Effect of Surfactant Type and Concentration on Surfactant Migration,Surface Tension,and Adhesion of Latex Films

The effect of surfactant type and concentration on the migration behavior of surfactant in a latex film was investigated. Two types of surfactant, including an anionic (sodium lauryl sulfate, SLS) and a non-ionic (nonylphenol ethoxylate, average number of ethylene oxide units = 40, NP-40) surfactant, were used in an emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate butyl acrylate copolymer (MMA–BA). The total amount of surfactant was varied in three levels, i.e., 1.5, 3, and 4.5 wt%, and the surfactants were used both pure and in a mixture state. The surfactant migration to the film–air (F–A) and film–substrate (F–S) interfaces of the latex films was determined by using an attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) method. In addition, the adhesion of the latex films to glass substrates was measured by a pull-off test. The results showed that the migration of anionic surfactant to the interfaces was greater than the non-ionic one. It was also found that the use of non-ionic surfactant along with anionic surfactant could decrease the migration of the anionic surfactant to the interfaces.     

A hybrid doubled achromat based on a photon sieve

Photon sieves are diffractive optical elements with large chromatic aberration. To correct the dispersion of a photon sieve, a novel hybrid doubled achromat combined a photon sieve and a refractive lens is proposed. The design of this achromat applies the opposite dispersive characteristics of diffractive and refractive elements. Two design examples for different bandwidths of 300 nm and 80 nm in visible spectrum are given. For analyzing their focusing properties, the intensity distributions both along the axis and at the focal plane are studied. The results illustrate that the achromatic design is achieved and the secondary spectrum can be corrected for a narrow bandwidth. And compared to traditional hybrid achromat, it can focus to a sharper spot.     

A comparative study on structural and optical properties of ZnO and Al-doped ZnO thin films obtained by ultrasonic spray method using different solvents

Transparent conducting ZnO and Al doped ZnO thin films were deposited on glass substrate by ultrasonic spray method. The thin films with concentration of 0.1 M were deposited at 350 °C with 2 min of deposition time. The effects of ethanol and methanol solution before and after doping on the structural, optical and electrical properties were examined. The DRX analyses indicated that ZnO films have nanocrystalline nature and hexagonal wurtzite structure with (1 0 0) and (0 0 2) preferential orientation corresponding to ZnO films resulting from methanol and ethanol solution, respectively. The crystallinity of the thin films improved with methanol solution after doping to (0 0 2) oriented. All films exhibit an average optical transparency about 90%, in the visible range. The band gaps values of ZnO thin films are increased after doping from 3.10 to 3.26 eV and 3.27 to 3.30 eV upon Al doping obtained by ethanol and methanol solution, respectively. The electrical conductivity increase from 7.5 to 15.2 (Ω cm)⁻¹ of undoped to Al doped ZnO thin films prepared by using ethanol solution. However, for the methanol solution; the electrical conductivity of the film is stabilized after doping.     

Improvement of ultrasound speckle image velocimetry using image enhancement techniques

Ultrasound-based techniques have been developed and widely used in noninvasive measurement of blood velocity. Speckle image velocimetry (SIV), which applies a cross-correlation algorithm to consecutive B-mode images of blood flow has often been employed owing to its better spatial resolution compared with conventional Doppler-based measurement techniques. The SIV technique utilizes speckles backscattered from red blood cell (RBC) aggregates as flow tracers. Hence, the intensity and size of such speckles are highly dependent on hemodynamic conditions. The grayscale intensity of speckle images varies along the radial direction of blood vessels because of the shear rate dependence of RBC aggregation. This inhomogeneous distribution of echo speckles decreases the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of a cross-correlation analysis and produces spurious results. In the present study, image-enhancement techniques such as contrast-limited adaptive histogram equalization (CLAHE), min/max technique, and subtraction of background image (SB) method were applied to speckle images to achieve a more accurate SIV measurement. A mechanical sector ultrasound scanner was used to obtain ultrasound speckle images from rat blood under steady and pulsatile flows. The effects of the image-enhancement techniques on SIV analysis were evaluated by comparing image intensities, velocities, and cross-correlation maps. The velocity profiles and wall shear rate (WSR) obtained from RBC suspension images were compared with the analytical solution for validation. In addition, the image-enhancement techniques were applied to in vivo measurement of blood flow in human vein. The experimental results of both in vitro and in vivo SIV measurements show that the intensity gradient in heterogeneous speckles has substantial influence on the cross-correlation analysis. The image-enhancement techniques used in this study can minimize errors encountered in ultrasound SIV measurement in which RBCs are used as flow tracers instead of exogenous contrast agents.     

Stable bubble oscillations beyond Blake’s critical threshold

The equilibrium radius of a single spherical bubble containing both non-condensable gas and vapor is determined by the mechanical balance at the bubble interface. This expression highlights the fact that decreasing the ambient pressure below the so called Blake’s critical threshold, the bubble has no equilibrium state at all. In the last decade many authors have tried to find evidence for the existence of stable bubble oscillation under harmonic forcing in this regime, that is, they have tried to stabilize the bubble motion applying ultrasonic radiation on the bubble. The available numerical results provide only partial proof for the existence as they are usually based on linearized or weakly nonlinear (higher order approximation) bubble models. Here, based on numerical techniques of the modern nonlinear and bifurcation theory, the existence of stable bubble motion has been proven without any restrictions in nonlinearities. Although the model, applied in this paper, is the rather simple Rayleigh–Plesset equation, the presented technique can be extended to more complex bubble models easily.     

Multimodal approach for diagnosis of bacterial etiology in brain abscess

Background and purpose

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (PMRS) has high sensitivity and specificity for the detection of pyogenic brain abscess and the categorization of bacteria. But the metabolite patterns failed to evaluate the etiology of disease when the culture results are sterile. The aim of the present study is to compare the multimodality techniques viz., conventional culture, MR spectroscopy and 16S rRNA PCR and sequencing for rapid diagnosis of etiology in brain abscess and evaluate the PMRS in culture sterile samples and also demonstrate the sensitivity and specificity of these techniques.

Methods

Thirty five patients underwent MRI on a 3 T MRI and in-vivo PMRS for the diagnosis and evaluation of various resonances of metabolites such as lipid (LIP), lactate (LAC), acetate (AC), amino acid (AC), succinate (SUC). Pus was collected for identification of etiologic agents by culture and molecular method.

Results

In 35 samples, metabolite patterns were as follows: LIP/LAC/AA, n = 17, LIP/LAC/AA/SUC with or without AC, n = 17 and LIP/LAC/AA/AC, n = 1. Culture showed bacterial growth in 22 samples (18 aerobic/facultative anaerobic, 9 anaerobic) whereas molecular method was detected 26 aerobic/facultative anaerobic, 13 anaerobic, 4 microaerophilic bacteria. Among the 13 sterile samples, molecular method detected 16 microorganisms along with 3 mixed infections and PMRS recognized metabolite patterns as LIP/LAC/AA, n = 5 and LIP/LAC/AA/SUC with or without AC, n = 8. The sensitivity of in-vivo PMRS in sterile samples was 100% and 75%, and specificity was 75% and 100% for aerobic and anaerobic organisms respectively.

Conclusion

Based on metabolite resonances, PMRS can detect slow growing and fastidious organisms and classify them into aerobic and anaerobic bacteria which are difficult to culture by conventional method. It can categorize microorganisms even in culture sterile samples with rational sensitivity and specificity which may allow early choice of targeted therapy.     

基于长脉冲光源的钠信标回光特性实验研究

采用与信标发射接收系统参数匹配的长脉冲光源,可在脉冲回光时间内产生较亮星等的钠信标,既有利于提高信标探测的信噪比,也有利于实现自适应光学系统的高频闭环校正.基于450 mm直径望远镜和大能量长脉冲光源,开展了钠信标探测实验,得到了长脉冲光源产生的钠信标回光特性.通过CCD和光电倍增管,采集得到了不同发射能量、出射偏振态下的回光强度,并获得了最大强度为15万光子/m2/pulse的回光,对应脉冲回光时间内约4.1等星的亮度.分析推算了实验条件下钠原子的柱密度.实验全过程未出现明显的饱和现象,验证了采用长脉冲钠信标光源避免饱和效应、得到高亮度钠信标的可行性.     

不同工艺尺寸CMOS器件单粒子闩锁效应及其防护方法

基于建立的不同工艺尺寸的CMOS器件模型,利用TCAD器件模拟的方法,针对不同工艺CMOS器件,开展了不同工艺尺寸CMOS器件单粒子闩锁效应(SEL)的研究。研究表明,器件工艺尺寸越大,SEL效应越敏感。结合单粒子闩锁效应触发机制,提出了保护带、保护环两种器件级抗SEL加固设计方法,并通过TCAD仿真和重离子试验验证防护效果,得出最优的加固防护设计。结果表明,90nm和0.13μm CMOS器件尽量选用保护带抗SEL结构,0.18μm或更大工艺尺寸CMOS器件建议选取保护环抗SEL结构。     

多束高重复频率全光纤激光脉冲时间波形实时精密测量技术

提出了一种基于时分复用的多束高重复频率全光纤激光脉冲时间波形实时精密测量技术,针对分类成组的多束高重复频率全光纤激光系统不同测量功能需求,分别设计了1×8时分复用器、不同延时量的1×2时分复用器,实现了48路、144个1kHz光纤激光整形脉冲时间波形宽度、上升沿、面积等关键参数的精密测量,同时实现了多束高重复频率全光纤脉冲激光系统运行状态的实时监测。     

X光照相技术应用于果冻内爆实验的研究

果冻内爆实验是一种研究柱形汇聚条件下Rayleigh-Taylor不稳定性的实验方法,由于高速摄影图像不能分辨反弹阶段果冻内界面的扰动,因此采用中低能X光照相CCD相机接收技术开展果冻与气体混合区域的实验研究,获得了果冻环在不同时刻压缩、反弹的发展状况及其内外边界,并观测到果冻质量分数降低时果冻与气体混合界面的变化。实验结果表明:X光照相可作为测量湍流混合区域的半定量测试技术,有助于研究果冻内爆中的气液界面Rayleigh-Taylor不稳定性现象。