We applied polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) as the cladding material in a polymer-based variable optical attenuator. Three polymer inverted channel waveguides were fabricated, two with PDLC upper cladding (aligned PDLC and nonaligned PDLC) and one with aligned liquid crystal upper cladding. Upon operation, the waveguides with aligned upper claddings show relatively lower threshold and cutoff voltages compared to those with nonaligned PDLC cladding. But the waveguide with nonaligned PDLC upper cladding shows lower polarization dependence and a higher attenuation range of 39 and 41.37 dB for TM and TE modes, respectively, over a tuning field strength of 0.9 V/μm.

The present study aimed to investigate oxidant/antioxidants status and some biophysical properties of hemoglobin in preweaning buffalo calves in relation to their vitality. A total number of 253 buffalo calves (2-3 months old) were clinically examined, the vitality of these animals were recorded and blood samples were collected for determination of some oxidant-antioxidant values, as well as some hemoglobin biophysical properties. Results indicated that 38.74% of the examined calves showed preweaning inferior vitality as indicated by dullness, low growth rate, rough coat and signs of scoring. Inferior vitality calves have high malondialdehyde (MDA, p<0.001) and nitric oxide (NO, p<0.001) and low catalase (CAT, p<0.001), superoxide dismutase (SOD, p<0.001), ascorbic acid(p<0.01), glutathione reduced (GSH, p<0.001), total antioxidant capacity (TAC, p<0.001), zinc (Zn, p<0.01), copper (Cu, p<0.01), iron (Fe, p<0.05) and selenium (Se, p<0.001) in their blood. The electrical conductivity and derivatives of hemoglobin non significantly changed due to calf vitality. In conclusion, there is a tight relationship between oxidant/antioxidant status of buffalo-calves and their preweaning vitality.

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