Spatial characterization of the response of a silica optical fiber to wideband ultrasound

Optical fibers have long been recognized as a promising technology for remote sensing of ultrasound. Nonetheless, very little is known about the characteristics of their spatial response, which is significantly affected by the strong acoustic mismatches between the fiber and surrounding medium. In this Letter, a new method is demonstrated for wideband spatial acoustic characterization of optical fibers. The method is based on the excitation of a point-like acoustic source via the opto-acoustic effect, while a miniature fiber sensor is implemented by a π-phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating. Despite the relative complexity of acoustic wave propagation in the fiber, its spatial sensitivity in the high frequency band (6-30?MHz) exhibited an orderly pattern, which can be described by a simple model. This property reveals new possibilities for high-performance imaging using fiber-based ultrasound sensors, where knowledge of the sensor's spatial sensitivity map is generally required.     

On the area of the intersection of disks in the plane

Let C₁,…, C_n and C′₁,…, C′_n be two collections of equal disks in the plane, with centers c₁,…, c_n and c′₁,…, c′_n. According to a well-known conjecture of Klee and Wagon (1991), if |c_i − c_j| ≥ |c′_i − c′_j| for all i, j, then Area(∩_i C_i) ≤ Area(∩_i C′_i).

We prove this statement in the special case when there is a continuous contraction of {c₁,…, c_n} onto {c′₁,…, c′_n}.     

Would near-infrared fluorescence signals propagate through large human organs for clinical studies?

We predict the capacity of near-infrared fluorescent signals to propagate through human tissue for non-invasive medical imaging. This analysis employs experimental measurements of a biologically relevant local fluorochrome embedded in tissuelike media and predicts the equivalent photon counts expected from breast, lung, brain, and muscle as a function of diameter by use of an analytical solution of the diffusion equation that can take into account large arbitrary geometries. The findings address feasibility issues for clinical studies and are relevant to recent development of near-infrared fluorescent probes and molecular beacons for in vivo applications.     

Optimization of optode arrangements for diffuse optical tomography: A singular-value analysis

We develope a method to optimize the resolution of diffuse optical tomographic instruments. Singular-value analysis of the tomographic weight matrix associated with specific data types, geometries, and optode arrangements is shown to provide a measure of image resolution. We achieve optimization of device configuration by monitoring the resolution measure described. We introduce this idea and demonstrate its utility by optimizing the spatial sampling interval and field-of-view parameters in the parallel-plane transmission geometry employed for diffuse optical breast imaging. We also compare resolution in transmission and remission geometries.     

Potentiometric behavior of electrodes based on overoxidized polypyrrole films

Electrodes based on oxidized polypyrrole films have potentiometric selectivity toward anions. When the films are overoxidized, however, electron-rich groups are introduced on to the polymer chains, reversing the selectivity of the electrodes from anionic to cationic. In this study, electrochemically overoxidized polypyrrole film electrodes were prepared, and the conditions for film formation that lead to near-Nernstian potentiometric response were investigated. It was found that the doping ion, overoxidation solution, and pH affect the response of these electrodes. Redox interference is significantly lower for the overoxidized polypyrrole films than for polypyrrole electrodes.     

Microfabrication of screen-printed nanoliter vials with embedded surface-modified electrodes

A self-contained ion-selective sensing system within a nanoliter-volume vial has been developed by integrating screen printing, laser ablation, and molecular imprinting techniques. Screen printing and laser ablation are used in tandem to fabricate nanoliter-volume vials with carbon and Ag/AgCl ring electrodes embedded in the sidewalls. Using multisweep cyclic voltammetry, the surface of the carbon electrode can be modified with a polypyrrole film. By polymerizing pyrrole in the presence of nitrate, pores complementary to the nitrate anion in size, shape, and charge distribution are formed in the resulting film. Electrochemical cells modified with this nitrate-imprinted polypyrrole film show a near-Nernstian response to nitrate, and excellent reproducibility. The integration of molecular recognition and electrochemical response in the nanoliter vials is demonstrated by the detection of as little as 0.36 ng nitrate in nanoliter-volume samples. The integration of tailored molecular recognition within nanoliter vials via established fabrication and imprinting protocols should result in a number of nanosensor devices with applications in BioMEMS and micro total analysis systems.     

New green fluorescent polymer sensors for metal cations and protons

A new 4-(N-methylpiperazine)-N-allyl-1,8-naphthalimide with intense yellow-green fluorescence has been synthesized. Then it has been copolymerized with styrene and methylmetacrylate. The photophysical characteristics of the fluorescent dye and its copolymers (poly(St-co-NI) and poly(MAA-co-NI)) have been determined viewing their sensor properties for protons and transition metal cations (Cu²⁺, Fe³⁺ and Zn²⁺). Fluorescence enhancement is the photophysical response of the 4-(N-methylpiperazine)-N-allyl-1,8-naphthalimide to the presence of metal cations and protons, while fluorescence quenching is observed for both copolymers.     

Manganese(II/II/II) and Manganese(III/II/III) Trinuclear Compounds. Structure and Solid and Solution Behavior

Two mixed-valence Mn(III)Mn(II) complexes and a homo-valence Mn(II) trinuclear manganese complex of stoichiometry Mn(III)Mn(II)Mn(III)(5-Cl-Hsaladhp)(2)(AcO)(4)(MeOH)(2).4CH(3)OH (1a), Mn(III)Mn(II)Mn(III) (Hsaladhp)(2)(AcO)(2)(5-Cl-Sal)(2)(thf)(2) (3a) and Mn(II)Mn(II)Mn(II) (AcO)(6)(pybim)(2) (1b) where H(3)saladhp is a tridentate Schiff base ligand and pybim a neutral bidentate donor ligand, have been structurally characterized by using X-ray crystallography. The structurally characterized mixed-valence complexes have strictly 180 degrees Mn(III)-Mn(II)-Mn(III) angles as required by crystallographic inversion symmetry. The complexes are valence trapped with two terminal Mn(III) ions showing Jahn-Teller distortion along the acetate or salicylate-Mn(III)-X axis. The Mn.Mn separation is 3.511 ? and 3.507 ? respectively. The mixed-valence complexes have S = (3)/(2) ground state and the homovalence complex S = (5)/(2), with small antiferromagnetic exchange J couplings, -5.6 and -1.8 cm(-1), respectively, while the powder ESR spectra at 4 K show a broad low field signal with g approximately 4.3 for Mn(III)Mn(II)Mn(III) and a broad temperature-dependent signal at g = 2 for Mn(II)Mn(II)Mn(II). Crystal data for 1a: [C(36)H(60)O(20)N(2)Cl(2)Mn(3)], triclinic, space group P&onemacr;, a = 9.272(7) ?, b = 11.046(8) ?, c = 12.635(9) ?, alpha = 76.78(2) degrees, beta = 81.84(2) degrees, gamma = 85.90(2) degrees, Z = 1. Crystal data for 3a: [C(48)H(56)O(18)N(2)Cl(2)Mn(3)], monoclinic, space group P2(1)/n, a = 8.776(3) ?, b = 22.182(7) ?, c = 13.575(4) ?, beta = 94.44(1) degrees, Z = 2. Crystal data for 1b: [C(36)H(36)O(12)N(6)Mn(3)], triclinic, space group P&onemacr;, a = 13.345(6) ?, b = 8.514(4) ?, c = 9.494(4) ?, alpha = 75.48(1) degrees, beta = 75.83(1) degrees, gamma = 76.42(1) degrees, Z = 1.