Acousto-optical method for measuring wet fiber flexibility

"August 1995.""Submitted to Journal of Pulp and Paper Science.

A Sensor-Based Visual Effect Evaluation of Chevron Alignment Signs’ Colors on Drivers through the Curves in Snow and Ice Environment

The ability to quantitatively evaluate the visual feedback of drivers has been considered as the primary research for reducing crashes in snow and ice environments. Different colored Chevron alignment signs cause diverse visual effect. However, the effect of Chevrons on visual feedback and on the driving reaction while navigating curves in SI environments has not been adequately evaluated. The objective of this study is twofold: (1) an effective and long-term experiment was designed and developed to test the effect of colored Chevrons on drivers’ vision and vehicle speed; (2) a new quantitative effect evaluation model is employed to measure the effect of different colors of the Chevrons. Fixation duration and pupil size were used to describe the driver’s visual response, and Cohen’s d was used to evaluate the colors’ psychological effect on drivers. The results showed the following: (1) after choosing the proper color for Chevrons, drivers reduced the speed of the vehicle while approaching the curves. (2) It was easier for drivers to identify the road alignment after setting the Chevrons. (3) Cohen’s d related to different colors of Chevrons have different effect sizes. The conclusions provide evident references for freeway warning products and the design of intelligent vehicles

Identification of elderly fallers by muscle strength measures

For efficient prevention of falls among older adults, individuals at a high risk of falling need to be identified. In this study, we searched for muscle strength measures that best identified those individuals who would fall after a gait perturbation and those who recovered their balance. Seventeen healthy older adults performed a range of muscle strength tests. We measured maximum and rate of development of ankle plantar flexion moment, knee extension moment and whole leg push-off force, as well as maximum jump height and hand grip strength. Subsequently, their capacity to regain balance after tripping over an obstacle was determined experimentally. Seven of the participants were classified as fallers based on the tripping outcome. Maximum isometric push-off force in a leg press apparatus was the best measure to identify the fallers, as cross-validation of a discriminant model with this variable resulted in the best classification (86% sensitivity and 90% specificity). Jump height and hand grip strength were strongly correlated to leg press force (r = 0.82 and 0.59, respectively) and can also be used to identify fallers, although with slightly lower specificity. These results indicate that whole leg extension strength is associated with the ability to prevent a fall after a gait perturbation and might be used to identify the elderly at risk of falling

Designing biomass lignins for the biorefinery

4 páginas.- 3 figuras. 17 referencias.- Comunicación oral presentada en el 16th European Workshop on Lignocellulosics and Pulp (EWLP) Gothenburg, Sweden, June 28 – July 1, 2022As ever more component monomers are discovered, lignin can no longer be regarded as deriving from just the three canonical monolignols. Pathway intermediates and additional products of truncated biosynthesis are now established lignin monomers. The array of acylated monolignols continues to expand. Game-changing findings have demonstrated that phenolics from alternative pathways, including flavonoids and hydroxystilbenes, are also involved in lignification, expanding the traditional concept. Beyond the basic science intrigue, these findings propound exciting new avenues for valorizing lignins, or for producing more readily extractable or depolymerizable lignins, in crop and bioenergy plants.We further acknowledge lots of colleagues and collaborators, and funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation (Synergia) grant # CRS115_180258, and the DOE Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (DOE BER Office of Science DE-SC0018409).N

Exciton/Charge-transfer Electronic Couplings in Organic Semiconductors

Charge transfer (CT) states and excitons are important in energy conversion processes that occur in organic light emitting devices (OLEDS) and organic solar cells. An ab initio density functional theory (DFT) method for obtaining CT−exciton electronic couplings between CT states and excitons is presented. This method is applied to two organic heterodimers to obtain their CT−exciton coupling and adiabatic energy surfaces near their CT−exciton diabatic surface crossings. The results show that the new method provides a new window into the role of CT states in exciton−exciton transitions within organic semiconductors.United States. Dept. of Energy (DEFG02- 07ER46474)David & Lucile Packard Foundation (Fellowship

Chemistry of an oxidative alkaline extraction between chlorine dioxide stages

Ph.D

Biobleaching of kraft pulps with laccase and Hydroxybenzotriazole

"October 1997.""Submitted to TAPPI Pulping Conference, San Francisco, California, October 19-23, 1997.

Comparison of oxidative alkaline extraction reaction's impact on pulp properties and the environment

"March 1998.""Submitted to 1998 International Pulp Bleaching Conference Helsinki, Finland June 1-5, 1998.

NMR analysis of oxidative alkaline extraction stage lignins

"August 1998.""Submitted to Holzforschung