Perspectives in clinical uses of high-intensity focused ultrasound

Focused ultrasound holds promise in a large number of therapeutic applications. It has long been known that high intensity focused ultrasound can kill tissue through coagulative necrosis. However, it is only in recent years that practical clinical applications are becoming possible, with the development of high power ultrasound phased arrays and noninvasive monitoring methods. These technologies, combined with more sophisticated treatment planning methods allow noninvasive focusing in areas such as the brain, that were once thought to be unreachable. Meanwhile, exciting investigations are underway in microbubble-enhanced heating which could significantly reduce treatment times. These developments have promoted an increase in the number of potential applications by providing valuable new tools for medical research. This paper provides an overview of the scientific and engineering advances that are allowing the growth in clinical focused ultrasound applications. It also discusses some of these prospective applications, including the treatment of brain disorders and targeted drug delivery.     

Applications of nanomaterials in the different fields of photosciences

Current developments in nanostructured materials and nanotechnology will have profound impact in many areas such as energy technologies and biomedical applications. These include solar cells, energy storage, environmental control, tissue engineering, bioprobe, biomarking, cancer diagnosis, cancer therapy, and drug delivery. Our recent work covers a wide range of nanomaterials research for a variety of applications including to produce organic-inorganic nanocomposites which will be used in for constructing light emitting diodes, photovoltaic cells, future organic solar cells etc, biomedicine and photocatalytic. In this article the chief scientific and technical aspects of nanotechnology are introduced and some of its potential applications have been discussed.     

Information Entropy in Chemistry: An Overview

Basic applications of the information entropy concept to chemical objects are reviewed. These applications deal with quantifying chemical and electronic structures of molecules, signal processing, structural studies on crystals, and molecular ensembles. Recent advances in the mentioned areas make information entropy a central concept in interdisciplinary studies on digitalizing chemical reactions, chemico-information synthesis, crystal engineering, as well as digitally rethinking basic notions of structural chemistry in terms of informatics.     

Bessel and annular beams for materials processing

Non‐Gaussian beam profiles such as Bessel or annular beams enable novel approaches to modifying materials through laser‐based processing. In this review paper, properties, generation methods and emerging applications for non‐conventional beam shapes are discussed, including Bessel, annular, and vortex beams. These intensity profiles have important implications in a number of technologically relevant areas including deep‐hole drilling, photopolymerization and nanopatterning, and introduce a new dimension for materials optimization and fundamental studies of laser‐matter interactions.     

γ-照射银纳米粒子及其抗生特性(英文)

Silvernanoparticleshaveprovidedconsider ableinterestbecauseoftheirpotentialapplications inareassuchasforfightingagainstalltypesof diseases,whethercausedbygerms,viruses,bac teria,allergensorpathogens.Atthesametime, silvernanoparticleshaveattractedconside…     

Factors influencing societal response of nanotechnology: an expert stakeholder analysis

Nanotechnology can be described as an emerging technology and, as has been the case with other emerging technologies such as genetic modification, different socio-psychological factors will potentially influence societal responses to its development and application. These factors will play an important role in how nanotechnology is developed and commercialised. This article aims to identify expert opinion on factors influencing societal response to applications of nanotechnology. Structured interviews with experts on nanotechnology from North West Europe were conducted using repertory grid methodology in conjunction with generalized Procrustes analysis to examine the psychological constructs underlying societal uptake of 15 key applications of nanotechnology drawn from different areas (e.g. medicine, agriculture and environment, chemical, food, military, sports, and cosmetics). Based on expert judgement, the main factors influencing societal response to different applications of nanotechnology will be the extent to which applications are perceived to be beneficial, useful, and necessary, and how 'real' and physically close to the end-user these applications are perceived to be by the public.     

End-of-line inspection for annoying noises in automobiles: Trends and perspectives

Annoying noises such as buzzes, squeaks and rattles (BSRs) are particularly important to the perception of quality in complex manufactured durable goods such as automobiles. These products represent significant expenditures to the average consumer and are expected to provide safe and reliable performance for many years. Consumers use sensory responses such as sound as a gauge of the product quality; hence it is important to provide a product that does not exhibit BSRs. Manufacturers have traditionally relied on human auditors to conduct product acceptance testing for BSRs at the end of the assembly line.This paper provides state-of-the art review and future perspectives for the current processes of BSR inspection used by automobile manufacturers in the United States. The requirements for BSR inspection methodologies are presented in terms of three functional areas: detection, classification and localization. While human auditors provide an effective combination of these functions, they are limited in their performance. A critical perspective analysis of the current process, in terms of these three areas, reveals significant issues with repeatability and reproducibility of inspection results when human auditors are used. These issues demonstrate a clear need for more objective methods of inspection for annoying noises at the end of the assembly line. A number of new technology trends, particularly in the fields of psychoacoustic applications and acoustic imaging hold some promise in addressing the limitations of human auditors. These are discussed in the context of requirements for an ideal inspection system which is capable of providing all three capabilities. There is research being conducted in each of the three functional areas, and in some cases at the intersection of two out of the three areas, further work is needed in developing a methodology combining these functionalities.     

Lasers — their applications and operational requirements

Present and potential applications of high-power gas lasers to such diverse areas as industrial systems (alignment, Raman scattering, Doppler velocimeters, materials processing, etc), isotope-separation, thermonuclear fusion, and military applications are discussed. Different operational characteristics are required for various laser applications, and these are described. A brief introduction to the general characteristics of gas lasers is given; and to gas-dynamic, electrical, and chemical methods of excitation.     

Analyzing and modeling real-world phenomena with complex networks: a survey of applications

The success of new scientific areas can be assessed by their potential in contributing to new theoretical approaches and in applications to real-world problems. Complex networks have fared extremely well in both of these aspects, with their sound theoretical basis being developed over the years and with a variety of applications. In this survey, we analyze the applications of complex networks to real-world problems and data, with emphasis in representation, analysis and modeling. A diversity of phenomena are surveyed, which may be classified into no less than 11 areas, providing a clear indication of the impact of the field of complex networks.     

Group theory in solid-state physics is not dead yet alias some recent developments in the use of group theory in solid-state physics

In this article a review is given of the principal applications of group theory in solid-state physics.

Some of these applications are well established, such as the simplification of the forms of tensors representing physical properties of crystals, the labelling of electronic energy band structures, and the study of the splitting of atomic or ionic energy levels in crystals. The general principles involved in these applications are discussed. However, no attempt is made to give a comprehensive review of all the work which has been done in these areas; for further details references are given to the existing literature.

The main intention of the article is to show that apart from the well-established applications, which are adequately described in the existing literature, there have been many new developments in recent years. Group theory has come to be applied to many other types of problems in solid-state physics and these applications have not been discussed extensively in the existing review and textbook literature on the subject. These applications include: the study of the symmetry, in k space, of constant energy surfaces and in particular the symmetry of the Fermi surface; the labelling and the degeneracies of dispersion relations for phonons, magnons, and other kinds of quasiparticles; selection rules for processes involving various particle or quasiparticle states in crystals; structure determination and phase transitions; the use of two-dimensional space groups for surfaces and thin films; and the problem of the symmetry of a (non-magnetic) crystal situated in a uniform external magnetic field. The treatment given in the article is not restricted to the use of the classical point groups and space groups but, where magnetic ordering is important, the appropriate generalized symmetry groups are considered.     

Laser beam cutting

The fundamentals of the manufacturing process of laser beam cutting are discussed. The equipment necessary for working on two- and three-dimensional applications is described. Criteria for characterizing cutting quality and cutting applications with different laser types are presented. Both modelling of the process and study of process emissions are involved in optimizing the process and system performance, and an overview is given of research results in these areas.     

Proposal for underwater structural analysis using the techniques of ESPI and digital holography

The purpose of this article is to study the application of the holographic interferometry techniques in the structural analysis of submarine environment. These techniques are widely used today, with applications in many areas. Nevertheless, its application in submarine environments presents some challenges. The application of two techniques, electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI) and digital holography, comparison of advantages and disadvantages of each of them is presented. A brief study is done on the influence of water properties and the optical effects due to suspended particles as well as possible solutions to minimize these problems.     

A device for X‐Ray elemental mapping using annular radioisotope source

An energy‐dispersive system is described for elemental mapping by X‐ray fluorescence spectrometry. The present study describes the design of an X‐ray fluorescence spectrometer and presents its performance in elemental mapping applications. The spectrometer is based on a new ring‐shaped collimator with a pinhole in the center of it and a ring‐shaped Am‐241 isotope mounted in the collimator as a source for excitation of X‐ray fluorescence. The photons were detected by high‐resolution Si (Li) detector coupled to a multi‐channel analyser and cooled by liquid nitrogen. In this study, we used two samples; one of them was made from pure elemental powders, and the second one was a piece of a stone and three types of maps were plotted. In the maps type one, the areas of the elements were shown with a single color. These maps only show the location of the elements in the sample. In the maps type two, the area of each element was shown with different colors because of the count (intensity) related to the area. In the third type of the maps for each element, depending on the elements' position on the sample, the counts were plotted in three dimensions. The areas with higher intensity have greater height, and areas with lower intensity have lower altitude. These two last types of maps provide information about the homogeneity or heterogeneity of the elemental distribution in the samples. The spectrometer can perform non‐destructive analyses of samples and objects in the air. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Uniform pulsed fields for ultrasonic bioeffect experimentation

The rationale and methods are presented for producing high amplitudes of pulsed ultrasound distributed uniformly over several square centimetres. Pulsed fields (p = 1 MPa, 1-9 pulses per burst, up to 10(4) bursts per second, pulse-average intensity up to 39 W cm-2, centre frequencies 1, 2.5 and 3.5 MHz) were produced using high power pulsers and minimally damped 3.8 cm diameter transducers. Wave-forms and negative pressure distributions in water are displayed for these transducers. The lateral distributions of pressure amplitudes were uniform within +/- 15% over areas up to 4 cm2. These fields are suitable for use in bioeffect experiments to investigate possible health hazards of diagnostic pulsed ultrasound, as well as for possible therapeutic applications.     

The opportunities for exploiting centrifugal fields

The use of centrifugal fields to enhance the performance of many unit operations, including separations, reactions and heat and mass transfer is potentially one of the most fruitful areas of process intensification.In this paper, the opportunities for exploiting centrifugal fields in the above areas ae discussed, and examples given of applications. Research and development targets are established.     

Field-ion microscopy

Field-ion microscopy is a comparatively new technique for studying the internal structure of solids. It is also unique in that it is able to resolve the individual atoms composing the solid structure.

The basic principles of image formation are described at some length, although with the avoidance of complex mathematical detail. Examples are presented of the range of applications of the technique. These include the investigation of lattice defects, and the mechanism of phase transformations and surface reactions.

The range of materials able to be studied has recently become greatly increased, and the refinements in technique responsible are discussed. Finally a look is taken at those areas where the future application of field-ion microscopy appears to lie.     

Gel technology in ceramics

The use of sol-gel techniques to prepare ceramic materials ranks high among those areas in ceramic science and technology which are changing most rapidly and which offer the greatest promise for outstanding improvements in both understanding and applications. This paper reviews the important theoretical considerations, processing techniques and applications related to sol-gel derived ceramics.The gelation behavior of colloidal and polymeric gels, in general, and the influence of such variables as solvent type and concentration, pH, catalyst concentration, temperature, etc. on several oxide systems including silica are considered. The importance of capillary stresses and the various techniques used to minimize them during drying are discussed as are the relevant theories which describe the sintering and firing behavior of the dried gels. To produce ceramics containing more than one oxide, appropriate chemical techniques must be employed to obtain the desired homogeneity. The addition of salts, partial hydrolysis, and alkoxide complexation are among the more widely employed techniques reviewed. A review of current and potential applications of sol-gel derived ceramics, which includes specific examples from the areas of novel glasses, fibers, abrasives, thin films and coatings, is included as well. The paper closes with recommendations and suggestions for future work especially in areas which would benefit from the expertise of physicists and chemists.     

Medical applications of solid state ionics

Solid state ionic materials and devices are being used in medicine in many ways. A brief initial introduction to the materials, the devices and the pertinent electrophysiological and clinical aspects is presented. To exemplify the breadth of SSI material and device applications, an overview is given of three main areas: Biomedical applications of solid state power sources; biofuel cells; and iontophoretic and related devices used for controlled transdermal drug delivery and monitoring of physiological parameters.     

The Odyssey of Entropy: Cryptography

After being introduced by Shannon as a measure of disorder and unavailable information, the notion of entropy has found its applications in a broad range of scientific disciplines. In this paper, we present a systematic review on the applications of entropy and related information-theoretical concepts in the design, implementation and evaluation of cryptographic schemes, algorithms, devices and systems. Moreover, we study existing trends, and establish a roadmap for future research in these areas.