Mouldability analysis and impact performance of 3D aramid angle-interlock fabric panels for ballistic helmets

Modern ballistic helmets made from textile composites offer enhanced protection with lightweight, but the discontinuity of the reinforcing materials is a potential problem affecting the helmet performance. This work uses 3D angle-interlock fabrics to provide reinforcement continuity, and evaluates 3D through-the-thickness angle-interlock (TTAI) fabrics to study the influence of fabric structural parameters on fabric mouldabilty and ballistic performance for ballistic helmet application. The mouldability was measured through experiments and modelled numerically, and the ballistic impact test was carried out to identify the optimal fabric structures for constructing ballistic helmet shells. The results show that increase in weft density of the TTAI fabrics causes decrease in the mouldability of the TTAI fabrics, and that the addition of wadding yarns into the TTAI fabrics has little influence on fabric mouldability compared to the conventional TTAI fabrics with the same weft density. However, the involvement of wadded TTAI fabrics demonstrates a 34% increase in ballistic energy absorption and 3% higher estimated ballistic limit over the conventional counterpart. Taking both mouldability and ballistic protection into account, the wadded TTAI fabric structure is an effective continuous reinforcement for ballistic helmet shells, offering required mouldability and improved ballistic performance.

Voltage Flip Efficiency Enhancement for Piezo Energy Harvesting

In this paper, we analyze the effect of an enhanced voltage flip technique on the power performance of a piezoelectric energy harvester. The enhanced voltage flip principle is based on a synchronized-switch-based architecture, and is referred to as FAR (Full Active Rectifier). It uses a tiny amount of the stored charge to boost the voltage flip. This work aims to demonstrate that, beside the enhanced flip efficiency, the FAR also contributes to improve the power efficiency of the harvester, especially under changing load constraint. Therefore, the paper proposes a thorough comparison between the FAR and its conventional counterpart, the Switch-only technique. The FAR is easy to implement and does not require any external inductor or capacitor. It only needs a reduced set of switches, an active diode and a simple control sequence, and can thus be implemented on a fully integrated circuit. The FAR can be used as a standalone voltage flip solution or in addition to further boost the flip efficiency in a state-of-the-art architecture such as SSHC for example. Tests were performed on a 0.35-µm process CMOS prototype IC. Experimental results revealed that the FAR extracts 19.1μW from an off-the-shelf piezoelectric transducer when the output voltage is regulated at 1V with 1 V open-circuit voltage and delivers up to 20% more power than the conventional Switch-only technique under load constraint. It also shows over 11× power efficiency improvement compared to a conventional diode-based full bridge rectifier.

Spin Wave Normalization Towards all Magnonic Circuits

The key enabling factor for Spin Wave (SW) technology utilization for building ultra low power circuits is the ability to energy efficiently cascade SW basic computation blocks. SW Majority gates, which constitute a universal gate set for this paradigm, operating on phase encoded data are not input output coherent in terms of SW amplitude, and as such, their cascading requires information representation conversion from SW to voltage and back, which is by no means energy effective. In this paper, a novel conversion free SW gate cascading scheme is proposed that achieves SW amplitude normalization by means of a directional coupler. After introducing the normalization concept, we utilize it in the implementation of three simple circuits and, to demonstrate its bigger scale potential, of a 2-bit inputs SW multiplier. The proposed structures are validated by means of the Object Oriented Micromagnetic Framework (OOMMF) and GPU-accelerated Micromagnetics (MuMax3). Furthermore, we assess the normalization induced energy overhead and demonstrate that the proposed approach consumes 20% to 33% less energy when compared with the transducers based conventional counterpart. Finally, we introduce a normalization based SW 2-bit inputs multiplier design and compare it with functionally equivalent SW transducer based and 16nm CMOS designs. Our evaluation indicate that the proposed approach provided 26% and 6.25x energy reductions when compared with the conventional approach and 16nm CMOS counterpart, respectively, which demonstrates that our proposal is energy effective and opens the road towards the full utilization of the SW paradigm potential and the development of SW only circuits.

Spin Wave Normalization Towards all Magnonic Circuits

The key enabling factor for Spin Wave (SW) technology utilization for building ultra low power circuits is the ability to energy efficiently cascade SW basic computation blocks. SW Majority gates, which constitute a universal gate set for this paradigm, operating on phase encoded data are not input output coherent in terms of SW amplitude, and as such, their cascading requires information representation conversion from SW to voltage and back, which is by no means energy effective. In this paper, a novel conversion free SW gate cascading scheme is proposed that achieves SW amplitude normalization by means of a directional coupler. After introducing the normalization concept, we utilize it in the implementation of three simple circuits and, to demonstrate its bigger scale potential, of a 2-bit inputs SW multiplier. The proposed structures are validated by means of the Object Oriented Micromagnetic Framework (OOMMF) and GPU-accelerated Micromagnetics (MuMax3). Furthermore, we assess the normalization induced energy overhead and demonstrate that the proposed approach consumes 20% to 33% less energy when compared with the transducers based conventional counterpart. Finally, we introduce a normalization based SW 2-bit inputs multiplier design and compare it with functionally equivalent SW transducer based and 16nm CMOS designs. Our evaluation indicate that the proposed approach provided 26% and 6.25x energy reductions when compared with the conventional approach and 16nm CMOS counterpart, respectively, which demonstrates that our proposal is energy effective and opens the road towards the full utilization of the SW paradigm potential and the development of SW only circuits.

Offretite Zeolite Single Crystals Synthesized by Amphiphile-Templating Approach

Offretite zeolite synthesis in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTABr) is reported. The offretite crystals were synthesized with a high crystallinity and hexagonal prismatic shape after only 72 h of hydrothermal treatment at 180 °C. The CTABr has dual-functions during the crystallization of offretite, viz. as structure-directing agent and as mesoporogen. The resulting offretite crystals, with a Si/Al ratio of 4.1, possess more acid sites than the conventional offretite due to their high crystallinity and hierarchical structure. The synthesized offretite is also more reactive than its conventional counterpart in the acylation of 2-methylfuran for biofuel production under non-microwave instant heating condition, giving 83.5% conversion with 100% selectivity to the desired product 2-acetyl-5-methylfuran. Hence, this amphiphile synthesis approach offers another cost-effective and alternative route for crystallizing zeolite materials that require expensive organic templates.

IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON ISLAMIC AND CONVENTIONAL STOCKS IN INDONESIA: A WAVELET-BASED STUDY

The recent literature shows that COVID-19 has impacted stock markets around the world in many ways. In this paper, we examine the reaction of the Indonesian stock market to COVID-19. We apply the continuous wavelet coherence methodology to daily COVID-19 related deaths and daily conventional and Islamic stock indices inIndonesia. We find that COVID-19 negatively impacts the returns of both indices and enhances their volatility. We find the Islamic stock index to be more volatile as compared to its conventional counterpart during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Final Health and Environmental Risk Assessment of Genetically Modified Soybean MON 87701

Soybean MON 87701 expresses the cry1Ac gene from Bacillus thuringiensis. The encoded Cry1Ac protein confers resistance against specific lepidopteran pests. Updated bioinformatics analyses of the inserted DNA and flanking sequences in soybean MON 87701 have not indicated a potential production of harmful toxins and allergens or polypeptides caused by the genetic modification. Genomic stability of the functional insert and consistent expression of the cry1Ac gene, have been shown over several generations of soybean MON 87701. Data from several field trials performed in USA, Canada, Chile and Argentina during 2005-2006 show that soybean MON 87701 is compositionally, morphologically and agronomically equivalent to its conventional counterpart and other commercial soybean cultivars. Subchronic feeding studies with rats as well as nutritional assessment with broilers have not revealed relevant adverse effects of MON 87701. These studies indicate that MON 87701 is nutritionally equivalent to and as safe as conventional soybean cultivars. The Cry1Ac protein produced in soybean MON 87701 do not show sequence resemblance to known toxins or IgE-dependent allergens, nor has the whole GM plant been reported to cause changes in IgE-mediated allergic reactions in patients reactive to soybean or in non-ectopic control individuals. Soybean is not cultivated in Norway, and there are no cross-compatible wild or weedy relatives of soybean in Europe. Based on current knowledge and considering the intended uses, which exclude cultivation, the VKM GMO Panel concludes that soybean MON 87701 with the Cry1Ac protein: - Is compositionally, morphologically and agronomically equivalent to its conventional counterpart and other commercial soybean cultivars - Is unlikely to introduce a toxic or allergenic potential in food or feed compared to conventional soybean cultivars - Is nutritionally equivalent to and as safe as its conventional counterpart and other conventional soybean cultivars - Does not represent an environmental risk in Norway.

Final Health and Environmental Risk Assessment of Genetically Modified Soybean 356043

Soybean 356043 expresses both the gat gene from the soil bacterium Bacillus licheniformis and the gm - hra gene, an optimised form of the endogenous acetolactate synthase (als) coding sequence from soybean (Glycine max; gm). The encoded GAT4601 protein, glyphosate acetyltransferase, confers the ability to inactivate the active herbicidal substances glyphosate and glyphosate-ammonium to N-acetyl glyphosate, which does not have herbicidal activity. The encoded GM-HRA protein confers increased tolerance to the active, ALS-inhibiting, herbicidal substances chlorimuron, thifensulfuron and sulfonylureas. Bioinformatics analyses of the inserted DNA and flanking sequences in soybean 356043 have not indicated a potential production of putative harmful proteins or polypeptides caused by the genetic modification. Genomic stability of the functional insert and consistent expression of the gat gene, have been shown over several generations of soybean 356043. Data from several field trials performed in USA, Canada, Chile and Argentina during 2005-2006 show that soybean 356043 contains higher levels of especially the acetylated amino acid N-acetyl aspartate, but also N-acetyl glutamate and the odd-chain fatty acids heptadecanoic, heptadecenoic and heptadecadienoic acids, in addition to expression of the newly expressed proteins. Otherwise the soybean 356043 is compositionally, morphologically and agronomically equivalent to its conventional counterpart and other commercial soybean cultivars. The acetylated amino acids and odd-chain fatty acids are normal constituents of plant and animal-derived foods and feeds, and an in-depth toxicity and intake assessment did not reveal safety concerns regarding consumer intake at the levels present in soybean 356043. Sub-chronic feeding studies with rats, repeated-dose toxicity studies with mice, as well as nutritional assessment trials with broilers and laying hens have not revealed adverse effects of soybean 356043. These studies indicate that soybean 356043 is nutritionally equivalent to and as safe as conventional soybean cultivars. The GAT4601 and GM-HRA proteins produced in soybean 356043 do not show sequence resemblance to known toxins or IgE-dependent allergens, nor has the whole GM plant been reported to cause changes in IgE-mediated allergic reactions in patients reactive to soybean or in non-ectopic control individuals. Soybean is not cultivated in Norway, and there are no cross-compatible wild or weedy relatives of soybean in Europe. Based on current knowledge and considering the intended uses, which exclude cultivation, the VKM GMO Panel concludes that soybean 356043 with the GAT4601 and GM-HRA proteins: - Is – with the exception of the novel traits and resulting increased content of the acetylated amino acids NAA and NAG, and the odd-chain fatty acids heptadecanoic, heptadecenoic and heptadecadienoic acids – compositionally, morphologically and agronomically equivalent to its conventional counterpart and other commercial soybean cultivars - Are unlikely to introduce toxic or allergenic potentials in food or feed compared to conventional soybean cultivars - Is nutritionally equivalent to and as safe as its conventional counterpart and other conventional soybean cultivars - Does not represent an environmental risk in Norway.

Customer’s Behavior and Willingness to Pay for the Antioxidant Eggs

Chicken eggs enriched with antioxidants are produced to provide functional foods that are healthier to consume, with a premium price. The study was intended to analyze customers’ assessment, buying behavior, and willingness to pay the antioxidant (AO) chicken eggs. The study was conducted in Malang Regency, the closest location to the UMM Farm Business Unit. Primary data were obtained from interviews with customers of the AO and conventional eggs. The data were analyzed with a quantitative descriptive design and the t-test. The results suggested that customers assessed the AO chicken eggs had better nutritional content than the conventional one and produced a better impact on health. Customers’ behavior indicated that the purchase of the AO eggs was still lower than conventional eggs, although customers' tasting attitude on the AO egg portrayed a higher preference. Customers were willing to pay more expensive to the AO eggs. The price of AO eggs without any label was 7% higher than the conventional counterpart during the time of the study. If the AO eggs are labeled, they will take a premium price of 21% more than conventional eggs. The results recommended the producers to do packaging and labeling to the AO eggs to expand the market. Moreover, the UMM Farm needs to consider various packaging designs based on consumer preferences and determine the market penetration of the AO eggs.