Alteration of superconductivity of suspended carbon nanotubes by deposition of organic molecules

We have altered the superconductivity of a suspended rope of single walled carbon nanotubes, by coating it with organic polymers. Upon coating, the normal state resistance of the rope changes by less than 20 percent. But superconductivity, which on the bare rope shows up as a substantial resistance decrease below 300 mK, is gradualy suppressed. We correlate this to the suppression of radial breathing modes, measured with Raman Spectroscopy on suspended Single and Double-walled carbon nanotubes. This points to the breathing phonon modes as being responsible for superconductivity in carbon nanotubes

Estimating peanut and soybean photosynthetic traits using leaf spectral reflectance and advance regression models

One proposed key strategy for increasing potential crop stability and yield centers on exploitation of genotypic variability in photosynthetic capacity through precise high-throughput phenotyping techniques. Photosynthetic parameters, such as the maximum rate of Rubisco catalyzed carboxylation (V-c,V-max) and maximum electron transport rate supporting RuBP regeneration (J(max)), have been identified as key targets for improvement. The primary techniques for measuring these physiological parameters are very time-consuming. However, these parameters could be estimated using rapid and non-destructive leaf spectroscopy techniques. This study compared four different advanced regression models (PLS, BR, ARDR, and LASSO) to estimate V-c,V-max and J(max) based on leaf reflectance spectra measured with an ASD FieldSpec4. Two leguminous species were tested under different controlled environmental conditions: (1) peanut under different water regimes at normal atmospheric conditions and (2) soybean under high [CO2] and high night temperature. Model sensitivities were assessed for each crop and treatment separately and in combination to identify strengths and weaknesses of each modeling approach. Regardless of regression model, robust predictions were achieved for V-c,V-max (R-2 = 0.70) and J(max) (R-2 = 0.50). Field spectroscopy shows promising results for estimating spatial and temporal variations in photosynthetic capacity based on leaf and canopy spectral propertiesThe authors would like to thank the technical help during the experiment of Mr. Robert Icenogle, Barry Dorman (USDA-ARS), Seth Johnston, and Mary Durstock (Crop Physiology Laboratory, Auburn University). The authors also would like to thank to Dr. Jose A. Jimenez Berni for statistical support to analyze the data. This research was supported by the Action CA17134 SENSECO (Optical Synergies for Spatiotemporal Sensing of Scalable Ecophysiological Traits) funded by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology, www.cost.eu).This research was also supported by Auburn University and Alabama Agricultural Experimental Station Seed Grant

Estimating peanut and soybean photosynthetic traits using leaf spectral reflectance and advance regression models

One proposed key strategy for increasing potential crop stability and yield centers on exploitation of genotypic variability in photosynthetic capacity through precise high-throughput phenotyping techniques. Photosynthetic parameters, such as the maximum rate of Rubisco catalyzed carboxylation (Vc,max) and maximum electron transport rate supporting RuBP regeneration (Jmax), have been identified as key targets for improvement. The primary techniques for measuring these physiological parameters are very time-consuming. However, these parameters could be estimated using rapid and non-destructive leaf spectroscopy techniques. This study compared four different advanced regression models (PLS, BR, ARDR, and LASSO) to estimate Vc,max and Jmax based on leaf reflectance spectra measured with an ASD FieldSpec4. Two leguminous species were tested under different controlled environmental conditions: (1) peanut under different water regimes at normal atmospheric conditions and (2) soybean under high [CO2] and high night temperature. Model sensitivities were assessed for each crop and treatment separately and in combination to identify strengths and weaknesses of each modeling approach. Regardless of regression model, robust predictions were achieved for Vc,max (R2 = 0.70) and Jmax (R2 = 0.50). Field spectroscopy shows promising results for estimating spatial and temporal variations in photosynthetic capacity based on leaf and canopy spectral properties

Evaluating maize genotype performance under low nitrogen conditions using RGB UAV phenotyping techniques

Maize is the most cultivated cereal in Africa in terms of land area and production, but low soil nitrogen availability often constrains yields. Developing new maize varieties with high and reliable yields using traditional crop breeding techniques in field conditions can be slow and costly. Remote sensing has become an important tool in the modernization of field-based high-throughput plant phenotyping (HTPP), providing faster gains towards the improvement of yield potential and adaptation to abiotic and biotic limiting conditions. We evaluated the performance of a set of remote sensing indices derived from red–green–blue (RGB) images along with field-based multispectral normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD values) as phenotypic traits for assessing maize performance under managed low-nitrogen conditions. HTPP measurements were conducted from the ground and from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). For the ground-level RGB indices, the strongest correlations to yield were observed with hue, greener green area (GGA), and a newly developed RGB HTPP index, NDLab (normalized difference Commission Internationale de I´Edairage (CIE)Lab index), while GGA and crop senescence index (CSI) correlated better with grain yield from the UAV. Regarding ground sensors, SPAD exhibited the closest correlation with grain yield, notably increasing in its correlation when measured in the vegetative stage. Additionally, we evaluated how different HTPP indices contributed to the explanation of yield in combination with agronomic data, such as anthesis silking interval (ASI), anthesis date (AD), and plant height (PH). Multivariate regression models, including RGB indices (R2 > 0.60), outperformed other models using only agronomic parameters or field sensors (R2 > 0.50), reinforcing RGB HTPP’s potential to improve yield assessments. Finally, we compared the low-N results to the same panel of 64 maize genotypes grown under optimal conditions, noting that only 11% of the total genotypes appeared in the highest yield producing quartile for both trials. Furthermore, we calculated the grain yield loss index (GYLI) for each genotype, which showed a large range of variability, suggesting that low-N performance is not necessarily exclusive of high productivity in optimal conditions.This research and APC was funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and USAID Stress Tolerant Maize for Africa program, grant number [OPP1134248], and the MAIZE CGIAR research program. The CGIAR Research Program MAIZE receives W1&W2 support from the Governments of Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, France, India, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, U.K., U.S., and the World Bank

Drying of lemon myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) leaves: Retention of volatiles and color

Lemon myrtle plant (Backhousia citriodora) leaves were dried at three different drying temperature conditions (30, 40, and 50°C) in a fluidized bed dryer. The retention of the principal volatile compound, citral, was analyzed in dried products obtained at these three drying conditions. The changes in the color parameters L*, a*, b* of leaves were also analyzed. More than 90% of citral was retained at 50°C drying temperature, whereas the retention at 30 and 40°C was 81 and 85%, respectively, suggesting that higher temperature is beneficial to achieve higher retention of volatiles. However, in terms of the color, all the color parameters were changed maximum at 50°C drying temperature unfavorably, suggesting that the higher temperature drying causes more degradation of the pigment. Blanching of the leaves in hot water at 80°C for 1 min prior to drying did not result in any improvement in volatile retention or color

Silicon NANO-ESI Emitters for Mass Spectrometry: A Mixed Micromechanical and Microfluidic Design

International audienc

A new optimal design method for electrostatically actuated silicon-based MEMS: Application to a micro-gripper with large stroke and high force resolution

Conference of 1st International Conference on Engineering and Applied Sciences Optimization, OPT-i 2014 ; Conference Date: 4 June 2014 Through 6 June 2014; Conference Code:108723International audienceThe design of Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) is often based on the use of costly trial and error method which depends highly on the technical skills of the involved engineers. The drawback of such a procedure is to lead to sub-optimal designs and poor performance at the end. Some research works on dedicated optimization tools have begun a few years ago. The present paper deals with the development of a dedicated optimal design tool for monolithic MEMS, fabricated using the Silicon On Insulator (SOI) process. This tool is an evolution of a previously developed heuristic method, using a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm and a compliant building blocks library. It has been adapted and implemented in the MEMS design software called FlexIn SOI (Flexible Innovation for SOI), which account for the anisotropic elastic behavior of the Single Cristal Silicon material for the Finite Element evaluation of the fitness functions involved in the optimization process. To illustrate the usefulness of this tool, the automatic optimal design of a monolithic microgripper has been investigated. Here, the micro-fabrication process resolution is defined as an optimization constraint. Five dedicated objective functions have been considered to quantify real performances of the gripper, and also to be able to consider the use recommendations of associated inter-digital actuators and sensors. At the end of the optimization process, the nonlinear comb-drive actuator stiffness has been considered to select an electromechanically stable solution among Pareto front. This solution has been prototyped and characterized. It showed very outstanding performances regarding state-of-the-art micro-grippers [1], thus validating the proposed optimal design method

Moteurs piézo-électriques à onde progressive : I. Modélisation de la conversion d'énergie mécanique à l'interface stator/rotor

The modeling of traveling wave type piezoelectric motors involves a large variety of mechanical and physical phenomena and therefore leads to numerous approaches and models. The latter, mainly based on phenomenological and numerical (based on Finite Element Method) analyses, are not suitable for current objectives oriented toward the development of efficient C.A.D. tools. As a result, an attempt is done to investigate analytical approaches, in order to theoretically model the mechanical energy conversion at the stator/rotor interface. This paper is the first in a serie of three articles devoted to the modeling of such rotative motors. After a short description of the operating principles specific to the piezomotors, the mechanical and tribological assumptions made for the driving mechanism of the rotor are briefly described. Then it is shown that the kinematic and dynamic modeling of the stator, combined with the static representation of the stator/rotor interface, gives an efficient way in order to perform the calculation of the loading characteristics of the driving shaft. Finally, the specifications of a new software named C.A.S.I.M.M.I.R.E., which has been recently developed on the basis of our earlier mechanical modeling, are described. In the last of these three papers, the theoretical simulations performed on SHINSEI Japanese motors will show to be close to the experimental data and that the results reported in this paper will lead to the structural optimization of future traveling wave ultrasonic motors.La modélisation des moteurs piézo-électriques à onde progressive implique une grande variété de phénomènes physiques et mécaniques. Cette variété conduit à des approches et modèles tout aussi nombreux et variés, qui reposent principalement sur des analyses phénoménologiques et numériques (Méthode Élements Finis), et ne permettent pas de répondre aux éxigences actuelles concernant le développement d'outils C.A.O. performants. Cette nécessité nous a conduits à développer une modélisation théorique analytique de la conversion d'énergie à l'interface stator/rotor. Ce papier est le premier d'une série de trois articles consacrés à la modélisation des moteurs piézo-électriques rotatifs. Après une rapide description des principes de fonctionnement de ces piézomoteurs, les hypothèses mécaniques et tribologiques concernant le mécanisme d'entraînement du rotor sont énoncées succinctement. On démontre ensuite que la modélisation cinématique et dynamique du stator, combinée à une représentation statique du comportement à l'interface stator/rotor, autorise l'évaluation des caractéristiques en charge des moteurs à onde progressive. Enfin, le logiciel baptisé C.A.S.I.M.M.I.R.E., récemment développé sur la base de la modélisation mécanique précédente, est présenté puis testé. Dans le dernier article de cette série, nous confirmerons la validité des simulations théoriques issues de ce logiciel, à partir de la caractérisation expérimentale de moteurs japonais de la firme SHINSEI. Ce nouveau logiciel constitue d'ores et déjà un outil performant en vue de l'optimisation des futurs moteurs à onde progressive, et a déjà fait l'objet d'une première exploitation en milieu industriel

Electrostatic actuators operating in liquid environment : suppression of pull-in instability and dynamic response

This paper presents results about fabrication and operation of electrostatic actuators in liquids with various permittivities. In the static mode, we provide experimental and theoretical demonstration that the pull-in effect can be shifted beyond one third of the initial gap and even be eliminated when electrostatic actuators are operated in liquids. This should benefit to applications in microfluidics requiring either binary state actuation (e.g. pumps, valves) or continuous displacements over the whole gap (e.g. microtweezers). In dynamic mode, actuators like micro-cantilevers present a great interest for Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) in liquids. As this application requires a good understanding of the cantilever resonance frequency and Q-factor, an analytical modeling in liquid environment has been established. The theoretically derived curves are validated by experimental results using a nitride encapsulated cantilever with integrated electrostatic actuation. Electrode potential screening and undesirable electrochemistry in dielectric liquids are counteracted using AC-voltages. Both experimental and theoretical results should prove useful in micro-cantilever design for AFM in liquids