Ionic liquid droplet as e-microreactor

A powerful approach combining a droplet-based, open digital microfluidic lab-on-a-chip using task-specific ionic liquids as soluble supports to perform solution-phase synthesis is reported as a new tool for chemical applications. The negligible volatility of ionic liquids enables their use as stable droplet reactors on a chip surface under air. The concept was validated with different ionic liquids and with a multicomponent reaction. Indeed, we showed that different ionic liquids can be moved by electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD), and their displacement was compared with aqueous solutions. Furthermore, we showed that mixing ionic liquids droplets, each containing a different reagent, in "open" systems is an efficient way of carrying supported organic synthesis. This was applied to Grieco's tetrahydroquinolines synthesis with different reagents. Analysis of the final product was performed off-line and on-line, and the results were compared with those obtained in a conventional reaction flask. This technology opens the way to easy synthesis of minute amounts of compounds ad libitum without the use of complex, expensive, and bulky robots and allows complete automation of the process for embedded chemistry in a portable device. It offers several advantages, including simplicity of use, flexibility, and scalability, and appears to be complementary to conventional microfluidic lab-on-a-chip devices usually based on continuous-flow in microchannels.     

Characterization of microlenses by digital holographic microscopy

We demonstrate the use of digital holographic microscopy (DHM) as a metrological tool in micro-optics testing. Measurement principles are compared with those performed with Twyman-Green, Mach-Zehnder, and white-light interferometers. Measurements performed on refractive microlenses with reflection DHM are compared with measurements performed with standard interferometers. Key features of DHM such as digital focusing, measurement of shape differences with respect to a perfect model, surface roughness measurements, and optical performance evaluation are discussed. The capability of imaging nonspherical lenses without any modification of the optomechanical setup is a key advantage of DHM compared with conventional measurement tools and is demonstrated on a cylindrical microlens and a square lens array.     

Ultra-high-density phase-change storage and memory

Phase-change storage is widely used in optical information technologies (DVD, CD-ROM and so on), and recently it has also been considered for non-volatile memory applications. This work reports advances in thermal data recording of phase-change materials. Specifically, we show erasable thermal phase-change recording at a storage density of 3.3 Tb inch(-2), which is three orders of magnitude denser than that currently achievable with commercial optical storage technologies. We demonstrate the concept of a thin-film nanoheater to realize ultra-small heat spots with dimensions of less than 50 nm. Finally, we show in a proof-of-concept demonstration that an individual thin-film heater can write, erase and read the phase of these storage materials at competitive speeds. This work provides important stepping stones for a very-high-density storage or memory technology based on phase-change materials.     

Adhesion of Thermal Oxide Scales on Hot-Rolled Conventional and Recycled Steels

The mechanical adhesion of thermally-formed oxide scales formed on industrial hot-rolled low carbon steel strips produced through the blast-furnace route (conventional steel) or the electric-arc-furnace route (recycled steel) was studied. A new macro-tensile test was compared to a micro-tensile test previously used. It was observed that spallation of scales during straining increased with increasing the tensile strain rate. A higher strain rate resulted in a lower strain inducing the first spallation. As a result, the mechanical adhesion energy of scales actually formed on the recycled steel was in the range 300–700 J m^?2. Comparison at the same strain rate of the conventional and recycled steels showed higher scale adhesion for the recycled steel due to the presence of high amounts of interfacial silica.     

Approximate analysis of production systems operated by a CONWIP/finite buffer hybrid control policy

We present a decomposition method for approximate performance analysis of tandem production systems that are controlled by a hybrid control policy, in which the finite buffers of a flow line are augmented by a CONWIP cell enforcing release control to the line. The method decomposes the system into a set of three different types of building blocks. One is the continuous material two-machine line described in the literature; the second is a special case of the first in which the buffer is infinite. The third type of building block is a synchronization stage that is described and analyzed in this paper. Using these building blocks, we represent both the flow of material and the flow of information in the system. We derive new decomposition equations to relate the parameters of the building blocks. An iterative algorithm is constructed to determine the values of the parameters and to estimate the performance measures of the system. It has been observed to be fast and accurate for a large class of systems.     

Control of upper limb prostheses: terminology and proportional myoelectric control-a review

The recent introduction of novel multifunction hands as well as new control paradigms increase the demand for advanced prosthetic control systems. In this context, an unambiguous terminology and a good understanding of the nature of the control problem is important for efficient research and communication concerning the subject.     

Possible influence of surfactants and proteins on the efficiency of contact agar microbiological surface sampling

Agar contact microbiological sampling techniques, based on a transfer of the microorganisms present on a surface to a culture medium, are widely used to assess and control surface cleanliness and to evaluate microbial contamination levels. The effectiveness of these techniques depends on many environmental parameters that influence the strength of attachment of the bacteria to the surface. In the present study, stainless steel and high density polyethylene surfaces were inoculated with known concentrations of Staphylococcus epidermidis. Following an experimental design, the surfaces were sampled with different types of replicate organism direct agar contact plates and Petrifilm; results indicated that recovery rates were influenced by the presence of egg white albumin or Tween 80 in the inoculum solutions or by the introduction of surfactants into the contact agar of the microbiological sampling techniques. The techniques yielded significantly different results, depending on sampling conditions, underlining the need for a standardization of laboratory experiments to allow relevant comparisons of such techniques.     

Synthesis and Evaluation of Imidazo[2,1‐b]thiazoles as Iodide Efflux Inhibitors in Thyrocytes

The Na⁺/I^? symporter (NIS) mediates iodide uptake in the thyroid gland as well as in other NIS‐expressing cells. This transport is the basis for an emerging approach to selective cancer cell destruction by using radioiodide after targeted NIS gene transfer. Therapeutic efficacy requires that radioiodide retention be maximized in tumor cells. A first generation of forty imidazo[2,1‐b]thiazole derivatives as iodide efflux inhibitors is described along with the evaluation of their biological properties. Structure–activity relationship studies by using radioiodide uptake in rat thyroid‐derived cells (FRTL5) revealed that the 5,6‐dihydroimidazo[2,1‐b]thiazole heterocycle is required for activity. Introduction of electron‐donor substituents on the 3‐biphenyl moiety led to the discovery of novel potent compounds. A compound was identified with enhanced potency compared to reference 1 . These molecules give the possibility to increase the cellular retention of radioiodide in NIS‐expressing tumors, leading to higher absorbed doses and killing efficacy.     

Morphology and thermal behavior of organo‐bentonite clay/poly(styrene‐co‐methacrylic acid)/poly(isobutyl methacrylate‐co‐4‐vinylpyridine) nanocomposites

Poly(styrene‐co‐methacrylic acid) containing 29 mol % of methacrylic acid (SMA‐29) and poly(isobutyl methacrylate‐co‐4‐vinylpyridine) containing 20 mol % of 4‐vinylpyridine (IBM4VP‐20) were synthesized, characterized, and used to elaborate binary and ternary nanocomposites of different ratios with a 3% by weight hexadecylammonium‐modified bentonite from Maghnia (Algeria) by casting method from tetrahydrofuran (THF) solutions. The morphology and the thermal behavior of these binary and ternary elaborated nanocomposites were investigated by X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetry. Polymer nanocomposites and nanoblends of different morphologies were obtained. The effect of the organoclay and its dispersion within the blend matrix on the phase behavior of the miscible SMA29/IBM4VP20 blends is discussed. The obtained results showed that increasing the amount of SMA29 in the IBM4VP20/SMA29 blend leads to near exfoliated nanostructure with significantly improved thermal stability. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Photo‐oxidation of polystyrene/clay nanocomposites under accelerated UV exposure: Effect on the structure and molecular weight

The present work investigates the effects of photo‐oxidation under accelerated UV conditions on the structure, the molecular weight and the morphology of polystyrene (PS)/organophilic montmorillonite (OMMT) at various clay contents: 2.5, 5, and 7 wt %. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, viscosimetry and scanning electron microscopy were used to evaluate the extent of degradation of nanocomposite samples in comparison with neat PS, up to 216 h of exposure. The study has shown that the formation rates of both carbonyl and hydroperoxide groups increase with exposure time, being much higher for PS/OMMT nanocomposites. Moreover, it is also observed that all samples exhibit a large increase in the scission index, however less pronounced for neat PS. These results clearly indicate the formation of low molecular weight products that could arise from chain scission. Further, the photo‐oxidation rate seems to be more affected by the presence of clay, which acts as a catalyst, rather than by the variation of clay contents. Finally, the degraded materials exhibit eroded surface. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009