Instrumentation for measuring fluorescence cross sections from airborne microsized particles

An experimental instrument for measuring a laser-induced fluorescence spectrum from a single aerosol particle is described. As a demonstration of instrument capabilities, the results of monodisperse 4.7 microm sodium chloride particles doped with fluorescent riboflavin, produced with an inkjet aerosol generator, are presented. The fluorescence of the aerosol particles is excited in the wide range from 210 to 419 nm using a pulsed, tunable optical parametric oscillator laser. The maximum of the fluorescence emission of separately measured particles is detected at 560 nm. The dependence of the fluorescence on the excitation wavelength is studied and fluorescence cross sections are estimated. Agreement between the measured fluorescence data and the literature data for riboflavin is observed.     

Computer-aided diagnosis systems: a comparative study of classical machine learning versus deep learning-based approaches

Knowledge and Information Systems - The diagnostic phase of the treatment process is essential for patient guidance and follow-up. The accuracy and effectiveness of this phase can determine the...     

The effect of speech and speech intelligibility on task performance

The aim of this study was to find out what are the effects of three different sound environments on performance of cognitive tasks of varying complexity. These three sound environments were 'speech', 'masked speech' and 'continuous noise'. They corresponded to poor, acceptable and perfect acoustical privacy in an open-plan office, respectively. The speech transmission indices were 0.00, 0.30 and 0.80, respectively. Sounds environments were presented at 48 dBA. The laboratory experiment on 36 subjects lasted for 4 h for each subject. Proofreading performance deteriorated in the 'speech' (p < 0.05) compared to the other two sound environments. Reading comprehension and computer-based tasks (simple and complex reaction time, subtraction, proposition, Stroop and vigilance) remained unaffected. Subjects assessed the 'speech' as the most disturbing, most disadvantageous and least pleasant environment (p < 0.01). 'Continuous noise' annoyed the least. Subjective arousal was highest in 'masked speech' and lowest in 'continuous noise' (p < 0.05). Performance in real open-plan offices could be improved by reducing speech intelligibility, e.g. by attenuating speech level and using an appropriate masking environment.     

A discontinuous Galerkin method for the wave equation

We present a new discontinuous Galerkin method for solving the second-order wave equation using the standard continuous finite element method in space and a discontinuous method in time directly applied to second-order ode systems. We prove several optimal a priori error estimates in space–time norms for this new method and show that it can be more efficient than existing methods. We also write the leading term of the local discretization error in terms of Lobatto polynomials in space and Jacobi polynomials in time which leads to superconvergence points on each space–time cell. We discuss how to apply our results to construct efficient and asymptotically exact a posteriori estimates for space–time discretization errors. Numerical results are in agreement with theory.     

Finding a suitable thermodynamic model and phase equilibria for hydrodeoxygenation reactions of methyl heptanoate

Replacement of fossil fuels with biomass-based components is of increasing public and scientific interest. Unfortunately, most biomass-based compounds contain oxygen and oxygen content must be diminished before use of the compounds as fuel. Removal is usually done catalytically, with hydrogen supplied to convert the oxygen to water. Hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of biomass-based compounds is often studied with model compounds, and the system investigated here was methyl heptanoate + m-xylene. Modeling of the reaction kinetics requires that behavior of the reaction mixture as a function of reaction time must be described. A suitable thermodynamic model for non-ideal system at high pressure and temperature is needed, and this demands correct modeling of the solubility of hydrogen and the water of reaction. For validation of the thermodynamic models isothermal vapor–liquid equilibrium (VLE) for the methyl heptanoate + m-xylene system was measured at 398.15 K and 408.15 K with a circulation still. The experimental VLE exhibited slight negative deviation from Raoult’s law. No azeotropic behavior was found. The experimental VLE results were correlated with the Wilson model with temperature-dependent parameters and used in testing of the SRK, original UNIFAC, UNIFAC-Dortmund, and PSRK predictive models. PSRK was preferred for further estimations. All VLE measurements passed the point consistency tests. Simulated reaction conditions for HDO of methyl heptanoate at the initial and final points were calculated to determine the effect of vapor–liquid equilibrium on the composition of reaction mixtures.     

Nucleation mode particles with a nonvolatile core in the exhaust of a heavy duty diesel vehicle

The characteristics of the nucleation mode particles of a Euro IV heavy-duty diesel vehicle exhaust were studied. The NOx and PM emissions of the vehicle were controlled through the use of cooled EGR and high-pressure fuel injection techniques; no exhaust gas after-treatment was used. Particle measurements were performed in vehicle laboratory and on road. Nucleation mode dominated the particle number size distribution in all the tested driving conditions. According to the on-road measurements, the nucleation mode was already formed after 0.7 s residence time in the atmosphere and no significant changes were observed for longer residence times. The nucleation mode was insensitive to the fuel sulfur content, dilution air temperature, and relative humidity. An increase in the dilution ratio decreased the size of the nucleation mode particles. This behavior was observed to be linked to the total hydrocarbon concentration in the diluted sample. In volatility measurements, the nucleation mode particles were observed to have a nonvolatile core with volatile species condensed on it. The results indicate that the nucleation mode particles have a nonvolatile core formed before the dilution process. The core particles have grown because of the condensation of semivolatile material, mainly hydrocarbons, during the dilution.     

SAR Remote Sensing of Buried Faults: Implications for Groundwater Exploration in the Western Desert of Egypt

The hydrological setting of a desert plain area located in Egypt, west of Aswan city, is still not well understood, and thus, its groundwater potential remains largely unknown. Images from the ALOS/PALSAR L-band sensor have been used to detect and delineate the subsurface structures in this area. Linear, elliptical and circular polarization transformations were applied to the ALOS/PALSAR full polarimetric data by changing the orientation angle (??°) and elliptical angle (??°). The circular polarization (?? = 0° and ?? = 45°) proved to be the best transformation for revealing buried faults in various strike directions, which have not been reported in the last version of the official geologic map of this area. Such derived circular polarization images were further enhanced by applying the Optimal Polarization Contrast Enhancement method. The moisture content (? _S ) of the study sites was generally low, with an average of roughly 0.01%. The average Root Mean Square Height (h_RMS) of the surface roughness was also low with 0.01 cm across all sites. The relative dielectric constant (?? _r ) of the sand in the study area produced a very low value of 3.04. The effects of ? _S , ?? _r and h_RMS on the radar backscattered signals turned out to be very low, thus providing, optimal conditions for L-band to penetrate relatively deeply. Moreover, 21 GPR profiles were acquired using 270 MHz shielded antennas to validate the radar remote sensing results. These GPR profiles reveal obvious offsets in the subsurface stratigraphy suggesting that such highly fractured zones are possibly favorable zones for groundwater accumulation.     

Characteristics of the liquid flame spray process

Liquid flame spraying (LFS) is a new thermal spray process. Liquid feedstock is injected and atomized in an oxygen-hydrogen flame where the liquid phase is evaporated and thermochemical reactions are completed to produce fine particles. Production of nanoparticles requires a thorough understanding of the process. Therefore, various process stages were studied; i.e., the atomization of liquid feedstock, and characterization of the flame and flame-droplet interactions. Experimental techniques included laser diffraction anemometry for droplet size distribution, laser doppler velocimetry for particle velocity, pulsed laser Rayleigh back scattering for flame temperature and Schlieren photography for flame structure.

Atomization is optimized with an organic solvent, such as isopropanol, nebulized with hydrogen gas at a high flow rate. Liquid droplets injected into the flame are subjected to a maximum temperature of 2600°C and are accelerated to about 160 m s⁻¹. The flame length can be controlled by flame velocity and the solvent type. Water produces a shorter flame whereas ispropanol extends the flame. Injection of the aerosol produces a “pencil-like” region which does not experience turbulence for most of the flame length. Experimentation with manganese nitrate and aluminium isopropoxide or aluminium nitrate showed conversion to a