Evaluation of the optical switching characteristics of erbium-doped fibres for the development of a fibre Bragg grating sensor interrogator

A polling topology that employs optical switching based on the properties of erbium-doped fibres (EDFs) is used to interrogate an array of FBGs. The properties of the EDF are investigated in its pumped and un-pumped states and the EDFs’ switching properties are evaluated by comparing them with a high performance electronically controlled MEM optical switch. Potential advantages of the proposed technique are discussed. © (2014) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only

POROUS STRUCTURES AS ACTIVE MICROFLUIDIC COMPONENTS

Active control of droplet mobility through low cost tools is highly desirable in applications entailing microfluidics, Lab-on-Chip devices and pertinent technologies. Here, we present the design concepts of a versatile, low cost tool for dynamic droplet mobility manipulation, employing a scheme with backpressure application. Initially sticky open- or closed- channel fluidics with hydrophobic, porous walls are rendered slippery with the application of backpressure through the porous walls. Deliberate control of backpressure directs the wetting phenomena to the desired state. Operation parameters, and control system considerations are presented. Ultra-low backpressure values, are needed for channels with small cross-sections, which in turn are compatible with ultra-low energy demands

Enhanced photocatalytic activity of CuWO4 doped TiO2 photocatalyst towards carbamazepine removal under UV irradiation

Abatement of contaminants of emerging concerns (CECs) in water sources has been widely studied employing TiO2 based heterogeneous photocatalysis. However, low quantum energy yield among other limitations of titania has led to its modification with other semiconductor materials for improved photocatalytic activity. In this work, a 0.05 wt.% CuWO4 over TiO2 was prepared as a powder composite. Each component part synthesized via the sol-gel method for TiO2, and CuWO4 by co-precipitation assisted hydrothermal method from precursor salts, underwent gentle mechanical agitation. Homogenization of the nanopowder precursors was performed by zirconia ball milling for 2 h. The final material was obtained after annealing at 500◦C for 3.5 h. Structural and morphological characterization of the synthesized material has been achieved employing X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) N2 adsorption–desorption analysis, Scanning electron microscopy-coupled Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-vis DRS) for optical characterization. The 0250.05 wt.% CuWO4-TiO2 catalyst was investigated for its photocatalytic activity over carbamazepine (CBZ), achieving a degradation of almost 100% after 2 h irradiation. A comparison with pure TiO2 prepared under those same conditions was made. The effect of pH, chemical scavengers, H2O2 as well as contaminant ion effects (anions, cations), and humic acid (HA) was investigated, and their related influences on the photocatalyst efficiency towards CBZ degradation highlighted accordingly

LaAlO3-based topcoats for novel thermal barrier coatings deposited by means solution precursor thermal spraying

In this study we present the development of LaAlO3 coatings for TBC applications, by means of SPTS. LaAlO3 precursor solutions have been synthesized followed the in situ polymerization with citric acid [16-17]. The details of the solution synthesis, and deposition method, along with characterization of the deposits by means of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis, and microhardness measurements is reported. The effect of critical plasma spray deposition parameters on the resulting microstructural characteristics and phase composition of the developed coatings is discussed

Plug actuation and active manipulation in closed monolithic fluidics using backpressure

We explore the mechanisms to actuate and manipulate liquid plugs in monolithic closed channel fluidics with porous hydrophobic walls. Applying a small pressure, as much as 10 mbar, from the rear side of the porous wall, hereafter backpressure, the inherently pinned plug is depinned and flows through downwards the fluidic. The method is reversible in that by removing the backpressure the plug sticks back again to the fluidic. 3D numerical simulations with the volume of fluid method, presented here for the first time, show that the velocity of the plug can be manipulated by adjusting the backpressure. The movement of the plug results from deformation – displacement phases which are observed in the simulation and are corroborated by experimental results, recorded inside fluidics. A simplified model based on measurements of back and front contact angles under backpressure is developed

Lateral Gene Expression in Drosophila Early Embryos Is Supported by Grainyhead-Mediated Activation and Tiers of Dorsally-Localized Repression

The general consensus in the field is that limiting amounts of the transcription factor Dorsal establish dorsal boundaries of genes expressed along the dorsal-ventral (DV) axis of early Drosophila embryos, while repressors establish ventral boundaries. Yet recent studies have provided evidence that repressors act to specify the dorsal boundary of intermediate neuroblasts defective (ind), a gene expressed in a stripe along the DV axis in lateral regions of the embryo. Here we show that a short 12 base pair sequence (“the A-box”) present twice within the ind CRM is both necessary and sufficient to support transcriptional repression in dorsal regions of embryos. To identify binding factors, we conducted affinity chromatography using the A-box element and found a number of DNA-binding proteins and chromatin-associated factors using mass spectroscopy. Only Grainyhead (Grh), a CP2 transcription factor with a unique DNA-binding domain, was found to bind the A-box sequence. Our results suggest that Grh acts as an activator to support expression of ind, which was surprising as we identified this factor using an element that mediates dorsally-localized repression. Grh and Dorsal both contribute to ind transcriptional activation. However, another recent study found that the repressor Capicua (Cic) also binds to the A-box sequence. While Cic was not identified through our A-box affinity chromatography, utilization of the same site, the A-box, by both factors Grh (activator) and Cic (repressor) may also support a “switch-like” response that helps to sharpen the ind dorsal boundary. Furthermore, our results also demonstrate that TGF-β signaling acts to refine ind CRM expression in an A-box independent manner in dorsal-most regions, suggesting that tiers of repression act in dorsal regions of the embryo