Mimicking unfolding motion of a beetle hind wing

This paper presents an experimental research aiming to realize an artificial hind wing that can mimic the wing unfolding motion of AIIomyrina dichotoma, an insect in coleopteran order. Based on the understanding of working principles of beetle wing folding/unfolding mechanisms, the hind wing unfolding motion is mimicked by a combination of creative ideas and state-of-art artificial muscle actuator. In this work, we devise two types of artificial wings and the successfully demonstrate that they can be unfolded by actuation of shape memory alloy wires to provide actuation force at the wing base and along the leading edge vein. The folding/unfolding mechanisms may provide an insight for portable nano/micro air vehicles with morphing wings.     

工时定额动态参数建模及可视化研究

工时定额数据获取的快速基于动态参数的工时定额计算方法.对影响工时定额计算结果 的诸多参数进行分析,根据参数的性和准确性影响着制造成本和作业计划.传统计算方法效率低、准确性差,为解决这一问题提出了信息表达方式进行分类,建立动态参数计算模型.利用VRML技术构造可视化加工特征模型,将动态参数映射到加工特征模型上,实现工时定额计算参数的图形化拾取.该技术已应用于企业生产过程中,取得良好的效果.     

Enhanced urease inhibition activity of Ag nanomaterials capped with N-substituted methyl 5-acetamido-β-resorcylate

Medically, bacterial ureases are important virulent factors and are used for treatment of peptic ulcers and urinary tones. Reported urease inhibitors are associated with various side effects including antibiotic resistance as a major one. Still there is an urgent need to synthesize new urease inhibitors. In this context we have synthesized new urease inhibitor i.e. AgL that is composed of Ag nanomaterials capped with N-substituted methyl 5-acetamido-β-resorcylate(L). The conjugation of L to silver was confirmed through FTIR, UV–vis and TEM analysis.Bare silver nanomaterials(Ag) were also prepared. The stability of AgL nanostructures was determined against various parameters(temperature, high salt concentration, pH) and found to be stable. The in vitro antimicrobial(antibacterial, antifungal), enzyme inhibition(xanthine oxidase, urease, carbonic anhydrase, α-chymotrypsin,cholinesterase) and antioxidant activities of AgL were investigated and compared with Ag, L and standard drugs.In comparison to other bioactivities, AgL shows statistically enhanced selective enzyme inhibition activity against urease enzyme. Urease inhibition activity of AgL was significantly greater than standard drug(thiourea),L and Ag. On a per weight basis, AgL required about 11–18 times less amount of L for inhibition of urease enzyme.     

Structural, electrical, dielectric and magnetic properties of Mn-Nd substituted CoFeO3 nano sized multiferroics

A series of Mn x Co_(1-x) Fe_(1-y) Nd_yO_3(where x=0.0–1.0 y=0.0–0.1) multiferroic nanocrystals was synthesized via sol-gel auto-combustion technique. The structure was confirmed by X-ray diffraction(XRD)while morphology was investigated by scanning electron microscopy(SEM). The electrical resistivity was observed to increase from 2.14 * 10~7 to 8.77 * 10~9 Ω-cm and activation energy was found to increase from 0.64 to 0.75 e V, while the drift mobility decreased from 4.75 * 10~(-13) to 1.27 * 10~(-15)cm~2V~(-1)S~(-1) by the substitution of Mn and Nd contents. The dielectric constant, dielectric loss and dielectric loss factor decrease with frequency and Mn-Nd contents. The saturation magnetization was increased from 34 to 70 emu g~(-1) while the coercivity decreased from 705 to 262 Oe with the increase of substituents.The increase in electrical resistivity and saturation magnetization while decrease in dielectric parameters and coercivity make these nanomaterials suitable for applications in microwave devices and longitudinal magnetic recording media.     

Liquid-phase aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol catalyzed by mechanochemically synthesized manganese oxide

Benzyl alcohol oxidation by molecular oxygen using solid manganese oxide as a catalyst and n-heptane as the solvent was studied in the liquid phase. The catalyst was synthesized by a simple mechanochemical process at room temperature and was characterized by different physical methods. The catalyst was highly active and 100% selective for benzyl alcohol conversion to benzaldehyde. The solid catalyst can be recovered from the reaction mixture by simple filtration and can be re-used. We found n-heptane to be an excellent solvent for the oxidation reaction, and that the catalyst did not leach into solution.     

Flower mites of Trinidad II. The genus Proctolaelaps (Acari: Ascidae)

Nine species of mites of the genus Proctolaelaps were collected in flowers or phoretic in the nares of hummingbirds in Trinidad. Previously named species P. kirmsei , P. glaucis , and P. belemensis are redescribed, and six new species are described: P. jurgatus , P. mermillion , P. rabulatus , P. contumex , P. certator , and P. contentiosus . Proctolaelaps belemensis cyanocompsae is raised to specific status. Host plants are given for all species except P. mermillion , which was collected only from a hummingbird host. New World flower-inhabiting Proctolaelaps are grouped into two hypothetically monophyletic lineages, the kirmsei -group and the belemensis -group, on the basis of adult morphology. A key to the nine Trinidadian species is given.     

Reduced bit low power VLSI architectures for motion estimation

Low power and real time very large scale integration(VLSI) architectures of motion estimation(ME) algorithms for mobile devices and applications are presented.The power reduction is achieved by devising a novel correction recovery mechanism based on algorithms which allow the use of reduced bit sum of absolute difference(RBSAD) metric for calculating matching error and conversion to full resolution sum of absolute difference(SAD) metric whenever necessary.Parallel and pipelined architectures for high throughput of full search ME corresponding to both the full resolution SAD and the generalized RBSAD algorithm are synthesized using Xilinx Synthesis Tools(XST),where the ME designs based on reduced bit(RB) algorithms demonstrate the reduction in power consumption up to 45% and/or the reduction in area up to 38%.     

Nitrogen limitation constrains sustainability of ecosystem response to CO2

Enhanced plant biomass accumulation in response to elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration could dampen the future rate of increase in CO2 levels and associated climate warming. However, it is unknown whether CO2-induced stimulation of plant growth and biomass accumulation will be sustained or whether limited nitrogen (N) availability constrains greater plant growth in a CO2-enriched world. Here we show, after a six-year field study of perennial grassland species grown under ambient and elevated levels of CO2 and N, that low availability of N progressively suppresses the positive response of plant biomass to elevated CO2. Initially, the stimulation of total plant biomass by elevated CO2 was no greater at enriched than at ambient N supply. After four to six years, however, elevated CO2 stimulated plant biomass much less under ambient than enriched N supply. This response was consistent with the temporally divergent effects of elevated CO2 on soil and plant N dynamics at differing levels of N supply. Our results indicate that variability in availability of soil N and deposition of atmospheric N are both likely to influence the response of plant biomass accumulation to elevated atmospheric CO2. Given that limitations to productivity resulting from the insufficient availability of N are widespread in both unmanaged and managed vegetation, soil N supply is probably an important constraint on global terrestrial responses to elevated CO2.     

Impact of light intensity on flowering time and plant quality of Antirrhinum majus L. cultivar Chimes White

Shades of different light intensities (29%, 43%, 54%,60% or 68%) along with control (no shade) were studied to observe their effects on the flowering time and plant quality. A hyperbolic relationship was observed between different light intensities under shade,and time to flowering.The total number of flower buds showed a curvilinear relationship with light intensities. Growth parameters related to the plant characteristics such as plant height,leaf area and plant fresh weight were improved under shading treatments at the expense of flowering time and number of flower buds.However,both linear and polynomial models applied assumed that cultivar Chimes White was equally sensitive to light intensity throughout development.     

Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Apocynum and Ramie Fiber Mat Reinforced Polylactic Acid Composites

With the increasing awareness of environmental protection and rational utilization of resources, natural fiber reinforced composites have shown broad development prospects. Apocynum fiber, known as the "king of wild fiber", not only has moisture absorption, air permeability, and good mechanical properties but also has many health-related advantages such as antibacterial properties. In this study, four types of needle-punched Apocynum fiber and ramie fiber mat reinforced polylactic acid(PLA) composites were fabricated. Mechanical and thermal properties of the composites were tested and analyzed. The results showed that compared with those of the ramie fiber finish needle-punched mat reinforced composites, the tensile strength and the tensile modulus of Apocynum fiber finish needle-punched mat reinforced composites had increased by 15.3% and 60.1%, respectively. In comparison, the bending strength and the bending modulus were decreased by 21.8% and 7.6%, respectively. Moreover, compared with the Apocynum fiber finish needled-punched mat reinforced composites and the ramie fiber finish needle-punched mat reinforced composites, the Apocynum 50/ramie 50 finish needle-punched mat reinforced composites had the best tensile and bending properties. The after-fracture morphology was detected by a scanning electron microscope(SEM). The thermal properties of the composites were also characterized. It was found that the thermal properties of the four types of composites showed very similar behaviors.