Biparametric multicommutated flow analysis system for determination of human serum phosphoesterase activity

A multicommutated flow analysis (MCFA) system constructed of microsolenoid valves and pumps offering simultaneous determination of activity of acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in human serum samples has been developed. The MCFA system is based on optoelectronic flow-through detector made of two light emitting diodes and operating according to paired emitter detector diode (PEDD) principle. This photometric PEDD device has been dedicated for detection of p-nitrophenol (NP) generated in the course of enzymatic hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl phosphate and optimized for the determination of NP in human serum samples. The developed PEDD-based MCFA system allows independent optimization of conditions for reaction and detection steps of photometric ACP and ALP bioassays. Moreover, it allows elimination of photometric interferences from serum matrix components according to two-points kinetic mode of measurement. The single measurement cycle takes 12 min, consists of four measurements (two for each phosphoesterase) and enables determination of serum ACP and ALP activities at physiological and pathological levels. The real analytical utility of the developed MCFA system has been confirmed by analysis of control sera as well as real human serum samples from healthy persons and oncological patients.     

Predicting future duration from present age: A critical assessment

Using a temporal version of the Copernican principle, Gott has proposed a statistical predictor of future longevity based on present age (Gott III, J. R., 1993, Nature, 363, 315) and applied the predictor to a variety of examples, including the longevity of the human species. Although Gott's proposal contains a grain of truth, it does not have the universal predictive power that he attributes to it.     

Sol–gel derived ZnO nanoparticulate films for ultraviolet photodetector (UV) applications

Zinc oxide nanoparticles based UV detector was fabricated on thermally oxidized silicon substrate. ZnO nanoparticle films were deposited using sol–gel route. The seed solution was prepared using two different solvents (methanol and isopropyl alcohol (IPA)). The surface morphology of the prepared films was characterized by FESEM. Structural characterization along with optical measurements was carried out using XRD and UV–vis spectroscopy. For the UV photo-detector, ZnO thin film prepared in IPA is selected based on their structural and optical analysis. The changes in photo-response of ZnO thin film with respect to time was studied under the dark and variable UV intensities. It was observed that the photocurrent increased with a factor of 4.82 under 1.16 mW of UV intensity. It is believe that the synthesized ZnO thin films have potential to use in the ultraviolet photo-detector applications.     

Slow-rise and fast-drop current feature of ultraviolet response spectra for ZnO-nanowire film modulated by water molecules

This study describes the fabrication of ZnO-nanowire films by electro-chemical anodization of Zn foil.The ZnO films are characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy,X-ray diffraction patterns,and transmission electron microscopy,respectively.The ultraviolet(UV) photo-response properties of the surface-contacted ZnO film are studied through the current evolution processes under different relative humidities.Unlike the usually observed current spectra of the ZnO films,the drop time is shorter than the rise time.The photo-conductivity gain G and the response time τ are both increased with the increase of the applied bias.The photo-conductivity gain G is lowered with the increase of the environmental humidity,while the response time τ is increased.These results can be explained by considering three different surface processes:1) the electron-hole(e-p) pair generation by the UV light illumination,2) the following surface O2-species desorption,and 3) the photo-catalytic hydrolysis of water molecules adsorbed on the ZnO surface.The slow-rise and fast-drop current feature is suggested to originate from the sponge-like structure of the ZnO nanowires.     

A Practical Interfacing of HPLC with Electron Capture Detection (HPLC-ECD)

Abstract

Conventional HPLC can be simply, conveniently, and inexpensively interfaced to the electron capture detector within any GC. Various parameters have been evaluated to determine the suitability of this approach for the selective trace analysis of aliphatic and aromatic nitro derivatives.     

Versatile wideband balanced detector for quantum optical homodyne tomography

We present a comprehensive theory and an easy to follow method for the design and construction of a wideband homodyne detector for time-domain quantum measurements. We show how one can evaluate the performance of a detector in a specific time-domain experiment based on the electronic spectral characteristic of that detector. We then present and characterize a high-performance detector constructed using inexpensive, commercially available components such as low-noise high-speed operational amplifiers and high-bandwidth photodiodes. Our detector shows linear behavior up to a level of over 13 dB clearance between shot noise and electronic noise, in the range from DC to 100 MHz. The detector can be used for measuring quantum optical field quadratures both in the continuous-wave and pulsed regimes with standard commercial mode-locked lasers.     

基于现场可编程门阵列单探测器复合轴控制技术

为了解决空间激光通信系统中单探测器复合轴结构的粗精解耦难题,通过分析二维关联控制矩阵,得出粗精跟踪解耦的必要条件,提出了一种单探测器复合轴结构的工作方式.在跟踪过程中,相机直接配合子轴执行器完成精跟踪工作,而主轴的跟踪信息由子轴的角度偏转器来提供,同时所有的图像处理算法、位置检测算法、以及粗精伺服控制算法都在现场可编程门阵列中实现,完成了系统的轻小型化设计.实验搭建了测试系统,并对现场可编程门阵列硬件和系统跟踪性能进行测试,结果表明单探测器复合控制系统可以实现跟踪准确度优于3μrad,为工程化奠定了良好的基础.     

Stencil lithography of gold-black IR absorption coatings

Gold black coatings are deposited through a stencil shadow mask to produce infrared-absorbing patterns with sub-mm lateral dimensions. Such dimensions match the characteristic pitch of Long Wave Infrared (LWIR) array bolometers. Infrared spectral imaging with sub-micron spatial resolution reveals the spatial distribution of absorption across the pattern.     

An fMRI study of magnitude comparison and exact addition in children

By contrast to the adult literature, in which a consistent parietofrontal network for number processing has been identified, the data from studies of number processing in children have been less consistent, probably due to differences in study design and control conditions. Number processing was examined using functional magnetic resonance imaging in 18 right-handed children (8–12 years) from the Cape Coloured community in Cape Town, South Africa, using Proximity Judgment and Exact Addition (EA) tasks. The findings were consistent with the hypothesis that, as in adults, the anterior horizontal intraparietal sulcus (HIPS) plays a major role in the representation and manipulation of quantity in children. The posterior medial frontal cortex, believed to be involved in performance monitoring in more complex arithmetic manipulations in adults, was extensively activated even for relatively simple symbolic number processing in the children. Other areas activated to a greater degree in the children included the left precentral sulcus, which may mediate number knowledge and, for EA, the head of the caudate nucleus, which is part of a fronto-subcortical circuit involved in the behavioral execution of sequences. Two regions that have been linked to number processing in adults — the angular gyrus and posterior superior parietal lobule — were not activated in the children. The data are consistent with the inference that although the functional specialization of the anterior HIPS may increase as symbolic number processing becomes increasingly automatic, this region and other elements of the parietofrontal network identified in adults are already reliably and robustly activated by middle childhood.     

微小型氢火焰离子化检测器及在色谱中的应用

构建了一种微小型氢火焰离子化检测器(μ-FID).与传统FID不同,助燃空气从收集极上部侧面导入,沿收集极与检测器壳体之间的缝隙向下流动,以环状气流沿壁流入燃烧室,流向反转后从中空的收集极内流出.火焰喷口位于燃烧腔的正中心轴线上,该区域助燃气的流动非常稳定,因此噪音电平非常低.采用更高的极化电压以提高离子化效率.对喷口...