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.     

Morphology-controlled electrochemical sensing amaranth at nanomolar levels using alumina

Different-shaped aluminas were readily prepared via hydrothermal reaction. It was found that the morphology and the electrochemical sensing properties of alumina were heavily dependent on the reaction time. When extending the reaction time from 6 h to 24 h, the obtained alumina samples changed from amorphous bumps to regular microfibers in diameter of 200 nm, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. Transmission electron microscopy observation revealed that longer reaction time was beneficial for the formation of porous and uniform fiber-like structures. Electrochemical tests proved that alumina microfibers were more active for the oxidation of amaranth and exhibited much higher enhancement effect, compared with alumina bumps. On the surface of alumina microfibers, the oxidation peak currents of amaranth increased remarkably. The influences of pH value, amount of alumina microfibers, and accumulation time on the signal enhancement of amaranth were discussed. As a result, a novel electrochemical method was developed for the detection of amaranth. The linear range was from 1 to 150 nM, and the detection limit was 0.75 nM after 1-min accumulation. The analytical application in drink samples was investigated, and the results consisted with the values that obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography.     

深水多波束测深系统脉冲压缩实时算法

线性调频信号是大时宽带宽积信号,通过脉冲压缩可提高探测距离和分辨率,已在深水多波束测深系统中得到广泛应用。针对深水多波束测深系统中脉冲压缩运算量大的问题,提出了一种基于分组的脉冲压缩实时算法。该算法对需要进行脉冲压缩的波束进行分组,每个节拍只计算一组波束,可大幅减少深水多波束测深系统脉冲压缩的运算时间,节省了处理器资源。该算法已成功应用于某深水多波束测深系统,经多次海试证明,工作稳定可靠。     

一种在色噪声环境下的信号检测方法

为了抑制蛟龙号载人潜水器水声通信受母船色噪声干扰的影响,本文提出了一种统计匹配滤波器在色噪声环境下使用的新方法,它通过将接收信号映射到一个生成子空间中进行信号检测,可提高输出水声通信信号的信噪比。受客观条件限制,向阳红09船——蛟龙号载人潜水器的试验母船噪声环境比较恶劣,对水声通信产生了较强的干扰。如何在向阳红09船的这种强、色噪声环境下,提升水声同步信号的检测能力,对提高水声通信的可靠性是非常有帮助的。实际采集试验数据分析结果验证了该检测算法比传统匹配滤波器有更强的信号检测能力。     

新一代运载火箭时序仿真系统信号完整性分析

新一代运载火箭时序仿真系统具有数字电路速度快、集成度高的特点,系统要求发出多路高精度时序、时串信号以满足新一代运载火箭地面测试设备的检查与校准需求,因此信号完整性问题在系统设计中不容忽视。针对仿真系统的典型模块(USB 3.0 Super-speed差分线、FPGA外设数据走线、时钟走线)进行建模分析仿真得出PCB硬件电路设计参数,给出时序仿真系统设计信号完整性问题的抑制和解决方法,优化了板级信号质量,改善系统可靠性、工作连续性和输出精度,可有效提高新一代运载火箭测试效率和测试可靠性。     

一种嵌入式软件逻辑覆盖测试方法研究

针对嵌入式软件测试覆盖率低的问题,本文提出了基于软件故障注入的逻辑覆盖测试方法,首先就嵌入式系统常用传感器建立故障模式库,设计了嵌入式软件故障注入系统;其次选取中间层作为故障注入点,研究基于VxWorks653嵌入式操作系统的故障注入实现方式,并通过分析故障信号在软件系统中的传播,提出优化测试用例的方法;最后通过实验验证了该方法可有效提高容错设计功能、冗余设计功能、故障检测功能测试的逻辑覆盖率;有助于提高嵌入式软件的可靠性。     

一种新型多功能信号源系统的设计

为适应航天领域遥测外系统的快速发展,提出了一种新型多功能信号源系统的设计。系统以FPGA为逻辑控制单元,采用PCI总线接口实现了与上位机的通信,同时结合AD5628、AQY210及RS422接口芯片稳定地输出了多路模拟信号、开关信号及一路PCM信号。重点阐述了信号源系统硬件及软件设计中的关键技术。试验结果表明,该系统能够提供多种高精度、高可靠性的信号,且工作性能稳定,抗干扰能力强,数据传输速率达到40Mbps,PCM码率高达983.04kbps,满足了系统设计的要求。     

红外成像系统NETD参数测试算法及应用研究

噪声等效温差(NETD)是表征红外成像系统灵敏度的关键参数,也是评估红外成像系统性能的重要参数之一,应用广泛。通过对红外成像系统3D噪声、信号传递函数(SiTF)、NETD等参数测试方法、算法和流程研究,给出一种基于视频文件的3D噪声离线对比测试方法和一种SiTF线性区自动判断计算斜率算法,在此基础上针对某型技术保障装备国产化光电检测平台开发了配套应用软件功能模块。实现了通过计算单位均方根噪声所对应的SiTF斜率值,分析得出系统NETD参数值的功能。以某型热像仪为被测对象,开展了测试结果重复性和一致性试验,并与美国Optikos公司I-SITE红外整机测试系统进行了对比测试。实验结果表明开发的NETD参数测试功能模块测试精度和重复性满足设计要求,具有较高实用价值,已进行了工程应用。     

Scale-space point spread function based framework to boost infrared target detection algorithms

Small target detection is one of the major concern in the development of infrared surveillance systems. Detection algorithms based on Gaussian target modeling have attracted most attention from researchers in this field. However, the lack of accurate target modeling limits the performance of this type of infrared small target detection algorithms. In this paper, signal to clutter ratio (SCR) improvement mechanism based on the matched filter is described in detail and effect of Point Spread Function (PSF) on the intensity and spatial distribution of the target pixels is clarified comprehensively. In the following, a new parametric model for small infrared targets is developed based on the PSF of imaging system which can be considered as a matched filter. Based on this model, a new framework to boost model-based infrared target detection algorithms is presented. In order to show the performance of this new framework, the proposed model is adopted in Laplacian scale-space algorithms which is a well-known algorithm in the small infrared target detection field. Simulation results show that the proposed framework has better detection performance in comparison with the Gaussian one and improves the overall performance of IRST system. By analyzing the performance of the proposed algorithm based on this new framework in a quantitative manner, this new framework shows at least 20% improvement in the output SCR values in comparison with Laplacian of Gaussian (LoG) algorithm.