SEMICONDUCTOR WAVEGUIDES FOR NONLINEAR OPTICAL SIGNAL PROCESSING

This thesis investigates nonlinear effects in semiconductor waveguides for optical signal processing. Two semiconductor waveguides are studied : nanoporous silicon waveguide and GaAs/AlGaAs waveguide. First, nonlinear optical properties of nanoporous silicon waveguides including two-photon absorption, self-phase modulation and free-carrier effects are characterized and compared with similar measurements conducted on conventional silicon-on-insulator waveguides. Then, we experimentally demonstrate 10-Gb/s wavelength conversion using cross-amplitude modulation, cross-phase modulation and four-wave-mixing in GaAs/AlGaAs waveguides. Finally, we propose an ultrafast optical sampling system based on non-degenerate two-photon absorption in a GaAs photodiode. Using this technique, we successfully demonstrate a background-suppressed measurement of quasi 4-Tb/s eye diagrams

Document Fingerprinting Using Graph Grammar Induction

The purpose of this study was to detect the similarity between documents when the relationships between textures are considered. In our study, we focus on C-language documents as our domain. Our algorithm starts from converting document into graph format. Next, graph grammar is extracted from the graph by SubdueGL, a graph grammar induction algorithm. Finally, the evaluation of the similarity between documents is accomplished by comparing the graph grammars. We also study graph characteristics, graph grammar and the graph isomorphism. In the converting module, documents are translated into graph format, which can be defined differently in various domains. In C-language documents, we found that a conceptual graph which is the most expressive via considering in relationship between textures has the best performance in detecting similarity. Thus, our algorithm generates this conceptual graph. After evaluating our algorithm, the results show that our algorithm can detect the similarity between documents well. However, it can not indicate that the found similarity is texture similarity or structure similarity because our process combines those two similarities in its final result. Nevertheless, compared to other algorithms, our approach works well when relationships between textures are considered.Computer Science Departmen

Analysis of Electric field and Modeling Design of High Voltage Cable terminators for PD Testing Using SF6 Insulator

This paper presents the analysis of electric field by using FEMLAB simulation tool to find the optimal electric field and component designs.This paper presents the analysis of electric field by using FEMLAB simulation tool to find the optimal electric field and component designs. Design of Cable terminator is tested by finding PD Value with IEC standard. This paper also proposes the electric stress when we design the cable terminator includes SF6 insulator. The modeling design is very useful for High Voltage engineers to find the optimal solution of Cable terminator design

The Analysis of high-Voltage Electric Field Stress in Lp and Ls coils of Tesla Transformer for studying the efficiency design

This article presents The Analysis for high-Voltage Electric Stress in Lp and Ls coils of Tesla Transformer for studying the efficiency design. The tesla transformer is designed at 350kV rating Voltage and 120 kHz resonant frequency.This article presents The Analysis for high-Voltage Electric Stress in Lp and Ls coils of Tesla Transformer for studying the efficiency design. The tesla transformer is designed at 350kV rating Voltage and 120 kHz resonant frequency. The effect of high voltage when we designed the coil has impact to Electric Stress between primary and secondary coil because the tesla transformer uses air core. The insulator of coil also has problem on the reason as flashover on the 2 coils. The best dimension among coil has to present in this paper by using optimal mathematical solution. The simulation results show performance of the solution and ensure the methodology with positive way

Chemical Profiling and in vitro Testing for PCSK9 Inhibition of Coffee Cascara Extract

Coffee cascara is a by-product generated from coffee processing. It has been discarded as an agricultural waste.  In order to reduce the environmental problems caused by coffee processing, this study aimed to investigate the effect of fresh coffee cascara extract (CCE) on the inhibition of PCSK9 which is an enzyme that can increase low-density plasma lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol by destructing LDL receptor.  Moreover, the CCE chemical profile was identified by the thin-layer chromatography (TLC) technique together with diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy (DOSY). The chemical profile analysis results showed that trigonelline, caffeine, and chlorogenic acid were present in CCE, and its PCSK9 inhibitory activity screening showed that CCE at concentrations of 0.25 and 0.50 mg/mL reduced the amount of PCSK9 by 72 and 78%, respectively.  These results revealed that coffee cascara provides novel applications in the nutraceutical industry

Curcumin loaded pH-sensitive hybrid lipid/block copolymer nanosized drug delivery systems

Curcumin is a perspective drug candidate with pleiotropic antineoplastic activity, whose exceptionally low aqueous solubility and poor pharmacokinetic properties have hampered its development beyond the preclinical level. A possible approach to overcome these limitations is the encapsulation of curcumin into nano-carriers, incl. liposomes. The present contribution is focused on feasibility of using hybrid pH-sensitive liposomes, whereby curcumin is entrapped as a free drug and as a water soluble inclusion complex with PEGylated tert-butylcalix[4]arene, which allows the drug to occupy both the phospholipid membranes and the aqueous core of liposomes. The inclusion complexes were encapsulated in dipalmithoylphosphathydilcholine:cholesterol liposomes, whose membranes were grafted with a poly(isoprene-b-acrylic acid) diblock copolymer to confer pH-sensitivity. The liposomes were characterized by DLS, ζ-potential measurements, cryo-TEM, curcumin encapsulation efficacy, loading capacity, and in vitro release as a function of pH. Free and formulated curcumin were further investigated for cytotoxicity, apoptosis-induction and caspase-8, and 9 activation in chemosensitive HL-60 and its resistant sublines HL-60/Dox and HL-60/CDDP. Formulated curcumin was superior cytotoxic and apoptogenic agent vs. the free drug. The mechanistic assay demonstrated that the potent proapoptotic effects of pH-sensitive liposomal curcumin presumably mediated via recruitment of both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways in both HL-60 and HL-60/CDDP cells

Opportunities and challenges in the use of coal fly ash for soil improvements – a review

Coal fly ash (CFA), a by-product of coal combustion has been regarded as a problematic solid waste, mainly due to its potentially toxic trace elements, PTEs (e.g. Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb) and organic compounds (e.g. PCBs, PAHs) content. However, CFA is a useful source of essential plant nutrients (e.g. Ca, Mg, K, P, S, B, Fe, Cu and Zn). Uncontrolled land disposal of CFA is likely to cause undesirable changes in soil conditions, including contamination with PTEs, PAHs and PCBs. Prudent CFA land application offers considerable opportunities, particularly for nutrient supplementation, pH correction and ameliorating soil physical conditions (soil compaction, water retention and drainage). Since CFA contains little or no N and organic carbon, and CFA-borne P is not readily plant available, a mixture of CFA and manure or sewage sludge (SS) is better suited than CFA alone. Additionally, land application of such a mixture can mitigate the mobility of SS-borne PTEs, which is known to increase following cessation of SS application. Research analysis further shows that application of alkaline CFA with or without other amendments can help remediate at least marginally metal contaminated soils by immobilisation of mobile metal forms. CFA land application with SS or other source of organic carbon, N and P can help effectively reclaim/restore mining-affected lands. Given the variability in the nature and composition of CFA (pH, macro- and micro-nutrients) and that of soil (pH, texture and fertility), the choice of CFA (acidic or alkaline and its application rate) needs to consider the properties and problems of the soil. CFA can also be used as a low cost sorbent for the removal of organic and inorganic contaminants from wastewater streams; the disposal of spent CFA however can pose further challenges. Problems in CFA use as a soil amendment occur when it results in undesirable change in soil pH, imbalance in nutrient supply, boron toxicity in plants, excess supply of sulphate and PTEs. These problems, however, are usually associated with excess or inappropriate CFA applications. The levels of PAHs and PCBs in CFA are generally low; their effects on soil biota, uptake by plants and soil persistence, however, need to be assessed. In spite of this, co-application of CFA with manure or SS to land enhances its effectiveness in soil improvements

Curcumin loaded pH-sensitive hybrid lipid/block copolymer nanosized drug delivery systems

Curcumin is a perspective drug candidate with pleiotropic antineoplastic activity, whose exceptionally low aqueous solubility and poor pharmacokinetic properties have hampered its development beyond the preclinical level. A possible approach to overcome these limitations is the encapsulation of curcumin into nano-carriers, incl. liposomes. The present contribution is focused on feasibility of using hybrid pH-sensitive liposomes, whereby curcumin is entrapped as a free drug and as a water soluble inclusion complex with PEGylated tert-butylcalix[4]arene, which allows the drug to occupy both the phospholipid membranes and the aqueous core of liposomes. The inclusion complexes were encapsulated in dipalmithoylphosphathydilcholine:cholesterol liposomes, whose membranes were grafted with a poly(isoprene-b-acrylic acid) diblock copolymer to confer pH-sensitivity. The liposomes were characterized by DLS, ζ-potential measurements, cryo-TEM, curcumin encapsulation efficacy, loading capacity, and in vitro release as a function of pH. Free and formulated curcumin were further investigated for cytotoxicity, apoptosis-induction and caspase-8, and 9 activation in chemosensitive HL-60 and its resistant sublines HL-60/Dox and HL-60/CDDP. Formulated curcumin was superior cytotoxic and apoptogenic agent vs. the free drug. The mechanistic assay demonstrated that the potent proapoptotic effects of pH-sensitive liposomal curcumin presumably mediated via recruitment of both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways in both HL-60 and HL-60/CDDP cells