Processing and error analysis of signals in flow-injection analysis

The processing and error analysis of signals in flow-injection systems were systematically studied by simulation and experimental measurements. The content includes an error analysis for peak-height and peak-area signal, a least-squares filtering procedure applied to the flow-injection curve and a peak recognition to remove interferences from air bubbles. Simulation results were obtained by statistical processing of peak-height and peak-area values from Gaussian curves to which noise had been added. The experimental measurements were done by an automatic flow-injection device to obtain detailed information for each individual point of a peak. 2-(2-Arsenophenylazo)-7-(2,6-dichlorophenylazo-4-sulphonic acid)-1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene-3,6-disulphonic acid (DCSA) was used for measuring physical dispersion alone, and Fe(II)-o-phenanthroline for the measurement of both physical dispersion and chemical reaction. The results from computer simulation and experiments agreed well.     

From a point-like to an arbitrarily shaped sample: A survey of equations for electron paramagnetic resonance signal intensity calculations

A set of original, analytical equations useful for theoretical calculation of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signal intensity are presented for the multitude of sample shapes, which range from point-like, line-like, planar, rectangular, cubical, circular, cylindrical, spherical to an irregularly shaped sample. The samples can be situated at any available position within the prescribed part of the microwave cavity (a central cylinder of diameter 11 mm and length 23.5 mm, in either a Bruker single TE₁₀₂ or double TE₁₀₄ rectangular cavity, with the modulation coils situated in the left and right side cavity walls, which is connected to a X-band, field-modulated CW Bruker EPR spectrometer). The theoretical computations of EPR signal intensity can be used in the computer simulations in which: (i) the EPR signal intensity profiles are constructed; (ii) the optimal sample positions in the cavity to give a maximum value of signal intensity are found; (iii) the errors associated with sample positioning within the cavity when compared to a second sample of a different size, shape or position are studied.     

Bias in modal parameters due to aliasing in the time domain

This paper deals with some aliasing effects in the time domain that can lead to unacceptable misestimations of modal parameters. When a frequency response function of a vibrating system is sampled and inverse Fourier transformed, the resulting impulse response is given by an infinite geometric series, the single term of which is the impulse response itself shifted in time. For this reason, some modal parameters, if estimated in the time domain, are biased; in particular, while the damping factor and the natural frequency are not influenced by the aliasing phenomenon, the magnitude and phase of the residue can be highly biased. Corrective terms are theoretically evaluated and their efficiency is shown in numerical simulations.

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Sommario In questo articolo e' presentato un metodo per correggere gli errori che si compiono nella stima di alcuni parametri modali, quando essi vengono ricavati nel dominio del tempo. Infatti se la funzione di risposta in frequenza e' ottenuta con eccitazioni particolari—quali ad esempio lo pseudo-random, lo stepped-sine a passo costante o lo sweep in frequenza-la risposta impulsiva, ottenuta per mezzo dell'antitrasformata discreta di Fourier, risulta periodica, con periodo pari all'inverso della spaziatura tra le righe spettrali. Cio' comporta un errore nella stima dell'ampiezza e della fase del residuo, mentre nessuna conseguenza si ha sulla frequenza naturale e sul fattore di smorzamento. L'errore sulle stime risulta tanto piu' grande, quanto meno smorzata e' la risposta impulsiva all'interno dell'intervallo di osservazione.Partendo dall'inviluppo e dalla fase istantanea dei segnali complessi, ottenibili per mezzo della trasformata di Hilbert, si sono ricavati i termini correttivi sia per il modulo, che per la fase del residuo. La validita' delle correzioni e' mostrata con esempi numerici.

     

Signal modeling using the gradient search

This letter presents a new method for continuous signal modeling. Firstly, the continuous signal can be represented as a function of the trigonometric functional extension (Fourier series). Fourier series of the signal are parameterized by the fundamental frequency and unknown parameters. Then, the gradient-based iterative identification algorithm is derived, for estimating parameters of the signal model with known and unknown frequencies, separately. Finally, the simulation results indicate that the proposed algorithm is effective.     

Macromodeling of high-speed interconnects by positive interpolation of vertical segments

In this paper a novel macromodeling scheme is presented to model the per unit of length (p.u.l.) parameters of uniform transmission lines. In particular, it is focused on single on-chip interconnects, because their p.u.l. parameters are influenced by the presence of semiconductor (s) and as such exhibit a strong frequency-dependency, making the modeling process harder. Starting from a set of very accurate tabulated data samples, obtained by two-dimensional electromagnetic modeling, rational models for the four p.u.l. parameters are constructed. The novelty of the approach lies in the fact that the rational models are positive by construction and that a controllable accuracy is obtained. These models can then further be used to construct multivariate models, e.g., for variability analysis. Here, the novel scheme is applied to an on-chip inverted embedded microstrip line, of which the signal integrity behavior is assessed in both the frequency and the time domain, demonstrating the applicability of the macromodels.     

Implementation of a nonlinear filter for online nuclear counting

Nuclear counting is a challenging task for nuclear instrumentation because of the stochastic nature of radioactivity. Event counting has to be processed and filtered to determine a stable count rate value and perform variation monitoring of the measured event. An innovative approach for nuclear counting is presented in this study, improving response time and maintaining count rate stability. Some nonlinear filters providing a local maximum likelihood estimation of the signal have been recently developed, which have been tested and compared with conventional linear filters. A nonlinear filter thus developed shows significant performance in terms of response time and measurement precision. The filter also presents the specificity of easy embedment into digital signal processor (DSP) electronics based on field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA) or microcontrollers, compatible with real-time requirements. © 2001 Elsevier Science. All rights reserved.     

An Ant Colony Optimisation algorithm for solving the asymmetric traffic assignment problem

In this paper we propose an Ant Colony Optimisation (ACO) algorithm for defining the signal settings on urban networks following a local approach. This consists in optimising the signal settings of each intersection of an urban network as a function only of traffic flows at the accesses to the same intersection, taking account of the effects of signal settings on costs and on user route choices. This problem, also known as Local Optimisation of Signal Settings (LOSS), has been widely studied in the literature and can be formulated as an asymmetric assignment problem. The proposed ACO algorithm is based on two kinds of behaviour of artificial ants which allow the LOSS problem to be solved: traditional behaviour based on the response to pheromones for simulating user route choice, and innovative behaviour based on the pressure of an ant stream for solving the signal setting definition problem. Our results on real-scale networks show that the proposed approach allows the solution to be obtained in less time but with the same accuracy as in traditional MSA (Method of Successive Averages) approaches.     

Selective collection and detection of MCF-7 breast cancer cells using aptamer-functionalized magnetic beads and quantum dots based nano-bio-probes

A novel strategy for selective collection and detection of breast cancer cells (MCF-7) based on aptamer–cell interaction was developed. Mucin 1 protein (MUC1) aptamer (Apt1) was covalently conjugated to magnetic beads to capture MCF-7 cell through affinity interaction between Apt1 and MUC1 protein that overexpressed on the surface of MCF-7 cells. Meanwhile, a nano-bio-probe was constructed by coupling of nucleolin aptamer AS1411 (Apt2) to CdTe quantum dots (QDs) which were homogeneously coated on the surfaces of monodispersed silica nanoparticles (SiO₂ NPs). The nano-bio-probe displayed similar optical and electrochemical performances to free CdTe QDs, and remained high affinity to nucleolin overexpressed cells through the interaction between AS1411 and nucleolin protein. Photoluminescence (PL) and square-wave voltammetric (SWV) assays were used to quantitatively detect MCF-7 cells. Improved selectivity was obtained by using these two aptamers together as recognition elements simultaneously, compared to using any single aptamer. Based on the signal amplification of QDs coated silica nanoparticles (QDs/SiO₂), the detection sensitivity was enhanced and a detection limit of 201 and 85 cells mL⁻¹ by PL and SWV method were achieved, respectively. The proposed strategy could be extended to detect other cells, and showed potential applications in cell imaging and drug delivery.     

Comparison of the performance of three ion mobility spectrometers for measurement of biogenic amines

The performance of three different types of ion mobility spectrometer (IMS) devices: GDA2 with a radioactive ion source (Airsense, Germany), UV-IMS with a photo-ionization source (G.A.S. Germany) and VG-Test with a corona discharge source (3QBD, Israel) was studied. The gas-phase ion chemistry in the IMS devices affected the species formed and their measured reduced mobility values. The sensitivity and limit of detection for trimethylamine (TMA), putrescine and cadaverine were compared by continuous monitoring of a stream of air with a given concentration of the analyte and by measurement of headspace vapors of TMA in a sealed vial. Preprocessing of the mobility spectra and the effectiveness of multivariate curve resolution techniques (MCR-LASSO) improved the accuracy of the measurements by correcting baseline effects and adjusting for variations in drift time as well as enhancing the signal to noise ratio and deconvolution of the complex data matrix to their pure components. The limit of detection for measurement of the biogenic amines by the three IMS devices was between 0.1 and 1.2 ppm (for TMA with the VG-Test and GDA, respectively) and between 0.2 and 0.7 ppm for putrescine and cadaverine with all three devices. Considering the uncertainty in the LOD determination there is almost no statistically significant difference between the three devices although they differ in their operating temperature, ionization method, drift tube design and dopant chemistry. This finding may have general implications on the achievable performance of classic IMS devices.