On-line analysis of volatile fatty acids in anaerobic treatment processes

In this paper, an on-line spectrofluorimetric system is proposed for a simple, rapid and accurate measurement of volatile fatty acids (VFA) in anaerobic treatment processes. The determination method is based on the derivatization of VFA with N-(1-naphthyl)ethylenediamine (EDAN) followed by a spectrofluorimetric detection of the corresponding amide. The analytical procedure is automated with a flow analysis technique, coupling multisyringe (MSFIA) and multi-pumping (MPFS) methods. Operative conditions have been investigated with a special attention paid to the activation and amidation steps and to the liquid-liquid extraction of the derivatized final product. Fluorescence intensities (λ_em = 335 nm, λ_ex = 395 nm) were found to be proportional to the concentration of VFA, expressed as acetic equivalent, in the range 19-1000 mg L⁻¹, with a detection limit (3σ) of 5.1 mg L⁻¹. Our results showed a good selectivity for VFA as compared to other organic and inorganic compounds usually found in sewage sludges. Validation of the on-line system developed has been assessed by application of the procedure to aqueous samples originating from sewage sludge treatment plants. The results were in good agreement with ion chromatography measurements.     

Ultrasmall optical logic gates based on silicon periodic dielectric waveguides

An ultrasmall silicon periodic dielectric waveguides-based multimode interference all-optical logic gate has been proposed. The device consists of three 205 nm wide single-mode input waveguides, a 1.1 μm wide and 5.5 μm long multimode interference waveguide, and three 205 nm wide single-mode output waveguides. The total length and width of the device are 13.7 μm and 3.2 μm, respectively. By changing the states of the input optical signals and/or control signals launched into the device, multifunctional logic functions including OR, NAND, NOR, and NOT gates are performed, and each logic function can be realized at a specific output waveguide in accordance with the launched control signals. The ultrasmall multifunctional logic device has potential applications in high density photonic integrated circuits.     

Thermodynamics of warped AdS3 black hole in the brick wall method

The statistical entropy of a scalar field on the warped AdS₃ black hole in the cosmological topologically massive gravity is calculated based on the brick-wall method, which is different from the Wald's entropy formula giving the modified area law due to the higher-derivative corrections in that the entropy still satisfies the area law. It means that the entropy for scalar excitations on this background is independent of higher-order derivative terms or the conventional brick wall method has some limitations to take into account the higher-derivative terms.     

Oxygen diffusion studies on (Y2O3)2(Sc2O3)9(ZrO2)89

The oxygen tracer diffusion coefficient (D?) has been measured for 9 mol% scandia 2 mol% yttria co-doped zirconia solid solution, (Y₂O₃)₂(Sc₂O₃)₉(ZrO₂)₈₉, using isotopic exchange and line scanning by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, as a function of temperature. The values of the tracer diffusion coefficient are in the range of 10^? 8–10^? 7 cm² s^? 1 and the Arrhenius activation energy was calculated to be 0.9 eV; both valid in the temperature range of 600–900 °C. Electrical conductivity measurements were carried out using 2-probe and 4-probe AC impedance spectroscopy, and a 4-point DC method at various temperatures. There is a good agreement between the measured tracer diffusion coefficients (D?, Ea = 0.9 eV) and the diffusion coefficients calculated from the DC total conductivity data (D_σ, Ea = 1.0 eV), the latter calculated using the Nernst–Einstein relationship.     

Enantioselective TADMAP-catalyzed carboxyl migration reactions for the synthesis of stereogenic quaternary carbon

The chiral, nucleophilic catalyst TADMAP [1, 3-(2,2,2-triphenyl-1-acetoxyethyl)-4-(dimethylamino)pyridine] has been prepared from 3-lithio-4-(dimethylamino)pyridine (5) and triphenylacetaldehyde (3), followed by acylation and resolution. TADMAP catalyzes the carboxyl migration of oxazolyl, furanyl, and benzofuranyl enol carbonates with good to excellent levels of enantioselection. The oxazole reactions are especially efficient and are used to prepare chiral lactams (23) and lactones (30) containing a quaternary asymmetric carbon. TADMAP-catalyzed carboxyl migrations in the indole series are relatively slow and proceed with inconsistent enantioselectivity. Modeling studies (B3LYP/6-31G*) have been used in qualitative correlations of catalyst conformation, reactivity, and enantioselectivity.     

Relaxation of the CH stretch in liquid CHBr3: solvent effects and decay rates using classical nonequilibrium simulations

This article addresses two questions regarding the decay of the CH stretch in liquid CHBr3. The first is whether the initial steps of the relaxation primarily involve energy redistribution within the excited molecule alone. Gas phase quantum mechanical and classical calculations are performed to examine the role of the solvent in this process. At the fundamental excitation level, it is found that CH stretch decay is, in fact, strongly solvent driven. The second question is on the applicability of a fully classical approach to the calculation of CH stretch condensed phase decay rates. To this end, nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations are performed. The results are compared with quantum mechanical rates computed previously. The two methods are found to be in fair agreement with each other. However, care must be exercised in the interpretation of the classical results.     

Molecular vibrational energy flow and dilution factors in an anharmonic state space

A fourth-order resonance Hamiltonian is derived from the experimental normal-mode Hamiltonian of SCCl2. The anharmonic vibrational state space constructed from the effective Hamiltonian provides a realistic model for vibrational energy flow from bright states accessible by pulsed laser excitation. We study the experimentally derived distribution PE(sigma) of dilution factors sigma as a function of energy. This distribution characterizes the dynamics in the long-time limit. State space models predict that PE(sigma) should be bimodal, with some states undergoing facile intramolecular vibrational energy redistribution (small sigma), while others at the same total energy remain "protected" (sigma approximately 1). The bimodal distribution is in qualitative agreement with analytical and numerical local density of states models. However, there are fewer states protected from energy flow, and the protected states begin to fragment at higher energy, shifting from sigma approximately 1 to sigma approximately 0.5. We also examine how dilution factors are distributed in the vibrational state space of SCCl2 and how the power law specifying the survival probability of harmonic initial states correlates with the dilution factor distribution of anharmonic initial states.     

A Wave-Based Approach to Adaptively Control Self-Excited Vibrations in Drill-Strings

Due to their small diameter-to-length-ratio, drill-strings are vulnerable to torsional vibrations. Moreover, the string is exposed to unknown or uncertain time-variant and nonlinear loads (e.g. friction with falling friction characteristics, contact with the borehole, differential sticking), which can result in severe torsional vibrations and stick-slip. The control law for the boundary controller at the top drive of the string needs to adapt to those unknown loads in order to stabilize the vibrations. The torsional vibrations of a drill-string are governed by the wave equation. Analytical solutions and control laws are often based on a separation of the dynamics into a time- and a space-dependent part (modal representation). Here, we decompose the vibrations into two traveling waves according to the D'Alembert solution, using only few measurements along the string. The wave which travels up the string is then compensated by the actuator at the top drive. With this compensation, the upward-traveling wave is no longer reflected back into the string and vibration energy is absorbed, thus stabilizing the torsional vibrations. (© 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

A Multi-Layered Potential Field Method for Multi-Agent Navigation,Searching and Tracking

Collaborating multi-agent systems can handle complex tasks with several or changing mission objectives. We developed a potential field method that allows various information layers to influence the control over a group of vehicles. The gradient of the potential field is the driving force for local action, whereas the global waypoint is determined by the minimum of the agent's potential field. The driving force to the global waypoint is a virtual spring-mass-damper system that pulls the agent towards its waypoint, restricted by the local gradient of the agent's potential field. (© 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

One-dimensional nested maximin designs

The design of computer experiments is an important step in black-box evaluation and optimization processes. When dealing with multiple black-box functions the need often arises to construct designs for all black boxes jointly, instead of individually. These so-called nested designs are particularly useful as training and test sets for fitting and validating metamodels, respectively. Furthermore, nested designs can be used to deal with linking parameters and sequential evaluations. In this paper, we introduce one-dimensional nested maximin designs. We show how to nest two designs optimally and develop a heuristic to nest three and four designs. These nested maximin designs can be downloaded from the website . Furthermore, it is proven that the loss in space-fillingness, with respect to traditional maximin designs, is at most 14.64 and 19.21%, when nesting two and three designs, respectively.