Motivational Processing and Choice Behavior During Television Viewing: An Integrative Dynamic Approach

This study was designed to further our understanding of the central role of motivational activation in mediated information processing and media choice. To do this, a dynamic model was developed to formalize the dynamic effects of three basic motivational input variables (arousing content, positivity, and negativity) on four physiological output measures (heart rate, skin conductance level, corrugator activity, and zygomatic activity) and a behavioral choice measure of television channel selection. The input and output variables were selected based on extensive theoretical and empirical research that has explicated static relationships among these variables. In general, the findings of the dynamic modeling approach were consistent with the previous literature using traditional static statistical methods. However, this study also theoretically extended the previous work.     

Diamond X-ray Photodiode for White and Monochromatic SR beams

High purity, single crystal CVD diamond plates are screened for quality and instrumented into a sensor assembly for quantitative characterization of flux and position sensitivity. Initial investigations have yielded encouraging results and have led to further development. Several limiting complications are observed and discussed, as well as mitigations thereof. For example, diamond quality requirements for x-ray diodes include low nitrogen impurity and crystallographic defectivity. Thin electrode windows and electronic readout performance are ultimately also critical to device performance. Promising features observed so far from prototype devices include calculable responsivity, flux linearity, position sensitivity and timing performance. Recent results from testing in high flux and high speed applications are described.     

Determination of the flow curve of complex fluids using the Rabinowitsch–Mooney equation in sensorless microrheometer

In this work, we present a way to make rheological measurements on a microfluidic chip. The originality of our approach relies on the determination of the flow curve of a fluid using the Rabinowitsch–Mooney equation. For this purpose, we use a parallel flow between a reference fluid and a studied fluid to measure the pressure drop inside the channel. Using a Newtonian fluid of known viscosity, knowing the flow rates of the two liquids and measuring the geometrical features of the two-phase flow allows determining the pressure drop in the channel. The Rabinowitsch–Mooney equation is used to calculate the local shear rate and shear stress at the wall for the studied sample. We validate our method for several complex fluids.     

Binding kinetics of biomolecule interaction at ultralow concentrations based on gold nanoparticle enhancement

Measuring the kinetic constants of protein-protein interactions at ultralow concentrations becomes critical in characterizing biospecific affinity, and exploring the feasibility of clinical diagnosis with respect to detection sensitivity, efficiency and accuracy. In this study, we propose a method that can calculate the binding constants of protein-protein interactions in sandwich assays at ultralow concentrations at the pg/mL level, using a localized surface plasmon coupled fluorescence fiber-optic biosensor (LSPCF-FOB). We discuss a two-compartment model to achieve reaction-limited kinetics under the stagnant conditions of the reaction chamber. The association rate constant, dissociation rate constant, and the equilibrium dissociation constant, that is, k(a), k(d), K(D), respectively, of the kinetics of binding between total prostate-specific antigen (t-PSA) and anti-t-PSA at concentrations from 0.1 pg/mL to 1 ng/mL, were measured either in PBS or in human serum. This is the first time that k(a), k(d), and K(D) have been measured at such a low concentration range in a complex sample such as human serum.     

Stabilization of neodymium oxide nanoparticles via soft adsorption of charged polymers

In this work, two synthetic polyelectrolytes, PSS and PAH, are employed as strong adsorbed surfactants to disperse and stabilize neodymium oxide nanoparticles. The acid-base equilibria of the oxide surfaces of the particles were investigated under different pH conditions in the absence and presence of polyelectrolytes, to optimize particle stabilization through enhancement of the effective repulsive surface charges. Surface charge amplification of a 3:5 ratio was achieved to permit improved particle transparency of 100-fold in visible wavelengths in neutral and acidic pH regimes, and a stable 10-fold surface charge amplification was achieved under basic pH conditions. The potential of polyelectrolytes as stabilizing agents for neodymium oxide NPs in large-scale particle physics experiments requiring extremely high optical transparency over long path length is evaluated based on optical absorbance and particle stability.     

Binding of zearalenone, aflatoxin B1, and ochratoxin A by yeast-based products: a method for quantification of adsorption performance

A methodology was developed to quantify the efficiency of yeast-based products for adsorption of three mycotoxins: zearalenone (ZEA), aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)), and ochratoxin A (OTA). Eight products were tested (yeast cell wall or inactivated yeast). The described experimental protocol based on in vitro tests provided reliable isotherms for each mycotoxin. The most suitable models were the Hill model for ZEA, the Langmuir model for AFB(1), and the Freundlich model for OTA. From these models, original mathematical affinity criteria were defined to quantify the product adsorption performances for each mycotoxin. The best yeast product, a yeast cell wall from baker's yeast, can adsorb up to 68% of ZEA, 29% of AFB(1), and 62% of OTA, depending on the mycotoxin concentrations. The adsorption capacity largely depended both on yeast composition and mycotoxin, but no direct correlation between yeast composition and adsorption capacity was found, confirming that adsorption of mycotoxin on yeast-based products involves complex phenomena. The results of this study are useful for comparing the adsorption efficiency of various yeast products and understanding the mechanisms involved in adsorption.     

Behaviour of a large bubble flowing through a sudden constriction between a cylindrical pipe and a rectangular cross section channel

The behaviour of a single large bubble flowing through a sudden constriction between a cylindrical pipe and a channel of rectangular cross section is studied experimentally. Two types of constrictions are considered: an abrupt one and a smooth one. Image analysis displays the deformation of the large bubble generated in the upstream vertical pipe and flowing through each kind of constriction. Image processing allows an estimate to be made of the velocity of Dumitrescu bubbles upstream of the constriction and the velocity of a 2D cap bubble flowing downstream of the constriction in a rectangular-cross-section channel. When the large bubble flows through a constriction, its behaviour can be considered in two steps: a first step corresponding to the disengagement of the large bubble and a second step corresponding to its transient behaviour after detachment. In terms of disengagement, an abrupt constriction induces systematic break-up of the large bubble whereas, with a smooth constriction, the large bubble undergoes strong deformations but does not break up. After detachment, large bubbles relax in a similar way and their velocities tend towards the terminal velocity of the 2D cap bubble.