Centrifugal microfluidics with integrated sensing microdome optodes for multiion detection

An array of four sensing microdome optodes (potassium, sodium, calcium, and chloride) was incorporated into a centrifugal microfluidics platform to obtain a multiion analysis system. The behavior of each sensing microdome was in good agreement with a theoretical model describing the response. The selectivity of each optode over common interfering ions was established and was used to identify calibrant solutions that can be employed for the simultaneous calibration of all four optodes without significant cross-interference. The microfluidic platform was designed to facilitate both three-point calibration of the optodes and triplicate analysis of a sample within a single run, which increases the accuracy of the determination. The optimized microfluidic system was used to determine simultaneously the concentration of potassium, sodium, calcium, and chloride in aquarium water (with the composition of Lake Tanganyika water) with less than 6% error. The simple process of fabrication of these microdomes and their incorporation into a centrifugal microfluidic platform should facilitate the development of portable ion-sensing analysis systems.     

Hydrogen sensing by enzyme-catalyzed electrochemical detection

Hydrogen (H2) is a possible future alternative to current fossil-based transportation fuels; however, its lower explosive limit in air requires a reliable sensor to detect leaks wherever H2 is produced, stored, or used. Most current H2 sensors employ palladium or its alloy as the sensing element, featuring high operating temperature and limited selectivity. In this study, we report using soluble hydrogenase (SH) of aerobic beta-proteobacterium Ralstonia eutropha strain H16 to accomplish ambient, electrochemical detection of H2. Gas samples were collected in a solution containing SH that catalyzed the oxidation of H2. The electrons released during the H2 oxidation reaction were accepted by benzyl viologen (BV2+). The product of the redox reaction, BV+, was then detected using chronoamperometry. Using this sensing scheme, we demonstrate detection of H2 ranging from 1 to 100%. In addition, enzyme kinetics and the effect of oxygen on signal response were studied. Our results indicate that it is feasible to develop a sensor to detect H2 in the atmosphere that is based on enzyme-catalyzed electrochemical detection.     

Dual-stage DNA sensing: recognition and detection

Selective polynucleotide recognition and detection based on a dual-stage method are described. The method involves the development of a recognition surface based on gold nanoparticles modified with a thiolated capture probe able to hybridize with its complementary sequence (target). After hybridization, this sensing surface is removed from the solution and electrodeposited on an electrode surface. The detection of the hybridization event is achieved using the complex [Ru(NH(3))(5)L](2+), were L is [3-(2-phenanthren-9-yl-vinyl)-pyridine], as electrochemical indicator. This complex binds to double strand DNA more efficiently than to single stranded DNA. The advantage of this dual-stage DNA sensing method is the high selectivity derived from the separation of the hybridization event (occurring on one surface) from the detection step (on a different surface), enabling the analysis of long target DNAs, which is usually the case in real DNA sequence analysis. In addition, this approach not only quantifies pmol of a complementary target sequence but also is sensitive to the presence of a single mismatch and its position in the sequence.     

Paper-based vapor detection of hydrogen peroxide: colorimetric sensing with tunable interface

Vapor detection of hydrogen peroxide still remains challenging for conventional sensing techniques, though such vapor detection implies important applications in various practical areas, including locating IEDs. We report herein a new colorimetric sensor system that can detect hydrogen peroxide vapor down to parts per billion level. The sensory materials are based on the cellulose microfibril network of paper towels, which provide a tunable interface for modification with Ti(IV) oxo complexes for binding and reacting with H(2)O(2). The Ti(IV)-peroxide bond thus formed turns the complex from colorless to bright yellow with an absorption maximum around 400 nm. Such complexation-induced color change is exclusively selective for hydrogen peroxide, with no color change observed in the presence of water, oxygen, common organic reagents or other chelating reagents. This paper-based sensor material is disposable and one-time use, representing a cheap, simple approach to detect peroxide vapors. The reported sensor system also proves the technical feasibility of developing enhanced colorimetric sensing using nanofibril materials that will provide plenty of room to enlarge the surface area (by shrinking the fiber size), so as to enhance the surface interaction with gas phase.     

低交叉极化高隔离的双极化天线

设计了一种应用于WLAN的具有低交叉极化和高隔离度的双极化天线.天线由3层功能层和2层介质基板间隔层叠而成.3层功能层分别为1个方形辐射贴片,2个带有发夹谐振器的馈电网络和1个刻蚀H形缝隙的接地板.发夹谐振器和辐射贴片构成一个二阶滤波天线用以展宽天线的带宽.通过在接地板上蚀刻H形缝隙降低了天线端口间的耦合电流,改善了天...     

Polarization invariants and retrieval of surface parameters using polarization measurements in remote sensing applications

Using polarization measurements in remote sensing and optical studies allows for the retrieval of more information. We consider the relationship between the reflection coefficients of plane and rough surfaces for linearly polarized waves. Certain polarization properties of reflected waves and polarization invariants, in particular at the incident angle of 45°, allow finding amplitude and phase characteristics of the reflected waves. Based on this study, we introduce methods for finding dielectric permittivity, temperature, and geometric characteristics of the observed surfaces. Experimental results prove that these methods can be used for different practical purposes in technological and remote sensing applications, in a broad range of the electromagnetic spectrum.     

Analytical performances of aptamer-based sensing for thrombin detection

Aptamer-based assays represent a modern and attractive approach in bioanalytical chemistry. The DNA thrombin aptamer has been extensively investigated, and the coupling of this aptamer to different transduction principles has demonstrated the wide applicability of aptamers as bioreceptors in bioanalytical assays. The goal of this work was to critically evaluate all the parameters that can influence the sensor performances by using the thrombin aptamer immobilized onto piezoelectric quartz crystals. The optimization of the immobilization and the binding protocol was of paramount importance, and improvements in analytical performances could be obtained by optimizing simple steps in immobilization and assay conditions. Moreover, the work demonstrated the possibility of using aptamer-based sensors in complex matrixes, opening the possibility of a real application to diagnostics or medical investigation.     

P-GMAW熔池双面视觉传感与图像处理

视觉是手工焊接最重要的信息获取手段,为了模拟这一过程,建立了一套脉冲熔化极气体保护焊(P-CMAW)的双面实时视觉传感系统.利用被动光源视觉传感方法,研究了P-GMAW正反面熔池成像的滤光方法、成像时间、成像机理.结果表明,利用中心波长为665 nm的窄带滤光片在脉冲基值结束期间取像,可以获取清晰的P-GMAW正面熔池图像;利用中性减光技术,可以获取清晰的反面熔池图像.分析表明,正反面成像的主要光源均来自于熔池的自身辐射,因此,成像质量可靠.针对不同的熔池图像特征,提出了相应的图像处理算法,实现了正反面熔池边界的提取.     

一种具有自取向极化效应的有机光折变体系

在用真空热压-饱和蒸汽扩散法制备的PVK-PBA/DR1/TNF有机聚合物体系中,观察到了无外电场作用下的较强的光折变效应.通过对样品的双波耦合、四波混频实验中,改变电场强度、电场方向或不加外电场而只改变光强,观察到的衍射效率的变化情况以及测量样品在单纯光照诱导下的光学非线性系数等一系列实验,可以认为光照时在该有机聚合物体系中由DR1分子两端的推、吸电子基团与光生分离的正负电荷相互作用而引发了"自极化",从而产生周期性空间电场,最终产生自增强光折变效应.另外进行了图象存储实验,获得了理想的结果.本研究对发展零外场聚合物光折变体系有重要的参考意义.     

面向传感网可信检测的协同感知策略

为了提高基于传感器网络的目标检测的检测精度和尽可能延长网络的寿命,将满足用户对检测精度要求的检测定义为可信检测,并提出了一种面向可信检测的协同感知策略。该策略首先对传感器的相关性及感知能力差异性进行定量分析,发现它们与传感器簇的感知性能的关联性,为实现传感器的协同选择提供依据;然后用一种分布式传感器协同选择方法进行传感器协同选择:根据传感器相关性、感知能力差异性及剩余能量来计算节点的重要性,之后按节点重要性选择合适的传感器。试验表明,与传统方法相比,该策略既能更好地满足用户对检测精度的要求,又能在实现能量均衡、延长网络寿命上取得更好的效果。     

Magnetic bead sensing platform for the detection of proteins

Over the past 5 years, the on-chip detection and manipulation of magnetic beads via magnetoelectronics has emerged as a promising new biosensor platform. Magnetic bead sensing (MBS) provides a highly sensitive and specific technique, enabling these sensors to meet the diagnostic needs that are currently not met by existing technologies. Although many studies have proven the high physical sensitivity of magnetic sensors, the establishment of dose-response curves using MBS is unexplored and their capability to sensitively detect low concentrations of target molecules for diagnostic applications has remained unproven. In this study, we have exploited an alternative MBS concept based on the repositioning of the magnetic beads toward the most sensitive location on the spin valve sensors to allow for highly sensitive immunosensing over a wide range of target concentrations. Furthermore, we present the optimization of the magnetoimmuno assay, i.e., the surface chemistry, the blocking procedure, and the type of magnetic particle, for the highly sensitive and specific detection of S100betabeta, a diagnostic marker for stroke and minor head injury. Finally, a dose-response curve was established that illustrates that our MBS platform can specifically detect S100betabeta down to 27 pg/mL, while maintaining a broad dynamic detection range of approximately 2 decades.     

论视觉感知特征与包装设计表现

根据心理学测定的结果,进入人类大脑的信息约有85%来自眼睛,有10%来自耳朵,其余5%来自人的其他器官。可以说信息的获取和人的视觉是密切相关的。眼睛是信息的接受器,还是信息的初级加工厂,它把物理对象加工、组织成有意味的视觉形象和视觉概念。视觉决不简单地等于视觉器官及其功能。对视觉完整的理解是:由视觉器官通过对光的感受获得对客观物体的映象,进而形     

Polarization spectroscopy applied to the detection of trace constituents in sooting combustion

The potential of polarization spectroscopy for the detection of trace constituents in sooting combustion was investigated. It was demonstrated that the directionality of the polarization spectroscopy signal can be exploited to efficiently suppress incoherent interferences, e.g., Rayleigh scattering at soot particles. We also show how polarization spectroscopy compares with laser-induced fluorescence in this type of environment by applying both techniques to atmospheric-pressure, premixed propane/oxygen flames. The acquired signals were spatially resolved along the centerline of the flame, and measurements were conducted at several heights above the burner head and for medium to very high fuel-to-oxidizer ratios. Through our work we found that polarization spectroscopy can be applied even in the presence of large soot fractions. For most conditions, where laser-induced fluorescence suffered from interferences like elastic scattering, spatially filtered polarization spectroscopy signals were virtually background-free, and only for high soot loads did a noticeable background on the latter signal appear. This background likely stems from Mie scattering at very large soot particles.     

A nanoparticle-based sensor for visual detection of multiple mutations

Disposable dipstick-type DNA biosensors in the form of lateral flow strips are particularly useful for genotyping in a small laboratory or for field testing due to their simplicity, low cost and portability. Their unique advantage is that they enable visual detection in?minutes without the use of instruments. In addition, the dry-reagent format minimizes the pipetting, incubation and washing steps. In this work, we significantly enhance the multiplexing capabilities of lateral flow strip biosensors without compromising their simplicity. Multiplex genotyping is carried out by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by a single primer extension reaction for all target alleles, in which a primer is extended and biotin is incorporated only if it is perfectly complementary to the target. Multiallele detection is achieved by multiple test spots on the membrane of the sensor, each comprising a suspension of polystyrene microspheres functionalized with capture probes. The products of the primer extension reaction hybridize, through specific sequence tags, to the capture probes and are visualized by using antibiotin-conjugated gold nanoparticles. This design enables accommodation of multiple spots in a small area because the microspheres are trapped in the fibres of the membrane and remain fixed in site without any diffusion. Furthermore, the detectability is improved because the hybrids are exposed on the surface of the trapped microspheres rather than inside the pores of the membrane. We demonstrate the specificity and performance of the biosensor for multiallele genotyping.     

Collective detection based on visual information in animal groups

We investigate key principles underlying individual, and collective, visual detection of stimuli, and how this relates to the internal structure of groups. While the individual and collective detection principles are generally applicable, we employ a model experimental system of schooling golden shiner fish (Notemigonus crysoleucas) to relate theory directly to empirical data, using computational reconstruction of the visual fields of all individuals. This reveals how the external visual information available to each group member depends on the number of individuals in the group, the position within the group, and the location of the external visually detectable stimulus. We find that in small groups, individuals have detection capability in nearly all directions, while in large groups, occlusion by neighbours causes detection capability to vary with position within the group. To understand the principles that drive detection in groups, we formulate a simple, and generally applicable, model that captures how visual detection properties emerge due to geometric scaling of the space occupied by the group and occlusion caused by neighbours. We employ these insights to discuss principles that extend beyond our specific system, such as how collective detection depends on individual body shape, and the size and structure of the group.     

Analysis of a Fibre-optic Ring Resonator with Polarization Effects: Application to Polarization Sensing with Improved Sensitivity

Abstract

A theoretical analysis for a fibre-optic ring resonator is given by assuming a polarization modulation in the loop fibre. If the change in polarization angle θ in the loop is large, the output intensity has two resonance dips separated in phase by an angle equal to 2θ, when the loop phase is scanned from 0 to 2π. When θ is small, the resonator output produces only one resonance dip and the amplitude of this resonance dip is a measure of θ. By placing a polarizer at the resonator output, a resonance peak in the intensity is produced with an amplitude that increases with increasing θ. Such a system has potential applications, for example, in Faraday current sensing, with an increased sensitivity. The effects of birefringence in the loop and the angle of polarization of the input light are also analysed.     

基于视觉单词和语义映射的色情图像检测算法

针对传统类型的色情图像检测方法误检率高的问题,提出了一种基于多层视觉单词的检测方法.该方法首先对色情场景的各种视觉元素建立视觉单词,然后通过这些视觉单词建立更高层的编码,包括视觉词组和兴趣区域类别,从而实现对图像不同形态级别的描述与分析.图像的识别特征由相应的编码直方图组成,并将特征映射到一个低维空间中,使图像间的语义距离与空间距离相协调.该方法在各种图像测试中都表现出出色的性能,例如在人物类图像测试中,误检率比传统方法降低了40%.实验结果证明,多层单词体系能够更高效地分析色情图像等复杂场景.     

An efficient visual saliency detection model based on Ripplet transform

Even though there have been great advancements in computer vision tasks, the development of human visual attention models is still not well investigated. In day-to-day life, one can find ample applications of saliency detection in image and video processing. This paper presents an efficient visual saliency detection model based on Ripplet transform, which aims at detecting the salient region and achieving higher Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC). Initially the feature maps are obtained from Ripplet transform in different scales and different directions of the image. The global and local saliency maps are computed based on the global probability density distribution and feature distribution of local areas, which are combined together to get the final saliency map. Ripplet-transform-based visual saliency detection is the novel approach carried out in this paper. Experimental results indicate that the proposed method based on Ripplet transformation can give excellent performance in terms of precision, recall, F measure and Mean Absolute Error (MAE), and is compared with 10 state-of-the-art methods on five benchmark datasets.     

Polarization filters with an autocloned symmetric structure

The process of fabricating photonic crystals comprised of alternately stacked high- and low-index dielectric materials on periodic substrates to form zigzag films is called the autocloning technique. In this study, we have fabricated TiO2/SiO2 two-dimensional polarization filters by using electron beam gun evaporation with ion-beam-assisted deposition. The shape of the zigzag structure is preserved, and the total thickness is 8?μm. The symmetric structural design can be utilized as an antireflection coating applied to reduce ripples and achieve a 200?nm working wavelength range.