Anisotropic etching of SiC whiskers

We have demonstrated a method of producing nanoplatelets or complex well-ordered nanostructures from silicon carbide (SiC) whiskers. Preferential etching of SiC whiskers in a mixture of hydrofluoric and nitric acids (3:1 ratio) at 100 degrees C results in the selective removal of cubic SiC and the formation of complex structures resembling a pagoda architecture. Possible mechanisms governing selective etching are discussed. Reproducible results on SiC whiskers manufactured in different laboratories suggest that the self-patterning phenomena are common in SiC whiskers, and the same electroless etching procedure can be used to synthesize various complex nanostructures from more conventional nano- and microscale objects for use as building blocks in the fabrication of sensors, cellular probes, and electronic, optoelectronic, electromechanical, and other devices.     

Combined atomic force microscopy and optical microscopy measurements as a method to investigate particle uptake by cells

We propose a combination of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and optical microscopy for the investigation of particle uptake by cells. Positively and negatively charged polymer microcapsules were chosen as model particles, because their interaction with cells had already been investigated in detail. AFM measurements allowed the recording of adhesion forces on a single-molecule level. Due to the micrometer size of the capsules, the number of ingested capsules could be counted by optical microscopy. The combination of both methods allowed combined measurement of the adhesion forces and the uptake rate for the same model particle. As a demonstration of this system, the correlation between the adhesion of positively or negatively charged polymer microcapsules onto cell surfaces and the uptake of these microcapsules by cells has been investigated for several cell lines. As is to be expected, we find a correlation between both processes, which is in agreement with adsorption-dependent uptake of the polymer microcapsules by cells.     

The role of saliva in oral processing: Reconsidering the breakdown path paradigm

We discuss food oral processing research over the last two decades and consider strategies for quantifying the food breakdown model, originally conceptualized by Hutchings and Lillford. The key innovation in their seminal 1988 paper was shifting the focus from intact food properties, measured in the lab, toward strategies to capture the dynamic nature of eating. This has stimulated great progress in the field, but a key aspect missing in oral processing research is the conversion of the Hutchings and Lillford breakdown path conceptual model into quantifiable parameters considered in the context of physiological factors such as saliva and oral movements. To address these shortcomings, we propose the following analysis: Hutchings's and Lillford's definitions of “Structure” and “Lubrication” are incomplete and they comprise many and varied physicochemical properties. We offer, here, a deeper analysis of each parameter, and propose strategies for researchers to consider in their quantification as an update of the Hutchings and Lillford Breakdown path.     

The effect of wearing a head-mounted display on the boundaries of the cervical range of motion based on perceived comfort in a static posture

Virtual Reality - The head-mounted display (HMD) for virtual reality (VR) systems is becoming more popular due to technological advancements, providing users with a more immersive experience. Since...     

Predicting Temperature-Dependent Activity Coefficients at Infinite Dilution Using Tensor Completion

Knowledge of thermodynamic properties of mixtures is essential in many fields of science and engineering. However, the experimental data is usually scarce, so prediction methods are needed. Matrix completion methods have proven to be very successful in predicting thermodynamic properties of binary mixtures. In this approach, the experimental data is organized in a matrix whose rows and columns correspond to the two components, and whose entries indicate the value of the studied thermodynamic property at fixed conditions. In the present work, we extend the concept to tensor completion methods (TCMs). This allows to account for the variation of the studied property depending on the chosen conditions. The feasibility is demonstrated by applying a TCM to predict activity coefficients at infinite dilution. The third dimension of the tensor is used to describe the influence of the temperature. The TCM is shown to yield better predictions than the well-established UNIFAC method. Furthermore, the proposed TCM is able to learn and unveil the physical law describing the temperature dependence of activity coefficients from the scarce experimental mixture data only.