Electrical probe diagnostics for the laminar flame quenching distance

A simplified theory, previously developed for the general case of weakly ionized gas flow, is used to predict electrical probe response when the flame is quenched on the probe surface. This theory is based on the planar model of space charge sheaths around the measuring electrode. For the flame quenching case, by assuming that the sheath thickness is comparable with the thermal boundary layer thickness, probe current can be related to flame quenching distance. The theoretical assumptions made to obtain the analytical formulation of probe current were experimentally proved by using direct visualization and high-frequency PIV. The direct visualization method was also used to validate the results of flame quenching distance values obtained with electrical probe. The electrical probe diagnostics have been verified for both head-on and sidewall flame quenching regimes and for stoichiometric methane/air and propane/air mixtures in a pressure range of 0.05–0.6 MPa.     

Biosensor with Protective Membrane for the Detection of DNA Damage and Antioxidant Properties of Fruit Juices

With the purpose to prepare a DNA biosensor protected with an outer‐sphere membrane against high molecular weight interferences, a carbon film electrode was layer‐by‐layer modified with dsDNA and chitosan. Using cyclic and square‐wave voltammetry and impedance spectroscopy, the oxidative damage of DNA by the hydroxyl and superoxide anion radicals was detected which consists of opening of the helix structure followed by deep DNA chain degradation. The biosensor has been applied to the detection of the antioxidant effect of apple and orange juices. The investigation of the novel biosensor with a protective membrane represents a significant contribution to the field of DNA biosensors utilization.     

Disposable DNA biosensor with the carbon nanotubes–polyethyleneimine interface at a screen-printed carbon electrode for tests of DNA layer damage by quinazolines

A screen-printed carbon working electrode within a commercially available screen-printed three-electrode assembly was modified by using a composite of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) dispersed in polyethylenimine (PEI) followed by covering with the calf thymus dsDNA layer. Several electrochemical methods were used to characterize the biosensor and to evaluate damage to the surface-attached DNA: square wave voltammetry of the [Ru(bpy)₃]²⁺ redox indicator and mediator of the guanine moiety oxidation, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in the presence of the [Fe(CN)₆]^3−/4− indicator in solution. Due to high electroconductivity and large surface area of MWCNT and positive charge of PEI, the MWCNT–PEI composite is an advantageous platform for the DNA immobilization by the polyelectrolyte complexation and its voltammetric and impedimetric detection. In this respect, the MWCNT–PEI interface exhibited better properties than the MWCNT–chitosan one reported from our laboratory previously. A deep DNA layer damage at incubation of the biosensor in quinazoline solution was found, which depends on the quinazoline concentration and incubation time. Figure Impedance spectra for the modified electrodes. Conditions: 1 mM [Fe(CN)₆]^3–/4– in 0.1 M PBS (pH = 7.0), potential amplitude 10 m V, frequency range 12–1×10₄ Hz. Dedicated to Professor Jan Garaj on the occasion of his 75th birthday     

Infinite products of filters

Stability of some classes of filters under the (infinite, Tikhonov) product operation is investigated. Applications to productivity of some types of set valued maps are given. Communicated by Ľubica Holá     

Batch Injection Analysis with Amperometric Detection for DNA Biosensing Applications

In this work, batch injection analysis with the amperometric detection (BIA‐AD), employing a detection cell designed to adapt a screen‐printed carbon electrode (SPCE) was used for the first time as a robust electroanalytical system for DNA biosensing applications. The sensitive amperometric detection was used to evaluate the structural changes in double‐stranded DNA (dsDNA) after UV‐C irradiation of its solution for a given time. Batching of DNA samples was performed by precise electronic pipette microinjection of an irradiated sample aliquot onto the unmodified activated SPCE surface incorporated in the BIA‐AD system. Using the optimized experimental conditions (40 μL of 1 mg mL^?1 dsDNA in a 0.1 M phosphate buffer of pH 7.4 sampled at the injection speed degree of 6 and detected at the potential of +1.5 V vs silver pseudo‐reference electrode), a time‐dependent response (gradual decrease of amperometric signal up to 58 % after 10 min of the irradiation) was found for the detection of damage to low molecular weight salmon sperm dsDNA. The advantages of this low‐dimensional and cost‐effective measuring system can be utilized not only for the quantification of DNA damage/degradation by UV irradiation, but they are also promising for studying other types of DNA interactions.     

dsDNA modified carbon nanofiber—solidified paste electrodes: probing Ni(II)—dsDNA interactions

In order to develop a renewable electrode surface, carbon nanofibers (CNF) were embedded into solidified paste electrodes using a composite of paraffin wax and paraffin oil. A range of different compositions was surveyed and the optimal composition of the paste for electroanalysis was found to be 43% of CNF, 41% of paraffin wax, and 16% of paraffin oil. The electrochemical properties of the novel composite electrode were investigated using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and compared to those of similar graphite—solidified paste electrodes. The carbon nanofibers enhance the activity of the surface of the electrode and provide a good substrate for the adsorption and voltammetric detection of dsDNA. Responses of dsDNA bases and Ni²⁺ ions accumulated from ammonium buffer pH 8.5 (with a Langmuirian binding constant of 10⁵ mol^?1 L) were investigated and a limit of detection of 7 nmol L^?1 (at 3σ) was obtained using “nucleation stripping voltammetry”. Interferences by other metal cations are examined and discussed.     

Metal oxide-modified carbon paste electrodes and microelectrodes for the detection of amino acids and their application to capillary electrophoresis

Using cyclic voltammetry and constant-potential amperometry, copper, nickel, cobalt, lead, silver, manganese, bismuth and palladium oxides in a carbon paste matrix have been investigated as redox mediators for the electro-oxidation of amino acids in the 0.05 mol/L NaOH medium. CuO and NiO have been found to be the most effective electrocatalysts. The 150 μm I.D. microelectrode with 25% CuO was applied to the amino acids detection in capillary electrophoresis.     

Laser diagnostics of molecular states in nonequilibrium gas flows

Laser diagnostics techniques are developed, and some typical results are presented on the vibrational CO₂ molecule level population measurements under highly nonequilibrium conditions for two types of flows: (i) in a conventional gasdynamic lasers and (ii) in a flow mixing gasdynamic laser. The measuring procedure is based on recording spectral gain coefficient distributions at several resolved rotational transitions of different vibrational bands. The laser optical system with spatial selection of single lines is described. The system allows fast (about 10^–5–10^–4 s) line tuning, thus providing a variable and arbitrary choice of the selected line sequences. The optimum choice of the laser generation spectrum is discussed, and the sources of measuring uncertainties are analyzed. Typical illustrations and results are given and discussed.     

Beams of electromagnetic radiation carrying angular momentum: The Riemann-Silberstein vector and the classical-quantum correspondence

All beams of electromagnetic radiation are made of photons. Therefore, it is important to find a precise relationship between the classical properties of the beam and the quantum characteristics of the photons that make a particular beam. It is shown that this relationship is best expressed in terms of the Riemann-Silberstein vector - a complex combination of the electric and magnetic field vectors - that plays the role of the photon wave function. The Whittaker representation of this vector in terms of a single complex function satisfying the wave equation greatly simplifies the analysis. Bessel beams, exact Laguerre-Gauss beams, and other related beams of electromagnetic radiation can be described in a unified fashion. The appropriate photon quantum numbers for these beams are identified. Special emphasis is put on the angular momentum of a single photon and its connection with the angular momentum of the beam.