Rc Values Research Articles

Development of a Road Pavement Structure Diagnostic Procedure Based on the Virtual Inertial Point Method

Falling weight deflectometers (FWD) are utilised worldwide to analyse the condition and the load-bearing capacity of road pavement structures. One of the FWD measurement results, the deflection bowl, may provide surplus information that is suitable for better road pavement structure diagnostics, based on the novel approach presented in this paper. This study presents a computational method that can calculate the layer thicknesses from the deflection data recorded by the non-destructive FWD device. The motivation for this research is that FWD and GPR equipment are often not available at the same time. However, the back-calculation of the pavement layer moduli from the deflections requires knowledge of the exact thicknesses. The developed method is based on the inertia point principle and provides not only the total pavement thickness but also the total asphalt thickness at each FWD drop point. From 25,200 linear elastic layered pavement models, 350 virtual inertia points could be identified. To describe the relationship between the structural model characteristics of the pavement (thickness and subgrade modulus) and the virtual inertia points, we chose the Gaussian process regression, a widely used method in machine learning. In addition to the thicknesses, the point of inertia can also be used to calculate the bearing modulus of the subgrade with high accuracy. Based on the data from the experimental road section, the radius value of the inertia point rc is not sensitive to the stiffness of the layers that compose the pavement structure, depending only on the total pavement thickness and the bearing capacity of the subgrade. The calculation was compared with the AASHTO (1993) procedure, and very similar values for the subgrade-bearing capacity were obtained. Moreover, in the near future, the method can be further developed to provide an estimation of layer thicknesses, together with a deflection measurement, especially adapted to continuous deflection measurement devices (Curviameter and Rolling Wheel Deflectometer).

Numerical model for transverse current transport in multi-filament twisting strands under uniform axial strain

This paper establishes a three-dimensional finite element model for multi-filament twisting strands. The model studies the changes in its transverse transport properties by applying uniform axial loads. The electro-mechanical coupling relation of superconducting filaments is established by the scaling law and n-power relation. When the average strain of the filaments is between 0.1% and 0.2%, the equivalent conductivity of filaments almost decreases linearly by 67.7% with respect to that for zero-strain. Meanwhile, the contact resistance Rc increases quadratically with the strain, the value of Rc=3.9×10-15Ωm2 is calculated at strain 0.2% and n=6, and reaches the same order of magnitude as the previous work. As n increases from 6 to 10, the contact resistance increases sharply by 104 order of magnitude in unit of Ω·m2. It is indicated that the contact resistance is sensitive to the n value. By gradually increasing the number of filaments in a strand model, the average potential difference decreases in a nearly linear manner, and the minimum value of 9.9×10-11V is found for the strand of 36 filaments at 0.2% strain. It suggests that filaments improve the capacity of transverse transport. Besides, the average transverse current density of the strand is suppressed by the strain, its value decreasing from 800A/m2 at zero strain to 570A/m2 at 0.2% strain. It is shown that its capability to carry transverse current is declined under strain.

Elevated Remnant Cholesterol is Associated with Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome.

This study aimed to investigate the association of elevated RC levels with adverse cardiovascular outcomes in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients with and without diabetes. We analyzed data from 1716 patients with ACS undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. RC was calculated as total cholesterol minus high-density lipoprotein cholesterol minus low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. RC ＞75th percentile of the cohort (＞0.79 mmol/L) was defined as abnormally elevated RC. Cox-regression models and Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to assess the relationship between RC ＞0.79 mmol/L and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). During a median follow-up of 927 days, a total of 354 patients had at least one event. In the overall population, compared with those with RC ≤ 0.79 mmol/L, patients with RC ＞0.79 mmol/L had a significantly higher risk of MACE after adjustment for potential confounders (hazard ratio: 1.572, 95% confidence interval: 1.251-1.975, P＜0.001). In addition, RC ＞0.79 mmol/L was associated with an increased risk of MACE of 66.7% (P=0.001) and 50.1% (P=0.022) in the diabetic and non-diabetic subgroups (P for interaction=0.073), respectively. The addition of RC significantly improved the predictive ability of baseline models for MACE in diabetic patients (all P＜0.05), but not in non-diabetic patients (all P＞0.05). Abnormally elevated RC was significantly associated with worse prognosis in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients with ACS; however, the prognostic value of RC might be superior among diabetic patients.

Numerical investigation on fully-developed heat transfer augmentation and friction factor with dimple shaped intrusion and different radius of curvatures on triangular ducts

The heat transfer phenomenon is moderate in the case of triangular ducts due to the presence of sharp corners, which causes stagnant flow in the corners. Thus, this study focuses on improving heat transfer by converting one of the corners of the duct to a rounded structure having a variable curvature radius value (Rc). Rc varies from 0.67 h (maximum value) to 0.33 h (minimum value), where h is the height of the duct. Heat transfer and airflow have also been tested with dimple-shaped intrusion and rounded corners under varying ranges of relative length in the longitudinal direction (Z/e = 10–18) and relative length in the transverse direction (X/e = 10–18). Application of thermal-based boundary conditions on the turbulent flow for Re = 5600–21,000 facilitates the heat transfer analysis in a duct under steady-state. The commercial software tool, ANSYS Fluent 18.1, is used to simplify-three dimensional Reynolds averaged Navier Stokes equation with the compressible fluid flow by considering the pressure-based solver with the standard K- ε turbulence model. Compared to a typical duct, the rounded corner area shows higher velocity because of the dimple intrusions and rounded corners. Introduction of curvature to the corner opposite to the heat-conducting surface in simple triangular duct results in the increment of heat transfer by 5.71–44.37 %, 3.172–23.76 %, and 1.16–8.27 % for the values of Rc = 0.33 h, 0.49 h, and 0.56 h, respectively. Further the addition of dimple-shaped intrusion in the triangular duct with rounded corner, increases the heat transfer for Z/e = X/e = 18 as visible from the increment in average Nusselt Number by 22.9–91.52 %, 49.41–129.82 %, 31.96–89.26 % and 14.36–85 % for Rc = 0.333 h, 0.49 h, 0.56 h & 0.67 h respectively for Re spanning from 5600 to 21000.

Investigation of the condensation mass transfer time relaxation parameter for numerical simulation of the thermosyphon

The condensation mass transfer time relaxation (rc) is a critical empirical factor that reflects the change in the process from a non-equilibrium state and indicates the rate of the condensation. The determination of rc in the Lee model is crucial for the Computational Fluids Dynamics (CFD) simulation of thermosyphons. In this paper, the relationship between rc and internal parameters influencing the heat transfer performance of the thermosyphon are investigated in detail. The effects of working fluid properties, saturation temperature, filling ratio, and heat input on the temperature distribution of the wall surface of the thermosyphon were studied. Moreover, the corresponding CFD model of the thermosyphon was established. The result indicated that the simulated average condenser temperature rises with increasing rc and gets closer to the experimental average temperature in the form of a log function. By comparing the experimental data with the simulation results, the appropriate rc values for various conditions were determined to be around 104 s−1, within a margin of error of 1.5%. The empirical relationship equations of rc were fitted with experimental results to the key parameters. It was found that the effect on rc of vapor density was relatively minor, while the effect of the filling ratio was the most significant. By applying the obtained relational expression, the simulation results are in good agreement with other references, proving the accuracy and applicability of the calculations. This paper aims to refine the thermosyphon model and, facilitate the exploration of the phase-change heat and mass transfer mechanism of two-phase flow.

Study of Solidifying Surplus Sludge as Building Material Using Ordinary Portland Cement

In an attempt to effectively utilize a multitude of surplus sludge from sewage treatment plants, ordinary Portland cement was used to solidify the dry surplus sludge as a building material. The dry surplus sludge and cement were mixed at different proportions with a certain dosage of water and then cured for 3–60 days at room temperature. The unconfined compression strength (RC) of solidified blocks was investigated with respect to the effects of the ratio of liquid to solid (Rl/S), surplus sludge dosage (DS), the dosage of sodium silicate (DNa2SiO3), and the proportion of fly ash (WF). The fabricated solidified blocks were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and X-ray Diffraction Analysis (XRD). The results demonstrated that RC at 60 days reduced obviously with the increase in Rl/s when Ds was given, whereas RC reduced with DS increased to 15.0 wt% from 5.0 wt% for solidified blocks. When DS was 5.0 wt%, RC of 28 days was reduced from 20.87 MPa to 14.50 MPa, with an increase in Rl/s from 0.35 to 0.55. For the given Rl/s, such as Rl/s = 0.35, RC at 60 days was 23.75 MPa, 2.80 MPa, and 2.50 MPa when DS were 5.0 wt%, 10.0 wt%, and 15.0 wt%, respectively, which were relatively lower in comparison to that of Portland cement solidified blocks without surplus sludge (51.40 MPa). In addition, the addition of Na2SiO3 and fly ash was favorable in terms of improving the RC for solidified blocks. RC of 60 days increased initially and then reduced with the increase in DNa2SiO3 from 0.0 wt% to 9.0 wt% at Rl/s = 0.45 and DS = 5.0 wt%. At DNa2SiO3 = 7.5 wt%, Rl/s = 0.45, and DS = 5.0 wt%, the highest RC value of 34.70 MPa was achieved after being cured for 60 days. Furthermore, RC of 60 days increased initially and then reduced with WF increasing from 0.0 wt% to 25.0 wt%, and the highest RC value of 34.35 MPa was achieved at WF = 10.0 wt%, Rl/s = 0.45, and DS = 5.0 wt%. At the ratio of DNa2SiO3 = 7.50 wt%, Rl/S = 0.35, WF = 20 wt%, DS = 15.0 wt% and M = 1.00, RC of 28 days reached 26.70 MPa. With these values, the utilization of sludge utilized (DS = 15.0 wt%) was increased by double compared with DS = 5.0 wt% (20.87 MPa). To investigate the effect of environmental temperature on the mechanical properties and mass of solidified blocks, the freeze-thaw cycling experiment was carried out. The RC of 28 days and the mass of the solidified block reduced with the number of freeze-thaw cycles, increasing for solidified blocks with DS of 5.0 wt%, 10.0 wt%, and 15.0 wt%, manifesting a decrease of 25.60%, 32.30%, and 40.60% for RC and 3.40%, 4.10%, and 4.90% for mass, respectively. This work provides sufficient evidence that surplus sludge has a huge potential application for building materials from the perspective of improving their mechanical properties. It provides an important theoretical basis for the disposal as well as efficient utilization of sludge.

Cloning and characterization of thermophilic endoglucanase and its application in the transformation of ginsenosides

A novel endoglucanase (BcelFp) was identified from Fervidobaterium pennivorans DSM9078 which had biotransformation activity for protopanaxadiol (PPD)-type ginsenosides. Sequence analysis of BcelFp revealed that it could be classified into glycoside hydrolase family 5 (GH5). The gene encoding a 323-amino acid protein was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant enzyme was purified, and its molecular weight was approximate 37 kDa. The recombinant BcelFp exhibited an optimal activity at 95 oC and pH 5.5 and showed high thermostability. The endoglucanase had high selectivity for cleaving the outer glucose moiety at the C3 carbon of ginsenoside Rb1, Rb2, Rc and Rd, which produced stronger pharmacologically active gypenoside XVII (GypXVII), Compound O (CO), Compound Mc1 (CMc1) and F2, respectively. The Km values for Rb1, Rb2, Rc and Rd were 3.66 ± 0.04 µM, 4.02 ± 0.12 µM, 5.95 ± 0.03 µM, 0.67 ± 0.006 µM, respectively. The kcat/Km value of BcelFp for ginsenoside Rd was 27.91 mM-1s-1, which was much higher than that of the previously enzymes. This study was the first report of the highly efficient and selective transformation of GypXVII, CO, CMc1 and F2 from Rb1, Rb2, Rc and Rd by a GH5-family thermophilic endoglucanase.

Influence of co-doping alkali metal ions Li+/Na+/K+ on the luminescence enhancement properties of the blue emission from Pb2+/Bi3+ activated di-barium calcium di-zinc hexa-silicate based phosphors for solid state light applications

The non rare earth element Pb2+/Bi3+ activated and alkali metal Li+/Na+/K+ ions codoped with the silicate based Ba2CaZn2Si6O17 (hereafter mentioned as BCZSO) blue-emitting phosphors were prepared through a simple solid state reaction route and characterized. The phase identification of the as prepared samples was done by taking the powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). The Rietveld refinement of the as prepared phosphor was analyzed. The morphological analysis was performed using the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The photoluminescence (PL) and PL excitation (PLE) properties of the phosphors were investigated. Exciting the BC1-xZSO:xPb2+ phosphor with 295 nm light yielded a wide blue emission centered at 438 nm. Also, when the BC1-xZSO:xBi3+ phosphor was excited with 317 nm, a bright blue emission at 465 nm was observed. The Stokes shift values of these phosphors were calculated to be 11,067, and 10,040 cm−1 in the same order. The optimum concentrations for the Pb2+, and the Bi3+ ions in the BCZSO host were found to be 3 and 7 mol % respectively. The critical distance (Rc) values were calculated to be 29.32 Å and 23.05 Å for the Pb2+ and the Bi3+ activated BCZSO phosphors respectively. When the alkali metal ions were co-doped in the blue emitting phosphors, a PL enhancement was observed. The decay lifetime was calculated for the BCZSO: M (M:Pb2+/Bi3+) phosphors, and found to decline with increasing concentration of the activators. The CIE color coordinates, and the quantum efficiency of these silicate phosphors were calculated. These values for the BC1-xZSO:xPb2+ phosphor were closer to the commercial blue BaMgAl10O17:Eu2+ (BAM) phosphor. In addition, the temperature dependent photoluminescence (TDPL) spectra were recorded to examine the thermal stability of this phosphor. These results suggest that the BCZSO:M (M:Pb2+/Bi3+) and the BC1-x-yZSO:xPb2+/Bi3+, yLi+/Na+/K+, blue emitting phosphors can serve as promising candidates for white light emitting diodes (WLEDs).

Effect of water to cement ratio on acoustic impedance, microstructure, and piezoelectric properties of 0-3 barium zirconate titanate-Portland cement composite with epoxy resin addition

Smart 0-3 barium zirconate titanate (BZT)-Portland cement (PC) composites with 50 vol.% BZT and 7 vol.% epoxy resin were developed for concrete structural health monitoring application. Water to cement (w/c) ratio was used at 0.05, 0.10 and 0.15 to determine optimum mixing by pressing and curing method and properties of the composites. Both ρc and Zc values increased with increasing w/c ratio up to 0.10 but a reduction in the ρc and Zc values can be observed at w/c = 0.15. The d33 and g33 values of the composite were found to increase with the w/c ratio especially when used at 0.10 where the d33 value is 16.5 pC/N, g33 value is 13.1 × 10−3 V·m/N. The highest kt value (17.21 %) can be observed at w/c = 0.10. Therefore, using a suitable amount of water in the composites can improve physical properties and piezoelectric properties when epoxy resin was added as a third phase.

Linear and areal surface roughness assessments for the study of tooth wear in human enamel.

To test 8 models of linear surface roughness assessment in characterizing surface profile description and to correlate these models with equivalent areal parameters over sound human enamel in vitro. Thirty enamel blocks were randomly selected. The roughness data (2D-Rp; Rv; Rz; Rc; Rt; Ra; Rq; Rsk; Rku/3D-Sp; Sv; Sz; Sa; Sq; Ssk; Sku) was obtained in duplicate in a non-contact 3D optical profilometer. The models were composed by 1 single vertical trace (model 1) until 8 traces (model 8 composed by three vertical traces, three horizontal traces, and two diagonal). The addition of linear sampling traces to the enamel blocks did not result in Rp, Rv, Rz, Rc, Rt, Ra, Rq, Rsk, and Rku value changes (low power-from 5 to 72%). Significant Spearman's correlation coefficients were obtained in most correlation analysis (Rp ↔ Sp; Rv ↔ Sv; Rz ↔ Sz; Ra ↔ Sa; Rq ↔ Sq; and Rku ↔ Sku). A single vertical trace in the middle of the sample was representative of the overall enamel surface roughness (Rp, Rv, Rz, Rc, Rt, Ra, Rq, Rsk, and Rku) models. The majority of the assessed models in the correlation evaluation presented significant and positive association. The findings highlight the applicable model for roughness analysis over human enamel recommended for research and in situ trials assessments.

Withdrawal: P. A. Harsha Vardhini and M. Makkena (2022), Design and Comparative Analysis of On‐Chip Sigma Delta ADC for Signal Processing Applications. Advanced Control for Applications: Engineering and Industrial Systems. Accepted Author Manuscript e82. https://doi.org/10.1002/adc2.82

Advent in VLSI technology made digital signal processing to take over analog signal processing. Analog to digital converter plays a vital role in modern digital processing applications. Sigma delta analog to digital converter architecture being digital dominant architecture is much suitable for signal processing applications. This paper presents the design of a low pass continuous time sigma delta analog to digital converter on-chip architecture suitable for signal processing applications with a very few passive components connected externally to FPGA. Schematic level architecture of high-speed comparator working at a differential swing which is not allowed by standard differential pads is designed. By applying various differential swings at the input to LVPECL, the performance and power is analyzed. High performance comparator schematic is designed for On-chip Continuous-time Sigma-delta ADC architecture. Simulations are carried out to verify the maximum input frequency for given RC values. Xilinx provided Spartan 6 I/O pad and package SPICE models are used. Power analysis is carried out with LVPECL logic family based differential buffers along with external RC circuit. The analog and digital sections simulations along with mixed signal simulations at different stages are performed. Power and performance analysis are carried out using H-Spice and Questasim simulations.

Design of RC trigger circuit for dynamically activated ESD protections ensuring application requirements and ESD performances

The design of dynamically activated ESD protections requires an accurate analysis of the activation sensitivity versus the application requirements. In this work it is presented how the performances of HV Darlington ESD protection are impacted by its own RC trigger circuit, and a design methodology to properly define the RC value based on application constraints is discussed. The limitations in data extrapolating from 100 ns-TLP characterizations are shown, proposing an alternative approach that combines HBM characterization data and electrical simulations.

Abnormal thermal quenching and optical performance of new niobate perovskite Sr3LaNb3O12:Sm3+ phosphors for w-LEDs

Novel orange-red Sr3LaNb3O12 (SLNO):xSm3+ (0.01 ≤ x ≤ 0.03) phosphors are successfully prepared using the traditional solid-state method. The feasibility that the SLNO compounds can act as an appropriate host has been effectively demonstrated by unit cell structure and bandgap structure. The phase purity, particle size distribution, and elemental composition of SLNO:Sm3+ phosphors are studied. The luminescence properties, concentration-quenching mechanism, color purity, thermostability, CIE chromaticity coordinates, and correlated color temperature (CCT) of the obtained SLNO:Sm3+ products are also discussed. Under 408 nm excitation, SLNO:0.10Sm3+ sample emits a bright orange-red light at 598 nm owing to the 4G5/2 to 6H7/2 transition of Sm3+. The concentration-quenching mechanism is found to be dipole-dipole interaction by the calculated Rc value (17.12 Å) and Dexter's theory. Impressively, the color purity of the phosphors is high and stable (all reach 99.9%), which is rarely affected by the Sm3+ doping concentration. It is worth noting that the obtained phosphors exhibit an abnormal thermal quenching (ATQ) behavior, increasing by 16.12% from 300 to 380 K (SLNO:0.10Sm3+). The CIE x and y chromaticity coordinates vary slightly with the change of temperature, indicating a good thermostability. The mechanism of ATQ has been studied as the lattice defects, and the thermal activation energy is calculated to be 0.51 eV. Ultimately, a white-light-emitting diode (w-LED) with a high color rendering index (Ra) of 88 and a CIE chromaticity coordinate of (0.333, 0.333) has been prepared. The results above reveal the potential of SLNO:Sm3+ to be widely used in w-LEDs.

SERS-based sensor coupled with multivariate models for rapid detection of palm oil adulteration with Sudan II and IV dyes

Recent reports of adulteration using Sudan dyes have raised consumer and regulatory concerns regarding the safety of edible crude palm oil (CPO). This research developed a novel Hollow Au@Ag Nanoflower (NF) to detect Sudan II and IV dyes in CPO. Different concentrations of the Sudan dyes were combined with a Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sensor that yielded a strong SERS signal logarithmically with increasing concentrations of the dyes ranging from 0.005 to 4.0 ppm. Competitive Adaptive Reweighted Sampling (CARS- PLS), Genetic algorithm – PLS (GA-PLS), and bootstrapping soft shrinkage-PLS (BOSS-PLS) were used to develop quantitative models for Sudan dyes prediction. The CARS-PLS model performed best for Sudan II and IV, with Rc values of 0.9921 and 0.9846, respectively, and real sample recovery rates of 98.79–104.49% and 94.37–109.59%. The results show that the SERS sensor combined with chemometrics has great potential to detect trace Sudan dyes in CPO rapidly.

Corrosion inhibition of Q215 steel by epoxy coatings using poly (1,1′-ferrocenediacyl anilide-co-aniline) as conductivity modifier

In this study, the ferrocene modified polyaniline [P(FcA-co-ANI)] with tunable electrical conductivity was prepared by introducing ferrocene groups into the main chain of polyaniline (PANI) with a hydrochloric acid dopant. The 1H NMR, SEM, XRD and FT-IR results proved the successful preparation of the copolymers P(FcA-co-ANI). The corrosion resistance of the coatings on Q215 steel was investigated by EIS. The results showed that the P(FcA-co-ANI)/EP coatings and PANI/EP coatings all improved the long-term corrosion resistance by more than 2 orders of magnitude with comparison of EP coatings. Both coatings showed excellent corrosion inhibition. Furthermore, the |Z|0.01 Hz values of the P(FcA-co-ANI)/EP coating started to recover in a shorter period of time and returned to higher values compared to the PANI/EP coating, and did not drop as sharply as the PANI/EP coating in the later stages of immersion. Besides, the results of Rc and Rct values also show that the P(FcA-co-ANI)/EP coatings provide faster and better corrosion inhibition. This is due to the greater conductivity P(FcA-co-ANI) being more sensitive to the electrons generated by metal corrosion and so generating the passivation layer faster. The impact and peel tests show excellent mechanical properties and adhesion of the coating. This work offers some theoretical help for understanding the anticorrosion mechanism of PANI.

Characterizing the spatial variations of wind velocity and turbulence intensity around a single Tamarix tree

Characterizing airflow and turbulence patterns around real vegetation is essential for predicting aeolian erosion. However, few studies have explored the airflow field around live plants. In this field study, airflow field and turbulence patterns were investigated around a single Tamarix tree. Wind speeds were monitored at 34 locations around the tree at the heights of z/h = 0.13 h, 0.5 h, 1.1 h, and 1.8 h (where h is the height of the tree) in a wind speed of 12.5 m s−1. The results showed that a half-ellipse deceleration zone formed downwind and full-ellipse acceleration zones on the sides of the tree. The largest turbulence intensity was observed at lower heights and in the leeside of the tree where wind speed was highest, and the smallest was found on the sides where wind speed accelerated. On the sides of the tree the structure of wind speed and turbulence profiles was similar and no significant differences (P < 0.001) in wind speeds were found between identical locations. The mean wind velocities downwind of the tree at 0.5 h–7 h and DR1-DR4 (at the right side of the tree edge) were significantly different to the approach flow (wind speeds at −7 h) but no statistical differences were observed between wind speeds in other locations and the approach flow. The values of Rc∆x, z (wind velocity reduction coefficient) were higher in the wake of the tree than upwind and on the sides of the tree indicating that the sheltering effect of the tree extended to the distance of seven times the height tree. This study represents an important investigation of the plant effect on airflow and the results can be used to inform Tamarix management and support parameterization of drag partition schemes to improve the accuracy of aeolian transport models in landscapes with Tamarix.

3D Reconstruction of a Unitary Posterior Eye by Converging Optically Corrected Optical Coherence and Magnetic Resonance Tomography Images via 3D CAD.

PurposeIn acquiring images of the posterior eye, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides low spatial resolution of the overall shape of the eye while optical coherence tomography (OCT) offers high spatial resolution of the limited range. Through the merger of the two devices, we attempted to acquire detailed anatomy of the posterior eye.MethodsOptical and display distortions in OCT images were corrected using the Listing reduced eye model. The 3.0T orbital MRI images were placed on the three-dimensional coordinate system of the computer-aided design (CAD) program. Employing anterior scleral canal opening, visual axis, and scleral curvature as references, original and corrected OCT images were ported into the CAD application. The radii of curvature of the choroid–scleral interfaces (Rc values) of all original and corrected OCT images were compared to the MRI images.ResultsSixty-five eyes of 33 participants (45.58 ± 19.82 years) with a mean Rc of 12.94 ± 1.24 mm on axial MRI and 13.66 ± 2.81 mm on sagittal MRI were included. The uncorrected horizontal OCT (30.51 ± 9.34 mm) and the uncorrected vertical OCT (34.35 ± 18.09 mm) lengths differed significantly from the MRI Rc values (both P < 0.001). However, the mean Rc values of the corrected horizontal (12.50 ± 1.21 mm) and vertical (13.05 ± 1.98 mm) images did not differ significantly from the Rc values of the corresponding MRI planes (P = 0.065 and P = 0.198, respectively).ConclusionsFeatures identifiable only on OCT and features only on MRI were successfully integrated into a unitary posterior eye.Translational RelevanceOur CAD-based converging method may establish the collective anatomy of the posterior eye and the neural canal, beyond the range of the OCT.

SCC-FRET: single-cell-based calibration of a FRET system

Reliable measurements of calibration parameters are crucial for quantitative three-cube Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) measurements. Here we have developed a single-cell-based calibration method (SCC-FRET), which can simultaneously obtain spectral crosstalk correction parameters (β and δ) and calibration parameters (G and k) of a quantitative FRET system by imaging a cell expressing one kind of standard FRET plasmid with a known FRET efficiency (E) and the donor-to-acceptor concentration ratio (RC). We performed the SCC-FRET method on a three-cube FRET microscopy for the cells expressing C5V, and obtained β = 0.150 ± 0.000, δ = 0.610 ± 0.000, G = 2.840 ± 0.065, and k = 0.847 ± 0.013. These parameters were used to measure the E and RC values of C17V and C32V constructs in living cells and obtained EC17V = 0.382 ± 0.010 and EC32V = 0.311 ± 0.007, RC17V = 1.010 ± 0.023 and RC32V = 1.050 ± 0.022, consistent with the reported values, demonstrating the effectiveness of the the SCC-FRET method. We also performed the SCC-FRET method for the cells with different S/N levels (S/N > 10, 10 > S/N > 3, 3 > S/N > 1, respectively), and obtained consistent system calibration parameters under different S/N levels, indicating excellent robustness. SCC-FRET requires only imaging a cell expressing one kind of standard FRET plasmid for measuring all calibration parameters under identical imaging conditions, rendering the SCC-FRET method extremely convenient, accurate, and robust. The SCC-FRET provides strong support for expanding the biological application of quantitative FRET analysis in living cells.

Rapid Prediction of Mechanical Properties Based on the Chemical Components of Windmill Palm Fiber.

During spinning, the chemical component content of natural fibers has a great influence on the mechanical properties. How to rapidly and accurately measure these properties has become the focus of the industry. In this work, a grey model (GM) for rapid and accurate prediction of the mechanical properties of windmill palm fiber (WPF) was established to explore the effect of chemical component content on the Young’s modulus. The chemical component content of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin in WPF was studied using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, and an NIR prediction model was established, with the measured chemical values as the control. The value of RC and RCV were more than 0.9, while the values of RMSEC and RMSEP were less than 1, which reflected the excellent accuracy of the NIR model. External validation and a two-tailed t-test were used to evaluate the accuracy of the NIR model prediction results. The GM(1,4) model of WPF chemical components and the Young’s modulus was established. The model indicated that the increase in cellulose and lignin content could promote the increase in the Young’s modulus, while the increase in hemicellulose content inhibited it. The establishment of the two models provides a theoretical basis for evaluating whether WPF can be used in spinning, which is convenient for the selection of spinning fibers in practical application.

Understanding the factors affecting contact resistance in nanowire field effect transistors (NWFETs) to improve nanoscale contacts for future scaling

In this paper, dry etched vertical nanowires (VNWs) are used in transmission line/transfer length analysis to study the contacts of gate-all-around devices for future technology nodes. VNW resistors with Mo and Pd based metal stack contacts to p-InGaAs show Schottky behavior, unlike the planar counterpart. The resistance for Mo contact is higher than Pd, however, Pd was found to form an alloy with InGaAs at temperatures as low as 190 °C, and the length of Pd diffusion into the InGaAs increased at smaller NW dimensions, hindering future scalability. The minimum extracted specific contact resistivity (ρC) values are 1.6 × 10−5 Ω cm2 (Mo) and 4.2 × 10−6 Ω cm2 (Pd) for a doping level of 1 × 1019 cm−3. An apparent dependence of ρC on the NW diameter was also observed. This has been attributed to the surface states under the un-gated region of NW devices and found to dominate at smaller diameters. An analytical model to account for such geometrical effects has also been developed and validated with technology computer-aided design simulations. The analysis presented in this paper effectively captures the 3D aspects of an NW contact at nanoscale dimensions and can be applied irrespective of the semiconductor and contact metal used.