efficient for the analysis of antioxidant lipids in samples containing a large number of accumulated and interfering lipid intermediates. Thus, the procedure described here is useful for efficient and rapid quantitation of ubiquinones and tocopherols in human plasma samples, especially those originating from hyperlipidemic patients.     

Acute diarrhea as a leading symptom of ganglioneuroblastoma

Although prophylaxis with antibiotics cannot avoid all cases of infectious endocarditis, it remains the main approach capable of reducing the frequency of this severe disease. It consists in using an adapted antibiotic cover in situations exposing to bacteraemia in patients at-risk with known cardiopathy. In France, recommendations have been established by a consensus conference in 1992. The fact that the incidence of this infection has not decreased merits recalling these recommendations.     

Stability of bipolarons in conjugated polymers

The bipolarons appear to be the main entity for charge collection in conducting polymers. But their existence is challenged by the Coulomb repulsion. We study the stability of a bipolaron (BP) as a function of the strength of the long range Coulomb interaction U with and without impurities for both weak and strong electron-phonon coupling (). We find that in a free state the BP is stable only for small values of U for the weak coupling limit but stays stable until relatively large U in the strong coupling case. Being bound to a dopant, the bipolaron becomes stable in a wide range of U. Free BPs near the metal-polymer contact also are stabilized due to a screening by image charges. These results are important for charge injection at polymer-metal interfaces in the context of organic light-emitting diodes.