Overview of DWDM/ODC Project

Abstract

This article introduces the main achievements resulting from the DWDM/ODC project. The five areas of research activity within the DWDM/ODC project cover some of the main issues of design and development of dense wavelength division multiplexing systems for transparent optical networks. These issues are: performance assessment with arbitrary optical filtering; performance of signaling formats; dispersion compensation strategies for directly and externally modulated systems in presence of nonlinear transmission-induced degradation; and the impact of noise and crosstalk in the extent of transparent optical networks. All five areas of research activity have contributed significantly to a better understanding of the limitations present in dense wavelength division multiplexing systems.     

Dynamic kinetic resolution of 2-methyl-2-nitrocyclohexanol: Combining the intramolecular nitroaldol (Henry) reaction & lipase-catalysed resolution

Efforts to combine the intramolecular nitroaldol reaction with lipase-catalysed resolution of the resulting nitroaldol adduct in a one-pot dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) are described. Significant challenges were encountered in the combination of the two systems. trans-2-Methyl-2-nitrocyclohexyl acetate (±)-3b was isolated in excellent enantiopurity (>98% ee) via a sequential DKR sequence where the lipase-mediated resolution and base-mediated interconversion of 2-methyl-2-nitrocyclohexanol 2 were effected alternately, demonstrating the feasibility of this approach initially. Further work showed, for the first time, evidence that a DKR-type system is possible for 2. Reaction engineering allowed the design of a sequential one-pot reaction system which furnished the products with excellent enantioselectivity, and good diastereoselectivity.     

Fusion around the barrier for 7Li+12C

Fusion cross-sections for the ⁷Li + ¹²C reaction have been measured at energies above the Coulomb barrier by the direct detection of evaporation residues. The heavy evaporation residues with energies below 3 MeV could not be separated out from the α-particles in the spectrum and hence their contribution was estimated using statistical model calculations. The present work indicates that suppression of fusion cross-sections due to the breakup of ⁷Li may not be significant for ⁷Li + ¹²C reaction at energies around the barrier.     

Antibacterial Activity of Biosynthesized Selenium Nanoparticles Using Extracts of Calendula officinalis against Potentially Clinical Bacterial Strains

The use of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) in the biomedical area has been increasing as an alternative to the growing bacterial resistance to antibiotics. In this research, SeNPs were synthesized by green synthesis using ascorbic acid (AsAc) as a reducing agent and methanolic extract of Calendula officinalis L. flowers as a stabilizer. Characterization of SeNPs was performed by UV-vis spectrophotometry, infrared spectrophotometry (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. SeNPs of 40–60 nm and spherical morphologies were obtained. The antibacterial activity of marigold extracts and fractions was evaluated by disk diffusion methodology. The evaluation of SeNPs at different incubation times was performed through the colony-forming unit (CFU) count, in both cases against Serratia marcescens, Enterobacter cloacae, and Alcaligenes faecalis bacteria. Partial antibacterial activity was observed with methanolic extracts of marigold leaves and flowers and total inhibition with SeNPs from 2 h for S. marcescens, 1 h for E. cloacae, and 30 min for A. faecalis. In addition, SeNPs were found to exhibit antioxidant activity. The results indicate that SeNPs present a potentiated effect of both antimicrobial and antioxidant activity compared to the individual use of marigold extracts or sodium selenite (Na₂SeO₃). Their application emerges as an alternative for the control of clinical pathogens.     

IMRT treatment planning for prostate cancer using prioritized prescription optimization and mean-tail-dose functions

Treatment planning for intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is challenging due to both the size of the computational problems (thousands of variables and constraints) and the multi-objective, imprecise nature of the goals. We apply hierarchical programming to IMRT treatment planning. In this formulation, treatment planning goals/objectives are ordered in an absolute hierarchy, and the problem is solved from the top-down such that more important goals are optimized in turn. After each objective is optimized, that objective function is converted into a constraint when optimizing lower-priority objectives. We also demonstrate the usefulness of a linear/quadratic formulation, including the use of mean-tail-dose (mean dose to the hottest fraction of a given structure), to facilitate computational efficiency. In contrast to the conventional use of dose-volume constraints (no more than x% volume of a structure should receive more than y dose), the mean-tail-dose formulation ensures convex feasibility spaces and convex objective functions. To widen the search space without seriously degrading higher priority goals, we allowed higher priority constraints to relax or 'slip' a clinically negligible amount during lower priority iterations. This method was developed and tuned for external beam prostate planning and subsequently tested using a suite of 10 patient datasets. In all cases, good dose distributions were generated without individual plan parameter adjustments. It was found that allowance for a small amount of 'slip,' especially in target dose homogeneity, often resulted in improved normal tissue dose burdens. Compared to the conventional IMRT treatment planning objective function formulation using a weighted linear sum of terms representing very different dosimetric goals, this method: (1) is completely automatic, requiring no user intervention, (2) ensures high-priority planning goals are not seriously degraded by lower-priority goals, and (3) ensures that lower priority, yet still important, normal tissue goals are separately pushed as far as possible without seriously impacting higher priority goals.     

可见光响应碳掺杂的光催化剂涂覆于塞流反应器上分解气态芳香化合物(英文)

A plug‐flow reactor coated with carbon‐doped TiO2 (C‐TiO2 ) powder was investigated for the control of vaporous aromatics (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and o‐xylene (BTEX)) under a range of experimental conditions. The characteristics of the as‐prepared C‐TiO2 and a reference Degussa P25 TiO2 powder were examined using X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, diffuse‐reflectance ultraviolet‐visible‐near infrared spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The experimental conditions for the photocatalytic performance of the as‐prepared C‐TiO2 photocatalyst were controlled using three operational parameters, relative humidity, flow rate, and input concentration. Unlike other target compounds, very little benzene was removed by the C‐TiO2 photocatalyst under visible‐light irradiation. In contrast, the C‐TiO2 exhibited higher removal efficiencies for the other three target compounds (toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene) compared with those achieved using unmodified TiO2 under visible‐light irradiation. The highest removal efficiency was obtained at a relative humidity value of 45%. Specifically, the toluene removal efficiency determined at a relative humidity of 45% was 78%, whereas it was close to 0%, 7.2%, and 5.5% for relative humidity values of 20%, 70%, and 95%, respectively. In addition, the removal efficiencies for the three target compounds decreased as the flow rate or input concentration increased. These findings indicate that the as‐prepared C‐TiO2 photocatalyst could be used for the removal of toxic vaporous aromatics under optimized operating conditions.     

Optical Fiber Sensor Technology in Portugal

Abstract

A general overview of the R&D activity in fiber optic sensing developed over the last fifteen years in Portugal is given. Different topics are addressed, including interferometric, intensity and Bragg grating based fiber optic sensors, signal processing and multiplexing techniques, optical current sensors, together with some references to field trials and applications. Possible guidelines for present and future national R&D activity on this subject are outlined.     

Modelling the metabolic action of human and rat CYP1A2 and its relationship with the carcinogenicity of heterocyclic amines

Cytochrome P450 (CYP) is a family of enzymes responsible for organism detoxification. However, some of the members of the CYP1A subfamily also catalyse the activation of heterocyclic amines (HAs), present in cooked meat, to carcinogenic compounds which have been shown to increase the risk of breast, colorectal and lung cancer. In humans, CYP1A2 is the enzyme with the most significant action in HA metabolism but in rodents CYP1A1 is also important in this biotransformation. Understanding the metabolic action of these enzymes is essential to predict the factors that enable the formation of the carcinogenic products. We have built two models of CYP1A2, one for the human enzyme and one for the rat homologue. The templates chosen include the only X-ray structure published to date for a mammal CYP, a quimeric C2A5 from rabbit, as well as CYPs belonging to Bacillus megaterium (CYPBm-3), Pseudomonas putida (CYPcam), Pseudomonas sp. (CYPterp), and Saccharopolyspora erythraea (CYPeryf). Two HAs, MeIQ (2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-?]quinoline) and MeIQx (2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-?]quinoxaline), known substrates of human and rat CYPIA2, were docked in the active site of the models, providing information regarding the different catalytic rates associated with the metabolisms in both enzymes. This is important for analysing the behaviour of animal models concerning the testing of anticancer drugs.     

ELECTROSTATIC EFFECTS IN THE PHOTOREDUCTION OF FLAVINS BY EDTA

The anaerobic photoreduction of riboflavin, flavin mononucleotide, N(3)-carboxymethylriboflavin, N(3)-methyl-lumiflavin, and lumiflavin by EDTA was studied in aqueous solution over the pH range 2.5–10. The electrostatic effects of the electron donor-acceptor pair produce a secondary effect on the reactivity, and this effect can be predicted from the product of the charges (Z_D x Z_A). The trianonic and tetraanonic species of EDTA have nitrogens which are free from intramolecular hydrogen bonding, and these species are potentially the most reactive. However, in some pH regions the electrostatic effect can become the dominant factor when both the electron donor and acceptor become negatively charged. The excited states of flavins are susceptible to charge effects whether the charge is localized on the side chain or involves the isoalloxazine ring system.