Efficient T-CONT-agnostic Bandwidth and Wavelength Allocation for NG-PON2

Dynamic bandwidth and wavelength allocation are used to demonstrate high quality of service (QoS) in time wavelength-division multiplexed–passive optical networks (TWDM-PONs). Both bandwidth and wavelength assignment are performed on the basis of transmission containers (T-CONTs) and therefore by means of upstream service priority traffic flows. Our medium access control (MAC) protocol therefore ensures consistency in processing alike classes of service across all optical network units (ONUs) in agreement with their QoS figures. For evaluation of the MAC protocol performance, a simulator has been implemented in OPNET featuring a 40 km, 40 Gbps TWDM-PON with four stacked wavelengths at 10 Gbps each and 256 ONUs. Simulation results have confirmed the efficiency of allocating bandwidth to each wavelength and the significant increase of network traffic flow due to adaptive polling from 9.04 to 9.74 Gbps. The benefit of T-CONT-centric allocation has also been measured with respect to packet delay and queue occupancy, achieving low packet delay across all T-CONTs. Therefore, improved NG-PON2 performance and greater efficiency are obtained in this first demonstration of T-CONTs allocated to both wavelength and time.Peer reviewe

Exact Solution of a Yang-Baxter Spin-1/2 Chain Model and Quantum Entanglement

Entanglement is believed to be crucial in macroscopic physical systems for understanding the collective quantum phenomena such as quantum phase transitions. We start from and solve exactly a novel Yang-Baxter spin-1/2 chain model with inhomogeneous and anisotropic short-range interactions. For the ground state, we show the behavior of neighboring entanglement in the parameter space and find that the inhomogeneous coupling strengths affect entanglement in a distinctive way from the homogeneous case, but this would not affect the coincidence between entanglement and quantum criticality.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figure

Structural Identification of Lentinus edodes Cellulose Derivative that Inhibits Aflatoxin Production by Aspergillus flavus

Purpose: To identify the structures of cellulose-extract derivative (CED) formed by heating Lentinus edodes cellulose in water surroundings that can efficiently inhibit aflatoxin production by Aspergillus flavus.Methods: CED was purified on Sepharose CL-6B columns, and then structurally characterized using amino acid analyzer, gas chromatography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.Results: CED completely inhibited aflatoxin AFB1 production by A. flavus at concentrations ≥ 100 μg/ mL. Chemical analysis indicated that CED contained 82 % carbohydrate and 18 % protein and has a molecular weight of approximately 24 kDa. Monosaccharide component analysis indicates that glucose was the predominant monosaccharide of CED. Analysis by Smith degradation and enzymatic hydrolysis indicate that there were only (1, 4)-glycosidic linkages in the CED polysaccharide chains. The protein backbone of CED contained 15 kinds of amino acid with higher levels of glutamic acid, aspartic acid, leucine and alanine.Conclusion: CED was identified as a complex of peptide and polysaccharide structures possessing β- (1, 4)-glucan backbones, and it provides a theoretical basis for developing polysaccharide preparations to control aflatoxin contamination with medical and food science applications.Keywords: Aflatoxin B1, Lentinus edodes, Aspergillus flavus, Cellulose derivative, Structure identification, Amino aci

Large-Scale Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect: Measuring Statistical Properties with Multifrequency Maps

We study the prospects for extracting detailed statistical properties of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) effect associated with large scale structure using upcoming multifrequency CMB experiments. The greatest obstacle to detecting the large-angle signal is the confusion noise provided by the primary anisotropies themselves, and to a lesser degree galactic and extragalactic foregrounds. We employ multifrequency subtraction techniques and the latest foregrounds models to determine the detection threshold for the Boomerang, MAP (several microK) and Planck CMB (sub microK) experiments. Calibrating a simplified biased-tracer model of the gas pressure off recent hydrodynamic simulations, we estimate the SZ power spectrum, skewness and bispectrum through analytic scalings and N-body simulations of the dark matter. We show that the Planck satellite should be able to measure the SZ effect with sufficient precision to determine its power spectrum and higher order correlations, e.g. the skewness and bispectrum. Planck should also be able to detect the cross correlation between the SZ and gravitational lensing effect in the CMB. Detection of these effects will help determine the properties of the as yet undetected gas, including the manner in which the gas pressure traces the dark matter.Comment: 13 ApJ pages, 11 figures; typos and figure 5 revised; submitted to Ap

Weak Lensing by Large-Scale Structure: A Dark Matter Halo Approach

Weak gravitational lensing observations probe the spectrum and evolution of density fluctuations and the cosmological parameters which govern them but are currently limited to small fields and subject to selection biases. We show how the expected signal from large-scale structure arises from the contributions from and correlations between individual halos. We determine the convergence power spectrum as a function of the maximum halo mass and so provide the means to interpret results from surveys that lack high mass halos either through selection criteria or small fields. Since shot noise from rare massive halos is mainly responsible for the sample variance below 10', our method should aid our ability to extract cosmological information from small fields.Comment: 4 ApJ pages, 3 figures; submitted to ApJ Letter

CMBR Weak Lensing and HI 21-cm Cross-correlation Angular Power Spectrum

Weak gravitational lensing of the CMBR manifests as a secondary anisotropy in the temperature maps. The effect, quantified through the shear and convergence fields imprint the underlying large scale structure (LSS), geometry and evolution history of the Universe. It is hence perceived to be an important observational probe of cosmology. De-lensing the CMBR temperature maps is also crucial for detecting the gravitational wave generated B-modes. Future observations of redshifted 21-cm radiation from the cosmological neutral hydrogen (HI) distribution hold the potential of probing the LSS over a large redshift range. We have investigated the correlation between post-reionization HI signal and weak lensing convergence field. Assuming that the HI follows the dark matter distribution, the cross-correlation angular power spectrum at a multipole \ell is found to be proportional to the cold dark matter power spectrum evaluated at \ell/r, where r denotes the comoving distance to the redshift where the HI is located. The amplitude of the ross-correlation depends on quantities specific to the HI distribution, growth of perturbations and also the underlying cosmological model. In an ideal ituation, we found that a statistically significant detection of the cross-correlation signal is possible. If detected, the cross-correlation signal hold the possibility of a joint estimation of cosmological parameters and also test various CMBR de-lensing estimators.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, publishe

Model-driven design of a fast material removal electrical discharge machine

This open access article is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license. In order to minimize cost of machining, modern aerospace components are highly unitized to utilize functions of multi-axes CNC machining centres. However, PCD tools are preferred for machining of titanium alloys and metal matrix composites but they are hard to grind. A new fast material removal electric discharge machine suitable for small PCD workpiece machining has been developed from an innovative model consisting both high and low frequency response actuators and a dual stage non-linear control algorithm. This innovative approach has been proved successful in the single axis machine prototype and the fast material removal rate has been verified a series of tests and the outcomes were verified

Magnetic fields from reionisation

We present a complementary study to a new model for generating magnetic fields of cosmological interest. The driving mechanism is the photoionisation process by photons provided by the first luminous sources. Investigating the transient regime at the onset of inhomogeneous reionisation, we show that magnetic field amplitudes as high as $2 \times 10^{-16}$ Gauss can be obtained within a source lifetime. Photons with energies above the ionisation threshold accelerate electrons, inducing magnetic fields outside the Stroemgren spheres which surround the ionising sources. Thanks to their mean free path, photons with higher energies propagate further and lead to magnetic field generation deeper in the neutral medium. We find that soft X-ray photons could contribute to a significant premagnetisation of the intergalactic medium at a redshift of z=15.Comment: accepted for publication in A&

A statistical investigation of the rheological properties of magnesium phosphate cement

Magnesium phosphate cement (MPC) is a promising material applied for rapid patch repairing in civil engineering and waste immobilisation in nuclear industry. However, the rheological properties of this new binder material which highly affects its engineering application, is to be explored. The current work aims at investigating the rheological properties of MPC along 98 with determining the optimum conditions to obtain MPC materials with desirable rheological performances. The Response Surface Methodology (RSM) accompanied by Central Composite Design (CCD) were adopted to establish mathematical model describing the rheological characteristics of MPC in terms of yield stress (Pa) and plastic viscosity (Pa.s), as a function of three independent variables namely W/S ratio, M/P ratio and Borax dosage. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was also conducted to assess the significance and adequacy of the regression models attained. The results showed that the M/P ratio and Borax dosage could affect significantly the yield stress of MPC, while W/S ratio was the significant coefficient influencing the plastic viscosity. The numerical optimised values of the W/S ratio, M/P ratio and Borax dosage were 0.25, 8.97 and 0.17 respectively, and a MPC paste with desirable rheological characteristics (yield stress of 0.40 Pa and plastic viscosity of 0.93 Pa.s) can be obtained. Further experiments will be carried out to verify the predicted optimum conditions and study the interactions between the factors in relation to the responses