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BACKGROUND: Barnyardgrass (Weed Science Society of America recommended) or Barnyard grass (Britannica recommended) (Echinochloa crus‐galli (L.) P. Beauv.) is one of the most problematic and dominant weeds in world agricultural systems, especially in paddy fields, where tillering and grain yield can be reduced by 50–70% because of its competitive pressure. The frequent use of chemical herbicides to control E. crus‐galli has led to the evolution of herbicide resistance. Developing bioherbicides using pathogenic fungi to control E. crus‐galli could be an alternative option. RESULTS: In a previous study we showed that a strain of Bipolaris yamadae (HXDC‐1‐2) was promising in controlling gramineous weeds. Here we present a study that evaluated this fungus as a mycoherbicide against E. crus‐galli in greenhouse and paddy fields, characterized mycelium growth and conidial production, and examined the infection development. The median effective dose (ED50) and 90% effective dose (ED90) values of microcapsulated B. yamadae strain HXDC‐1‐2 on E. crus‐galli in the greenhouse were 7.17 × 102 and 9.35 × 103 conidia mL−1, respectively. Conidial germination, mycelial growth, and attachment formation occurred on E. crus‐galli leaves within 1 to 6 h. The hyphae directly invaded cells and stomata, primarily from the appressorium on the epidermis, and necrotic lesions were observed on the leaf surface within 20 to 24 h. Applied to E. crus‐galli plants at 1 × 105 conidia mL−1, the fungus reduced the weed's fresh weight of 75%. CONCLUSION: B. yamadae strain HXDC‐1‐2 has the potential to be developed as a bioherbicide against E. crus‐galli plants, especially in rice fields. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant bottleneck exists for mass-production of ion-selective electrodes despite recent developments in manufacturing technologies. Here, we present a fully-automated system for large-scale production of ISEs. Three materials, including polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate and polyimide, were used as substrates for fabricating ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) using stencil printing, screen-printing and laser engraving, respectively. We compared sensitivities of the ISEs to determine the best material for the fabrication process of the ISEs. The electrode surfaces were modified with various carbon nanomaterials including multi-walled carbon nanotubes, graphene, carbon black, and their mixed suspensions as the intermediate layer to enhance sensitivities of the electrodes. An automated 3D-printed robot was used for the drop-cast procedure during ISE fabrication to eliminate manual steps. The sensor array was optimized, and the detection limits were 10–5 M, 10–5 M and 10–4 M for detection of K+, Na+ and Ca2+ ions, respectively. The sensor array integrated with a portable wireless potentiometer was used to detect K+, Na+ and Ca2+ in real urine and simulated sweat samples and results obtained were in agreement with ICP-OES with good recoveries. The developed sensing platform offers low-cost detection of electrolytes for point-of-care applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxide dispersion strengthened Cu (ODS Cu) alloys possess a high potential to be used as promising heat sink materials for the divertor system in DEMO fusion reactors. Considering their future application in fusion reactor divertor systems, mass-production of ODS Cu alloys is a must. The purpose of this study is to investigate the feasibility of large-scale production of ODS Cu alloys by improving the production process based on the already established mass-production process of ODS Fe alloys in cooperation with the steel manufacturer Kobelco Research Institute. After optimization of the mechanical alloying (MA) parameters, a large-scale production of ODS Cu powders was successfully achieved with a recovery rate of over 90% and around 1Kg powder in one batch production using an industry-level attritor ball mill cooled by circulating water. The mass-produced ODS Cu alloys were comprehensively characterized, including mechanical properties, microstructure and thermal diffusivity, and a new concept of low-energy ball milling was proposed based on the results to realize the mass-production of ODS Cu alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an excellent promising tritium breeding material, Li 2 TiO 3 ceramic pebbles will be required in large quantities in the future. For this reason, a fully automatic pneumatic eject device based on an improved wet process was employed in the mass-preparation of Li 2 TiO 3 ceramic pebbles. The operating principle of the equipment, the preparation process parameters and the performance of the Li 2 TiO 3 ceramic pebbles have been studied. The results showed that the spheroidization and solidification process of slurries droplets in the molding medium were critical to the sphericity of pebbles, and the size of the green pebbles was related to the droplet dropping speed、the control pressure and the nozzle inner diameter. It is revealed that more than 90% of the pebbles had an eccentricity of less than 1.1, and the diameter distribution was concentrated between 0.98 mm and 1.03 mm. The Li 2 TiO 3 ceramic pebbles with the average grain size of 3.7 μm, the crushing load of 67 N, the relative density of 85.6%, and the porosity of 19.96% can be obtained after sintered at 1100 °C for 2 h. Also, the average pore size was 1.3 μm and the distribution was relatively concentrated. Therefore, this method is expected to meet the future demands of Li 2 TiO 3 ceramic pebbles with excellent performance in bulk quantity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diverse fields of business, management and marketing have long explored the concept of the 'prosumer' – the producer-consumer who not only consumes those products produced by industry, but also has some hand in their creation. But while the term itself is often credited to futurist Alvin Toffler , the concept he describes (and that which Ritzer et al. adapt) is a central concern of science fiction, which has much to offer our understanding of modern-day prosumption and is not limited by the language and limitations of purely scientific academic discourse. Indeed, one of the most important voices in this area is author and editor Frederik Pohl, with his co-authored novel The Space Merchants and short stories including 'The Midas Plague' and 'The Man Who Ate the World'. In each of these works, Pohl seeks to satirise the mindless robot-like behaviour of human beings, while also posing a word of warning for the social, economic and ecological impact mass-prosumption. This is a particularly relevant message given the rise of 'surveillance capitalism' – the real world manifestation of the dystopias that Pohl and his contemporaries describe. In this paper, I argue that science fiction isn't just a useful tool for social theorists, but rather, a vital resource, as it provides a speculative framework through which to interrogate the potential impacts and implications of new technology, and the links between production and consumption, technology and work. Furthermore, it provides the means through which to imagine possible futures and the lasting impacts of consumption that go beyond describing the world as it is, and move into the realms of what the world may become. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of three zinc salts (Zn(CH3COO)2, ZnSO4, and Zn(NO3)2) on the size of the precursors of the ZnO nanoparticles that were mass-produced by precipitation in a rotating packed bed was studied. The precursors were formed at a rotational speed of 2000 rpm and flow rates of 0.5 L/min by precipitation using various zinc salts and NaOH as the precipitant. When zinc salts were Zn(CH3COO)2 and ZnSO4, the smallest precursors were obtained at a Zn2+/OH− molar ratio of 1/2. However, when the zinc salt was Zn(NO3)2, the smallest precursors were obtained at a Zn2+/OH− molar ratio of 1/1. Additionally, various zinc salts yielded different effects of the concentrations of Zn2+ and OH− on the size of the precursors. Experimental results indicate that the smallest precursors for various zinc salts were obtained at a Zn(CH3COO)2 concentration of 0.4 mol/L and an NaOH concentration of 0.8 mol/L, a ZnSO4 concentration of 0.1 mol/L and an NaOH concentration of 0.2 mol/L, and a Zn(NO3)2 concentration of 0.2 mol/L and an NaOH concentration of 0.2 mol/L. ZnO nanoparticles were mass-produced by calcining these precursors at sufficient temperatures for 1 h. In this way, the average sizes of the ZnO nanoparticles that were mass-produced using Zn(NO3)2, Zn(CH3COO)2, and ZnSO4 as zinc salts were 98, 136, and 186 nm, respectively.

Metal halide perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) have shown promise for high-definition displays and flat-panel lighting because of their wide color gamut, narrow emission band, and high brightness. The external quantum efficiency of PeLEDs increased rapidly from ≈1% to more than 25% in the past few years. However, most of these high-performance devices are fabricated using a spin coating method with a small device area of <0.1 cm 2 , limiting their commercial applications. Recently, large-area PeLEDs have attracted growing attention and significant breakthroughs have been reported. This perspective first introduces the pros and cons of each technique in making large-area PeLEDs. The advances in the fabrication of large-area PeLEDs are then summarized using spin coating and mass-production methods such as inkjet printing, blade coating, and thermal evaporation. Moreover, the challenging issues will be discussed that are urgent to be solved for large-area PeLEDs., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Highly ordered honeycomb films made of biocompatible and biodegradable polymers are in pivotal demand for human-related applications such as tissue engineering and drug delivery. Among several common methods to form these honeycomb-structured films, Breath Figure methods (BFs) are widely used, which usually requires additional surface-active agents and strictly controlled humidity condition. Therefore, it is deficient to utilize BFs for practical applications of intensively used bioresorbable polymers such as polycaprolactone. Herein, we propose a new two-step method to not only surmount the mentioned weakness of BFs but also for the first time produce super-large honeycomb polycaprolactone (hc-PCL) film in the normal indoor environment. In our new method, methanol is exploited to induce a nanoparticle-like layer on the surface of droplets to prevent them from coalescence, which facilitates the formation of the uniformly ordered honeycomb structures. The results showed that the hc-PCL film was successfully fabricated with a large area of up to 5⋅5 cm2 with the pore size tuned in a range of 1÷7 μm. Moreover, by applying the method, the honeycomb structures were successfully imprinted onto non-planar PCL films as well as 3D printed PCL substrate. We believe that the convergence of excellent bio-compatibility and scalable production, as well as ease of turning pattern features would enable new prospects of the hc-PCL to widely be applied in biotechnology with multi-functionality and low-cost production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Special Issue presents the outcomes from the 23rd African Association of Insect Scientists' Conference held in Cote D'Ivoire, in connection with similar initiatives within and outside Africa. Over 65 scientific papers from several countries, worldwide, were submitted, of which about 40 were accepted and published. The issue focused on new advances in the value chain of edible insects in Africa and beyond. An innovative light-emitting diode technology for mass harvesting of edible grasshopper has been developed. The nutrient composition of insects such as the desert locust has been evaluated. Organic waste streams have been found to affect insect productivity and nutritional value. Insect-based feed increases the nutritional quality of poultry meat. Conventional processing methods reduce microbiological hazards in edible insects. Bioaccumulation of heavy metals, excessive microbial loads and pesticides residues threaten safety of some edible insects, if quality control measures are not developed. Climate change will impede availability of edible insects; hence, necessitating upscaling of mass production technologies and sound conservation practices. Safety and hygiene, on the other hand, hamper the acceptability of insects as food and/or feed, particularly in developed countries. Food fortification with insects and isolation of bioactive compounds from them are new highlights in the Special Issue, which were previously under-explored in Africa. The application of modern food processing technology in the development of new products and the medicinal or commercial value derivable from edible insects and their therapeutic functions are excellent opportunities for expanding the sector. Since disgust factors exist, mass sensitisation on the benefits of consuming insects and insect-based products is a must. We believe that the new frontiers on insects for food, feed and other uses that have been presented in this special issue will undoubtedly stimulate more debates and collaborations in the sector within Africa and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the potential of organic thermoelectrics (TEs) for energy harvesting, we fabricated an organic TE module to achieve 250 mV in the open-circuit voltage which is sufficient to drive a commercially available booster circuit designed for energy harvesting usage. We chose the π-type module structure to maintain the temperature differences in organic TE legs, and then optimized the p- and n-type TE materials’ properties. After injecting the p- and n-type TE materials into photolithographic mold, we eventually achieved 250 mV in the open-circuit voltage by a method to form the upper electrodes. However, we faced a difficulty to reduce the contact resistance in this material system. We conclude that TE materials must be inversely designed from the viewpoints of the expected module structures and mass-production processes, especially for the purpose of energy harvesting.

Aluminum ion batteries (AIBs) are considered, in principle, promising post-lithium-ion batteries, which are potential for using in grid-scale energy storage and electric vehicles, owing to the economic Al. The inflammable ionic liquid electrolyte endows stable plating and stripping of Al ions. A spotlighted research on cathode material has been preforming to obtain a high-performance cathode material that can match well with the prominent Al foil. However, one over-looked factor for the study of cathode materials is the cost and possibility of mass-production. With this key point in mind, we as the forerunner studied the CoS2/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) composite cathode material composed of low cost and commercialized CoS2 and multi-wall CNTs to promote the development of AIBs. Stable charge/discharge plateaus (at 1.2/0.9 V vs. AlCl4−/Al) during cycling test were obtained for the CoS2/CNTs product at a high current density of 1000 mA g−1, with an extremely high Coulombic efficiency of 98% and reasonable electrochemical capacities. This report is expected to contribute more contribution in the development of cathode materials for rechargeable AIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past two decades, the field of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has flourished and many rational strategies have been reported for the successful construction of SERS substrates. However, it still lacks the mass-production and programmability for practical applications with arbitrary configurations, and it is highly desirable to develop SERS substrates with strong signal enhancement, large-scale surface area, easy fabrication and low cost. Herein, we demonstrate a large-area fabrication (1.5 m × 5 m) of low-cost (18.8 dollars per square meter), highly sensitive, flexible and transparent SERS substrate by a simple solution process. The high sensitivity of SERS substrate using 3,3′-diethylthiatricarbocyanine iodide (DTTCI) as probe molecules is strongly dependent on the density and diameter of gold nanoparticles (NPs) on the surface of nylon mesh with the best enhancement factor (EF) of 9.17 × 1010 and the SERS detection limit of DTTCI molecules is as low as 10-14 M which shows no obvious degradation even after 10,000 cycles of fatigue test, high temperature (above than 160 °C) and acid-alkali treatment, indicating their excellent stability for the performance in all climates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluid-viscous dampers played a crucial role in the protection of new or existing buildings against external actions as earthquakes and winds. In the last decade, several investigations have been conducted aiming to develop accurate numerical models. However, none has been focused on a comprehensive comparison between the most used fluid-viscous damper models considering the variability of their parameters in a mass-production series. In this paper, an identification procedure has been performed by comparing nine different existing literature models with the objective of evaluating their ability to match experimental loops of mass-produced fluid-viscous devices, both in terms of accuracy and robustness. Indeed, the model that is most effective for reproducing the characteristic of a specific specimen may not be representative (i.e., showing larger parameters variability) of the mass production of the same device type. For this purpose, dynamic tests have been developed in the laboratory and the experimental outputs have been adopted as the target function of the procedure. The identification scheme has been designed by implementing an optimization procedure via Genetic Algorithm. Results demonstrate how differential laws better fit the experimental cycles with respect to algebraic ones, and also show how few models in the series can offer a high level of both accuracy and robustness. • Identification procedure for fluid-viscous dampers. • Experimental set-up description and dampers design condition. • Modified Genetic Algorithm for optimal parameters. • Comparisons between experimental outputs and numerical models. • Statistical analysis on parameters variability and Pareto front representation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses material religion in a commercial setting and sets off this discussion with Walter Benjamin's The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction (1936). Benjamin argues that mechanical reproduction emancipated works of art from religious rituals and evaporated the aura of art. This has resonance among some Tibetan Buddhists in the context of mass-produced Buddhist material objects. Are such objects fit to be given as gifts, implemented in rituals, and worshipped on altars? Based upon ethnographic work at a Tibetan Buddhist market in urban China, the article argues that although objects manufactured in factories for profit are not made or handled according to Buddhist tradition, the aura can be produced in different ways and at different points of an object's life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the potential of organic thermoelectrics (TEs) for energy harvesting, we fabricated an organic TE module to achieve 250 mV in the open-circuit voltage which is sufficient to drive a commercially available booster circuit designed for energy harvesting usage. We chose the π-type module structure to maintain the temperature differences in organic TE legs, and then optimized the p- and n-type TE materials' properties. After injecting the p- and n-type TE materials into photolithographic mold, we eventually achieved 250 mV in the open-circuit voltage by a method to form the upper electrodes. However, we faced a difficulty to reduce the contact resistance in this material system. We conclude that TE materials must be inversely designed from the viewpoints of the expected module structures and mass-production processes, especially for the purpose of energy harvesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel double ground plane coaxial resonator that allows to realize two independent coaxial cavity modes in reduced physical volume. This configuration of compact high performance filters is an enabler for multiband transmitter architectures using modern radio frequency data convertors. The proposed approach benefits from simple design and design flexibility. The benefit of the proposed approach is the ease of design and the design flexibility. The proposed filters provide the ability to control the frequency, the bandwidth, and the introduction of transmission zeros separately for each band. A number of designs are presented to demonstrate the operation principle and the performance characteristics of the proposed filters. A $2 \times 4$ pole filter has been manufactured and tested with very good obtained results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of mass-produced condoms in the US during the 1920s and 1930s is considered a prime example of modern industry and big business. By retelling the history of condoms in the US during this period from production to circulation and impact, this article highlights the social and cultural conflicts that shaped the trajectory from brothel necessity to modern commodity. This history corresponds to Arjun Appadurai’s assertion that capitalism is more than a ‘techno-economic design’ and manifests the cultural and social dimensions of modernity. Such a narrative also illuminates the concept of the ‘medicalisation’ of society and highlights its corporeal and material dimensions.

Lithium metatitanate (Li 2 TiO 3 ) is being considered as tritium breeding material for solid-type breeding blanket, which are used in pebble-bed form. The total amount of Li 2 TiO 3 pebbles in Helium Cooled Ceramic Reflector (HCCR) Test Blanket Module (TBM) is approximately 80 kg. Furthermore, DEMO reactor requires a great deal of breeder pebbles. Therefore, the development of mass-production system for breeder pebbles is necessary. The slurry droplet wetting method was adopted in the mass-production process for Li 2 TiO 3 pebbles, which had been developed in Korea. In this method, an automatic slurry dispensing system is one of the key apparatuses because the uniformity of pebbles and production rate are able to be improved. The system was successfully manufactured, which was consisted of a dispensing unit for instillation of Li 2 TiO 3 slurry, a glycerin bath for hardening of droplets, and an automatic maintaining unit for constant distance between syringe needle and glycerin surface. The production rate of this system for Li 2 TiO 3 pebble was estimated at 50 kg/year. In this study, it was investigated that the effect of dispensing and sintering conditions on the mass-production of Li 2 TiO 3 pebbles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female remating in target pest species can affect the efficacy of control methods such as the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) but very little is known about the postcopulatory mating behavior of these pests. In this study, we investigated the remating behavior of female Anastrepha serpentina (Diptera: Tephritidae), an oligophagous pest of Sapotaceae. First, we tested how long the sexual refractory period of females lasted after an initial mating. Second, we tested the effect of male and female sterility, female ovipositing opportunities and male density on female propensity to remate. Lastly, we tested if the amount of sperm stored by females was correlated to the likelihood of females to remate. We found that receptivity of mass-reared A. serpentina females had a bimodal response, with up to 16% of mass-reared A. serpentina females remating five days after the initial copulation, decreasing to 2% at 10 and 15 days and increasing to 13% after 20 days. Compared to fertile males, sterile males were less likely to mate and less likely to inhibit females from remating. Copula duration of sterile males was shorter compared to fertile males. Remating females were less likely to mate with a sterile male as a second mate. Sterile females were less likely to mate or remate compared to fertile females. Opportunity to oviposit and male density had no effect on female remating probability. Sperm numbers were not correlated with female likelihood to remate. Information on the post-copulatory behavior of mass-reared A. serpentina will aid fruit fly managers in improving the quality of sterile males. We discuss our results in terms of the differences this species presents in female remating behavior compared to other tephritids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a design for manufacturing and assembly (DFMA) methodology for estimating the capital costs of new emerging energy technologies built at varying rates of mass production. The methodology consists of four major steps: (1) System Conceptual Design, (2) System Physical Design, (3) Cost Modeling, and (4) Continuous Improvement to Reduce Cost. The article describes the application of this methodology to a specific case study of automotive fuel cell systems (FCSs). Because any alternative automotive technology must compete with the very mature and widespread gasoline internal combustion engine, it is vitally important to identify the performance, design, and manufacturing conditions needed to reduce automotive FCS costs Thus, a DFMA-style analysis is applied to the cost to manufacture a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) FCS for cars, at varying rates of production (between 1,000 and 500,000 vehicles per year). The results of this kind of DFMA-style analysis can be use to elucidate key cost drivers at varying levels of production for-new energy technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Assembly line balancing problems (ALBP) consist of distributing the total workload for manufacturing any unit of the products to be assembled among the work stations along a manufacturing line as used in the automotive or the electronics industries. Usually, theory assumes that, within each station, tasks can be executed in an arbitrary precedence-feasible sequence without changing station times. In practice, however, the task sequence may influence the station time considerably as sequence-dependent setups (e.g., walking distances, tool changes) have to be considered. Including this aspect leads to a joint balancing and scheduling problem, which we call SUALBSP ( set up assembly line balancing and scheduling problem). In this paper, we modify the problem by modeling setups more realistically, give a new, more compact mathematical model formulation and develop effective heuristic solution procedures. Computational experiments based on existing and new data sets indicate that the new procedures outperform formerly proposed heuristics. They are able to solve problem instances of real-world size with small deviations from optimality in computation times short enough to be accepted in real-world decision support systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assembly line balancing problems (ALBP) consist of distributing the total workload for manufacturing any unit of the products to be assembled among the work stations along a manufacturing line as used in the automotive or the electronics industries. Usually, it is assumed that the production process is fixed, i.e., has been determined in a preceding planning step. However, this sequential planning approach is often suboptimal because the efficiency of the production process can not be evaluated definitely without knowing the distribution of work. Instead, both decisions should be taken simultaneously. This has led to the Alternative Subgraphs ALBP. We give an alternative representation of the problem, formulate an improved mixed-integer program and propose a solution approach based on SALOME, an effective branch-and-bound procedure for the well-known Simple ALBP. Computational experiments indicate that the proposed procedure is successful in finding optimal solutions for small- and medium-sized problem instances and rather good heuristic solutions for large-scaled instances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assembly line balancing problems (ALBP) arise whenever an assembly line is configured, redesigned or adjusted. An ALBP consists of distributing the total workload for manufacturing any unit of the products to be assembled among the work stations along the line. The sequence-dependent assembly line balancing problem (SDALBP) is an extension of the standard simple assembly line balancing problem (SALBP) which has significant relevance in real-world assembly line settings. SDALBP extends the basic problem by considering sequence-dependent task times. In this paper, we define this new problem, formulate several versions of a mixed-integer program, adapt solution approaches for SALBP to SDALBP, generate test data and perform some preliminary computational experiments. As a main result, we find that applying SALBP-based search procedures is very effective, whereas modelling and solving the problem with MIP standard software is not recommendable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mediterranean fruit fly [ Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann (Diptera: Tephritidae)], or medfly, is mass produced in many facilities throughout the world to supply sterile flies for sterile insect technique programs. Production of sterile males requires large amounts of larval and adult diets. Larval diets comprise the largest economic burdens in the mass production of sterile flies, and are one of the main areas where production costs could be reduced without affecting quality and efficacy. The present study investigated the effect of manipulating diet constituents on larval development and performance. Medfly larvae were reared on diets differing in the proportions of brewer's yeast and sucrose. We studied the effect of such diets on the ability of pupating larvae to accumulate protein and lipids, and on other developmental indicators. Except for diets with a very low proportion of brewer's yeast (e.g., 4%), pupation and adult emergence rates were in general high and satisfactory. The ability of pupating larvae to accumulate lipid reserves and proteins was significantly affected by the sucrose and yeast in the diet, and by the proportion of protein to carbohydrates (P/C). In contrast to previous nutritional studies conducted with other insects, low P/C in medfly larval diets (with excess dietary carbohydrates) resulted in pupating medfly larvae having a relatively reduced load of lipids; medfly larvae protein contents in these diets were, as expected, relatively low. Similarly, high P/C ratios in the diet produced larvae with high protein and lipid contents. Differences with other insects may be due to differential post-ingestion regulation where a high dietary carbohydrate diet reduces the lipogenic activity of the larvae, and induces a shift from lipid to glucose oxidation. Larvae reared on low P/C diets spent more time foraging in the diet than larvae maintained on a high P/C diet, suggesting a compensatory mechanism to complement nutrient intake. The results suggest that the content of brewer's yeast, the most expensive diet component, could be fine-tuned without apparently affecting fly quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Hydrogenation and degradation properties of Mg–10wt% Ni hydrogen storage alloys were investigated by cyclic hydriding–dehydriding tests. Mg–10wt% Ni alloy was synthesized by rotation-cylinder method (RCM) under 0.3% HFC-134a/air atmosphere and their hydrogenation and degradation properties were evaluated by pressure-composition-isotherm (PCI) measurement. Hydrogen storage capacities gradually increased following 160 hydriding–dehydriding cycles and thereafter started to decrease. Measured maximum hydrogen capacity of Mg–10wt% Ni alloy is 6.97wt% at 623K. Hydriding and dehydriding plateau pressure were kept constant for whole cycles. Reversible hydrogen capacity started to descend after 280 hydriding–dehydriding cycles. The lamellar eutectic structure of Mg–Ni alloy consists of Mg-rich -phase and -. It is assumed that the lamellar eutectic structure enhances hydrogenation properties. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The tracker system of the compact muon solenoid (CMS) experiment, will employ approximately 40000 analog fiber-optic data and control links. The optical readout system is responsible for converting and transmitting the electrical signals coming out from the front-end to the outside counting room. Concerning the inner part of the Tracker, about 3600 analog optohybrid circuits are involved in this tasks. These circuits have been designed and successfully produced in Italy under the responsibility of INFN Perugia CMS group, completing the volume production phase by February 2005. Environmental features, reliability, and performances of the analog optohybrid circuits have been extensively tested and qualified. This paper reviews the most relevant steps of the manufacturing and quality assurance process: from prototypes to mass-production for the final use in the CMS data acquisition system. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Clinching is a mechanical joining method, especially for sheet metal parts. The process is perceived as being a simple method that is based on only the accurate movement of a punch into a die. During the process, sheet metals are deformed locally without the use of any additional elements. Precisely selected tools are a requirement for an acceptable joint. The two most frequently used geometries in clinching tools are round and square. When round tools are used, the joint has a uniform shear load capacity in all the horizontal directions. Many papers have been written on the clinching process itself, including the tool geometries, parameter optimisation, joint strengths, simulation and FE analysis of the process, but few articles discuss the significance of anticipatory maintenance or continuous follow-up while using clinching in a mass-production process. This paper points out several problems encountered in the long-term use of a clinching process. Both the lack of systematic maintenance and continuous follow-up are discussed. The significance of changes in the construction are also evaluated in this presentation that is based on a real case study. This paper also offers proposals for improvements. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We developed a novel BC plug technology for highly reliable mass-productive FRAM embedded smartcard. Despite good retention characteristics of bulk PZT, single bit failures occur after accelerated retention bake test. These failures can be related to a local recess of the BC W-plug which increases the roughness of the electrode and PZT. The resulting poor interface between top electrode and PZT creates diffusion paths for adverse chemicals causing degradation of the ferroelectric capacitors. The recess of the W-plug was removed by implementing a novel double TiN/W plug technology. As a result, we succeeded in completely eliminating single bit failures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]