Mechanical properties and antibacterial activity of peroxide‐cured silicone rubber foams

Silicone rubber (SR) foams were prepared by the peroxide curing of a silicone compound with 2,4‐dichlorobenzoyl peroxide (DCBP), di‐t‐butyl peroxide (DTBP), or 2,5‐dimethyl‐2,5‐di(t‐butylperoxy) hexane (DBPH) in the presence of 2,2′‐azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as a blowing agent. The cells were formed in the foam as a result of nitrogen produced by the decomposition of AIBN during the foaming process. The cell size, hardness, and tensile properties of the SR foams were examined as a function of the peroxide concentration. When the peroxide concentration increased, the hardness and tensile strength of the SR foams increased, whereas the cell size and elongation at break decreased. The antibacterial activity of the prepared foams was also evaluated via their effects on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The peroxide‐cured SR foams had antibacterial activity because a toxic residue was generated by the peroxide decomposition. The foam prepared by the AIBN/DCBP system showed more antibacterial activity than the AIBN/DBPH and AIBN/DTBP ones. However, after postcuring at 250°C for 2 h, the antibacterial activity of the SR foams significantly decreased. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Construction of efficient error-limiting variable length codes

A novel method for generating an optimal binary prefix condition code is described. The proposed code generation method generates optimal variable length codes that have short average error spans compared to the existing self-synchronising codes. A technique for calculating the expected error spans of variable length codes are also presented     

Performance of GaAs-AlGaAs V-grooved inner stripe quantum-well wirelasers with different current blocking configurations

GaAs-AlGaAs V-grooved inner stripe (VIS) quantum-well wire (QWW) lasers grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition with different current blocking configurations, n-blocking on p-substrate (VIPS), p-n-p-n blocking on n-substrate (VI(PN)_nS) and p-blocking on n-substrate (VINS) have been fabricated and characterized. The VIPS QWW lasers show the most stable characteristics with effective current confinement: one of the lasers shows fundamental transverse mode, lasing up to 5 mW/facet, typical threshold current of 39.9 mA at 818.5 mm, an external differential quantum efficiency of 24%/facet, and characteristic temperature of 92 K. The current tuning rate was almost linear at 0.031 mm/mA, and the temperature tuning rate was measured to be 0.14 nm/°C. Comparison of the light output versus current characteristics of the lasers with different current blocking configurations is presented here     

Motion based object tracking with mobile camera

An efficient algorithm which detects and tracks a moving object is proposed. The global motion energy caused by camera movement is eliminated by finding the maximal matching position with the cross-correlation value between two consecutive frames using the spiral scanning technique. The region of a moving object is segmented exactly by combining the results of the temporal derivatives and edge map from one image, and the actual centroid of the moving object is determined as the mid-point of the cumulative distribution of the projection profile of the region     

Pollutant dispersion over two-dimensional hilly terrain

Numerical prediction of the wind flow and pollutant dispersion over two-dimensional hilly terrain is presented. The wind tunnel experiments are conducted to validate the numerical results of the flow field. Measured mean velocity profiles, turbulence characteristics, and surface pressure distributions show good agreement with the numerical predictions. The hypothesis of Reynolds number independency for an atmospheric boundary layer flow over aerodynamically rough terrain is numerically confirmed. The linear theory provides generally good prediction of speed-up characteristics for gently sloped low hills. The effect of two-dimensional double hills on the dispersion of pollutants from continuously or temporally released line source of different emission heights and locations is also investigated. The ground-level concentrations are considerably reduced as emission heights are increased. The variances of ground-level concentration with respect to time from a temporally released source are strongly influenced by the flow separation.     

Analysis of color symbology from the perspective of cultural semiotics focused on Korean costume colors according to the cultural changes

The purpose of this study was to analyze the symbolization of colors as cultural codes, based on costume colors. In order to study the significance of colors in cultural changes, we carried out a quantitative analysis and interpreted it from the perspective of cultural semiotics. The range of this study was focused on Korean costume colors, over diverse diachronic stages of Korean culture. For this study 1535 color samples were collected, measured with a spectrophotometer, and analyzed quantitatively according their diachronic stages of origin. As a result, red, blue, and yellow were found to be the most frequently used colors during the Chosun Dynasty, a period based on Confucianism. These colors acted as cultural codes with cultural significance. During the Modern times pink, light blue, and black increased in frequency and represented the reception of western culture, the changing sex role of women in society, and utilitarianism. In these days, neutral colors and grayish tones of all colors are the most significant colors of high frequency. The use of such colors is closely related to industrialization, mechanization, functionalism, and the changes of women's sex roles in the societies. They are used as cultural codes, especially to emphasize a rational and masculine image rather than a feminine image. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 32, 71–79, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/col.20290     

A micromachined electrochemical sensor for free chlorine monitoring in drinking water.

In this work, we designed, fabricated and tested a disposable, flow-through amperometric sensor for free chlorine determination in water. The sensor is based on the principle of an electrochemical cell. The substrate, as well as the top microfluidic layer, is made up of a polymer material. The advantages include; (a) disposability from low cost; (b) stable operation range from three-electrode design; (c) fluidic interconnections that provide on line testing capabilities; and (d) transparent substrate which provides for future integration of on-chip optics. The sensor showed a good response and linearity in the chlorine concentration ranging from 0.3 to 1.6 ppm, which applies to common chlorination process for drinking water purification.     

Volumetric three‐dimensional up‐conversion display medium

Abstract— Several rare‐earth‐doped fluoride crystals that are excited to emit visible light by sequential two‐photon absorption have been investigated as display‐medium candidates for static volumetric three‐dimensional displays. Dispersion of powders of these materials in a refractive‐index‐matched polymer is reported because such a medium may result in a scalable display. The scattering problem in such a medium is greatly reduced by index‐matching the polymer to the crystalline particles. An index‐matching condition that optimizes the performance is identified.     

Dichotomous behavior of polymer melts in isothermal melt spinning

Isothermal melt spinning experiments have been conducted using two polyethylene melts of low density (LDPE) and high density (HDPE) to produce steady state spinline profiles. The data revealed the threadline extensional viscosity exhibiting a contrasting picture : extension thickening behavior for LDPE and extension thinning one for HDPE. A White-Metzner model having a strain rate-dependent relaxation time was then found to be able to simulate this dichotomy in melt spinning fairly well: the fluids whose relaxation times have smaller strain rate-dependence can fit LDPE data with extension thickening extensional viscosity whereas the fluids whose relaxation times have larger strain rate-dependence can fit HDPE data with extension thinning extensional viscosity. This dichotomous nature of viscoelastic fluids is also believed to be able to explain other similar contrasting phenomena exhibited by polymer melts, such as vortex/no vortex in entry flows, cohesive/ductile fracture modes in extension, and more/less stable draw resonance than Newtonian fluids.     

RANTES-induced T cell activation correlates with CD3 expression

The chemokine RANTES induces a unique biphasic cytoplasmic Ca2+ signal in T cells. The first phase of this signal, similar to that of other chemokines, is G-protein mediated and chemotaxis associated. The second phase of this signal, unique to RANTES and evident at concentrations greater than 100 nM, is tyrosine kinase linked and results in a spectrum of responses similar to those seen with antigenic stimulation of T cells. We show here that certain jurkat T cells responded to RANTES solely through this latter pathway. A direct correlation between the RANTES-induced second phase response and CD3 expression was demonstrated in these cells. Sorting the Jurkat cells into CD3(high) and CD3(low) populations revealed that only the CD3(high) cells were responsive to RANTES. Furthermore, stimulation of these Jurkat cells with anti-CD3 mAb significantly depresses their subsequent response to RANTES. While a RANTES-specific chemokine receptor is expressed at a low level on these Jurkat cells, the RANTES-induced activation is dependent on the presence of the TCR. Thus, stimulation through TCR may partially account for RANTES' unique pattern of signaling in T cells.