Enhanced fiber Bragg grating sensor demodulation technique using cascade wavelength division multiplex couplers

An enhanced technique for interrogating fiber Bragg grating wavelength shift using cascade wavelength division multiplexer (WDM) couplers was proposed and demonstrated. Three WDM couplers which show a linear filter function over the expected wavelength range are employed and cascaded to track Bragg wavelength shifts. Compared with single WDM demodulator. sharper spectral slope is obtained and considerable linear filter range is kept. The static and dynamic strain sensor demodulation experiments demonstrated that the simple passive technique improves the sensitivity approximately two times and keeps 5nm linear demodulation range based on our devices. The cascade WDM coupler demodulation system has high scan rate which can be used to monitor fast vibration.

Application of step-scan FTIR to the research of quantum cascade lasers

The principle of step-scan Fourier transform infrared （FTIR） spectroscopy is introduced. Double modulation step-scan FTIR technique is used to obtain the quantum cascade laser＇s stacked emission spectra in the time domain. Optical property and thermal accumulation of devices due to large drive current are analyzed.

Application Of (CS)-C-137 fingerprinting technique to interpreting sediment production records from reservoir deposits in a small catchment of the Hilly Loess Plateau；China

IEECAS SKLLQG

Studies of electron-transfer and charge-transfer coupling processes at a liquid/liquid interface by double-barrel micropipet technique

Investigation of a heterogeneous electron-transfer (ET) reaction at the water/1,2-dichloroethane interface employing a double-barrel micropipet technique is reported. The chosen system was the reaction between Fe(CN)(6)(3-) in the aqueous phase (W) and ferrocene in 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE). According to the generation and the collection currents as well as collection efficiency, the ET-ion-transfer (IT) coupling process at such an interface and competing reactions with the organic supporting electrolyte in the organic phase can be studied. In addition, this technique has been found to be an efficient method to distinguish and measure the charge-transfer coupling reaction between two ions (IT-IT) processes occurring simultaneously at a liquid/liquid interface. On this basis, the formal Gibbs energies of transfer of some ions across the W/DCE interface, such as NO3-, NO2-, Cl-, COO-, TBA(+), IPAs+, Cs+, Rb+, K+, Na+, and Li+, for which their direct transfers are usually difficult to obtain because of the IT-IT coupling processes, were quantitatively evaluated.

A relocated technique of atomic force microscopy (AFM) samples and its application in molecular biology

A kind of simple atomic force microscopy (AFM) relocated technique, which takes advantage of homemade sample locator system, is used for investigating repeatedly imaging of some specific species on the whole substrate (over 1 x 1 cm(2)) with resolution about 400 nm. As applications of this sample locator system, single extended DNA molecules and plasmid DNA network are shown in different AFM operational modes: tapping mode and contact mode with different tips after the substrates have been moved.

Structure of [C8H7](+) and intramolecular proton transfer reactions in 3-phenyl-1-butyn-3-ol by MS/MS technique

The electron impact mass spectrum (EIMS) of 3-phenyl-1-butyn-3-ol was reported in this paper. Collision-induced dissociation (CID) was used to study the gas phase ion structure of [C8H7](+) formed by the fragmentation of ionized 3-phenyl-1-butyn-3-ol, and that it has the same structure as m/z 103 ions generated by cinnamic acid and alpha-methylstyrene. Deuterium labelling, metastable ion (MI) and CID experimental results indicate the formation of m/z 103 ion resulting from molecular ion of 3-phenyl-1-butyn-3-ol, which is a stepwise procedure via twice proton transfers, rather than concerted process during the successive elimination of methyl radical and neutral carbon monoxide accompanying hydrogen transfer. Moreover, in order to rationalized these fragmentation processes, the bimolecular proton bound complex between benzyne and acetylene intermediate has been proposed.

Characteristics of anodic coatings oxidized to different voltage on AZ91D Mg alloy by micro-arc oxidization technique

With increasing applied voltage, three types of anodic coatings, passive film, micro-spark ceramic coating and spark ceramic coating were made by micro-arc oxidization (MAO) technique on AZ91D magnesium alloy in alkali-silicate solution. The structure, composition characteristics and the electrochemical properties of coatings were also studied with SEM, XRD and EIS (electrochemical impedance spectroscopy) technique, respectively. It is found that the electrochemical properties are closely related to the structure and composition characteristics of the anodic coatings. At the same time, the characteristics of the three types of anodic coatings differ significantly, among them, the micro-spark ceramic coating, prepared in the voltage range of 170similar to220V exhibits compact, homogeneous structure and highest corrosion-resistance.

Analiza specjacyjna arsenu w wodzie techniką wysokosprawnej chromatografii cieczowej połączonej ze spektrometrią mas z jonizacją w indukowanej plazmie

Wydział Chemii: Pracownia Analizy Spektroskopowej Pierwiastków

Boosting high-intensity focused ultrasound-induced anti-tumor immunity using a sparse-scan strategy that can more effectively promote dendritic cell maturation.

BACKGROUND: The conventional treatment protocol in high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy utilizes a dense-scan strategy to produce closely packed thermal lesions aiming at eradicating as much tumor mass as possible. However, this strategy is not most effective in terms of inducing a systemic anti-tumor immunity so that it cannot provide efficient micro-metastatic control and long-term tumor resistance. We have previously provided evidence that HIFU may enhance systemic anti-tumor immunity by in situ activation of dendritic cells (DCs) inside HIFU-treated tumor tissue. The present study was conducted to test the feasibility of a sparse-scan strategy to boost HIFU-induced anti-tumor immune response by more effectively promoting DC maturation. METHODS: An experimental HIFU system was set up to perform tumor ablation experiments in subcutaneous implanted MC-38 and B16 tumor with dense- or sparse-scan strategy to produce closely-packed or separated thermal lesions. DCs infiltration into HIFU-treated tumor tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. DCs maturation was evaluated by IL-12/IL-10 production and CD80/CD86 expression after co-culture with tumor cells treated with different HIFU. HIFU-induced anti-tumor immune response was evaluated by detecting growth-retarding effects on distant re-challenged tumor and tumor-specific IFN-gamma-secreting cells in HIFU-treated mice. RESULTS: HIFU exposure raised temperature up to 80 degrees centigrade at beam focus within 4 s in experimental tumors and led to formation of a well-defined thermal lesion. The infiltrated DCs were recruited to the periphery of lesion, where the peak temperature was only 55 degrees centigrade during HIFU exposure. Tumor cells heated to 55 degrees centigrade in 4-s HIFU exposure were more effective to stimulate co-cultured DCs to mature. Sparse-scan HIFU, which can reserve 55 degrees-heated tumor cells surrounding the separated lesions, elicited an enhanced anti-tumor immune response than dense-scan HIFU, while their suppressive effects on the treated primary tumor were maintained at the same level. Flow cytometry analysis showed that sparse-scan HIFU was more effective than dense-scan HIFU in enhancing DC infiltration into tumor tissues and promoting their maturation in situ. CONCLUSION: Optimizing scan strategy is a feasible way to boost HIFU-induced anti-tumor immunity by more effectively promoting DC maturation.

Numerical investigation of a source extraction technique based on an acoustic correction method

An aerodynamic sound source extraction from a general flow field is applied to a number of model problems and to a problem of engineering interest. The extraction technique is based on a variable decomposition, which results to an acoustic correction method, of each of the flow variables into a dominant flow component and a perturbation component. The dominant flow component is obtained with a general-purpose Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code which uses a cell-centred finite volume method to solve the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations. The perturbations are calculated from a set of acoustic perturbation equations with source terms extracted from unsteady CFD solutions at each time step via the use of a staggered dispersion-relation-preserving (DRP) finite-difference scheme. Numerical experiments include (1) propagation of a 1-D acoustic pulse without mean flow, (2) propagation of a 2-D acoustic pulse with/without mean flow, (3) reflection of an acoustic pulse from a flat plate with mean flow, and (4) flow-induced noise generated by the an unsteady laminar flow past a 2-D cavity. The computational results demonstrate the accuracy for model problems and illustrate the feasibility for more complex aeroacoustic problems of the source extraction technique.

Demonstration of glycated insulin in human diabetic plasma and decreased biological activity assessed by euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp technique in humans

The presence and biological significance of circulating glycated insulin has been evaluated by high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), radioimmunoassay (RIA), receptor binding, and hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp techniques. ESI-MS analysis of an HPLC-purified plasma pool from four male type 2 diabetic subjects (HbA(1e) 8.1 +/- 0.2%, plasma glucose 8.7 +/- 1.3 mmol/l [means +/- SE]) revealed two major insulin-like peaks with retention times of 14-16 min. After spectral averaging, the peak with retention time of 14.32 min exhibited a prominent triply charged (M+3H)(3+) species at 1,991.1 m/z, representing monoglycated insulin with an intact M-r of 5,970.3 Da. The second peak (retention time 15.70 min) corresponded to native insulin (M-r 5,807.6 Da), with the difference between the two peptides (162.7 Da) representing a single glucitol adduct (theoretical 164 Da). Measurement of glycated insulin in plasma of type 2 diabetic subjects by specific RIA gave circulating levels of 10.1 +/- 2.3 pmol/l, corresponding to -9% total insulin. Biological activity of pure synthetic monoglycated insulin (insulin B-chain Phe(1)-glucitol adduct) was evaluated in seven overnight-fasted healthy nonobese male volunteers using two-step euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamps (2 h at 16.6 mug (.) kg(-1) (.) min(-1), followed by 2 h at 83.0 mug (.) kg(-1) (.) min(-1); corresponding to 0.4 and 2.0 mU (.) kg(-1) (.) min(-1)). At the lower dose, the exogenons glucose infusion rates required to maintain euglycemia during steady state were significantly lower with glycated insulin (P

Application to argon ions of a new technique to measure the two-electron contribution to the ground state energy of helium-like ions

We have measured the two-electron contribution of the ground state energy of helium-like argon ions using an electron beam ion trap (EBIT). A two-dimensional map was measured showing the intensity of x-rays from the trap passing through a krypton-filled absorption cell. The independent axes of this map were electron beam energy and x-ray energy. From this map, we deduced the two-electron contribution of the ground state of helium-like argon. This experimentally determined Value (312.4 +/- 9.5 eV) was found to be in good agreement with our calculated values (about 303.35 eV) and previous calculations of the same quantity. Based on these measurements, we have shown that a ten-day absorption spectroscopy run with a super-EBIT should be sufficient to provide a new benchmark value for the two-electron contribution to the ground state of helium-like krypton. Such a measurement would then constitute a test of quantum electrodynamics to second order.

Pterin detection using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy incorporating a straightforward silver colloid-based synthesis technique

Optical techniques toward the realization of sensitive and selective biosensing platforms have received considerable attention in recent times. Techniques based on interferometry, surface plasmon resonance, and waveguides have all proved popular, while spectroscopy in particular offers much potential. Raman spectroscopy is an information-rich technique in which the vibrational frequencies reveal much about the structure of a compound, but it is a weak process and offers poor sensitivity. In response to this problem, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has received much attention, due to significant increases in sensitivity instigated by bringing the sample into contact with an enhancing substrate. Here we discuss a facile and rapid technique for the detection of pterins using SERS-active colloidal silver suspensions. Pterins are a family of biological compounds that are employed in nature in color pigmentation and as facilitators in metabolic pathways. In this work, small volumes of xanthopterin, isoxanthopterin, and 7,8-dihydrobiopterin have been examined while adsorbed to silver colloids. Limits of detection have been examined for both xanthopterin and isoxanthopterin using a 10-s exposure to a 12 mW 532 nm laser, which, while showing a trade-off between scan time and signal intensity, still provides the opportunity for the investigation of simultaneous detection of both pterins in solution. (C) 2011 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). [DOI: 10.1117/1.3600658]

Rates for repair of pBR 322 DNA radicals by thiols as measured by the gas explosion technique: evidence that counter-ion condensation and co-ion depletion are significant at physiological ionic strength.

Rates of rapair of pBR 322 plasmid DNA radicals by thiols of varying net charge (Z) at pH 7 and physiological ionic strength were measured using the oxygen explosion technique. The extent of conversion of supercoiled to relaxed circular plasmid was measured by HPLC as a function of the time of oxygen exposure before or after irradiation, the time-courses being fitted by a pseudo-first-order kinetic expression with k1 = k2[RSH]. Values of k2 (M-1 S-1) were: 2.1 x 10(5) (GSH, Z = -1), 1.4 x 10(6) (2-mercaptoethanol, Z = 0), 1.2 x 10(7) (cysteamine, Z = +1), 6.6 x 10(7) (WR-1065 or N-(2-mercaptoethyl)-1,3-diamino?? propane, Z = +2). The approximately 6-fold increase in rate with each unit increase in Z is attributed to concentration of cationic thiols near DNA as a consequence of counter-ion condensation and reduced levels of anionic thiols near DNA owing to co-ion depletion. The results are quantitatively consistent with chemical repair as a significant mechanism for radioprotection of cells by neutral and cationic thiols under aerobic conditions, but indicate that repair by GSH will compete effectively with oxygen only at low oxygen tension.