A random walker on a ratchet potential: effect of a non Gaussian noise

We analyze the effect of a colored non Gaussian noise on a model of a random walker moving along a ratchet potential. Such a model was motivated by the transport properties of motor proteins, like kinesin and myosin. Previous studies have been realized assuming white noises. However, for real situations, in general we could expect that those noises be correlated and non Gaussian. Among other aspects, in addition to a maximum in the current as the noise intensity is varied, we have also found another optimal value of the current when departing from Gaussian behavior. We show the relevant effects that arise when departing from Gaussian behavior, particularly related to current's enhancement, and discuss its relevance for both biological and technological situations.     

High efficiency top-emitting white organic light-emitting devices with a (metal/organic)2 cathode

White top-emitting organic light-emitting devices (TEOLEDs) were fabricated on a glass substrate with metal/organic multilayer of (Ag/Alq₃)₂ (Alq₃ is tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum) as cathode. White TEOLEDs with high efficiency were obtained due to the microcavity effects. And the (Ag/Alq₃)₂ cathode, which adjusted the optical characteristics of the devices, played an important role. In addition, Alq₃–Ag–Alq₃ multilayer could work as a buffer layer, which would simplify the process of encapsulation for devices. We also calculated the electroluminescence spectrum of devices encapsulated with Al₂O₃ (150 nm) and Al₂O₃(75 nm)/ZrO₂(75 nm). And the results indicated that the CIE coordinates is almost the same between with and without encapsulating.     

Asymmetric radial expansion and contraction of rat carotid artery observed using a high-resolution ultrasound imaging system

The geometry of carotid artery bifurcation is of high clinical interest because it determines the characteristics of blood flow that is closely related to the formation and development of atherosclerotic plaque. However, information on the dynamic changes in the vessel wall of carotid artery bifurcation during a pulsatile cycle is limited. This pilot study investigated the cyclic changes in carotid artery geometry caused by blood flow pulsation in rats. A high-resolution ultrasound imaging system with a broadband scanhead centered at 40 MHz was used to obtain longitudinal images of the rat carotid artery. A high frame rate retrospective B-scan imaging technique based on the use of electrocardiogram to trigger signal acquisition was used to examine precisely the fast arterial wall motion. Two-dimensional geometry data obtained from nine rats showed that the rat carotid artery asymmetrically contracts and dilates during each cardiac cycle. Systolic/diastolic vessel diameters near the upstream and downstream regions from the bifurcation were 0.976 ± 0.011/0.825 ± 0.015 mm and 0.766 ± 0.015/0.650 ± 0.016 mm, respectively. Their posterior/anterior wall displacement ratios in the radial direction were 41.0 ± 14.9% and 2.9 ± 1.6%, respectively. These results indicate that in the vicinity of bifurcation, the carotid artery favorably expands to the anterior side during the systolic phase. This phenomenon was observed to be more prominent in the downstream region near the bifurcation. The cyclic variation pattern in wall movement varies depending on the measurement site, which shows different patterns at far upstream and downstream of the bifurcation. The asymmetric radial expansion and contraction of the rat carotid artery observed in this study may be useful in studying the hemodynamic etiology of cardiovascular diseases because the pulsatile changes in vessel geometry may affect the local hemodynamics that determines the spatial distribution of wall shear stress, one of important cardiovascular risk factors. Further systematic study is needed to clarify the effects of wall elasticity, branch angle and vessel diameter ratio on the asymmetric wall motion of carotid artery bifurcation.     

Comparison of accuracy of intravoxel incoherent motion and apparent diffusion coefficient techniques for predicting malignancy of head and neck tumors using half-Fourier single-shot turbo spin-echo diffusion-weighted imaging

Purpose

To evaluate the use of the intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) technique in half-Fourier single-shot turbo spin-echo (HASTE) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and to compare its accuracy to that of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) to predict malignancy in head and neck tumors.

Patients and methods

HASTE DW images of 33 patients with head and neck tumors (10 benign and 23 malignant) were evaluated. Using the IVIM technique, parameters (D, true diffusion coefficient; f, perfusion fraction; D*, pseudodiffusion coefficient) were calculated for each tumor. ADC values were measured over a range of b values from 0 to 1000 s/mm². IVIM parameters and ADC values in benign and malignant tumors were compared using Student's t test, receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis, and multivariate logistic regression modeling.

Results

Mean ADC and D values of malignant tumors were significantly lower than those of benign tumors (P < 0.05). Mean D* values of malignant tumors were significantly higher than those of benign tumors (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in mean f values between malignant and benign tumors (P > 0.05). The technique of combining D and D* was the best for predicting malignancy; accuracy for this model was higher than that for ADC.

Conclusions

The IVIM technique may be applied in HASTE DWI as a diagnostic tool to predict malignancy in head and neck masses. The use of D and D* in combination increases the diagnostic accuracy in comparison with ADC.     

"广义芝诺悖论"的再探讨

在第25卷第5期的《大学物理》上,一篇文章对"广义芝诺悖论"进行了探讨,但他们分析的并不是"悖论"中的匀速率的理想运动,而且还存在推导错误.本文通过对"广义芝诺悖论"物理情境的分析,抽象建立起VPV模型,并由此得出:从运动学角度考虑,"广义芝诺悖论"正过程的初态和末态是"多对一"的关系,"广义芝诺悖论"并不为悖论.     

航天时间延迟积分CCD相机摆扫成像快速几何校正设计与分析

为实现在轨卫星机动成像条带的快速准确拼接和应用,针对高分辨力卫星在轨推摆扫相结合的机动成像模式,提出了一种光线追迹像移匹配数学建模方法。通过对卫星机动过程中的摆角变化、地球表面面型的影响分析,利用摆扫过程中姿态对地指向不断改变导致的交轨方向速度失配量和成像变形量,补偿相机像面各点处的像移量从而进行快速几何校正。利用小卫星姿态控制系统全物理仿真平台对成像进行了仿真分析。分析结果表明,成像过程中随着扫描角的增加,像面上的像移量增大,成像变形情况也变严重。利用均方误差分析仿真成像与实验成像质量,仿真成像与实验成像相差-0.000011左右,较好地满足地面卫星相机成像仿真需求。对不同扫描角下存在速度失配的图像进行快速几何校正,该校正后图像的均方误差变小。该校正方法具有效率高,便于拼接应用的优点。     

Spherical particle Brownian motion in viscous medium as non-Markovian random process

The Brownian motion of a spherical particle in an infinite medium is described by the conventional methods and integral transforms considering the entrainment of surrounding particles of the medium by the Brownian particle. It is demonstrated that fluctuations of the Brownian particle velocity represent a non-Markovian random process. The features of Brownian motion in short time intervals and in small displacements are considered.     

Film forming kinetics and reaction mechanism of γ-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane on low carbon steel surfaces

The film forming kinetics and reaction mechanism of γ-GPS on low carbon steel surfaces was investigated by FTIR-ATR, AFM, NSS and theoretical calculation method. The results from experimental section indicated that the reaction of γ-GPS on low carbon steel surfaces followed the conventional reaction mechanism, which can be described as reaction (I) (Me (Metal)-OH + HO-Si → Me-O-Si + H₂O) and reaction (II) (Si-OH + Si-OH → Si-O-Si + H₂O). During film forming process, the formation of Si-O-Fe bond (reaction (I)) exhibited oscillatory phenomenon, the condensation degree of silanol monomers (reaction (II)) increased continuously. The metal hydroxyl density had significant influence on the growth mechanisms and corrosion resisting property of γ-GPS films. The results from theoretical calculation section indicated that the patterns of reaction (I) and reaction (II) were similar, involving a nucleophilic attack on the silicon center. The formation of Si-O-Fe bond (reaction (I)) was kinetically and thermodynamically preferred, which had catalytic effect on its condensation with neighboring silanol monomers (reaction (II)). Our DFT calculations were good consistent with the experimental measurements.     

Group-theoretical investigation of the tunneling splitting patterns of enolic acetylacetone

Extensive experimental and theoretical studies for enolic acetylacetone have been presented in the literature, but studies of the tunneling splitting patterns are still lacking. In this work we adopt the C_s symmetry equilibrium structure and apply a group-theoretical formalism to study the tunneling splitting pattern of the ground vibrational level of enolic acetylacetone. Enolic acetylacetone has three large-amplitude motions, one intramolecular hydrogen transfer and two methyl torsions. Therefore, the C_s structure of enolic acetylacetone has 18 (3 × 3 × 2) equivalent equilibrium molecular frameworks, nine (3 × 3) of them are from the two methyl torsions, and two are from the intramolecular hydrogen transfer. Tunneling motions among the 18 equivalent molecular frameworks split the ground vibrational level into eight sublevels: A₁, A₄, E₁, E₂, E₃, E₄, G(1) and G(2). In enolic acetylacetone the intramolecular hydrogen transfer induces a rearrangement of the CC, CO single and double bonds, and then triggers two additional 60° internal rotations, one in each of the two methyl groups attached to the hydrogen-bonded malonaldehyde ring. This interaction further complicates the tunneling splitting patterns and increases the difficulty of spectral analysis. In this work the influence of the intramolecular hydrogen transfer on the energy order of the eight sublevels is determined by a group-theoretical formalism.     

Optical properties and biomedical applications of plasmonic nanoparticles

Nanoparticle plasmonics is a rapidly emerging research field that deals with the fabrication and optical characterization of noble metal nanoparticles of various size, shape, structure, and tunable plasmon resonances over VIS-NIR spectral band. The recent simultaneous advances in synthesis, characterization, electromagnetic simulation, and surface functionalization of plasmonic nanoparticles by biospecific molecular probes have led to a perfect publication storm in discoveries and potential biomedical applications of plasmon-resonant nanoparticle bioconjugates. Here, we present an overview of these topics. First, we discus basic wet-chemical routes to fabricate conjugates of gold, silver, or composite particles with controllable size, shape, structure and with surface functionalization by biospecific molecules. Second, we consider the single-particle dipole and multipole optics and coupled plasmonic nanoparticle arrays. Finally, we discus application of plasmonic bioconjugates to such fields as homogeneous and solid-phase assays, biomedical sensing and imaging, biodistribution and toxicity aspects, drug delivery and plasmonic photothermal therapy.