bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
VLF/LF Radio Sounding of Ionospheric Perturbations Associated with Earthquakes
Authors: Hayakawa Masashi
Published: October 2008

It is recently recognized that the ionosphere is very sensitive to seismic effects,and the detection of ionospheric perturbations associated with earthquakes, seems to bevery promising for short-term earthquake prediction. We have proposed a possible use ofVLF/LF (very low frequency (3-30 kHz) /low frequency (30-300 kHz)) radio sounding ofthe seismo-ionospheric perturbations. A brief history of the use of subionospheric VLF/LFpropagation for the short-term earthquake prediction is given, followed by a significantfinding of ionospheric perturbation for the Kobe earthquake in 1995. After showingprevious VLF/LF results, we present the latest VLF/LF findings; One is the statisticalcorrelation of the ionospheric perturbation with earthquakes and the second is a case studyfor the Sumatra earthquake in December, 2004, indicating the spatical scale and dynamicsof ionospheric perturbation for this earthquake.
Effects of Palladium Loading on the Response of Thick Film Flame-made ZnO Gas Sensor for Detection of Ethanol Vapor
Authors: Liewhiran Chaikarn , Phanichphant Sukon
Published: October 2008

ZnO nanoparticles doped with 0-5 mol% Pd were successfully produced in asingle step by flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) using zinc naphthenate and palladium (II)acetylacetonate dissolved in toluene-acetonitrile (80:20 vol%) as precursors. The effect ofPd loading on the ethanol gas sensing performance of the ZnO nanoparticles and thecrystalline sizes were investigated. The particle properties were analyzed by XRD, BET,AFM, SEM (EDS line scan mode), TEM, STEM, EDS, and CO-pulse chemisorptionmeasurements. A trend of an increase in specific surface area of samples and a decrease inthe dBET with increasing Pd concentrations was noted. ZnO nanoparticles were observed asparticles presenting clear spheroidal, hexagonal and rod-like morphologies. The sizes ofZnO spheroidal and hexagonal particle crystallites were in the 10-20 nm range. ZnOnanorods were in the range of 10-20 nm in width and 20-50 nm in length. The size of Pdnanoparticles increased and Pd-dispersion% decreased with increasing Pd concentrations.The sensing films were produced by mixing the particles into an organic paste composedof terpineol and ethyl cellulose as a vehicle binder. The paste was doctor-bladed ontoAl2O3 substrates interdigitated with Au electrodes. The film morphology was analyzed bySEM and EDS analyses. The gas sensing of ethanol (25-250 ppm) was studied in dry air at400°C. The oxidation of ethanol on the sensing surface of the semiconductor wasconfirmed by MS. A well-dispersed of 1 mol%Pd/ZnO films showed the highest sensitivityand the fastest response time (within seconds).
Flow-Injection Amperometric Determination of Tacrine based on Ion Transfer across a Water–Plasticized Polymeric Membrane Interface
Authors: Ortuño Joaquin  A. , Rueda C.
Published: October 2008

A flow-injection pulse amperometric method for determining tacrine, based onion transfer across a plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) membrane, was developed. Afour-electrode potentiostat with ohmic drop compensation was used, while a flow-throughcell incorporated the four electrodes and the membrane, which containedtetrabutylammonium tetraphenylborate. The influence of the applied potential and of theflow-injection variables on the determination of tacrine was studied. In the selectedconditions, a linear relationship between peak height and tacrine concentration was foundup to 4x10-5M tacrine. The detection limit was 1x10-7M. Good repeatability was obtained.Some common ions and pharmaceutical excipients did not interfere.
Cluster-based Dynamic Energy Management for Collaborative Target Tracking in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Wang Xue , Ma Jun-Jie , Wang Sheng , Bi Dao-Wei
Published: October 2008

A primary criterion of wireless sensor network is energy efficiency. Focused onthe energy problem of target tracking in wireless sensor networks, this paper proposes acluster-based dynamic energy management mechanism. Target tracking problem isformulated by the multi-sensor detection model as well as energy consumption model. Adistributed adaptive clustering approach is investigated to form a reasonable routingframework which has uniform cluster head distribution. Dijkstra’s algorithm is utilized toobtain optimal intra-cluster routing. Target position is predicted by particle filter. Thepredicted target position is adopted to estimate the idle interval of sensor nodes. Hence,dynamic awakening approach is exploited to prolong sleep time of sensor nodes so that theoperation energy consumption of wireless sensor network can be reduced. The sensornodes around the target wake up on time and act as sensing candidates. With the candidatesensor nodes and predicted target position, the optimal sensor node selection is considered.Binary particle swarm optimization is proposed to minimize the total energy consumptionduring collaborative sensing and data reporting. Experimental results verify that theproposed clustering approach establishes a low-energy communication structure while theenergy efficiency of wireless sensor networks is enhanced by cluster-based dynamic energymanagement.
Surface Plasmon Spectroscopic Detection of Saxitoxin
Authors: Chen Hongxia , Kim Youn Sook , Keum Sam-Rok , Kim Sung-Hoon , Choi Heung-Jin , Lee Jaebeom , An Won Gun , Koh Kwangnak
Published: October 2008

For the surface-optoelectronic study of Saxitoxin sensing, we fabricated self-assembled calix[4]arene derivative monolayers as the recognition-functional interfaces ona gold surface. An interaction study between Saxitoxin and calix[4]arene derivativemonolayers were performed using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy. Amongthree calix[4]arene derivatives, calix[4]arene crown ether SAM showed the highestsensitivity to Saxitoxin. The detection limit of this system is three orders of magnitudelower than that of the mouse bioassay which is the current benchmark for Saxitoxindetection.
Proposal for an Ultrasonic Tool to Monitor the Osseointegration of Dental Implants
Authors: De Almeida Marina Storani , Maciel Carlos Dias , Pereira José Carlos
Published: October 2008

The longevity of dental implants depends on osseointegration, which providesload-bearing capacity without putting the prosthesis at risk from micromotions at theimplant-bone interface. This research involved an analysis of the viability of an ultrasonicevaluation tool to quantify osseointegration. Ultrasonic transmission is directly dependenton the difference between the acoustic impedance of materials in intimate contact witheach other. The closer their acoustic impedances the more intense their transmission.Therefore, an analysis of the ultrasonic echoes would presumably allow for a quantitativeevaluation of the bone tissue that has grown into the pores of the implant. In addition, theliterature reports that bone fracture healing can be accelerated by the application of acontrolled low-amplitude mechanical stimulus on the site of the lesion. In fact, acousticpressure waves of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound are reportedly a secure technique forpromoting mechanical stimulus without impairing the healing process. Many experimentaland clinical trials have confirmed that daily transcutaneous ultrasound applications on theinjured site are beneficial to the enhancement of fractured bone. This proposal aims tobring together the characteristics of ultrasound propagation and the positive effect ofultrasound on bone growth into a single tool that quantitatively monitors the evolution ofthe osseointegration process. The viability of a device with these features was investigatedthrough simulations and experimentally. The initial simulations were conducted to explorethe influence of waveguide shapes on the tool’s sensitivity to changes in the implantsupporting media. The waveguides were designed in two parts, one consisting of a screw-shaped part to attach to the implant and the other a conical or step-shaped part to which the ultrasonic source was fixed in the first simulations. The step-shaped waveguide proved to be the more sensitive; intermediate stages of the osseointegration process were simulated and experiments were conducted with the step-shaped aluminum waveguide attached to a cylindrical aluminum nut embedded at different depths, so that the results obtained were only due to lateral attachment of the parts. These devices indicated that the transmission of ultrasound through the lateral surface of the implant by dilatational waves could render this tool suitable for monitoring the osseointegration of dental implants.
Spectrometric and Voltammetric Analysis of Urease – Nickel Nanoelectrode as an Electrochemical Sensor
Authors: Hubalek Jaromir , Hradecky Jan , Adam Vojtech , Krystofova Olga , Huska Dalibor , Masarik Michal , Trnkova Libuse , Horna Ales , Klosova Katerina , Adamek Martin , Zehnalek Josef , Kizek Rene
Published: October 2008

Urease is the enzyme catalyzing the hydrolysis of urea into carbon dioxide andammonia. This enzyme is substrate-specific, which means that the enzyme catalyzes thehydrolysis of urea only. This feature is a basic diagnostic criterion used in thedetermination of many bacteria species. Most of the methods utilized for detection ofurease are based on analysis of its enzyme activity – the hydrolysis of urea. The aim of thiswork was to detect urease indirectly by spectrometric method and directly by voltammetricmethods. As spectrometric method we used is called indophenol assay. The sensitivity ofdetection itself is not sufficient to analyse the samples without pre-concentration steps.Therefore we utilized adsorptive transfer stripping technique coupled with differential pulse voltammetry to detect urease. The influence of accumulation time, pH of supporting electrolyte and concentration of urease on the enzyme peak height was investigated. Under the optimized experimental conditions (0.2 M acetate buffer pH 4.6 and accumulation time of 120 s) the detection limit of urease evaluated as 3 S/N was 200 ng/ml. The activity of urease enzyme depends on the presence of nickel. Thus the influence of nickel(II) ions on electrochemical response of the enzyme was studied. Based on the results obtained the interaction of nickel(II) ions and urease can be determined using electrochemical methods. Therefore we prepared Ni nanoelectrodes to measure urease. The Ni nanoelectrodes was analysed after the template dissolution by scanning electron microscopy. The results shown vertically aligned Ni nanopillars almost covered the electrode surface, whereas the defect places are minor and insignificant in comparison with total electrode surface. We were able to not only detect urease itself but also to distinguish its native and denatured form.
An Investigation of Glutathione-Platinum(II) Interactions by Means of the Flow Injection Analysis Using Glassy Carbon Electrode
Authors: Zitka Ondrej , Huska Dalibor , Krizkova Sona , Adam Vojtech , Chavis Grace J. , Trnkova Libuse , Horna Ales , Hubalek Jaromir , Kizek Rene
Published: October 2008

Despite very intensive research in the synthesising of new cytostatics, cisplatin isstill one of the most commonly used anticancer drugs. Therefore, an investigation ofinteractions of cisplatin with different biologically important amino acids, peptides andproteins is very topical. In the present paper, we utilized flow injection analysis coupledwith electrochemical detection to study and characterize the behaviour of various forms ofglutathione (reduced glutathione – GSH, oxidized glutathione – GSSG and S-nitrosoglutathione – GSNO). The optimized conditions were as follows: mobile phase consistedof acetate buffer (pH 3) with a flow rate of 1 mL min-1. Based on results obtained we chose850 mV as the optimal potential for detection of GSH and 1,100 mV as the optimalpotential for detection of GSSG and GSNO. The detection limits of GSH, GSSG andGSNO were 100 pg mL-1, 50 ng mL-1 and 300 pg mL-1, respectively. Further, the optimized technique was used for investigation of interactions between cisplatin and GSH. We were able to observe the interaction between GSH and cisplatin via decrease in the signal corresponding to glutathione. Moreover, we evaluated the formation of the complex by spectrometry. The spectrometric results obtained were in good agreement with electrochemical ones.
Hazards of Secondary Bromadiolone Intoxications Evaluated using High-performance Liquid Chromatography with Electrochemical Detection
Authors: Krizkova Sona , Beklova Miroslava , Pikula Jiri , Adam Vojtech , Horna Ales , Kizek René
Published: October 2008

This study reported on the possibility of intoxications of non-target wild animalsassociated with use of bromadiolone as the active component of rodenticides withanticoagulation effects. A laboratory test was done with earthworms were exposed tobromadiolone-containing granules under the conditions specified in the modified OECD207 guideline. No mortality of earthworms was observed during the fourteen days longexposure. When the earthworms from the above test became a part of the diet of commonvoles in the following experiment, no mortality of consumers was observed too. However,electrochemical analysis revealed higher levels of bromadiolone in tissues fromearthworms as well as common voles compared to control animals. There were determinedcomparable levels of bromadiolone in the liver tissue of common voles after primary(2.34±0.10 μg/g) and secondary (2.20±0.53 μg/g) intoxication. Therefore, the risk ofsecondary intoxication of small mammalian species feeding on bromadiolone-containing earthworms is the same as of primary intoxication through baited granules. Bromadiolone bio-accumulation in the food chain was monitored using the newly developed analytical procedure based on the use of a liquid chromatography coupled with electrochemical detector (HPLC-ED). The HPLC-ED method allowed to determine the levels of bromadiolone in biological samples and is therefore suitable for examining the environmental hazards of this substance.
Ubiquitous Computing Services Discovery and Execution Using a Novel Intelligent Web Services Algorithm
Authors: Choi Okkyung , Han SangYong
Published: October 2008

Ubiquitous Computing makes it possible to determine in real time the locationand situations of service requesters in a web service environment as it enables access tocomputers at any time and in any place. Though research on various aspects of ubiquitouscommerce is progressing at enterprises and research centers, both domestically andoverseas, analysis of a customer’s personal preferences based on semantic web and rulebased services using semantics is not currently being conducted. This paper proposes aUbiquitous Computing Services System that enables a rule based search as well assemantics based search to support the fact that the electronic space and the physical spacecan be combined into one and the real time search for web services and the construction ofefficient web services thus become possible.
Software and Equipment for Remote Testing of Sensors
Authors: Brezovec Barbara , Matko Vojko
Published: October 2008

An improved approach for remote testing of elements and systems is presentedin this article. To ensure high reliability of products, tests must be done in the productionphase to detect possible errors in working mode. Because environmental testing involveslong-term processes the possibility of remote observation and remote controlling of tests isvery useful solution. The concept is to connect the testing chamber with a personalcomputer, create a reliable driver and control it remotely over the local network or Internetfrom other client. It is designed for performing tests on wide area of sensors and sensorbased systems.
Innovative Detection System of Ochratoxin A by Thin Film Photodiodes
Authors: Caputo Domenico , De Cesare Gianpiero , Fanelli Corrado , Nascetti Augusto , Ricelli Alessandra , Scipinotti Riccardo
Published: October 2008

In this work we present, for the first time, a rapid, compact and innovativemethod for detection of Ochratoxin A (OTA) based on hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) sensors. 2 μl of acidified toluene containing OTA at different concentrations werespotted on the silica side of a High Performance Thin Layer Cromatography plate andaligned with a a-Si:H p-i-n photodiode deposited by Plasma Enhanced Chemical VaporDeposition on a different glass substrate. As an UV radiation excites the mycotoxin, the re-emitted light is detected by the a-Si:H sensor. Results show a very good linearity betweenOTA concentration and the sensor photocurrent over almost three orders of magnitude. Theminimum detected OTA concentration is equal to 0.1ng, showing that the presented systemhas the potential for a low cost system suitable for the early detection of toxins in foods.
Land Use and Land Cover Change in Guangzhou, China, from 1998 to 2003, Based on Landsat TM /ETM+ Imagery
Authors: Fan Fenglei , Weng Qihao , Wang Yunpeng
Published: October 2008

Land use and land cover change is a major issue in global environment change,and is especially significant in rapidly developing regions in the world. With its economicdevelopment, population growth, and urbanization, Guangzhou, a major metropolitan inSouth China, have experienced a dramatic land use and land cover (LULC) change over thepast 30 years. Fast LULC change have resulted in degradation of its ecosystems andaffected adversely the environment. It is urgently needed to monitor its LULC changes andto analyses the consequences of these changes in order to provide information for policy-makers to support sustainable development. This study employed two Landsat TM/ETM images in the dry season to detect LULC patterns in 1998 and 2003, and to examine LULCchanges during the period from 1998 to 2003. The type, rate, and pattern of the changesamong five counties of Guangzhou Municipality were analyzed in details by post-classification method. LULC conversion matrix was produced for each county in order toexplore and explain the urban expansion and cropland loss, the most significant types ofLULC change. Land use conversion matrixes of five counties were discussed respectivelyin order to explore and explain the inherence of land use change. The results showed thaturban expansion in these five counties kept an even rate of increase, while substantialamount of cropland vanished during the period. It is also noted that the conversion between cropland and orchard land was intensive. Forest land became the main source of new croplands.
Raman Spectroscopy Cell-based Biosensors
Authors: Notingher Ioan
Published: October 2008

One of the main challenges faced by biodetection systems is the ability to detectand identify a large range of toxins at low concentrations and in short times. Cell-basedbiosensors rely on detecting changes in cell behaviour, metabolism, or induction of celldeath following exposure of live cells to toxic agents. Raman spectroscopy is a powerfultechnique for studying cellular biochemistry. Different toxic chemicals have differenteffects on living cells and induce different time-dependent biochemical changes related tocell death mechanisms. Cellular changes start with membrane receptor signalling leading tocytoplasmic shrinkage and nuclear fragmentation. The potential advantage of Ramanspectroscopy cell-based systems is that they are not engineered to respond specifically to asingle toxic agent but are free to react to many biologically active compounds. Ramanspectroscopy biosensors can also provide additional information from the time-dependentchanges of cellular biochemistry. Since no cell labelling or staining is required, the specifictime dependent biochemical changes in the living cells can be used for the identificationand quantification of the toxic agents. Thus, detection of biochemical changes of cells byRaman spectroscopy could overcome the limitations of other biosensor techniques, withrespect to detection and discrimination of a large range of toxic agents. Furtherdevelopments of this technique may also include integration of cellular microarrays forhigh throughput in vitro toxicological testing of pharmaceuticals and in situ monitoring ofthe growth of engineered tissues.
Agent Collaborative Target Localization and Classification in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Wang Xue , Bi Dao-wei , Ding Liang , Wang Sheng
Published: October 2008

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are autonomous networks that have beenfrequently deployed to collaboratively perform target localization and classification tasks.Their autonomous and collaborative features resemble the characteristics of agents. Suchsimilarities inspire the development of heterogeneous agent architecture for WSN in thispaper. The proposed agent architecture views WSN as multi-agent systems and mobileagents are employed to reduce in-network communication. According to the architecture,an energy based acoustic localization algorithm is proposed. In localization, estimate oftarget location is obtained by steepest descent search. The search algorithm adapts tomeasurement environments by dynamically adjusting its termination condition. With theagent architecture, target classification is accomplished by distributed support vectormachine (SVM). Mobile agents are employed for feature extraction and distributed SVMlearning to reduce communication load. Desirable learning performance is guaranteed bycombining support vectors and convex hull vectors. Fusion algorithms are designed tomerge SVM classification decisions made from various modalities. Real world experimentswith MICAz sensor nodes are conducted for vehicle localization and classification.Experimental results show the proposed agent architecture remarkably facilitates WSNdesigns and algorithm implementation. The localization and classification algorithms alsoprove to be accurate and energy efficient.
Integrated Inductors for RF Transmitters in CMOS/MEMS Smart Microsensor Systems
Authors: Kim Jong-Wan , Takao Hidekuni , Sawada Kazuaki , Ishida Makoto
Published: October 2008

This paper presents the integration of an inductor by complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) compatible processes for integrated smart microsensorsystems that have been developed to monitor the motion and vital signs of humans invarious environments. Integration of radio frequency transmitter (RF) technology withcomplementary metal-oxide-semiconductor/micro electro mechanical systems (CMOS/MEMS) microsensors is required to realize the wireless smart microsensors system. Theessential RF components such as a voltage controlled RF-CMOS oscillator (VCO), spiralinductors for an LC resonator and an integrated antenna have been fabricated and evaluatedexperimentally. The fabricated RF transmitter and integrated antenna were packaged withsubminiature series A (SMA) connectors, respectively. For the impedance (50 ) matching,a bonding wire type inductor was developed. In this paper, the design and fabrication of thebonding wire inductor for impedance matching is described. Integrated techniques for theRF transmitter by CMOS compatible processes have been successfully developed. Aftermatching by inserting the bonding wire inductor between the on-chip integrated antennaand the VCO output, the measured emission power at distance of 5 m from RF transmitterwas -37 dBm (0.2 μW).
Investigations of Slip Effect on the Performance of Micro Gas Bearings and Stability of Micro Rotor-Bearing Systems
Authors: Huang Hai , Meng Guang , Chen Jieyu
Published: October 2008

Incorporating the velocity slip effect of the gas flow at the solid boundary, theperformance and dynamic response of a micro gas-bearing-rotor system are investigated inthis paper. For the characteristic length scale of the micro gas bearing, the gas flow in thebearing resides in the slip regime rather than in the continuum regime. The modifiedReynolds equations of different slip models are presented. Gas pressure distribution and loadcarrying capacity are obtained by solving the Reynolds equations with finite differentmethod (FDM). Comparing results from different models, it is found that the second orderslip model agrees reasonably well with the benchmarked solutions obtained from thelinearized Boltzmann equation. Therefore, dynamic coefficients derived from the secondorder slip model are employed to evaluate the linear dynamic stability and vibrationcharacteristics of the system. Compared with the continuum flow model, the slip effectreduces dynamic coefficients of the micro gas bearing, and the threshold speed for stableoperation is consequently raised. Also, dynamic analysis shows that the system responseschange with variation of the operating parameters including the eccentricity ratio, therotational speed, and the unbalance ratio.
Development and Electrochemical Investigations of an EIS- (Electrolyte-Insulator-Semiconductor) based Biosensor for Cyanide Detection
Authors: Turek Monika , Ketterer Lothar , Claßen Melanie , Berndt Heinz  K. , Elbers Gereon , Krüger Peter , Keusgen Michael , Schöning Michael  J.
Published: October 2008

A cyanide biosensor based on a pH-sensitive p-doped electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor (EIS) structure with an immobilised enzyme (cyanidase) is realised at thelaboratory scale. The immobilisation of the cyanidase is performed in two distinct steps:first, the covalent coupling of cyanidase to an N-hydroxysuccinimide- (NHS) activatedSepharoseTM gel and then, the physical entrapment of NHS-activated SepharoseTM with theimmobilised cyanidase in a dialysis membrane onto the EIS structure. The immobilisationof the cyanidase to the NHS-activated SepharoseTM is studied by means of gelelectrophoresis measurements and investigations using an ammonia- (NH3) selectiveelectrode. For the electrochemical characterisation of the cyanide biosensor,capacitance/voltage and constant capacitance measurements, respectively, have beencarried out. A differential measurement procedure is presented to evaluate the cyanideconcentration-dependent biosensor signals.
Detection of Salmonella by Surface Plasmon Resonance
Authors: Barlen Benjamin , Mazumdar Saikat Datta , Lezrich Olga , Kämpfer Peter , Keusgen Michael
Published: October 2008

This study explores the possibility of simultaneous and specific detection ofSalmonella serovars by surface plasmon resonance (SPR). The Plasmonic® SPR device wasused to develop this rapid assay. The sandwich immunoassay involves the use of apolyclonal anti-Salmonella antibody to simultaneous capture multiple Salmonella serovarspresent in a sample. This is followed by specific detection of the captured serovars usingO-specific anti-Salmonella antibodies. Milk spiked with Salmonella Typhimurium andSalmonella Enteritidis was used as a model system to establish the assay. The assay wasfurther extended to sequentially differentiate between the two Salmonella serovars on asingle SPR chip in a single channel. The assay was proved to work without any additionaldilution or clean-up steps. The sample volume requirement for the assay is only 10 μL. Thelower limits of detection for Salmonella Typhimurium and Salmonella Enteritidis were2.50×105 cells mL-1 and 2.50×108 cells mL-1, respectively.
Using LOTOS for FormalisingWireless Sensor Network Applications
Authors: Rosa Nelson Souto , Cunha Paulo Roberto Freire
Published: October 2008

The number of wireless sensor network (WSN) applications is rapidly increasingand becoming an integral part of sensor nodes. These applications have been widely devel-oped on TinyOS operating system using the nesC programming language. However, due tothe tight integration to physical world, limited node power and resources (CPU and memory)and complexity of combining components into an application, to build such applications isnot a trivial task. In this context, we present an approach for treating with this complexityadopting a formal description technique, namely LOTOS, for formalising the WSN applica-tions‘ behaviour. The formalisation has three main benefits: better understanding on how theapplication actually works, checking of desired properties of the application‘s behaviour, andsimulation facilities. In order to illustrate the proposed approach, we apply it to two nesCtraditional applications, namely BLink and Sense.
Piezoelectric Sensor for Determination of Genetically Modified Soybean Roundup Ready (R) in Samples not Amplified by PCR
Authors: Stobiecka Magdalena , Cieśla Jarosław M. , Janowska Beata , Tudek Barbara , Radecka Hanna
Published: October 2008

The chemically modified piezoelectrodes were utilized to develop relativelycheap and easy to use biosensor for determination of genetically modified Roundup Readysoybean (RR soybean). The biosensor relies on the immobilization onto goldpiezoelectrodes of the 21-mer single stranded oligonucleotide (probes) related to5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) gene, which is an active componentof an insert integrated into RR soybean genome. The hybridization reaction between theprobe and the target complementary sequence in solution was monitored. The system wasoptimized using synthetic oligonucleotides, which were applied for EPSPS gene detectionin DNA samples extracted from animal feed containing 30% RR soybean amplified by thePCR and nonamplified by PCR. The detection limit for genomic DNA was in the range of4.7·105 numbers of genom copies contained EPSPS gene in the QCM cell. The propertiessuch as sensitivity and selectivity of piezoelectric senor presented here indicated that it could be applied for the direct determination of genetically modified RR soybean in the samples non-amplified by PCR.
Formation and Characterization of Self-Assembled Phenylboronic Acid Derivative Monolayers toward Developing Monosaccaride Sensing-Interface
Authors: Chen Hongxia , Lee Minsu , Lee Jaebeom , Kim Jae-Ho , Gal Yeong-Soon , Hwang Yoon-Hwae , An Won  Gun , Koh Kwangnak
Published: October 2008

We designed and synthesized phenylboronic acid as a molecular recognitionmodel system for saccharide detection. The phenylboronic acid derivatives that haveboronic acid moiety are well known to interact with saccharides in aqueous solution; thus,they can be applied to a functional interface of saccharide sensing through the formation ofself-assembled monolayer (SAM). In this study, self-assembled phenylboronic acidderivative monolayers were formed on Au surface and carefully characterized by atomicforce microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy(FTIR-RAS), surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), and surface electrochemicalmeasurements. The saccharide sensing application was investigated using surface plasmonresonance (SPR) spectroscopy. The phenylboronic acid monolayers showed goodsensitivity of monosaccharide sensing even at the low concentration range (1.0 × 10-12 M).The SPR angle shift derived from interaction between phenylboronic acid andmonosaccharide was increased with increasing the alkyl spacer length of synthesizedphenylboronic acid derivatives.
Differentiation of Toxic Molds via Headspace SPME-GC/MS and Canine Detection
Authors: Griffith Robert  T. , Jayachandran Krishnaswamy , Whitstine William , Furton Kenneth  G.
Published: October 2008

Indoor mold growth has recently become a concern in the legal world in regards to insurance litigation. Hazardous mold exposure to humans has been linked to many acute and chronic adverse health effects including death. As it grows, mold produces several types of primary and secondary metabolites, including microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs). Microbial volatile organic compound emission may be used as a preliminary indication of a mold infestation that is invisible to the unaided eye. The objective of the study is to identify the unique odor signatures of three species of molds, Aspergillus versicolor, Penicillium chrysogenum, and Stachybotrys chartarum by SPME-GC/MS analysis. Determining the compounds that are emitted by the selected species has made it possible to conduct validation studies of canine detection of these mold species through a series of field tests.
Self-Calibration and Optimal Response in Intelligent Sensors Design Based on Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Rivera José , Carrillo Mariano , Chacón Mario , Herrera Gilberto , Bojorquez Gilberto
Published: October 2008

The development of smart sensors involves the design of reconfigurable systemscapable of working with different input sensors. Reconfigurable systems ideally shouldspend the least possible amount of time in their calibration. An autocalibration algorithmfor intelligent sensors should be able to fix major problems such as offset, variation of gainand lack of linearity, as accurately as possible. This paper describes a new autocalibrationmethodology for nonlinear intelligent sensors based on artificial neural networks, ANN.The methodology involves analysis of several network topologies and training algorithms.The proposed method was compared against the piecewise and polynomial linearizationmethods. Method comparison was achieved using different number of calibration points,and several nonlinear levels of the input signal. This paper also shows that the proposedmethod turned out to have a better overall accuracy than the other two methods. Besides,experimentation results and analysis of the complete study, the paper describes theimplementation of the ANN in a microcontroller unit, MCU. In order to illustrate themethod capability to build autocalibration and reconfigurable systems, a temperaturemeasurement system was designed and tested. The proposed method is an improvement over the classic autocalibration methodologies, because it impacts on the design process of intelligent sensors, autocalibration methodologies and their associated factors, like time and cost.
Design of a Capacitive Flexible Weighing Sensor for Vehicle WIM System
Authors: Cheng Lu , Zhang Hongjian , Li Qing
Published: October 2008

With the development of the Highway Transportation and Business Trade, vehicle weigh-in-motion (WIM) technology has become a key technology and trend of measuring traffic loads. In this paper, a novel capacitive flexible weighing sensor which is light weight, smaller volume and easy to carry was applied in the vehicle WIM system. The dynamic behavior of the sensor is modeled using the Maxwell-Kelvin model because the materials of the sensor are rubbers which belong to viscoelasticity. A signal processing method based on the model is presented to overcome effects of rubber mechanical properties on the dynamic weight signal. The results showed that the measurement error is less than ±10%. All the theoretic analysis and numerical results demonstrated that appliance of this system to weigh in motion is feasible and convenient for traffic inspection.
A New Method to Retrieve the Data Requirements of the Remote Sensing Community – Exemplarily Demonstrated for Hyperspectral User NEEDS
Authors: Nieke Jens , Reusen Ils
Published: October 2008

User-driven requirements for remote sensing data are difficult to define,especially details on geometric, spectral and radiometric parameters. Even more difficult isa decent assessment of the required degrees of processing and corresponding data quality. Itis therefore a real challenge to appropriately assess data costs and services to be provided.In 2006, the HYRESSA project was initiated within the framework 6 programme of theEuropean Commission to analyze the user needs of the hyperspectral remote sensingcommunity. Special focus was given to finding an answer to the key question, “What arethe individual user requirements for hyperspectral imagery and its related data products?”.A Value-Benefit Analysis (VBA) was performed to retrieve user needs and address openitems accordingly. The VBA is an established tool for systematic problem solving bysupporting the possibility of comparing competing projects or solutions. It enablesevaluation on the basis of a multidimensional objective model and can be augmented withexpert’s preferences. After undergoing a VBA, the scaling method (e.g., Law ofComparative Judgment) was applied for achieving the desired ranking judgments. Theresult, which is the relative value of projects with respect to a well-defined main objective,can therefore be produced analytically using a VBA. A multidimensional objective modeladhering to VBA methodology was established. Thereafter, end users and experts wererequested to fill out a Questionnaire of User Needs (QUN) at the highest level of detail -the value indicator level. The end user was additionally requested to report personalpreferences for his particular research field. In the end, results from the experts’ evaluationand results from a sensor data survey can be compared in order to understand user needsand the drawbacks of existing data products. The investigation – focusing on the needs of the hyperspectral user community in Europe – showed that a VBA is a suitable method for analyzing the needs of hyperspectral data users and supporting the sensor/data specification-building process. The VBA has the advantage of being easy to handle, resulting in a comprehensive evaluation. The primary disadvantage is the large effort in realizing such an analysis because the level of detail is extremely high.
Airborne Laser Scanning of Forest Stem Volume in a Mountainous Environment
Authors: Hollaus Markus , Wagner Wolfgang , Maier Bernhard , Schadauer Klemens
Published: October 2008

Airborne laser scanning (ALS) is an active remote sensing technique that uses the time-of-flight measurement principle to capture the three-dimensional structure of the earth’s surface with pulsed lasers that transmit nanosecond-long laser pulses with a high pulse repetition frequency. Over forested areas most of the laser pulses are reflected by the leaves and branches of the trees, but a certain fraction of the laser pulses reaches the forest floor through small gaps in the canopy. Thus it is possible to reconstruct both the three-dimensional structure of the forest canopy and the terrain surface. For the retrieval of quantitative forest parameters such as stem volume or biomass it is necessary to use models that combine ALS with inventory data. One approach is to use multiplicative regression models that are trained with local inventory data. This method has been widely applied over boreal forest regions, but so far little experience exists with applying this method for mapping alpine forest. In this study the transferability of this approach to a 128 km2 large mountainous region in Vorarlberg, Austria, was evaluated. For the calibration of the model, inventory data as operationally collected by Austrian foresters were used. Despite these inventory data are based on variable sample plot sizes, they could be used for mapping stem volume for the entire alpine study area. The coefficient of determination R2 was 0.85 and the root mean square error (RMSE) 90.9 m3ha-1 (relative error of 21.4%) which is comparable to results of ALS studies conducted over topographically less complex environments. Due to the increasing availability, ALS data could become an operational part of Austrian’s forest inventories.
Chemomechanical Polymers as Sensors and Actuators for Biological and Medicinal Applications
Authors: Schneider Hans-Jörg , Kato Kazuaki , Strongin Robert M.
Published: October 2008

Changes in the chemical environment can trigger large motions in chemomechanical polymers. The unique feature of such intelligent materials, mostly in the form of hydrogels, is therefore, that they serve as sensors and actuators at the same time, and do not require any measuring devices, transducers or power supplies. Until recently the most often used of these materials responded to changes in pH. Chemists are now increasingly using supramolecular recognition sites in materials, which are covalently bound to the polymer backbone. This allows one to use a nearly unlimited variety of guest (or effector) compounds in the environment for a selective response by automatically triggered size changes. This is illustrated with non-covalent interactions of effectors comprising of metal ions, isomeric organic compounds, including enantiomers, nucleotides, aminoacids, and peptides. Two different effector molecules can induce motions as functions of their concentration, thus representing a logical AND gate. This concept is particularly fruitful with effector compounds such as peptides, which only trigger size changes if, e.g. copper ions are present in the surroundings. Another principle relies on the fast formation of covalent bonds between an effector and the chemomechanical polymer. The most promising application is the selective interaction of covalently fixed boronic acid residues with glucose, which renders itself not only for sensing, but eventually also for delivery of drugs such as insulin. The speed of the responses can significantly increase by increasing the surface to volume ratio of the polymer particles. Of particular interest is the sensitivity increase which can be reached by downsizing the particle volume.
An Overview of the "Triangle Method" for Estimating Surface Evapotranspiration and Soil Moisture from Satellite Imagery
Authors: Carlson Toby
Published: October 2008

An overview of the ‘triangle’ method for estimating soil surface wetness and evapotranspiration fraction from satellite imagery is presented here. The method is insensitive to initial atmospheric and surface conditions, net radiation and atmospheric correction, yet can yield accuracies comparable to other methods. We describe the method first from the standpoint of the how the triangle is observed as obtained from aircraft and satellite image data and then show how the triangle can be created from a land surface model. By superimposing the model triangle over the observed one, pixel values from the image are determined for all points within the triangle. We further show how the stretched (or ‘universal’) triangle can be used to interpret pixel configurations within the triangle, showing how the temporal trajectories of points uniquely describe patterns of land use change. Finally, we conclude the paper with a brief assessment of the method’s limitations.
Development of a Molecularly Imprinted Biomimetic Electrode
Authors: Kindschy Lisa M. , Alocilja Evangelyn C.
Published: October 2008

The technique of molecular imprinting produces artificial receptor sites in apolymer that can be used in a biomimetic sensor. This research extends previous studies ofa molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) biomimetic sensor for the small drug theophylline.The presence of theophylline in the biomimetic sensor was monitored by analyzing thepeak currents from cyclic voltammetry experiments. The functional working range of theMIP modified electrode was 2 - 4 mM theophylline. The concentration of theophyllinethat resulted in the best signal was 3 mM. The MIP sensor showed no response to thestructurally related molecule caffeine, and therefore was selective to the target analytetheophylline. This research will provide the foundation for future studies that will result indurable biomimetic sensors that can offer a viable alternative to current sensors.
Micro Machining of Injection Mold Inserts for Fluidic Channel of Polymeric Biochips
Authors: Jung Woo-Chul , Heo Young-Moo , Yoon Gil-Sang , Shin Kwang-Ho , Chang Sung-Ho , Kim Gun-Hee , Cho Myeong-Woo
Published: October 2008

Recently, the polymeric micro-fluidic biochip, often called LOC (lab-on-a-chip), has been focused as a cheap, rapid and simplified method to replace the existing biochemical laboratory works. It becomes possible to form miniaturized lab functionalities on a chip with the development of MEMS technologies. The micro-fluidic chips contain many micro-channels for the flow of sample and reagents, mixing, and detection tasks. Typical substrate materials for the chip are glass and polymers. Typical techniques for micro-fluidic chip fabrication are utilizing various micro pattern forming methods, such as wet-etching, micro-contact printing, and hot-embossing, micro injection molding, LIGA, and micro powder blasting processes, etc. In this study, to establish the basis of the micro pattern fabrication and mass production of polymeric micro-fluidic chips using injection molding process, micro machining method was applied to form micro-channels on the LOC molds. In the research, a series of machining experiments using micro end-mills were performed to determine optimum machining conditions to improve surface roughness and shape accuracy of designed simplified micro-channels. Obtained conditions were used to machine required mold inserts for micro-channels using micro end-mills. Test injection processes using machined molds and COC polymer were performed, and then the results were investigated.
Potentiometric Responses of Ion-Selective Electrodes Doped with Diureidocalix[4]arene towards Un-dissociated Benzoic Acid
Authors: Krajewska Agnieszka , Lhotak Pavel , Radecka Hanna
Published: October 2008

Diureidocalix[4]arene have been applied as new ionophore in liquid membraneelectrode (ISE) sensitive towards un-dissociated benzoic acid. The electrode demonstratedresponse towards benzoic acid with the detection limit 2.0 x 10-4 M which is sufficient forthe determination of benzoic acid added to beverages as preservative in milimolarconcentration. The selectivity coefficients measured by the matched potential method(MPM) showed its good selectivity against common anions present in drink samples. Allmeasurements were made in presence of 1.0 x 10-2 M NaHSO4 pH 3.0 in order to reducethe influence of OH-. The applicability of diureidocalix[4]arene incorporated ISE has beenchecked by recovery test of benzoic acid in the presence of artificial drink matrix and bystandard addition method.
Multi-scale Analysis of MEMS Sensors Subject to Drop Impacts
Authors: Mariani Stefano , Ghisi Aldo , Corigliano Alberto , Zerbini Sarah
Published: October 2008

The effect of accidental drops on MEMS sensors are examined within the frame-work of a multi-scale finite element approach. With specific reference to a polysilicon MEMSaccelerometer supported by a naked die, the analysis is decoupled into macro-scale (at dielength-scale) and meso-scale (at MEMS length-scale) simulations, accounting for the verysmall inertial contribution of the sensor to the overall dynamics of the device. Macro-scaleanalyses are adopted to get insights into the link between shock waves caused by the impactagainst a target surface and propagating inside the die, and the displacement/acceleration his-tories at the MEMS anchor points. Meso-scale analyses are adopted to detect the most stresseddetails of the sensor and to assess whether the impact can lead to possible localized failures.Numerical results show that the acceleration at sensor anchors cannot be considered an ob-jective indicator for drop severity. Instead, accurate analyses at sensor level are necessary toestablish how MEMS can fail because of drops.
Mechanosensor Channels in Mammalian Somatosensory Neurons
Authors: Raoux Matthieu , Rodat-Despoix Lise , Azorin Nathalie , Giamarchi Aurélie , Hao Jizhe , Maingret François , Crest Marcel , Coste Bertrand , Delmas Patrick
Published: October 2008

Mechanoreceptive sensory neurons innervating the skin, skeletal muscles andviscera signal both innocuous and noxious information necessary for proprioception, touchand pain. These neurons are responsible for the transduction of mechanical stimuli intoaction potentials that propagate to the central nervous system. The ability of these cells todetect mechanical stimuli impinging on them relies on the presence of mechanosensitivechannels that transduce the external mechanical forces into electrical and chemical signals.Although a great deal of information regarding the molecular and biophysical properties ofmechanosensitive channels in prokaryotes has been accumulated over the past two decades,less is known about the mechanosensitive channels necessary for proprioception and thesenses of touch and pain. This review summarizes the most pertinent data onmechanosensitive channels of mammalian somatosensory neurons, focusing on theirproperties, pharmacology and putative identity.