Ethernet-based passive optical local-area networks for fiber-to-the-desk application

We introduce optical local-area network (LAN) architectures based on multimode optical fiber and components, short wavelength lasers and detectors, and the widely used fast Ethernet protocol. These architectures are designed to lower the costs associated with passive optical LAN implementation. Further reduction in overall cost is achieved through decreased network downtime, lower maintenance cost, extended geometrical spans, and larger headroom for future capacity increase. These optically transparent networks represent a novel approach for implementing fiber-to-the-desk.     

Structure determination of CaMgGeO4

The crystal structure of CaMgGeO₄ is described. CaMgGeO₄, M_r = 200.9, orthorhombic, Pnam, A = 11.285(5) Å, B = 5.016(2) Å, C = 6.435(2) Å, V = 364.36 ų, Dx = 3.664 Mg/m³.λ(MoK_a = 0.71069 Å, F(000) = 384, room temperature, final R = 0.045 for 1752 observed reflections. The structure is isomorphous with CaMgSiO₄ (monticellite).     

Assessment of bog-body tissue preservation by pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

Flash pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (py-GC/MS) was used to assess the quality and mechanism of protein preservation in the tissue of Iron Age bog bodies from Lindow, UK, and south-eastern Drenthe, The Netherlands. Abundant pyrolysis products of the fresh skin tissue, including 2,5-diketopiperazines of Pro-Gly, Pro-Ala, Pro-Val, Pro-Pro and Hyp, were readily assigned to specific amino acid or dipeptide moieties. Comparison of the pyrolysates of the bog-body tissues with that of modern samples revealed qualitative similarities suggesting good preservation of the collagen and non-collagenous proteins in the ancient tissues. Examination of the pyrolysates of samples of fresh calf skin, which had been treated with various vegetable tanning agents, clearly revealed markers of non-hydrolysable tannins including 1,2-benzenediol, 1,3-benzenediol and 1,2,3-benzenetriol, although chromatographic quality inevitably diminished with increasing functionalization of the compounds. Such markers were not detected in the pyrolysates of the bog-body tissues. Instead 4-isopropenylphenol, a characteristic pyrolysis product of Sphagnum moss, was detected in both solvent-extracted and base-treated samples of tissue. The presence of 4-isopropenylphenol in the pyrolysates of the bog-body tissues provides evidence that their preservation involves reactions of amino acids with sphagnum acid, and possibly other agents derived from the peat. The study constitutes the first chemical characterization of the pyrolysis products of modern and ancient collagen.     

Upgrading coal-derived liquids to diesel fuel

Distilled fractions of a coal-derived liquid from the H-Coal process were upgraded to diesel fuel by catalytic hydrotreatment. The total hydrotreated products were distilled into naphtha (<180°C) and diesel fuel fractions (>180°C) and the diesel fractions were analysed for hydrocarbon-type composition, hydrogen content and some diesel fuel properties. GC—MS-analyses were carried out on the hydrocarbon-type fractions to identify individual chemical compounds. To investigate the effect of different distillation cut points on diesel fuel yield and properties, cut points for one hydrotreated product were varied. The diesel fuel cetane numbers were correlated with percentage hydrogen, total aromatics and saturates. Cetane numbers above 40 were obtained for diesel fuels containing (i) more than 75% saturates, (ii) less than 15% total aromatics and (iii) a hydrogen content above 12.8%. Compounds identified by GC—MS-analyses (in the diesel fractions) were typical aromatic and cycloparaffin compounds. Normal-and iso-paraffin compounds were not detected. By varying the distillation cut point from 135 to 180°C, the cetane number of the residual diesel fraction improved from 37 to 44. This increase is ascribed to the removal of aromatic compounds in the 135–180°C boiling point range.