Intensity Pattern Research Articles

A comprehensive performance study of NiCrCN coated 316L stainless steel as bipolar plates for proton exchange membrane fuel cell

NiCrCN coatings are deposited on the surfaces of 316 L stainless steel (SS316L) substrates via closed field unbalanced magnetron sputtering ion plating (CFUMSIP) to improve the corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) bipolar plates. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results show that CrN, Cr2N, Ni, and Cr7C3 phases exist in NiCrCN coatings. As the Cr target current grows from 2 A to 6 A, the Cr7C3 content in the carbon compounds increases from 3.39% to 11.46%, and the interfacial contact resistance (ICR) value is reduced from 18.0 mΩ cm2 to 11.2 mΩ cm2. When the Cr target current reaches 4 A, the NiCrCN coating shows the most intensive cross-sectional growth pattern by cold-field scanning electron microscopy (CFSEM) results, and the current density after prolonged polarization (0.11 μA cm−2) is much lower than that of SS316L (1.86 μA cm−2).

#4876 CLASSIFICATION OF BIOPSY FINDINGS IN INDIVIDUALS WITH NEPHROPATHIES USING MOLECULAR GENETIC TESTING AND PROTEOMICS

Abstract Background and Aims In approximately 10% of adults with chronic kidney disease, a hereditary cause can be identified. Important representatives are Alport syndrome and inherited podocytopathies, which often show the histological picture of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). FSGS is a histological finding of various etiologies (primary, hereditary, secondary). Especially in suspected glomerular kidney disease, kidney biopsy is the diagnostic gold standard. The aim of this study was to evaluate a cohort of individuals with genetically confirmed inherited nephropathy and previous kidney biopsy to determine whether the histological examination can provide a clue to the underlying inherited kidney disease. Biopsies were further investigated by proteomics via liquid-chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to potentially elucidate the underlying protein defect. Method The cohort for this retrospective study consisted of 23 individuals with a genetically confirmed inherited nephropathy and a previously performed kidney biopsy. A systematic pathological secondary review of the 23 biopsies was carried out (genetic diagnosis unknown at secondary review). The findings of the biopsies were compared with the molecular genetic results. 9 proband and 9 control biopsies were additionally evaluated through LC-MS. Laser capture microdissection was used to extract glomeruli from the tissue samples, which were then further analyzed on alterations in protein expression secondary to the respective disease-causing variants. Results In the cohort, disease-causing variants were identified in the following genes: COL4A3 (n = 3), COL4A5 (n = 4), WT1 (n = 3), UMOD (n = 3), and each n = 1 for the genes INF2, DAAM2, MUC1, COQ8B, NPHP4, TRIM8, CD2AP, NPHS2, CLCN5, and PAX2. The biopsies showed predominantly segmental glomerulosclerosis and parenchymal scarring, as well as podocyte damage. Four individuals with the histological diagnosis of Alport syndrome were genetically confirmed as having X-chromosomal (n = 2; including one female carrier) and autosomal-recessive (n = 2) Alport syndrome. Proteomics showed heterogeneous results. Proband samples carried variants in COL4A3 (n = 3), COL4A5 (n = 3), ADCK4, NPHP4, and WT1 (the last three each n = 1). COL4A3 was detected in 6/9 of control samples and in 0/9 of proband samples; COL4A5 was detected in 5/9 of control samples and in 0/9 of proband samples. ADCK4, NPHP4, and WT1 could not be detected in this analysis, neither in control, nor in proband samples. Conclusion In this study, molecular genetic diagnostics allowed a more precise disease assignment and thus provided information on therapy, prognosis, recurrence in the transplant, possible extrarenal phenotypes, and inheritance. Histological findings can indicate an inherited disease and help to trigger genetic testing (e.g., Alport syndrome). However, genetic diagnostics can also classify cases for which there are no typical morphological criteria described or if severe scarring impairs morphological diagnosis. Numerous cases of a respective monogenic disease would have to be analyzed in order to establish common histopathological criteria, if present. This is a challenge due to the rapid discovery of new disease-associated genes and the rarity of the respective diseases. LC-MS-based proteomics from kidney biopsy samples showed to be of limited value in further characterizing changes associated with specific variants. Unlike the genome, which is consistent due to the stability of DNA, the proteome is influenced by various effects: Different stages of fibrosis depending on the time of biopsy and other factors like coexistent disease lead to varying protein intensities even in two separate samples that present identical genetic variants. The detected protein intensity patterns could not be sufficiently correlated with the genetic findings. Despite the detection of certain proteins of interest like type IV collagens, their intensity variation due to advanced tissue damage did not allow reliable conclusions on the underlying cause. Alternatively, molecular methods such as MALDI imaging could further visualize these changes.

#4621 TREATMENT PREFERENCES TO SERIOUS ILLNESS IN PATIENTS RECEIVING PERITONEAL DIALYSIS

Abstract Background and Aims People with end-stage kidney disease receiving maintenance dialysis are more likely to receive intensive pattern of end-of-life care than those with other severe illness. It's important to understand the preferences to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and other end-of-life care. However, no prior studies have investigated patients receiving peritoneal dialysis. This study aimed to explore the preference to CPR and patterns of end-of-life care in patient receiving peritoneal dialysis (PD), which had not been specifically investigated in the literature. Method This cross-sectional study of patients receiving PD was conducted in the National Taiwan University Hospital between Dec. 2021, and Mar. 2022. Patients were enrolled if they were 20 years or older, sufficiently fluent to complete surveys and cognitively able to provide written informed consent and had received maintenance peritoneal dialysis for at least 3 months. Enrollee were asked to the Chinese version of Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment questionnaire. Results Among 400 eligible patients, 364 (91%) responded to the questionnaire. The average age was 55.5 years; 50.3% were men. Among the 364 responders, 73.6% selected do not attempt resuscitation (DNR) and 26.4% preferred CPR. Multivariate logistic analysis revealed that age (OR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.94-0.98), male (OR = 2.44, 95% CI 1.45-4.1) and residual kidney Kt/V (OR = 2.45 95% CI 1.24-4.82) were associated with CPR. If they are facing on serious illness, 47.5% of participants prefer to “Focus on comfort”, 28.6% choose “try treatments, but do not suffer” and 23.9% request “live as long as possible”. Furthermore, 51.4% of participants selected “No artificial nutrient support” in the end of life and 87.1% select “comfort care” as their first priority. Paradoxically, only 13.5% of the patients who preferred CPR took “staying alive” as their first priority, while 71.9% focused on “comfort care”. Conclusion Around 75% of PD patients selected DNR when cardiopulmonary arrest. Age, gender, residual Kt/V were important factors associated with CPR preference. Most patients preferred supportive pattern of end-of-life care. Integrating patients' treatment preference to serious illness and values and goals of end-of-life care in shared decision making is important for patients receiving dialysis.

A Multi-Attribute Approach for Low-Carbon and Intensive Land Use of Jinan, China

This paper establishes an evaluation system based on the low-carbon intensive land use in Jinan city from 2010 to 2017 and uses a multi-attribute approach named grey fuzzy integral to build the evaluation model. In this model, based on the Mobius transformation coefficient of subjective and objective weights of index factors and the interaction degree between index factors, 2-additive fuzzy measures can be obtained; therefore, evaluation of low-carbon and intensive land use in Jinan city is processed by combining the grey correlation degree and Choquet fuzzy integral. The results show that in the study period, land input intensity, land use degree, land output benefit and land sustainability in Jinan city all show a good upward trend, but the low-carbon land use level of has been in a declining state. Although there is a good development trend of low-carbon and intensive land use in Jinan, the state is not stable. A Low-carbon and intensive land use pattern will not be achieved completely overnight, and it is bound to be a dynamic game process.

Photon-noise: is a single-pixel camera better than point scanning? A signal-to-noise ratio analysis for Hadamard and Cosine positive modulation

In a single-pixel camera, an unknown object is sequentially illuminated by intensity patterns. The total reflected or transmitted intensity is summed in a single-pixel detector from which the object is computationally reconstructed. In the situation where the measurements are limited by photon-noise, it is questionable whether a single-pixel camera performs better or worse than simply scanning the object with a focused intensity spot—a modality known as point raster scanning and employed in many laser scanning systems. Here, we solve this general question and report that positive intensity modulation based on Hadamard or Cosine patterns does not necessarily improve the single-to-noise ratio (SNR) of single-pixel cameras, as compared to point raster scanning (RS). Instead, we show that the SNR is only improved on object pixels at least k times brighter than the object mean signal , where k is a constant that depends on the modulation scheme (modulation matrix, number of detectors, etc). The constant k is derived for several widespread cases and has important consequences on the choice of the optical deign. This fundamental property is demonstrated theoretically, numerically, and is experimentally confirmed in the spatial domain (widefield fluorescence imaging) and in the spectral domain (spontaneous Raman spectral measurements). Finally, we provide user-oriented guidelines that help decide when and how multiplexing under photon-noise should be used instead of point RS.

Transformation of Laguerre-Gaussian beams into 1D array of Hermite-Gaussian modes under the Talbot effect.

This work explains diffraction of Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) beams having non-zero radial indices from one dimensional (1D) periodic structures and their transformation into Hermite-Gaussian (HG) modes, theoretically, verifies using simulations and demonstrates the phenomenon experimentally. We first report a general theoretical formulation for such diffraction schemes, and then use it to investigate the near-field diffraction patterns from a binary grating having a small opening ratio (OR) by providing numerous examples. Results show that for OR≲ 0.1, at the Talbot planes, mainly at the first Talbot image, the images of individual lines of the grating obtain HG modes' intensity patterns. Therefore, the topological charge (TC) of the incident beam and its radial index can be determined from the observed HG mode. In this study, the effects of the OR of the grating and the number of Talbot plane on the quality of the generated 1D array of HG modes are also investigated. The optimum beam radius for a given grating is also determined. The theoretical predictions, are well confirmed by a number of simulations based on the free space transfer function and fast Fourier transform approach, and by experiments. The observed phenomenon, the transformation of LG beams into 1D array of HG modes under the Talbot effect, in addition of providing a way for characterization of LG beams with non-zero radial indices, itself is interesting and may be used in other fields of wave physics, especially for long-wavelength waves.

Job stress and burnout among construction professionals: the moderating role of online emotions

PurposeThe negative effects of job stress and burnout on construction professionals (CPs) at the construction site have been widely concern in the construction industry. The purpose of this study is committed to explore the impact of job stress on CPs on the construction site, especially in the context of the widespread use of social media to express their emotions.Design/methodology/approachThis study developed a job-related stress-burnout-health conditions-turnover intention (S-B-HT) framework to explore the direct and lagged effects of job stress, we also examined the moderating effects of online emotions, operationalized in terms of emotional intensity and expression pattern, on the relationship between job stress with job burnout under two evolution paths (i.e. health conditions or turnover intention). This study collected 271 samples through a survey questionnaire for empirical testing, and introduced structural equation models to validate the proposed conceptual model.FindingsThe results show that job stress has a significant positive effect on job burnout, and job burnout maintains a positive relationship with health conditions (or turnover intention) under the interference mechanism. Simultaneously, the online emotions expressed in social media have a positive moderating effect in two stages of the evolution path.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study remind the project manager need to timely find and solve the job burnout characteristics of CPs due to excessive job stress, especially to prevent the accidental consequences caused by job burnout.Originality/valueOn this basis, this study provides an important value of using social media to express emotions for the project team to alleviate the adverse of professionals under job stress.

Reducing industrial noise by the use of damping alloys when manufacturing mining equipment parts

The existing experience of noise and vibration specialists has shown that the problem of noise reduction is very relevant, especially for the mining industry. Traditional methods of dealing with industrial noise are not effective enough. In solving this issue, it is advisable to reduce the noise level at the source of its occurrence through the use of metal alloys with enhanced dissipative properties. The article presents the results of experimental studies of developing steels with increased damping properties for manufacturing perforator parts: bit bodies and drill rods. In this article, the sound pressure level of alloys dependence on the type of heat treatment has been studied, and the optimal content of alloying elements has been established to ensure the development of the ferrite-pearlite structure. This structure is characterized by an increased dislocation density and is the reason for reducing the noise of the drill rod and the body of the perforator bit by 10–12 dB A. In addition, the article establishes the pattern of noise intensity at different frequency intervals for standard and developed alloys.

Time-series nighttime imagery for measuring the growth of Urban agglomeration in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

This paper studies the structure and dynamics of urban agglomeration between 1992 and 2018 in one of most developed regions in China – the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) – based on the harmonized night-time light (NTL) data from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) and Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) imagery. We adopted Zipf's law as the rule to control the spatial clustering of adjacent lit pixels. The clustered pixels as patches are concentration of human activities and can then be used for regional urbanization analysis. Unlike conventional spatial units that are rarely changed, such as administrative boundaries, these patches change subtly each year and, more importantly, can help us to examine precisely the urbanization pattern in both development mode and intensity. We investigated the urban growth pattern during the 27-year timespan and conducted the analysis at both region and city levels. Interestingly, the results suggest that Zipf's law of derived patch sizes can hold nearly every year, showcasing the consistent spatial coherency of the urban agglomeration process in the entire region. The correlation between urbanization metrics for each city at three stages (1992–2000, 2000–2010, and 2010–2018) can further lead to deep insights towards the synergetic course of the coordinated and multi-center development.

Unemployment and Online Labor: Evidence from Microtasking

We analyze the relationship between unemployment and the supply of online labor for microtasking. Using detailed U.S. data from a large microtasking platform between 2011 and 2015, we study the participation and the number of hours supplied by workers in the U.S. We found that more individuals registered on the platform and completed microtasks as the unemployment level in the commuting zone increased. This effect was strongest in regions with a high share of low-skilled workers. Our analyses of the intensive margin, wage elasticity, and temporal work patterns suggest that the increased participation was likely motivated by an effort to substitute income. Our findings suggest that microtasking platforms are an interesting online labor market for less educated workers. However, we also observed very low retention rates, indicative of a solely transient participation effect.

CARD18: In vitro and in silico Characterization of Aggregation and Embolization of Thrombi on Ventricular Assist Device Cannula

Background: The unacceptably high stroke rate of HeartMate III VAD without signs of pump thrombosis is hypothesized to be the result of the thrombi originating on the inflow cannula, ingesting and ejecting emboli from the VAD. Therefore, inflow cannula thrombosis has been an emerging focus. The inflow cannula of contemporary VADs, which incorporate both polished and rough regions serve as useful benchmarks to study the effects of roughness and shear on thrombogenesis. An in-vitro study was conducted to emulate the micro-hemodynamic condition on a sintered inflow cannula, and to observe the deposition and detachment patterns. With a computational fluid dynamic tool, this study aimed to provide insight into the optimization of inflow cannula and potentially reducing adverse neurological events due to upstream thrombus. Methods: A parallel plate channel was designed for this study which incorporates periodic teeth (approximately 75-micron Ra) that mimic the sintered surface treatment of a left ventricular inflow cannula. Anti-coagulated whole human blood (3.2% sodium citrate), collected from 17 healthy donors, was perfused through the microchannel by a syringe pump at calibrated flow rates to achieve shear rates of 1000, 2500, and 7500s-1 (Reynolds numbers 3.06 - 22.88). Deposition of fluorescently labeled platelets was visualized using inverted epifluorescence microscopy. Mean fluorescence intensity, deposition probability, and embolization pattern were collected. Numerical simulations of a previously validated thrombosis model were performed using OpenFOAM. A hexahedral dominant mesh was used with the transition to prism elements near the refinement region at the boundary. Results: The average fluorescence intensity map (Fig.1) depicts the time-course deposition within the serrated micro-channel for three perfusion rates studied. Sustained growth of platelets adhesion was seen in all shear conditions. Increasing the shear rate results in less adhesion and more bulk embolization, which was captured by real-time video. Variance in deposition location was also found associated with an increasing shear rate, confirmed by CFD simulation. At the lowest shear rate, platelets aggregated onto the tips of the teeth and were trapped within the valleys between teeth. At 7500 s-1, less deposition was found on the tips, and emboli were observed washing off from the tips. Conclusion: This in vitro and in silico thrombus formation study is the first to focus on emulating clinical-related surface roughness and supraphysiological shear of a VAD inflow cannula. The simulation reproduced the experimental observation of the shear-dependent spatial distribution of platelet deposition. The findings in the variance of adherent thrombus and mean intensity of platelet deposition may suggest that a supraphysiological flow induces embolization around the cannula’s rough surface, which raises concerns about hemocompatibility of inflow cannula without signs of adherent thrombus.Figure 1. (A) Experiment set-up to emulate the micro-hemodynamic condition on a sintered inflow cannula. (B) Mean fluorescent intensity of platelet deposition for three shear rates studied. N=5. (C) The results of thrombosis CFD simulation at the corresponding shear rates confirm the in vitro observation.

Effects of the Grazing Incidence Geometry on X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy Measurements.

X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy (XPCS) is a versatile tool to measure dynamics on the nanometer to micrometer scale in bulk samples. XPCS has also been applied in grazing incidence (GI) geometry to examine the dynamics of surface layers. However, considering GI scattering experiments more universally, the GI geometry leads to a superposition of signals due to reflection and refraction effects, also known from the distorted-wave Born approximation (DWBA). In this paper, the impact of these reflection and refraction effects on the correlation analysis is determined experimentally by measuring grazing incidence transmission XPCS (GT-XPCS) and grazing incidence XPCS (GI-XPCS) simultaneously for a thin film sample, showing non-equilibrium dynamics. The results of the GI and GT geometry comparisons are combined within the framework of the standardly applied, simplified DWBA. These calculations allow identifying the main contributions of the detected signal from the leading scattering terms along the out-of-plane direction qz, which dominate the measured intensity pattern on the detector. In combination with the calculation of the non-linear effect of refraction in GTSAXS and GISAXS, it is possible to identify experimental conditions that can be chosen to run experiments and data analysis as close as possible to transmission XPCS and to explain which limitations for data interpretations are observed. Consequently, the beam exposure can be significantly reduced by using GI geometry only. Calculations of experimental settings prior to experiments are detailed to determine suitable qz regions for a variety of material systems measured in bulk-sensitive GI-XPCS experiments, allowing us to determine the scaling behavior of typical decay times as a function of q that is comparable to the scaling behavior obtained in distortion-free GT-XPCS or transmission XPCS experiments.

Characterization of upper limb use in health care workers during regular shifts: A quantitative approach based on wrist-worn accelerometers

Despite the high prevalence of upper limb (UL) work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD) among health care workers (HCWs), little is known about their relationship with exposure to biomechanical risk factors. This study aimed to assess UL activity features under actual working conditions using two wrist-worn accelerometers. Accelerometric data were processed to obtain duration, intensity, and asymmetry of UL use in 32 HCWs during the execution of commonly performed tasks (e.g., patient hygiene, transfer, and meal distribution) within a regular shift. The results show that such tasks are characterized by significantly different patterns of UL use, in particular, higher intensities and larger asymmetries were observed respectively for patient hygiene and meal distribution. The proposed approach appears, thus, suitable to discriminate tasks characterized by different UL motion patterns. Future studies could benefit from the integration of such measures with self-reported workers’ perception to elucidate the relationship between dynamic UL movements and WRMSD.

Spatiotemporal Variation of Hourly Scale Extreme Rainstorms in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain and Its Impact on NDVI

This paper utilizes high-resolution ERA5 hourly data from 1980 to 2020 and long-term normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) time series obtained from remote sensing and applies trend analysis, correlation analysis, lag analysis, and other methods to study the spatiotemporal characteristics of extreme rainfall at daily and hourly scales in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain. The paper explores the NDVI’s variability and its relationship with extreme hourly precipitation and analyzes the main factors affecting it. The study made the following observations: (1) The extreme daily precipitation in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain shows a decreasing trend, with a 13.6 mm/yr reduction rate. In contrast, the proportion of extreme rainfall to total precipitation generally exceeds 20%, and the intensity of extreme rain has gradually increased. The spatial distribution pattern of extreme rainfall follows the distribution pattern of China’s rain belts, with the terrain being an important influencing factor. The high-incidence areas for extreme rainfall are the Huaihe River region and the Shandong Peninsula. (2) The observed significant increase in hourly extreme precipitation events in the Shandong and Henan provinces of the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain has led to an increased risk of flooding, while the corresponding events in the northwest region of the Plain have exhibited a gradual weakening trend over time. (3) The extreme hourly precipitation in the Huang-Huai-Hai plain shows a frequent and scattered pattern, with decreasing intensity over time. Extreme precipitation mainly occurs in the first half of the night, especially between 19:00 and 21:00, with extreme hourly rainfall intensity fluctuating between 0.2 and 0.25 and the proportion of rainfall to total precipitation reaching as high as 10%. The spatial distribution of extreme hourly rainstorms during the peak period (19:00–21:00) exhibits a high rainfall volume, intensity, and frequency pattern in the eastern region, while the western part exhibits low rainfall volume, intensity, and frequency. (4) The incidence of extremely heavy rainfall in an hour has exhibited a more significant increase compared to extreme daily events in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain, primarily in the form of backward-type precipitation. Hourly extreme precipitation events in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain are affected by terrain and land use/cover change (LUCC), with the micro-topography of hilly areas leading to a concentrated distribution of precipitation and LUCC suppressing extreme precipitation events in arid climates. (5) At the ten-day scale, the spatial distribution of the NDVI shows a gradually increasing trend from northwest to southeast, with the highest NDVI value reaching up to 0.6 in the southern part of the study area. For extreme hourly precipitation, there is no significant change observed at the multi-year ten-day scale; while the NDVI in the northern and central parts of the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain shows a significant decreasing trend, in contrast, it presents a significant increasing trend in the southern region. (6) Finally, the correlation between NDVI at the ten-day scale and extreme hourly precipitation exhibits a decreasing pattern from north to south, with a correlation coefficient decreasing from 0.48 to 0.08. The lagged correlation analysis of extreme hourly rainfall and NDVI for one, two, and three ten-day periods shows that the lagged effect of extreme hourly precipitation on NDVI is negligible. Analyzing the correlation between extreme hourly rainfall and NDVI for different months, the impact of extreme hourly precipitation on NDVI is predominantly negative, except for June, which shows a positive correlation (0.35), passing the significance test. This study offers a scientific foundation for enhancing disaster warning accuracy and timeliness and strengthening the research on disaster reduction techniques.

Factors Affecting Traffic Noise and Annoyance from Different Types of Roads: A Case Study in Nakorn Pathom Province, Thailand

This study investigated factors associated with road traffic noise and residents’ annoyance from three distinct types of roads (major arterial, minor arterial, and collector roads). Nine sampling locations in Thailand’s Nakorn Pathom Province were chosen for the measurement of noise levels and three contributing characteristics: traffic volume, vehicle speed, and the proportion of heavy to total vehicles. Along with a housing survey, face to face interviews with a total of 387 roadside dwellers recorded their sociodemographic data, activity-based locations, and noise impacts experienced. A statistical analysis based on Spearman correlation revealed a positive relationship between traffic volume and traffic noise level on major arterial (r=0.607) and collector roads (r=0.885). Residents around collector roads were more sensitive than those along the main arterial road, in spite of having lower noise levels and less intense traffic patterns. Longer housing setbacks appeared to be a key factor in reducing noise annoyance from all road types, according to an exact logistic regression analysis (OR=0.11, 95% CI: 0.003, 0.73 for the major arterial road; OR=0.29, 95% CI: 0.10, 0.78 for the minor arterial road; and OR=0.32, 95% CI: 0.12, 0.84 for collector roads). However, performing activities in closed areas (OR=0.05, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.17 for the minor arterial road; OR=0.22, 95% CI: 0.54, 0.90 for collector roads) and living in soundproof structures (OR=0.05, 95% CI: 0.001, 0.31 for collector roads) played additional roles to reduce the annoyance of residents along the roads with shorter setback lines.

High-precision phase retrieval method for speckle suppression based on optimized modulation masks.

Traditional methods of coherent diffraction imaging using random masks result in an insufficient difference between the diffraction patterns, making it challenging to form a strong amplitude constraint, causing significant speckle noise in the measurement results. Hence, this study proposes an optimized mask design method combining random and Fresnel masks. Increasing the difference between diffraction intensity patterns enhances the amplitude constraint, suppresses the speckle noise effectively, and improves the phase recovery accuracy. The numerical distribution of the modulation masks is optimized by adjusting the combination ratio of the two mask modes. The simulation and physical experiments show that the reconstruction results of PSNR and SSIM using the proposed method are higher than those using random masks, and the speckle noises are effectively reduced.

Chemiluminescence sensor array for oxidase discrimination based on ternary transition metal sulfide

Simultaneous discrimination of multiple enzymes in clinical diagnosis is significance and remains a great challenge. Herein, we reported a facile synthesis of three ternary transition metal sulfide (TTMS) nanoparticles, i.e. FeCo2S4, CuCo2S4 and FeCu2S4, by using L-cysteine as sulphur source for oxidase discrimination. The CL emission from luminol oxidation by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was greatly enhanced by TTMS, with the maximal three orders of magnitude CL signal amplification for FeCo2S4. Hence, an ultra-sensitive CL assay was developed for H2O2 detection down to 0.5 pM. Because H2O2 is generated via biocatalytic reaction between substrate and corresponding oxidase, thus, CL sensor arrays can be developed to discriminate different oxidases. The sensing principle is based on the fact that different substrates/oxidases produced different amounts of H2O2. For each substrate/oxidase couple, the sensor array produces a peculiar CL intensity pattern able to be distinguished via linear discriminant analysis. As a proof-of-concept study, four oxidases, i.e. glucose-, sarcosine-, choline- and cholesterol-oxidase, were selected to demonstrate the array’s discrimination performance and were identified successfully with an accuracy of 100%, and achieved the accurate discrimination of oxidases in serum samples. This work demonstrated the potential of the TTMS-based CL sensor array to discriminate multiple oxidases.

Propagation of quasi-diffraction-free lommel-airy vortex wavepackets in chiral media

Lommel beams have significant applications in optical communication and optical manipulation due to the changeable symmetry of transverse intensity distribution and constantly varying orbital angular momentum. In this paper, a novel quasi-diffraction-free Lommel-Airy vortex (LAiV) wavepackets is proposed, and spatiotemporal dynamics of the LAiV wavepackets propagating in chiral media are investigated. Results indicate that several variables such as topological charge group velocity asymmetry factor and chiral parameter could be used to regulate the profiles of the 3D spatiotemporal vortex rings. Particularly, the spatiotemporal propagation trajectories and intensity patterns of the LAiV wavepackets could be manipulated by altering the asymmetry factor and the chiral parameter These results would deepen the understanding of the spatiotemporal propagation properties of the LAiV wavepackets and are expected to promote the development of the novel optical communications in chiral media.

The Role of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in the Differential Diagnosis of Tuberous Vas Deferens Tuberculosis and Metastatic Inguinal Lymph Nodes.

To retrospective analysis and summary the features of tuberous vas deferens tuberculosis (VD TB) and inguinal metastatic lymph nodes (MLN) in routine ultrasound (US) and contrast-enhanced US (CEUS) as well as to assess the utility of CEUS in differentiating between the two diseases. The US and CEUS findings of patients with pathologically confirmed tuberous VD TB (n = 17) and inguinal MLN (n = 28), including the number of lesions, presence of bilateral disease, differences in internal echogenicity, a conglomeration of lesions, and blood flow within the lesions, were retrospectively analyzed. Routine US showed no significant difference in the number of lesions, nodule size, internal echogenicity, sinus tract, or skin rupture; however, significant differences were observed between the two conditions in the conglomeration of lesions (χ2 = 6.455; p = 0.023) and the degree, intensity, and echogenicity pattern on CEUS (χ2 = 18.865, 17.455, and 15.074, respectively; p = 0.000 for all). CEUS can show the blood supply of the lesion, and judge the physical condition of the lesion better than US. Homogeneous, centripetal, and diffuse enhancement should prompt a diagnosis of inguinal MLN, whereas lesions with heterogeneous and diffuse enhancement on CEUS should be considered as VD TB. CEUS has great diagnostic value in differentiating between tuberous VD TB and inguinal MLN.

Controllable Helico-Conical Beam Generated with the Bored Phase

A controllable helico-conical beam is proposed in this paper. The intensity patterns and the local spatial frequency of the controllable helico-conical beams in the focal region are analyzed in detail. The results show that the length of the helico-conical beams can be customized by the variable parameter k, and the angular dimension of the bored spiral trajectory is dependent on the proportion k/l. Moreover, the focal-field energy flow density and orbital angular momentum distributions of the controllable helico-conical beams are also analyzed. The proposed helico-conical beams with controllable lengths can be potentially applied in the field of optical guiding.