By combining the results from a self-consistent 2D dusty plasma fluid model and a 3D N-body code, the equilibrium position and crystal structure were determined for dust particles levitated in the sheath in a modified Gaseous Electronics Conference (GEC) reference cell, in which the lower electrode was heated or cooled. The Debye length, charge and electric field were reconstructed on a sub-mil...

We describe measurements of plasma properties of pulsed, low pressure, capacitively coupled discharges operated in argon. The research aims to determine the effect of modulating the radiofrequency power during the discharge part of the pulse cycle. Measurements of local electron density and optical emission were made in capacitively-coupled rf discharges generated in a Gaseous Electronics Confe...

INTRODUCTION Gases, such as nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO), or hydrogen sulfide (H2S), termed gasotransmitters, play an increasingly important role in understanding of how electrical signaling of cells is modulated. H2S is well-known to act on various ion channels and receptors. In a previous study we reported that H2S increased calcium-activated potassium (BK) channel activity. AIMS...

Our recent article opened a valuable discussion on the safety of miniaturized perfusion systems (MPSs) with respect to the risk of gaseous microemboli (GME) [1, 2]. We would like to comment on this. Although the clinical advantages of MPSs are well known, it is still important to focus on avoiding possible side effects in order to increase patient safety [3]. In our study, we observed excessive...

The study of new energy carriers for sustainable energy conversion processes is a hot research area. Among the potential energy carriers one finds biogas, containing a large fraction of methane, which attracts high interests worldwide. However, to be more useful, e.g., concerning storage and transportation, conversion of gaseous methane fuel into liquid fuel like methanol is desired. The conven...

Individual PAH are shown to undergo chemical transformation when exposed to gases such as NO2, O3 and SO3. The possibility of artifact formation during sampling in stacks and in ambient air is discussed. PAH on soot, formed in a smoke gas generator, and exposed to NO chi and SO chi in a thermostated oven were degraded as a result of the sampling technique. Addition of NO2 (1 ppm) or gaseous HNO...

We demonstrate the use of a phononic crystal to enable the nebulisation of liquid droplets from low-cost disposable arrays, using surface acoustic waves (SAW). The SAWs were generated using interdigitated transducers (IDT) on a piezoelectric surface (LiNbO(3)) and the acoustic waves were coupled into a disposable phononic crystal structure, referred to as a superstrate. Using its excellent refl...

Prognostics and health management techniques have drawn widespread attention due to their ability to facilitate maintenance activities based on need. On-line prognosis of fatigue crack propagation can offer information for optimizing operation and maintenance strategies in real-time. This paper proposes a Lamb wave-particle filter (LW-PF)-based method for on-line prognosis of fatigue crack prop...

Vacuum-assisted venous drainage (VAVD) to enhance venous return during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was described as early as 1958 but was not widely used until the late 1990s. VAVD was initially used to facilitate the use of smaller cannulas with ministernotomy but was increasingly used to allow reduction in CPB circuit size while maintaining CPB flow rates. This innovation was made without pl...

The chemical composition of airborne particulate matter (PM) was studied at a coastal region near De Haan, Belgium, during a winter-spring and a summer campaign in 2006. The major ionic components of size-segregated PM, i.e. NH(4)(+), Na(+), K(+), Mg(2+), Ca(2+), Cl(-), NO(3)(-), and SO(4)(2-), and related gaseous pollutants (SO(2), NO(2), NH(3), HNO(2), and HNO(3)) were monitored on a daily ba...