Atmospheric pressure glow discharge for CO2 conversion : model-based exploration of the optimum reactor configuration

We investigate the performance of an atmospheric pressure glow discharge (APGD) reactor for CO2 conversion in three different configurations, through experiments and simulations. The first (basic) configuration utilizes the well-known pin-to-plate design, which offers a limited conversion. The second configuration improves the reactor performance by employing a vortex-flow generator. The third, "confined" configuration is a complete redesign of the reactor, which encloses the discharge in a limited volume, significantly surpassing the conversion rate of the other two designs. The plasma properties are investigated using an advanced plasma model

Design and Prototyping of the ATLAS High Level Trigger

This paper outlines the design and prototyping of the ATLAS High Level Trigger (HLT) which is a combined effort of the Data Collection, HLT and PESA (Physics and Event Selection Architecture) subgroups within the ATLAS TDAQ collaboration. Two important issues, already outlined in the ATLAS HLT, DAQ and DCS Technical Proposal [1] will be highlighted: the treatment of the LVL2 Trigger and Event Filter as aspects of a general HLT with a view to easier migration of algorithms between the two levels; unification of the selective data collection for LVL2 and Event Building

The roles of transforming growth factor-β, Wnt, Notch and hypoxia on liver progenitor cells in primary liver tumours

Primary liver tumours have a high incidence and mortality. The most important forms are hepatocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, both can occur together in the mixed phenotype hepatocellular-cholangiocarcinoma. Liver progenitor cells (LPCs) are bipotential stem cells activated in case of severe liver damage and are capable of forming both cholangiocytes and hepatocytes. Possibly, alterations in Wnt, transforming growth factor-, Notch and hypoxia pathways in these LPCs can cause them to give rise to cancer stem cells, capable of driving tumourigenesis. In this review, we summarize and discuss current knowledge on the role of these pathways in LPC activation and differentiation during hepatocarcinogenesis

Resonant-tunnelling-assisted crossing for subwavelength plasmonic slot waveguides

We theoretically investigate the properties of crossing for two perpendicular subwavelength plasmonic slot waveguides. We show that, when encountering nano intersection, the crosstalk for the direct crossing is around 25%, almost same as throughout. In terms of symmetry considerations and resonant-tunnelling effect, we design compact cavity-based structures. Our results show that the crosstalk is eliminated and the throughput reaches the unity on resonance. Simulations results are in agreement with those from the coupled-model theory. When taking into account of the material loss, due to the unchanged symmetry properties of the modes, the crosstalk is still suppressed. Our results may open a way to construct nanoscale crossings for high-density nanoplasmonic integration circuits

Monitoring and robust adaptive control of fed-batch cultures of microorganisms exhibiting overflow metabolism [abstract]

Overflow metabolism characterizes cells strains that are likely to produce inhibiting by-products resulting from an excess of substrate feeding and a saturated respiratory capacity. The critical substrate level separating the two different metabolic pathways is generally not well defined. Monitoring of this kind of cultures, going from model identification to state estimation, is first discussed. Then, a review of control techniques which all aim at maximizing the cell productivity of fed-batch fermentations is presented. Two main adaptive control strategies, one using an estimation of the critical substrate level as set-point and another regulating the by-product concentration, are proposed. Finally, experimental investigations of an adaptive RST control scheme using the observer polynomial for the regulation of the ethanol concentration in Saccharomyces cerevisiae fed-batch cultures ranging from laboratory to industrial scales, are also presented

Increased susceptibility to proactive interference in adults with dyslexia?

Recent findings show that people with dyslexia have an impairment in serial-order memory. Based on these findings, the present study aimed to test the hypothesis that people with dyslexia have difficulties dealing with proactive interference (PI) in recognition memory. A group of 25 adults with dyslexia and a group of matched controls were subjected to a 2-back recognition task, which required participants to indicate whether an item (mis)matched the item that had been presented 2 trials before. PI was elicited using lure trials in which the item matched the item in the 3-back position instead of the targeted 2-back position. Our results demonstrate that the introduction of lure trials affected 2-back recognition performance more severely in the dyslexic group than in the control group, suggesting greater difficulty in resisting PI in dyslexia.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio