Refractive indices and order parameters of two liquid crystals

Refractive indices have been measured throughout the nematic phase of 4-n-pentyl-4'cyanobiphenyl (5CB) and the smectic A and nematic phases of 4-n-octyl-4'-cyanobiphenyl (8CB). The Vuks and Neugebauer methods of calculating the order parameter are compared. Without knowledge of the molecular polarisabilities it is only possible to calculate a quantity proportional to the order parameter, and within this limitation it is found that the two methods give identical results. The order parameter is scaled using the extrapolation method suggested by Haller [14]. Using a suitable average of the refractive indices and the density data of Gannon and Faber [9], it is shown that the Lorentz-Lorenz relation is obeyed over a 2 % density range in 5CB.

Comparison of performance parameters for conventional and localized surface plasmon resonance graphene biosensors

This paper investigates the enhancement of the sensitivity and adsorption efficiency of a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) biosensor that includes a layer of graphene sheet on top of the gold layer. For this purpose, biomolecular interactions of biotin-streptavidin with the graphene layer on the gold thin film are monitored. The performance of the LSPR graphene biosensor is theoretically and numerically assessed in terms of sensitivity and adsorption efficiency under varying conditions, including the thickness of biomolecule layer, number of graphene layers and operating wavelength. Enhanced sensitivity and improved adsorption efficiency are obtained for the LSPR graphene biosensor in comparison with its conventional counterpart. It is found that the LSPR graphene biosensor has better sensitivity with lower operating wavelength and larger number of graphene layers.

Automatic parameters selection for eigenfaces

In this paper, we investigate the parameters selection for Eigenfaces. Our focus is on the eigenvectors and threshold selection issues. We will propose a systematic approach in selecting the eigenvectors based on relative errors of the eigenvalues for the covariance matrix. In addition, we have proposed a method for selecting the classification threshold that utilizes the information obtained from the training data set. Experimentation was conducted on two benchmark face databases, ORL and AMP, with results indicating that the proposed automatic eigenvectors and threshold selection methods produce better recognition performance in terms of precision and recall rates. Furthermore, we show that the eigenvector selection method outperforms energy and stretching dimension methods in terms of selected number of eigenvectors and computation cost.

Qualitative estimation of camera motion parameters from video sequences

We propose a simple technique for extracting camera motion parameters from a sequence of images. The method can estimate qualitatively camera pan, tilt, zoom, roll, and horizontal and vertical tracking. Unlike most other comparable techniques, the present method can distinguish pan from horizontal tracking, and tilt from vertical tracking. The technique can be applied to the automated indexing of video and film sequences.

Effect of composition and processing parameters on the formation of nano-bainite in advanced high strength steels

The nano-bainitic microstructures were compared in a 0.79C-1.5Si-1.98Mn-0.24Mo-1.06Al (wt%) steel after isothermal heat-treatment and a Fe-0.2C-1.5Mn-1.2Si-0.3M0-0.6Al-0.02Nb (wt%) steel after controlled thermo-mechanical processing. The microstructure for both steels consisted of bainite. The microstructural characteristics of bainite, such as the morphology of the nano-bainite and thicknesses of bainitic ferrite and retained austenite layers, as a function of steel composition and processing was studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It was found that the nano-bainitic structure can be formed in the low alloy steel through thermomechanical processing. Atom probe tomography (APT) was employed as a powerful technique to determine local composition distributions in three dimensions with atomic resolution. The important conclusions from the APT research were that the carbon content of bainitic ferrite is higher than expected from paraequilibrium level of carbon in ferrite for both steels and that Fe-C clusters and fine particles are formed in the bainitic ferrite in both steels despite the high level of Si.

On the automatic indexing of cricket using camera motion parameters

This paper describes an application of camera motion estimation to index cricket games. The shots are labeled with the type of shot: glance left, glance right, left drive, right drive, left cut, right pull and straight drive. The method has the advantages that it is fast and avoids complex image segmentation. The classification of the cricket shots is done using an incremental learning algorithm. We tested the method on over 600 shots and the results show that the system has a classification accuracy of 74%.

A S-parameters-based detection method for a multilayer SPR biosensor

In this paper, S-parameters investigation of a variable incidence angle multilayer SPR biosensor is presented. Both magnitude and phase of the S-parameters are taken into account in the investigation. The work presented in this paper is the first attempt to apply S-parameters analysis to a multilayer SPR biosensor. The goal is to improve sensitivity through involving S-parameters including their phase values. In addition, further investigation is carried out to understand the relationship between the S-parameters and thickness of biomolecular layer and also the design parameters including the number of graphene layers.

A method and its optimal parameters for the measurement of mass transfer coefficient in heat treatment furnaces

The mass transfer coefficient is an important kinetic factor to control the thermo-chemical treatment processes of metals and alloys. More importantly, the mass transfer coefficient is different at different surface positions of a metallic part treated, which depends on the dynamic characteristics of the atmosphere close to the treated surface. Understanding the local mass transfer coefficient would be significant to approach the expected physical and mechanical properties of treated surfaces. In this paper, a reverse method was proposed to measure the mass transfer coefficient at component surface and the diffusivity in metal during heat treatment. The methodology of the reverses method and the optimal parame-ters are discussed in some detail. This method was successfully used to determine the car-bon transfer coefficient at the surface of a part in a carburizing furnace and carbon diffusiv-ity from the carbon distribution within the diffusion layer.

Impact on hemostatic parameters of interrupting sitting with intermittent activity

Introduction: Excessive sitting has been associated with an elevated risk of vascular conditions, particularly venous thrombosis. Interrupting sitting time with intermittent physical activity can reduce venous stasis; however, impacts on other aspects of thrombogenesis are less understood. Purpose: To examine the effects of interrupting sitting time on blood coagulation and blood volume parameters in sedentary, middle-age, overweight/obese adults (11 men and 8 women; age = 53.8 T 4.9 yr, body mass index = 31.2 T 4.1 kgImj2; mean T SD). Methods: The randomized three-period, three-treatment acute crossover trial consisted of uninterrupted sitting and sitting interrupted by 2-min bouts of either light- or moderate-intensity treadmill walking every 20 min. In each trial condition, blood samples were collected at baseline before the consumption of a standardized meal (j2 h) and postintervention (5 h). Results: Plasma fibrinogen increased from baseline with uninterrupted sitting (0.24 gILj1, 95% confidence interval = 0.13–0.34, P G 0.001). Lightintensity but not moderate-intensity activity breaks attenuated the increase by 0.17 gILj1 (95% confidence interval = 0.01–0.32, P G 0.05). There were no between-condition differences in prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, von Willebrand
factor, D-dimer, or platelet count. Uninterrupted sitting reduced plasma volume and increased hematocrit, hemoglobin, and red blood cell count; effects attenuated by both light- and moderate-intensity breaks (P G 0.05). White blood cell count increased with uninterrupted sitting and further increased with moderate-intensity breaks. Mean platelet volume increased with moderate-intensity but not lightintensity breaks or uninterrupted sitting. Conclusion: Uninterrupted sitting increased fibrinogen and reduced plasma volume, with associated increases in hemoglobin and hematocrit. Activity breaks attenuated these responses, indicative of an ameliorating influence on the procoagulant effects of uninterrupted sitting.