Interaction of guided light in rib polymer waveguides with dielectrophoretically controlled nanoparticles

This work demonstrates an optofluidic system, where dielectrophoretically controlled suspended nanoparticles are used to manipulate the properties of an optical waveguide. This optofluidic device is composed of a multimode polymeric rib waveguide and a microfluidic channel as its upper cladding. This channel integrates dielectrophoretic (DEP) microelectrodes and is infiltrated with suspended silica and tungsten trioxide nanoparticles. By applying electrical signals with various intensities and frequencies to the DEP microelectrodes, the nanoparticles can be concentrated close to the waveguide surface significantly altering the optical properties in this region. Depending on the particle refractive indices, concentrations, positions and dimensions, the light remains confined or is scattered into the surrounding media in the microfluidic channel.     

Effect of Varying Amount of Polyethylene Glycol (PEG-600) and 3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane on the Properties of Chitosan based Reverse Osmosis Membranes

Chitosan and polyethylene glycol (PEG-600) membranes were synthesized and crosslinked with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES). The main purpose of this research work is to synthesize RO membranes which can be used to provide desalinated water for drinking, industrial and agricultural purposes. Hydrogen bonding between chitosan and PEG was confirmed by displacement of the hydroxyl absorption peak at 3237 cm⁻¹ in pure chitosan to lower values in crosslinked membranes by using FTIR. Dynamic mechanical analysis revealed that PEG lowers Tg of the modified membranes vs. pure chitosan from 128.5 °C in control to 120 °C in CS-PEG5. SEM results highlighted porous and anisotropic structure of crosslinked membranes. As the amount of PEG was increased, hydrophilicity of membranes was increased and water absorption increased up to a maximum of 67.34%. Permeation data showed that flux and salt rejection value of the modified membranes was increased up to a maximum of 80% and 40.4%, respectively. Modified films have antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli as compared to control membranes.     

A computer-aided diagnostic system for liver tumor detection using modified U-Net architecture

The Journal of Supercomputing - A multimedia-based medical decision-making system is an ultimate requirement in the medical imaging domain. In the healthcare sector, achieving quick and efficient...     

Mechanical properties and microstructure of rolled and electrodeposited thin copper foil

Commercial grade rolled and electrodeposited copper foils from Japan and China were selected, and their mechanical properties and microstructure were investigated. It was observed that there are notable differences in fracture strength, elongation at break and hydrophilicity between rolled and electrodeposited copper foils. The rolled copper foils have higher tensile strength, lower ductility and larger static contact angle than electrodeposited copper foils. The rolled copper foils contain a β-fiber texture, and the electrodeposited copper foils have random crystalline orientations. It was also observed that the rolled foils have packed grains, and electrodeposited foils have equiaxial grains. The uniform fine grain size and a few substructures of Japanese electrodeposited foils are major reasons for their higher elongation.     

Light microscopy of Pakistani Berberis leaf cuticles and its taxonomic implications

Taxonomy of the genus Berberis is quite complex, due to overlapping morphological characters, making it very difficult to differentiate the species within the genus. In order to resolve this taxonomic complexity, the foliar anatomy of 10 Berberis L. species was carried out, for the first time from Pakistan, using light microscopy (LM). Significant variation in terms of epidermal cells shape, size, cell wall pattern, and stomata type was observed. B. baluchistanica has the largest epidermal cells, Adaxial: length = 45–(53.9 ± 3.6)–62.5 μm; and width = 22.5–(26.3 ± 1.3)–30 μm; Abaxial: length = 37.5–(43.25 ± 2.5)–50 μm; and width = 20–(22.6 ± 0.8)–25. The highest number of stomata was observed in B. glaucocarpa as 62 on the abaxial surface while the lowest number of stomata was recorded in B. baluchistanica as 8 on the adaxial surface. Of 10 investigated species, 6 possess anomocytic type stomata, while 2 species that is, B. aitchisonii and B. parkeriana have both anomocytic and anisocytic stomata while B. baluchistanica and B. calliobotrys have only paracytic type stomata. The highest number of cells per unit area was present on the adaxial surface of B. calliobotrys ranging from 245–(252.4)–260 followed by B. parkeriana with 209–(227.8)–250 on the abaxial surface. Stomatal index (SI) also varied considerably and was the lowest (2.6) percentage in B. baluchistanica and highest (31.9) percentage in B. kunawurensis. A taxonomic key based on micro‐morphological characters is provided for species identification.     

Dielectrophoretically assembled particles: feasibility for optofluidic systems

This work presents the dielectrophoretic manipulation of sub-micron particles suspended in water and the investigation of their optical responses using a microfluidic system. The particles are made of silica and have different diameters of 600, 450, and 250 nm. Experiments show a very interesting feature of the curved microelectrodes, in which the particles are pushed toward or away from the microchannel centerline depending on their levitation heights, which is further analyzed by numerical simulations. In doing so, applying an AC signal of 12 V_p–p and 5 MHz across the microelectrodes along with a flow rate of 1 μl/min within the microchannel leads to the formation of a tunable band of particles along the centerline. Experiments show that the 250 nm particles guide the longitudinal light along the microchannel due to their small scattering. This arrangement is employed to study the feasibility of developing an optofluidic system, which can be potentially used for the formation of particles-core/liquid-cladding optical waveguides.     

Primary spinal T-cell rich B-cell lymphoma: a case report

During my nursing career, I remember constantly being aware of patients who needed some emotional help--those who were frightened about a forthcoming operation, those who were shocked and despairing after being given their diagnosis and prognosis, others who were down in the dumps because they couldn't go home as soon as they had hoped. There were also the 'ward clowns' who tried to make everyone laugh with their good humour and little pranks, yet felt no less anxious, worried or depressed than anyone else. Patients seem to fit into categories: the nervous ones, the depressives, the jovial types, the moaners, those who demand attention and those who shun it. I feel sure that every nurse has noticed the different 'types' of people who fill hospital beds-ordinary people who seem to take on a new persona as soon as they get into their pyjamas and become a 'patient'. Somehow, their identity gets folded up and put away in their locker along with their outdoor clothes and other reminders of the outside world.     

Marangoni convective nanofluid flow over an electromagnetic actuator in the presence of first‐order chemical reaction

The present study aims to investigate Marangoni‐forced convective nanofluid flow over an electromagnetic actuator (Riga plate). A first‐order homogeneous chemical reaction is considered. The thermocapillary and solutocapillary Marangoni effect developed by the surface tension is considered as a driving force for the nanofluid. In addition, Grinberg‐term is accounted to involve the impact of Lorentz force impinged by the actuator in the model. A set of nonlinear ordinary differential equations is obtained via suitable transformations for a nonsimilar analysis. Series solutions are achieved through homotopy to discuss the behavior of the velocity field, thermal distribution, and concentration of the nanoparticles graphically. The variation in Nusselt and Sherwood numbers is discussed. The outcomes declared that the flow parallel to the surface of the plate is assisted by the Lorentz forces generated by electromagnetic bars of the actuator resulting in an enhancement in the fluid motion. Furthermore, the stronger Marangoni effect resulted in the declining trend of the temperature profile. The concentration of nanoparticles near the surface reduced intensive chemical reaction inside the nanofluid.     

Comparative Assessment of Ambient Air Quality of Major Cities of Pakistan

The deterioration of ambient air quality is one of the emerging environmental problems in developing countries of South Asia. Unplanned urbanization, population growth, degradation of vegetation cover and industrial and vehicular emissions, particularly in urban areas, have resulted in substantial rise in the level of air pollutants and emission sources. This study focused on monitoring of different cities as per traffic volume and flow. Air quality monitoring was conducted on hourly basis to determine the major parameters; i.e. PM₁₀, NO_x, SO₂, CO by using fixed station for 8 h from 1:30 pm to 9:30 pm. All the measuring values were then compared with the National Environment Quality Standards (NEQS) and Air Quality Index (AQI). Results revealed that the concentration of PM₁₀ at the selected areas of these cities ranged from 156 to 390 μg/m³, CO ranged from 1.18 to 6.01 mg/m³, and NO_x ranged from 32.65 to 129.47 μg/m³. It was evident that all these concentration had been higher than the permissible limits of NEQS, whereas only SO₂ was found within the permissible limits (15.60–110.52 μg/m³⁾. Air Quality Index (AQI) of all the designated points of cities was also assessed, and most of the vehicular and commercial areas had shown unhealthy and severe conditions ranging from 191 to 320, respectively.

     

Structure, morphology and optical properties of nanocrystalline yttrium oxide (Y2O3) thin films

Yttrium oxide (Y₂O₃) thin films were grown onto Si(1 0 0) substrates using reactive magnetron sputter-deposition at temperatures ranging from room temperature (RT) to 500 °C. The effect of growth temperature (T_s) on the growth behavior, microstructure and optical properties of Y₂O₃ films was investigated. The structural studies employing reflection high-energy electron diffraction RHEED indicate that the films grown at room temperature (RT) are amorphous while the films grown at T_s = 300-500 °C are nanocrystalline and crystallize in cubic structure. Grain-size (L) increases from ∼15 to 40 nm with increasing T_s. Spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements indicate that the size-effects and ultra-microstructure were significant on the optical constants and their dispersion profiles of Y₂O₃ films. A significant enhancement in the index of refraction (n) (from 2.03 to 2.25) is observed in well-defined Y₂O₃ nanocrystalline films compared to that of amorphous Y₂O₃. The observed changes in the optical constants were explained on the basis of increased packing density and crystallinity of the films with increasing T_s. The spectrophotometry analysis indicates the direct nature of the band gap (E_g) in Y₂O₃ films. E_g values vary in the range of 5.91-6.15 eV for Y₂O₃ films grown in the range of RT-500 °C, where the lower E_g values for films grown at lower temperature is attributed to incomplete oxidation and formation of chemical defects. A direct, linear relationship between microstructure and optical parameters found for Y₂O₃ films suggest that tuning optical properties for desired applications can be achieved by controlling the size and structure at the nanoscale dimensions.