Pulsed-field separation of particles in a microfluidic device

We demonstrate the proof-of-principle of a new separation concept for micrometer-sized particles in a structured microfluidic device. Under the action of externally applied, periodic voltage-pulses two different species of like-charged polystyrene beads are observed to simultaneously migrate into opposite directions. Based on a theoretical model of the particle motion in the microdevice that shows good agreement with the experimental measurements, the underlying separation mechanism is identified and explained. Potential biophysical applications, such as cell sorting, are briefly addressed.     

Automatic 3D tracking of cardiac material markers using slice-following and harmonic-phase MRI

A method to track a grid of cardiac material points in three dimensions using slice-following (SF) tagged magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and harmonic-phase MRI is presented. A three-dimensional grid of material points on the lines of intersections of short-axis (SA) and long-axis (LA) planes is automatically tracked by combining two-dimensional pathlines that are computed on both SA and LA image planes. This process yields the true three-dimensional motion of points originating on the image plane intersections. Experimental data from normal volunteers, each obtained in four short breath-holds using the SF harmonic phase MRI pulse sequence, is presented. A validation of two-dimensional in-plane tracks using this pulse sequence on a moving phantom is also presented.     

Some insights in superdiffusive transport

In a wide range of systems, the relaxation in response to an initial pulse has been experimentally found to follow a nonlinear relationship for the mean squared displacement, of the kind 〈x²(t)〉∝t^α$〈x^2(t)〉\propto t^{\alpha }$, where α$\alpha$ may be greater or smaller than 1. Such phenomena have been described under the generic term of anomalous diffusion. “Lévy flights” stochastic processes lead to superdiffusive behaviour (1<α<2)$(1<\alpha <2)$ and have been recently proposed to model—among the others—the subsurface contaminant spread in highly heterogeneous media under the effects of water flow. In this paper, within the continuous-time random walk (CTRW) approach to anomalous diffusion, we compare the analytical solution of the approximated fractional diffusion equation (FDE) with the Monte Carlo one, obtained by simulating the superdiffusive behaviour of an ensemble of particle in a medium. We show that the two are neatly different as the process approaches the standard diffusive behaviour. We argue that this is due to a truncation in the Fourier space expansion introduced by the FDE approach. We propose a second-order correction to this expansion and numerically solve the CTRW model under this hypothesis: the accuracy of the results thus obtained is validated through Monte Carlo simulation over all the superdiffusive range. The same kind of discrepancy is shown to occur also in the derivation of the fractional moments of the distribution: analogous corrections are proposed and validated through the Monte Carlo approach.     

Optical asymmetric watermarking using modified wavelet fusion and diffractive imaging

In most of the existing image encryption algorithms the generated keys are in the form of a noise like distribution with a uniform distributed histogram. However, the noise like distribution is an apparent sign indicating the presence of the keys. If the keys are to be transferred through some communication channels, then this may lead to a security problem. This is because; the noise like features may easily catch people׳s attention and bring more attacks. To address this problem it is required to transfer the keys to some other meaningful images to disguise the attackers. The watermarking schemes are complementary to image encryption schemes. In most of the iterative encryption schemes, support constraints play an important role of the keys in order to decrypt the meaningful data. In this article, we have transferred the support constraints which are generated by axial translation of CCD camera using amplitude-, and phase- truncation approach, into different meaningful images. This has been done by developing modified fusion technique in wavelet transform domain. The second issue is, in case, the meaningful images are caught by the attacker then how to solve the copyright protection. To resolve this issue, watermark detection plays a crucial role. For this purpose, it is necessary to recover the original image using the retrieved watermarks/support constraints. To address this issue, four asymmetric keys have been generated corresponding to each watermarked image to retrieve the watermarks. For decryption, an iterative phase retrieval algorithm is applied to extract the plain-texts from corresponding retrieved watermarks.     

机动目标逆合成孔径激光雷达方位成像快速算法

针对逆合成孔径激光雷达对机动目标成像时存在方位多普勒时变的问题,提出了一种基于方位时频域keystone变换的机动目标逆合成孔径激光雷达方位成像快速算法.利用多分量线性调频子回波信号的调频斜率与起始频率的比值为常量这一特点,在方位时频域采用keystone变换将多分量线性调频信号同时转换为多分量单频信号,利用快速傅里叶变换实现方位聚焦.采用基于分数阶傅里叶变换和最小熵的线性调频参量估计方法,实现了对调频斜率与起始频率比值的精确、快速估计.结果表明,与现有的基于Radon-Wigner变换的距离-瞬时多普勒成像算法相比,所提出的算法成像效率大大提高,且能够保留更多的目标细节信息,适合于逆合成孔径激光雷达的实时成像.     

On the concept and existence of solutions for fractional impulsive systems with Hadamard derivatives

In this paper, a class of nonlinear fractional order differential impulsive systems with Hadamard derivative is discussed. First, a reasonable concept on the solutions of fractional impulsive Cauchy problems with Hadamard derivative and the corresponding fractional integral equations are established. Second, two fundamental existence results are presented by using standard fixed point methods. Finally, two examples are given to illustrate our theoretical results.     

多维矢量矩阵变换域的运动矢量估计

为了实现对视频中运动目标的运动矢量估计,建立了多维矢量矩阵变换域运动估计系统,在变换域对运动视频中运动目标形成的多维能量集中平面进行研究。首先,介绍了多维矢量矩阵理论、变换理论以及运动目标在变换域形成能量集中平面的理论推导;然后,采用平面拟合的方法,求取运动矢量的大小;最后,分析对比了几种方法的效果和迭代速度。实验结果表明:多维矢量矩阵变换域的运动平面拟合方法估计的运动矢量精度达到10^-2 pixel,提供了一种变换域运动矢量估计的高精度方法。     

基于联合变换相关的机载航空相机像移测量

为了提高像移测量精度,针对机载航空摆扫相机提出一种坐标变换法和图像相关法相结合的像移测量方法。利用坐标变换法得到初始像移速度,利用图像联合变换相关法对像移速度残差进行补偿。联合图像通过一个面阵CCD获得,该面阵CCD放置在相机焦平面上并与成像线阵TDI CCD平行,其输出的当前图像与参考图像合并构成联合图像进行二维空间联合变换相关运算,得到像移修正矢量。对该矢量分别在相机摆扫方向和载机飞行方向进行分解,从而得到摆扫像移和前向像移的修正量。仿真实验结果表明,在输入图像信噪比为4 dB时,像移测量误差在0.1 pixel以内。     

Dune morphodynamics

The physics of dunes relies on the interaction between a wind flow and an erodible topography. Thus, if strong enough to transport grains, the wind shapes sandy areas into dune fields. These dunes are reminiscent of a wavy sea so that sandy deserts are called sand seas. However, the comparison stops there. Contrary to water waves, dunes propagate only under wind action and when the wind stops, they do not vanish but stand. Consequently, dunes are not only the result of the present winds, but can integrate the wind regimes over long periods. Thus, they exhibit a range of shapes and sizes with superimposed patterns. They are witnesses of past wind regimes and their shape and orientation are used to constraint climatic models on other planetary bodies where they are observed as well (e.g., Mars, Titan and Venus). Here, we discuss the morphodynamics of dunes and endeavor to identify and to explain the physical mechanisms at play in the selection of their shape, size and orientation, whilst focusing on Earth desert sand dunes.     

Phase Transition of [2,2]‐Paracyclophane – An End to an Apparently Endless Story

In this contribution, the solid‐state low‐temperature phase structure of [2,2]‐paracyclophane is unambiguously characterised by single‐crystal X‐ray analysis. Additionally, a heat capacity measurement was undertaken, which proves the existence of a λ‐type phase transition at 45 K, a transition that is connected with the formation of a secondary C_p/T feature at 60 K. The low‐temperature phase (<45 K) crystallises in the lower symmetry space group P$\bar 4$ n2, whereas the high‐temperature phase (>60 K) crystallises in space group P4₂/mnm. This proves what has been postulated both by experimental and theoretical chemists but has repeatedly been dismissed as speculation many times.