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Spherical
Terms modified by Spherical Selected AbstractsTemporal analysis of spatial covariance of SO2 in EuropeENVIRONMETRICS, Issue 4 2007Marco Giannitrapani Abstract In recent years, the number of applications of spatial statistics has enormously increased in environmental and ecological sciences. A typical problem is the sampling of a pollution field, with the common objective of spatial interpolation. In this paper, we present a spatial analysis across time, focusing on sulphur dioxide (SO2) concentrations monitored from 1990 to 2001 at 125 sites across Europe. Four different methods of trend estimation have been used, and comparisons among them are shown. Spherical, Exponential and Gaussian variograms have been fitted to the residuals and compared. Time series analyses of the range, sill and nugget have been undertaken and a suggestion for defining a unique spatial correlation matrix for the overall time period of analysis is proposed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A Tin-Based Amorphous Oxide Composite with a Porous, Spherical, Multideck-Cage Morphology as a Highly Reversible Anode Material for Lithium-Ion BatteriesADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 35 2009Yan Yu No abstract is available for this article. [source] A Tin-Based Amorphous Oxide Composite with a Porous, Spherical, Multideck-Cage Morphology as a Highly Reversible Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries,ADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 7 2007Y. Yu Thin-film anodes for Li-ion batteries prepared by using electrostatic spray deposition are reported. They consist of a tin-based amorphous oxide composite with a porous, spherical, multideck-cage morphology (see figure). The electrochemical properties of the thin-film electrodes are shown to be improved significantly by introducing Li2O and CuO, the ternary Li2O,CuO,SnO2 electrode being demonstrated to exhibit the best performance. [source] A Family of Symmetrical Lower-Mobility Parallel Mechanisms with Spherical and Parallel SubchainsJOURNAL OF FIELD ROBOTICS (FORMERLY JOURNAL OF ROBOTIC SYSTEMS), Issue 6 2003Q. C. Li This paper presents a new family of symmetrical lower-mobility parallel mechanisms (PMs) with spherical and parallel subchains, which consists of two 5-DOF (degrees of freedom) PMs, one 4-DOF PM and five 3-DOF PMs. The basic feature of this family is that each limb consists of five revolute pairs and can be constructed with two subchains, a 2R pointing subchain and a 3R parallel subchain, or a 3R spherical subchain and a 2R parallel subchain. Different geometrical arrangements of the limbs lead to different degrees of freedom. All the PMs of this family can be modularized easily due to the simple structure of the subchains. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Preparation, characterization, and binding profile of molecularly imprinted hydrogels for the peptide hepcidinJOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE (IN TWO SECTIONS), Issue 8 2010Vincenzo Abbate Abstract Molecularly imprinted hydrogels for the capture of the peptide hormone hepcidin were prepared by water-in-oil (w/o) suspension polymerization under mild conditions. Spherical and relatively uniformly sized gel beads were routinely obtained after optimization of the synthetic methodology. The polymers were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Although the imprinted materials exhibited higher affinity towards the epitope template (hepcidin N -terminus) than their corresponding blank polymers, the full-length target peptide was found strongly bound to all the hydrogels tested. However, by using whole fluorescent hepcidin as the print species, the imprinting effect was more pronounced. Moreover, bovine serum albumin did not bind to the poly N -isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAm)-based polymers. Thus, polymeric "sponges" for biomacromolecules with size-exclusion effect were developed, useful for peptide concentration, immobilization and/or purification from serum samples. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 1721,1731, 2010 [source] Effect of Interparticle Potential on Forming Solid, Spherical Agglomerates during DryingJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 1 2004Geoff E. Fair The effect of the interparticle potential on the shapes of the agglomerates obtained by drying slurry droplets has been investigated using aqueous alumina slurries formulated in the dispersed and weakly attractive (dispersed + added salt) states. For the dispersed slurry, the droplets dried to irregular shapes with hollow centers. When just the right amount of salt was added to produce an attractive, but nontouching, particle network, the droplets dried as solid spheres. These results are discussed by relating both the nature of the particle network (repulsive or weakly attractive), the slurry rheology, and the consolidation mechanics of the networks to the requirements for maintaining a spherical geometry and uniform density during droplet drying. [source] Spherical and irregular aberrations are important for the optimal performance of the human eyeOPHTHALMIC AND PHYSIOLOGICAL OPTICS, Issue 2 2002Y. K. Nio Contrast sensitivity measured psychophysically at different levels of defocus can be used to evaluate the eye optics. Possible parameters of spherical and irregular aberrations, e.g. relative modulation transfer (RMT), myopic shift, and depth of focus, can be determined from these measurements. The present paper compares measured results of RMT, myopic shift, and depth of focus with the theoretical results found in the two eye models described by Jansonius and Kooijman (1998). The RMT data in the present study agree with those found in other studies, e.g. Campbell and Green (1965) and Jansonius and Kooijman (1997). A new theoretical eye model using a spherical aberration intermediate between those of the eye models described by Jansonius and Kooijman (1998) and an irregular aberration with a typical S.D. of 0.3,0.5 D could adequately explain the measured RMT, myopic shift, and depth of focus data. Both spherical and irregular aberrations increased the depth of focus, but decreased the modulation transfer (MT) at high spatial frequencies at optimum focus. These aberrations, therefore, play an important role in the balance between acuity and depth of focus. [source] Confinement effects on optical phonons in spherical, rod-, and tetrapod-shaped nanocrystals detected by Raman spectroscopyPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (A) APPLICATIONS AND MATERIALS SCIENCE, Issue 2 2007Concetta Nobile Abstract Spherical, rod- and tetrapod shaped CdSe nanocrystals are investigated by Raman spectroscopy and the longitudinal-optical and surface optical phonons are observed. We find that the position of the longitudinal-optical phonon slightly red-shifts with decreasing diameter, whereas the position of the surface optical phonon depends significantly on diameter and length of the rods or the tetrapod arms. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] A New Species of Myxozoa, Henneguya rondoni n. sp. (Myxozoa), from the Peripheral Nervous System of the Amazonian Fish, Gymnorhamphichthys rondoni (Teleostei)THE JOURNAL OF EUKARYOTIC MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2008CARLOS AZEVEDO ABSTRACT. Henneguya rondoni n. sp. found in the peripheral lateral nerves located below the two lateral lines of the fish Gymnorhamphichthys rondoni (Teleostei, Rhamphichthyidae) from the Amazon river is described using light and electron microscopy. Spherical to ellipsoid cysts measuring up to 110 ,m in length contained only immature and mature spores located in close contact with the myelin sheaths of the nervous fibres. Ellipsoidal spores measured 17.7 (16.9,18.1)-,m long, 3.6 (3.0,3.9)-,m wide, and 2.5 (2.2,2.8)-,m (n=25) thick. The spore body measuring 7.0 (6.8,7.3)-,m long was formed by two equal symmetric valves, each with an equal tapering tail 10.7 (10.3,11.0) ,m in length. The tails were composed of an internal dense material surrounded by an external homogeneous sheath of hyaline substance. The valves surrounded two equal pyriform polar capsules measuring 2.5 (2.2,2.8)-,m long and 0.85 (0.79,0.88)-,m (n=25) wide and a binucleated sporoplasm cell containing globular sporoplasmosomes 0.38 (0.33,0.42) ,m (n=25) in diam. with an internal eccentric dense structure with half-crescent section. Each polar capsule contains an anisofilar polar filament with 6,7 turns obliquely to the long axis. The matrix of the polar capsule was dense and the wall filled with a hyaline substance. The spores differed from those of previously described species. Based on the ultrastructural morphology of the spore and specificity to the host species, we propose a new species name H. rondoni n. sp. [source] A Spherical 24,Butyrate Aggregate with a Hydrophobic Cavity in a Capsule with Flexible Pores: Confinement Effects and Uptake,Release Equilibria at Elevated Temperatures,ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE, Issue 43 2009Christian Schäffer Moleküle unter Zwang: Der Einschluss einer Anordnung aus 24,organischen Butyrat-Einheiten (siehe Bild), die mit 72,H-Atomen einen bemerkenswert großen hydrophoben Hohlraum umschließen, in einer porösen Kapsel führt zu interessanten Wechselwirkungen zwischen den eingesperrten Butyraten. Bei Temperaturerhöhung wird die ,Quarantäne" aufgehoben und die Gastspezies können leichter kommen und gehen. [source] Self-Assembled Nanostructures of Tailored Multi-Metal Complexes and Morphology Control by Counter-Anion ExchangeCHEMISTRY - A EUROPEAN JOURNAL, Issue 35 2010Dr. Masaki Yamamura Improved solubility: Trisaloph complexes bearing PEGylated adamantane units were designed (see figure) and synthesized to improve their solubility in aqueous media. The complexes afforded a self-assembled nanostructure in aqueous media. Spherical and fibril aggregates were successfully formed based on the structural change caused by the coordinated anions. [source] Role of the Preparation Procedure in the Formation of Spherical and Monodisperse Surfactant/Polyelectrolyte ComplexesCHEMISTRY - A EUROPEAN JOURNAL, Issue 21 2007Yuxia Luan Dr. Abstract Complexes formed by a double-tail cationic surfactant, didodecyldimethyl ammonium bromide, and an anionic polyelectrolyte, an alternating copolymer of poly(styrene-alt-maleic acid) in its sodium salt form, were investigated with respect to variation in the charge ratio (x) between the polyelectrolyte negative charges and the surfactant positive charges. The morphology and microstructure of the complexes were studied by light microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering for different preparation conditions. Independent of the sample preparation procedure and the charge ratio x, the X-ray results show that the microscopic structure of the complexes is a condensed lamellar phase. By contrast, the morphology of the complexes changes dramatically with the preparation procedure. The complexes formed by mixing a surfactant solution and a polyelectrolyte solution strongly depend on x and are always extremely heterogeneous in size and shape. Surprisingly, we show that, when the two solutions interdiffuse slowly, spherical complexes of micrometric and rather uniform size are systematically obtained, independently on the initial relative amount of surfactant and polyelectrolyte. The mechanism for the formation of these peculiar complexes is discussed. [source] Visualization of the distant dipolar field: A numerical studyCONCEPTS IN MAGNETIC RESONANCE, Issue 6 2009Stefan Kirsch Abstract The magnetization of liquid water in an external field generates an intrinsic magnetic field in the sample called the distant dipolar field (DDF). To visualize the spatial distribution of the DDF a numerical study was performed for the case of liquid,state 1H NMR at 7 T. 2D maps of the frequency offset caused by the DDF in pure water were calculated for homogenously magnetized spherical and cylindrical samples as well as for the case of a spatially modulated magnetization distribution occurring e.g., in CRAZED (Cosy Revamped by Asymmetric Z-Gradient Echo Detection) experiments. The calculation yielded DDF induced frequency offsets in the range of 0.58 Hz to 10.24 Hz inside the homogeneously magnetized cylinders, while DDF-induced frequency offsets ,10,5 Hz were obtained inside the sphere. The calculated frequency offsets were in good agreement with analytical results available for a sphere and an infinitely long cylinder. In the case of a spatially modulated magnetization distribution, DDF-induced frequency offsets with maximum values of +0.83 Hz were obtained inside the sphere. The presented 2D maps of the DDF-induced frequency offset have tutorial character and may help to visualize this phenomenon in a direct manner. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Concepts Magn Reson Part A 34A:357,364, 2009. [source] Cross-correlated and conventional dipolar carbon-13 relaxation in methylene groups in small, symmetric moleculesCONCEPTS IN MAGNETIC RESONANCE, Issue 2 2007Leila Ghalebani Abstract A theory for dipolar cross-correlated relaxation processes in AMX or AX2 spin system, with special reference to 13C-methylene groups, is reviewed briefly. Simple experiments and protocols for measuring the transfer rates between the carbon-13 Zeeman order and the three-spin order, and for their analogues in the transverse plane, are discussed using a concentrated solution of the disaccharide trehalose as a model system. Experimental data sets consisting of conventional carbon-13 relaxation parameters (T1, T2, and NOE), along with the cross-correlated relaxation rates, are also presented for some small, rigid, polycyclic molecules. These data are interpreted using spectral density functions appropriate to spherical or symmetric tops reorienting according to small-step rotational diffusion model. The analysis results in a consistent picture of the auto- and cross-correlated spin relaxation processes. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Concepts Magn Reson Part A 30A: 100,115, 2007. [source] Neuro-mesodermal patterns in artificially deformed embryonic explants: A role for mechano-geometry in tissue differentiationDEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS, Issue 3 2010E.S. Kornikova Abstract The mutual arrangement of neural and mesodermal rudiments in artificially bent double explants of Xenopus laevis suprablastoporal areas was compared with that of intact explants. While some of the bent explants straightened or became spherical, most retained and actively reinforced the imposed curvature, creating folds on their concave sides and expanding convex surfaces. In the intact explants, the arrangement of neural and mesodermal rudiments exhibited a distinct antero-posterior polarity, with some variability. In the bent explants, this polarity was lost: the neural rudiments were shifted towards concave while the mesodermal tissues moved towards the convex side, embracing the neural rudiments in a horseshoe-shaped manner. We associate these drastic changes in neuro-mesodermal patterning with the active extension and contraction of the convex and concave sides, respectively, triggered by the imposed deformations. We speculate that similar events are responsible for the establishment of neuro-mesodermal patterns during normal development. Developmental Dynamics 239:885,896, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Liesegang rings in fine needle aspirate of breast cysts with predominance of apocrine cells: A study of 14 casesDIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 10 2008F.I.A.C., Raj K. Gupta M.D. Abstract Fine needle aspirate (FNA) from 14 cases (age range 17,84 years), with Liesegang rings (LR's) in breast cysts seen over a period of 26 years comprised the material of this study from more than 38,000 FNA's of the breast which had been done for a variety of breast lesions. In six of the 14 cases, the aspirate was obtained under ultrasound guidance whereas in the remaining cases it was collected from a palpable lesion. The aspiration was performed using a 22 gauge needle and the syringe and needle contents were washed in a cytology container with 30% ethyl alcohol in physiologic saline. The cytologic preparations from half of the sample were made on a 5 micron Schleicher and Schuell filter and stained by Papanicolaou method whereas from the remainder of the sample a cell block was made and sections cut, stained with hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and used for immunohistochemical study. Filter preparations and cell blocks revealed cyanophilic, spherical, ring-like structures of various sizes and shape mostly with double walls, and striations with amorphous material in the lumen and under polarized light were nonrefractile. Seen also were several apocrine cells and some macrophages and the LR's were found to be negative on immunostains for EMA and CK, and a panel of other special stains (Table I). Since LR's can be mistaken for ova, larvae, or parasites, it is important to be aware of their potential presence in aspirate samples of breast cysts to avoid a misdiagnosis. The exact mechanism of formation of LR's is not fully understood and certain views as proposed are discussed in this presentation. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2008;36:701,704. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Fine structure of spermatozoa of Chondrostoma nasus and Rutilus meidingerii (Teleostei, Cyprinidae), as revealed by scanning and transmission electron microscopyACTA ZOOLOGICA, Issue 1 2010Sonja Fürböck Abstract Fürböck, S., Patzner, R.A. and Lahnsteiner, F. 2008. Fine structure of spermatozoa of Chondrostoma nasus and Rutilus meidingerii (Teleostei, Cyprinidae), as revealed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. , Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 91: 88,95 The fine structure of spermatozoa of sneep or nase, Chondrostoma nasus, and lake chub, Rutilus meidingerii, was investigated by means of scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The uniflagellate spermatozoa of C. nasus lacked an acrosome. The flagellum contained the conventional nine peripheral doublets and one central pair of microtubules (9 + 2 pattern) and lacked lateral fins. The uniflagellate spermatozoa of R. meidingerii were made up of a head, also without an acrosome. For both species the sperm tail was covered by a plasma membrane. The midpiece of C. nasus contained five or six mitochondria on average, vesicles and glycogen granules, whereas the midpiece of R. meidingerii had seven mitochondria of a spherical or ovoid shape. The centriolar complex was located caudolaterally with respect to the nucleus. In C. nasus, the centrioles were orientated at an angle of 125° to each other, whereas the centrioles of R. meidingerii were at an angle of 110°. The fine structure of C. nasus and R. meidingerii spermatozoa showed species-specific differences in the position of the proximal centriole relative to the distal centriole, the position and number of mitochondria, size of the head and the length of the flagellum. (Correction added on 11 June 2009, after first online publication: The word ,axoneme' was deleted from the sentence ,The flagellum contained the conventional nine peripheral doublets and one central pair of microtubules (9 + 2 pattern) axoneme and lacked lateral fins.') [source] Eyes and vision in Arion rufus and Deroceras agreste (Mollusca; Gastropoda; Pulmonata): What role does photoreception play in the orientation of these terrestrial slugs?ACTA ZOOLOGICA, Issue 2 2009Marina V. Zieger Abstract This paper deals with the orientational behaviour in the two terrestrial slugs Arion rufus and Deroceras agreste. It presents anatomical details of their eyes and provides an appraisal of the eyes' optical system. In both species the retinae contain two principal types of cell: photoreceptive and pigmented supportive cells. While only the eye of A. rufus apparently contains neurosecretory neurones, that of D. agreste is the only one equipped with a small additional retina with its own separate lens. Lens shapes vary between ovoid (A. rufus) and spherical (D. agreste). Our results demonstrate that the camera-type eyes in A. rufus and D. agreste have optical systems that do not allow the production of a sharp image on the retina. The slugs demonstrate negative visually mediated phototactic behaviour, but no polarization sensitivity. Only one aspect of the visual environment, namely the overall distribution of light and dark, seems to be important for these slugs. As the main role of the slugs' photoreceptors is to monitor environmental brightness and to assist the animal in orientating towards dark places, we conclude that these slugs do not need to perceive sharp images. [source] Lesions of the Mitral Valve as a Cause of Central Retinal Artery Occlusion: Presentation and Discussion of Two CasesECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Issue 1 2010Maryam Ayati M.D. We present two cases of mitral valve lesions that manifested with unilateral blindness caused by central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO): Case 1. A 68-year-old woman was admitted to our clinic for sudden blindness. Retinal artery angiogram showed CRAO. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) documented a mass attached to the ventricular side of the posterior mitral leaflet, which at pathology was identified as a blood cyst. Case 2. A 67-year-old man was admitted for a sudden unilateral painless loss of vision. Retinal angiogram documented CRAO, and TEE showed a highly mobile, spherical, lesion on the atrial side of anterior mitral leaflet. In this case, the pathological finding was a degenerated calcified thrombosis. We report on two cases of very rare abnormalities of the mitral valve presenting with a very rare embolic complication, i.e., CRAO. Like for cryptogenic stroke, transesophageal echocardiography plays a central role in the diagnosis of cardiogenic embolic sources. (Echocardiography 2010;27:E1-E3) [source] Elongation Index as a New Index Determining the Severity of Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction and Mitral Regurgitation in Patients with Congestive Heart FailureECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Issue 7 2005Mehmet Yokusoglu M.D. The shape of the left ventricle is an important echocardiographic feature of left ventricular dysfunction. Progression of the mitral regurgitation and consequent left ventricular remodeling is unpredictable in heart failure. Elongation index is an index of left ventricular sphericity. The surface area of the elongated ventricle is larger than that of a spherical one. The objective of this study was to assess the relation between elongation index and the degree of mitral regurgitation along with noninvasive indices of left ventricular function. Thirty-two patients (21 male, 11 female, mean age: 57 ± 6 yrs) with congestive heart failure and mitral regurgitation were included. Patients were stratified into three groups according to vena contracta width as having mild (n = 11), moderate (n = 11) and severe mitral regurgitation (n = 10). The elongation index (EI) was considered as equal to {[(left ventricular internal area-measured) , (theoretical area of the sphere with measured left ventricular volume)]/(theoretical area of the sphere with measured left ventricular volume)}. Ejection fractions by the modified Simpson rule, dP/dt and sphericity index (SI) were also recorded. The relationship between (EI), ejection fraction, dP/dt and SI reached modest statistical significance (p < 0.05). When the EI and SI were compared, the correlation was also significant (p < 0.01). The areas under the receiver operator curve of EI and SI for discriminating dP/dt < 1000 mm Hg/s were 0.833 and 0.733, respectively. In conclusion, the elongation, which defines the shape of the left ventricle, might be related to the systolic function of the left ventricle and the degree of the mitral regurgitation. Further studies are needed to demonstrate its use in other clinical entities. [source] "Hands-Free" Continuous Transthoracic Monitoring of Pericardiocentesis Using a Novel Ultrasound TransducerECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Issue 6 2003F.R.C.P., P.A.N. Chandraratna Background: Pericardiocentesis can be monitored with a hand-held transducer. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of monitoring pericardiocentesis using a novel ultrasound transducer, which can be attached to the chest wall, developed in our laboratory (CONTISON). Methods: We studied nine patients with large pericardial effusions. The 2.5-MHz transducer is spherical in its distal part and mounted in an external housing to permit steering in 360 degrees. The external housing is attached to the chest wall using an adhesive patch. The CONTISON transducer was placed at the cardiac apex and an apical four-chamber view obtained. Pericardiocentesis was performed from the subcostal position. The pericardial effusion was continuously imaged. Mitral inflow velocity signals were recorded before and after pericardiocentesis. When fluid was first obtained, 50 mL of fluid were discarded after which 5 mL of agitated saline was injected through the needle. Results: In the first patient the pericardiocentesis needle was seen in the left ventricular cavity. Saline injection produced a contrast effect in the left ventricle. The needle was gradually withdrawn until contrast was seen in the pericardial sac. A total of 1100 mL was removed without further complications. The second patient had clear fluid followed by blood stained aspirate. The echocardiogram revealed gradual appearance of granular echoes within the pericardial sac, suggestive of intrapericardial clot that was subsequently surgically evacuated. In the remaining seven patients, agitated saline produced a contrast effect in the pericardial sac indicative of proper needle position. Mitral flow velocity paradoxus was noted in five patients, and it resolved after pericardiocentesis in four patients. No adjustment of the transducer was required. Conclusion: The CONTISON transducer permitted continuous monitoring of pericardiocentesis. This technique could potentially facilitate pericardiocentesis. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume 20, August 2003) [source] Electrocatalysis and Amperometric Detection of the Reduced Form of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide at Toluidine Blue/Zinc Oxide Coated ElectrodesELECTROANALYSIS, Issue 18 2007Ashok Kumar Abstract Thin toluidine blue (TBO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) hybrid films have been grown on glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and indium tin oxide coated (SnO2) glass electrodes by using cyclic voltammetry (CV). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images revealed spherical and beads-like shape of highly oriented TBO/ZnO hybrid films. Energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) results declared that the films composed mainly of Zn and O. Moreover, TBO/ZnO hybrid films modified electrode is electrochemically active, dye molecules were not easily leached out from the ZnO matrix and the hybrid films can be considered for potential applications as sensor for amperometric determination of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) at 0.0,V. A linear correlation between electrocatalytic current and NADH concentration was found to be in the range between 25,,M and 100,,M in phosphate buffer. In addition, we observed that dopamine, ascorbic acid and uric acid are not interference in amperometric detection of NADH in this proposed method. In addition, TBO/ZnO hybrid film modified electrode was highly stable and its response to the NADH also remained relentless. [source] Transport and deformation of droplets in a microdevice using dielectrophoresisELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 4 2007Pushpendra Singh Professor Abstract In microfluidic devices the fluid can be manipulated either as continuous streams or droplets. The latter is particularly attractive as individual droplets can not only move but also split and fuse, thus offering great flexibility for applications such as laboratory-on-a-chip. We consider the transport of liquid drops immersed in a surrounding liquid by means of the dielectrophoretic force generated by electrodes mounted at the bottom of a microdevice. The direct numerical simulation (DNS) approach is used to study the motion of droplets subjected to both hydrodynamic and electrostatic forces. Our technique is based on a finite element scheme using the fundamental equations of motion for both the droplets and surrounding fluid. The interface is tracked by the level set method and the electrostatic forces are computed using the Maxwell stress tensor. The DNS results show that the droplets move, and deform, under the action of nonuniform electric stresses on their surfaces. The deformation increases as the drop moves closer to the electrodes. The extent to which the isolated drops deform depends on the electric Weber number. When the electric Weber number is small, the drops remain spherical; otherwise, the drops stretch. Two droplets, however, that are sufficiently close to each other, can deform and coalesce, even if the electric Weber number is small. This phenomenon does not rely on the magnitude of the electric stresses generated by the bulk electric field, but instead is due to the attractive electrostatic drop,drop interaction overcoming the surface tension force. Experimental results are also presented and found to be in agreement with the DNS results. [source] Numerical comparison between Maxwell stress method and equivalent multipole approach for calculation of the dielectrophoretic force in single-cell trapsELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 11 2005Carlos Rosales Abstract This paper presents detailed numerical calculations of the dielectrophoretic force in traps designed for single-cell trapping. A trap with eight planar electrodes is studied for spherical and ellipsoidal particles using the boundary element method (BEM). Multipolar approximations of orders one to three are compared with the full Maxwell stress tensor (MST) calculation of the electrical force on spherical particles. Ellipsoidal particles are also studied, but in their case only the dipolar approximation is available for comparison with the MST solution. The results show that a small number of multipolar terms need to be considered in order to obtain accurate results for spheres, even in the proximity of the electrodes, and that the full MST calculation is only required in the study of nonspherical particles. [source] GEOGRAPHIC VARIATION IN THE EVOLUTION AND COEVOLUTION OF A TRITROPHIC INTERACTIONEVOLUTION, Issue 5 2007Timothy P. Craig The geographic mosaic theory of coevolution predicts that geographic variation in species interactions will lead to differing selective pressures on interacting species, producing geographic variation in the traits of interacting species (Thompson 2005). We supported this hypothesis in a study of the geographic variation in the interactions among Eurosta solidaginis and its natural enemies. Eurosta solidaginis is a fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) that induces galls on subspecies of tall goldenrod, Solidago altissima altissima and S. a. gilvocanescens. We measured selection on E. solidaginis gall size and shape in the prairie and forest biomes in Minnesota and North Dakota over an 11-year period. Galls were larger and more spherical in the prairie than in the forest. We supported the hypothesis that the divergence in gall morphology in the two biomes is due to different selection regimes exerted by natural enemies of E. solidaginis. Each natural enemy exerted similar selection on gall diameter in both biomes, but differences in the frequency of natural enemy attack created strong differences in overall selection between the prairie and forest. Bird predation increased with gall diameter, creating selection for smaller-diameter galls. A parasitic wasp, Eurytoma gigantea, and Mordellistena convicta, an inquiline beetle, both caused higher E. solidaginis mortality in smaller galls, exerting selection for increased gall diameter. In the forest there was stabilizing selection on gall diameter due to a combination of bird predation on larvae in large galls, and M. convicta - and E. gigantea- induced mortality on larvae in small galls. In the prairie there was directional selection for larger galls due to M. convicta and E. gigantea mortality on larvae in small galls. Mordellistena convicta- induced mortality was consistently higher in the prairie than in the forest, whereas there was no significant difference in E. gigantea- induced mortality between biomes. Bird predation was nonexistent in the prairie so the selection against large galls found in the forest was absent. We supported the hypothesis that natural enemies of E. solidaginis exerted selection for spherical galls in both biomes. In the prairie M. convicta exerts stabilizing selection to maintain spherical galls. In the forest there was directional selection for more spherical galls. Eurytoma gigantea exerted selection on gall shape in the forest in a complex manner that varied among years. We also supported the hypothesis that E. gigantea is coevolving with E. solidaginis. The parasitoid had significantly longer ovipositors in the prairie than in the forest, indicating the possibility that it has evolved in response to selection to reach larvae in the larger-diameter prairie galls. [source] K-feldspar alteration to gel material and crystallization of glauconitic peloids with berthierine in Cretaceous marine sediments,sedimentary implications (Prebetic Zone, Betic Cordillera, SE Spain)GEOLOGICAL JOURNAL, Issue 1 2008Juan Jiménez-Millán Abstract Glauconitic peloids from a Hauterivian condensed level in a hemipelagic unit of the Internal Prebetic (Los Villares Formation, eastern Betic Cordillera) have been studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and analytical electron microscopy (AEM). The sediments forming the condensed level are characterized by abundant spherical to ovoid green glauconite peloids with radial cracks. Quartz, feldspar and muscovite are also abundant, whereas calcium phosphate is rarely detected. XRD analysis of the peloids reveals glauconite and small amounts of berthierine. SEM and HRTEM data show feldspar dissolution features, a Si,Al-rich gel-like substance filling K-feldspar micropores and interlayering of well-crystallized glauconite and berthierine packets. The last stage of the glauconitization process resulted in conversion of the smectitic precursor. Sedimentary and mineralogical features indicate an autochthonous origin for the glauconite. The depositional environment was a distal, hemipelagic ramp on the Southern Iberian Continental Palaeomargin. Low sedimentation rates lead to sediment condensation in a general transgressive context. The margin was affected by extensional tectonics, creating tilted blocks, resulting in lateral facies changes. The dissolution of K-feldspars probably occurred after their deposition in the marine environment but predating the glauconitization. An influx of meteoric water is therefore required, probably related to subsurface fluxes from adjacent emergent areas (the higher parts of tilted blocks). Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Gravity-enhanced representation of measured geoid undulations using equivalent sourcesGEOPHYSICAL JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2004Fernando Guspí SUMMARY Direct Global Positioning System measurement of geoid undulations on accurately levelled stations, usually tens of kilometres apart, can be interpolated by taking advantage of denser surveys of free-air gravity anomalies covering the same area. Using either a spherical or a planar earth model, a two-layer equivalent source is constructed, with the deepest masses located under the geoid stations and the shallower ones under the gravity stations, in such a way that the effect of the masses fits simultaneously, with different precisions, the anomalous potential related to the geoid and its vertical gradient or gravity anomaly. This poses a linear Bayesian problem, whose associated system of equations can be solved directly or by iterative procedures. The ability of the described method to predict the geoid elevation over the gravity stations is assessed in a synthetic example; and in the application to a real case, a gravity-enhanced geoid is mapped for an area of Buenos Aires province, Argentina, where local features are put in evidence. [source] A comparison of two spectral approaches for computing the Earth response to surface loadsGEOPHYSICAL JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2000E. Le Meur Summary When predicting the deformation of the Earth under surface loads, most models follow the same methodology, consisting of producing a unit response that is then con-volved with the appropriate surface forcing. These models take into account the whole Earth, and are generally spherical, computing a unit response in terms of its spherical harmonic representation through the use of load Love numbers. From these Love numbers, the spatial pattern of the bedrock response to any particular scenario can be obtained. Two different methods are discussed here. The first, which is related to the convolution in the classical sense, appears to be very sensitive to the total number of degrees used when summing these Love numbers in the harmonic series in order to obtain the corresponding Green's function. We will see from the spectral properties of these Love numbers how to compute these series correctly and how consequently to eliminate in practice the sensitivity to the number of degrees (Gibbs Phenomena). The second method relies on a preliminary harmonic decomposition of the load, which reduces the convolution to a simple product within Fourier space. The convergence properties of the resulting Fourier series make this approach less sensitive to any harmonic cut-off. However, this method can be more or less computationally expensive depending on the loading characteristics. This paper describes these two methods, how to eliminate Gibbs phenomena in the Green's function method, and shows how the load characteristics as well as the available computational resources can be determining factors in selecting one approach. [source] A Facile Synthesis and Characterization of Monodisperse Spherical Pigment Particles with a Core/Shell Structure,ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 9 2007C. Lin Abstract In this paper, a facile sol,gel process for producing monodisperse, spherical, and nonaggregated pigment particles with a core/shell structure is reported. Spherical silica particles (245 and 385,nm in diameter) and Cr2O3, ,-Fe2O3, ZnCo2O4, CuFeCrO4, MgFe2O4, and CoAl2O4 pigments are selected as cores and shells, respectively. The obtained core/shell-structured pigment samples, denoted as SiO2@Cr2O3 (green), SiO2@,-Fe2O3 (red), SiO2@MgFe2O4 (brown), SiO2@ZnCo2O4 (dark green), SiO2@CoAl2O4 (blue), and SiO2@CuFeCrO4 (black), are well characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV-vis diffuse reflection, as well as by investigating the magnetic properties. The results of XRD and high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) demonstrate that the pigment shells crystallize well on the surface of SiO2 particles. The thickness of the pigment shell can be tuned by the number of coatings, to some extent. These pigment particles can be well dispersed in some solvents (such as glycol) to form relatively more stable suspensions than the commercial products. Apart from the color characteristics, some of pigments like SiO2@Cr2O3, SiO2@MgFe2O4, and SiO2@CuFeCrO4 also show magnetic properties with coercivities of 1098,Oe (5,K), 648,Oe (5,K), and 91,Oe (298,K), respectively. [source] Forces between Surfactant-Coated ZnS Nanoparticles in Dodecane: Effect of Water,ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 16 2006Alig, R. Godfrey Abstract The forces between mica surfaces confining solutions of spherical and rod-shaped ZnS nanoparticles (diameter ca. 5,nm) coated with hexadecylamine or octadecylamine surfactant in dodecane have been measured in the absence and after the introduction of trace amounts of water. Initially, or at very low water content, the water molecules cause the nanoparticles to aggregate and adsorb on the hydrophilic mica surfaces, resulting in a long-range exponentially decaying repulsive force between the surfaces. After longer times (>,20,h), water bridges nucleate and grow between the nanoparticles and mica surfaces, and attractive capillary forces then cause a long-range attraction and a strong (short-range) adhesion. It is found, as has previously been observed in nonaqueous bulk colloidal systems, that even trace amounts of water have a profound effect on the interactions and structure of nanoparticle assemblies in thin films, which in turn affect their physical properties. These effects should be considered in the design of thin-film processing methodologies. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||