Experimental evaluation of the pressure and temperature dependence of ion-induced nucleation

An experimental system for the study of ion-induced nucleation in a SO(2)/H(2)O/N(2) gas mixture was developed, employing a soft x-ray at different pressure and temperature levels. The difficulties associated with these experiments included the changes in physical properties of the gas mixture when temperature and pressure were varied. Changes in the relative humidity (RH) as a function of pressure and temperature also had a significant effect on the different behaviors of the mobility distributions of particles. In order to accomplish reliable measurement and minimize uncertainties, an integrated on-line control system was utilized. As the pressure decreased in a range of 500-980 hPa, the peak concentration of both ions and nanometer-sized particles decreased, which suggests that higher pressure tended to enhance the growth of particles nucleated by ion-induced nucleation. Moreover, the modal diameters of the measured particle size distributions showed a systematic shift to larger sizes with increasing pressure. However, in the temperature range of 5-20 °C, temperature increases had no significant effects on the mobility distribution of particles. The effects of residence time, RH (7%-70%), and SO(2) concentration (0.08-6.7 ppm) on ion-induced nucleation were also systematically investigated. The results show that the nucleation and growth were significantly dependent on the residence time, RH, and SO(2) concentration, which is in agreement with both a previous model and previous observations. This research will be inevitable for a better understanding of the role of ions in an atmospheric nucleation mechanism.     

Development of a microfluidic confocal fluorescence detection system for the hyphenation of nano-LC to on-line biochemical assays

One way to profile complex mixtures for receptor affinity is to couple liquid chromatography (LC) on-line to biochemical detection (BCD). A drawback of this hyphenated screening approach is the relatively high consumption of sample, receptor protein and (fluorescently labeled) tracer ligand. Here, we worked toward minimization of sample and reagent consumption, by coupling nano-LC on-line to a light-emitting diode (LED) based capillary confocal fluorescence detection system capable of on-line BCD with low-flow rates. In this fluorescence detection system, a capillary with an extended light path (bubble cell) was used as a detection cell in order to enhance sensitivity. The technology was applied to a fluorescent enhancement bioassay for the acetylcholine binding protein, a structural analog of the extracellular ligand-binding domain of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. In the miniaturized setup, the sensitive and low void volume LED-induced confocal fluorescence detection system operated in flow injection analysis mode allowing the measurement of IC₅₀ values, which were comparable with those measured by a conventional plate reader bioassay. The current setup uses 50 nL as injection volume with a carrier flow rate of 400 nL/min. Finally, coupling of the detection system to gradient reversed-phase nano-LC allowed analysis of mixtures in order to identify the bioactive compounds present by injecting 10 nL of each mixture.     

Automatic localization of pupil using eccentricity and iris using gradient based method

This paper presents a novel approach for the automatic localization of pupil and iris. Pupil and iris are nearly circular regions, which are surrounded by sclera, eyelids and eyelashes. The localization of both pupil and iris is extremely important in any iris recognition system. In the proposed algorithm pupil is localized using Eccentricity based Bisection method which looks for the region that has the highest probability of having pupil. While iris localization is carried out in two steps. In the first step, iris image is directionally segmented and a noise free region (region of interest) is extracted. In the second step, angular lines in the region of interest are extracted and the edge points of iris outer boundary are found through the gradient of these lines. The proposed method is tested on CASIA ver 1.0 and MMU Iris databases. Experimental results show that this method is comparatively accurate.     

Modules in Which Every Fully Invariant Submodule is Essential in a Direct Summand

A module M is called extending if every submodule of M is essential in a direct summand. We call a module FI-extending if every fully invariant submodule is essential in a direct summand. Initially we develop basic properties in the general module setting. For example, in contrast to extending modules, a direct sum of FI-extending modules is FI-extending. Later we largely focus on the specific case when a ring is FI-extending (considered as a module over itself). Again, unlike the extending property, the FI-extending property is shown to carry over to matrix rings. Several results on ring direct decompositions of FI-extending rings are obtained, including a proper generalization of a result of C. Faith on the splitting-off of the maximal regular ideal in a continuous ring.     

Stimulated raman scattering in fiber optic systems

The effect of stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) in fiber optic communications is considered. On one hand, SRS limits the launch power in a multiple-channel communication system; while on the other hand, SRS can provide optical amplification in the 1.3-μm and 1.55-μm windows. In most of the previous work these issues have been treated separately by using different assumptions. A solution is usually obtained by solving differential equations. We present a numerical method that involves the simultaneous solution of integral equations describing SRS in optical fiber. The method is general enough to be applicable for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), optic frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), and optical amplification. However, it is efficient and simple to program and uses just a few realistic assumptions. A WDM communication system with 10 optical channels in the 1.55-μm window is studied by using this method, The data rate is above 1 Gbps. The system parameters are such that the other nonlinear effects, such as stimulated Brillouin scattering and four-wave mixing, are less significant for the system. Launch power limitations imposed by SRS are investigated for IM / DD and coherent systems. The receiver dynamic range over the wavelengths of interest is an important factor in determining the launch power limitations. An optical amplifier in the 1.3-μm window is also analyzed. The two-pump technique is investigated. With pump power levels of about 500 mw 0-dB gain can be achieved for a 30-km repeaterless link. Finally, the calculated results agree with the experiments.     

Multidimensional modified fractional calculus operators involving a general class of polynomials

In the present work, we introduce and study essentially a class of multi-dimensional modified fractional calculus operators involving a general class of polynomials in the kernel. These operators are considered in the space of functionsM _γ (R ₊ ⁿ ). Some mapping properties and fractional differential formulas are obtained. Also images of some elementary and special functions are established.     

Synthesis, polymerization and Cu complexation studies of a new styrene derivative of 2-hydroxyacetophenone

A new 5-vinyl-2-hydroxyacetophenone monomer was synthesized using Heck reaction. The monomer was obtained by reacting 5-bromo-2-hydroxyacetophenone with ethylene in a palladium catalyzed reaction. Better yield was obtained at low concentration of the catalyst, high temperature and pressure of the ethylene gas. The monomer was homopolymerized and copolymerized with styrene using free radical solution polymerization techniques and investigated for reactivity ratio, retardation effect of the monomer on the polymerization of styrene. Homopolymer with average molecular weight of 40,391 was found to form binuclear complex with Cu²⁺. The complex was evident from shift in n-π^* transition from 332-378 nm in UV region and appearance of strong absorption at 1578 cm⁻¹ in the IR of the precipitated complex.     

Synthesis and Evaluation of GdIII‐Based Magnetic Resonance Contrast Agents for Molecular Imaging of Prostate‐Specific Membrane Antigen

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is advantageous because it concurrently provides anatomic, functional, and molecular information. MR molecular imaging can combine the high spatial resolution of this established clinical modality with molecular profiling in vivo. However, as a result of the intrinsically low sensitivity of MR imaging, high local concentrations of biological targets are required to generate discernable MR contrast. We hypothesize that the prostate‐specific membrane antigen (PSMA), an attractive target for imaging and therapy of prostate cancer, could serve as a suitable biomarker for MR‐based molecular imaging. We have synthesized three new high‐affinity, low‐molecular‐weight Gd^III‐based PSMA‐targeted contrast agents containing one to three Gd^III chelates per molecule. We evaluated the relaxometric properties of these agents in solution, in prostate cancer cells, and in an in vivo experimental model to demonstrate the feasibility of PSMA‐based MR molecular imaging.