Characterizing and monitoring respiratory aerosols by light scattering

The elastic-scattering intensity pattern from a single particle as a function of spherical coordinate angles theta and phi provides detailed information on the pattern's morphology. By use of an ellipsoidal reflector and a CCD camera, a single-laser-shot intensity pattern from a large angular range (theta from 90 degrees to 168 degrees and phi from 0 degrees to 360 degrees) was detected from a single aerosol (e.g., a Bacillus subtilisspore, a 1-microm-diameter polystyrene latex sphere, or a cluster of either of these) flowing through the reflectors focal volume at 5 m/s. Noticeable difference in the large-angle-range two-dimensional angular optical scattering (LATAOS) suggest that the LATAOS pattern could be useful in differentiating and classifying life-threatening aerosols from normal background aerosols.     

Operator algebras and a theorem of Dieudonne

LetA be aC*-algebra with second dualA″. Let (φ _n)(n=1,...) be a sequence in the dual ofA such that limφ _n(a) exists for eacha εA. In general, this does not imply that limφ _n(x) exists for eachx εA″. But if limφ _n(p) exists whenever p is the range projection of a positive self-adjoint element of the unit ball ofA, then it is shown that limφ _n(x) does exist for eachx inA″. This is a non-commutative generalisation of a celebrated theorem of Dieudonné. A new proof of Dieudonné’s theorem, for positive measures, is given here. The proof of the main result makes use of Dieudonné’s original theorem.     

Two-photon excited fluorescence from biological aerosol particles

We used a 40 MHz mode-locked 524 nm laser source to evaluate the utility of sub-picosecond excitation of fluorescence from 2-photon absorption in biological aerosols. Individual particles of biological composition, as well as other calibration particles, suspended in an inlet air flow were illuminated and measured as they passed through an optical chamber. To our knowledge, this was the first demonstration of 2-photon excited fluorescence from micron-sized particles composed of micro-organisms. We also observed a high fluorescence signal at visible wavelengths, which was not present with single-photon excitation.     

Orthogonal analysis of mass and spectral based technologies for the field detection of bioaerosols

The detection and qualitative characterization of outdoor ambient bioaerosols have a relatively greater sense of urgency in recent times.Mass-based pyrolysis-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (Py-GC-IMS) and particle-based UV-vis fluorescence technologies were spatially situated for spore and protein bioaerosol detection in a Southeastern prairie region in Alberta, Canada. Orthogonal systems analyses versus individual detector results were investigated for the temporal characterization of bioaerosols. The systems responded to low agent analyte-containing particles per liter of air (PLA) concentrations, and were verified by reference samplers. An orthogonal technologies sensor system appears to be attractive for a high confidence detection of presence and temporal characterization of bioaerosols.     

Radial oscillations of neutron stars in strong magnetic fields

The eigen frequencies of radial pulsations of neutron stars are calculated in a strong magnetic field. At low densities we use the magnetic BPS equation of state (EOS) similar to that obtained by Lai and Shapiro while at high densities the EOS obtained from the relativistic nuclear mean field theory is taken and extended to include strong magnetic field. It is found that magnetized neutron stars support higher maximum mass whereas the effect of magnetic field on radial stability for observed neutron star masses is minimal.