Controlled cell aggregation in a pulsed acoustic field

Cell aggregation in ultrasonic resonators can be obtained in a few seconds. Hundreds even thousands of cells can be levitated in suspension and generate 2D or 3D aggregates. Nevertheless, the aggregation rate and the 2D or 3D configurations of the resultant aggregates are very difficult to control. This work reports on a novel way of generating and controlling particle and cell aggregates using pulsed ultrasound. This technique specifically explores (in addition to the ultrasound wave, frequency and amplitude) the time of ultrasound application, i.e. the number of pulses as well as the pulse repetition frequency. We demonstrate that with pulsed ultrasound, particles and/or cells levitate in suspension, as with continuous ultrasound, and the aggregation rate can be modified in a controlled manner. By carefully tuning the number of pulses and the repetition frequency, the 3-D and 2-D configurations of the aggregates can be selectively generated. In addition, pulsed ultrasound limits transducer heating, thus allowing for higher acoustic energies than those currently employed with continuous ultrasound.     

Small metal particles: Non-local optical properties and quantum-size effects

In this work we survey some recent results concerning non-local optical effects and particle-size dependence for the optical properties of individual metallic particles. We start by giving a historical overview and a conceptual discussion on the subject of small particles, underlining their potential applications. Simplified optical response functions for a metallic sphere are introduced and duly illustrated to bring out the physical content. Particular emphasis is given to optical absorption, resonance effects and far-infrared properties exhibited by simple and noble metal particles having less than 100 Å radii. A comparison between the traditional (Mie) approach and the proposed non-local scheme is made and it leads to an increased understanding of the various mechanisms a small particle exhibits when screening an external electromagnetic field.     

Detection of unlabeled particles in the low micrometer size range using light scattering and hydrodynamic 3D focusing in a microfluidic system

In this paper, we describe a microfluidic device composed of integrated microoptical elements and a two-layer microchannel structure for highly sensitive light scattering detection of micro/submicrometer-sized particles. In the two-layer microfluidic system, a sample flow stream is first constrained in the out-of-plane direction into a narrow sheet, and then focused in-plane into a small core region, obtaining on-chip three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic focusing. All the microoptical elements, including waveguides, microlens, and fiber-to-waveguide couplers, and the in-plane focusing channels are fabricated in one SU-8 layer by standard photolithography. The channels for out-of-plane focusing are made in a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer by a single cast using a SU-8 master. Numerical and experimental results indicate that the device can realize 3D hydrodynamic focusing reliably over a wide range of Reynolds numbers (0.5 < Re < 20). Polystyrene particles of three sizes (2, 1, and 0.5 μm) were measured in the microfluidic device with integrated optics, demonstrating the feasibility of this approach to detect particles in the low micrometer size range by light scattering detection.     

The colloidal stability of raw bentonite deformed mechanically by ultrasound

The present study examined the effect of sonication time on the particle–size and the colloidal stability (i.e. point of zero charge, PZC and zeta potential, ζ) of raw bentonite (RB) from Saudi Arabia. In this study, bentonite suspensions were sonicated for various time intervals (30, 60 and 120 min). The effect of sonication time on specific surface area and the colloidal stability behavior of bentonite at various pH and in presence of different NaCl concentration were investigated. The increased in lightness and brightness of bentonite suspension was observed during sonication experiment which could be attributed to the reduction in the particles size.With increasing sonication time the specific surface area increased and consequently the zeta potential of bentonite suspension increased. Also a shifting in the PZC from pH 3 for raw bentonite to pH 2 after 120 min of sonication.The zeta potential of sonicated bentonite suspension in presence of different concentration of NaCl shows unusual trend compared to the unsonicated bentonite. In conclusion, the stability of raw bentonite suspension was significantly modified due the application of ultrasound with rending the particle-size of the bentonite.     

A model for predicting the acceleration variance of arbitrary-density finite-size particles in isotropic turbulence

The paper concerns the effects of particle inertia, density, and size on acceleration statistics. A simple analytical model for estimating the acceleration variance of particles suspended in an isotropic homogeneous turbulent flow field is developed. This model is capable of qualitative describing the particle acceleration variance over the entire range of the particle-to-fluid density ratio. Comparisons of model predictions with numerical simulations and experimental data are presented.     

参数寻优支持向量机在基于光声光谱法的变压器故障诊断中的应用

为了解决变压器气相色谱分析法故障诊断中存在的操作繁琐、消耗待测气体和载气、检测周期长等缺点, 提出了利用光声光谱技术检测变压器油中CH4, C2H2, C2H4, C2H6, H2五种特征气体的含量并计算C2H2/C2H4, CH4/H2, C2H4/C2H6三对比值数据。将五种SVM类型和四种核函数采用交叉组合建立20种不同的支持向量机模型, 并采用启发式算法对于惩罚因子c和g的取值进行参数寻优, 以建立变压器故障诊断准确率最高、最快运行速度的支持向量机模型。启发式算法主要对比研究了粒子群算法和遗传算法在寻优精度与速度上的效果。仿真实验结果表明C-SVC模型、RBF核函数、遗传算法寻优构成的支持向量机模型对变压器故障的诊断准确率最高, 测试集达到97.5%, 训练集达到98.333 3%, 并且遗传算法的寻优速度快于粒子群算法2倍左右。该方法具有操作简单、非接触性测量、不消耗载气、检测周期短、稳定性和灵敏度高等优点。可以代替传统的气相色谱分析法进行变压器故障诊断, 满足变压器故障诊断的实际工程需要。     

Using PSO for a walk of a biped robot

This paper is a presentation of a work that consists to model a biped robot walk in simulation. The specific objective is to develop a strategy based on an evolutionary method. The chosen architecture to represent the biped includes ten degrees of freedom on ten articulations between seven links. This evolutionary method is a generation of articulation angles using a particle swarm optimization (PSO). This work invokes also the direct kinematic principle. The PSO guarantees the stability of the biped by using a constraint on the center of mass (CoM) and the polygon of support. Results show that this method is tempting for a high level development.     

The Lie algebra structure and controllability of spin systems

In this paper, we study the controllability properties and the Lie algebra structure of networks of particles with spin immersed in an electro-magnetic field. We relate the Lie algebra structure to the properties of a graph whose nodes represent the particles and an edge connects two nodes if and only if the interaction between the two corresponding particles is active. For networks with different gyromagnetic ratios, we provide a necessary and sufficient condition of controllability in terms of the properties of the above-mentioned graph and describe the Lie algebra structure in every case. For these systems all the controllability notions, including the possibility of driving the evolution operator and/or the state, are equivalent. For general networks (with possibly equal gyromagnetic ratios), we give a sufficient condition of controllability. A general form of interaction among the particles is assumed which includes both Ising and Heisenberg models as special cases. Assuming Heisenberg interaction we provide an analysis of low-dimensional cases (number of particles less than or equal to three) which includes necessary and sufficient controllability conditions as well as a study of their Lie algebra structure. This also provides an example of quantum mechanical systems where controllability of the state is verified while controllability of the evolution operator is not.     

Directional transport and random motion of particles in ALF ultrasonic cavitation structure

The motion of particles of different properties and sizes in ALF ultrasonic cavitation structure is investigated experimentally with high-speed photography. Particles tend to transport along the bubble chain and move towards the focus repeatedly and predictably in ALF cavitation structures. Particles at the focus aggregate and separate alternately over time. The separation of particles mainly occurs in the expansion process of cavitation bubbles, while the movement and aggregation of particles mostly take place during the collapse stage. The directional transport of particles along the bubble chain of ALF cavitation cloud and the random aggregation and dispersion at the focus of ALF are all related to the cavitation bubbles attached to the particles. The directional transportation (predictable, repeatable and pipeline-free) and aggregation of particles in ALF cavitation clouds may be used in special occasions, for example, drug delivery and targeted therapy.