All-digital gated ring oscillator $$\Delta \Sigma$$ modulators

This paper presents all-digital time-mode \(\Delta \Sigma\) modulators. The proposed modulators consist of a voltage-to-time integrator, a seven-stage gated ring oscillator functioning as a 3-bit quantizer, and seven digital differentiators. A detailed analysis of the nonlinear characteristics of the modulators is provided. Designed in IBM 130 nm 1.2 V CMOS technology with a 100 mV 100 kHz sinusoidal input and a 4.4 MHz frequency clock, the first-order modulator provides 47 dB SNR over 0–150 KHz bandwidth while consuming 1.1 mW while the second-order modulator provides 55 dB SNR over the same bandwidth while consuming consumes 1.45 mW.     

A multivariate study: variation in uptake of trace and toxic elements by various varieties of Sorghum bicolor L

The aim of present study was to evaluate the variation in uptake of elements (As, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb and Zn) by different varieties of Sorghum bicolor L., plants grown in soil amended with untreated industrial waste water sewage sludge (SUIS), on same experimental plots. The power of chemometrics was also used in exploring the potential natural and/or anthropogenic sources responsible for elemental contents in different varieties of sorghum. Hierarchical cluster analysis was used to explore the different variety of sorghum grouping according to corresponding their SUIS samples as additional information to the output obtained by principal component analysis. Significant genotypic variation was detected in the fourteen elements concentrations in sorghum grains, indicating the possibility to reduce the concentration of toxic elements in grains through breeding approach. It was observed that high tolerance limit of toxic elements was observed in sorghum variety PARC-SV-1.     

Hazardous impact of toxic metals on tobacco leaves grown in contaminated soil by ultrasonic assisted pseudo-digestion: multivariate study

Tobacco leaves (Nicotiana tabacum L.), agricultural soil and pollute irrigated lake water samples were collected during 2005–2006 and analyzed for Cd and Ni by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). A simple and efficient procedure was investigated for the complete decomposition of tobacco leaves using ultrasonic assisted acid pseudo-digestion method (UPDM). A Plackett–Burman experimental design was used as a multivariate strategy for the evaluation of seven factors/variables at once, while central composite were used to found optimum values of significant variables. The accuracy of the proposed methods was assessed by analyzing certified reference (CRM); Virginia tobacco leaves (CTA-VTL-2). The results being compared with those obtained by conventional wet acid digestion method. The result obtained by optimized method showed good agreement with the certified values and sufficiently high recovery 97.8 and 98.7% for Cd and Ni, respectively. Under optimal conditions, the detection limits (3σ) were evaluated to be 0.019 μg g⁻¹ for Cd and 0.37 μg g⁻¹ for Ni. The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of Cd and Ni in raw, processed tobacco and different branded cigarettes samples.     

The effects of peroxide content on the wear behavior, microstructure and mechanical properties of peroxide crosslinked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene used in total hip replacement

The wear of the ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) acetabular components and wear debris induced osteolysis are the major causes of failure in total hip replacements. Crosslinking has been shown to improve the wear resistance of UHMWPE by producing a network structure, resisting the plastic deformation of the surface layer. In this study organic peroxides were used to crosslink two different types of UHMWPE resins, using hot isostatic pressing as the processing method. The effects of peroxide content on the different properties were investigated, along with the effect of the crosslink density on the wear behavior. An increase in peroxide content decreases the melting point and the degree of crystallinity, which results in a decrease in the yield strength. The ultimate tensile strength remains essentially unchanged. The molecular weight between crosslinks decreases with an increase in the peroxide content and reaches a saturation limit at around 0.3–0.5 weight percent peroxide, its value at the saturation limit is a function of the virgin resin used for processing. The wear rate decreases linearly with the increase in crosslink density.     

A 65nm CMOS Ramp Generator Design and its Application Towards a BIST Implementation of the Reduced-Code Static Linearity Test Technique for Pipeline ADCs

This work presents an efficient on-chip ramp generator targeting to facilitate the deployment of Built-In Self-Test (BIST) techniques for ADC static linearity characterization. The proposed ramp generator is based on a fully-differential switched-capacitor integrator that is conveniently modified to produce a very small integration gain, such that the ramp step size is a small fraction of the LSB of the target ADC. The proposed ramp generator is employed in a servo-loop configuration to implement a BIST version of the reduced-code linearity test technique for pipeline ADCs, which drastically reduces the volume of test data and, thereby, the test time, as compared to the standard test based on a histogram. The demonstration of the pipeline ADC BIST is carried out based on a mixture of transistor-level and behavioral-level simulations that employ actual production test data.     

A fast fully 4-D incremental gradient reconstruction algorithm for list mode PET data

We describe a fast and globally convergent fully four-dimensional incremental gradient (4DIG) algorithm to estimate the continuous-time tracer density from list mode positron emission tomography (PET) data. Detection of 511-keV photon pairs produced by positron-electron annihilation is modeled as an inhomogeneous Poisson process whose rate function is parameterized using cubic B-splines. The rate functions are estimated by minimizing the cost function formed by the sum of the negative log-likelihood of arrival times, spatial and temporal roughness penalties, and a negativity penalty. We first derive a computable bound for the norm of the optimal temporal basis function coefficients. Based on this bound we then construct and prove convergence of an incremental gradient algorithm. Fully 4-D simulations demonstrate the substantially faster convergence behavior of the 4DIG algorithm relative to preconditioned conjugate gradient. Four-dimensional reconstructions of real data are also included to illustrate the performance of this method.     

Hybrid biosorbent: An innovative matrix to enhance the biosorption of Cd(II) from aqueous solution

To enhance the metal removing capacity of a fungus biosorbent, a new idea of producing a hybrid biosorbent (HB) matrix by combining two different biosorbents using a simple and low-cost immobilization technique was tested for the sorption of Cd(II). The two biosorbents, used as the building block for the production of HB matrix, were the fungal biomass of Phanerochaete chrysosporium (B1) and fibrous network of papaya wood (B2). Maximum independent biosorption capacity of B1 and B2 was noted, respectively, to be 71.36 and 17.62 mgCd(II)g(-1) biosorbent. However, when two biosorbents were hybridized to form HB matrix, the combined biosorption capacity (141.63 mgCd(II)g(-1) biosorbent) was increased by 98.47, 703.80%, respectively, as compared to the ability of B1 and B2 when used alone, and by 59.17% than the sum of separate individual abilities of biosorbents B1 and B2. The kinetics of equilibrium was fast, approximately 88% of Cd(II) biosorption taking place within 30 min. Biosorption kinetics and equilibria followed the pseudo-second order kinetics and Langmuir adsorption isotherms model. HB matrix was also shown to be highly effective in removing Cd(II) from aqueous solution in a continuous flow fixed-bed column bioreactor, both in batch and repeated cycles.     

Determination of the mixing performance of sulzer SMV static mixers by laser induced fluorescence

Local concentrations are measured at the outlet of different configurations of Sulzer SMV static mixers placed in a tube. Laser Induced Fluorescence is the non intrusive technique used to measure mean and RMS concentrations. The two fluids mixed are miscible and the flow regime is turbulent. The influence of the number of elements, their position and the ratio between the velocities of the two compounds on the mixing is studied. The results show that these parameters are important for the quality of mixing. The velocity ratio influences the radial mixing, while the mixing length depends on the number and position of the elements.     

Stable carbon dioxide reforming of methane over modified Ni/Al2O3 catalysts

CO₂ reforming of methane was studied over modified Ni/Al₂O₃ catalysts. The metal modifiers were Co, Cu, Zr, Mn, Mo, Ti, Ag and Sn. Relative to unmodified Ni/Al₂O₃, catalysts modified with Co, Cu and Zr showed slightly improved activity, while other promoters reduced the activity of CO₂ reforming. Mn-promoted catalyst showed a remarkable reduction in coke deposition, while entailing only a small reduction in catalytic activity compared to unmodified catalyst. The catalysts prepared at high calcination temperatures showed higher activity than those prepared at low calcination temperature. The Mn-promoted catalyst showed very low coke deposition even in the absence of diluent gas and the activity changed only slightly during 100 h operation. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

强实时系统静态优先级调度的可调度性分析

文章在系统阐述和借鉴经典的强实时系统静态优先级调度理论的基础上,通过引入忙周期的概念,分析了任务时限超过任务周期的实时系统任务集的可调度特性,拓宽了该理论的应用范围,更有利于实时系统的设计者对任务的运行时间行为进行事前分析与预测。