Mobile Instrument Research Articles

Ion density of positive and negative ions at ambient pressure in air at 12-136mm from 4.9 kV soft x-ray source.

The abundance of ions is an essential parameter for ion mobility and mass spectrometry instrument design and for the control or optimization of chemical reactions with reactant ions. This information also advances the study of atmospheric pressure ion kinetics under continuous ionization, which has a role in developing trace level chemical analyzers. In this study, an ionization chamber is described to measure the abundance of ions produced by a 4.9 keV, model L12535, soft x-ray source from Hamamatsu Corporation. Ions of positive and negative polarity were measured independently in an 8 × 30mm2 cross section at distances of 12-136mm at ambient air from an uncollimated beam. Ions were collected using electric fields and 16 sets of plates. The ion current decreased exponentially with distance from the source, and the calculated ion concentration varied between 1.0 × 108 and 3.8 × 105 ionscm-3 on plates. A 2D-COMSOL model including losses by recombination and diffusion was favorably matched to changes in ion current intensity in the ionization chamber. Although the ionization chamber was built to characterize a commercial ion source, the design may be considered generally applicable to other x-ray sources.

Hydraulic- and Microprocessor-Controlled Ankle-Foot Prostheses for Limited Community Ambulators with Unilateral Transtibial Amputation: Pilot Study

ABSTRACT Introduction In the United States, access to microprocessor-controlled prosthetic ankles is limited to patients with lower-limb loss classified as unlimited community ambulators or greater. However, the potential benefits of these devices have not been evaluated among patients classified as household or limited community ambulators. This study examined the benefit of hydraulic- and microprocessor-controlled prosthetic ankles for patients classified as limited community ambulators. Materials and Methods Four different treatment configurations were evaluated using a randomized crossover study design. These four configurations included the participant's current flexible keel (FK) prosthetic foot, an energy-storage-and-return foot (ESAR), a hydraulic ankle (HA), and a microprocessor ankle (MPA). After a 2-week accommodation period, both patient-reported and performance-based outcome measures were recorded for each ankle foot system. A StepWatch activity monitor and two-dimensional video motion analysis were also used to evaluate each system. Results A single participant meeting the inclusion criteria was recruited. The patient-reported mobility and socket fit instruments were greatest with the HA system. When assessed on slopes and stairs, the MPA demonstrated benefits on hill ascent and stair descent. In considering the walking speed and perceived exertion jointly, the HA system allowed similar walking speed but lower exertion compared with fixed-ankle systems. The patient-reported low back pain and balance confidence instruments did not provide useful data for interpretation. Two-dimensional video motion analysis showed that the HA and MPA contributed to improved ankle and knee postures when ascending and descending a slope. The step activity data showed the greatest activity with the HA. Discussion The results from the outcome measures showed a varying level of benefit across all four of the treatment configurations. Both the HA and MPA had favorable scores in varying performance-based outcome measures, but the HA scored the most favorable in a majority of the patient-reported outcome measures. Conclusion The results show varying benefits of the microprocessor- and hydraulic-controlled prosthetic components over fixed-ankle ESAR and FK feet, based on both performance-based and patient-reported outcome measures. Further studies are needed to fully evaluate these benefits in larger sample sizes.

The enamels of the first (soft‐paste) European blue‐and‐white porcelains: Rouen, Saint‐Cloud and Paris factories: Complementarity of Raman and X‐ray fluorescence analyses with mobile instruments to identify the cobalt ore

AbstractThe first porcelains made in Europe during the 17th century and the very beginning of the 18th century, that is, before the discovery of kaolin in Saxony (Germany), are rare and technical analyses very limited. In contrast with Meissen Böttger porcelain based on kaolin, these porcelains are made with sand and chymie, like Ottoman fritware. A selection of the blue‐and‐white artefacts belonging to the French national collection is analysed on‐site with mobile portable X‐ray fluorescence (pXRF) and Raman set‐ups: two were assigned to the Poterat Factory at Rouen, three to the Saint‐Cloud Factory and two to the Pavie Factory (Paris). Three types of enamels are identified, lead‐rich (as expected) but also two different lead‐alkaline‐earth alkali enamels, one artefact being covered both with lead‐rich and lead‐poor enamel. The polymerization index deduced from the relative intensity of SiO4 bending and stretching bands indicates different temperatures of firing. Tin is detected in most of the enamels by X‐ray fluorescence (XRF), but cassiterite opacification is only observed for the Pavie Factory artefacts. Arsenic is detected in the blue areas due to the use of European cobalt ores. Comparison of trace and minor elements as well as the type of enamel used suggest that the pot assigned to the Rouen Factory fits much better with a production from the Saint‐Cloud Factory. The two porcelains assigned to the Pavie Factory exhibit similar XRF and Raman signatures that support the attribution based on visual criteria. Combination of the mobile noninvasive XRF and Raman instruments may allow the reliable classification of artefacts on‐site. Raman scattering is very efficient to detect (on‐site) As‐based minor phases.

Review of the Newly Developed, Mobile Optical Sensors for Real-Time Measurement of the Atmospheric Particulate Matter Concentration.

Due to the adverse effects on human health and the environment, air quality monitoring, specifically particulate matter (PM), has received increased attention over the last decades. Most of the research and policy actions have been focused on decreasing PM pollution and the development of air monitoring technologies, resulting in a decline of total ambient PM concentrations. For these reasons, there is a continually increasing interest in mobile, low-cost, and real-time PM detection instruments in both indoor and outdoor environments. However, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, there is no recent literature review on the development of newly designed mobile and compact optical PM sensors. With this aim, this paper gives an overview of the most recent advances in mobile optical particle counters (OPCs) and camera-based optical devices to detect particulate matter concentration. Firstly, the paper summarizes the particulate matter effects on human health and the environment and introduces the major particulate matter classes, sources, and characteristics. Then, it illustrates the different theories, detection methods, and operating principles of the newly developed portable optical sensors based on light scattering (OPCs) and image processing (camera-based sensors), including their advantages and disadvantages. A discussion concludes the review by comparing different novel optical devices in terms of structures, parameters, and detection sensitivity.

RÉSIF-SI: A Distributed Information System for French Seismological Data

AbstractThe Résif project, which started in 2008, aims at gathering under a common research infrastructure the French seismological, Global Navigation Satellite Systems and gravimeter permanent networks, as well as the mobile instrument pools. A central part of Résif is its seismological information system, Système d'Information de Résif (Résif-SI) (started in 2012), which is in charge of collecting, validating, archiving, and distributing seismological data and metadata from seven national centers. Résif-SI follows a distributed architecture, in which the six data collection and validation centers (A-nodes) send validated data and metadata to a national data center (Résif Data Center [Résif-DC]), which is the central point for data archiving and distribution. Résif-SI is based on international standard formats and protocols, and is fully integrated into European and international data exchange systems (European Integrated Data Archive, European Plate Observing System [EPOS], Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology, International Federation of Digital Seismograph Networks). In this article, we present the organization of Résif-SI, the technical details of its implementation, and the catalog of services provided to the end users. The article is aimed both at seismologists, who want to discover and use Résif data, and at data center operators, who might be interested in the technical choices made in the implementation of Résif-SI. We believe that Résif-SI can be a model for other countries facing the problem of integrating different organizations into a centralized seismological information system.

Mirroring Misogyny in Hell Choson: Megalia, Womad, and Korea’s Feminism in the Age of Digital Populism

In recent years digital populism has emerged in South Korea as a new type of political behavior, marked by the political use of the internet as both a form of political participation and an instrument of mobilization. Technological advances and the diffusion of social media have enabled social polarization, rooted in post-Asian Financial Crisis neoliberal policies, to take on a new, more intense, emotional, and radical dimension in the virtual environment. The article examines a case study of an online conflict over the issue of misogyny in 2015–2016 to reflect on how a group of online feminists, namely Megalia and its splinter off-shoot Womad, have used the new media as a terrain for challenging the pervasive misogyny in Korean society. As the article focuses on the online activists’ strategy of mirroring, it highlights how the experiences and worldviews of members of both groups are rooted in identity politics and argues that the understanding of this online conflict should be embedded in similar global and national socioeconomic processes. Lastly, the case study also identifies some of the challenges that online feminism has encountered in Korea.

Advantages and pitfalls of the use of mobile Raman and XRF systems applied on cultural heritage objects in Tuscany (Italy)

Mobile Raman and XRF systems are particularly suitable for the study of cultural heritage objects, allowing in situ, nondestructive analysis on a large variety of materials. Nowadays, thanks to technological developments, the size of the new generation of mobile instruments is reduced. Moreover, operation of the instrumentation is straightforward, as most instrumental settings and data interpretation are automated. However, automated data processing should be evaluated carefully and the risks of incorrect data collection and/or interpretation must be considered and prevented. Therefore, the aim of this research is to start a discussion about some of the challenging aspects and pitfalls, which can be encountered when using mobile techniques. Data collection and interpretation are examined when dealing with works of art. Those aspects are highlighted based on a measuring campaign carried out in Tuscany (Italy) in three different contexts: an archaeological excavation in the Late Roman Villa dell’Oratorio (Capraia-Limite sull’Arno, Florence), the analysis of a mosaic at the facade of the Pisa Cathedral and studies inside the Museo dell’Opera del Duomo (Pisa), where some outdoor statues are exhibited. Measurements were acquired with two state-of-the-art mobile Raman and one handheld X-Ray fluorescence (XRF) systems.

Роль цифровизации в трансформации российского политического протеста

The study identifies four key trends, which show the impact of digitalization of Russian political protest. The first is that Runet social networks have become an instrument of protest mobilization of different segments of Russian society. The second trend shows that digitalization has contributed to the growth of protest sentiments among young people. The third trend shows the possibilities of transfer of protest moods to the virtual space. The fourth trend is a growth of the activity of the non-systemic opposition, which got the opportunity to create an alternative political agenda through social media on the Runet.

Modular MA-XRF Scanner Development in the Multi-Analytical Characterisation of a 17th Century Azulejo from Portugal.

A modular X-ray scanning system was developed, to fill in the gap between portable instruments (with a limited analytical area) and mobile instruments (with large analytical areas, and sometimes bulky and difficult to transport). The scanner has been compared to a commercial tabletop instrument, by analysing a Portuguese tile (azulejo) from the 17th century. Complementary techniques were used to achieve a throughout characterisation of the sample in a complete non-destructive approach. The complexity of the acquired X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectra, due to inherent sample stratigraphy, has been resolved using Monte Carlo simulations, and Raman spectroscopy, as the most suitable technique to complement the analysis of azulejos colours, yielding satisfactory results. The colouring agents were identified as cobalt blue and a Zn-modified Naples-yellow. The stratigraphy of the area under study was partially modelled with Monte Carlo simulations. The scanners performance has been compared by evaluating the images outputs and the global spectrum.

АНАЛИЗ ОСНОВНЫХ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИК САМООБРАЗОВАНИЯ СОВРЕМЕННОЙ МОЛОДЕЖИ ПО МЕТОДУ СТЕФЕНСОНА

The need for self-education is becoming more common in the information society. Moreover, this form of education becomes a continuous process, since knowledge is an inexhaustible resource. Self-education is a form of individual activity of a person motivated by his own professional and personal needs and interests and aimed at acquiring the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities and improving them. The main feature of this type of activity is the absence of an educational institution and a training person, freedom of choice. With the advent of the information technology age, self-education is becoming increasingly popular. As many researchers note, this trend is due, first, to global changes associated with the transition from a post-industrial to an information society, which assumes the work of a person with information as the leading type of activity. Secondly, for modern market relations, the value of self-education is manifested in the fact that it acts as an instrument of social mobility. Third, self-education becomes one of the priority elements of the lifestyle of a number of social groups, contributing to the change of their place and role in the social structure of society. And, finally, self-education is one of the main factors and indicators of the improvement of the individual, and, consequently, of society. Based on this, self - education acts, on the one hand, as an integral part of self-education, self-improvement of the individual, and on the other-as the main method of continuing education, a means of continuous education. The article presents the results of a study conducted using the Stephenson method, which involved 20 respondents (10m+10j) aged 18 to 35 years. The purpose of the study was to identify the opinions of young people regarding the characteristics of self-education in the information society. Of the 30 statements submitted that reflected these traits, respondents were asked to express their agreement or disagreement with them using a scale from -2 to +2.

Study of modal parameter estimation of time-varying mechanical system in time-frequency domain based on output-only method

With increasing mobile instrument inspection systems like mobile inspection cameras applied in modern industrial automation lines, their time-varying modal parameters need to be thoroughly studied since they are operating under various random vibration excitations which are mostly unpredictable and unrepeatable. This paper investigates modal parameter identification of time-varying mobile mechanical systems through a poly-reference expansion based on output-only method in time-frequency domain. The poly-reference parametric model is presented through a time-frequency-domain right matrix fraction description. Based on the poly-reference parametric model, a poly-reference least square estimator and a poly-reference maximum likelihood estimator of modal parameters of time-varying systems are developed. For the case of only one batch of measurements, a novel approach to estimate the covariance matrix for the poly-reference maximum likelihood estimator by non-repeatable measurement is also proposed in this paper. A numerical example demonstrates the advantageous performance of the proposed estimators, such as the estimation of the close-coupled modes. Finally, a laboratory experiment validates these proposed estimators via a comparative way.

On-site contactless surface analysis of modern paintings from Galleria Nazionale (Rome) by reflectance FTIR and Raman spectroscopies

Seven artworks representing the diversity of paints used around the 1960s and created by German and Italian painters (J. Albers, A. Bonalumi, L. Boille, T. Scialoja and M. Schifano) were studied on-site at the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna (Rome) with mobile instruments. We present a methodology based on Specular Reflectance Infrared Spectroscopy (SR-FTIR) adapted to unvarnished paintings. Complementary measurements have been performed by Raman spectroscopy. Characteristic bands regarding as-recorded infrared reflectance spectra and Kramers-Kronig Transformation-converted absorbance spectra are identified according to literature and reference spectra recorded on representative commercially available paints. To distinguish the different binders by SR-FTIR, we propose spectroscopic markers as the comparison of the intensity of carbonyl band around 1730-1735 cm−1 with bands at ~1160 (for acrylic), ~1230 (for PVAc), and 1270 cm−1 (for alkyds). On the other hand, oil/resin binders are characterized by intense and thin νCH2, νCH3 IR absorption bands around 2920-2850 cm−1, combined with an intense 1260 cm−1 band and a characteristic concave cradle shape (between ca. 1750 and 1260 cm−1). The results obtained establish the relevance of the implemented mobile non-invasive infrared spectroscopy analytical approach by successfully identifying acrylic, vinylic, oil media and enamel paints, with or without opacifiers, which is supplemented by Raman analyses for pigment identification.

“We Make the Voice of These People Heard”: Trajectories of Socioeconomic Mobility among Congolese Pastors in Kampala, Uganda

This article focuses on religious entrepreneurship in a context of displacement, specifically among Congolese refugees in Kampala, where becoming a pastor is one of the few opportunities available for social mobility. I analyze the social trajectories of two Congolese pastors. However different they may be from each other, they highlight ideas of success and prosperity that encourage us to rethink the socioeconomic role of Pentecostalism in Africa, analyzing the entanglements between the religious and the economic spheres from a multidimensional and a relational perspective. The article shows that entrepreneurial trajectories are instruments of mobility, but at the same time they need to be understood in terms of social becoming, the success of the two Congolese pastors being judged by the moral value that other people grant them and in relation to their role within the Congolese community.

Soil salinization monitoring method evolution at various spatial and temporal scales in arid context: a review

All across the world, and particularly in arid and semi-arid zones, the negative effects of agricultural productivity and unsustainable development have led to soil salinization, which is one of the critical environmental issues. Since the problem of salinization evolves at the scale of space and time, it is necessary to develop a comprehensive strategy for the sustainable development of irrigated areas. First, it is required to adopt a good evaluation of the spatiotemporal distribution. Several approaches and techniques have been developed to study this distribution under the effect of several natural and anthropogenic factors. The result gives emphasis to the techniques used for predicting and monitoring soil salinity throughout different regions in the world. There are two categories of laboratory methods: destructive methods and non-destructive methods. The field methods are non-destructive unless we keep the need to dig holes for instrumentation or sampling for the calibration of measurements and the validation of results. However, we can distinguish between fixed instruments (point method) and mobile instruments (spatial method) which were used for different purposes. Toward the late 1980s, several works have been undertaken in order to understand the spatial and temporal variabilities of soil salinity. There are methods of geophysical prospection and geostatistical analysis. The combination of these two methods remains effective until today. The latest results show that spatial methods were better than punctual methods. Also, there was a complementarity between digital mapping approaches and geophysical techniques for monitoring the spatiotemporal variation of soil salinity.

Different ion mobility-mass spectrometry coupling techniques to promote metabolomics.

Metabolomics has become increasingly popular in recent years for many applications ranging from clinical diagnosis, human health to biotechnological questioning. Despite technological advances, metabolomic studies are still currently limited by the difficulty of identifying all metabolites, a class of compounds with great chemical diversity. Although lengthy chromatographic analyses are often used to obtain comprehensive data, many isobar and isomer metabolites still remain unresolved, which is a critical point for the compound identification. Currently, ion mobility spectrometry is being explored in metabolomics as a way to improve metabolome coverage, analysis throughput and isomer separation. In this review, all the steps of a typical workflow for untargeted metabolomics are discussed considering the use of an ion mobility instrument. An overview of metabolomics is first presented followed by a brief description of ion mobility instrumentation. The ion mobility potential for complex mixture analysis is discussed regarding its coupling with a mass spectrometer alone, providing gas-phase separation before mass analysis as well as its combination with different separation platforms (conventional hyphenation but also multidimensional ion mobility couplings), offering multidimensional separation. Various instrumental and analytical conditions for improving the ion mobility separation are also described. Finally, data mining, including software packages and visualization approaches, as well as the construction of ion mobility databases for the metabolite identification are examined.

Revista Nin e Aleta Valente

Acredita-se que, em nossa sociedade o corpo das mulheres é submetido à um sistema ditatorial, no sentido de que elas não têm autonomia sobre seus próprios corpos pois, devem obediência à moral e à uma cultura machista. Assim, a proposta deste artigo é de compreender como a epistemologia queer pode funcionar como instrumento de mobilização para a libertação do corpo das mulheres, além de refletir sobre a representação desses corpos. Para isso, será analisado o ensaio de Aleta Valente, uma artista contemporânea, presente na Revista Nin: naked for no reason, uma publicação erótica carioca, criada por duas mulheres. O intuito é de mostrar como a política de gênero queer é refletida na proposta editorial, estética e erótica da revista Nin, a fim de desconstruir estereótipos sobre a mulher e a representação do corpo feminino. Na parte teórica foi abordado um breve histórico sobre a sexualidade da mulher e apresentados conceitos sobre a teoria queer. Para a análise foi utilizada a metodologia Iconografia e Iconologia, proposta por Panofsky, pela qual foi possível concluir que a Nin de fato representa uma nova forma de ser mulher e de olhar para a mulher em nossa sociedade.

Validation of the Spinal Cord Injury–Functional Index for Use in Community-Dwelling Individuals With SCI

ObjectiveTo evaluate the psychometric properties of the Spinal Cord Injury–Functional Index (SCI-FI) instruments in a community-dwelling sample. DesignCross-sectional study. SettingCommunity setting. ParticipantsIndividuals (N=269) recruited from 6 SCI Model Systems sites. InterventionsNot applicable. Main Outcome MeasuresParticipants completed computer adaptive test and short form versions of 4 SCI-FI/Capacity (C) banks (ie, Ambulation, Basic Mobility, Fine Motor, Self-Care) and 1 SCI-FI/Assistive Technology (AT) bank (Wheelchair Mobility) at baseline and after 2 weeks. The Self-Report Functional Measure (SRFM) and the clinician-rated motor FIM were used to evaluate evidence of convergent validity. ResultsPearson correlations, intraclass correlation coefficients, minimal detectable change, and Bland-Altman plots supported the test-retest reliability of the SCI-FI instruments. Correlations were large with the SRFM (.69-.89) and moderate-to-large for the FIM instrument (.44-.64), supporting convergent validity. Known-groups validity was demonstrated by a significant main effect of injury level on all instruments and a main effect of injury completeness on the SCI-FI/C instruments. A ceiling effect was detected for individuals with incomplete paraplegia on the Fine Motor/C and Self-Care/C Short Forms. ConclusionFindings support the test-retest reliability, convergent validity, and known-groups validity of the SCI-FI/C instruments and the SCI-FI/AT Wheelchair Mobility instruments for use by community-dwelling individuals.

Mapping Microscale PM2.5 Distribution on Walkable Roads in a High-Density City

Monitoring pollution of PM2.5 on walkable roads is important for resident health in high-density cities. Due to the spatiotemporal resolution limitations of aerosol optical depth observation, fixed-point monitoring, or traditional mobile measurement instruments, the microscale PM2.5 distribution in the walking environment cannot be fully estimated at the fine scale. In this article, by the integration of mobile measurement data, OpenStreetMap (OSM) data, Landsat images, and other multisource data in land-use regression (LUR) models, a novel framework is proposed to estimate and map PM2.5 distribution in a typical microscale walkable environment of the high-density city Hong Kong. First, the PM2.5 data on the typical walking paths were collected by the handheld mobile measuring instruments, to be selected as the dependent variables. Second, geographic prediction factors calculated by Google Street View, OSM data, Landsat images, and other multisource data were further selected as independent variables. Then, these dependent and independent variables were put into the LUR models to estimate the PM2.5 concentration on sidewalks, footbridges, and footpaths in the microscale walkable environment. The proposed models showed high performance relative to those in similar studies (adj <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">R</i> <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> , 0.593 to 0.615 [sidewalks]; 0.641 to 0.682 [footpaths]; 0.783 to 0.797 [footbridges]). This article is beneficial for mapping PM2.5 concentration in the microscale walking environment and the identification of hot spots of air pollution, thereby helping people avoid the PM2.5 hotspots and indicating a healthier walking path.

Manuscript Illumination in 19th-century Italy. Material Analysis of Two Partial Copies from the Squarcialupi Codex

Abstract The illuminations in two Italian manuscripts are still a mystery today. Both manuscripts were based fully or partly on the Florentine Squarcialupi Codex (Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Med. Pal. 87) dating from around 1410/15. With the help of a multi-analytical, non-destructive approach employing mobile instrumentation (XRF spectroscopy, visible reflectance spectroscopy and infrared reflectography), we examined the manuscripts Toronto, Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, MSS 09700 and Düsseldorf, Kunstpalast, Inv. K 1925-67 for the first time with regard to their production processes. The identification of modern pigments allows them to be contextualized in illumination practices of the 19th century. Manuals of that time provide a wealth of information on specific illumination practices and the availability of writing and painting materials, which correlates with the actual artefacts.

Evaluating radiant heat in an outdoor urban environment: Resolving spatial and temporal variations with two sensing platforms and data-driven simulation

Instruments measuring the outdoor radiant environment are limited spatially. They aggregate observations to singular points, eliminating variations from surrounding surface temperatures. Computational methods can characterize the heterogeneous outdoor radiant environment, but spatial validation with accurate tools remains difficult. We use two novel sensing platforms (MaRTy and SMaRT) and an innovative computational validation method to explore Mean Radiant Temperature (MRT) spatial variation outdoors. MaRTy is a mobile instrument that evaluates MRT with directional weighting for hemispherical radiation flux density observations. The SMaRT sensor uses a non-contacting infrared surface temperature sensor and LIDAR to map surrounding surface temperatures. We conducted a case study combining the methodology of both instruments to improve spatial mapping of MRT for five locations on Temple University's main campus in Philadelphia, PA in July. For comparison, we collected thermal images to build a data-driven simulation model for MRT. Results demonstrate the improved resolution of combining both sensors to resolve variations in outdoor longwave radiation fluxes. The instruments show variations in surface temperatures up to 10 °C for SMaRT from longwave radiation and MRT variations of 40 °C for MaRTy, which included shortwave influences. These demonstrations of significant spatial variations were measured across an area typically evaluated at one position.