Development of a New Alpha Function for the Peng–Robinson Equation of State: Comparative Study of Alpha Function Models for Pure Gases (Natural Gas Components) and Water-Gas Systems

Numerous modifications have been suggested for the temperature dependence of the attractive term of the Peng–Robinson equation of state (PR-EOS), through the alpha function. In this work, a new alpha function combining both exponential and polynomial forms is proposed. Pure-compound vapor pressures for different molecular species were fitted and compared using different alpha functions including the Mathias–Copeman and Trebble–Bishnoi alpha functions. The new alpha function allows significant improvements of pure compound vapor pressure predictions (about 1.2% absolute average percent deviations) for all the systems considered, starting from a reduced temperature of 0.4. In addition, a generalization of the classical Mathias–Copeman alpha function was proposed as a function of the acentric factor. These alpha functions were used for VLE calculations on water+various gases including gaseous hydrocarbons. A general procedure is presented to fit experimental VLE data. The corresponding thermodynamic approach is based on the Peng–Robinson equation of state with the above cited alpha functions. It includes the classical mixing rules for the vapor phase and a Henry's law approach to treat the aqueous phase.     

Dynamical arching in a two dimensional granular flow

A study of grains flow in a two dimensional hopper using particle tracking and photoelastic methods is presented in this article. An intermittent network of contact forces consisting of force chains and arches is observed. This network is responsible for fluctuations in the average vertical velocity. The magnitude of these fluctuations depends on the hopper’s geometry, and it quickly reduces for large aperture size and small inclination angles. The average velocity field is described using a combination of harmonic angular functions and a power law of radial position. The mass flow rate is determined through the average velocity field and a Beverloo type scaling is obtained. We found that the effect of the inclination angle on the mass flow rate is given by ${\alpha/ \,(\sin\alpha)^{3/2}}$ . It is also found that the critical aperture size, approaching jamming, depends linearly on ${\sin\alpha}$ . At small D/d, the time average of the network of contact forces shows a boundary with characteristics resembling the free fall arch. We show that an arch can be built following the principal compression orientation of the stress tensor which captures the characteristics of the arches observed experimentally.     

Extension of applicable neutron energy of DARWIN up to 1 GeV

The radiation-dose monitor, DARWIN, needs a set of response functions of the liquid organic scintillator to assess a neutron dose. SCINFUL-QMD is a Monte Carlo based computer code to evaluate the response functions. In order to improve the accuracy of the code, a new light-output function based on the experimental data was developed for the production and transport of protons deuterons, tritons, (3)He nuclei and alpha particles, and incorporated into the code. The applicable energy of DARWIN was extended to 1 GeV using the response functions calculated by the modified SCINFUL-QMD code.     

Prediction of lung cancer risk for radon exposures based on cellular alpha particle hits

To explore the role of the multiplicity of cellular hits by radon progeny alpha particles for lung cancer incidence, the number of single and multiple alpha particle hits were computed for basal and secretory cells in the bronchial epithelium of human airway bifurcations. Hot spots of alpha particle hits were observed at the branching points of bronchial airway bifurcations. The effect of single and multiple alpha particle intersections of bronchial cells during a given exposure period, selected from a Poisson distribution, on lung cancer risk were simulated by a transformation frequency--tissue response model, based on experimentally observed cellular transformation and survival functions. Calculations of lung cancer risk at low radon exposure levels suggest that single hits produce a linear-dose response relationship, while the superposition of single and increasing multiple hits at higher exposure levels may also be approximated by a quasi-linear dose-effect curve. The simulations predict a carcinogenic enhancement effect for radon progeny accumulations at bifurcation branching sites, which may increase current risk estimates.     

Altered levels of acute phase proteins in the plasma of patients with schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a relatively common psychiatric syndrome that affects virtually all brain functions. We investigated the plasma proteome of 22 schizophrenia male patients and 20 healthy male controls using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. In total, we have identified 66 protein spots in human plasma and found that seven of them showed altered changes in schizophrenia patients, as compared to healthy controls, which mainly were acute phase proteins (APPs). Among these APPs, haptoglobin alpha2 chain (p < 0.001), haptoglobin beta chain (p < 0.001), alpha1-antitrypsin (p = 0.001), and complement factor B precursor (p = 0.022) showed overexpression in schizophrenia patients, whereas apolipoprotein A-I (p = 0.034) and transthyretin (p = 0.035) were found to be significantly decreased in patients. In addition, the expression of apolipoprotein A-IV (p = 0.018) was significantly up-regulated in schizophrenia patients, as compared to controls. We also found these APP genes, which were differentially expressed in this study, overlap in the schizophrenia susceptibility loci. Our findings further support the hypothesis that the inflammatory response system is linked to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.     

Application of independent component analysis with mixture density model to localize brain alpha activity in fMRI and EEG

Independent component analysis (ICA) is an approach to solve the blind source separation problem. In the original and extended versions of ICA, nonlinearity functions are fixed to have specific density forms such as super‐Gaussian or sub‐Gaussian, thereby limiting their performance when sources with different classes of densities are mixed in multichannel data. In this article, we have incorporated a mixture density model such that no assumption about source density would be required. We show that this leads to better source separation due to increased flexibility in handling source‐ densities with flexible parametric nonlinearity. The algorithm was validated through simulation studies and its performance was compared to other versions of ICA. The modified mixture density ICA was then applied to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) data to localize independent sources of alpha activity in the human brain. A good spatial correlation was found in the spatial distribution of alpha sources derived independently from fMRI and EEG, suggesting that spontaneous alpha rhythm can be imaged by fMRI using ICA without concurrent acquisition of EEG. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol 14, 170–180, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ima.20021     

Dependence of fading patterns of photo-stimulated luminescence from imaging plates on radiation, energy, and image reader

We have been investigating the fading characteristics of imaging plates (IPs) as integral type detectors. The dependence on alpha, beta, and gamma ray radiation and their energies of the fading effect was measured using three types of IPs (BAS-UR, BAS-TR, and BAS-MS). The functions to correct the fading were determined by using the method reported in a previous paper. In all types of IPs, we confirmed that the fading effect is independent of the energy of the incident particles of beta and gamma rays and also independent of radiation except for the first component, which fades out in a very short time after irradiation with alpha rays. These results are very useful in the utilization of IPs as integral detectors in practical radiation fields.

Empirically, the fading pattern is known to change when the IP is scanned by different types of image readers. The differences in the fading patterns obtained with two types of image readers, the BAS-1000 and the BAS-5000 (Fuji Film Co.), is discussed. Development of an equation for correcting the effects of the differences in the image readers was attempted.     

Calculation of absorbed fractions to human skeletal tissues due to alpha particles using the Monte Carlo and 3-D chord-based transport techniques

Absorbed fraction (AF) calculations to the human skeletal tissues due to alpha particles are of interest to the internal dosimetry of occupationally exposed workers and members of the public. The transport of alpha particles through the skeletal tissue is complicated by the detailed and complex microscopic histology of the skeleton. In this study, both Monte Carlo and chord-based techniques were applied to the transport of alpha particles through 3-D microCT images of the skeletal microstructure of trabecular spongiosa. The Monte Carlo program used was 'Visual Monte Carlo--VMC'. VMC simulates the emission of the alpha particles and their subsequent energy deposition track. The second method applied to alpha transport is the chord-based technique, which randomly generates chord lengths across bone trabeculae and the marrow cavities via alternate and uniform sampling of their cumulative density functions. This paper compares the AF of energy to two radiosensitive skeletal tissues, active marrow and shallow active marrow, obtained with these two techniques.     

Analysis of Nuclear Material by Alpha Spectroscopy with a Transition-Edge Microcalorimeter

We present measurements from a cryogenic microcalorimeter designed to detect alpha particles. The enhanced resolution of microcalorimeter alpha detectors will provide new capabilities for actinide analysis. We demonstrate a spectral resolution of 2.4 keV full width at half maximum (FWHM) for 5.3 MeV alpha particles from a ²¹⁰Po source. In addition, we present an alpha spectrum from ²⁰⁹Po showing the first direct measurement of decay into the ²⁰⁵Pb ground state. Finally, measurements of 100 keV gamma-rays from a Gd source show an ultimate alpha particle resolution of 159 eV to be achievable which may provide an avenue for investigating ion energy loss mechanisms in bulk materials.      

Study of the peak shape in alpha spectra measured by liquid scintillation

Liquid-scintillation counting allows the measurement of alpha and beta activities jointly or only of the alpha-emitting nuclides in a sample. Although the resolution of the alpha spectra is poorer than that attained with semiconductor detectors, it is still an attractive alternative. We describe here attempts to fit a peak shape to experimental liquid-scintillation alpha spectra and discuss the parameters affecting this shape, such as the PSA (pulse-shape analyser) level, vial type, shaking the sample, etc. Spectral analysis has been applied for complex alpha spectra.     

Sensitivity and information content of aerosol retrievals from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer: radiometric factors

The sensitivity of aerosol optical depths tau1 and tau2 derived from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) channels 1 and 2, centered at lambda1 = 0.63 and lambda2 = 0.83 microm, respectively, and of an effective Angstrom exponent alpha, derived therefrom as alpha = -ln(tau1/tau2)/ln(lambda1/lambda2), to calibration uncertainties, radiometric noise, and digitization is estimated. Analyses are made both empirically (by introduction of perturbations into the measured radiances and estimation of the respective partial derivatives) and theoretically (by use of a decoupled form of the single-scattering approximation of the radiative transfer equation). The two results are in close agreement. The errors, deltataui and deltaalphai, are parameterized empirically as functions of taui, radiometric errors, and Sun and view geometry. In particular, the alpha errors change in approximately inverse proportion to tau and are comparable with, or even exceed, typical alpha signals over oceans when tau < 0.25. Their detrimental effect on the information content of the AVHRR-derived size parameter gradually weakens as tau increases.     

Mechanical properties of inclined frictional granular layers

We investigate the mechanical properties of inclined frictional granular layers prepared with different protocols by means of DEM numerical simulations. We perform an orthotropic elastic analysis of the stress response to a localized overload at the layer surface for several substrate tilt angles. The distance to the unjamming transition is controlled by the tilt angle $\alpha $ with respect to the critical angle $\alpha _c$ . We find that the shear modulus of the system decreases with $\alpha $ , but tends to a finite value as $\alpha \rightarrow \alpha _c$ . We also study the behaviour of various microscopic quantities with $\alpha $ , and show in particular the evolution of the contact orientation with respect to the orthotropic axes and that of the distribution of the friction mobilisation at contact.     

Ligand and protein fishing with heat shock protein 90 coated magnetic beads

Heat shock protein 90alpha (Hsp90alpha) is a molecular chaperone that has been targeted for the development of new anticancer therapies. To date, co-immunoprecipitation (IP) has been primarily used to identify novel client proteins. We now report an alternative approach in which Hsp90alpha has been immobilized onto the surface of silica-based magnetic beads. The beads were used to isolate known Hsp90alpha ligands from a mixture containing ligands and nonligands. In addition, they were also used to isolated proteins from a mixture of proteins, as well as a cellular extract. The results indicate that the Hsp90alpha coated magnetic beads can be used to "fish" from complex chemical and biological mixtures for new lead drug candidates and client proteins.     

Far-field propagation of an off-axis Gaussian wave

Based on a far-field asymptotic solution of the Helmholtz equation a vector theory to describe the propagation of an off-axis Gaussian wave is developed, the accurate formulas represented in terms of elementary functions are derived, and the propagation properties such as wave spot size and divergence angle are discussed in detail. The applicable range of scalar theory is also presented. A relative error criterion of optical intensity is given by epsilon = sin(2) alpha.     

Folding type specific secondary structure propensities of synonymous codons

We have proposed new amino acid secondary structure propensities in proteins with different folding types based on synonymous codons. They have been derived from 200 all alpha, all beta, alpha/beta, and alpha + beta proteins of known structures and their coding genes. The secondary structure propensities of the same codon in gene coding for different folding type proteins are not the same. For instance, amino acid Ile coded by AUU is indifferent to form the alpha unit in the alpha + beta protein class, but it is a former and a breaker for the alpha unit in the all alpha protein class and the alpha/beta class, respectively. On the other hand, the secondary structure propensities of different synonymous codons in the coding genes with the same folding type are also not all the same. As an example, CGU, CGG, and AGA, which are synonymous codons of Arg, are preferential to form the alpha unit in all alpha proteins, while CGA is an alpha unit breaker and the other two synonymous codons, CGC and AGG, are indifferent to form or break the alpha unit. As a result, protein secondary structure information contained both in mRNA sequences and in amino acid sequences has been introduced in these codon-based amino acid secondary structure propensities. These codon-based amino acid secondary structure propensities are helpful to in vitro protein design and protein secondary structure prediction.     

On-chip, cell-based microarray immunofluorescence assay for high-throughput analysis of target proteins

We have developed an immunofluorescence-based assay for high-throughput analysis of target proteins on a three-dimensional cellular microarray platform. This process integrates the use of three-dimensional cellular microarrays, which should better mimic the cellular microenvironment, with sensitive immunofluorescence detection and provides quantitative information on cell function. To demonstrate this assay platform, we examined the accumulation of the alpha subunit of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF-1alpha) after chemical stimulation of human pancreatic tumor cells encapsulated in 3D alginate spots in volumes as low as 60 nL. We also tested the effect of the known dysregulator of HIF-1alpha, 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME2), on the levels of HIF-1alpha using a dual microarray stamping technique. This chip-based in situ Western immunoassay protocol was able to provide quantitative information on cell function, namely, the cellular response to hypoxia mimicking conditions and the reduction of HIF-1alpha levels after cell treatment with 2ME2. This system is the first to enable high-content screening of cellular protein levels on a 3D human cell microarray platform.     

Ultra-high Resolution Alpha Particle Spectrometry with Transition-Edge Sensor Microcalorimeters

Alpha particle spectrometry is a powerful analytical tool for nuclear forensics and environmental monitoring. Microcalorimeter detectors have been shown to yield nearly an order of magnitude better energy resolution (1.06?keV FWHM at 5.3?MeV) than current state-of-the-art silicon detectors (8–10?keV FWHM at 5.3?MeV). This superior resolution allows isotopic analysis with a single non-consumptive measurement of samples that contain multiple radioisotopes with overlapping alpha energies. Measurement of such a sample with a silicon detector would require expensive and time-consuming radiochemical separations. We are developing two alpha spectrometer systems with superconducting transition-edge sensor microcalorimeters. The first system has eight independent detector channels that measure eight different alpha sources, and is optimized for detector development experiments. The second system incorporates a prototype cryogenic load lock that allows for rapid exchange of alpha samples. This paper will present results from these two systems.     

Study on the diffraction patterns of alpha α'-Fe16N2 with Jack-1 and Jack-2 structural parameters

Two body centered tetragonal (bct) crystal structures of alpha"-Fe16N2 with x=0.25, z=0.3125 (Jack-1) and x=0.222, z=0.306 (Jack-2) respectively, were analyzed theoretically with EMS software package. The simulation of diffraction patterns indicates that both diffraction patterns of the same axis in these two structures obey bcc extinction rule. The conclusion is also obtained from the analyses of the diffracted waves. alpha"-Fe16N2 precipitates in the diffusion layer of ion-nitrided alpha-iron have been studied with transmission electron microscope (TEM). We have distinctly observed the electron diffraction patterns of alpha"-Fe16N2 in [100], [111], [110], [011], [210], [021], [311], [113], [331] and [133] zone axes with perfect symmetry, which indicate the parallel orientation relationship with alpha matrix: <001>(alpha")//<001>(alpha), {100}(alpha")// {100}(alpha). The analyses of diffraction patterns, which obey bcc extinction rule, verify the bet structure of alpha"-Fe16N2 discovered by X-ray diffraction.     

SPR imaging of photo-cross-linked small-molecule arrays on gold

Identification of small-molecule ligands for a protein of interest can facilitate the analysis of the protein's functions in biological systems. Small-molecule microarrays have allowed for rapid detection of such ligand-protein interactions in a high-throughput manner, although a label on a protein is needed to observe these interactions. By combining SPR imaging technology with our recently developed photo-cross-linked small-molecule array platform, we developed a novel platform that allows in situ observation of interactions between photo-cross-linked small molecules on gold surfaces and nonlabeled proteins in solution. Interactions of estrogenic and androgenic substances with estrogen receptor alpha were observed using this platform.     

Multifunctional polymeric micelles as cancer-targeted, MRI-ultrasensitive drug delivery systems

We describe the development of multifunctional polymeric micelles with cancer-targeting capability via alpha(v)beta(3) integrins, controlled drug delivery, and efficient magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast characteristics. Doxorubicin and a cluster of superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles were loaded successfully inside the micelle core. The presence of cRGD on the micelle surface resulted in the cancer-targeted delivery to alpha(v)beta(3)-expressing tumor cells. In vitro MRI and cytotoxicity studies demonstrated the ultrasensitive MRI imaging and alpha(v)beta(3)-specific cytotoxic response of these multifunctional polymeric micelles.