Field trial of a 15 Tb/s adaptive and gridless OXC supporting elastic 1000-fold all-optical bandwidth granularity

An adaptive gridless OXC is implemented using a 3D-MEMS optical backplane plus optical modules (sub-systems) that provide elastic spectrum and time switching functionality. The OXC adapts its architecture on demand to fulfill the switching requirements of incoming traffic. The system is implemented in a seven-node network linked by installed fiber and is shown to provide suitable architectures on demand for three scenarios with increasing traffic and switching complexity. In the most complex scenario, signals of mixed bit-rates and modulation formats are successfully switched with flexible per-channel allocation of spectrum, time and space, achieving over 1000-fold bandwidth granularity and 1.5 Tb/s throughput with good end-to-end performance

Implementation of Remedial Measures to Contain a PCB Spill

A large spill of Polychlorinated Biphenols (PCB\u27s) occurred at Federal Pioneer Limited\u27s Regina Plant in 1976. The City of Regina is underlain by a relatively shallow aquifer which supplies a significant proportion of its drinking water. A remedial measures plan was developed to contain this spill within the boundaries of the site and clean up any contamination which had spread to adjacent property. The remedial measures plan developed involved limiting or reversing the normal downward hydraulic gradient. The three principle measures introduced to accomplish this reversal included the construction of a cutoff wall around the site, installation of a thick surface seal over the entire surface and active dewatering. The performance of these measures was monitored by an extensive network of piezometers and sampling well. Monitoring over the past seven years has produced no evidence of further downward migration of PCB\u27s

Efficiency of artificial insemination with sexed semen in cattle: reproductive viability

A técnica de citometria de fluxo tem sido utilizada com sucesso visando a sexagem de espermatozóides, gerando bezerros ou bezerras, de acordo com a preferência do produtor. O objetivo do presente experimento foi avaliar a taxa de nascimento ao utilizar um sêmen comercial sexado e comparar a eficiência com sêmen não sexado, bem como analisar o custo-benefício do sêmen sexado. Foram utilizadas 342 novilhas da raça Nelore localizada no município de Guaraniaçu-PR. O experimento foi realizado em outubro e novembro de 2006. Todos os animais pertenciam à mesma categoria animal com idade de 24 meses. Os animais eram criados a pasto (Brachiaria decumbens) em sistema de rotação de pastagem, com suplementação de sal mineral nos cochos. Foram formados dois grupos de animais: Grupo I (controle) formado por 155 novilhas e Grupo II (sêmen sexado) por 187 novilhas. Os animais estavam com o escore da condição corporal entre 2,5 e 3,0 (variação de 1 a 5). Em ambos os grupos de novilhas foi realizada a IA com observação de estro (manhã e tarde), inseminando-se 12 horas após a observação. No grupo I foi utilizado um sêmen comercial não sexado de um touro Nelore, proveniente de uma Central de coleta e congelamento. No grupo II foi utilizado um sêmen sexado para gerar fêmea, proveniente da mesma Central de IA. Os resultados demonstraram uma diferença significativa entre as taxas de nascimento (P<0,05), de 23% para o sêmen sexado e 46,45% para o convencional, gerando um aumento no custo do bezerro produzido com o sêmen sexado. Apesar da reduzida taxa de prenhez do sêmen sexado, a acurácia da sexagem, observada no nascimento foi de 93,02%.The insemination with sorted sperm by flow-cytometry technique has been used successfully to produce male or female calves, according to the choice of the producer. The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the rate of birth of a commercial sorted sperm and compare its efficiency with non sexed semen and analyse the economic viability of the sexed semen. The experiment was conducted in October and November 2006, at Guaraniaçu-PR, where 342 Nellore heifers were used. All animals belonged to the same category and age (24 months). The animals were managed in a system of rotation of pasture (Brachiaria decumbens), with mineral supplementation. They were separated in two groups: Group I (control) formed by 155 heifers and Group II (sexed sperm) formed by 187 heifers. The animals body condition scores were between 2.5 and 3.0 (range from 1 to 5). Artificial insemination was carried out in both groups followed by the observation of estrus system (morning and afternoon), the insemination being occurred 12 hours after the estrus. In group I was used a commercial not sexed semen of a Nellore bull, from a company of collection and freezing semen. In group II was used sexed female semen, from the same company of IA. The results showed a significant difference in the rates of birth (P<0.05), 23% in the sexed semen and 46.45% for conventional, generating an increase in the cost of calf produced with sexed semen. The accuracy of sexed semen was 93,02%

Monetary Policy Rules with PID Control Features: Evidence from the UK, USA and EU

This paper considers the extent to which the monetary policy operations of three major central banks can be regarded as an application of Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) control rules. The paper outlines the general PID framework and estimates a series of dynamic models to identify how interest rate policy adjustments are affected by the rate of inflation and the level of macroeconomic activity. The paper examines data for the UK, the USA and the Eurozone. The results suggest that the PID rules can provide a useful theoretical and empirical framework for estimating central bank responses to the inflation and macroeconomic activity variables by improving the explanatory power of the Taylor rule model and determining the effect of the parameters

The Victorian Newsletter (Spring 1973)

The Victorian Newsletter is sponsored for the English X Group of the Modern Language Association by New York University and Queens College, City University of New York.The State of Victorian Studies: 1962-1972 - Introductory Remarks / Robert A. Colby -- Victorian Nonfiction Prose / G. B. Tennyson -- Victorian Poetry / R. C. Tobias -- Victorian Fiction / Lionel Stevenson -- Emily Brontë and the Responsible Imagination / Victor A. Neufeldt -- Wave and Fire Imagery in Tennyson's Idylls / Henry Kozicki -- Tennyson and the Spasmodics / Joseph J. Collins -- Recent Publications: A Selected List / Arthur F. Minerof -- English X New

Origin of giant photocontraction in obliquely deposited amorphous Ge_xSe_{1-x} thin- films and the intermediate phase

Obliquely deposited amorphous Ge_xSe{1-x} thin-films at several compositions in the 0.15 < x < 0.333 range, and at several obliqueness angles in the 0 < alpha < 80 range at each x were evaporated on Si and glass substrates. Here alpha designates the angle between film normal and direction of vapor transport. Raman scattering, ir reflectance and optical absorption measurements were undertaken to characterize the vibrational density of states and optical band gaps. Edge views of films in SEM confirm the columnar structure of obliquely (alpha = 80) deposited films. Films, mounted in a cold stage flushed with N2 gas, were irradiated to UV radiation from a Hg-Xe arc lamp, an