Unsteady Plasma Ejections from Hollow Accretion Columns of Galactic Neutron Stars as a Trigger for Gamma-Ray Bursts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gvaramadze, V. V.

1995-09-01

We propose a model of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) based on close Galactic neutron stars with accretion disks. We outline a simple mechanism of unsteady plasma ejections during episodic accretion events. The relative kinetic energy of ejected blobs can be converted into gamma-rays by internal shocks. The beaming of gamma-ray emission can be responsible for the observed isotropic angular distribution of GRBs.

Charging and Heating Dynamics of Nanoparticles in Nonthermal Plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kortshagen, Uwe R.

2014-08-15

The focus of this award was to understand the interactions of nanometer-sized particles with ionized gases, also called plasmas. Plasmas are widely used in the fabrication of electronic circuits such as microprocessors and memory devices, in plasma display panels, as well as in medical applications. Recently, these ionized gases are finding applications in the synthesis of advanced nanomaterials with novel properties, which are based on nanometer-sized particulate (nanoparticles) building blocks. As these nanoparticles grow in the plasma environment, they interact with the plasmas species such as electrons and ions which critically determines the nanoparticle properties. The University of Minnesota researchersmore » conducting this project performed numerical simulations and developed analytical models that described the interaction of plasma-bound nanoparticles with the plasma ions. The plasma ions bombard the nanoparticle surface with substantial energy, which can result in the rearrangement of the nanoparticles’ atoms, giving them often desirable structures at the atomic scale. Being able to tune the ion energies allows to control the properties of nanoparticles produced in order to tailor their attributes for certain applications. For instance, when used in high efficiency light emitting devices, nanoparticles produced under high fluxes of highly energetic ions may show superior light emission to particles produced under low fluxes of less energetic ions. The analytical models developed by the University of Minnesota researchers enable the research community to easily determine the energy of ions bombarding the nanoparticles. The researchers extensively tested the validity of the analytical models by comparing them to sophisticated computer simulations based on stochastic particle modeling, also called Monte Carlo modeling, which simulated the motion of hundreds of thousands of ions and their interaction with the nanoparticle surfaces. Beyond the scientific

On the physics of electron ejection from laser-irradiated overdense plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thévenet, M.; Vincenti, H.; Faure, J.

2016-06-15

Using 1D and 2D PIC simulations, we describe and model the backward ejection of electron bunches when a laser pulse reflects off an overdense plasma with a short density gradient on its front side. The dependence on the laser intensity and gradient scale length is studied. It is found that during each laser period, the incident laser pulse generates a large charge-separation field, or plasma capacitor, which accelerates an attosecond bunch of electrons toward vacuum. This process is maximized for short gradient scale lengths and collapses when the gradient scale length is comparable to the laser wavelength. We develop amore » model that reproduces the electron dynamics and the dependence on laser intensity and gradient scale length. This process is shown to be strongly linked with high harmonic generation via the Relativistic Oscillating Mirror mechanism.« less

Enrichment of plasma membrane proteins using nanoparticle pellicles: comparison between silica and higher density nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Choksawangkarn, Waeowalee; Kim, Sung-Kyoung; Cannon, Joe R.; Edwards, Nathan J.; Lee, Sang Bok; Fenselau, Catherine

2013-01-01

Proteomic and other characterization of plasma membrane proteins is made difficult by their low abundance, hydrophobicity, frequent carboxylation and dynamic population. We and others have proposed that underrepresentation in LC-MS/MS analysis can be partially compensated by enriching the plasma membrane and its proteins using cationic nanoparticle pellicles. The nanoparticles increase the density of plasma membrane sheets and thus enhance separation by centrifugation from other lysed cellular components. Herein we test the hypothesis that the use of nanoparticles with increased densities can provide enhanced enrichment of plasma membrane proteins for proteomic analysis. Multiple myeloma cells were grown and coated in suspension with three different pellicles of three different densities and both pellicle coated and uncoated suspensions analyzed by high-throughput LC-MS/MS. Enrichment was evaluated by the total number and the spectral counts of identified plasma membrane proteins. PMID:23289353

Controlled synthesis of germanium nanoparticles by nonthermal plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahadi, Amir Mohammad; Hunter, Katharine I.; Kramer, Nicolaas J.; Strunskus, Thomas; Kersten, Holger; Faupel, Franz; Kortshagen, Uwe R.

2016-02-01

The size, composition, and crystallinity of plasma produced nanoparticles are crucial factors for their physical and chemical properties. Here, we investigate the role of the process gas composition, particularly the hydrogen (H2) flow rate, on germanium (Ge) nanoparticles synthesized from a chlorinated precursor by nonthermal plasma. We demonstrate that the gas composition can significantly change the nanoparticle size and also adjust the surface chemistry by altering the dominant reaction mechanisms. A red shift of the Ge-Clx infrared absorptions with increasing H2 flow indicates a weakening of the Ge-Clx bonds at high H2 content. Furthermore, by changing the gas composition, the nanoparticles microstructure can be controlled from mostly amorphous at high hydrogen flow to diamond cubic crystalline at low hydrogen flow.

Detection of Peptide-based nanoparticles in blood plasma by ELISA.

PubMed

Bode, Gerard H; Pickl, Karin E; Sanchez-Purrà, Maria; Albaiges, Berta; Borrós, Salvador; Pötgens, Andy J G; Schmitz, Christoph; Sinner, Frank M; Losen, Mario; Steinbusch, Harry W M; Frank, Hans-Georg; Martinez-Martinez, Pilar

2015-01-01

The aim of the current study was to develop a method to detect peptide-linked nanoparticles in blood plasma. A convenient enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the detection of peptides functionalized with biotin and fluorescein groups. As a proof of principle, polymerized pentafluorophenyl methacrylate nanoparticles linked to biotin-carboxyfluorescein labeled peptides were intravenously injected in Wistar rats. Serial blood plasma samples were analyzed by ELISA and by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC/MS) technology. The ELISA based method for the detection of FITC labeled peptides had a detection limit of 1 ng/mL. We were able to accurately measure peptides bound to pentafluorophenyl methacrylate nanoparticles in blood plasma of rats, and similar results were obtained by LC/MS. We detected FITC-labeled peptides on pentafluorophenyl methacrylate nanoparticles after injection in vivo. This method can be extended to detect nanoparticles with different chemical compositions.

Nanoparticle coagulation in fractionally charged and charge fluctuating dusty plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nunomura, Shota; Kondo, Michio; Shiratani, Masaharu

2008-08-15

The kinetics of nanoparticle coagulation has been studied in fractionally charged and charge fluctuating dusty plasmas. The coagulation occurs when the mutual collision frequency among nanoparticles exceeds their charging and decharging/neutralization frequency. Interestingly, the coagulation is suppressed while a fraction (several percent) of nanoparticles are negatively charged in a plasma, in which stochastic charging plays an important role. A model is developed to predict a phase diagram of the coagulation and its suppression.

Detection of Peptide-Based Nanoparticles in Blood Plasma by ELISA

PubMed Central

Bode, Gerard H.; Pickl, Karin E.; Sanchez-Purrà, Maria; Albaiges, Berta; Borrós, Salvador; Pötgens, Andy J. G.; Schmitz, Christoph; Sinner, Frank M.; Losen, Mario; Steinbusch, Harry W. M.; Frank, Hans-Georg; Martinez-Martinez, Pilar

2015-01-01

Aims The aim of the current study was to develop a method to detect peptide-linked nanoparticles in blood plasma. Materials & Methods A convenient enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for the detection of peptides functionalized with biotin and fluorescein groups. As a proof of principle, polymerized pentafluorophenyl methacrylate nanoparticles linked to biotin-carboxyfluorescein labeled peptides were intravenously injected in Wistar rats. Serial blood plasma samples were analyzed by ELISA and by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC/MS) technology. Results The ELISA based method for the detection of FITC labeled peptides had a detection limit of 1 ng/mL. We were able to accurately measure peptides bound to pentafluorophenyl methacrylate nanoparticles in blood plasma of rats, and similar results were obtained by LC/MS. Conclusions We detected FITC-labeled peptides on pentafluorophenyl methacrylate nanoparticles after injection in vivo. This method can be extended to detect nanoparticles with different chemical compositions. PMID:25996618

Plasma - enhanced dispersion of metal and ceramic nanoparticles in polymer nanocomposite films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maguire, Paul; Liu, Yazi; Askari, Sadegh; Patel, Jenish; Macia-Montero, Manuel; Mitra, Somak; Zhang, Richao; Sun, Dan; Mariotti, Davide

2015-09-01

In this work we demonstrate a facile method to synthesize a nanoparticle/PEDOT:PSS hybrid nanocomposite material in aqueous solution through atmospheric pressure direct current (DC) plasma processing at room temperature. Both metal (Au) and ceramic (TiO2) nanoparticle composite films have been fabricated. Nanoparticle dispersion is enhanced considerable and remains stable. TiO2/polymer hybrid nanoparticles with a distinct core shell structure have been obtained. Increased nanoparticle/PEDOT:PSS nanocomposite electrical conductivity has been observed. The improvement in nanocomposite properties is due to the enhanced dispersion and stability in liquid polymer of microplasma processed Au or TiO2 nanoparticles. Both plasma induced surface charge and nanoparticle surface termination with specific plasma chemical species are thought to provide an enhanced barrier to nanoparticle agglomeration and promote nanoparticle-polymer bonding. This is expected to have a significant benefit in materials processing with inorganic nanoparticles for applications in energy storage, photocatalysis and biomedical sensors. Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC: EP/K006088/1, EP/K006142, Nos. EP/K022237/1).

The effects of plasma inhomogeneity on the nanoparticle coating in a low pressure plasma reactor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pourali, N.; Foroutan, G.

2015-10-15

A self-consistent model is used to study the surface coating of a collection of charged nanoparticles trapped in the sheath region of a low pressure plasma reactor. The model consists of multi-fluid plasma sheath module, including nanoparticle dynamics, as well as the surface deposition and particle heating modules. The simulation results show that the mean particle radius increases with time and the nanoparticle size distribution is broadened. The mean radius is a linear function of time, while the variance exhibits a quadratic dependence. The broadening in size distribution is attributed to the spatial inhomogeneity of the deposition rate which inmore » turn depends on the plasma inhomogeneity. The spatial inhomogeneity of the ions has strong impact on the broadening of the size distribution, as the ions contribute both in the nanoparticle charging and in direct film deposition. The distribution width also increases with increasing of the pressure, gas temperature, and the ambient temperature gradient.« less

Studying the morphological features of plasma treated silver and PEGylated silver nanoparticles: antibacterial activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waseem, M.; Awan, T.; Yasin, H. M.; Rehman, N. U.

2018-03-01

A strategy to treat the silver and PEGylated silver nanoparticles with plasma was being purposed. Oil in water (o/w) microemulsion method was used for the synthesis of Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs). Polyethylene glycol (PEG) having molecular weight 600 was used to coat the surface of AgNPs. Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) was used to characterize the plasma and it is noted that plasma treatment is useful to modify the structural characteristic of silver nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were treated with helium-oxygen mixture plasma, generated in plasma needle at atmospheric pressure. Both AgNPs and PEGylated AgNPs before and after plasma treatment were characterized by x-rays diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The crystallite size of silver nanoparticles after the treatment of plasma decreases from 71 nm to 27 nm. The SEM micrographs show that the size of Ag nanoparticles was nearly 118 nm whereas the thickness of the silver needle was around 135 nm. All the characteristics IR bands associated to the silver nanoparticles were detected. The FTIR spectrum also support the accumulation of OH radicals in the plasma treated samples. The samples before and after plasma treatment were screened against Gram positive (Bacillus Subtilis and Staphylococcus Aureus) and Gram negative (Escherichia Coli and Pseudomonas Aeruginosa) bacteria. The promising response was detected when plasma treated PEGylated AgNPs was tested against bacterial strains.

Composition of Coronal Mass Ejections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zurbuchen, T. H.; Weberg, M.; von Steiger, R.; Mewaldt, R. A.; Lepri, S. T.; Antiochos, S. K.

2016-07-01

We analyze the physical origin of plasmas that are ejected from the solar corona. To address this issue, we perform a comprehensive analysis of the elemental composition of interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) using recently released elemental composition data for Fe, Mg, Si, S, C, N, Ne, and He as compared to O and H. We find that ICMEs exhibit a systematic abundance increase of elements with first ionization potential (FIP) < 10 eV, as well as a significant increase of Ne as compared to quasi-stationary solar wind. ICME plasmas have a stronger FIP effect than slow wind, which indicates either that an FIP process is active during the ICME ejection or that a different type of solar plasma is injected into ICMEs. The observed FIP fractionation is largest during times when the Fe ionic charge states are elevated above Q Fe > 12.0. For ICMEs with elevated charge states, the FIP effect is enhanced by 70% over that of the slow wind. We argue that the compositionally hot parts of ICMEs are active region loops that do not normally have access to the heliosphere through the processes that give rise to solar wind. We also discuss the implications of this result for solar energetic particles accelerated during solar eruptions and for the origin of the slow wind itself.

Composition of Coronal Mass Ejections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zurbuchen, T. H.; Weberg, M.; von Steiger, R.; Mewaldt, R. A.; Lepri, S. T.; Antiochos, S. K.

2016-01-01

We analyze the physical origin of plasmas that are ejected from the solar corona. To address this issue, we perform a comprehensive analysis of the elemental composition of interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) using recently released elemental composition data for Fe, Mg, Si, S, C, N, Ne, and He as compared to O and H. We find that ICMEs exhibit a systematic abundance increase of elements with first ionization potential (FIP) less than 10 electronvolts, as well as a significant increase of Ne as compared to quasi-stationary solar wind. ICME plasmas have a stronger FIP effect than slow wind, which indicates either that an FIP process is active during the ICME ejection or that a different type of solar plasma is injected into ICMEs. The observed FIP fractionation is largest during times when the Fe ionic charge states are elevated above Q (sub Fe) is greater than 12.0. For ICMEs with elevated charge states, the FIP effect is enhanced by 70 percent over that of the slow wind. We argue that the compositionally hot parts of ICMEs are active region loops that do not normally have access to the heliosphere through the processes that give rise to solar wind. We also discuss the implications of this result for solar energetic particles accelerated during solar eruptions and for the origin of the slow wind itself.

Synthesis of Lithium Metal Oxide Nanoparticles by Induction Thermal Plasmas.

PubMed

Tanaka, Manabu; Kageyama, Takuya; Sone, Hirotaka; Yoshida, Shuhei; Okamoto, Daisuke; Watanabe, Takayuki

2016-04-06

Lithium metal oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by induction thermal plasma. Four different systems-Li-Mn, Li-Cr, Li-Co, and Li-Ni-were compared to understand formation mechanism of Li-Me oxide nanoparticles in thermal plasma process. Analyses of X-ray diffractometry and electron microscopy showed that Li-Me oxide nanoparticles were successfully synthesized in Li-Mn, Li-Cr, and Li-Co systems. Spinel structured LiMn₂O₄ with truncated octahedral shape was formed. Layer structured LiCrO₂ or LiCoO₂ nanoparticles with polyhedral shapes were also synthesized in Li-Cr or Li-Co systems. By contrast, Li-Ni oxide nanoparticles were not synthesized in the Li-Ni system. Nucleation temperatures of each metal in the considered system were evaluated. The relationship between the nucleation temperature and melting and boiling points suggests that the melting points of metal oxides have a strong influence on the formation of lithium metal oxide nanoparticles. A lower melting temperature leads to a longer reaction time, resulting in a higher fraction of the lithium metal oxide nanoparticles in the prepared nanoparticles.

Photocatalytic Degradation Effect of μ-Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Treated Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles on Environmental Contaminant.

PubMed

Seo, Hyeon Jin; Hwang, Ki-Hwan; Na, Young Hoon; Boo, Jin-Hyo

2018-09-01

This study focused on the photocatalytic degradation effect of the μ-dielectric barrier discharge (μ-DBD) plasma treated titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles on environmental contaminant such as formaldehyde. TiO2 nanoparticles were treated by a μ-DBD plasma source with nitrogen gas. We analyzed the degradation of formaldehyde with the plasma treated TiO2 nanoparticles by UV-visible spectrophotometer (UV-VIS), and demonstrated that the photocatalytic activity of the μ-DBD plasma-treated TiO2 nanoparticles showed significantly high catalytic efficiency rather than without plasma treated TiO2 nanoparticles. Field emission scanning electron microscopes (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and water contact angle analyzer were used to measure the effects of photocatalytic degradation for the plasma treated TiO2 nanoparticles.

Recovery of Drug Delivery Nanoparticles from Human Plasma using an Electrokinetic Platform Technology

PubMed Central

Ibsen, Stuart; Sonnenberg, Avery; Schutt, Carolyn; Mukthavaram, Rajesh; Yeh, Yasan; Ortac, Inanc; Manouchehri, Sareh; Kesari, Santosh; Esener, Sadik

2015-01-01

The effect of complex biological fluids on the surface and structure of nanoparticles is a rapidly expanding field of study. One of the challenges holding back this research is the difficulty of recovering therapeutic nanoparticles from biological samples due to their small size, low density, and stealth surface coatings. Here we present the first demonstration of the recovery and analysis of drug delivery nanoparticles from undiluted human plasma samples through the use of a new electrokinetic platform technology. The particles are recovered from plasma through a dielectrophoresis separation force that is created by innate differences in the dielectric properties between the unaltered nanoparticles and the surrounding plasma. We show this can be applied to a wide range of drug delivery nanoparticles of different morphologies and materials, including low density nano-liposomes. These recovered particles can then be analyzed using different methods including scanning electron microscopy to monitor surface and structural changes that result from plasma exposure. We believe that this new recovery technique is broadly applicable to the recovery of nanoparticles from high conductance fluids in a wide range of applications. PMID:26274918

Plasma coating of nanoparticles in the presence of an external electric field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebadi, Zahra; Pourali, Nima; Mohammadzadeh, Hosein

2018-04-01

Film deposition onto nanoparticles by low-pressure plasma in the presence of an external electric field is studied numerically. The plasma discharge fluid model along with surface deposition and heating models for nanoparticles, as well as a dynamics model considering the motion of nanoparticles, are employed for this study. The results of the simulation show that applying external field during the process increases the uniformity of the film deposited onto nanoparticles and leads to that nanoparticles grow in a spherical shape. Increase in film uniformity and particles sphericity is related to particle dynamics that is controlled by parameters of the external field like frequency and amplitude. The results of this work can be helpful to produce spherical core-shell nanoparticles in nanomaterial industry.

Wide band gap gallium arsenide nanoparticles fabricated using plasma method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jain, D., E-mail: dvjainnov@gmail.com; Mangla, O.; Physics Department, Hindu College, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007

2016-05-23

In this paper, we have reported the fabrication of gallium arsenide (GaAs) nanoparticles on quartz placed at distance of 4.0 cm, 5.0 cm and 6.0 cm, respectively from top of anode. The fabrication has been carried out by highly energetic and high fluence ions of GaAs produced by hot, dense and extremely non-equilibrium plasma in a modified dense plasma focus device. GaAs nanoparticles have mean size of about 23 nm, 16 nm and 14 nm for deposition at a distance of 4.0 cm, 5.0 cm and 6.0 cm, respectively. The nanoparticles are crystalline in nature as evident from X-ray diffraction patterns. The band gap of nanoparticles is found tomore » increase from 1.425 eV to 5.37 eV at 4.0 cm distance, which further increases as distance increases. The wide band gap observed for fabricated GaAs nanoparticles suggest the possible applications of nanoparticles in laser systems.« less

Recovery of Drug Delivery Nanoparticles from Human Plasma Using an Electrokinetic Platform Technology.

PubMed

Ibsen, Stuart; Sonnenberg, Avery; Schutt, Carolyn; Mukthavaram, Rajesh; Yeh, Yasan; Ortac, Inanc; Manouchehri, Sareh; Kesari, Santosh; Esener, Sadik; Heller, Michael J

2015-10-01

The effect of complex biological fluids on the surface and structure of nanoparticles is a rapidly expanding field of study. One of the challenges holding back this research is the difficulty of recovering therapeutic nanoparticles from biological samples due to their small size, low density, and stealth surface coatings. Here, the first demonstration of the recovery and analysis of drug delivery nanoparticles from undiluted human plasma samples through the use of a new electrokinetic platform technology is presented. The particles are recovered from plasma through a dielectrophoresis separation force that is created by innate differences in the dielectric properties between the unaltered nanoparticles and the surrounding plasma. It is shown that this can be applied to a wide range of drug delivery nanoparticles of different morphologies and materials, including low-density nanoliposomes. These recovered particles can then be analyzed using different methods including scanning electron microscopy to monitor surface and structural changes that result from plasma exposure. This new recovery technique can be broadly applied to the recovery of nanoparticles from high conductance fluids in a wide range of applications. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Silica nanoparticles produced by DC arc plasma from a solid raw materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosmachev, P. V.; Vlasov, V. A.; Skripnikova, N. K.

2017-05-01

Plasma synthesis of SiO2 nanoparticles in experimental atmospheric pressure plasma reactor on the basis of DC arc plasma generator was presented in this paper. Solid high-silica raw materials such as diatomite from Kamyshlovskoye deposit in Russia, quartzite from Chupinskoye deposit in Russia and milled window glass were used. The obtained nanoparticles were characterized based on their morphology, chemical composition and size distribution. Scanning electron microscopy, laser diffractometry, nitrogen absorption (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to characterize the synthesized products. The obtained silica nanoparticles are agglomerated, have spherical shape and primary diameters between 10-300 nm. All samples of synthesized nanopowders were compared with commercial nanopowders.

Plasma osmolality predicts mortality in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

PubMed

Kaya, HakkI; Yücel, Oğuzhan; Ege, Meltem Refiker; Zorlu, Ali; Yücel, Hasan; Güneş, Hakan; Ekmekçi, Ahmet; Yılmaz, Mehmet Birhan

2017-01-01

Heart failure (HF) is a fatal disease. Plasma osmolality with individual impacts of sodium, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and glucose has not been studied prognostically in patients with HF. This study aims to investigate the impact of serum osmolality on clinical endpoints in HF patients. A total of 509 patients (383 males, 126 females) with HF with reduced ejection fraction in three HF centres were retrospectively analysed between January 2007 and December 2013. Follow-up data were completed for 496 patients. Plasma osmolality was calculated as (2 × Na) + (BUN/2.8) + (Glucose/18). Quartiles of plasma osmolality were produced, and the possible relationship between plasma osmolality and cardiovascular mortality was investigated. The mean follow-up was 25 ± 22 months. The mean age was 56.5 ± 17.3 years with a mean EF of 26 ± 8%. The mean levels of plasma osmolality were as follows in the quartiles: 1st % = 280 ± 6, 2nd % = 288 ± 1, 3rd % = 293 ± 2 (95% confidence interval [CI] 292.72-293.3), and 4th % = 301 ± 5 mOsm/kg. The EF and B-type natriuretic peptide levels were similar in the four quartiles. Univariate and multivariate analyses in the Cox proportional hazard model revealed a significantly higher rate of mortality in the patients with hypo-osmolality. The Kaplan-Meier plot showed graded mortality curves with the 1st quartile having the worst prognosis, followed by the 4th quartile and the 2nd quartile, while the 3rd quartile was shown to have the best prognosis. Our study results suggest that normal plasma osmolality is between 275 and 295 mOsm/kg. However, being close to the upper limit of normal range (292-293 mOsm/kg) seems to be the optimal plasma osmolality level in terms of cardiovascular prognosis in patients with HF.

Simulation study of depositing the carbon film on nanoparticles in the magnetized methane plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammadzadeh, Hosein; Pourali, Nima; Ebadi, Zahra

2018-03-01

Plasma coating of nanoparticles in low-temperature magnetized methane plasma is studied by a simulation approach. To this end, by using the global model, the electron temperature and concentration of different species considered in this plasma are determined in the center of a capacitively coupled discharge. Then, the plasma-wall transition region in the presence of an oblique magnetic field is simulated by the multi-component fluid description. Nanoparticles with different radii are injected into the transition region and surface deposition and heating models, as well as dynamics and charging models, are employed to examine the coating process. The results of the simulation show that the non-spherical growth of nanoparticles is affected by the presence of the magnetic field, as with passing time, an oscillating increase is seen in the thickness of the film deposited on nanoparticles. Also, it is shown that the uniformity of the deposited film is dependent on the rotation velocity of nanoparticles. Generally, the obtained results imply that the sphericity of nanoparticles and uniformity of the film coated on them are controllable by the magnitude and orientation of the magnetic field.

Oxidation behaviour of Fe-Ni alloy nanoparticles synthesized by thermal plasma route

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghodke, Neha; Kamble, Shalaka; Raut, Suyog; Puranik, Shridhar; Bhoraskar, S. V.; Rayaprol, Sudhindra; Mathe, V. L.

2018-04-01

Here we report synthesis of Fe-Ni nanoparticles using thermal plasma route. In thermal plasma, gas phase nucleation and growth at sufficiently higher temperature is observed. The synthesized Fe-Ni nanoparticles are examined by X-ray Diffraction, Raman Spectroscopy, Vibrating Sample Magnetometer and Thermo gravimetric Analysis. Formation of 16-21 nm sized Fe-Ni nanoparticles having surface oxidation show maximum value of magnetization of ˜107 emu/g. The sample synthesized at relatively low power (4kW) show presence of carbonaceous species whereas the high power (6 kW) synthesis does not depicts carbonaceous species. The presence of carbonaceous species protects oxidation of the nanoparticles significantly as evidenced from TGA data.

Atmospheric pulsed laser deposition of plasmonic nanoparticle films of silver with flowing gas and flowing atmospheric plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, T. M.; Pokle, A.; Lunney, J. G.

2018-04-01

Two methods of atmospheric pulsed laser deposition of plasmonic nanoparticle films of silver are described. In both methods the ablation plume, produced by a 248 nm, 20 ns excimer laser in gas, is strongly confined near the target and forms a nanoparticle aerosol. For both the flowing gas, and the atmospheric plasma from a dielectric barrier discharge plasma source, the aerosol is entrained in the flow and carried to a substrate for deposition. The nanoparticle films produced by both methods were examined by electron microscopy and optical absorption spectroscopy. With plasma assistance, the deposition rate was significantly enhanced and the film morphology altered. With argon gas, isolated nanoparticles of 20 nm size were obtained, whereas in argon plasma, the nanoparticles are aggregated in clusters of 90 nm size. Helium gas also leads to the deposition of isolated nanoparticles, but with helium plasma, two populations of nanoparticles are observed: one of rounded particles with a mean size of 26 nm and the other of faceted particles with a mean size 165 nm.

Applications of Nanoparticle-Containing Plasmas for High-Order Harmonic Generation of Laser Radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganeev, Rashid A.

The use of nanoparticles for efficient conversion of the wavelength of ultrashort laser toward the deep UV spectral range through harmonic generation is an attractive application of cluster-containing plasmas. Note that earlier observations of HHG in nanoparticles were limited by using the exotic gas clusters formed during fast cooling of atomic flow from the gas jets 1-4. One can assume the difficulties in definition of the structure of such clusters and the ratio between nanoparticles and atoms/ions in the gas flow. The characterization of gas phase cluster production was currently improved using the sophisticated techniques (e.g., a control of nanoparticle mass and spatial distribution, see the review 5). In the meantime, the plasma nanoparticle HHG has demonstrated some advantages over gas cluster HHG 6. The application of commercially available nanopowders allowed for precisely defining the sizes and structure of these clusters in the plume. The laser ablation technique made possible the predictable manipulation of plasma characteristics, which led to the creation of laser plumes containing mainly nanoparticles with known spatial structure. The latter allows the application of such plumes in nonlinear optics, X-ray emission of clusters, deposition of nanoparticles with fixed parameters on the substrates for semiconductor industry, production of nanostructured and nanocomposite films, etc.

Interaction of gold and silver nanoparticles with human plasma: Analysis of protein corona reveals specific binding patterns.

PubMed

Lai, Wenjia; Wang, Qingsong; Li, Lumeng; Hu, Zhiyuan; Chen, Jiankui; Fang, Qiaojun

2017-04-01

Determining how nanomaterials interact with plasma will assist in understanding their effects on the biological system. This work presents a systematic study of the protein corona formed from human plasma on 20nm silver and gold nanoparticles with three different surface modifications, including positive and negative surface charges. The results show that all nanoparticles, even those with positive surface modifications, acquire negative charges after interacting with plasma. Approximately 300 proteins are identified on the coronas, while 99 are commonly found on each nanomaterial. The 20 most abundant proteins account for over 80% of the total proteins abundance. Remarkably, the surface charge and core of the nanoparticles, as well as the isoelectric point of the plasma proteins, are found to play significant roles in determining the nanoparticle coronas. Albumin and globulins are present at levels of less than 2% on these nanoparticle coronas. Fibrinogen, which presents in the plasma but not in the serum, preferably binds to negatively charged gold nanoparticles. These observations demonstrate the specific plasma protein binding pattern of silver and gold nanoparticles, as well as the importance of the surface charge and core in determining the protein corona compositions. The potential downstream biological impacts of the corona proteins were also investigated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biodegradable nanoparticles for improved kidney bioavailability of rhein: preparation, characterization, plasma, and kidney pharmacokinetics.

PubMed

Wei, Yinghui; Luo, Xiaoting; Guan, Jiani; Ma, Jianping; Zhong, Yicong; Luo, Jingwen; Li, Fanzhu

2017-11-01

The aim of this work is to develop biodegradable nanoparticles for improved kidney bioavailability of rhein (RH). RH-loaded nanoparticles were prepared using an emulsification solvent evaporation method and fully characterized by several techniques. Kidney pharmacokinetics was assessed by implanting a microdialysis probe in rat's kidney cortex. Blood samples were simultaneously collected (via femoral artery) for assessing plasma pharmacokinetics. Optimized nanoparticles were small, with a mean particle size of 132.6 ± 5.95 nm, and homogeneously dispersed. The charge on the particles was nearly zero, the encapsulation efficiency was 62.71 ± 3.02%, and the drug loading was 1.56 ± 0.15%. In vitro release of RH from the nanoparticles showed an initial burst release followed by a sustained release. Plasma and kidney pharmacokinetics showed that encapsulation of RH into nanoparticles significantly increased its kidney bioavailability (AUC kidney /AUC plasma  = 0.586 ± 0.072), clearly indicating that nanoparticles are a promising strategy for kidney drug delivery.

A CATALOG OF SOLAR X-RAY PLASMA EJECTIONS OBSERVED BY THE SOFT X-RAY TELESCOPE ON BOARD YOHKOH

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tomczak, M.; Chmielewska, E., E-mail: tomczak@astro.uni.wroc.pl, E-mail: chmielewska@astro.uni.wroc.pl

2012-03-01

A catalog of X-ray plasma ejections (XPEs) observed by the Soft X-ray Telescope on board the Yohkoh satellite has been recently developed in the Astronomical Institute of University of Wroclaw. The catalog contains records of 368 events observed in years 1991-2001 including movies and cross-references to associated events like flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). One hundred sixty-three XPEs out of 368 in the catalog were not reported until now. A new classification scheme of XPEs is proposed in which morphology, kinematics, and recurrence are considered. The relation between individual subclasses of XPEs and the associated events was investigated. Themore » results confirm that XPEs are strongly inhomogeneous, responding to different processes that occur in the solar corona. A subclass of erupting loop-like XPEs is a promising candidate to be a high-temperature precursor of CMEs.« less

Plasma-Functionalized Polytetrafluoroethylene Nanoparticles for Improved Wear in Lubricated Contact

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sharma, Vinay; Timmons, Richard; Erdemir, Ali

Plasma-functionalized polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) nanoparticles were employed to evaluate their utility in improving the lubrication property of a group III mineral oil with a significantly low amount of zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate (ZDDP). The particles were coated with two consecutive films; the initial coating contained silica to enhance amorphous glassy tribofilm formation, followed by a methacrylate film to protect the silica coating and enhance dispersibility in the oil. The functionalized nanoparticles were evaluated for their tribological performance using a high-frequency reciprocating rig, in a cylinder-on-flat configuration. The oil formulations containing ZDDP (350 ppm phosphorus level) and the functionalized nanoparticles resulted in dramaticmore » reductions in the friction coefficient and overall wear compared to the samples containing nonfunctionalized PTFE nanoparticles, ZDDP (350 ppm P), and samples devoid of nanoparticles but containing ZDDP with a 700 ppm P treat rate. XPS and XANES spectroscopy were employed to characterize the tribological films formed on the test samples. The samples with functionalized particles and ZDDP clearly exhibited tribofilms with Si- and F-doped polyphosphates of Zn coupled with the presence of ZnS at the metal-tribofilm interface. On the other hand, oils without the functionalized nanoparticles have oxides of Fe and to a lesser extent short-chain phosphates of Zn. The overall results suggest that the synergism between plasma-coated PTFE nanoparticles and ZDDP contributed to the development of protective tribofilms even at reduced amount of phosphorus in the oil. This new method of employing nanoparticles to deliver novel antifriction and antiwear chemistries at the tribological interfaces stands out as a promising approach to further reduce P levels in oils without compromising friction and wear performance.« less

Mechanism of solid-state plasma-induced dewetting for formation of copper and gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Kwon, Soon-Ho; Choe, Han Joo; Lee, Hyo-Chang; Chung, Chin-Wook; Lee, Jung-Joong

2013-09-01

Cu and Au nanoparticles were fabricated by plasma treatment on Cu and Au films at 653 K. The nanoparticles were formed by dewetting the metallic films using plasma. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy investigations showed that the plasma-induced dewetting of the Cu and Au films proceeded through heterogeneous hole nucleation and growth along the grain boundaries to lower the surface energy. The amount of energy transferred to surface atoms by one Ar ion was calculated to be 16.1 eV, which was sufficient for displacing Cu and Au atoms. Compared to thermally activated dewetting, more uniform particles could be obtained by plasma-induced dewetting because a much larger number of holes with smaller sizes was generated. The plasma dewetting process is less sensitive to the oxidation of metallic films compared to the annealing process. As a result, Cu nanoparticles could be fabricated at 653 K, whereas the thermally activated dewetting was not possible.

Irradiation of silver and agar/silver nanoparticles with argon, oxygen glow discharge plasma, and mercury lamp.

PubMed

Ahmad, Mahmoud M; Abdel-Wahab, Essam A; El-Maaref, A A; Rawway, Mohammed; Shaaban, Essam R

2014-01-01

The irradiation effect of argon, oxygen glow discharge plasma, and mercury lamp on silver and agar/silver nanoparticle samples is studied. The irradiation time dependence of the synthesized silver and agar/silver nanoparticle absorption spectra and their antibacterial effect are studied and compared. In the agar/silver nanoparticle sample, as the irradiation time of argon glow discharge plasma or mercury lamp increases, the peak intensity and the full width at half maximum, FWHM, of the surface plasmon resonance absorption band is increased, however a decrease of the peak intensity with oxygen glow plasma has been observed. In the silver nanoparticle sample, as the irradiation time of argon, oxygen glow discharge plasma or mercury lamp increases, the peak intensity of the surface plasmon resonance absorption band is increased, however, there is no significant change in the FWHM of the surface plasmon resonance absorption band. The SEM results for both samples showed nanoparticle formation with mean size about 50 nm and 40 nm respectively. Throughout the irradiation time with the argon, oxygen glow discharge plasma or mercury lamp, the antibacterial activity of several kinds of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria has been examined.

Monitoring non-thermal plasma processes for nanoparticle synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mangolini, Lorenzo

2017-09-01

Process characterization tools have played a crucial role in the investigation of dusty plasmas. The presence of dust in certain non-thermal plasma processes was first detected by laser light scattering measurements. Techniques like laser induced particle explosive evaporation and ion mass spectrometry have provided the experimental evidence necessary for the development of the theory of particle nucleation in silane-containing non-thermal plasmas. This review provides first a summary of these early efforts, and then discusses recent investigations using in situ characterization techniques to understand the interaction between nanoparticles and plasmas. The advancement of such monitoring techniques is necessary to fully develop the potential of non-thermal plasmas as unique materials synthesis and processing platforms. At the same time, the strong coupling between materials and plasma properties suggest that it is also necessary to advance techniques for the measurement of plasma properties while in presence of dust. Recent progress in this area will be discussed.

TiO2 Nanoparticle-Induced Oxidation of the Plasma Membrane: Importance of the Protein Corona.

PubMed

Runa, Sabiha; Lakadamyali, Melike; Kemp, Melissa L; Payne, Christine K

2017-09-21

Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles, used as pigments and photocatalysts, are widely present in modern society. Inhalation or ingestion of these nanoparticles can lead to cellular-level interactions. We examined the very first step in this cellular interaction, the effect of TiO 2 nanoparticles on the lipids of the plasma membrane. Within 12 h of TiO 2 nanoparticle exposure, the lipids of the plasma membrane were oxidized, determined with a malondialdehyde assay. Lipid peroxidation was inhibited by surface passivation of the TiO 2 nanoparticles, incubation with an antioxidant (Trolox), and the presence of serum proteins in solution. Subsequent experiments determined that serum proteins adsorbed on the surface of the TiO 2 nanoparticles, forming a protein corona, inhibit lipid peroxidation. Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy showed that these serum proteins were clustered on the nanoparticle surface. These protein clusters slow lipid peroxidation, but by 24 h, the level of lipid peroxidation is similar, independent of the protein corona or free serum proteins. Additionally, over 24 h, this corona of proteins was displaced from the nanoparticle surface by free proteins in solution. Overall, these experiments provide the first mechanistic investigation of plasma membrane oxidation by TiO 2 nanoparticles, in the absence of UV light and as a function of the protein corona, approximating a physiological environment.

Applying a laser-induced incandescence (LII) diagnostic to monitor nanoparticle synthesis in an atmospheric plasma, in situ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yatom, Shurik; Mitrani, James; Yeh, Yao-Wen; Shneider, Mikhail; Stratton, Brentley; Raitses, Yevgeny

2016-09-01

A DC arc discharge with a consumed graphite anode is commonly used for synthesis of carbon nanoparticles, including carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene flakes. The graphite electrode is physically vaporized by high currents (20-60 A) in a buffer gas at 100-600 torr, leading to nanoparticle synthesis in a low temperature (>1 eV), plasma. Utilizing arc plasma synthesis technique has resulted in the synthesis of higher quality nanomaterials. However, the formation of nanoparticles in arc discharge plasmas is poorly understood. A particularly interesting question is where in the arc the nanoparticles nucleate and grow. In our current work we show the results of studying the formation of carbon nanotubes in an arc discharge, in situ, using laser-induced incandescence (LII). The results of LII are discussed in combination with ex situ measurements of the synthesized nanoparticles and modeling, to provide an insight into the physics behind nanoparticle synthesis in plasma. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences, Materials Sciences and Engineering Division.

In situ measurements of plasma properties during gas-condensation of Cu nanoparticles

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koten, M. A., E-mail: mark.koten@gmail.com; Shield, J. E.; Voeller, S. A.

2016-03-21

Since the mean, standard deviation, and modality of nanoparticle size distributions can vary greatly between similar input conditions (e.g., power and gas flow rate), plasma diagnostics were carried out in situ using a double-sided, planar Langmuir probe to determine the effect the plasma has on the heating of clusters and their final size distributions. The formation of Cu nanoparticles was analyzed using cluster-plasma physics, which relates the processes of condensation and evaporation to internal plasma properties (e.g., electron temperature and density). Monitoring these plasma properties while depositing Cu nanoparticles with different size distributions revealed a negative correlation between average particlemore » size and electron temperature. Furthermore, the modality of the size distributions also correlated with the modality of the electron energy distributions. It was found that the maximum cluster temperature reached during plasma heating and the material's evaporation point regulates the growth process inside the plasma. In the case of Cu, size distributions with average sizes of 8.2, 17.3, and 24.9 nm in diameter were monitored with the Langmuir probe, and from the measurements made, the cluster temperatures for each deposition were calculated to be 1028, 1009, and 863 K. These values are then compared with the onset evaporation temperature of particles of this size, which was estimated to be 1059, 1068, and 1071 K. Thus, when the cluster temperature is too close to the evaporation temperature, less particle growth occurs, resulting in the formation of smaller particles.« less

Enhanced Dispersion of TiO2 Nanoparticles in a TiO2/PEDOT:PSS Hybrid Nanocomposite via Plasma-Liquid Interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yazi; Sun, Dan; Askari, Sadegh; Patel, Jenish; Macias-Montero, Manuel; Mitra, Somak; Zhang, Richao; Lin, Wen-Feng; Mariotti, Davide; Maguire, Paul

2015-10-01

A facile method to synthesize a TiO2/PEDOT:PSS hybrid nanocomposite material in aqueous solution through direct current (DC) plasma processing at atmospheric pressure and room temperature has been demonstrated. The dispersion of the TiO2 nanoparticles is enhanced and TiO2/polymer hybrid nanoparticles with a distinct core shell structure have been obtained. Increased electrical conductivity was observed for the plasma treated TiO2/PEDOT:PSS nanocomposite. The improvement in nanocomposite properties is due to the enhanced dispersion and stability in liquid polymer of microplasma treated TiO2 nanoparticles. Both plasma induced surface charge and nanoparticle surface termination with specific plasma chemical species are proposed to provide an enhanced barrier to nanoparticle agglomeration and promote nanoparticle-polymer binding.

Antimicrobial properties of uncapped silver nanoparticles synthesized by DC arc thermal plasma technique.

PubMed

Shinde, Manish; Patil, Rajendra; Karmakar, Soumen; Bhoraskar, Sudha; Rane, Sunit; Gade, Wasudev; Amalnerkar, Dinesh

2012-02-01

We, herein, report the antimicrobial properties of uncapped silver nanoparticles for a Gram positive model organism, Bacillus subtilis. Uncapped silver nanoparticles have been prepared using less-explored DC arc thermal plasma technique by considering its large scale generation capability. It is observed that the resultant nanoparticles show size as well as optical property dependent antimicrobial effect.

Antibacterial performance on plasma polymerized heptylamine films loaded with silver nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Yu-Chun; Lin, Chia-Chun; Lin, Chih-Hao; Wang, Meng-Jiy

2017-01-01

The antibacterial performance of the plasma-polymerized (pp) heptylamine thin films loaded with silver nanoparticles was evaluated against the colonization of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The properties including the thickness and chemical composition of the as deposited HApp films were modulated by adjusting plasma parameters. The acquired results showed that the film thickness was controlled in the range of 20 to 400 nm by adjusting deposition time. The subsequent immersion of the HApp thin films in silver nitrate solutions result in the formation of amine-metal complexes, in which the silver nanoparticles were reduced directly on the matrices to form Ag@HApp. The reduction reaction of silver was facilitated by applying NaBH4 as a reducing agent. The results of physicochemical analyses including morphological analysis and ellipsometry revealed that the silver nanoparticles were successfully reduced on the HApp films, and the amount of reduced silver was closely associated which the thickness of the plasma-polymerized films, the concentration of applied metal ions solutions, and the time of immobilization. Regarding the antibacterial performance, the Ag@HApp films reduced by NaBH4 showed antibacterial abilities of 70.1 and 68.2% against E. coli and S. aureus, respectively.

Numerical study of Si nanoparticle formation by SiCl4 hydrogenation in RF plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rehmet, Christophe; Cao, Tengfei; Cheng, Yi

2016-04-01

Nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si) is a promising material for many applications related to electronics and optoelectronics. This work performs numerical simulations in order to understand a new process with high deposition rate production of nc-Si in a radio-frequency plasma reactor. Inductive plasma formation, reaction kinetics and nanoparticle formation have been considered in a sophisticated model. Results show that the plasma parameters could be adjusted in order to improve selectivity between nanoparticle and molecule formation and, thus, the deposition rate. Also, a parametric study helps to optimize the system with appropriate operating conditions.

Plasma column and nano-powder generation from solid titanium by localized microwaves in air

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Popescu, Simona; Jerby, Eli, E-mail: jerby@eng.tau.ac.il; Meir, Yehuda

2015-07-14

This paper studies the effect of a plasma column ejected from solid titanium by localized microwaves in an ambient air atmosphere. Nanoparticles of titanium dioxide (titania) are found to be directly synthesized in this plasma column maintained by the microwave energy in the cavity. The process is initiated by a hotspot induced by localized microwaves, which melts the titanium substrate locally. The molten hotspot emits ionized titanium vapors continuously into the stable plasma column, which may last for more than a minute duration. The characterization of the dusty plasma obtained is performed in-situ by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), optical spectroscopy,more » and microwave reflection analyses. The deposited titania nanoparticles are structurally and morphologically analyzed by ex-situ optical and scanning-electron microscope observations, and also by X-ray diffraction. Using the Boltzmann plot method combined with the SAXS results, the electron temperature and density in the dusty plasma are estimated as ∼0.4 eV and ∼10{sup 19 }m{sup −3}, respectively. The analysis of the plasma product reveals nanoparticles of titania in crystalline phases of anatase, brookite, and rutile. These are spatially arranged in various spherical, cubic, lamellar, and network forms. Several applications are considered for this process of titania nano-powder production.« less

Geomagnetic response of interplanetary coronal mass ejections in the Earth's magnetosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Badruddin; Mustajab, F.; Derouich, M.

2018-05-01

A coronal mass ejections (CME) is the huge mass of plasma with embedded magnetic field ejected abruptly from the Sun. These CMEs propagate into interplanetary space with different speed. Some of them hit the Earth's magnetosphere and create many types of disturbances; one of them is the disturbance in the geomagnetic field. Individual geomagnetic disturbances differ not only in their magnitudes, but the nature of disturbance is also different. It is, therefore, desirable to understand these differences not only to understand the physics of geomagnetic disturbances but also to understand the properties of solar/interplanetary structures producing these disturbances of different magnitude and nature. In this work, we use the spacecraft measurements of CMEs with distinct magnetic properties propagating in the interplanetary space and generating disturbances of different levels and nature. We utilize their distinct plasma and field properties to search for the interplanetary parameter(s) playing important role in influencing the geomagnetic response of different coronal mass ejections.

MHD shocks in coronal mass ejections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinolfson, R. S.

1991-01-01

The primary objective of this research program is the study of the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) shocks and nonlinear simple waves produced as a result of the interaction of ejected lower coronal plasma with the ambient corona. The types of shocks and nonlinear simple waves produced for representative coronal conditions and disturbance velocities were determined. The wave system and the interactions between the ejecta and ambient corona were studied using both analytic theory and numerical solutions of the time-dependent, nonlinear MHD equations. Observations from the SMM coronagraph/polarimeter provided both guidance and motivation and are used extensively in evaluating the results. As a natural consequence of the comparisons with the data, the simulations assisted in better understanding the physical interactions in coronal mass ejections (CME's).

Runaway Electrons Modeling and Nanoparticle Plasma Jet Penetration into Tokamak Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galkin, S. A.; Bogatu, I. N.

2017-10-01

A novel idea to probe runaway electrons (REs) by superfast injection of high velocity nanoparticle plasma jet (NPPJ) from a plasma accelerator needs to be sustained by both RE dynamics modeling and simulation of NPPJ penetration through increasing tokamak magnetic field. We present our recent progress in both areas. RE simulation is based on the model, including Dreicer and ``avalanche'' mechanisms of RE generation, with emphasis on high Zeff effects. The high-density hyper-velocity C60 and BN NPPJ penetration through transversal B-field is conducted with the Hybrid Electro-Magnetic code (HEM-2D) in cylindrical coordinates, with 1/R B-field dependence for both DIII-D and ITER tokamaks. Work is supported in part by US DOE SBIR Grant.

The velocity field of a coronal mass ejection - The event of September 1, 1980

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Low, B. C.; Hundhausen, A. J.

1987-01-01

The velocity field of a mass ejection that was observed by the coronagraph of the SMM satellite over the northwest limb of the sun at about 0600 UT on September 1, 1980 is studied in detail. A descriptive account of the event is given, concentrating on qualitative features of the mass motion and suggesting a possible origin of the unusual two-loop structure. The velocity field is analyzed quantitatively, and the implications of the results for the mass ejection theory are considered. It is concluded that a self-similar description of the velocity field is a gross oversimplification and that although some evidence of wave propagation can be found, the bright features in the mass ejection are plasma structures moving with frozen-in magnetic fields, rather than waves propagating through plasmas and magnetic fields.

Quantitative analysis of gold nanoparticles in single cells by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Wang, Meng; Zheng, Ling-Na; Wang, Bing; Chen, Han-Qing; Zhao, Yu-Liang; Chai, Zhi-Fang; Reid, Helen J; Sharp, Barry L; Feng, Wei-Yue

2014-10-21

Single cell analysis has become an important field of research in recent years reflecting the heterogeneity of cellular responses in biological systems. Here, we demonstrate a new method, based on laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS), which can quantify in situ gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) in single cells. Dried residues of picoliter droplets ejected by a commercial inkjet printer were used to simulate matrix-matched calibration standards. The gold mass in single cells exposed to 100 nM NIST Au NPs (Reference material 8012, 30 nm) for 4 h showed a log-normal distribution, ranging from 1.7 to 72 fg Au per cell, which approximately corresponds to 9 to 370 Au NPs per cell. The average result from 70 single cells (15 ± 13 fg Au per cell) was in good agreement with the result from an aqua regia digest solution of 1.2 × 10(6) cells (18 ± 1 fg Au per cell). The limit of quantification was 1.7 fg Au. This paper demonstrates the great potential of LA-ICPMS for single cell analysis and the beneficial study of biological responses to metal drugs or NPs at the single cell level.

Deposition of gold nano-particles and nano-layers on polyethylene modified by plasma discharge and chemical treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Švorčík, V.; Chaloupka, A.; Záruba, K.; Král, V.; Bláhová, O.; Macková, A.; Hnatowicz, V.

2009-08-01

Polyethylene (PE) was treated in Ar plasma discharge and then grafted from methanol solution of 1,2-ethanedithiol to enhance adhesion of gold nano-particles or sputtered gold layers. The modified PE samples were either immersed into freshly prepared colloid solution of Au nano-particles or covered by sputtered, 50 nm thick gold nano-layer. Properties of the plasma modified, dithiol grafted and gold coated PE were studied using XPS, UV-VIS, AFM, EPR, RBS methods and nanoindentation. It was shown that the plasma treatment results in degradation of polymer chain, creation of excessive free radicals and conjugated double bonds. After grafting with 1,2-ethanedithiol the concentration of free radicals declined but the concentration of double bonds remained unchanged. Plasma treatment changes PE surface morphology and increases surface roughness too. Another significant change in the surface morphology and roughness was observed after deposition of Au nano-particles. The presence of Au on the sample surface after the coating with Au nano-particles was proved by XPS and RBS methods. Nanoindentation measurements shown that the grafting of plasma activated PE surface with dithiol increases significantly adhesion of sputtered Au nano-layer.

Microwave plasma synthesis of Si/Ge and Si/WSi2 nanoparticles for thermoelectric applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petermann, Nils; Schneider, Tom; Stötzel, Julia; Stein, Niklas; Weise, Claudia; Wlokas, Irenäus; Schierning, Gabi; Wiggers, Hartmut

2015-08-01

The utilization of microwave-based plasma systems enables a contamination-free synthesis of highly specific nanoparticles in the gas phase. A reactor setup allowing stable, long-term operation was developed with the support of computational fluid dynamics. This paper highlights the prospects of gas-phase plasma synthesis to produce specific materials for bulk thermoelectrics. Taking advantage of specific plasma reactor properties such as Coulomb repulsion in combination with gas temperatures considerably higher than 1000 K, spherical and non-aggregated nanoparticles of multiple compositions are accessible. Different strategies towards various nanostructured composites and alloys are discussed. It is shown that, based on doped silicon/germanium alloys and composites, thermoelectric materials with zT values up to almost unity can be synthesized in one step. First experimental results concerning silicon/tungsten silicide thermoelectrics applying the nanoparticle-in-alloy idea are presented indicating that this concept might work. However, it is found that tungsten silicides show a surprising sinter activity more than 1000 K below their melting temperature.

The effect of high-power plasma flows on tungsten plates with multilayer films of tungsten nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorokhov, M. V.; Kozhevin, V. M.; Yavsin, D. A.; Voronin, A. V.; Gurevich, S. A.

2017-04-01

We have experimentally studied the action of high-power plasma flows on pure tungsten plates covered with multilayer films of tungsten nanoparticles formed by the method of laser electrodeposition. The samples were irradiated using a plasma gun producing hydrogen (helium) plasma flows with power density up to 35 GW/cm2. The resulting surface morphology was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM data showed that tungsten plates coated by nanoparticles are more resistant to the formation of microcracks than are pure tungsten plates.

PHYSICAL CONDITIONS OF CORONAL PLASMA AT THE TRANSIT OF A SHOCK DRIVEN BY A CORONAL MASS EJECTION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Susino, R.; Bemporad, A.; Mancuso, S., E-mail: susino@oato.inaf.it

2015-10-20

We report here on the determination of plasma physical parameters across a shock driven by a coronal mass ejection using white light (WL) coronagraphic images and radio dynamic spectra (RDS). The event analyzed here is the spectacular eruption that occurred on 2011 June 7, a fast CME followed by the ejection of columns of chromospheric plasma, part of them falling back to the solar surface, associated with a M2.5 flare and a type-II radio burst. Images acquired by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory/LASCO coronagraphs (C2 and C3) were employed to track the CME-driven shock in the corona between 2–12 R{submore » ⊙} in an angular interval of about 110°. In this interval we derived two-dimensional (2D) maps of electron density, shock velocity, and shock compression ratio, and we measured the shock inclination angle with respect to the radial direction. Under plausible assumptions, these quantities were used to infer 2D maps of shock Mach number M{sub A} and strength of coronal magnetic fields at the shock's heights. We found that in the early phases (2–4 R{sub ⊙}) the whole shock surface is super-Alfvénic, while later on (i.e., higher up) it becomes super-Alfvénic only at the nose. This is in agreement with the location for the source of the observed type-II burst, as inferred from RDS combined with the shock kinematic and coronal densities derived from WL. For the first time, a coronal shock is used to derive a 2D map of the coronal magnetic field strength over intervals of 10 R{sub ⊙} altitude and ∼110° latitude.« less

Characteristics of epoxy resin/SiO2 nanocomposite insulation: effects of plasma surface treatment on the nanoparticles.

PubMed

Yan, Wei; Phung, B T; Han, Zhao Jun; Ostrikov, Kostya

2013-05-01

The present study compares the effects of two different material processing techniques on modifying hydrophilic SiO2 nanoparticles. In one method, the nanoparticles undergo plasma treatment by using a custom-developed atmospheric-pressure non-equilibrium plasma reactor. With the other method, they undergo chemical treatment which grafts silane groups onto their surface and turns them into hydrophobic. The treated nanoparticles are then used to synthesize epoxy resin-based nanocomposites for electrical insulation applications. Their characteristics are investigated and compared with the pure epoxy resin and nanocomposite fabricated with unmodified nanofillers counterparts. The dispersion features of the nanoparticles in the epoxy resin matrix are examined through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. All samples show evidence that the agglomerations are smaller than 30 nm in their diameters. This indicates good dispersion uniformity. The Weibull plot of breakdown strength and the recorded partial discharge (PD) events of the epoxy resin/plasma-treated hydrophilic SiO2 nanocomposite (ER/PTI) suggest that the plasma-treated specimen yields higher breakdown strength and lower PD magnitude as compared to the untreated ones. In contrast, surprisingly, lower breakdown strength is found for the nanocomposite made by the chemically treated hydrophobic particles, whereas the PD magnitude and PD numbers remain at a similar level as the plasma-treated ones.

Three-Dimensional Structure and Energy Balance of a Coronal Mass Ejection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, J.-Y.; Raymond, J. C.; Ko, Y.-K.; Kim, K.-S.

2009-01-01

UVCS observed Doppler-shifted material of a partial halo coronal mass ejection (CME) on 2001 December 13. The observed ratio of [O VJ/O V] is a reliable density diagnostic important for assessing the state of the plasma. Earlier UVCS observations of CMEs found evidence that the ejected plasma is heated long after the eruption. This paper investigated the heating rates, which represent a significant fraction of the CME energy budget. The parameterized heating and radiative and adiabatic cooling have been used to evaluate the temperature evolution of the CME material with a time-dependent ionization state model. Continuous heating is required to match the UVCS observations. To match the O VI bright knots, a higher heating rate is required such that the heating energy is greater than the kinetic energy.

Effect of Au irradiation energy on ejection of ZnS nanoparticles from ZnS film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuiri, P. K.; Ghatak, J.; Joseph, B.; Lenka, H. P.; Sahu, G.; Mahapatra, D. P.; Tripathi, A.; Kanjilal, D.; Mishra, N. C.

2007-01-01

ZnS films deposited on Si have been irradiated with Au ions at 35 keV, 2, and 100 MeV. Sputtered particles, collected on catcher foils during irradiation, were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy. For the case of 35 keV Au irradiation, no nanoparticle (NP) could be observed on the catcher foil. However, NPs 2-7 nm in size, have been observed on the catcher foils for MeV irradiations at room temperature. For particle sizes ≥3 nm, the distributions could be fitted to power law decays with decay exponents varying between 2 and 3.5. At 2 MeV, after correction for cluster breakup effects, the decay exponent has been found to be close to 2, indicating shock waves induced ejection to be the dominant mechanism. The corrected decay exponent for the 100 MeV Au irradiation case has been found to be about 2.6. Coulomb explosion followed by thermal spike induced vaporization of ZnS seems to be the dominant mechanism regarding material removal at such high energy. In such a case the evaporated material can cool down going into the fragmentation region forming clusters.

Model lipid bilayers mimic non-specific interactions of gold nanoparticles with macrophage plasma membranes.

PubMed

Montis, Costanza; Generini, Viola; Boccalini, Giulia; Bergese, Paolo; Bani, Daniele; Berti, Debora

2018-04-15

Understanding the interaction between nanomaterials and biological interfaces is a key unmet goal that still hampers clinical translation of nanomedicine. Here we investigate and compare non-specific interaction of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with synthetic lipid and wild type macrophage membranes. A comprehensive data set was generated by systematically varying the structural and physicochemical properties of the AuNPs (size, shape, charge, surface functionalization) and of the synthetic membranes (composition, fluidity, bending properties and surface charge), which allowed to unveil the matching conditions for the interaction of the AuNPs with macrophage plasma membranes in vitro. This effort directly proved for the first time that synthetic bilayers can be set to mimic and predict with high fidelity key aspects of nanoparticle interaction with macrophage eukaryotic plasma membranes. It then allowed to model the experimental observations according to classical interface thermodynamics and in turn determine the paramount role played by non-specific contributions, primarily electrostatic, Van der Waals and bending energy, in driving nanoparticle-plasma membrane interactions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

RMS roughness-independent tuning of surface wettability by tailoring silver nanoparticles with a fluorocarbon plasma polymer.

PubMed

Choukourov, A; Kylián, O; Petr, M; Vaidulych, M; Nikitin, D; Hanuš, J; Artemenko, A; Shelemin, A; Gordeev, I; Kolská, Z; Solař, P; Khalakhan, I; Ryabov, A; Májek, J; Slavínská, D; Biederman, H

2017-02-16

A layer of 14 nm-sized Ag nanoparticles undergoes complex transformation when overcoated by thin films of a fluorocarbon plasma polymer. Two regimes of surface evolution are identified, both with invariable RMS roughness. In the early regime, the plasma polymer penetrates between and beneath the nanoparticles, raising them above the substrate and maintaining the multivalued character of the surface roughness. The growth (β) and the dynamic (1/z) exponents are close to zero and the interface bears the features of self-affinity. The presence of inter-particle voids leads to heterogeneous wetting with an apparent water contact angle θ a = 135°. The multivalued nanotopography results in two possible positions for the water droplet meniscus, yet strong water adhesion indicates that the meniscus is located at the lower part of the spherical nanofeatures. In the late regime, the inter-particle voids become filled and the interface acquires a single valued character. The plasma polymer proceeds to grow on the thus-roughened surface whereas the nanoparticles keep emerging away from the substrate. The RMS roughness remains invariable and lateral correlations propagate with 1/z = 0.27. The surface features multiaffinity which is given by different evolution of length scales associated with the nanoparticles and with the plasma polymer. The wettability turns to the homogeneous wetting state.

Synthesis of TiO2 Nanoparticles from Ilmenite Through the Mechanism of Vapor-Phase Reaction Process by Thermal Plasma Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samal, Sneha

2017-11-01

Synthesis of nanoparticles of TiO2 was carried out by non-transferred arc thermal plasma reactor using ilmenite as the precursor material. The powder ilmenite was vaporized at high temperature in plasma flame and converted to a gaseous state of ions in the metastable phase. On cooling, chamber condensation process takes place on recombination of ions for the formation of nanoparticles. The top-to-bottom approach induces the disintegration of complex ilmenite phases into simpler compounds of iron oxide and titanium dioxide phases. The vapor-phase reaction mechanism was carried out in thermal plasma zone for the synthesis of nanoparticles from ilmenite compound in a plasma reactor. The easy separation of iron particles from TiO2 was taken place in the plasma chamber with deposition of light TiO2 particles at the top of the cooling chamber and iron particles at the bottom. The dissociation and combination process of mechanism and synthesis are studied briefly in this article. The product TiO2 nanoparticle shows the purity with a major phase of rutile content. TiO2 nanoparticles produced in vapor-phase reaction process shows more photo-induced capacity.

Magnetohydrodynamic simulations of the ejection of a magnetic flux rope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pagano, P.; Mackay, D. H.; Poedts, S.

2013-06-01

Context. Coronal mass ejections (CME's) are one of the most violent phenomena found on the Sun. One model to explain their occurrence is the flux rope ejection model. In this model, magnetic flux ropes form slowly over time periods of days to weeks. They then lose equilibrium and are ejected from the solar corona over a few hours. The contrasting time scales of formation and ejection pose a serious problem for numerical simulations. Aims: We simulate the whole life span of a flux rope from slow formation to rapid ejection and investigate whether magnetic flux ropes formed from a continuous magnetic field distribution, during a quasi-static evolution, can erupt to produce a CME. Methods: To model the full life span of magnetic flux ropes we couple two models. The global non-linear force-free field (GNLFFF) evolution model is used to follow the quasi-static formation of a flux rope. The MHD code ARMVAC is used to simulate the production of a CME through the loss of equilibrium and ejection of this flux rope. Results: We show that the two distinct models may be successfully coupled and that the flux rope is ejected out of our simulation box, where the outer boundary is placed at 2.5 R⊙. The plasma expelled during the flux rope ejection travels outward at a speed of 100 km s-1, which is consistent with the observed speed of CMEs in the low corona. Conclusions: Our work shows that flux ropes formed in the GNLFFF can lead to the ejection of a mass loaded magnetic flux rope in full MHD simulations. Coupling the two distinct models opens up a new avenue of research to investigate phenomena where different phases of their evolution occur on drastically different time scales. Movies are available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

Single-step generation of metal-plasma polymer multicore@shell nanoparticles from the gas phase.

PubMed

Solař, Pavel; Polonskyi, Oleksandr; Olbricht, Ansgar; Hinz, Alexander; Shelemin, Artem; Kylián, Ondřej; Choukourov, Andrei; Faupel, Franz; Biederman, Hynek

2017-08-17

Nanoparticles composed of multiple silver cores and a plasma polymer shell (multicore@shell) were prepared in a single step with a gas aggregation cluster source operating with Ar/hexamethyldisiloxane mixtures and optionally oxygen. The size distribution of the metal inclusions as well as the chemical composition and the thickness of the shells were found to be controlled by the composition of the working gas mixture. Shell matrices ranging from organosilicon plasma polymer to nearly stoichiometric SiO 2 were obtained. The method allows facile fabrication of multicore@shell nanoparticles with tailored functional properties, as demonstrated here with the optical response.

Microgravity Production of Nanoparticles of Novel Materials Using Plasma Synthesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frenklach, Michael; Fernandez-Pello, Carlos

2001-01-01

The research goal is to study the formation in reduced gravity of high quality nanoparticulate of novel materials using plasma synthesis. Particular emphasis will be placed on the production of powders of non-oxide materials like diamond, SiC, SiN, c-BN, etc. The objective of the study is to investigate the effect of gravity on plasma synthesis of these materials, and to determine how the microgravity synthesis can improve the quality and yield of the nanoparticles. It is expected that the reduced gravity will aid in the understanding of the controlling mechanisms of plasma synthesis, and will increase the yield, and quality of the synthesized powder. These materials have properties of interest in several industrial applications, such as high temperature load bearings or high speed metal machining. Furthermore, because of the nano-meter size of the particulate produced in this process, they have specific application in the fabrication of MEMS based combustion systems, and in the development and growth of nano-systems and nano-structures of these materials. These are rapidly advancing research areas, and there is a great need for high quality nanoparticles of different materials. One of the primary systems of interest in the project will be gas-phase synthesis of nanopowder of non-oxide materials.

Theoretical study of nanoparticle formation in thermal plasma processing: Nucleation, coagulation and aggregation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendoza Gonzalez, Norma Yadira

This work presents a mathematical modeling study of the synthesis of nanoparticles in radio frequency (RF) inductively coupled plasma (ICP) reactors. The purpose is to further investigate the influence of process parameters on the final size and morphology of produced particles. The proposed model involves the calculation of flow and temperature fields of the plasma gas. Evaporation of raw particles is also accounted with the particle trajectory and temperature history calculated with a Lagrangian approach. The nanoparticle formation is considered by homogeneous nucleation and the growth is caused by condensation and Brownian coagulation. The growth of fractal aggregates is considered by introducing a power law exponent Df. Transport of nanoparticles occurs by convection, thermophoresis and Brownian diffusion. The method of moments is used to solve the particle dynamics equation. The model is validated using experimental results from plasma reactors at laboratory scale. The results are presented in the following manner. First, use is made of the computational fluid dynamics software (CFD), Fluent 6.1 with a commercial companion package specifically developped for aerosols named: Fine Particle Model (FPM). This package is used to study the relationship between the operating parameters effect and the properties of the end products at the laboratory scale. Secondly, a coupled hybrid model for the synthesis of spherical particles and fractal aggregates is developped in place of the FPM package. Results obtained from this model will allow to identify the importance of each parameter in defining the morphology of spherical primary particles and fractal aggregates of nanoparticles. The solution of the model was made using the geometries and operating conditions of existing reactors at the Centre de Recherche en Energie, Plasma et Electrochimie (CREPE) of the Universite de Sherbrooke, for which experimental results were obtained experimentally. Additionally, this study

Signatures of the impact of flare-ejected plasma on the photosphere of a sunspot light bridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Felipe, T.; Collados, M.; Khomenko, E.; Rajaguru, S. P.; Franz, M.; Kuckein, C.; Asensio Ramos, A.

2017-12-01

Aims: We investigate the properties of a sunspot light bridge, focusing on the changes produced by the impact of a plasma blob ejected from a C-class flare. Methods: We observed a sunspot in active region NOAA 12544 using spectropolarimetric raster maps of the four Fe I lines around 15 655 Å with the GREGOR Infrared Spectrograph, narrow-band intensity images sampling the Fe I 6173 Å line with the GREGOR Fabry-Pérot Interferometer, and intensity broad-band images in G-band and Ca II H-band with the High-resolution Fast Imager. All these instruments are located at the GREGOR telescope at the Observatorio del Teide, Tenerife, Spain. The data cover the time before, during, and after the flare event. The analysis is complemented with Atmospheric Imaging Assembly and Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager data from the Solar Dynamics Observatory. The physical parameters of the atmosphere at differents heights were inferred using spectral-line inversion techniques. Results: We identify photospheric and chromospheric brightenings, heating events, and changes in the Stokes profiles associated with the flare eruption and the subsequent arrival of the plasma blob to the light bridge, after traveling along an active region loop. Conclusions: The measurements suggest that these phenomena are the result of reconnection events driven by the interaction of the plasma blob with the magnetic field topology of the light bridge. Movies attached to Figs. 1 and 3 are available at http://www.aanda.org

Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections During 1996 - 2007

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richardson, I. G.; Cane, H. V.

2007-01-01

Interplanetary coronal mass ejections, the interplanetary counterparts of coronal mass ejections at the Sun, are the major drivers of interplanetary shocks in the heliosphere, and are associated with modulations of the galactic cosmic ray intensity, both short term (Forbush decreases caused by the passage of the shock, post-shock sheath, and ICME), and possibly with longer term modulation. Using several in-situ signatures of ICMEs, including plasma temperature, and composition, magnetic fields, and cosmic ray modulations, made by near-Earth spacecraft, we have compiled a "comprehensive" list of ICMEs passing the Earth since 1996, encompassing solar cycle 23. We summarize the properties of these ICMEs, such as their occurrence rate, speeds and other parameters, the fraction of ICMEs that are classic magnetic clouds, and their association with solar energetic particle events, halo CMEs, interplanetary shocks, geomagnetic storms, shocks and cosmic ray decreases.

Synthesis of nanowires and nanoparticles of cubic aluminium nitride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balasubramanian, C.; Godbole, V. P.; Rohatgi, V. K.; Das, A. K.; Bhoraskar, S. V.

2004-03-01

Nanostructures of cubic aluminium nitride were synthesized by DC arc-plasma-induced melting of aluminium in a nitrogen-argon ambient. The material flux ejected from the molten aluminium surface was found to react with nitrogen under highly non-equilibrium conditions and subsequently condense on a water-cooled surface to yield a mixture of nanowires and nanoparticles of crystalline cubic aluminium nitride. Both x-ray diffraction and electron diffraction measurements revealed that the as-synthesized nitrides adopted the cubic phase. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to understand the bonding configuration. Microstructural features of the synthesized material were best studied by transmission electron microscopy. From these analyses cubic aluminium nitride was found to be the dominating phase for both nanowires and nanoparticles synthesized at low currents. The typical particle size distribution was found to range over 15-80 nm, whereas the wires varied from 30 to 100 nm in diameter and 500 to 700 nm in length, depending upon the process parameters such as arc current and the nitrogen pressure. The reaction products inside the plasma zone were also obtained theoretically by minimization of free energy and the favourable zone temperature necessary for the formation of aluminium nitride was found to be {\\sim } 6000 K. Results are discussed in view of the highly non-equilibrium conditions that prevail during the arc-plasma synthesis.

Combined effects of Ag nanoparticles and oxygen plasma treatment on PLGA morphological, chemical, and antibacterial properties.

PubMed

Fortunati, Elena; Mattioli, Samantha; Visai, Livia; Imbriani, Marcello; Fierro, Josè Luis G; Kenny, Josè Maria; Armentano, Ilaria

2013-03-11

The purpose of this study is to investigate the combined effects of oxygen plasma treatments and silver nanoparticles (Ag) on PLGA in order to modulate the surface antimicrobial properties through tunable bacteria adhesion mechanisms. PLGA nanocomposite films, produced by solvent casting with 1 wt % and 7 wt % of Ag nanoparticles were investigated. The PLGA and PLGA/Ag nanocomposite surfaces were treated with oxygen plasma. Surface properties of PLGA were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), static contact angle (CA), and high resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Antibacterial tests were performed using an Escherichia coli RB (a Gram negative) and Staphylococcus aureus 8325-4 (a Gram positive). The PLGA surface becomes hydrophilic after the oxygen treatment and its roughness increases with the treatment time. The surface treatment and the Ag nanoparticle introduction have a dominant influence on the bacteria adhesion and growth. Oxygen-treated PLGA/Ag systems promote higher reduction of the bacteria viability in comparison to the untreated samples and neat PLGA. The combination of Ag nanoparticles with the oxygen plasma treatment opens new perspectives for the studied biodegradable systems in biomedical applications.

Fluorine and oxygen plasma influence on nanoparticle formation and aggregation in metal oxide thin film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MÄ dzik, Mateusz; Elamurugu, Elangovan; Viegas, Jaime

2017-03-01

Despite recent advances in metal oxide thin-film transistor technology, there are no foundry processes available yet for large-scale deployment of metal oxide electronics and photonics, in a similar way as found for silicon based electronics and photonics. One of the biggest challenges of the metal oxide platform is the stability of the fabricated devices. Also, there is wide dispersion on the measured specifications of fabricated TFT, from lot-to-lot and from different research groups. This can be partially explained by the importance of the deposition method and its parameters, which determine thin film microstructure and thus its electrical properties. Furthermore, substrate pretreatment is an important factor, as it may act as a template for material growth. Not so often mentioned, plasma processes can also affect the morphology of deposited films on further deposition steps, such as inducing nanoparticle formation, which strongly impact the conduction mechanism in the channel layer of the TFT. In this study, molybdenum doped indium oxide is sputtered onto ALD deposited HfO2 with or without pattering, and etched by RIE chlorine based processing. Nanoparticle formation is observed when photoresist is removed by oxygen plasma ashing. HfO2 etching in CF4/Ar plasma prior to resist stripping in oxygen plasma promotes the aggregation of nanoparticles into nanosized branched structures. Such nanostructuring is absent when oxygen plasma steps are replaced by chemical wet processing with acetone. Finally, in order to understand the electronic transport effect of the nanoparticles on metal oxide thin film transistors, TFT have been fabricated and electrically characterized.

Plasma based formation and deposition of metal and metal oxide nanoparticles using a gas aggregation source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polonskyi, Oleksandr; Ahadi, Amir Mohammad; Peter, Tilo; Fujioka, Kenji; Abraham, Jan Willem; Vasiliauskaite, Egle; Hinz, Alexander; Strunskus, Thomas; Wolf, Sebastian; Bonitz, Michael; Kersten, Holger; Faupel, Franz

2018-05-01

Metal clusters and nanoparticles (NPs) have been studied intensively due to their unique chemical, physical, electrical, and optical properties, resulting from their dimensions, which provided host of applications in nanoscience and nanotechnology. Formation of new materials by embedding NPs into various matrices (i.e. formation of nanocomposites) further expands the horizon of possible application of such nanomaterials. In the last few decades, the focus was put on the formation of metallic and metal oxide NPs via a so-called gas aggregation nanoparticle source employing magnetron sputtering (i.e. Haberland concept). In this paper, an overview is given of the recent progress in formation and deposition of NPs by the gas aggregation method. Examples range from noble metals (Ag, Au) through reactive metals (Al, Ti) to Si and the respective oxides. Emphasis is placed on the mechanism of nanoparticle growth and the resulting properties. Moreover, kinetic Monte Carlo simulations were developed to explain the growth mechanism and dynamics of nanoparticle formation depending on the experimental conditions. In addition, the role of trace amounts of reactive gases and of pulsed operation of the plasma on the nucleation process is addressed. Finally, the treatment of the NPs in the plasma environment resulting in nanoparticle charging, morphological and chemical modifications is discussed. Contribution to the Topical Issue "Fundamentals of Complex Plasmas", edited by Jürgen Meichsner, Michael Bonitz, Holger Fehske, Alexander Piel.

Self-Organization Phenomena in a Cryogenic Gas Discharge Plasma: Formation of a Nanoparticle Cloud and Dust-Acoustic Waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boltnev, R. E.; Vasiliev, M. M.; Kononov, E. A.; Petrov, O. F.

2018-04-01

The dusty plasma structures in a glow discharge of helium in a tube cooled by superfluid helium at a temperature of 1.6 K and higher have been studied experimentally. The bimodal dust plasma formed by clouds of polydisperse cerium dioxide particles and polymer nanoparticles has been analyzed. We have observed wave oscillations in the cloud of polymer nanoparticles (with a size up to 100 nm), which existed in a narrow temperature range from 1.6 to 2.17 K. Vortices have been observed in the dusty plasma structures at helium temperatures.

Uncapped silver nanoparticles synthesized by DC arc thermal plasma technique for conductor paste formulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shinde, Manish; Pawar, Amol; Karmakar, Soumen; Seth, Tanay; Raut, Varsha; Rane, Sunit; Bhoraskar, Sudha; Amalnerkar, Dinesh

2009-11-01

Uncapped silver nanoparticles were synthesized by DC arc thermal plasma technique. The synthesized nanoparticles were structurally cubic and showed wide particle size variation (between 20-150 nm). Thick film paste formulated from such uncapped silver nanoparticles was screen-printed on alumina substrates and the resultant `green' films were fired at different firing temperatures. The films fired at 600 °C revealed better microstructure properties and also yielded the lowest value of sheet resistance in comparison to those corresponding to conventional peak firing temperature of 850 °C. Our findings directly support the role of silver nanoparticles in substantially depressing the operative peak firing temperature involved in traditional conductor thick films technology.

A new approach to synthesize ZnO tetrapod-like nanoparticles with DC thermal plasma technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Hsiu-Fen; Liao, Shih-Chieh; Hu, Chen-Ti

2009-02-01

The feasibility of fabricating the tetrapod-like zinc oxide (TZ) nanoparticles with a DC thermal plasma reactor was demonstrated in the present study. Advantages of this process include the low cost and high yield rate (0.8-1.0 kg/h) in producing high TZ content mixtures (with small portion of rod-like zinc oxide (RZ) and plate-like zinc oxide (PZ) nanoparticles) from commercial metal zinc powders. ZnO nanopowders with high TZ content could be employed as the starting material for photocatalytic filters. The ratio of TZ to RZ and PZ in the products was observed to be strongly influenced by the plasma power and the plasma gas flow rate. The optical spectrum, photostability and anti-microbial property of the as-grown and annealed TZ mixtures were examined and compared in this study.

Small Flare and a Coronal Mass Ejection

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-01-31

The sun shot out a small coronal mass ejection that was also associated with a small flare (Jan. 22, 2018). The video, which covers about 5 hours, shows the burst of plasma as the magnetic loops break apart. Immediately the magnetic fields brighten intensely and begin to reorganize themselves in coils above the active region. The images were taken in a wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light. Videos are available at https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22184

Optical emission and nanoparticle generation in Al plasmas using ultrashort laser pulses temporally optimized by real-time spectroscopic feedback

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guillermin, M.; Colombier, J. P.; Audouard, E.

2010-07-15

the ablated plasma plume which lead to the spatial distinct locations of excited species. Moreover, the nanoparticles sizes are computed based on liquid layer ejection followed by a Rayleigh and Taylor instability decomposition, in good agreement with the experimental findings.« less

The determination of micro-arc plasma composition and properties of nanoparticles formed during cathodic plasma electrolysis of 304 stainless steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jovović, Jovica; Stojadinović, Stevan; Vasilić, Rastko; Tadić, Nenad; Šišović, Nikola M.

2017-05-01

This paper presents the research focused on the determination of micro-arc plasma composition during cathodic plasma electrolysis of AISI304 stainless steel in water solution of sodium hydroxide. The complex line shape of several Fe I spectral lines was observed and, by means of a dedicated fitting procedure based on the spectral line broadening theory and H2O thermal decomposition data, the mole fraction of micro-arc plasma constituents (H2, Fe, O, H, H2O, and OH) was determined. Subsequent characterization of the cathodic plasma electrolysis product formed during the process revealed that it consists of Fe-nanoparticles with median diameter of approximately 60 nm.

Radio Emmision during the interaction of two Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lara, Alejandro; Niembro, Tatiana; González, Ricardo

2016-07-01

We show that some sporadic radio emission observed by the WIND/WAVES experiment in the decametric/kilometric bands are due to the interaction of two interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections. We have performed hydrodynamic simulations of the evolution of two consecutive Coronal Mass ejections in the interplanetary medium. With these simulations it is possible to follow the density evolution of the merged structure, and therefore, compute the frequency limits of the possible plasma emission. We study four well documented ICME interaction events, and found radio emission at the time and frequencies predicted by the simulations. This emission may help to anticipate the complexity of the merged region before it reaches one AU.

Synthesis of indium-containing nanoparticles using plasmas in water to study their effects on living body

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amano, Takaaki; Koga, Kazunori; Sarinont, Thapanut; Seo, Hyunwoong; Itagaki, Naho; Shiratani, Masaharu; Kitazaki, Satoshi; Hirata, Miyuki; Nakatsu, Yoshimichi; Tanaka, Akiyo

2015-09-01

Nanoparticles can be employed for biomedical applications such as biomarkers, drug delivery systems, and cancer therapies. They are, however, pointed out their adverse effects on human body. Here, we synthesed indium-containing nanoparticles using discharge plasmas with indium electrodes immersed in DI water and administrated nanoparticles to rats to analyze their kinetics in living body. The discharge power was 5.1 W. The electron density is 5x1017/cm3 deduced from Stark broadening of hydrogen lines. TEM observation shows the mean size of primary nanoparticles is 7 nm. The nanoparticles are indium crystalline and indium hydroxide crystalline. The synthesized nanoparticles and purchased nanoparticles (In2O3, <100nm) were administrated to rats using subcutaneous injection. Indium of 166.7 g/day (synthesized) and of 27.8 g/day (purchased) are detected from the urine at 12 weeks after the administration. Synthesized nanoparticles dispersed in water are useful for analyzing kinetics of nanoparticles in living body. Work partly supported by KAKENHI.

Involvement of small carbon clusters in the enhancement of high-order harmonic generation of ultrashort pulses in the plasmas produced during ablation of carbon-contained nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganeev, R. A.

2017-09-01

Various carbon-based nanoparticles ablated at the conditions suitable for efficient harmonic generation during propagation of ultrashort pulses through the laser-produced plasmas were studied. The transmission electron microscopy of ablated debris and the time-of-flight mass-spectroscopy studies of plasmas are presented. The conditions of laser ablation of the carbon-contained nanoparticles (fullerenes, graphene, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, and diamond nanoparticles) were varied to define the impeding processes restricting the harmonic yield from such laser-produced plasmas. These studies show that the enhancement of harmonics during ablation of nanoparticle targets was related with the appearance of small carbon clusters at the moment of propagation of the ultrashort laser pulses though such plasmas.

Synthesis of Silicon Nanoparticles in Inductively Coupled Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markosyan, Aram H.; Le Picard, Romain; Girshick, Steven L.; Kushner, Mark J.

2016-09-01

The synthesis of silicon nanoparticles (Si-NPs) is being investigated for their use in photo-emitting electronics, photovoltaics, and biotechnology. The ability to control the size and mono-disperse nature of Si-NPs is important to optimizing these applications. In this paper we discuss results from a computational investigation of Si-NP formation and growth in an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) reactor with the goal of achieving this control. We use a two dimensional numerical model where the algorithms for the kinetics of NP formation are self-consistently coupled with a plasma hydrodynamics simulation. The reactor modeled here resembles a GEC reference cell through which, for the base case, a mixture of Ar/SiH4 = 70/30 flows at 150 sccm at a pressure of 100 mTorr. In continuous wave mode, three coils located on top of the reactor deliver 150 W. The electric plasma potential confines negatively charged particles at the center of the discharge, increasing the residence time of negative NPs, which enables the NPs to potentially grow to large and controllable sizes of many to 100s nm. We discuss methods of controlling NP growth rates by varying the mole fraction and flow rate of SiH4, and using a pulsed plasma by varying the pulse period and duty cycle. Work supported by DOE Office of Fusion Energy Science and National Science Foundation.

Viability preserved capture of microorganism by plasma functionalized carbon-encapsulated iron nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viswan, Anchu; Sugiura, Kuniaki; Nagatsu, Masaaki

2015-09-01

Carbon-encapsulated iron nanoparticles (Fe@C NPs) were synthesized by DC arc discharge method. Carbon encapsulation makes the particles hydrophobic, however for most of the biomedical applications they need to be hydrophilic. To attain this, the particles were amino functionalized by RF plasma. Effect of gas mixture ratio (Ar/NH3), pretreatment, post-treatment times and RF power were optimized. By varying the RF plasma conditions, the amino group population on the surface of Fe@C NPs were increased. With conventional chemical method the amino group population on particles, synthesized in different conditions was found to be ranging from 3-7 × 104 per particle. Bioconjugation efficiency of the nanoparticles was examined by biotin-avidin system, which can be simulated for antigen-antibody reactions. Results from the UV absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy shows increment in bioconjugation efficiency, with the increase of amino group population on the nanoparticles. After confirming the bioconjugation efficiency, the amino functionalized Fe@C NPs were modified with antibodies for targeting specific microorganisms. Our aim is to capture the microbes in viable and concentrated form even from less populated samples, with lesser time compared to the presently available methods. This work has been supported in part by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (Nos. 21110010 and 25246029) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

Hydrogen Chemical Configuration and Thermal Stability in Tungsten Disulfide Nanoparticles Exposed to Hydrogen Plasma

PubMed Central

Laikhtman, Alex; Makrinich, Gennady; Sezen, Meltem; Yildizhan, Melike Mercan; Martinez, Jose I.; Dinescu, Doru; Prodana, Mariana; Enachescu, Marius; Alonso, Julio A.; Zak, Alla

2017-01-01

The chemical configuration and interaction mechanism of hydrogen adsorbed in inorganic nanoparticles of WS2 are investigated. Our recent approaches of using hydrogen activated by either microwave or radiofrequency plasma dramatically increased the efficiency of its adsorption on the nanoparticles surface. In the current work we make an emphasis on elucidation of the chemical configuration of the adsorbed hydrogen. This configuration is of primary importance as it affects its adsorption stability and possibility of release. To get insight on the chemical configuration, we combined the experimental analysis methods with theoretical modeling based on the density functional theory (DFT). Micro-Raman spectroscopy was used as a primary tool to elucidate chemical bonding of hydrogen and to distinguish between chemi- and physisorption. Hydrogen adsorbed in molecular form (H2) was clearly identified in all the plasma-hydrogenated WS2 nanoparticles samples. It was shown that the adsorbed hydrogen is generally stable under high vacuum conditions at room temperature, which implies its stability at the ambient atmosphere. A DFT model was developed to simulate the adsorption of hydrogen in the WS2 nanoparticles. This model considers various adsorption sites and identifies the preferential locations of the adsorbed hydrogen in several WS2 structures, demonstrating good concordance between theory and experiment and providing tools for optimizing of hydrogen exposure conditions and the type of substrate materials. PMID:28596812

Gas Sensors Based on Tin Oxide Nanoparticles Synthesized from a Mini-Arc Plasma Source

DOE PAGES

Lu, Ganhua; Huebner, Kyle L.; Ocola, Leonidas E.; ...

2006-01-01

Minimore » aturized gas sensors or electronic noses to rapidly detect and differentiate trace amount of chemical agents are extremely attractive. In this paper, we report on the fabrication and characterization of a functional tin oxide nanoparticle gas sensor. Tin oxide nanoparticles are first synthesized using a convenient and low-cost mini-arc plasma source. The nanoparticle size distribution is measured online using a scanning electrical mobility spectrometer (SEMS). The product nanoparticles are analyzed ex-situ by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) for morphology and defects, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy for elemental composition, electron diffraction for crystal structure, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for surface composition. Nonagglomerated rutile tin oxide ( SnO 2 ) nanoparticles as small as a few nm have been produced. Larger particles bear a core-shell structure with a metallic core and an oxide shell. The nanoparticles are then assembled onto an e-beam lithographically patterned interdigitated electrode using electrostatic force to fabricate the gas sensor. The nanoparticle sensor exhibits a fast response and a good sensitivity when exposed to 100 ppm ethanol vapor in air.« less

Simulating the Fate of an Ionospheric Mass Ejection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, T. E.; Fok, M. H.; Delcourt, D. C.; Slinker, S. P.; Fedder, J. A.

2008-12-01

We report global ion kinetic (GIK) simulations of the 24-25 Sep 1998 storm, with all relevant ionospheric outflows including polar, auroral, and plasmaspheric winds. This storm included substantial periods of northward interplanetary magnetic field, but did develop a Dst of -200 nT at its peak. The solar disturbance resulted form a coronal mass ejection that reached a peak dynamic pressure at the magnetosphere of 6.2 nPa, and produced a substantial enhancement of auroral wind oxygen outflow from the dayside, which has been termed an "ionospheric mass ejection" in an earlier observational paper. We use the LFM global simulation model to produce electric and magnetic fields in the outer magnetosphere, the Strangeway-Zheng outflow scalings with Delcourt ion trajectories to include ionospheric outflows, and the Fok-Ober inner magnetospheric model for the plasmaspheric and ring current response to all particle populations. We assess the combined contributions of heliospheric and geospheric plasmas to the ring current for this event.

Synthesis of ZnO and Zn nanoparticles in microwave plasma and their deposition on glass slides.

PubMed

Irzh, Alexander; Genish, Isaschar; Klein, Lior; Solovyov, Leonid A; Gedanken, Aharon

2010-04-20

This work represents a new method to synthesis of ZnO and/or Zn nanoparticles by means of microwave plasma whose electrons are the reducing agents. Glass quadratic slides sized 2.5 x 2.5 cm were coated by ZnO and/or Zn particles whose sizes ranged from a few micrometers to approximately 20 nm. The size of the particles can be controlled by the type of the precursor and its concentration. In the current paper, the mechanism of the reactions of ZnO and/or Zn formation was proposed. Longer plasma irradiation and lower precursor concentration favor the fabrication of metallic Zn nanoparticles. The nature of the precursor's ion (acetate, nitrate, or chloride) is also of importance in determining the composition of the product. The glass slides coated by ZnO and/or Zn nanoparticles were characterized by HR-SEM, HR-TEM, AFM, XRD, ESR, contact angle and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS).

Plasma Amino Acid Coatings for a Conformal Growth of Titania Nanoparticles

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-01

of dry nitrogen. Periodic porous polymer SU8 templates fabricated using multi-beam IL according to published procedures have been supplied by Thomas...3D periodic polymer structures via plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. We demonstrate the efficient utilization of this functional amino acid...nanoparticles were grown directly on histidine-functionalized planar and 3D polymer substrates by a wet-chemistry method that showed uniform surface

Simulating AIA observations of a flux rope ejection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pagano, P.; Mackay, D. H.; Poedts, S.

2014-08-01

Context. Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are the most violent phenomena observed on the Sun. Currently, extreme ultraviolet (EUV) images from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on board the Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO) are providing new insights into the early phase of CME evolution. In particular, observations now show the ejection of magnetic flux ropes from the solar corona and how they evolve into CMEs. While this is the case, these observations are difficult to interpret in terms of basic physical mechanisms and quantities. To fully understand CMEs we need to compare equivalent quantities derived from both observations and theoretical models. This will aid in bridging the gap between observations and models. Aims: To this end, we aim to produce synthesised AIA observations from simulations of a flux rope ejection. To carry this out we include the role of thermal conduction and radiative losses, both of which are important for determining the temperature distribution of the solar corona during a CME. Methods: We perform a simulation where a flux rope is ejected from the solar corona. From the density and temperature of the plasma in the simulation we synthesise AIA observations. The emission is then integrated along the line of sight using the instrumental response function of AIA. Results: We sythesise observations of AIA in the channels at 304 Å, 171 Å, 335 Å, and 94 Å. The synthesised observations show a number of features similar to actual observations and in particular reproduce the general development of CMEs in the low corona as observed by AIA. In particular we reproduce an erupting and expanding arcade in the 304 Å and 171 Å channels with a high density core. Conclusions: The ejection of a flux rope reproduces many of the features found in the AIA observations. This work is therefore a step forward in bridging the gap between observations and models, and can lead to more direct interpretations of EUV observations in terms of flux rope

Determinants of plasma NT-pro-BNP levels in patients with atrial fibrillation and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction.

PubMed

Letsas, Konstantinos P; Filippatos, Gerasimos S; Pappas, Loukas K; Mihas, Constantinos C; Markou, Virginia; Alexanian, Ioannis P; Efremidis, Michalis; Sideris, Antonios; Maisel, Alan S; Kardaras, Fotios

2009-02-01

The present study aimed to investigate the clinical and echocardiographic determinants of plasma NT-pro-BNP levels in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). NT-pro-BNP levels were measured in 45 patients with paroxysmal AF, 41 patients with permanent AF and 48 controls. NT-pro-BNP levels were found significantly elevated in patients with paroxysmal (215+/-815 pg/ml) and permanent AF (1,086+/-835 pg/ml) in relation to control population (86.3+/-77.9 pg/ml) (P<0.001). According to the univariate linear regression analysis, age, hypertension, beta-blocker use, left atrial diameter (LAD), LVEF and AF status (paroxysmal or permanent or both) were significantly associated with NT-pro-BNP levels (P<0.05). In multiple linear regression analysis, LVEF (B coefficient: -53.030; CI: -95.738 to -10.322; P: 0.015) and LAD (B coefficient: 285.858; CI: 23.731-547.986; P: 0.033) were significant and independent determinants of NT-pro-BNP levels. Plasma NT-pro-BNP levels were significantly higher in patients with paroxysmal and permanent AF compared to those with sinus rhythm in the setting of preserved left ventricular systolic function. LVEF and LAD were independent predictors of NT-pro-BNP levels.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles decrease the expression and activity of plasma membrane calcium ATPase, disrupt the intracellular calcium homeostasis in rat retinal ganglion cells.

PubMed

Guo, Dadong; Bi, Hongsheng; Wang, Daoguang; Wu, Qiuxin

2013-08-01

Zinc oxide nanoparticle is one of the most important materials with diverse applications. However, it has been reported that zinc oxide nanoparticles are toxic to organisms, and that oxidative stress is often hypothesized to be an important factor in cytotoxicity mediated by zinc oxide nanoparticles. Nevertheless, the mechanism of toxicity of zinc oxide nanoparticles has not been completely understood. In this study, we investigated the cytotoxic effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles and the possible molecular mechanism involved in calcium homeostasis mediated by plasma membrane calcium ATPase in rat retinal ganglion cells. Real-time cell electronic sensing assay showed that zinc oxide nanoparticles could exert cytotoxic effect on rat retinal ganglion cells in a concentration-dependent manner; flow cytometric analysis indicated that zinc oxide nanoparticles could lead to cell damage by inducing the overproduction of reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, zinc oxide nanoparticles could also apparently decrease the expression level and their activity of plasma membrane calcium ATPase, which finally disrupt the intracellular calcium homeostasis and result in cell death. Taken together, zinc oxide nanoparticles could apparently decrease the plasma membrane calcium ATPase expression, inhibit their activity, cause the elevated intracellular calcium ion level and disrupt the intracellular calcium homeostasis. Further, the disrupted calcium homeostasis will trigger mitochondrial dysfunction, generate excessive reactive oxygen species, and finally initiate cell death. Thus, the disrupted calcium homeostasis is involved in the zinc oxide nanoparticle-induced rat retinal ganglion cell death. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Photospheric mass ejections caused by cometary impacts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibadov, Subhon; Ibodov, Firuz S.

It is analytically shown that impacts of cometary nuclei with the Sun will be accompanied, due to action of ram aerodynamic pressure at the passage of the high-velocity, more than 600 km/s, nucleus through the chromosphere by its crushing, lateral expansion of the crushed mass and sharp stopping of the flattening structure in a relatively very thin near-photosphere layer. High value of the specific kinetic energy of the comet nucleus, essentially more than the heat of its sublimation - of the order of 10^10 erg/g, leads to generation of a high-temperature, 10^6-10^7 K, plasma as well as strong "blast" shock wave in the decelerating layer, so that hot layer plasma will be ejected to the lower solar corona. Space observations of the phenomenon are of interest for revealing mechanisms for generation of solar prominences.

Synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of gold nanoparticles via plasma-liquid interaction technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khatoon, N.; Yasin, H. M.; Younus, M.; Ahmed, W.; Rehman, N. U.; Zakaullah, M.; Iqbal, M. Zafar

2018-01-01

Fabrication of non-functionalized gold nanoparticles is interesting owing to their potential applications in sensing and biomedicine. We report on the synthesis of surfactant-free gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) by Plasma-Liquid Interaction (PLI) technique, using micro-atmospheric pressure D.C. plasma. The effects of discharge parameters, such as discharge current, precursor concentration and gas flow rates on the structure and morphology of AuNPs have been investigated. Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES) was employed to estimate the UV radiation intensity and OH radical density. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) optical spectroscopy were employed to study the morphology and structure of AuNPs. The normalized intensities of UV radiation and OH radical density found to increase with increase in discharge current. We observed that the particle size can be tuned by controlling any of the following parameters: intensity of the UV radiation, OH radical density, and concentration of the Au precursor. Interestingly, we found that addition of 1% Ar in the feedstock gas results in formation of relatively uniform size distribution of nanoparticles. The surfactant-free AuNPs, due to their bare-surface, exhibit excellent surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) properties. The SERS study of Rhodamine 6G using AuNPs as substrates, shows significant Raman enhancement and fluorescence quenching, which makes our technique a potentially powerful route to detection of trace amounts of dangerous explosives and other materials.

Aerosol emission monitoring in the production of silicon carbide nanoparticles by induction plasma synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, Drew; Leparoux, Marc; Jaeggi, Christian; Buha, Jelena; Pui, David Y. H.; Wang, Jing

2013-12-01

In this study, the synthesis of silicon carbide (SiC) nanoparticles in a prototype inductively coupled thermal plasma reactor and other supporting processes, such as the handling of precursor material, the collection of nanoparticles, and the cleaning of equipment, were monitored for particle emissions and potential worker exposure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of engineering controls and best practice guidelines developed for the production and handling of nanoparticles, identify processes which result in a nanoparticle release, characterize these releases, and suggest possible administrative or engineering controls which may eliminate or control the exposure source. No particle release was detected during the synthesis and collection of SiC nanoparticles and the cleaning of the reactor. This was attributed to most of these processes occurring in closed systems operated at slight underpressure. Other tasks occurring in more open spaces, such as the disconnection of a filter assembly from the reactor system and the use of compressed air for the cleaning of filters where synthesized SiC nanoparticles were collected, resulted in releases of submicrometer particles with a mode size of 170-180 nm. Observation of filter samples under scanning electron microscope confirmed that the particles were agglomerates of SiC nanoparticles.

Oxygen Plasma-Fragmented KMnF3 Nanoparticle Benefits Contrast Enhancement for MR Imaging of a Patient-derived Tumor Xenograft Model.

PubMed

Fu, Xin; Yu, Lulu; Li, Yanshu; Zhang, Yu; Xiao, Xiaoping; Zhang, Jinsheng; Shu, Ting; Jing, Cai; Tang, Qun

2018-06-11

Magnetic nanoparticles are emerging as promising candidates for next-generation of imaging contrast agents and its performance was largely dependent on physico-chemistry properties. In this paper, A new type of "top down" fabrication technique was developed to synthesize ultrasmall magnetic nanoparticle as contrast enhancer. In detailed, home-made oxygen plasma generator fragments larger KMnF3 nanoparticle (22 nm) into smaller (<5 nm) particle with enhanced hydrophilicity, as massive activated oxygen species produced during plasma could severally etch the nanoparticle, and VUV light irradiated it heavily as well, leaving it weak crystallinity, even splitting into ultrafine particle, also its surface transformed from hydrophobic to hydrophilic by oxidizing the passivated ligand, evidenced from the spectroscopy and microscopy. The fragmented nanoparticle is characteristic of unprecedented high longitudinal relaxivity (r1=35.52 mM-1.s-1) and appropriate biocompatibility. In healthy mouse, the ultrafine nanoparticle did not exert observable toxicity, evaluated by histology of the main organ and hemogram analysis, including kidney and liver function analysis. More interesting, the ultrasmall NP has very long circulation time, as its blood half time is around 20 hours. When applied as a contrast enhancer for MR imaging of patient-derived tumor xenograft model, the accumulation of KMnF3 nanoparticle within the tumor can be as high as averaged 12.13%ID per gram, which greatly shortens relaxation time of the tumor, therefore control-to-noise ratio got significant enhancement, relative to the same dosage of Gd-DTPA (Magvenist) (P<0.001). Our primary results demonstrate that fragmentation of nanoparticle via our home-made O2 plasma technique might be an effective route to fabricate ultrasmall NPs, and benefit their contrast effect as applied as MRI enhancer for clinical diagnosis of tumor. © 2018 IOP Publishing Ltd.

The interaction of the carbon nanoparticles with human cell plasma membrane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Overchuk, M.; Prylutska, S.; Bilyy, Rostyslav; Prylutsky, Yu.; Ritter, U.

2013-09-01

The study of carbon nanostructures is a highly topical branch of bionanotechnology because of their potential application in biomedicine. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are known for their ability to kill tumor cells causing hyperthermia shock and can be used in photothermal therapy respectively. Also chemically modified CNTs can be used for drug delivery. The needle-like shape of CNTs allows them to penetrate into the cell plasma membrane without killing the cell. C60 fullerenes are regarded as valuable nanocarriers for different hydrophobic molecules as well as potential antiviral agents or photosensitizers. In our previous studies we have demonstrated that all types of carbon nanoparticles cause externalization of phosphatidylserine (PS) from the inner to the outer layer of the cell membrane in the small local patches (points of contact), leaving the other parts of plasma membrane PS-negative. In the current work there were studied the interactions of pristine C60 fullerenes and different types of CNTs with human blood cells (erythrocytes and Jurkat T-cells). We have shown, that carbon nanoparticles do not have any hemolytic effects, if judged by the dynamics of acidic hemolysis, although they are capable of permeabilizating the cells and facilitating the internalization of propidium iodide into the nuclei.

Sintering Behavior of Spark Plasma Sintered SiC with Si-SiC Composite Nanoparticles Prepared by Thermal DC Plasma Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Yeon-Tae; Naik, Gautam Kumar; Lim, Young-Bin; Yoon, Jeong-Mo

2017-11-01

The Si-coated SiC (Si-SiC) composite nanoparticle was prepared by non-transferred arc thermal plasma processing of solid-state synthesized SiC powder and was used as a sintering additive for SiC ceramic formation. Sintered SiC pellet was prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS) process, and the effect of nano-sized Si-SiC composite particles on the sintering behavior of micron-sized SiC powder was investigated. The mixing ratio of Si-SiC composite nanoparticle to micron-sized SiC was optimized to 10 wt%. Vicker's hardness and relative density was increased with increasing sintering temperature and holding time. The relative density and Vicker's hardness was further increased by reaction bonding using additional activated carbon to the mixture of micron-sized SiC and nano-sized Si-SiC. The maximum relative density (97.1%) and Vicker's hardness (31.4 GPa) were recorded at 1800 °C sintering temperature for 1 min holding time, when 0.2 wt% additional activated carbon was added to the mixture of SiC/Si-SiC.

Single step, phase controlled, large scale synthesis of ferrimagnetic iron oxide polymorph nanoparticles by thermal plasma route and their rheological properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raut, Suyog A.; Mutadak, Pallavi R.; Kumar, Shiv; Kanhe, Nilesh S.; Huprikar, Sameer; Pol, Harshawardhan V.; Phase, Deodatta M.; Bhoraskar, Sudha V.; Mathe, Vikas L.

2018-03-01

In this paper we report single step large scale synthesis of highly crystalline iron oxide nanoparticles viz. magnetite (Fe3O4) and maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) via gas phase condensation process, where micron sized iron metal powder was used as a precursor. Selective phases of iron oxide were obtained by variation of gas flow rate of oxygen and hence partial pressure of oxygen inside the plasma reactor. Most of the particles were found to possesses average crystallite size of about 20-30 nm. The DC magnetization curves recorded indicate almost super-paramagnetic nature of the iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles. Further, iron oxide nanoparticles were analyzed using Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Mossbauer spectroscopy. In order to explore the feasibility of these nanoparticles for magnetic damper application, rheological studies have been carried out and compared with commercially available Carbonyl Iron (CI) particles. The nanoparticles obtained by thermal plasma route show improved dispersion which is useful for rheological applications.

Surface functionalization of microwave plasma-synthesized silica nanoparticles for enhancing the stability of dispersions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sehlleier, Yee Hwa; Abdali, Ali; Schnurre, Sophie Marie; Wiggers, Hartmut; Schulz, Christof

2014-08-01

Gas phase-synthesized silica nanoparticles were functionalized with three different silane coupling agents (SCAs) including amine, amine/phosphonate and octyltriethoxy functional groups and the stability of dispersions in polar and non-polar dispersing media such as water, ethanol, methanol, chloroform, benzene, and toluene was studied. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that all three SCAs are chemically attached to the surface of silica nanoparticles. Amine-functionalized particles using steric dispersion stabilization alone showed limited stability. Thus, an additional SCA with sufficiently long hydrocarbon chains and strong positively charged phosphonate groups was introduced in order to achieve electrosteric stabilization. Steric stabilization was successful with hydrophobic octyltriethoxy-functionalized silica nanoparticles in non-polar solvents. The results from dynamic light scattering measurements showed that in dispersions of amine/phosphonate- and octyltriethoxy-functionalized silica particles are dispersed on a primary particle level. Stable dispersions were successfully prepared from initially agglomerated nanoparticles synthesized in a microwave plasma reactor by designing the surface functionalization.

Functionalization of alkyne-terminated thermally hydrocarbonized porous silicon nanoparticles with targeting peptides and antifouling polymers: effect on the human plasma protein adsorption.

PubMed

Wang, Chang-Fang; Mäkilä, Ermei M; Bonduelle, Colin; Rytkönen, Jussi; Raula, Janne; Almeida, Sérgio; Närvänen, Ale; Salonen, Jarno J; Lecommandoux, Sebastien; Hirvonen, Jouni T; Santos, Hélder A

2015-01-28

Porous silicon (PSi) nanomaterials combine a high drug loading capacity and tunable surface chemistry with various surface modifications to meet the requirements for biomedical applications. In this work, alkyne-terminated thermally hydrocarbonized porous silicon (THCPSi) nanoparticles were fabricated and postmodified using five bioactive molecules (targeting peptides and antifouling polymers) via a single-step click chemistry to modulate the bioactivity of the THCPSi nanoparticles, such as enhancing the cellular uptake and reducing the plasma protein association. The size of the nanoparticles after modification was increased from 176 to 180-220 nm. Dextran 40 kDa modified THCPSi nanoparticles showed the highest stability in aqueous buffer. Both peptide- and polymer-functionalized THCPSi nanoparticles showed an extensive cellular uptake which was dependent on the functionalized moieties presented on the surface of the nanoparticles. The plasma protein adsorption study showed that the surface modification with different peptides or polymers induced different protein association profiles. Dextran 40 kDa functionalized THCPSi nanoparticles presented the least protein association. Overall, these results demonstrate that the "click" conjugation of the biomolecules onto the alkyne-terminated THCPSi nanoparticles is a versatile and simple approach to modulate the surface chemistry, which has high potential for biomedical applications.

Nanoparticles rapidly assess specific IgE in plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashraf, Sarmadia; Qadri, Shahnaz; al-Ramadi, Basel; Haik, Yousef

2012-08-01

Allergy is the sixth leading cause of chronic disease in the world. This study demonstrates the feasibility of detecting allergy indicators in human plasma, noninvasively, at the point of care and with a comparable efficiency and reduced turnaround time compared with the gold standard. Peanut allergy was utilized as a model due to its widespread occurrence among the US population and fatality if not treated. The detection procedure utilized magnetic nanoparticles that were coated with an allergen layer (peanut protein extract). Peanut immunoglobulin E (IgE) was detected in concentrations close to the minimum detection range of CAP assay. The results were obtained in minutes compared with the CAP assay which requires more than 3 h.

The effectiveness of heparin, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and silver nanoparticles on prevention of postoperative peritoneal adhesion formation in rats.

PubMed

Makarchian, Hamid Reza; Kasraianfard, Amir; Ghaderzadeh, Pezhman; Javadi, Seyed Mohammad Reza; Ghorbanpoor, Manoochehr

2017-01-01

To assess the effectiveness of heparin, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and silver nanoparticles on prevention of postoperative adhesion in animal models. Sixty males Albino Wistar rats aged 5 to 6 weeks were classified into five groups receiving none, heparin, PRP, silver nanoparticles, PRP plus silver nanoparticles intraperitoneally. After 2 weeks, the animals underwent laparotomy and the damaged site was assessed for peritoneal adhesions severity. The mean severity scores were 2.5 ± 0.9, 2.16 ± 0.7, 1.5 ± 0.5, 2.66 ± 0.88, and 2.25 ± 0.62 in the control, heparin, PRP, silver and PRP plus silver groups, respectively with significant intergroup difference (p = 0.004). The highest effective material for preventing adhesion formation was PRP followed by heparin and PRP plus silver. Moreover, compared to the controls, only use of PRP was significantly effective, in terms of adhesion severity (p = 0.01) . Platelet-rich plasma alone may have the highest efficacy for preventing postoperative peritoneal adhesions in comparison with heparin, silver nanoparticles and PRP plus silver nanoparticles.

The distribution of radio plasma in time and space.

PubMed

Blundell, Katherine M

2005-03-15

The influence of jet-ejected plasma has been an important theme of this meeting; I draw attention to the prevalence of jet-ejected plasma, in particular that which has not been properly accounted for in the past. There are three strands to this paper: important emission which is prominent only at the lowest radio frequencies; relic radio plasma which must exist if even the most basic aspects of radio source evolutionary models are correct; and evidence that some 'radio-quiet' quasars could be FR-I radio sources.

Attachment of Poly(l-lactide) Nanoparticles to Plasma-Treated Non-Woven Polymer Fabrics Using Inkjet Printing.

PubMed

Ivanova, Tatiana V; Baier, Grit; Landfester, Katharina; Musin, Eduard; Al-Bataineh, Sameer A; Cameron, David C; Homola, Tomáš; Whittle, Jason D; Sillanpää, Mika

2015-09-01

Active dressings that based on fabric materials are an area of interest for the treatment of wounds. Poly(l-lactide) nanoparticles containing the antimicrobial agent octenidine can be controllably lysed by toxins released by pathogenic bacteria thus releasing antimicrobial material in response to the presence of the bacterial toxins and so counteracting the infection. We developed an integrated engineering solution that allows for the stable immobilisation of nanoparticles on non-woven fabrics. The process involves coating nanoparticles on non-woven polymer surfaces by using an inkjet printing process. In order to improve the adhesion and retention of the nanoparticles on the fabric, surface pretreatment of the non-woven fabric using plasma jet treatment can be applied to increase its surface energy. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Identification of Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections at 1 AU Using Multiple Solar Wind Plasma Composition Anomalies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richardson, I. G.; Cane, H. V.

2004-01-01

We investigate the use of multiple simultaneous solar wind plasma compositional anomalies, relative to the composition of the ambient solar wind, for identifying interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) plasma. We first summarize the characteristics of several solar wind plasma composition signatures (O(+7)/O(+6), Mg/O, Ne/O, Fe charge states, He/p) observed by the ACE and WIND spacecraft within the ICMEs during 1996 - 2002 identsed by Cane and Richardson. We then develop a set of simple criteria that may be used to identify such compositional anomalies, and hence potential ICMEs. To distinguish these anomalies from the normal variations seen in ambient solar wind composition, which depend on the wind speed, we compare observed compositional signatures with those 'expected' in ambient solar wind with the same solar wind speed. This method identifies anomalies more effectively than the use of fixed thresholds. The occurrence rates of individual composition anomalies within ICMEs range from approx. 70% for enhanced iron and oxygen charge states to approx. 30% for enhanced He/p (> 0.06) and Ne/O, and are generally higher in magnetic clouds than other ICMEs. Intervals of multiple anomalies are usually associated with ICMEs, and provide a basis for the identification of the majority of ICMEs. We estimate that Cane and Richardson, who did not refer to composition data, probably identitied approx. 90% of the ICMEs present. However, around 10% of their ICMEs have weak compositional anomalies, suggesting that the presence of such signatures does not provide a necessary requirement for an ICME. We note a remarkably similar correlation between the Mg/O and O(7)/O(6) ratios in hourly-averaged data both within ICMEs and the ambient solar wind. This 'universal' relationship suggests that a similar process (such as minor ion heating by waves inside coronal magnetic field loops) produces the first-ionization potential bias and ion freezing-in temperatures in the source regions

Plasma Biomarkers Reflecting Profibrotic Processes in Heart Failure With a Preserved Ejection Fraction

PubMed Central

Zile, Michael R.; Jhund, Pardeep S.; Baicu, Catalin F.; Claggett, Brian L.; Pieske, Burkert; Voors, Adriaan A.; Prescott, Margaret F.; Shi, Victor; Lefkowitz, Martin; McMurray, John J.V.; Solomon, Scott D.

2017-01-01

Background Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction is a clinical syndrome that has been associated with changes in the extracellular matrix. The purpose of this study was to determine whether profibrotic biomarkers accurately reflect the presence and severity of disease and underlying pathophysiology and modify response to therapy in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Methods and Results Four biomarkers, soluble form of ST2 (an interleukin-1 receptor family member), galectin-3, matrix metalloproteinase-2, and collagen III N-terminal propeptide were measured in the Prospective Comparison of ARNI With ARB on Management of Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction (PARAMOUNT) trial at baseline, 12 and 36 weeks after randomization to valsartan or LCZ696. We examined the relationship between baseline biomarkers, demographic and echocardiographic characteristics, change in primary (change in N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide) and secondary (change in left atrial volume) end points. The median (interquartile range) value for soluble form of ST2 (33 [24.6–48.1] ng/mL) and galectin 3 (17.8 [14.1–22.8] ng/mL) were higher, and for matrix metalloproteinase-2 (188 [155.5–230.6] ng/mL) lower, than in previously published referent controls; collagen III N-terminal propeptide (5.6 [4.3–6.9] ng/mL) was similar to referent control values. All 4 biomarkers correlated with severity of disease as indicated by N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide, E/E′, and left atrial volume. Baseline biomarkers did not modify the response to LCZ696 for lowering N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide; however, left atrial volume reduction varied by baseline level of soluble form of ST2 and galectin 3; patients with values less than the observed median (<33 ng/mL soluble form of ST2 and <17.8 ng/mL galectin 3) had reduction in left atrial volume, those above median did not. Although LCZ696 reduced N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide

Enhancement of the killing effect of low-temperature plasma on Streptococcus mutans by combined treatment with gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

Park, Sang Rye; Lee, Hyun Wook; Hong, Jin Woo; Lee, Hae June; Kim, Ji Young; Choi, Byul Bo-Ra; Kim, Gyoo Cheon; Jeon, Young Chan

2014-08-08

Recently, non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma sources have been used for biomedical applications such as sterilization, cancer treatment, blood coagulation, and wound healing. Gold nanoparticles (gNPs) have unique optical properties and are useful for biomedical applications. Although low-temperature plasma has been shown to be effective in killing oral bacteria on agar plates, its bactericidal effect is negligible on the tooth surface. Therefore, we used 30-nm gNPs to enhance the killing effect of low-temperature plasma on human teeth. We tested the sterilizing effect of low-temperature plasma on Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) strains. The survival rate was assessed by bacterial viability stains and colony-forming unit counts. Low-temperature plasma treatment alone was effective in killing S. mutans on slide glasses, as shown by the 5-log decrease in viability. However, plasma treatment of bacteria spotted onto tooth surface exhibited a 3-log reduction in viability. After gNPs were added to S. mutans, plasma treatment caused a 5-log reduction in viability, while gNPs alone did not show any bactericidal effect. The morphological changes in S. mutans caused by plasma treatment were examined by transmission electron microscopy, which showed that plasma treatment only perforated the cell walls, while the combination treatment with plasma and gold nanoparticles caused significant cell rupture, causing loss of intracellular components from many cells. This study demonstrates that low-temperature plasma treatment is effective in killing S. mutans and that its killing effect is further enhanced when used in combination with gNPs.

Laser-produced plasma EUV source using a colloidal microjet target containing tin dioxide nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higashiguchi, Takeshi; Dojyo, Naoto; Sasaki, Wataru; Kubodera, Shoichi

2006-10-01

We realized a low-debris laser-produced plasma extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source by use of a colloidal microjet target, which contained low-concentration (6 wt%) tin-dioxide nanoparticles. An Nd:YAG laser was used to produce a plasma at the intensity on the order of 10^11 W/cm^2. The use of low concentration nanoparticles in a microjet target with a diameter of 50 μm regulated the neutral debris emission from a target, which was monitored by a silicon witness plate placed 30 cm apart from the source in a vacuum chamber. No XPS signals of tin and/or oxygen atoms were observed on the plate after ten thousand laser exposures. The low concentration nature of the target was compensated and the conversion efficiency (CE) was improved by introducing double pulses of two Nd:YAG lasers operated at 532 and 1064 nm as a result of controlling the micro-plasma characteristics. The EUV CE reached its maximum of 1.2% at the delay time of approximately 100 ns with the main laser intensiy of 2 x10^11 W/cm^2. The CE value was comparable to that of a tin bulk target, which, however, produced a significant amount of neutral debris.

Coronal Mass Ejections Near the Sun and in the Interplanetary Medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gopalswamy, Nat

2012-01-01

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are the most energetic phenomenon in the heliosphere. During solar eruptions, the released energy flows out from the Sun in the form of magnetized plasma and electromagnetic radiation. The electromagnetic radiation suddenly increases the ionization content of the ionosphere, thus impacting communication and navigation systems. The plasma clouds can drive shocks that accelerate charged particles to very high energies in the interplanetary space, which pose radiation hazard to astronauts and space systems. The plasma clouds also arrive at Earth in about two days and impact Earth's magnetosphere, producing geomagnetic storms. The magnetic storms result in a number of effects including induced currents that can disrupt power grids, railroads, and underground pipelines. This lecture presents an overview of the origin, propagation, and geospace consequences of CMEs and their interplanetary counterparts.

Plasma synthesis and HPHT consolidation of BN nanoparticles, nanospheres, and nanotubes to produce nanocrystalline cubic boron nitride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stout, Christopher

Plasma methods offer a variety of advantages to nanomaterials synthesis. The process is robust, allowing varying particle sizes and phases to be generated simply by modifying key parameters. The work here demonstrates a novel approach to nanopowder synthesis using inductively-coupled plasma to decompose precursor, which are then quenched to produce a variety of boron nitride (BN)-phase nanoparticles, including cubic phase, along with short-range-order nanospheres (e.g., nano-onions) and BN nanotubes. Cubic BN (c-BN) powders can be generated through direct deposition onto a chilled substrate. The extremely-high pyrolysis temperatures afforded by the equilibrium plasma offer a unique particle growth environment, accommodating long deposition times while exposing resulting powders to temperatures in excess of 5000K without any additional particle nucleation and growth. Such conditions can yield short-range ordered amorphous BN structures in the form of 20nm diameter nanospheres. Finally, when introducing a rapid-quenching counter-flow gas against the plasma jet, high aspect ratio nanotubes are synthesized, which are collected on substrate situated radially. The benefits of these morphologies are also evident in high-pressure/high-temperature consolidation experiments, where nanoparticle phases can offer a favorable conversion route to super-hard c-BN while maintaining nanocrystallinity. Experiments using these morphologies are shown to begin to yield c-BN conversion at conditions as low as 2.0 GPa and 1500°C when using micron sized c-BN seeding to create localized regions of high pressures due to Hertzian forces acting on the nanoparticles.

Nanoparticle Plasma Jet as Fast Probe for Runaway Electrons in Tokamak Disruptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogatu, I. N.; Galkin, S. A.

2017-10-01

Successful probing of runaway electrons (REs) requires fast (1 - 2 ms) high-speed injection of enough mass able to penetrate through tokamak toroidal B-field (2 - 5 T) over 1 - 2 m distance with large assimilation fraction in core plasma. A nanoparticle plasma jet (NPPJ) from a plasma gun is a unique combination of millisecond trigger-to-delivery response and mass-velocity of 100 mg at several km/s for deep direct injection into current channel of rapidly ( 1 ms) cooling post-TQ core plasma. After C60 NPPJ test bed demonstration we started to work on ITER-compatible boron nitride (BN) NPPJ. Once injected into plasma, BN NP undergoes ablative sublimation, thermally decomposes into B and N, and releases abundant B and N high-charge ions along plasma-traversing path and into the core. We present basic characteristics of our BN NPPJ concept and first results from B and N ions on Zeff > 1 effect on REs dynamics by using a self-consistent model for RE current density. Simulation results of BNQ+ NPPJ penetration through tokamak B-field to RE beam location performed with Hybrid Electro-Magnetic code (HEM-2D) are also presented. Work supported by U.S. DOE SBIR Grant.

Process scale-up considerations for non-thermal atmospheric-pressure plasma synthesis of nanoparticles by homogenous nucleation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cole, Jonathan; Zhang, Yao; Liu, Tianqi; Liu, Chang-jun; Mohan Sankaran, R.

2017-08-01

Scale-up of non-thermal atmospheric-pressure plasma reactors for the synthesis of nanoparticles by homogeneous nucleation is challenging because the active volume is typically reduced to facilitate gas breakdown, enhance discharge stability, and limit particle size and agglomeration, but thus limits throughput. Here, we introduce a dielectric barrier discharge reactor consisting of a coaxial electrode geometry for nanoparticle production that enables a simple scale-up strategy whereby increasing the outer and inner electrode diameters, the plasma volume is increased approximately linearly, while maintaining a sufficiently small electrode gap to maintain the electric field strength. We show with two test reactors that for a given residence time, the nanoparticle production rate increases linearly with volume over a range of precursor concentrations, while having minimal effect on the shape of the particle size distribution. However, our study also reveals that increasing the total gas flow rate in a smaller volume reactor leads to an enhancement of precursor conversion and a comparable production rate to a larger volume reactor. These results suggest that scale-up requires better understanding of the influence of reactor geometry on particle growth dynamics and may not always be a simple function of reactor volume.

Electrokinetic properties of PMAA functionalized NiFe2O4 nanoparticles synthesized by thermal plasma route

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhosale, Shivaji V.; Mhaske, Pravin; Kanhe, N.; Navale, A. B.; Bhoraskar, S. V.; Mathe, V. L.; Bhatt, S. K.

2014-04-01

The magnetic nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) nanoparticles with an average size of 30nm were synthesised by Transferred arc DC Thermal Plasma route. The synthesized nickel ferrite nanoparticles were characterized by TEM and FTIR techniques. The synthesized nickel ferrite nanoparticles were further functionalized with PMAA (polymethacrylic acid) by self emulsion polymerization method and subsequently were characterized by FTIR and Zeta Analyzer. The variation of zeta potential with pH was systematically studied for both PMAA functionalized (PNFO) and uncoated nickel ferrite nanoparticles (NFO). The IEP (isoelectric points) for PNFO and NFO was determined from the graph of zeta potential vs pH. It was observed that the IEP for NFO was at 7.20 and for PNFO it was 2.52. The decrease in IEP of PNFO was attributed to the COOH functional group of PMAA.

Sintering Behavior of Spark Plasma Sintered SiC with Si-SiC Composite Nanoparticles Prepared by Thermal DC Plasma Process.

PubMed

Yu, Yeon-Tae; Naik, Gautam Kumar; Lim, Young-Bin; Yoon, Jeong-Mo

2017-11-25

The Si-coated SiC (Si-SiC) composite nanoparticle was prepared by non-transferred arc thermal plasma processing of solid-state synthesized SiC powder and was used as a sintering additive for SiC ceramic formation. Sintered SiC pellet was prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS) process, and the effect of nano-sized Si-SiC composite particles on the sintering behavior of micron-sized SiC powder was investigated. The mixing ratio of Si-SiC composite nanoparticle to micron-sized SiC was optimized to 10 wt%. Vicker's hardness and relative density was increased with increasing sintering temperature and holding time. The relative density and Vicker's hardness was further increased by reaction bonding using additional activated carbon to the mixture of micron-sized SiC and nano-sized Si-SiC. The maximum relative density (97.1%) and Vicker's hardness (31.4 GPa) were recorded at 1800 °C sintering temperature for 1 min holding time, when 0.2 wt% additional activated carbon was added to the mixture of SiC/Si-SiC.

Higher-speed coronal mass ejections and their geoeffectiveness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, A. K.; Bhargawa, Asheesh; Tonk, Apeksha

2018-06-01

We have attempted to examine the ability of coronal mass ejections to cause geoeffectiveness. To that end, we have investigated total 571 cases of higher-speed (> 1000 km/s) coronal mass ejection events observed during the years 1996-2012. On the basis of angular width (W) of observance, events of coronal mass ejection were further classified as front-side or halo coronal mass ejections (W = 360°); back-side halo coronal mass ejections (W = 360°); partial halo (120°< W < 360°) and non-halo (W < 120°). From further analysis, we found that front halo coronal mass ejections were much faster and more geoeffective in comparison of partial halo and non-halo coronal mass ejections. We also inferred that the front-sided halo coronal mass ejections were 67.1% geoeffective while geoeffectiveness of partial halo coronal mass ejections and non-halo coronal mass ejections were found to be 44.2% and 56.6% respectively. During the same period of observation, 43% of back-sided CMEs showed geoeffectiveness. We have also investigated some events of coronal mass ejections having speed > 2500 km/s as a case study. We have concluded that mere speed of coronal mass ejection and their association with solar flares or solar activity were not mere criterion for producing geoeffectiveness but angular width of coronal mass ejections and their originating position also played a key role.

Cobalt oxide nanoparticles can enter inside the cells by crossing plasma membranes

PubMed Central

Bossi, Elena; Zanella, Daniele; Gornati, Rosalba; Bernardini, Giovanni

2016-01-01

The ability of nanoparticles (NPs) to be promptly uptaken by the cells makes them both dangerous and useful to human health. It was recently postulated that some NPs might cross the plasma membrane also by a non-endocytotic pathway gaining access to the cytoplasm. To this aim, after having filled mature Xenopus oocytes with Calcein, whose fluorescence is strongly quenched by divalent metal ions, we have exposed them to different cobalt NPs quantifying quenching as evidence of the increase of the concentration of Co2+ released by the NPs that entered into the cytoplasm. We demonstrated that cobalt oxide NPs, but not cobalt nor cobalt oxide NPs that were surrounded by a protein corona, can indeed cross plasma membranes. PMID:26924527

Micro-structural analysis of NiFe2O4 nanoparticles synthesized by thermal plasma route and its suitability for BSA adsorption.

PubMed

Bhosale, Shivaji V; Kanhe, Nilesh S; Bhoraskar, Sudha V; Bhat, Suresh K; Bulakhe, Ravindra N; Shim, Jae-Jin; Mathe, Vikas L

2015-08-01

The paper presents the experimental studies pertaining to the adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA) on the nanoparticles of nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) with a view of correlating the adsorption properties to their microstructure and zeta potentials. Physical properties of two kinds of nickel ferrites, one synthesized by thermal plasma route and the other by chemical co-precipitation method, are compared. Maximum adsorption (231.57 μg/mg) of BSA onto nickel ferrite nanoparticles, at body temperature (37 °C) was observed at pH-value of 5.58 for the thermal plasma synthesized particles showing its higher adsorption capacity than those synthesized by wet chemical means (178.71 μg/mg). Under the same physical conditions the value of zeta potential, obtained for the former, was higher than that of the latter over a wide range of pH values (3.64-9.66). This is attributed to the differences in the specific surface energies of the two kinds of nanoparticles arising from the degree of crystallinity. The paper presents the experimental evidence for the single crystalline nature of the individual nanoparticles, with mean size of 32 nm, for the thermal plasma synthesized particles as evidenced from the high resolution transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction analysis. The measurements also reveal the poor crystalline morphology in the chemically prepared particles (mean size of 28 nm) although the X-ray diffraction patterns are not much different. The atomic force microscopy images confirm that the surfaces of plasma synthesized nanoparticles possesses higher surface roughness than that of chemically synthesized one. Presence of adsorbed protein was confirmed by vibrational spectroscopy. The Langmuir adsorption model is found to fit into the experimental data better than the Freundlich adsorption model.

Aircrew ejection experience: questionnaire responses from 20 survivors.

PubMed

Taneja, Narinder; Pinto, Leslie J; Dogra, Manmohan

2005-07-01

Published studies on ejection have focused predominantly on the injuries sustained by aircrew and discussed their preventive measures from an aeromedical perspective. However, studies have not discussed aircrew experiences related to ejection or how they would like to advise other aircrew to successfully handle ejection as an event. Such information can assist in designing realistic indoctrination and training programs. This study was conducted to fill gaps in our understanding of aircrew perspectives of successful ejections. Aircrew reporting to the Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM), Indian Air Force, for post-ejection evaluation during the period of May 2003 to January 2005 completed a questionnaire that was designed for the study. A total of 20 aircrew completed this questionnaire. The mean age of the aircrew was 30.25 +/- 4.45 yr. Most of them had logged more than 500 flying hours. Some aircrew described their initial moments of ejection as "blacked out," "dazed, yet conscious," or as "a shock that gradually decreased." Practicing ejection drills on the ground, being prepared at all times, making a timely decision to eject, and assuming correct posture were identified as the most important factors for success. Descriptions of ejection as an event suggest intense emotional arousal could occur following ejection. This study provides first hand inputs into the psychological processes accompanying ejections. Such information could be very useful in understanding the critical factors that influence successful ejection.

Bacteriophage T5 DNA ejection under pressure.

PubMed

Leforestier, A; Brasilès, S; de Frutos, M; Raspaud, E; Letellier, L; Tavares, P; Livolant, F

2008-12-19

The transfer of the bacteriophage genome from the capsid into the host cell is a key step of the infectious process. In bacteriophage T5, DNA ejection can be triggered in vitro by simple binding of the phage to its purified Escherichia coli receptor FhuA. Using electrophoresis and cryo-electron microscopy, we measure the extent of DNA ejection as a function of the external osmotic pressure. In the high pressure range (7-16 atm), the amount of DNA ejected decreases with increasing pressure, as theoretically predicted and observed for lambda and SPP1 bacteriophages. In the low and moderate pressure range (2-7 atm), T5 exhibits an unexpected behavior. Instead of a unique ejected length, multiple populations coexist. Some phages eject their complete genome, whereas others stop at some nonrandom states that do not depend on the applied pressure. We show that contrarily to what is observed for the phages SPP1 and lambda, T5 ejection cannot be explained as resulting from a simple pressure equilibrium between the inside and outside of the capsid. Kinetics parameters and/or structural characteristics of the ejection machinery could play a determinant role in T5 DNA ejection.

Photoconductivity induced by nanoparticle segregated grain-boundary in spark plasma sintered BiFeO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nandy, Subhajit; Mocherla, Pavana S. V.; Sudakar, C.

2017-05-01

Photoconductivity studies on spark plasma sintered BiFeO3 samples with two contrasting morphologies, viz., nanoparticle-segregated grain boundary (BFO-AP) and clean grain boundary (BFO-AA), show that their photo-response is largely influenced by the grain boundary defects. Impedance analyses at 300 K and 573 K clearly demarcate the contributions from grain, grain-boundary, and the nanoparticle-segregated grain-boundary conductivities. I-V characteristics under 1 sun illumination show one order of higher conductivity for BFO-AP, whereas conductivity decreases for BFO-AA sample. Larger photocurrent in BFO-AP is attributed to the extra conduction path provided by oxygen vacancies on the nanoparticle surfaces residing at the grain boundaries. Creation of photo-induced traps under illumination and the absence of surface conduction channels in BFO-AA are surmised to result in a decreased conductivity on illumination.

Onset of the Magnetic Explosion in Filament-Eruption Flares and Coronal Mass Ejections: Single-Bipole Events

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Ron L.; Sterling, Alphonse C.

2000-01-01

We present three-dimensional sketches of die magnetic field before and during filament eruptions in flares and coronal mass ejections. Before the eruption, the overall magnetic field is a closed bipole in which the core field (the field rooted along the bipole's neutral line in the photospheric magnetic flux) is strongly sheared and has oppositely curved "elbows" that bulge out from the opposite ends of the neutral line. This core-field sigmoid runs under and is pressed down in the middle by the rest of the field in the bipole, the less-sheared envelope field rooted outside the core field (as in the model of Antiochos, Dahlburg, & Klimchuk. A filament of chromospheric-temperature plasma is often held in the core field over the neutral line. In a filament eruption, the core field undergoes an explosive eruption, the frozen-in filament plasma providing a visible tracer of the erupting field. The core-field explosion may be either confined (as in some flares) or ejective (as in CMEs that begin together with the onset of a long-duration two-ribbon flare). We present examples of each of these two kind of events as observed in sequences of coronal X-ray images from the Yohkoh SXT, and consider (1) how the explosion begins, and (2) whether confined eruptions begin in basically the same way as ejective eruptions.

Synthesis of surfactant-free electrostatically stabilized gold nanoparticles by plasma-induced liquid chemistry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patel, J.; Němcová, L.; Maguire, P.; Graham, W. G.; Mariotti, D.

2013-06-01

Plasma-induced non-equilibrium liquid chemistry is used to synthesize gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) without using any reducing or capping agents. The morphology and optical properties of the synthesized AuNPs are characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. Plasma processing parameters affect the particle shape and size and the rate of the AuNP synthesis process. Particles of different shapes (e.g. spherical, triangular, hexagonal, pentagonal, etc) are synthesized in aqueous solutions. In particular, the size of the AuNPs can be tuned from 5 nm to several hundred nanometres by varying the initial gold precursor (HAuCl4) concentration from 2.5 μM to 1 mM. In order to reveal details of the basic plasma-liquid interactions that lead to AuNP synthesis, we have measured the solution pH, conductivity and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentration of the liquid after plasma processing, and conclude that H2O2 plays the role of the reducing agent which converts Au+3 ions to Au0 atoms, leading to nucleation growth of the AuNPs.

Method for producing metallic nanoparticles

DOEpatents

Phillips, Jonathan; Perry, William L.; Kroenke, William J.

2004-02-10

Method for producing metallic nanoparticles. The method includes generating an aerosol of solid metallic microparticles, generating non-oxidizing plasma with a plasma hot zone at a temperature sufficiently high to vaporize the microparticles into metal vapor, and directing the aerosol into the hot zone of the plasma. The microparticles vaporize in the hot zone to metal vapor. The metal vapor is directed away from the hot zone and to the plasma afterglow where it cools and condenses to form solid metallic nanoparticles.

Demonstration of multi-generational growth of tungsten nanoparticles in hydrogen plasma using in situ laser extinction method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ouaras, K.; Lombardi, G.; Hassouni, K.

2018-03-01

For the first time, we demonstrate that tungsten (W) nanoparticles (NPs) are created when a tungsten target is exposed to low-pressure, high density hydrogen plasma. The plasma was generated using a novel dual plasma system combining a microwave discharge and a pulsed direct-current (DC) discharge. The tungsten surface originates in the multi-generational formation of a significant population of 30-70 nm diameter particles when the W cathode is biased at ~  -1 kV and submitted to ~1020 m2 s-1 H+/H2+ /H3+ ions flux. The evidenced NPs formation should be taking into account as one of the consequence of the plasma surface interaction outcomes, especially for fusion applications.

Cytoprotective nanoparticles by conjugation of a polyhis tagged annexin V to a nanoparticle drug.

PubMed

Chen, Howard H; Yuan, Hushan; Cho, Hoonsung; Sosnovik, David E; Josephson, Lee

2015-02-14

We synthesized a cytoprotective magnetic nanoparticle by reacting a maleimide functionalized Feraheme (FH) with a disulfide linked dimer of a polyhis tagged annexin V. Following reductive cleavage of disulfide, the resulting annexin-nanoparticle (diameter = 28.0 ± 2.0 nm by laser light scattering, 7.6 annexin's/nanoparticle) was cytoprotective to cells subjected to plasma membrane disrupting chemotherapeutic or mechanical stresses, and significantly more protective than the starting annexin V. Annexin-nanoparticles provide an approach to the design of nanomaterials which antagonize the plasma membrane permeability characteristic of necrosis and which may have applications as cytoprotective agents.

Characterization of silver nanoparticles using flow-field flow fractionation interfaced to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Poda, A R; Bednar, A J; Kennedy, A J; Harmon, A; Hull, M; Mitrano, D M; Ranville, J F; Steevens, J

2011-07-08

The ability to detect and identify the physiochemical form of contaminants in the environment is important for degradation, fate and transport, and toxicity studies. This is particularly true of nanomaterials that exist as discrete particles rather than dissolved or sorbed contaminant molecules in the environment. Nanoparticles will tend to agglomerate or dissolve, based on solution chemistry, which will drastically affect their environmental properties. The current study investigates the use of field flow fractionation (FFF) interfaced to inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) as a sensitive and selective method for detection and characterization of silver nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is used to verify the morphology and primary particle size and size distribution of precisely engineered silver nanoparticles. Subsequently, the hydrodynamic size measurements by FFF are compared to dynamic light scattering (DLS) to verify the accuracy of the size determination. Additionally, the sensitivity of the ICP-MS detector is demonstrated by fractionation of μg/L concentrations of mixed silver nanoparticle standards. The technique has been applied to nanoparticle suspensions prior to use in toxicity studies, and post-exposure biological tissue analysis. Silver nanoparticles extracted from tissues of the sediment-dwelling, freshwater oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus increased in size from approximately 31-46nm, indicating a significant change in the nanoparticle characteristics during exposure. Published by Elsevier B.V.

In-situ small-angle x-ray scattering study of nanoparticles in the plasma plume induced by pulsed laser irradiation of metallic targets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lavisse, L.; Jouvard, J.-M.; Girault, M.

2012-04-16

Small angle x-ray scattering was used to probe in-situ the formation of nanoparticles in the plasma plume generated by pulsed laser irradiation of a titanium metal surface under atmospheric conditions. The size and morphology of the nanoparticles were characterized as function of laser irradiance. Two families of nanoparticles were identified with sizes on the order of 10 and 70 nm, respectively. These results were confirmed by ex-situ transmission electron microscopy experiments.

Deposition of Polymer Thin Films on ZnO Nanoparticles by a Plasma Treatment

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-11-01

exchange for removing metal ions frori water. If on the surface of these nanoparticles, an extremely thin layer of polyacrylic filr can be coated by a...plasma treatment. The polyacrylic film will react with metallic ions in water. As a result of the high surface-to-volume ratio of these narioparticles, the...experiments performed on a JEM 2010F. In FFIR experiment, potassium bromide(KBr) of 99%+ purity was obtained from Aldrich Chemical Company Inc

Plasma/Neutral-Beam Etching Apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Langer, William; Cohen, Samuel; Cuthbertson, John; Manos, Dennis; Motley, Robert

1989-01-01

Energies of neutral particles controllable. Apparatus developed to produce intense beams of reactant atoms for simulating low-Earth-orbit oxygen erosion, for studying beam-gas collisions, and for etching semiconductor substrates. Neutral beam formed by neutralization and reflection of accelerated plasma on metal plate. Plasma ejected from coaxial plasma gun toward neutralizing plate, where turned into beam of atoms or molecules and aimed at substrate to be etched.

Fabrication of Thickness-Controllable Micropatterned Polyelectrolyte-Film/Nanoparticle Surfaces by Using the Plasma Oxidation Method.

PubMed

Zhu, Chun-Tao; Ma, Sheng-Hua; Zhang, Ying; Wang, Xue-Jing; Lv, Peng; Han, Xiao-Jun

2016-04-05

We have demonstrated a novel way to form thickness-controllable polyelectrolyte-film/nanoparticle patterns by using a plasma etching technique to form, first, a patterned self-assembled monolayer surface, followed by layer-by-layer assembly of polyelectrolyte-films/nanoparticles. Octadecyltrimethoxysilane (ODS) and (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) were used for polyelectrolyte-film and nanoparticle patterning, respectively. The resolution of the proposed patterning method can easily reach approximately 2.5 μm. The height of the groove structure was tunable from approximately 2.5 to 150 nm. The suspended lipid membrane across the grooves was fabricated by incubating the patterned polyelectrolyte groove arrays in solutions of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). The method demonstrated here reveals a new path to create patterned 2D or 3D structures. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Post-Plasma SiOx Coatings of Metal and Metal Oxide Nanoparticles for Enhanced Thermal Stability and Tunable Photoactivity Applications

PubMed Central

Post, Patrick; Jidenko, Nicolas; Weber, Alfred P.; Borra, Jean-Pascal

2016-01-01

The plasma-based aerosol process developed for the direct coating of particles in gases with silicon oxide in a continuous chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process is presented. It is shown that non-thermal plasma filaments induced in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) at atmospheric pressure trigger post-DBD gas phase reactions. DBD operating conditions are first scanned to produce ozone and dinitrogen pentoxide. In the selected conditions, these plasma species react with gaseous tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) precursor downstream of the DBD. The gaseous intermediates then condense on the surface of nanoparticles and self-reactions lead to homogeneous solid SiOx coatings, with thickness from nanometer to micrometer. This confirms the interest of post-DBD injection of the organo-silicon precursor to achieve stable production of actives species with subsequent controlled thickness of SiOx coatings. SiOx coatings of spherical and agglomerated metal and metal oxide nanoparticles (Pt, CuO, TiO2) are achieved. In the selected DBD operating conditions, the thickness of homogeneous nanometer sized coatings of spherical nanoparticles depends on the reaction duration and on the precursor concentration. For agglomerates, operating conditions can be tuned to cover preferentially the interparticle contact zones between primary particles, shifting the sintering of platinum agglomerates to much higher temperatures than the usual sintering temperature. Potential applications for enhanced thermal stability and tunable photoactivity of coated agglomerates are presented. PMID:28335219

ISTP observations of plasmoid ejection: IMP 8 and Geotail

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Slavin, J.A.; Fairfield, D.H.; Kuznetsova, M.M.

1998-01-01

IMP 8 and Geotail observations of traveling compression regions (TCRs) and plasmoids, respectively, are used to investigate plasmoid formation and ejection. One year of IMP 8 magnetometer measurements taken during the distant tail phase of the Geotail mission were searched for TCRs, which signal the release of plasmoids down the tail. A total of 10 such intervals were identified. Examination of the Geotail measurements showed that this spacecraft was in the magnetotail for only three of the events. However, in all three cases, clear plasmoid signatures were observed at Geotail. These plasmoids were observed at distances of X={minus}170 to {minus}197more » R{sub E}. The in situ plasma velocities in these plasmoids are found to exceed the time-of-flight speeds between IMP 8 and Geotail suggesting that some further acceleration may have taken place following release. The inferred lengths of these plasmoids, {approximately}27{endash}40 R{sub E}, are comparable to the downtail distance of IMP 8. This indicates that TCR at IMP 8 can be caused by plasmoids forming not only earthward but also adjacent to or just tailward of the spacecraft. The closeness of IMP 8 to the point of plasmoid formation is confirmed by the small, {approximately}0{endash}3min, time delays between the TCR perturbation and substorm onset. In two of the plasmoid events, high-speed earthward plasma flows and streaming energetic particles were measured in the plasma sheet boundary layer surrounding the plasmoid along with large positive B{sub z} at the leading edge of the plasmoid suggesting that the core of the plasmoid was {open_quotes}snow plowing{close_quotes} into flux tubes recently closed at an active distant neutral line. In summary, these unique two-point measurements clearly show plasmoid ejection near substorm onset, their rapid movement to the distant tail and their further evolution as they encounter preexisting X lines in the distant tail. {copyright} 1998 American Geophysical Union« less

High density gold nanoparticles immobilized on surface via plasma deposited APTES film for decomposing organic compounds in microchannels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rao, Xi; Guyon, Cédric; Ognier, Stephanie; Da Silva, Bradley; Chu, Chenglin; Tatoulian, Michaël; Hassan, Ali Abou

2018-05-01

Immobilization of colloidal particles (e.g. gold nanoparticles (AuNps)) on the inner surface of micro-/nano- channels has received a great interest for catalysis. A novel catalytic ozonation setup using a gold-immobilized microchannel reactor was developed in this work. To anchor AuNps, (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) with functional amine groups was deposited using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process. The results clearly evidenced that PECVD processing exhibited relatively high efficiency for grafting amine groups and further immobilizing AuNPs. The catalytic activity of gold immobilized microchannel was evaluated by pyruvic acid ozonation. The decomposition rate calculated from High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) indicated a much better catalytic performance of gold in microchannel than that in batch. The results confirmed immobilizing gold nanoparticles on plasma deposited APTES for preparing catalytic microreactors is promising for the wastewater treatment in the future.

Plasma Methods of Obtainment of Multifunctional Composite Materials, Dispersion-Hardened by Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sizonenko, O. N.; Grigoryev, E. G.; Pristash, N. S.; Zaichenko, A. D.; Torpakov, A. S.; Lypian, Ye. V.; Tregub, V. A.; Zholnin, A. G.; Yudin, A. V.; Kovalenko, A. A.

2017-09-01

High voltage electric discharge (HVED) in disperse system "hydrocarbon liquid - powder" due to impact of plasma discharge channel, electromagnetic fields, shock waves mechanical impact, hydro flows and volume microcavitation leads to synthesis of nanocarbon, metal powders dispersion and synthesis of micro- (from 10-6 to 10-7 m) and nanosized (from 10-7 to 10-9 m) composite powders of hardening phases. Spark plasma sintering (SPS) of powder mixtures allows targeted control of grain growth rate and thus allows obtainment of multifunctional composite materials dispersion hardened by nanoparticles. Processes of HVED synthesis of micro- and nanosized powders of new compositions from elemental metal powders and their mixtures with the subsequent application of high-speed SPS of obtained powders create conditions for increase of strength (by 10-20 %), hardness and wear-resistance (by 30-60 %) of obtained materials.

Charging of nanoparticles in stationary plasma in a gas aggregation cluster source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blažek, J.; Kousal, J.; Biederman, H.; Kylián, O.; Hanuš, J.; Slavínská, D.

2015-10-01

Clusters that grow into nanoparticles near the magnetron target of the gas aggregation cluster source (GAS) may acquire electric charge by collecting electrons and ions or through other mechanisms like secondary- or photo-electron emissions. The region of the GAS close to magnetron may be considered as stationary plasma. The steady state charge distribution on nanoparticles can be determined by means of three possible models—fluid model, kinetic model and model employing Monte Carlo simulations—of cluster charging. In the paper the mathematical and numerical aspects of these models are analyzed in detail and close links between them are clarified. Among others it is shown that Monte Carlo simulation may be considered as a particular numerical technique of solving kinetic equations. Similarly the equations of the fluid model result, after some approximation, from averaged kinetic equations. A new algorithm solving an in principle unlimited set of kinetic equations is suggested. Its efficiency is verified on physical models based on experimental input data.

The fate of eyewear in aircraft ejections.

PubMed

O'Connell, S R; Markovits, A S

1995-02-01

Ejection from jet aircraft has been exhaustively studied from many perspectives; e.g., causes of ejection, types and causes of ejection injuries, etc. Curiously, no reports exist describing the fate of eyewear in ejections. Many pilots wear required corrective lenses during flight operations, and many wear tinted lenses. What happens to these during ejection? What injuries are a result of the eyewear? What factors can be identified that influence retention of the eyewear and severity of related injury? Do contact lenses provide significant advantages? There were 48 ejections occurring between 1977 and 1990 that involved corrective or tinted lens use that were retrospectively examined using Naval Safety Center records and personal questionnaires. There were five contact lens wearers included. Retention rates were calculated as functions of several variables. Although 37 of 46 lost all lenses, each instance of retention occurred with visor down, oxygen mask on, helmet properly secured, and at lower ejection speeds. Related injuries were minor and occurred in only 20%. The utility and need for enforcement of standard operating procedures (i.e., mask on, helmet secured, and visor down) was clearly demonstrated. Only 19 of 46 clearly met all 3 criteria. Contact lens users were too few to allow meaningful conclusions.

Influence of deposited nanoparticles on the spall strength of metals under the action of picosecond pulses of shock compression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebel, A. A.; Mayer, A. E.

2018-01-01

Molecular dynamic simulations of the generation and propagation of shock pulses of picosecond duration initiated by nanoscale impactors, and their interaction with the rear surface is carried out for aluminum and copper. It is shown that the presence of deposited nanoparticles on the rear surface increases the threshold value of the impact intensity leading to the rear spallation. The interaction of a shock wave with nanoparticles leads to severe plastic deformation in the surface layer of the metal including nanoparticles. A part of the compression pulse energy is expended on the plastic deformation, which suppresses the spall fracture. Spallation threshold substantially increases at large diameters of deposited nanoparticles, but instability develops on the rear surface of the target, which is accompanied by ejection of droplets. The instability disrupts the integrity of the rear surface, though the loss of integrity occurs through the ejection of mass, rather than a spallation.

Evaluation on nitrogen oxides and nanoparticle removal and nitrogen monoxide generation using a wet-type nonthermal plasma reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takehana, Kotaro; Kuroki, Tomoyuki; Okubo, Masaaki

2018-05-01

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) emitted from power plants and combustion sources cause air pollution problems. Selective catalytic reduction technology is remarkably useful for NOx removal. However, there are several drawbacks such as preparation of reducing agents, usage of harmful heavy metals, and higher cost. On the other hand, trace NO is a vasodilator agent and employed in inhalation therapies for treating pulmonary hypertension in humans. Considering these factors, in the present study, a wet-type nonthermal plasma reactor, which can control NOx and nanoparticle emissions and generate NO, is investigated. The fundamental characteristics of the reactor are investigated. First, the experiment of nanoparticle removal is carried out. Collection efficiencies of over 99% are achieved for nanoparticles at 50 and 100 ml min‑1 of liquid flow rates. Second, experiments of NOx removal under air atmosphere and NOx generation under nitrogen atmosphere are carried out. NOx-removal efficiencies of over 95% under the air plasma are achieved in 50–200 ml min‑1 liquid flow rates. Moreover, under nitrogen plasma, NOx is generated, of which the major portion is NO. For example, NO concentration is 25 ppm, while NOx concentration is 31 ppm at 50 ml min‑1 liquid flow rate. Finally, experiments of NO generation under the nitrogen atmosphere with or without flowing water are carried out. When water flows on the inner surface of the reactor, approximately 14 ppm of NO is generated. Therefore, NO generation requires flowing water. It is considered that the reaction of N and OH, which is similar to the extended Zeldovich mechanism, could occur to induce NO formation. From these results, it is verified that the wet-type plasma reactor is useful for NOx removal and NO generation under nitrogen atmosphere with flowing water.

Ejection Fraction: What Does It Measure?

MedlinePlus

... does the term "ejection fraction" mean? What does it measure? Answers from Rekha Mankad, M.D. Ejection fraction ... percentage of blood leaving your heart each time it contracts. During each heartbeat pumping cycle, the heart ...

Jet behaviors and ejection mode recognition of electrohydrodynamic direct-write

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Jianyi; Zhang, Kai; Jiang, Jiaxin; Wang, Xiang; Li, Wenwang; Liu, Yifang; Liu, Juan; Zheng, Gaofeng

2018-01-01

By introducing image recognition and micro-current testing, jet behavior research was conducted, in which the real-time recognition of ejection mode was realized. To study the factors influencing ejection modes and the current variation trends under different modes, an Electrohydrodynamic Direct-Write (EDW) system with functions of current detection and ejection mode recognition was firstly built. Then a program was developed to recognize the jet modes. As the voltage applied to the metal tip increased, four jet ejection modes in EDW occurred: droplet ejection mode, Taylor cone ejection mode, retractive ejection mode and forked ejection mode. In this work, the corresponding relationship between the ejection modes and the effect on fiber deposition as well as current was studied. The real-time identification of ejection mode and detection of electrospinning current was realized. The results in this paper are contributed to enhancing the ejection stability, providing a good technical basis to produce continuous uniform nanofibers controllably.

Simulations of controlled spectral emission of Al plasmas generated by temporally tailored laser irradiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Colombier, J. P.; Guillermin, M.; Garrelie, F.

2010-10-08

Hydrodynamics simulations and irradiation experiments were performed to correlate ul-trashort intensity envelopes of the laser fields and thermodynamical states reached by the emerging plasma phase in ablation regimes. We discuss the efficiency of energy coupling as a function of different intensity envelopes and the resulting temperature, density and ionization states since the energy delivery rate is an essential factor that predetermines the material thermodynamic evolution. Subsequently, we examine the plasma composition in calculating the proportion of neutral/ion species typical of LIBS signals and comparing it with neutral/ion ratios given by experimental results. Moreover, the calculations allow to investigate the efficiencymore » of nanoparticles generation from materials subjected to different heating rates. These can be related to hydrodynamic ejection of nanosized liquid layers upon the action of mechanic waves. With support from numerical simulations of the hydrodynamic advance of the excited matter, experiments revealed that mastering intensity envelopes of ultrashort laser pulse leads to further control on the ablation products. Emerging plasma phase in a hot state generates specific spectral emission patterns that can serve as indicators for its controlled formation and kinetic evolution.« less

Experimental verification of the capillary plasma triggered long spark gap under the extremely low working coefficient in air

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, D.; Yang, L. J., E-mail: yanglj@mail.xjtu.edu.cn; Ma, J. B.

The paper has proposed a new triggering method for long spark gap based on capillary plasma ejection and conducted the experimental verification under the extremely low working coefficient, which represents that the ratio of the spark gap charging voltage to the breakdown voltage is particularly low. The quasi-neutral plasma is ejected from the capillary and develops through the axial direction of the spark gap. The electric field in the spark gap is thus changed and its breakdown is incurred. It is proved by the experiments that the capillary plasma ejection is effective in triggering the long spark gap under themore » extremely low working coefficient in air. The study also indicates that the breakdown probabilities, the breakdown delay, and the delay dispersion are all mainly determined by the characteristics of the ejected plasma, including the length of the plasma flow, the speed of the plasma ejection, and the ionization degree of the plasma. Moreover, the breakdown delay and the delay dispersion increase with the length of the long spark gap, and the polarity effect exists in the triggering process. Lastly, compared with the working patterns of the triggering device installed in the single electrode, the working pattern of the devices installed in both the two electrodes, though with the same breakdown process, achieves the ignition under longer gap distance. To be specific, at the gap length of 14 cm and the working coefficient of less than 2%, the spark gap is still ignited accurately.« less

Development of an ultra-high sensitive immunoassay with plasma biomarker for differentiating Parkinson disease dementia from Parkinson disease using antibody functionalized magnetic nanoparticles.

PubMed

Yang, Shieh-Yueh; Chiu, Ming-Jang; Lin, Chin-Hsien; Horng, Herng-Er; Yang, Che-Chuan; Chieh, Jen-Jie; Chen, Hsin-Hsien; Liu, Bing-Hsien

2016-06-08

It is difficult to discriminate healthy subjects and patients with Parkinson disease (PD) or Parkinson disease dementia (PDD) by assaying plasma α-synuclein because the concentrations of circulating α-synuclein in the blood are almost the same as the low-detection limit using current immunoassays, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In this work, an ultra-sensitive immunoassay utilizing immunomagnetic reduction (IMR) is developed. The reagent for IMR consists of magnetic nanoparticles functionalized with antibodies against α-synuclein and dispersed in pH-7.2 phosphate-buffered saline. A high-Tc superconducting-quantum-interference-device (SQUID) alternative-current magnetosusceptometer is used to measure the IMR signal of the reagent due to the association between magnetic nanoparticles and α-synuclein molecules. According to the experimental α-synuclein concentration dependent IMR signal, the low-detection limit is 0.3 fg/ml and the dynamic range is 310 pg/ml. The preliminary results show the plasma α-synuclein for PD patients distributes from 6 to 30 fg/ml. For PDD patients, the concentration of plasma α-synuclein varies from 0.1 to 100 pg/ml. Whereas the concentration of plasma α-synuclein for healthy subjects is significantly lower than that of PD patients. The ultra-sensitive IMR by utilizing antibody-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles and high-Tc SQUID magnetometer is promising as a method to assay plasma α-synuclein, which is a potential biomarker for discriminating patients with PD or PDD.

Low speed vehicle passenger ejection restraint effectiveness.

PubMed

Seluga, Kristopher J; Ojalvo, Irving U; Obert, Richard M

2005-07-01

Current golf carts and LSV's (Low Speed Vehicles) produce a significant number of passenger ejections during sharp turns. These LSV's do not typically possess seatbelts, but do provide outboard bench seat hip restraints that also serve as handholds. However, many current restraint designs appear incapable of preventing passenger ejections due to their low height and inefficient handhold position. Alternative handhold and hip restraint designs may improve passenger safety. Accordingly, this paper examines minimum size requirements for hip restraints to prevent passenger ejection during sharp turns and evaluates the effectiveness of a handhold mounted at the center of the bench seat. In this study, a simulation of a turning cart supplies the dynamic input to a biomechanical model of an adult male seated in a golf cart. Various restraint combinations are considered, both with and without the central handhold, to determine the likelihood of passenger ejection. It is shown that only the largest restraint geometries prevent passenger ejection. Adequate hip restraints should be much larger than current designs and a central handhold should be provided. In this way, golf cart and LSV manufacturers could reduce passenger ejections and improve fleet safety by incorporating recommendations provided herein.

Method for producing metal oxide nanoparticles

DOEpatents

Phillips, Jonathan [Santa Fe, NM; Mendoza, Daniel [Santa Fe, NM; Chen, Chun-Ku [Albuquerque, NM

2008-04-15

Method for producing metal oxide nanoparticles. The method includes generating an aerosol of solid metallic microparticles, generating plasma with a plasma hot zone at a temperature sufficiently high to vaporize the microparticles into metal vapor, and directing the aerosol into the hot zone of the plasma. The microparticles vaporize in the hot zone into metal vapor. The metal vapor is directed away from the hot zone and into the cooler plasma afterglow where it oxidizes, cools and condenses to form solid metal oxide nanoparticles.

Space probe/satellite ejection apparatus for spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smyly, H. M.; Miller, C. D.; Cloyd, R. A.; Heller, C. (Inventor)

1984-01-01

An ejection apparatus for spinning and propelling objects for ejection from a spacecraft at a desired velocity and rotational speed is discussed. The apparatus includes a launch cradle on which the space object to be ejected rests. The cradle is rotatably supported by a central hub secured to the upper end of the pneumatic cylinder piston shaft. Release mechanisms consisting of a retractable pin and locking lug is utilized to hold the cradle and object to be ejected. The release mechanism has a fixed barrier member which holds the retractable pin in engagement with the locking lug until release by upward movement of the launch cradle beyond the barrier height.

FAR-TECH's Nanoparticle Plasma Jet System and its Application to Disruptions, Deep Fueling, and Diagnostics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, J. R.; Bogatu, I. N.; Galkin, S. A.; Kim, J. S.

2012-10-01

Hyper-velocity plasma jets have potential applications in tokamaks for disruption mitigation, deep fueling and diagnostics. Pulsed power based solid-state sources and plasma accelerators offer advantages of rapid response and mass delivery at high velocities. Fast response is critical for some disruption mitigation scenario needs, while high velocity is especially important for penetration into tokamak plasma and its confining magnetic field, as in the case of deep fueling. FAR-TECH is developing the capability of producing large-mass hyper-velocity plasma jets. The prototype solid-state source has produced: 1) >8.4 mg of H2 gas only, and 2) >25 mg of H2 and >180 mg of C60 in a H2/C60 gas mixture. Using a coaxial plasma gun coupled to the source, we have successfully demonstrated the acceleration of composite H/C60 plasma jets, with momentum as high as 0.6 g.km/s, and containing an estimated C60 mass of ˜75 mg. We present the status of FAR-TECH's nanoparticle plasma jet system and discuss its application to disruptions, deep fueling, and diagnostics. A new TiH2/C60 solid-state source capable of generating significantly higher quantities of H2 and C60 in <0.5 ms will be discussed.

Global Response to Local Ionospheric Mass Ejection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, T. E.; Fok, M.-C.; Delcourt, D. C.; Slinker, S. P.; Fedder, J. A.

2010-01-01

We revisit a reported "Ionospheric Mass Ejection" using prior event observations to guide a global simulation of local ionospheric outflows, global magnetospheric circulation, and plasma sheet pressurization, and comparing our results with the observed global response. Our simulation framework is based on test particle motions in the Lyon-Fedder-Mobarry (LFM) global circulation model electromagnetic fields. The inner magnetosphere is simulated with the Comprehensive Ring Current Model (CRCM) of Fok and Wolf, driven by the transpolar potential developed by the LFM magnetosphere, and includes an embedded plasmaspheric simulation. Global circulation is stimulated using the observed solar wind conditions for the period 24-25 Sept 1998. This period begins with the arrival of a Coronal Mass Ejection, initially with northward, but later with southward interplanetary magnetic field. Test particles are launched from the ionosphere with fluxes specified by local empirical relationships of outflow to electrodynamic and particle precipitation imposed by the MIlD simulation. Particles are tracked until they are lost from the system downstream or into the atmosphere, using the full equations of motion. Results are compared with the observed ring current and a simulation of polar and auroral wind outflows driven globally by solar wind dynamic pressure. We find good quantitative agreement with the observed ring current, and reasonable qualitative agreement with earlier simulation results, suggesting that the solar wind driven global simulation generates realistic energy dissipation in the ionosphere and that the Strangeway relations provide a realistic local outflow description.

SOHO Observations of a Coronal Mass Ejection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akmal, Arya; Raymond, John C.; Vourlidas, Angelos; Thompson, Barbara; Ciaravella, A.; Ko, Y.-K.; Uzzo, M.; Wu, R.

2001-06-01

We describe a coronal mass ejection (CME) observed on 1999 April 23 by the Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS), the Extreme-Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT), and the Large-Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraphs (LASCO) aboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). In addition to the O VI and C III lines typical of UVCS spectra of CMEs, this 480 km s-1 CME exhibits the forbidden and intercombination lines of O V at λλ1213.8 and 1218.4. The relative intensities of the O V lines represent an accurate electron density diagnostic not generally available at 3.5 Rsolar. By combining the density with the column density derived from LASCO, we obtain the emission measure of the ejected gas. With the help of models of the temperature and time-dependent ionization state of the expanding gas, we determine a range of heating rates required to account for the UV emission lines. The total thermal energy deposited as the gas travels to 3.5 Rsolar is comparable to the kinetic and gravitational potential energies. We note a core of colder material radiating in C III, surrounded by hotter material radiating in the O V and O VI lines. This concentration of the coolest material into small regions may be a common feature of CMEs. This event thus represents a unique opportunity to describe the morphology of a CME, and to characterize its plasma parameters.

Plasma Antenna Based on Superparamagnetic Nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papadopoulos, K.

2017-12-01

A novel plasma antenna for space or ground based generation and injection of whistler and Alfven waves is presented. The new antenna concept is based on recently manufactured, small (10-60 nm radius), single domain, non-interacting magnetic grains with uniaxial magnetic anisotropy, known as superparamagnetic nanoparticles (SPN), dispersed in low viscosity, non-conducting media. SPNs can be described as ensembles of non-interacting magnetic moments μ with energy E=-μB when driven by a magnetic field B, similar to ordinary paramagnets, with exception that SPNs are composed by many thousands of magnetic atoms and as result have susceptibilities comparable to ferromagnets but with zero coercivity. The Langevin function accurately describes the dynamic behavior of the magnetization in the presence of low frequency AC fields since the characteristic mechanical (Brownian) and magnetic (Neel) relaxation times are shorter than 10msecs. For ground-based applications the grains are suspended in low viscosity carrier liquids, such as water or benzne and are known as ferrofluids. For space based applications, such as wave injection from CubeSats they can be dispersed as dust in vacuum containers. Agglomeration is avoided by coating the grains by coating their surface by an appropriate surfactant molecule. The ensemble of magnetic grains is driven to rotation at the desired VLF or ELF frequency by a pair of Helmholtz like coils surrounding the grain container. The near field electric field associated with rotating magnetic field then drives currents such as were observed in Rotating Magnetic Field experiments at the UCLA/LAPD chamber [Gigliotti et al., Phys. of Plasmas 16:092106; Karavaev et al., Phys. of Plasmas 17(1):012102,2010]. The magnetic moment of the AC coil is amplified by the susceptibility χ of the SPN ensemble that depending on the grain size and material can reach values of 104-105. Preliminary estimates indicate that less than 1 kg of SPN grains and power of

Enhancement in volatile organic compound sensitivity of aged Ag nanoparticle aggregates by plasma exposure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosomi, Kei; Ozaki, Koichi; Nishiyama, Fumitaka; Takahiro, Katsumi

2018-01-01

Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) tarnish easily upon exposure to ambient air, and eventually lose their ability as a plasmonic sensor via weakened localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). We have demonstrated the enhancement in plasmonic sensitivity of tarnished Ag NP aggregates to vapors of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as ethanol and butanol by Ar plasma exposure. The response of Ag NP aggregates to the VOC vapors was examined by measuring the change in optical extinction spectra before and after exposure to the vapors. The sensitivity of Ag NP aggregates decreased gradually when stored in ambient air. The performance of tarnished Ag NPs for ethanol sensing was recovered by exposure to argon (Ar) plasma for 15 s. The reduction from oxidized Ag to metallic one was recognized, while morphological change was hardly noticeable after the plasma exposure. We conclude, therefore, that a compositional change rather than a morphological change occurred on Ag NP surfaces enhances the sensing ability of tarnished Ag NP aggregates to the VOC vapors.

Ultrasound - Aided ejection in micro injection molding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masato, D.; Sorgato, M.; Lucchetta, G.

2018-05-01

In this work, an ultrasound-aided ejection system was designed and tested for different polymers (PS, COC and POM) and mold topographies. The proposed solution aims at reducing the ejection friction by decreasing the adhesion component of the frictional force, which is controlled by the contact area developed during the filling stage of the injection molding process. The experimental results indicate a positive effect of ultrasound vibration on the friction force values, with a maximum reduction of 16. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the ultrasound effect is strictly related to both polymer selection and mold roughness. The combined effect on the ejection force of mold surface roughness, melt viscosity during filling and polymer elastic modulus at ejection was modeled to the experimental data, in order to demonstrate that the effect of ultrasound vibration on the ejection friction reduction is due to the heating of the contact interface and the consequent reduction of the polymer elastic modulus.

Plasma methods of obtainment of multifunctional composite materials, dispersion-hardened by nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sizonenko, O. N.; Grigoryev, E. G.; Zaichenko, A. D.; Pristash, N. S.; Torpakov, A. S.; Lipyan, Ye V.; Tregub, V. A.; Zholnin, A. G.; Yudin, A. V.; Kovalenko, A. A.

2016-04-01

The new approach in developed plasma methods consists in that dispersionhardening additives (TiC, TiB2 in particular) are not mechanically added to powder mixture as additional component, as in conventional methods, but are instead synthesized during high voltage electric discharges (HVED) in disperse system “hydrocarbon liquid - powder” preservation of ultrafine structure is ensured due to use of spark plasma sintering (SPS) as a consolidation method. HVED in disperse system “hydrocarbon liquid - powder” due to impact of plasma discharge channel, electromagnetic fields, shock waves mechanical impact, hydro flows and volume microcavitation leads to synthesis of nanocarbon, metal powders dispersion and synthesis of micro- (from 10-6 to 10-7 m) and nanosized (from 10-7 to 10-9 m) composite powders of hardening phases. SPS is the passage of pulsed current (superposition of direct and alternating current) through powder with the simultaneous mechanical compressing. The formation of plasma is initiated in gaseous phase that fills gaps between particles. SPS allows targeted control of grain growth rate and thus allows obtainment of multifunctional composite materials dispersion hardened by nanoparticles. Processes of HVED synthesis of micro- and nanosized powders of new compositions from elemental metal powders and their mixtures with the subsequent application of high-speed SPS of obtained powders create conditions for increase of strength (by 10 - 20%), hardness and wear-resistance (by 30 - 60%) of obtained materials.

A mechanistic study to increase understanding of titanium dioxide nanoparticles-increased plasma glucose in mice.

PubMed

Hu, Hailong; Li, Li; Guo, Qian; Jin, Sanli; Zhou, Ying; Oh, Yuri; Feng, Yujie; Wu, Qiong; Gu, Ning

2016-09-01

Titanium dioxide nanoparticle (TiO2 NP) is an authorized food additive. Previous studies determined oral administration of TiO2 NPs increases plasma glucose in mice via inducing insulin resistance. An increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been considered the possible mechanism of increasing plasma glucose. However, persistently high plasma glucose is also a mechanism of increasing ROS. This study aims to explore whether TiO2 NPs increase plasma glucose via ROS. We found after oral administration of TiO2 NPs, an increase in ROS preceded an increase in plasma glucose. Subsequently, mice were treated with two antioxidants (resveratrol and vitamin E) at the same time as oral administration of TiO2 NPs. Results showed resveratrol and vitamin E reduced TiO2 NPs-increased ROS. An increase in plasma glucose was also inhibited. Further research showed resveratrol and vitamin E inhibited the secretion of TNF-α and IL-6, and the phosphorylation of JNK and p38 MAPK, resulting in improved insulin resistance. These results suggest TiO2 NPs increased ROS levels, and then ROS activated inflammatory cytokines and phosphokinases, and thus induced insulin resistance, resulting in an increase in plasma glucose. Resveratrol and vitamin E can reduce TiO2 NPs-increased ROS and thereby inhibit an increase in plasma glucose in mice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surface modification of graphite-encapsulated iron nanoparticles by RF excited Ar/NH3 gas mixture plasma and their application to Escherichia coli capture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viswan, Anchu; Chou, Han; Sugiura, Kuniaki; Nagatsu, Masaaki

2016-09-01

Graphite-encapsulated iron nanoparticles with an average diameter of 20 nm were synthesized using the DC arc discharge method. For biomedical application, the nanoparticles were functionalized with amino groups using an inductively coupled radio-frequency (RF) plasma. The Ar, NH3, and Ar/NH3 plasmas that were used for functionalization were diagnosed using optical emission spectroscopy, confirming the presence of the required elements. The best conditions for functionalization were optimized by changing various parameters. The pretreatment time with Ar plasma was varied from 0 to 12.5 min, the post-treatment time from 30 s to 3 min. The dependence of the RF power and the gas mixture ratio of Ar/NH3 on the amino group population was also analyzed. From Raman spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and determination of absolute number of amino groups through chemical derivatization, it was found that 5 min of Ar pretreatment and 6%NH3/94%Ar plasma post-treatment for 3 min with an RF power of 80 W gives the best result of about 5  ×  104 amino groups per particle. The nanoparticles that were amino functionalized under optimized conditions and immobilized with an Escherichia coli (E.coli) antibody on their surface were incubated with E.coli bacteria to determine the efficiency of collection by direct culture assay.

In situ probing of temperature in radio frequency thermal plasma using Yttrium ion emission lines during synthesis of yttria nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dhamale, G. D.; Tiwari, N.; Mathe, V. L.; Bhoraskar, S. V.; Ghorui, S.

2017-07-01

Particle feeding is used in the most important applications of radio frequency (r.f.) thermal plasmas like synthesis of nanoparticles and particle spheroidization. The study reports an in-situ investigation of radial distribution of temperature in such devices using yttrium ion emission lines under different rates of particle loading during synthesis of yttria nanoparticles. A number of interesting facts about the response of r.f. plasma to the rate of particle loading, hitherto unknown, are revealed. Observed phenomena are supported with experimental data from fast photographic experiments and actual synthesis results. The use of the Abel inversion technique together with simultaneous multi-track acquisition of emission spectra from different spatial locations using a CCD based spectrometer allowed us to extract accurate distribution of temperature inside the plasma in the presence of inherent instabilities. The temperature profiles of this type of plasma have been measured possibly for the first time while particles are being fed into the plasma. Observed changes in the temperature profiles as the particle feed rate increases are very significant. Reaction forces resulting from particle evaporation, and increased skin depth owing to the decrease in electrical conductivity in the edge region are proposed as the two different mechanisms to account for the observed changes in the temperature profile as the powder feed rate is increased. Quantitative analyses supporting the proposed mechanisms are presented.

Multi-Layer Coating of Ultrathin Polymer Films on Nanoparticles of Alumina by a Plasma Treatment

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-01-01

Proc. Vol. 635 © 2001 Materials Research Society Multi-Layer Coating of Ultrathin Polymer Films on Nanoparticles of Alumina by a Plasma Treatment Donglu...interconnected organic and inorganic networks results in coatings with a very low permeability for gases and liquids. Hybrid materials are very suitable for... materials consist of a clear alcoholic solution that can easily be processed by classical application techniques such as dipping, spraying, or spin coating

Plasma deposition of silver nanoparticles on ultrafiltration membranes: antibacterial and anti-biofouling properties.

PubMed

Cruz, Mercedes Cecilia; Ruano, Gustavo; Wolf, Marcus; Hecker, Dominic; Vidaurre, Elza Castro; Schmittgens, Ralph; Rajal, Verónica Beatriz

2015-02-01

A novel and versatile plasma reactor was used to modify Polyethersulphone commercial membranes. The equipment was applied to: i) functionalize the membranes with low-temperature plasmas, ii) deposit a film of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) and, iii) deposit silver nanoparticles (SNP) by Gas Flow Sputtering. Each modification process was performed in the same reactor consecutively, without exposure of the membranes to atmospheric air. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the particles and modified membranes. SNP are evenly distributed on the membrane surface. Particle fixation and transport inside membranes were assessed before- and after-washing assays by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth profiling analysis. PMMA addition improved SNP fixation. Plasma-treated membranes showed higher hydrophilicity. Anti-biofouling activity was successfully achieved against Gram-positive ( Enterococcus faecalis ) and -negative ( Salmonella Typhimurium) bacteria. Therefore, disinfection by ultrafiltration showed substantial resistance to biofouling. The post-synthesis functionalization process developed provides a more efficient fabrication route for anti-biofouling and anti-bacterial membranes used in the water treatment field. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a gas phase condensation process combined with a PECVD procedure in order to deposit SNP on commercial membranes to inhibit biofouling formation.

Plasma deposition of silver nanoparticles on ultrafiltration membranes: antibacterial and anti-biofouling properties

PubMed Central

Cruz, Mercedes Cecilia; Ruano, Gustavo; Wolf, Marcus; Hecker, Dominic; Vidaurre, Elza Castro; Schmittgens, Ralph; Rajal, Verónica Beatriz

2015-01-01

A novel and versatile plasma reactor was used to modify Polyethersulphone commercial membranes. The equipment was applied to: i) functionalize the membranes with low-temperature plasmas, ii) deposit a film of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) and, iii) deposit silver nanoparticles (SNP) by Gas Flow Sputtering. Each modification process was performed in the same reactor consecutively, without exposure of the membranes to atmospheric air. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the particles and modified membranes. SNP are evenly distributed on the membrane surface. Particle fixation and transport inside membranes were assessed before- and after-washing assays by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth profiling analysis. PMMA addition improved SNP fixation. Plasma-treated membranes showed higher hydrophilicity. Anti-biofouling activity was successfully achieved against Gram-positive (Enterococcus faecalis) and -negative (Salmonella Typhimurium) bacteria. Therefore, disinfection by ultrafiltration showed substantial resistance to biofouling. The post-synthesis functionalization process developed provides a more efficient fabrication route for anti-biofouling and anti-bacterial membranes used in the water treatment field. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a gas phase condensation process combined with a PECVD procedure in order to deposit SNP on commercial membranes to inhibit biofouling formation. PMID:26166926

The 2011 Outburst of Recurrent Nova T Pyx: X-Ray Observations Expose the White Dwarf Mass and Ejection Dynamics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chomiuk, Laura; Nelson, Thomas; Mukai, Koji; Solokoski, J. L.; Rupen, Michael P.; Page, Kim L.; Osborne, Julian P.; Kuulkers, Erik; Mioduszewski, Amy J.; Roy, Nirupam;

The 2011 outburst of recurrent nova T Pyx: X-ray observations expose the white dwarf mass and ejection dynamics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chomiuk, Laura; Nelson, Thomas; Mukai, Koji

2014-06-20

The recurrent nova T Pyx underwent its sixth historical outburst in 2011, and became the subject of an intensive multi-wavelength observational campaign. We analyze data from the Swift and Suzaku satellites to produce a detailed X-ray light curve augmented by epochs of spectral information. X-ray observations yield mostly non-detections in the first four months of outburst, but both a super-soft and hard X-ray component rise rapidly after Day 115. The super-soft X-ray component, attributable to the photosphere of the nuclear-burning white dwarf, is relatively cool (∼45 eV) and implies that the white dwarf in T Pyx is significantly below themore » Chandrasekhar mass (∼1 M {sub ☉}). The late turn-on time of the super-soft component yields a large nova ejecta mass (≳ 10{sup –5} M {sub ☉}), consistent with estimates at other wavelengths. The hard X-ray component is well fit by a ∼1 keV thermal plasma, and is attributed to shocks internal to the 2011 nova ejecta. The presence of a strong oxygen line in this thermal plasma on Day 194 requires a significantly super-solar abundance of oxygen and implies that the ejecta are polluted by white dwarf material. The X-ray light curve can be explained by a dual-phase ejection, with a significant delay between the first and second ejection phases, and the second ejection finally released two months after outburst. A delayed ejection is consistent with optical and radio observations of T Pyx, but the physical mechanism producing such a delay remains a mystery.« less

Ion ejection from a permanent-magnet mini-helicon thruster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Francis F.

2014-09-01

A small helicon source, 5 cm in diameter and 5 cm long, using a permanent magnet (PM) to create the DC magnetic field B, is investigated for its possible use as an ion spacecraft thruster. Such ambipolar thrusters do not require a separate electron source for neutralization. The discharge is placed in the far-field of the annular PM, where B is fairly uniform. The plasma is ejected into a large chamber, where the ion energy distribution is measured with a retarding-field energy analyzer. The resulting specific impulse is lower than that of Hall thrusters but can easily be increased to relevant values by applying to the endplate of the discharge a small voltage relative to spacecraft ground.

First Production of C60 Nanoparticle Plasma Jet for Study of Disruption Mitigation for ITER

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogatu, I. N.; Thompson, J. R.; Galkin, S. A.; Kim, J. S.; Brockington, S.; Case, A.; Messer, S. J.; Witherspoon, F. D.

2012-10-01

Unique fast response and large mass-velocity delivery of nanoparticle plasma jets (NPPJs) provide a novel application for ITER disruption mitigation, runaway electrons diagnostics and deep fueling. NPPJs carry a much larger mass than usual gases. An electromagnetic plasma gun provides a very high injection velocity (many km/s). NPPJ has much higher ram pressure than any standard gas injection method and penetrates the tokamak confining magnetic field. Assimilation is enhanced due to the NP large surface-to-volume ratio. Radially expanding NPPJs help achieving toroidal uniformity of radiation power. FAR-TECH's NPPJ system was successfully tested: a coaxial plasma gun prototype (˜35 cm length, 96 kJ energy) using a solid state TiH2/C60 pulsed power cartridge injector produced a hyper-velocity (>4 km/s), high-density (>10^23 m-3), C60 plasma jet in ˜0.5 ms, with ˜1-2 ms overall response-delivery time. We present the TiH2/C60 cartridge injector output characterization (˜180 mg of sublimated C60 gas) and first production results of a high momentum C60 plasma jet (˜0.6 g.km/s).

Solar Eruptions: Coronal Mass Ejections and Flares

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gopalswamy, Nat

2012-01-01

This lecture introduces the topic of Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and solar flares, collectively known as solar eruptions. During solar eruptions, the released energy flows out from the Sun in the form of magnetized plasma and electromagnetic radiation. The electromagnetic radiation suddenly increases the ionization content of the ionosphere, thus impacting communication and navigation systems. Flares can be eruptive or confined. Eruptive flares accompany CMEs, while confined flares hav only electromagnetic signature. CMEs can drive MHD shocks that accelerate charged particles to very high energies in the interplanetary space, which pose radiation hazard to astronauts and space systems. CMEs heading in the direction of Earth arrive in about two days and impact Earth's magnetosphere, producing geomagnetic storms. The magnetic storms result in a number of effects including induced currnts that can disrupt power grids, railroads, and underground pipelines

Dynamic simulation of coronal mass ejections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinolfson, R. S.; Wu, S. T.

1980-01-01

A model is developed for the formation and propagation through the lower corona of the loop-like coronal transients in which mass is ejected from near the solar surface to the outer corona. It is assumed that the initial state for the transient is a coronal streamer. The initial state for the streamer is a polytropic, hydrodynamic solution to the steady-state radial equation of motion coupled with a force-free dipole magnetic field. The numerical solution of the complete time-dependent equations then gradually approaches a stationary coronal streamer configuration. The streamer configuration becomes the initial state for the coronal transient. The streamer and transient simulations are performed completely independent of each other. The transient is created by a sudden increase in the pressure at the base of the closed-field region in the streamer configuration. Both coronal streamers and coronal transients are calculated for values of the plasma beta (the ratio of thermal to magnetic pressure) varying from 0.1 to 100.

A Flying Ejection Seat

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hollrock, R. H.; Barzda, J. J.

1972-01-01

To increase aircrewmen's chances for safe rescue in combat zones, the armed forces are investigating advanced escape and rescue concepts that will provide independent flight after ejection and thus reduce the risk of capture. One of the candidate concepts is discussed; namely, a stowable autogyro that serves as the crewman's seat during normal operations and automatically converts to a flight vehicle after ejection. Discussed are (1) the mechanism subsystems that the concept embodies to meet the weight and cockpit-packaging constraints and (2) tests that demonstrated the technical feasibility of the stowage, deployment, and flight operation of the rotor lift system.

Hollow-Cathode Source Generates Plasma

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deininger, W. D.; Aston, G.; Pless, L. C.

1989-01-01

Device generates argon, krypton, or xenon plasma via thermionic emission and electrical discharge within hollow cathode and ejects plasma into surrounding vacuum. Goes from cold start up to full operation in less than 5 s after initial application of power. Exposed to moist air between operations without significant degradation of starting and running characteristics. Plasma generated by electrical discharge in cathode barrel sustained and aided by thermionic emission from emitter tube. Emitter tube does not depend on rare-earth oxides, making it vulnerable to contamination by exposure to atmosphere. Device modified for use as source of plasma in laboratory experiments or industrial processes.

Relationship between plasma levels of cardiac natriuretic peptides and soluble Fas: plasma soluble Fas as a prognostic predictor in patients with congestive heart failure.

PubMed

Tsutamoto, T; Wada, A; Maeda, K; Mabuchi, N; Hayashi, M; Tsutsui, T; Ohnishi, M; Fujii, M; Matsumoto, T; Yamamoto, T; Takayama, T; Kinoshita, M

2001-12-01

Cardiac natriuretic peptides may induce apoptosis in myocytes; however, the relationship between plasma levels of cardiac natriuretic peptides and those of soluble Fas (sFas) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha remains unknown in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). We measured plasma levels of sFas and TNF-alpha and those of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), norepinephrine, and endothelin 1 in 96 patients with CHF (ejection fraction < 45%). The patients were monitored for 3 years. Plasma levels of sFas and TNF-alpha increased with the severity of CHF. There was no significant correlation between sFas plasma levels and those of ANP and BNP. Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that high levels of sFas (P = .009) and BNP (P < .0001) and a low ejection fraction (P = .019) were independent significant prognostic predictors. There is no significant correlation between cardiac natriuretic peptide and sFas levels in plasma. Plasma sFas is a useful prognostic marker independent of neurohumoral factors, suggesting that immune activation and/or apoptosis play a significant role in the pathogenesis of CHF.

Response of Jupiter's Aurora to Plasma Mass Loading Rate Monitored by the Hisaki Satellite During Volcanic Eruptions at Io

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimura, T.; Hiraki, Y.; Tao, C.; Tsuchiya, F.; Delamere, P. A.; Yoshioka, K.; Murakami, G.; Yamazaki, A.; Kita, H.; Badman, S. V.; Fukazawa, K.; Yoshikawa, I.; Fujimoto, M.

2018-03-01

The production and transport of plasma mass are essential processes in the dynamics of planetary magnetospheres. At Jupiter, it is hypothesized that Io's volcanic plasma carried out of the plasma torus is transported radially outward in the rotating magnetosphere and is recurrently ejected as plasmoid via tail reconnection. The plasmoid ejection is likely associated with particle energization, radial plasma flow, and transient auroral emissions. However, it has not been demonstrated that plasmoid ejection is sensitive to mass loading because of the lack of simultaneous observations of both processes. We report the response of plasmoid ejection to mass loading during large volcanic eruptions at Io in 2015. Response of the transient aurora to the mass loading rate was investigated based on a combination of Hisaki satellite monitoring and a newly developed analytic model. We found that the transient aurora frequently recurred at a 2-6 day period in response to a mass loading increase from 0.3 to 0.5 t/s. In general, the recurrence of the transient aurora was not significantly correlated with the solar wind, although there was an exceptional event with a maximum emission power of 10 TW after the solar wind shock arrival. The recurrence of plasmoid ejection requires the precondition that an amount comparable to the total mass of magnetosphere, 1.5 Mt, is accumulated in the magnetosphere. A plasmoid mass of more than 0.1 Mt is necessary in case that the plasmoid ejection is the only process for mass release.

Ejection of sodium from sodium sulfide by the sputtering of the surface of Io

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chrisey, D. B.; Johnson, R. E.; Boring, J. W.; Phipps, J. A.

1988-01-01

The mechanism by which Na is removed from the surface of Io prior to its injection into the plasma torus is investigated experimentally. Na2S films of thickness 3-8 microns were produced by spray coating an Ni substrate in a dry N2 atmosphere and subjected to sputtering by 34-keV Ar(+), Ne(+), Kr(+), or Xe(+) ions up to total doses of about 5 x 10 to the 18th ions/sq cm. The sputtering yields and mass spectra are found to be consistent with ejection of only small amounts of atomic Na and somewhat larger amounts of Na-containing molecules. It is concluded that the amount of Na ejected by magnetospheric-ion sputtering of Na2S would be insufficient to account for the amounts observed in the Io neutral cloud. A scenario involving sputtering of larger polysulfide molecules is considered.

Acceleration and collimation of relativistic plasmas ejected by fast rotators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogovalov, S. V.

2001-06-01

A stationary self-consistent outflow of a magnetised relativistic plasma from a rotating object with an initially monopole-like magnetic field is investigated in the ideal MHD approximation under the condition sigma U02 > 1, where sigma is the ratio of the Poynting flux over the mass energy flux at the equator and the surface of the star, with U0=gamma 0v0/c and gamma0 the initial four-velocity and Lorentz factor of the plasma. The mechanism of the magnetocentrifugal acceleration and self-collimation of the relativistic plasma is investigated. A jet-like relativistic flow along the axis of rotation is found in the steady-state solution under the condition sigma U02 > 1 with properties predicted analytically. The amount of the collimated matter in the jet is rather small in comparison to the total mass flux in the wind. An explanation for the weak self-collimation of relativistic winds is given.

Focal macromolecule delivery in neuronal tissue using simultaneous pressure ejection and local electroporation

PubMed Central

Barker, Matthew; Billups, Brian; Hamann, Martine

2009-01-01

Electroporation creates transient pores in the plasma membrane to introduce macromolecules within a cell or cell population. Generally, electrical pulses are delivered between two electrodes separated from each other, making electroporation less likely to be localised. We have developed a new device combining local pressure ejection with local electroporation through a double-barrelled glass micropipette to transfer impermeable macromolecules in brain slices or in cultured HEK293 cells. The design achieves better targeting of the site of pressure ejection with that of electroporation. With this technique, we have been able to limit the delivery of propidium iodide or dextran amine within areas of 100–200 μm diameter. We confirm that local electroporation is transient and show that when combined with pressure ejection, it allows local transfection of EGFP plasmids within HEK293 cells or within cerebellar and hippocampal slice cultures. We further show that local electroporation is less damaging when compared to global electroporation using two separate electrodes. Focal delivery of dextran amine dyes within trapezoid body fibres allowed tracing axonal tracts within brainstem slices, enabling the study of identified calyx of Held presynaptic terminals in living brain tissue. This labelling method can be used to target small nuclei in neuronal tissue and is generally applicable to the study of functional synaptic connectivity, or live axonal tracing in a variety of brain areas. PMID:19014970

Liquid Phase Plasma Synthesis of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles on Nitrogen-Doped Activated Carbon Resulting in Nanocomposite for Supercapacitor Applications.

PubMed

Lee, Heon; Lee, Won-June; Park, Young-Kwon; Ki, Seo Jin; Kim, Byung-Joo; Jung, Sang-Chul

2018-03-25

Iron oxide nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped activated carbon powder were synthesized using an innovative plasma-in-liquid method, called the liquid phase plasma (LPP) method. Nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) was prepared by a primary LPP reaction using an ammonium chloride reactant solution, and an iron oxide/NC composite (IONCC) was prepared by a secondary LPP reaction using an iron chloride reactant solution. The nitrogen component at 3.77 at. % formed uniformly over the activated carbon (AC) surface after a 1 h LPP reaction. Iron oxide nanoparticles, 40~100 nm in size, were impregnated homogeneously over the NC surface after the LPP reaction, and were identified as Fe₃O₄ by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. NC and IONCCs exhibited pseudo-capacitive characteristics, and their specific capacitance and cycling stability were superior to those of bare AC. The nitrogen content on the NC surface increased the compatibility and charge transfer rate, and the composites containing iron oxide exhibited a lower equivalent series resistance.

Progress in Development of C60 Nanoparticle Plasma Jet for Diagnostic of Runaway Electron Beam-Plasma Interaction and Disruption Mitigation Study for ITER

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogatu, I. N.; Thompson, J. R.; Galkin, S. A.; Kim, J. S.

2013-10-01

We produced a C60 nanoparticle plasma jet (NPPJ) with uniquely fast response-to-delivery time (~ 1 - 2 ms) and unprecedentedly high momentum (~ 0 . 6 g .km/s). The C60 NPPJ was obtained by using a solid state TiH2/C60 pulsed power cartridge producing ~180 mg of C60 molecular gas by sublimation and by electromagnetic acceleration of the C60 plasma in a coaxial gun (~35 cm length, 96 kJ energy) with the output of a high-density (>1023 m-3) hyper-velocity (>4 km/s) plasma jet. The ~ 75 mg C60/C plasma jet has the potential to rapidly and deeply deliver enough mass to significantly increase electron density (to ne ~ 2 . 4 ×1021 m-3, i.e. ~ 60 times larger than typical DIII-D pre-disruption value, ne 0 ~ 4 ×1019 m-3), and to modify the 'critical electric field' and the runaway electrons (REs) collisional drag during different phases of REs dynamics. The C60 NPPJ, as a novel injection technique, allows RE beam-plasma interaction diagnostic by quantitative spectroscopy of C ions visible/UV line intensity. The system is scalable to ~ 1 - 2 g C60/C plasma jet output and technology is adaptable to ITER acceptable materials (BN and Be) for disruption mitigation. Work supported by US DOE DE-FG02-08ER85196 grant.

Oxygen reduction reaction activity and structural stability of Pt-Au nanoparticles prepared by arc-plasma deposition.

PubMed

Takahashi, Shuntaro; Chiba, Hiroshi; Kato, Takashi; Endo, Shota; Hayashi, Takehiro; Todoroki, Naoto; Wadayama, Toshimasa

2015-07-28

The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity and durability of various Au(x)/Pt100 nanoparticles (where x is the atomic ratio of Au against Pt) are evaluated herein. The samples were fabricated on a highly-oriented pyrolytic graphite substrate at 773 K through sequential arc-plasma depositions of Pt and Au. The electrochemical hydrogen adsorption charges (electrochemical surface area), particularly the characteristic currents caused by the corner and edge sites of the Pt nanoparticles, decrease with increasing Au atomic ratio (x). In contrast, the specific ORR activities of the Au(x)/Pt100 samples were dependent on the atomic ratios of Pt and Au: the Au28/Pt100 sample showed the highest specific activity among all the investigated samples (x = 0-42). As for ORR durability evaluated by applying potential cycles between 0.6 and 1.0 V in oxygen-saturated 0.1 M HClO4, Au28/Pt100 was the most durable sample against the electrochemical potential cycles. The results clearly showed that the Au atoms located at coordinatively-unsaturated sites, e.g. at the corners or edges of the Pt nanoparticles, can improve the ORR durability by suppressing unsaturated-site-induced degradation of the Pt nanoparticles.

Hypervelocity nanoparticle impacts on free-standing graphene: A sui generis mode of sputtering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eller, Michael J.; Della-Negra, Serge; Liang, Chao-Kai

The study of the interaction of hypervelocity nano-particles with a 2D material and ultra-thin targets (single layer graphene, multi-layer graphene, and amorphous carbon foils) has been performed using mass selected gold nano-particles produced from a liquid metal ion source. During these impacts, a large number of atoms are ejected from the graphene, corresponding to a hole of ∼60 nm{sup 2}. Additionally, for the first time, secondary ions have been observed simultaneously in both the transmission and reflection direction (with respect to the path of the projectile) from a 2D target. The ejected area is much larger than that predicted bymore » molecular dynamic simulations and a large ionization rate is observed. The mass distribution and characteristics of the emitted secondary ions are presented and offer an insight into the process to produce the large hole observed in the graphene.« less

Ejection of small droplet from microplate using focused ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, Hiroki; Mizuno, Yosuke; Nakamura, Kentaro

2017-08-01

We discussed an ultrasonic system for single-droplet ejection from a microplate, which is one of the basic and important procedures in the noncontact handling of droplets in air. In this system, a 1.5 MHz concave transducer located below the microplate is used for chasing the liquid surface through a pulse echo method, and also for the ejection of a 1 µL single droplet by the burst of focused ultrasound. We investigated the relationship between the droplet ejection characteristics, the distance from the transducer to the surface of liquid, the material property, and the excitation condition of the focused ultrasonic transducer. It was verified that the optimal position of the transducer was off the focal point of sound pressure by ±1 mm, because the sound intensity had to be controlled to eject a single droplet. Subsequently, we confirmed experimentally that the ejected droplet volume linearly depended on the surface tension of the liquid, and that the droplet volume and ejection velocity were determined by the Webber number, Reynolds number, and Ohnesolge number. In addition, by optimizing the duration of the burst ultrasound, the droplet volume and ejection velocity were controlled.

Are We Observing Coronal Mass Ejections in OH/IR AGB Stars?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heiles, Carl

2017-05-01

Solar Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) are magnetic electron clouds that are violently ejected by the same magnetic reconnection events that produce Solar flares. CMEs are the major driving source of the hazardous space weather environments near the Earth. In exoplanet systems, the equivalent of Solar wind and CMEs can affect a planet's atmosphere, and in extreme cases can erode it, as probably happened with Mars, or disrupt the cosmic-ray shielding aspect of the planet's magnetic field.We (Jensen et al. 2013SoPh..285...83J, 2016SoPh..291..465J) have developed a new way to observe the electron column density and magnetic field of CMEs, namely to measure the frequency change and Faraday rotation of a spacecraft downlink carrier produced by propagation effects in the plasma. Surprisingly, this can work on other stars if they have the equivalent of the spacecraft carrier, as do OH/IR stars.OH/IR stars are Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars, which are red giant stars burning He in their final stages of stellar evolution. They have highly convective surfaces and large mass-ejection rates in the form of expanding dense shells of molecular gas and obscuring dust, which were ejected from the star by chaotic turbulent motions and then accelerated by radiation pressure. OH masers reside in these shells, pumped by the IR emission from the dust. The OH masers on the far side of the star (i.e., the positive-velocity masers) are the surrogate for the Solar-case spacecraft signal.The big question: Can we see CMEs in OH/IR stars? We have observed six OH/IR stars with the Arecibo Observatory for a total of about 150 hours over the past 1.5 years. We see changes in OH maser frequency and in the position angle of linear polarization. Both can be produced by electron clouds moving across the line of sight. We will present statistical summaries of the variability and interpret them in terms of CME models.

Ion ejection from a permanent-magnet mini-helicon thruster

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Francis F.

2014-09-15

A small helicon source, 5 cm in diameter and 5 cm long, using a permanent magnet (PM) to create the DC magnetic field B, is investigated for its possible use as an ion spacecraft thruster. Such ambipolar thrusters do not require a separate electron source for neutralization. The discharge is placed in the far-field of the annular PM, where B is fairly uniform. The plasma is ejected into a large chamber, where the ion energy distribution is measured with a retarding-field energy analyzer. The resulting specific impulse is lower than that of Hall thrusters but can easily be increased to relevant valuesmore » by applying to the endplate of the discharge a small voltage relative to spacecraft ground.« less

Air pollution and heart failure: Relationship with the ejection fraction

PubMed Central

Dominguez-Rodriguez, Alberto; Abreu-Afonso, Javier; Rodríguez, Sergio; Juarez-Prera, Ruben A; Arroyo-Ucar, Eduardo; Gonzalez, Yenny; Abreu-Gonzalez, Pedro; Avanzas, Pablo

2013-01-01

AIM: To study whether the concentrations of particulate matter in ambient air are associated with hospital admission due to heart failure in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and reduced ejection fraction. METHODS: We studied 353 consecutive patients admitted into a tertiary care hospital with a diagnosis of heart failure. Patients with ejection fraction of ≥ 45% were classified as having heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and those with an ejection fraction of < 45% were classified as having heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. We determined the average concentrations of different sizes of particulate matter (< 10, < 2.5, and < 1 μm) and the concentrations of gaseous pollutants (carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone) from 1 d up to 7 d prior to admission. RESULTS: The heart failure with preserved ejection fraction population was exposed to higher nitrogen dioxide concentrations compared to the heart failure with reduced ejection fraction population (12.95 ± 8.22 μg/m3 vs 4.50 ± 2.34 μg/m3, P < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed that nitrogen dioxide was a significant predictor of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (odds ratio ranging from (1.403, 95%CI: 1.003-2.007, P = 0.04) to (1.669, 95%CI: 1.043-2.671, P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that short-term nitrogen dioxide exposure is independently associated with admission in the heart failure with preserved ejection fraction population. PMID:23538391

Characterization of injected aluminum oxide nanoparticle clouds in an rf discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krüger, Harald; Killer, Carsten; Schütt, Stefan; Melzer, André

2018-02-01

An experimental setup to deagglomerate and insert nanoparticles into a radio frequency discharge has been developed to confine defined aluminum oxide nanoparticles in a dusty plasma. For the confined particle clouds we have measured the spatially resolved in situ size and density distributions. Implementing the whole plasma chamber into the sample volume of an FTIR spectrometer the infrared spectrum of the confined aluminum oxide nanoparticles has been obtained. We have investigated the dependency of the absorbance of the nanoparticles in terms of plasma power, pressure and cloud shape. The particles’ infrared phonon resonance has been identified.

The functional dissection of the plasma corona of SiO₂-NPs spots histidine rich glycoprotein as a major player able to hamper nanoparticle capture by macrophages.

PubMed

Fedeli, Chiara; Segat, Daniela; Tavano, Regina; Bubacco, Luigi; De Franceschi, Giorgia; de Laureto, Patrizia Polverino; Lubian, Elisa; Selvestrel, Francesco; Mancin, Fabrizio; Papini, Emanuele

2015-11-14

A coat of strongly-bound host proteins, or hard corona, may influence the biological and pharmacological features of nanotheranostics by altering their cell-interaction selectivity and macrophage clearance. With the goal of identifying specific corona-effectors, we investigated how the capture of amorphous silica nanoparticles (SiO2-NPs; Ø = 26 nm; zeta potential = -18.3 mV) by human lymphocytes, monocytes and macrophages is modulated by the prominent proteins of their plasma corona. LC MS/MS analysis, western blotting and quantitative SDS-PAGE densitometry show that Histidine Rich Glycoprotein (HRG) is the most abundant component of the SiO2-NP hard corona in excess plasma from humans (HP) and mice (MP), together with minor amounts of the homologous Kininogen-1 (Kin-1), while it is remarkably absent in their Foetal Calf Serum (FCS)-derived corona. HRG binds with high affinity to SiO2-NPs (HRG Kd ∼2 nM) and competes with other plasma proteins for the NP surface, so forming a stable and quite homogeneous corona inhibiting nanoparticles binding to the macrophage membrane and their subsequent uptake. Conversely, in the case of lymphocytes and monocytes not only HRG but also several common plasma proteins can interchange in this inhibitory activity. The depletion of HRG and Kin-1 from HP or their plasma exhaustion by increasing NP concentration (>40 μg ml(-1) in 10% HP) lead to a heterogeneous hard corona, mostly formed by fibrinogen (Fibr), HDLs, LDLs, IgGs, Kallikrein and several minor components, allowing nanoparticle binding to macrophages. Consistently, the FCS-derived SiO2-NP hard corona, mainly formed by hemoglobin, α2 macroglobulin and HDLs but lacking HRG, permits nanoparticle uptake by macrophages. Moreover, purified HRG competes with FCS proteins for the NP surface, inhibiting their recruitment in the corona and blocking NP macrophage capture. HRG, the main component of the plasma-derived SiO2-NPs' hard corona, has antiopsonin characteristics and

On the work function and the charging of small ( r ≤ 5 nm) nanoparticles in plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalered, E.; Brenning, N.; Pilch, I.; Caillault, L.; Minéa, T.; Ojamäe, L.

2017-01-01

The growth of nanoparticles (NPs) in plasmas is an attractive technique where improved theoretical understanding is needed for quantitative modeling. The variation of the work function W with size for small NPs, rN P≤ 5 nm, is a key quantity for modeling of three NP charging processes that become increasingly important at a smaller size: electron field emission, thermionic electron emission, and electron impact detachment. Here we report the theoretical values of the work function in this size range. Density functional theory is used to calculate the work functions for a set of NP charge numbers, sizes, and shapes, using copper for a case study. An analytical approximation is shown to give quite accurate work functions provided that rN P > 0.4 nm, i.e., consisting of about >20 atoms, and provided also that the NPs have relaxed close to spherical shape. For smaller sizes, W deviates from the approximation, and also depends on the charge number. Some consequences of these results for nanoparticle charging are outlined. In particular, a decrease in W for NP radius below about 1 nm has fundamental consequences for their charge in a plasma environment, and thereby on the important processes of NP nucleation, early growth, and agglomeration.

Role of osmotic and hydrostatic pressures in bacteriophage genome ejection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemay, Serge G.; Panja, Debabrata; Molineux, Ian J.

2013-02-01

A critical step in the bacteriophage life cycle is genome ejection into host bacteria. The ejection process for double-stranded DNA phages has been studied thoroughly in vitro, where after triggering with the cellular receptor the genome ejects into a buffer. The experimental data have been interpreted in terms of the decrease in free energy of the densely packed DNA associated with genome ejection. Here we detail a simple model of genome ejection in terms of the hydrostatic and osmotic pressures inside the phage, a bacterium, and a buffer solution or culture medium. We argue that the hydrodynamic flow associated with the water movement from the buffer solution into the phage capsid and further drainage into the bacterial cytoplasm, driven by the osmotic gradient between the bacterial cytoplasm and culture medium, provides an alternative mechanism for phage genome ejection in vivo; the mechanism is perfectly consistent with phage genome ejection in vitro.

Decoration of vertical graphene with aerosol nanoparticles for gas sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Shumao; Guo, Xiaoru; Ren, Ren; Zhou, Guihua; Chen, Junhong

2015-08-01

A facile method was demonstrated to decorate aerosol Ag nanoparticles onto vertical graphene surfaces using a mini-arc plasma reactor. The vertical graphene was directly grown on a sensor electrode using a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method. The aerosol Ag nanoparticles were synthesized by a simple vapor condensation process using a mini-arc plasma source. Then, the nanoparticles were assembled on the surface of vertical graphene through the assistance of an electric field. Based on our observation, nonagglomerated Ag nanoparticles formed in the gas phase and were assembled onto vertical graphene sheets. Nanohybrids of Ag nanoparticle-decorated vertical graphene were characterized for ammonia gas detection at room temperature. The vertical graphene served as the conductance channel, and the conductance change upon exposure to ammonia was used as the sensing signal. The sensing results show that Ag nanoparticles significantly improve the sensitivity, response time, and recovery time of the sensor.

The First ALMA Observation of a Solar Plasmoid Ejection from an X-Ray Bright Point

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shimojo, Masumi; Hudson, Hugh S.; White, Stephen M.

2017-05-20

Eruptive phenomena such as plasmoid ejections or jets are important features of solar activity and have the potential to improve our understanding of the dynamics of the solar atmosphere. Such ejections are often thought to be signatures of the outflows expected in regions of fast magnetic reconnection. The 304 Å EUV line of helium, formed at around 10{sup 5} K, is found to be a reliable tracer of such phenomena, but the determination of physical parameters from such observations is not straightforward. We have observed a plasmoid ejection from an X-ray bright point simultaneously at millimeter wavelengths with ALMA, atmore » EUV wavelengths with SDO /AIA, and in soft X-rays with Hinode /XRT. This paper reports the physical parameters of the plasmoid obtained by combining the radio, EUV, and X-ray data. As a result, we conclude that the plasmoid can consist either of (approximately) isothermal ∼10{sup 5} K plasma that is optically thin at 100 GHz, or a ∼10{sup 4} K core with a hot envelope. The analysis demonstrates the value of the additional temperature and density constraints that ALMA provides, and future science observations with ALMA will be able to match the spatial resolution of space-borne and other high-resolution telescopes.« less

Simultaneous Observations of p-mode Light Walls and Magnetic Reconnection Ejections above Sunspot Light Bridges

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hou, Yijun; Zhang, Jun; Li, Ting

Recent high-resolution observations from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph reveal bright wall-shaped structures in active regions (ARs), especially above sunspot light bridges. Their most prominent feature is the bright oscillating front in the 1400/1330 Å channel. These structures are named light walls and are often interpreted to be driven by p-mode waves. Above the light bridge of AR 12222 on 2014 December 06, we observed intermittent ejections superimposed on an oscillating light wall in the 1400 Å passband. At the base location of each ejection, the emission enhancement was detected in the Solar Dynamics Observatory 1600 Å channel. Thus, wemore » suggest that in wall bases (light bridges), in addition to the leaked p-mode waves consistently driving the oscillating light wall, magnetic reconnection could happen intermittently at some locations and eject the heated plasma upward. Similarly, in the second event occurring in AR 12371 on 2015 June 16, a jet was simultaneously detected in addition to the light wall with a wave-shaped bright front above the light bridge. At the footpoint of this jet, lasting brightening was observed, implying magnetic reconnection at the base. We propose that in these events, two mechanisms, p-mode waves and magnetic reconnection, simultaneously play roles in the light bridge, and lead to the distinct kinetic features of the light walls and the ejection-like activities, respectively. To illustrate the two mechanisms and their resulting activities above light bridges, in this study we present a cartoon model.« less

Simple synthetic route for hydroxyapatite colloidal nanoparticles via a Nd:YAG laser ablation in liquid medium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mhin, Sung Wook; Ryu, Jeong Ho; Kim, Kang Min; Park, Gyeong Seon; Ryu, Han Wool; Shim, Kwang Bo; Sasaki, Takeshi; Koshizaki, Naoto

2009-08-01

Pulsed laser ablation (PLA) in liquid medium was successfully employed to synthesize hydroxyapatite (HAp) colloidal nanoparticles. The crystalline phase, particle morphology, size distribution and microstructure of the HAp nanoparticles were investigated in detail. The obtained HAp nanoparticles had spherical shape with sizes ranging from 5 to 20 nm. The laser ablation and the nanoparticle forming process were studied in terms of the explosive ejection mechanism by investigating the change of the surface morphology on target. The stoichiometry and bonding properties were studied by using XPS, FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy. A molar ratio of Ca/P of the prepared HAp nanoparticles was more stoichiometric than the value reported in the case of ablation in vacuum.

Low-debris, efficient laser-produced plasma extreme ultraviolet source by use of a regenerative liquid microjet target containing tin dioxide (SnO2) nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higashiguchi, Takeshi; Dojyo, Naoto; Hamada, Masaya; Sasaki, Wataru; Kubodera, Shoichi

2006-05-01

We demonstrated a low-debris, efficient laser-produced plasma extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source by use of a regenerative liquid microjet target containing tin-dioxide (SnO2) nanoparticles. By using a low SnO2 concentration (6%) solution and dual laser pulses for the plasma control, we observed the EUV conversion efficiency of 1.2% with undetectable debris.

Gold nanoparticle-polymer nanocomposites synthesized by room temperature atmospheric pressure plasma and their potential for fuel cell electrocatalytic application

PubMed Central

Zhang, Ri-Chao; Sun, Dan; Zhang, Ruirui; Lin, Wen-Feng; Macias-Montero, Manuel; Patel, Jenish; Askari, Sadegh; McDonald, Calum; Mariotti, Davide; Maguire, Paul

2017-01-01

Conductive polymers have been increasingly used as fuel cell catalyst support due to their electrical conductivity, large surface areas and stability. The incorporation of metal nanoparticles into a polymer matrix can effectively increase the specific surface area of these materials and hence improve the catalytic efficiency. In this work, a nanoparticle loaded conductive polymer nanocomposite was obtained by a one-step synthesis approach based on room temperature direct current plasma-liquid interaction. Gold nanoparticles were directly synthesized from HAuCl4 precursor in poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS). The resulting AuNPs/PEDOT:PSS nanocomposites were subsequently characterized under a practical alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell operation condition for its potential application as an electrocatalyst. Results show that AuNPs sizes within the PEDOT:PSS matrix are dependent on the plasma treatment time and precursor concentration, which in turn affect the nanocomposites electrical conductivity and their catalytic performance. Under certain synthesis conditions, unique nanoscale AuNPs/PEDOT:PSS core-shell structures could also be produced, indicating the interaction at the AuNPs/polymer interface. The enhanced catalytic activity shown by AuNPs/PEDOT:PSS has been attributed to the effective electron transfer and reactive species diffusion through the porous polymer network, as well as the synergistic interfacial interaction at the metal/polymer and metal/metal interfaces. PMID:28436454

Gold nanoparticle-polymer nanocomposites synthesized by room temperature atmospheric pressure plasma and their potential for fuel cell electrocatalytic application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ri-Chao; Sun, Dan; Zhang, Ruirui; Lin, Wen-Feng; Macias-Montero, Manuel; Patel, Jenish; Askari, Sadegh; McDonald, Calum; Mariotti, Davide; Maguire, Paul

2017-04-01

Conductive polymers have been increasingly used as fuel cell catalyst support due to their electrical conductivity, large surface areas and stability. The incorporation of metal nanoparticles into a polymer matrix can effectively increase the specific surface area of these materials and hence improve the catalytic efficiency. In this work, a nanoparticle loaded conductive polymer nanocomposite was obtained by a one-step synthesis approach based on room temperature direct current plasma-liquid interaction. Gold nanoparticles were directly synthesized from HAuCl4 precursor in poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS). The resulting AuNPs/PEDOT:PSS nanocomposites were subsequently characterized under a practical alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell operation condition for its potential application as an electrocatalyst. Results show that AuNPs sizes within the PEDOT:PSS matrix are dependent on the plasma treatment time and precursor concentration, which in turn affect the nanocomposites electrical conductivity and their catalytic performance. Under certain synthesis conditions, unique nanoscale AuNPs/PEDOT:PSS core-shell structures could also be produced, indicating the interaction at the AuNPs/polymer interface. The enhanced catalytic activity shown by AuNPs/PEDOT:PSS has been attributed to the effective electron transfer and reactive species diffusion through the porous polymer network, as well as the synergistic interfacial interaction at the metal/polymer and metal/metal interfaces.

Metal/Carbon Hybrid Nanostructures Produced from Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition over Nafion-Supported Electrochemically Deposited Cobalt Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Achour, Amine; Saeed, Khalid; Djouadi, Mohamed Abdou

2018-01-01

In this work, we report development of hybrid nanostructures of metal nanoparticles (NP) and carbon nanostructures with strong potential for catalysis, sensing, and energy applications. First, the etched silicon wafer substrates were passivated for subsequent electrochemical (EC) processing through grafting of nitro phenyl groups using para-nitrobenzene diazonium (PNBT). The X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS) and atomic force microscope (AFM) studies confirmed presence of few layers. Cobalt-based nanoparticles were produced over dip or spin coated Nafion films under different EC reduction conditions, namely CoSO4 salt concentration (0.1 M, 1 mM), reduction time (5, 20 s), and indirect or direct EC reduction route. Extensive AFM examination revealed NP formation with different attributes (size, distribution) depending on electrochemistry conditions. While relatively large NP with >100 nm size and bimodal distribution were obtained after 20 s EC reduction in H3BO3 following Co2+ ion uptake, ultrafine NP (<10 nm) could be produced from EC reduction in CoSO4 and H3BO3 mixed solution with some tendency to form oxides. Different carbon nanostructures including few-walled or multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNT) and carbon nanosheets were grown in a C2H2/NH3 plasma using the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique. The devised processing routes enable size controlled synthesis of cobalt nanoparticles and metal/carbon hybrid nanostructures with unique microstructural features. PMID:29702583

Monitoring Nanoparticle Synthesis in a Carbon Arc Discharge Environment, In Situ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitrani, James

This work presents experimental and theoretical studies of gas-phase synthesis of fullerenes and carbon nanoparticles in the presence of an atmospheric-pressure, arc discharge plasma. Carbon arc discharges have been used for synthesizing carbon nanotubes for over 25 years, and have the potential for economically synthesizing industrial-scale quantities of fullerenes. However, the efficiency and selectivity of fullerene synthesis with carbon arc discharges are quite low. Optimizing carbon arc discharges for fullerene synthesis requires a thorough understanding of the dynamics behind gas-phase nanoparticle synthesis in the presence of an arc discharge plasma. We built a carbon arc discharge setup to study nanoparticle and fullerene synthesis. The laser-induced incandescence (LII) diagnostic was applied for monitoring nanoparticle synthesis, in situ. The LII diagnostic had previously been applied as a combustion diagnostic for in situ measurements of concentrations and sizes of soot particles in flame environments. Prior to the present study, it had never been applied for studying fullerenes, nor had it been applied to study nanoparticles in the presence of an atmospheric-pressure plasma. Therefore, experiments were designed that allowed for the calibration of the LII diagnostic with research-grade, arc-synthesized soot particles and carbon nanotubes. Additionally, the theory and models underpinning the LII diagnostic were adapted to include the presence of an atmospheric-pressure, arc-discharge plasma. Results presented in this work confirm the ability of the LII diagnostic to measure sizes of arc-synthesized nanoparticles in situ, and show the spatial location of high densities of arc-synthesized nanoparticles with respect to the arc discharge plasma. Determining the spatial location of nanoparticle synthesis and growth is crucial for understanding the background conditions (e.g. background gas temperature, electron densities ...) in which nanoparticles nucleate and

Conclusive evidence of abrupt coagulation inside the void during cyclic nanoparticle formation in reactive plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wetering, F. M. J. H. van de; Nijdam, S.; Beckers, J.

2016-07-25

In this letter, we present scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results that confirm in a direct way our earlier explanation of an abrupt coagulation event as the cause for the void hiccup. In a recent paper, we reported on the fast and interrupted expansion of voids in a reactive dusty argon–acetylene plasma. The voids appeared one after the other, each showing a peculiar, though reproducible, behavior of successive periods of fast expansion, abrupt contraction, and continued expansion. The abrupt contraction was termed “hiccup” and was related to collective coagulation of a new generation of nanoparticles growing in the void using relativelymore » indirect methods: electron density measurements and optical emission spectroscopy. In this letter, we present conclusive evidence using SEM of particles collected at different moments in time spanning several growth cycles, which enables us to follow the nanoparticle formation process in great detail.« less

Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction - Concept, Pathophysiology, Diagnosis and Challenges for Treatment.

PubMed

Miljkovik, Lidija Veterovska; Spiroska, Vera

2015-09-15

Heart failure (HF) with preserved left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction (HFpEF) occurs in 40 to 60% of the patients with HF, with a prognosis which is similar to HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). HFpEF pathophysiology is different from that of HFrEF, and has been characterized with diastolic dysfunction. Diastolic dysfunction has been defined with elevated left ventricular stiffness, prolonged iso-volumetric LV relaxation, slow LV filing and elevated LV end-diastolic pressure. Arterial hypertension occurs in majority cases with HFpEF worldwide. Patients are mostly older and obese. Diabetes mellitus and atrial fibrillation appear proportionally in a high frequency of patients with HFpEF. The HFpEF diagnosis is based on existence of symptoms and signs of heart failure, normal or approximately normal ejection and diagnosing of LV diastolic dysfunction by means of heart catheterization or Doppler echocardiography and/or elevated concentration of plasma natriuretic peptide. The present recommendations for HFpEF treatment include blood pressure control, heart chamber frequency control when atrial fibrillation exists, in some situations even coronary revascularization and an attempt for sinus rhythm reestablishment. Up to now, it is considered that no medication or a group of medications improve the survival of HFpEF patients. Due to these causes and the bad prognosis of the disorder, rigorous control is recommended of the previously mentioned precipitating factors for this disorder. This paper presents a universal review of the most important parameters which determine this disorder.

MHD Simulations of Magnetospheric Accretion, Ejection and Plasma-field Interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romanova, M. M.; Lovelace, R. V. E.; Bachetti, M.; Blinova, A. A.; Koldoba, A. V.; Kurosawa, R.; Lii, P. S.; Ustyugova, G. V.

2014-01-01

We review recent axisymmetric and three-dimensional (3D) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) numerical simulations of magnetospheric accretion, plasma-field interaction and outflows from the disk-magnetosphere boundary.

Gold nano-particle formation from crystalline AuCN: Comparison of thermal, plasma- and ion-beam activated decomposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beck, Mihály T.; Bertóti, Imre; Mohai, Miklós; Németh, Péter; Jakab, Emma; Szabó, László; Szépvölgyi, János

2017-02-01

In this work, in addition to the conventional thermal process, two non-conventional ways, the plasma and ion beam activations are described for preparing gold nanoparticles from microcrystalline AuCN precursor. The phase formation at plasma and ion beam treatments was compared with that at thermal treatments and the products and transformations were characterized by thermogravimetry-mass-spectrometry (TG-MS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TG-MS measurements in Ar atmosphere revealed that AuCN decomposition starts at 400 °C and completes at ≈700 °C with evolution of gaseous (CN)2. XPS and TEM show that in heat treatment at 450 °C for 1 h in Ar, loss of nitrogen and carbon occurs and small, 5-30 nm gold particles forms. Heating at 450 °C for 10 h in sealed ampoule, much larger, 60-200 nm size and well faceted Au particles develop together with a fibrous (CN)n polymer phase, and the Au crystallites are covered by a 3-5 nm thick polymer shell. Low pressure Ar plasma treatment at 300 eV energy results in 4-20 nm size Au particles and removes most of the nitrogen and part of carbon. During Ar+ ion bombardment with 2500 eV energy, 5-30 nm size Au crystallites form already in 10 min, with preferential loss of nitrogen and with increased amount of carbon residue. The results suggest that plasma and ion beam activation, acting similarly to thermal treatment, may be used to prepare Au nanoparticles from AuCN on selected surface areas either by depositing AuCN precursors on selected regions or by focusing the applied ionized radiation. Thus they may offer alternative ways for preparing tailor-made catalysts, electronic devices and sensors for different applications.

Coronal mass ejections and coronal structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hildner, E.; Bassi, J.; Bougeret, J. L.; Duncan, R. A.; Gary, D. E.; Gergely, T. E.; Harrison, R. A.; Howard, R. A.; Illing, R. M. E.; Jackson, B. V.

1986-01-01

Research on coronal mass ejections (CMF) took a variety of forms, both observational and theoretical. On the observational side there were: case studies of individual events, in which it was attempted to provide the most complete descriptions possible, using correlative observations in diverse wavelengths; statistical studies of the properties CMEs and their associated activity; observations which may tell us about the initiation of mass ejections; interplanetary observations of associated shocks and energetic particles even observations of CMEs traversing interplanetary space; and the beautiful synoptic charts which show to what degree mass ejections affect the background corona and how rapidly (if at all) the corona recovers its pre-disturbance form. These efforts are described in capsule form with an emphasis on presenting pictures, graphs, and tables so that the reader can form a personal appreciation of the work and its results.

High-durability catalytic electrode composed of Pt nanoparticle-supported carbon nanowalls synthesized by radical-injection plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imai, Shun; Kondo, Hiroki; Cho, Hyungjun; Kano, Hiroyuki; Ishikawa, Kenji; Sekine, Makoto; Hiramatsu, Mineo; Ito, Masafumi; Hori, Masaru

2017-10-01

For polymer electrolyte fuel cell applications, carbon nanowalls (CNWs) were synthesized by radical-injection plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, and a high density of Pt nanoparticles (>1012 cm-2) was supported on the CNWs using a supercritical fluid deposition system. The high potential cycle tests were applied and the electrochemical surface area of the Pt nanoparticle-supported CNWs did not change significantly, even after 20 000 high potential cycles. According to transmission electron microscopy observations, the mean diameter of Pt changed slightly after the cycle tests, while the crystallinity of the CNWs evaluated using Raman spectroscopy showed almost no change.

Effect of surface properties of NiFe2O4 nanoparticles synthesized by dc thermal plasma route on antimicrobial activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhosale, S. V.; Ekambe, P. S.; Bhoraskar, S. V.; Mathe, V. L.

2018-05-01

The present work reports the role of surface properties of NiFe2O4 nanoparticles on the antimicrobial activity. The NiFe2O4 nanoparticles were synthesized by gas phase condensation and chemical co-precipitation route. These nanoparticles were extensively investigated using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electro-kinetic property measurements. The HRTEM was used to analyze surface morphology of nickel ferrite nanoparticles obtained by two different routes. Electro-kinetic properties of the nanoparticles under investigation were recorded, analyzed and correlated with the antimicrobial properties. It was observed that nickel ferrite nanoparticles synthesized by thermal plasma route (NFOTP) formed highly stable colloidal solution as compared to chemically synthesized (NFOCP), as the later tends to agglomerate due to low surface charge. The antimicrobial activity of NiFe2O4 nanoparticles were investigated on two Gram positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes, two Gram negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium and one fungal species Candida albicans. It was noted that the surface properties of NiFe2O4 particles have revealing effect on the antimicrobial activity. The NFOTP nanoparticles showed significant activity for gram negative E. coli bacteria however no activity was observed for other bacteria's and fungi under study. Moreover NFOCP particles did not show any significant activity for both bacteria's and fungi. Further, antimicrobial activity of nickel ferrite nanoparticles were studied even for different concentration to obtain the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC).

A high-throughput label-free nanoparticle analyser.

PubMed

Fraikin, Jean-Luc; Teesalu, Tambet; McKenney, Christopher M; Ruoslahti, Erkki; Cleland, Andrew N

2011-05-01

Synthetic nanoparticles and genetically modified viruses are used in a range of applications, but high-throughput analytical tools for the physical characterization of these objects are needed. Here we present a microfluidic analyser that detects individual nanoparticles and characterizes complex, unlabelled nanoparticle suspensions. We demonstrate the detection, concentration analysis and sizing of individual synthetic nanoparticles in a multicomponent mixture with sufficient throughput to analyse 500,000 particles per second. We also report the rapid size and titre analysis of unlabelled bacteriophage T7 in both salt solution and mouse blood plasma, using just ~1 × 10⁻⁶ l of analyte. Unexpectedly, in the native blood plasma we discover a large background of naturally occurring nanoparticles with a power-law size distribution. The high-throughput detection capability, scalable fabrication and simple electronics of this instrument make it well suited for diverse applications.

Vertebral fracture after aircraft ejection during Operation Desert Storm.

PubMed

Osborne, R G; Cook, A A

1997-04-01

During Operation Desert Storm, 21 United States and 2 Italian military personnel were held in Iraq as prisoners of war. Of these, 18 had ejected from fixed-wing, ejection seat-equipped, combat aircraft prior to their capture. Of the 18, 6 (33%) had sustained vertebral fractures; 4 of these were compression fractures. This fracture rate is comparable to that of previously studied groups. Fractures were noted to be at several different vertebral sites and after ejecting from a variety of aircraft. Apart from contusions and abrasions, vertebral fractures were the most common injuries discovered in this repatriated population. None of the vertebral fractures produced recognizable neurological disability. The development of vertebral fractures was neither associated with the use of any particular ejection system or aircraft nor did the development of vertebral fractures appear dependent on the age, height or length of service of the affected personnel. Ejected aircrew with low altitude mission profiles seemed more predisposed to vertebral fracture than those at high altitudes, but with a small sample population, this relationship was not statistically significant (p > 0.25). Reliable data were unavailable on aircrew positioning and preparation time for ejection.

Detection of HIV-1 p24 Gag in plasma by a nanoparticle-based bio-barcode-amplification method.

PubMed

Kim, Eun-Young; Stanton, Jennifer; Korber, Bette T M; Krebs, Kendall; Bogdan, Derek; Kunstman, Kevin; Wu, Samuel; Phair, John P; Mirkin, Chad A; Wolinsky, Steven M

2008-06-01

Detection of HIV-1 in patients is limited by the sensitivity and selectivity of available tests. The nanotechnology-based bio-barcode-amplification method offers an innovative approach to detect specific HIV-1 antigens from diverse HIV-1 subtypes. We evaluated the efficacy of this protein-detection method in detecting HIV-1 in men enrolled in the Chicago component of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS). The method relies on magnetic microparticles with antibodies that specifically bind the HIV-1 p24 Gag protein and nanoparticles that are encoded with DNA and antibodies that can sandwich the target protein captured by the microparticle-bound antibodies. The aggregate sandwich structures are magnetically separated from solution, and treated to remove the conjugated barcode DNA. The DNA barcodes (hundreds per target) were identified by a nanoparticle-based detection method that does not rely on PCR. Of 112 plasma samples from HIV-1-infected subjects, 111 were positive for HIV-1 p24 Gag protein (range: 0.11-71.5 ng/ml of plasma) by the bio-barcode-amplification method. HIV-1 p24 Gag protein was detected in only 23 out of 112 men by the conventional ELISA. A total of 34 uninfected subjects were negative by both tests. Thus, the specificity of the bio-barcode-amplification method was 100% and the sensitivity 99%. The bio-barcode-amplification method detected HIV-1 p24 Gag protein in plasma from all study subjects with less than 200 CD4(+) T cells/microl of plasma (100%) and 19 out of 20 (95%) HIV-1-infected men who had less than 50 copies/ml of plasma of HIV-1 RNA. In a separate group of 60 diverse international isolates, representative of clades A, B, C and D and circulating recombinant forms CRF01_AE and CRF02_AG, the bio-barcode-amplification method identified the presence of virus correctly. The bio-barcode-amplification method was superior to the conventional ELISA assay for the detection of HIV-1 p24 Gag protein in plasma with a breadth of coverage for diverse

Silver nanoparticles as a key feature of a plasma polymer composite layer in mitigation of charge injection into polyethylene under dc stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milliere, L.; Maskasheva, K.; Laurent, C.; Despax, B.; Boudou, L.; Teyssedre, G.

2016-01-01

The aim of this work is to limit charge injection from a semi-conducting electrode into low density polyethylene (LDPE) under dc field by tailoring the polymer surface using a silver nanoparticles-containing layer. The layer is composed of a plane of silver nanoparticles embedded in a semi-insulating organosilicon matrix deposited on the polyethylene surface by a plasma process. Size, density and surface coverage of the nanoparticles are controlled through the plasma process. Space charge distribution in 300 μm thick LDPE samples is measured by the pulsed-electroacoustic technique following a short term (step-wise voltage increase up to 50 kV mm-1, 20 min in duration each, followed by a polarity inversion) and a longer term (up to 12 h under 40 kV mm-1) protocols for voltage application. A comparative study of space charge distribution between a reference polyethylene sample and the tailored samples is presented. It is shown that the barrier effect depends on the size distribution and the surface area covered by the nanoparticles: 15 nm (average size) silver nanoparticles with a high surface density but still not percolating form an efficient barrier layer that suppress charge injection. It is worthy to note that charge injection is detected for samples tailored with (i) percolating nanoparticles embedded in organosilicon layer; (ii) with organosilicon layer only, without nanoparticles and (iii) with smaller size silver particles (<10 nm) embedded in organosilicon layer. The amount of injected charges in the tailored samples increases gradually in the samples ranking given above. The mechanism of charge injection mitigation is discussed on the basis of complementary experiments carried out on the nanocomposite layer such as surface potential measurements. The ability of silver clusters to stabilize electrical charges close to the electrode thereby counterbalancing the applied field appears to be a key factor in explaining the charge injection

DNA packaging and ejection forces in bacteriophage

PubMed Central

Kindt, James; Tzlil, Shelly; Ben-Shaul, Avinoam; Gelbart, William M.

2001-01-01

We calculate the forces required to package (or, equivalently, acting to eject) DNA into (from) a bacteriophage capsid, as a function of the loaded (ejected) length, under conditions for which the DNA is either self-repelling or self-attracting. Through computer simulation and analytical theory, we find the loading force to increase more than 10-fold (to tens of piconewtons) during the final third of the loading process; correspondingly, the internal pressure drops 10-fold to a few atmospheres (matching the osmotic pressure in the cell) upon ejection of just a small fraction of the phage genome. We also determine an evolution of the arrangement of packaged DNA from toroidal to spool-like structures. PMID:11707588

Flowing Magnetized Plasma experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhehui; Si, Jiahe

2006-10-01

Results from the Flowing Magnetized Plasma experiment at Los Alamos are summarized. Plasmas are produced using a modified coaxial plasma gun with a center electrode extending into a cylindrical vacuum tank with 0.75 m in radius and 4.5 m long. The basic diagnostics are Bdot probes for edge and internal magnetic field, Mach probes and Doppler spectroscopy for plasma flow in the axial and azimuthal directions, and Langmuir probes for plasma floating potential, electron density and temperature. We have found two different plasma flow patterns associated with distinct IV characteristics of the coaxial plasma gun, indicating axial flow is strongly correlated with the plasma ejection from the plasma gun. Global electromagnetic oscillations at frequencies below ion cyclotron frequency are observed, indicating that familiar waves at these frequencies, e.g. Alfven wave or drift wave, are strongly modified by the finite plasma beta. We eliminate the possibility of ion sound waves since the ion and electron temperatures are comparable, and therefore, ion sound waves are strongly Landau damped.

Functionalization of gold nanoparticles as antidiabetic nanomaterial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venkatachalam, M.; Govindaraju, K.; Mohamed Sadiq, A.; Tamilselvan, S.; Ganesh Kumar, V.; Singaravelu, G.

2013-12-01

In the present investigation, functionalization of gold nanoparticles synthesized using propanoic acid 2-(3-acetoxy-4,4,14-trimethylandrost-8-en-17-yl) (PAT) an active biocomponent isolated from Cassia auriculata is studied in detail. On reaction of PAT with aqueous HAuCl4, rapid formation of stable gold nanoparticles was achieved. Formation of gold nanoparticles was confirmed by UV-vis spectroscopy, XRD, GC-MS, FTIR, TEM and SEM with EDAX. Gold nanoparticles mostly were monodisperse, spherical in shape and ranged in size 12-41 nm. Gold nanoparticles synthesised using PAT was administered to alloxan (150 mg/kg body weight) induced diabetic male albino rats at different doses (0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0 mg/kg body weight) for 28 days. Plasma glucose level, cholesterol and triglyceride were significantly (p < 0.001) reduced in experimental animals treated with gold nanoparticles at dosage of 0.5 mg/kg body weight and plasma insulin increased significantly. The newly genre green gold nanoparticles exhibit remarkable protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitory activity.

Influence of external magnetic field on laser-induced gold nanoparticles fragmentation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Serkov, A. A.; The Federal State Educational Institution of Higher Professional Education, “Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology; Rakov, I. I.

Laser-assisted fragmentation is an efficient method of the nanoparticles size and morphology control. However, its exact mechanisms are still under consideration. One of the remaining problems is the plasma formation, inevitably occurring upon the high intensity laser irradiation. In this Letter, the role of the laser-induced plasma is studied via introduction of high-intensity external magnetic field (up to 7.5 T). Its presence is found to cause the plasma emission to start earlier regarding to a laser pulse, also increasing the plume luminosity. Under these conditions, the acceleration of nanoparticles fragmentation down to a few nanometers is observed. Laser-induced plasma interaction withmore » magnetic field and consequent energy transfer from plasma to nanoparticles are discussed.« less

Quasi-steady carbon plasma source for neutral beam injector

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Koguchi, H., E-mail: h-koguchi@aist.go.jp; Sakakita, H.; Kiyama, S.

2014-02-15

Carbon plasma is successfully sustained during 1000 s without any carrier gas in the bucket type ionization chamber with cusp magnetic field. Every several seconds, seed plasmas having ∼3 ms duration time are injected into the ionization chamber by a shunting arch plasma gun. The weakly ionized carbon plasma ejected from the shunting arch is also ionized by 2.45 GHz microwave at the electron cyclotron resonance surface and the plasma can be sustained even in the interval of gun discharges. Control of the gun discharge interval allows to keep high pressure and to sustain the plasma for long duration.

Quasi-steady carbon plasma source for neutral beam injector.

PubMed

Koguchi, H; Sakakita, H; Kiyama, S; Shimada, T; Sato, Y; Hirano, Y

2014-02-01

Carbon plasma is successfully sustained during 1000 s without any carrier gas in the bucket type ionization chamber with cusp magnetic field. Every several seconds, seed plasmas having ∼3 ms duration time are injected into the ionization chamber by a shunting arch plasma gun. The weakly ionized carbon plasma ejected from the shunting arch is also ionized by 2.45 GHz microwave at the electron cyclotron resonance surface and the plasma can be sustained even in the interval of gun discharges. Control of the gun discharge interval allows to keep high pressure and to sustain the plasma for long duration.

Antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles encapsulated in poly-N-isopropylacrylamide-based polymeric nanoparticles.

PubMed

Qasim, Muhammad; Udomluck, Nopphadol; Chang, Jihyun; Park, Hansoo; Kim, Kyobum

2018-01-01

In this study, we analyzed the antimicrobial activities of poly- N -isopropylacrylamide (pNIPAM)-based polymeric nanoparticles encapsulating silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Three sizes of AgNP-encapsulating pNIPAM- and pNIPAM-NH 2 -based polymeric nanoparticles were fabricated. Highly stable and uniformly distributed AgNPs were encapsulated within polymeric nanoparticles via in situ reduction of AgNO 3 using NaBH 4 as the reducing agent. The formation and distribution of AgNPs was confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, respectively. Both polymeric nanoparticles showed significant bacteriostatic activities against Gram-negative ( Escherichia coli ) and Gram-positive ( Staphylococcus aureus ) bacteria depending on the nanoparticle size and amount of AgNO 3 used during fabrication.

Antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles encapsulated in poly-N-isopropylacrylamide-based polymeric nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Qasim, Muhammad; Udomluck, Nopphadol; Chang, Jihyun; Park, Hansoo; Kim, Kyobum

2018-01-01

In this study, we analyzed the antimicrobial activities of poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (pNIPAM)-based polymeric nanoparticles encapsulating silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Three sizes of AgNP-encapsulating pNIPAM- and pNIPAM-NH2-based polymeric nanoparticles were fabricated. Highly stable and uniformly distributed AgNPs were encapsulated within polymeric nanoparticles via in situ reduction of AgNO3 using NaBH4 as the reducing agent. The formation and distribution of AgNPs was confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, respectively. Both polymeric nanoparticles showed significant bacteriostatic activities against Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria depending on the nanoparticle size and amount of AgNO3 used during fabrication. PMID:29379284

VLA Measurements of Faraday Rotation through Coronal Mass Ejections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kooi, Jason E.; Fischer, Patrick D.; Buffo, Jacob J.; Spangler, Steven R.

2017-04-01

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are large-scale eruptions of plasma from the Sun, which play an important role in space weather. Faraday rotation is the rotation of the plane of polarization that results when a linearly polarized signal passes through a magnetized plasma such as a CME. Faraday rotation is proportional to the path integral through the plasma of the electron density and the line-of-sight component of the magnetic field. Faraday-rotation observations of a source near the Sun can provide information on the plasma structure of a CME shortly after launch. We report on simultaneous white-light and radio observations made of three CMEs in August 2012. We made sensitive Very Large Array (VLA) full-polarization observations using 1 - 2 GHz frequencies of a constellation of radio sources through the solar corona at heliocentric distances that ranged from 6 - 15 R_{⊙}. Two sources (0842+1835 and 0900+1832) were occulted by a single CME, and one source (0843+1547) was occulted by two CMEs. In addition to our radioastronomical observations, which represent one of the first active hunts for CME Faraday rotation since Bird et al. ( Solar Phys., 98, 341, 1985) and the first active hunt using the VLA, we obtained white-light coronagraph images from the Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO) C3 instrument to determine the Thomson-scattering brightness [BT], providing a means to independently estimate the plasma density and determine its contribution to the observed Faraday rotation. A constant-density force-free flux rope embedded in the background corona was used to model the effects of the CMEs on BT and Faraday rotation. The plasma densities (6 - 22×103 cm^{-3}) and axial magnetic-field strengths (2 - 12 mG) inferred from our models are consistent with the modeling work of Liu et al. ( Astrophys. J., 665, 1439, 2007) and Jensen and Russell ( Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L02103, 2008), as well as previous CME Faraday-rotation observations by Bird et al

Departure from corotation of the Io plasma torus - Local plasma production

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pontius, D. H., Jr.; Hill, T. W.

1982-01-01

The departure of the Jovian magnetosphere from rigid corotation is adequately explained by outward plasma transport at distances where L is greater than approximately 10. The departure of 5% observed in the Io plasma torus, however, is too large to be accounted for simply by plasma transport. Local plasma production is proposed as the main factor determining the corotation lag in the torus. The outward pick-up current provided by ionization of neutral atoms is calculated and related to the current produced in the ionosphere by the corotation lag. This leads to an expression giving the corotation lag of the torus as a function of radial distance. Charge transfer is found to be an important process, allowing the majority of the torus mass to be ejected from the magnetosphere in a neutral state. Thus, the mass loading rate is found to be several times that inferred from examination of the corotation lag associated with outward plasma transport.

Factors Associated with Delayed Ejection in Mishaps Between 1993 and 2013.

PubMed

Miles, John E

2015-09-01

The purpose of this investigation was to identify factors associated with Air Force aviators delaying ejection during in-flight emergencies. The investigator reviewed all reports within the Air Force Safety Automated System describing mishaps that resulted in the destruction of Air Force ejection-seat equipped aircraft between 1993 and 2013. Crewmembers were classified as either timely or delayed ejectors based on altitude at onset of emergency, altitude at ejection, and a determination regarding whether or not the aircraft was controlled during the mishap sequence. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were used to explore the association between delayed ejection and multiple potential risk factors. In total, 366 crewmembers were involved in in-flight emergencies in ejection-seat-equipped aircraft that resulted in the loss of the aircraft; 201 (54.9%) of these crewmembers delayed ejection until their aircraft had descended below recommended minimum ejection altitudes. Multivariate analysis indicated that independent risk factors for delayed ejection included increased crewmember flight hours and a mechanical or human-factors related cause of the emergency versus bird strike or midair collision. This investigation provided quantitative assessments of factors associated with aviators delaying ejection during in-flight emergencies. Increased odds of delay among crewmembers with greater than 1500 total flight hours suggests that complacency and overconfidence may adversely influence the ejection decision to at least as great a degree as inexperience. Increased odds of delay during mechanical and human factors mishaps confirms previously reported hypotheses and reaffirms the importance of targeting these areas to reduce aviator injuries and fatalities.

Effect of coolant flow ejection on aerodynamic performance of low-aspect-ratio vanes. 1: Performance with coolant ejection holes plugged

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haas, J. E.; Kofskey, M. G.

1976-01-01

The aerodynamic performance of a low aspect ratio turbine vane designed with coolant flow ejection holes on the vane surfaces was experimentally determined in a full-annular cascade with the coolant ejection holes plugged. The purpose was to establish a baseline for comparison with tests where flow is ejected from the vane surfaces. The vanes were tested over a mean-section ideal critical velocity ratio range of 0.64 to 0.98. This ideal critical velocity ratio corresponds to the vane inlet total to vane aftermixed static pressure ratio at the mean section. The variations in vane efficiency and aftermixed flow conditions with circumferential and radial position were obtained.

The on-bead digestion of protein corona on nanoparticles by trypsin immobilized on the magnetic nanoparticle.

PubMed

Hu, Zhengyan; Zhao, Liang; Zhang, Hongyan; Zhang, Yi; Wu, Ren'an; Zou, Hanfa

2014-03-21

Proteins interacting with nanoparticles would form the protein coronas on the surface of nanoparticles in biological systems, which would critically impact the biological identities of nanoparticles and/or result in the physiological and pathological consequences. The enzymatic digestion of protein corona was the primary step to achieve the identification of protein components of the protein corona for the bottom-up proteomic approaches. In this study, the investigation on the tryptic digestion of protein corona by the immobilized trypsin on a magnetic nanoparticle was carried out for the first time. As a comparison with the usual overnight long-time digestion and the severe self-digestion of free trypsin, the on-bead digestion of protein corona by the immobilized trypsin could be accomplished within 1h, along with the significantly reduced self-digestion of trypsin and the improved reproducibility on the identification of proteins by the mass spectrometry-based proteomic approach. It showed that the number of identified bovine serum (BS) proteins on the commercial Fe3O4 nanoparticles was increased by 13% for the immobilized trypsin with 1h digestion as compared to that of using free trypsin with even overnight digestion. In addition, the on-bead digestion of using the immobilized trypsin was further applied on the identification of human plasma protein corona on the commercial Fe3O4 nanoparticles, which leads the efficient digestion of the human plasma proteins and the identification of 149 human plasma proteins corresponding to putative critical pathways and biological processes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Do centrioles generate a polar ejection force?

PubMed

Wells, Jonathan

2005-01-01

A microtubule-dependent polar ejection force that pushes chromosomes away from spindle poles during prometaphase is observed in animal cells but not in the cells of higher plants. Elongating microtubules and kinesin-like motor molecules have been proposed as possible causes, but neither accounts for all the data. In the hypothesis proposed here a polar ejection force is generated by centrioles, which are found in animals but not in higher plants. Centrioles consist of nine microtubule triplets arranged like the blades of a tiny turbine. Instead of viewing centrioles through the spectacles of molecular reductionism and neo-Darwinism, this hypothesis assumes that they are holistically designed to be turbines. Orthogonally oriented centriolar turbines could generate oscillations in spindle microtubules that resemble the motion produced by a laboratory vortexer. The result would be a microtubule-mediated ejection force tending to move chromosomes away from the spindle axis and the poles. A rise in intracellular calcium at the onset of anaphase could regulate the polar ejection force by shutting down the centriolar turbines, but defective regulation could result in an excessive force that contributes to the chromosomal instability characteristic of most cancer cells.

Liquid Plasma Synthesis of Carbon Coated Iron Oxide Particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uygun, Aysegul; Hershkowitz, Noah; Eren, Esin; Uygun, Emre; Celik Cogal, Gamze; Yurdabak Karaca, Gozde; Manolache, Sorin; Sundaram, Gunasekaran; Sadak, Omer; Oksuz, Lutfi

2017-10-01

Recently, magnetic metal or metal oxide nanoparticles encapsulated in carbon are important in biomedical applications. The relevant reason to study toxicity of the magnetic nanoparticles coated by carbon is that they have great potential to contribute to cancer treatment. In this work, the synthesis of iron oxide nano-particles coated by graphitic carbon shells using pulsed plasma in liquid method. Short duration of RF plasma discharge, low electrical energy and fast quenching of the surrounding media can let to synthesize various kinds of pure nanoparticles. Corresponding author: ayseguluygun@sdu.edu.tr, lutfioksuz@sdu.edu.tr.

Atmospheric pressure plasma deposition of antimicrobial coatings on non-woven textiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikiforov, Anton Yu.; Deng, Xiaolong; Onyshchenko, Iuliia; Vujosevic, Danijela; Vuksanovic, Vineta; Cvelbar, Uros; De Geyter, Nathalie; Morent, Rino; Leys, Christophe

2016-08-01

A simple method for preparation of nanoparticle incorporated non-woven fabric with high antibacterial efficiency has been proposed based on atmospheric pressure plasma process. In this work direct current plasma jet stabilized by fast nitrogen flow was used as a plasma deposition source. Three different types of the nanoparticles (silver, copper and zinc oxide nanoparticles) were employed as antimicrobial agents. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements have shown a positive chemical shift observed for Ag 3d 5/2 (at 368.1 eV) suggests that silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are partly oxidized during the deposition. The surface chemistry and the antibacterial activity of the samples against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were investigated and analyzed. It is shown that the samples loaded with nanoparticles of Ag and Cu and having the barrier layer of 10 nm characterized by almost 97% of bacterial reduction whereas the samples with ZnO nanoparticles provide 86% reduction of Staphylococcus aureus. Contribution to the topical issue "6th Central European Symposium on Plasma Chemistry (CESPC-6)", edited by Nicolas Gherardi, Ester Marotta and Cristina Paradisi

Rate of change of left ventricular ejection fraction during exercise is superior to the peak ejection fraction for predicting functionally significant coronary artery disease.

PubMed Central

Sridhara, B S; Bhattacharya, S; Liu, X J; Broadhurst, P; Lahiri, A

1993-01-01

OBJECTIVE--To detect and characterise rapid temporal changes in the left ventricular response to exercise in patients with ischaemic heart disease and to relate these changes to the functional severity of coronary artery disease. BACKGROUND--The gamma camera does not allow the detection of rapid changes in cardiac function during exercise radionuclide ventriculography, the monitoring of which may improve the assessment of patients with ischaemic heart disease. METHODS--A miniature nuclear probe (Cardioscint) was used to monitor continuously left ventricular function during exercise in 31 patients who had coronary angiography for suspected coronary artery disease. A coronary angiographic jeopardy score was calculated for each patient. RESULTS--The coronary jeopardy score ranged from 0 to 12 (median 4). Ejection fraction fell significantly during exercise from 46% to 34%. Patients were divided into two groups based on the response of their ejection fraction to exercise. In 14 patients (group I), the peak change in ejection fraction coincided with the end of exercise, whereas in the other 17 patients (group II) the peak change in ejection fraction occurred before the end of exercise, resulting in a brief plateau. The peak change in ejection fraction and the time to its occurrence were independent predictors of coronary jeopardy (r = -0.59, p < 0.001 for peak change and r = -0.69, p < 0.001 for time to that change). The rate of change in ejection fraction was the strongest predictor of coronary jeopardy (r = -0.81, p < 0.001). In group I the peak change in ejection fraction was a poor predictor severity of coronary disease (r = -0.28, NS), whereas the time to peak and the rate of change in ejection fraction were good predictors (r = -0.65 and r = -0.73, p < 0.01). In group II the peak, the time to the peak, and the rate of change in ejection fraction were good predictors of coronary jeopardy (r = -0.75, r = -0.61, and r = -0.83, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION--The rate of

A New Variety of CMEs: Streamer Puffs from Compact Ejective Flares

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sterling, Alphonse C.; Bemporad, A.; Moore, R. L.; Poletto, G.

2005-01-01

We present SOHO EIT, UVCS and LASCO observations of recurrent (6 --- 8 events per day) narrow (angular widths of about 3 --- 10 degrees) Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) which occurred over 2002 November 26--29. The active region where the ejections originate is near the base of a coronal streamer that appears to be unperturbed by the events and keeps stable in time; hence we interpret the observed events as a new class of recursive narrow CMEs that we call "streamer puffs." EIT 304 angstrom (He II) images indicate that the puffs result from compact ejective flares embedded in the streamer, with the ejections from the flares having velocities 100 --- 200 kilometers per second. Most ejections are closely correlated with coronal "jets" seen at 1.7 solar radii in the UVCS data, and a subset of these ejections and jets correspond to streamer puffs observed in LASCO coronagraph images. There are, however, more compact flares and jets than streamer puffs during the observation period, indicating that only a subset of the flare-associated ejections are energetic enough to escape into the heliosphere.

Monitoring nanoparticle synthesis in a carbon arc discharge environment, in situ

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mitrani, James

This work presents experimental and theoretical studies of gas-phase synthesis of fullerenes and carbon nanoparticles in the presence of an atmospheric-pressure, arc discharge plasma. Carbon arc discharges have been used for synthesizing carbon nanotubes for over 25 years, and have the potential for economically synthesizing industrial-scale quantities of fullerenes. However, the efficiency and selectivity of fullerene synthesis with carbon arc discharges are quite low. Optimizing carbon arc discharges for fullerene synthesis requires a thorough understanding of the dynamics behind gas-phase nanoparticle synthesis in the presence of an arc discharge plasma. We built a carbon arc discharge setup to study nanoparticlemore » and fullerene synthesis. The laser-induced incandescence (LII) diagnostic was applied for monitoring nanoparticle synthesis, in situ. The LII diagnostic had previously been applied as a combustion diagnostic for in situ measurements of concentrations and sizes of soot particles in flame environments. Prior to the present study, it had never been applied for studying fullerenes, nor had it been applied to study nanoparticles in the presence of an atmospheric-pressure plasma. Therefore, experiments were designed that allowed for the calibration of the LII diagnostic with research-grade, arc-synthesized soot particles and carbon nanotubes. Additionally, the theory and models underpinning the LII diagnostic were adapted to include the presence of an atmospheric-pressure, arc-discharge plasma. Results presented in this work confirm the ability of the LII diagnostic to measure sizes of arc-synthesized nanoparticles in situ, and show the spatial location of high densities of arc-synthesized nanoparticles with respect to the arc discharge plasma. Determining the spatial location of nanoparticle synthesis and growth is crucial for understanding the background conditions (e.g. background gas temperature, electron densities ...) in which nanoparticles

A simultaneous spin/eject mechanism for aerospace payloads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palmer, G. D.; Banks, T. N.

1976-01-01

A simultaneous spin/eject mechanism was developed for aerospace applications requiring a compact, passive device which would accommodate payload support and controlled-release functions, and which would provide a highly accurate spin-ejection motion to the payload. The mechanism satisfied the requirements and is adaptable to other deployment applications.

Comparison of the docetaxel concentration in human plasma measured with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and a nanoparticle immunoassay and clinical applications of that assay.

PubMed

Geng, Chunmei; Li, Pingli; Chen, Xuwang; Yuan, Guiyan; Guo, Nan; Liu, Huanjun; Zhang, Rui; Guo, Ruichen

2017-05-23

To determine the feasibility of using a nanoparticle immunoassay for clinical therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of docetaxel concentrations, a sensitive and simple method of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was established to measure the docetaxel concentration in human plasma and the results of LC-MS/MS and the immunoassay were compared. Docetaxel and paclitaxel (the internal standard, or IS) in human plasma were extracted through protein precipitation, separated on a Diamonsil C18 column (150 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm), ionized with positive ions, and detected with LC-MS/MS in multi-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. Plasma samples from 248 cancer patients were assayed with LC-MS/MS and a nanoparticle immunoassay. Data from the samples were analyzed with the statistical software SPSS and the software MedCalc. Results indicated that the calibration curve of the validated method of LC-MS/MS was linear over the range of 10-2,000 ng/mL, with an lowest limit of quantitation (LLOQ) of 10 ng/mL, and the intra- and inter- day precision and accuracy were both < ± 15%. Comparison of the two methods indicated that results of the LC-MS/MS were closely related to those of the nanoparticle immunoassay, with a correlation coefficient (R) of 0.965 and acceptable 95% confidence intervals (CI) of ‒ 231.7-331.1 ng/mL. Overall, the established method of LC-MC/MS and the nanoparticle immunoassay were both suitable for measurement of the docetaxel concentration in human plasma, and the immunoassay was far more cost-effective and better at clinical TDM of docetaxel in clinical practice.

Synthesis of Pt nanoparticles as catalysts of oxygen reduction with microbubble-assisted low-voltage and low-frequency solution plasma processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horiguchi, Genki; Chikaoka, Yu; Shiroishi, Hidenobu; Kosaka, Shinpei; Saito, Morihiro; Kameta, Naohiro; Matsuda, Naoki

2018-04-01

In the preparation of metallic nanoparticles by conventional solution plasma (SP) techniques, unstable plasma emission becomes an issue when the voltage and frequency of the waves applied between two electrodes placed in solution are lowered to avoid the boiling of the solution. In this study, we confirm that, in the presence of microbubbles, plasma is generated stably at low voltage (440 V) and low frequency (50-100 Hz) and small-size (≤10 nm) Pt nanoparticles (PtNPs) are synthesized in succession using a flow cell. The smallest PtNPs, ∼3.3 nm in diameter, are obtained using half-wave rectification, a tungsten wire anode, and a platinum wire cathode. The PtNPs are characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and thermogravimeter-differential thermal analysis. The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is investigated in 0.1 M HClO4 solution on carbon-supported PtNPs using a rotating ring-disk electrode. The catalytic activities per initial electrochemical active surface area of the carbon-supported PtNPs synthesized employing the low-voltage, low-frequency (LVLF)-SP technique is higher than that of the commercially available 20 wt% Pt on Vulcan XC-72R. These results indicate that the LVLF-SP technique is a promising approach to producing carbon-supported PtNPs that catalyze ORR with low energy consumption.

Laser-plasma mirrors: from electron acceleration to harmonics generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thévenet, Maxence; Bocoum, Maïmouna; Faure, Jérôme; Leblanc, Adrien; Vincenti, Henri; Quéré, Fabien

2016-10-01

Accelerating electrons in the > 10 TV/m fields inside an ultrashort ultraintense laser pulse has been a long-standing goal in experimental physics, motivated by promising theoretical predictions. The biggest hurdle was to have electrons injected in the center of the laser pulse. Recent experimental and numerical results showed that this problem could be solved using a plasma mirror, i.e. an overdense plasma with a sharp (ejection process was identified as a push-pull mechanism occuring at each laser period, resulting in a train of attosecond electron bunches injected in the reflected field. We present a study and a model of this process, and show the gradient characteristic length is the crucial parameter for this phenomenon. Finally, the electron ejection process was put into perspective with respect to the high harmonic generation mechanisms on plasma mirrors, giving new insights into the motion of the plasma mirror surface. funded by the European Research Council, Contract No. 306708, ERC Starting Grant FEMTOELEC.

Ag + reduction and silver nanoparticle synthesis at the plasma–liquid interface by an RF driven atmospheric pressure plasma jet: Mechanisms and the effect of surfactant

DOE PAGES

Kondeti, V. S. Santosh K.; Gangal, Urvashi; Yatom, Shurik; ...

2017-07-21

Here, the involvement of plasma produced species in the reduction of silver ions at the plasma–liquid interface is investigated using a well-characterized radio-frequency driven atmospheric pressure plasma jet. The absolute gas phase H density was measured using two photon absorption laser induced fluorescence in the free jet. Broadband absorption and transmission electron microscopy were used to study the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). It is shown that fructose, an often used surfactant/stabilizer for AgNP synthesis, also acts as a reducing agent after plasma exposure. Nonetheless, surfactant free AgNP synthesis is observed. Several experimental findings indicate that H plays an importantmore » role in the reduction of silver ions for the plasma conditions in this study. Vacuum ultraviolet photons generated by the plasma are able to reduce silver ions in the presence of fructose. Adding H2 to the argon feed gas leads to the production of a large amount of AgNPs having a particle size distribution with a maximum at a diameter of 2–3 nm, which is not observed for argon plasmas. This finding is consistent with a smaller concentration of reducing species at the plasma–liquid interface for Ar with the H2 admixture plasma. The smaller flux of reactive species to the liquid is in this case due to a less strong interaction of the plasma with the liquid. The formation of the nanoparticles was observed even at a distance of 6–7 mm below the tip of the plasma plume, conditions not favoring the injection of electrons.« less

Ag + reduction and silver nanoparticle synthesis at the plasma–liquid interface by an RF driven atmospheric pressure plasma jet: Mechanisms and the effect of surfactant

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kondeti, V. S. Santosh K.; Gangal, Urvashi; Yatom, Shurik

Here, the involvement of plasma produced species in the reduction of silver ions at the plasma–liquid interface is investigated using a well-characterized radio-frequency driven atmospheric pressure plasma jet. The absolute gas phase H density was measured using two photon absorption laser induced fluorescence in the free jet. Broadband absorption and transmission electron microscopy were used to study the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). It is shown that fructose, an often used surfactant/stabilizer for AgNP synthesis, also acts as a reducing agent after plasma exposure. Nonetheless, surfactant free AgNP synthesis is observed. Several experimental findings indicate that H plays an importantmore » role in the reduction of silver ions for the plasma conditions in this study. Vacuum ultraviolet photons generated by the plasma are able to reduce silver ions in the presence of fructose. Adding H2 to the argon feed gas leads to the production of a large amount of AgNPs having a particle size distribution with a maximum at a diameter of 2–3 nm, which is not observed for argon plasmas. This finding is consistent with a smaller concentration of reducing species at the plasma–liquid interface for Ar with the H2 admixture plasma. The smaller flux of reactive species to the liquid is in this case due to a less strong interaction of the plasma with the liquid. The formation of the nanoparticles was observed even at a distance of 6–7 mm below the tip of the plasma plume, conditions not favoring the injection of electrons.« less

Analysis of Inorganic Nanoparticles by Single-particle Inductively Coupled Plasma Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry.

PubMed

Hendriks, Lyndsey; Gundlach-Graham, Alexander; Günther, Detlef

2018-04-25

Due to the rapid development of nanotechnologies, engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) and nanoparticles (ENPs) are becoming a part of everyday life: nanotechnologies are quickly migrating from laboratory benches to store shelves and industrial processes. As the use of ENPs continues to expand, their release into the environment is unavoidable; however, understanding the mechanisms and degree of ENP release is only possible through direct detection of these nanospecies in relevant matrices and at realistic concentrations. Key analytical requirements for quantitative detection of ENPs include high sensitivity to detect small particles at low total mass concentrations and the need to separate signals of ENPs from a background of dissolved elemental species and natural nanoparticles (NNPs). To this end, an emerging method called single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (sp-ICPMS) has demonstrated great potential for the characterization of inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) at environmentally relevant concentrations. Here, we comment on the capabilities of modern sp-ICPMS analysis with particular focus on the measurement possibilities offered by ICP-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ICP-TOFMS). ICP-TOFMS delivers complete elemental mass spectra for individual NPs, which allows for high-throughput, untargeted quantitative analysis of dispersed NPs in natural matrices. Moreover, the multi-element detection capabilities of ICP-TOFMS enable new NP-analysis strategies, including online calibration via microdroplets for accurate NP mass quantification and matrix compensation.

Interaction of plasmas with lithium and tungsten fusion plasma facing components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiflis, Peter Robert

One of the largest outstanding issues in magnetic confinement fusion is the interaction of the fusion plasma with the first wall of the device; an interaction which is strongest in the divertor region. Erosion, melting, sputtering, and deformation are all concerns which inform choices of divertor material. Of the many materials proposed for use in the divertor, only a few remain as promising choices. Tungsten has been chosen as the material for the ITER divertor, and liquid lithium stands poised as its replacement in higher heat flux devices. As a refractory metal, tungsten's large melting point and thermal conductivity as well as its low sputtering yield have led to its selection as the material of choice of the ITER divertor. Experiments have reinforced this choice demonstrating tungsten's ability to withstand large heat fluxes when adequately cooled. However, tungsten has shown a propensity to nanostructure under exposure within a certain temperature range to large fluxes of helium ions. These nanostructures if disrupted into the plasma as dust by an off-normal event would cause quenching of the plasma from the generated dust. Liquid lithium, meanwhile, has gathered growing interest within the fusion community in recent years as a divertor, limiter, and alternative first wall material. Liquid lithium is attractive as a low-Z material replacement for refractory metals due to its ability to getter impurities, while also being self-healing in nature. However, concerns exist about the stability of a liquid metal surface at the edge of a fusion device. Liquid metal pools, such as the Li-DiMes probe, have shown evidence of macroscopic lithium displacement as well as droplet formation and ejection into the plasma. These issues must be mitigated in future implementations of liquid lithium divertor concepts. Rayleigh-Taylor-like (RT) and Kelvin-Helmholtz-like (KH) instabilities have been claimed as the initiators of droplet ejection, yet not enough data exists to

Sheath-accumulating Propagation of Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahashi, Takuya; Shibata, Kazunari

2017-03-01

Fast interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) are the drivers of strong space weather storms such as solar energetic particle events and geomagnetic storms. The connection between the space-weather-impacting solar wind disturbances associated with fast ICMEs at Earth and the characteristics of causative energetic CMEs observed near the Sun is a key question in the study of space weather storms, as well as in the development of practical space weather prediction. Such shock-driving fast ICMEs usually expand at supersonic speeds during the propagation, resulting in the continuous accumulation of shocked sheath plasma ahead. In this paper, we propose a “sheath-accumulating propagation” (SAP) model that describes the coevolution of the interplanetary sheath and decelerating ICME ejecta by taking into account the process of upstream solar wind plasma accumulation within the sheath region. Based on the SAP model, we discuss (1) ICME deceleration characteristics; (2) the fundamental condition for fast ICMEs at Earth; (3) the thickness of interplanetary sheaths; (4) arrival time prediction; and (5) the super-intense geomagnetic storms associated with huge solar flares. We quantitatively show that not only the speed but also the mass of the CME are crucial for discussing the above five points. The similarities and differences between the SAP model, the drag-based model, and the“snow-plow” model proposed by Tappin are also discussed.

Sheath-accumulating Propagation of Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Takahashi, Takuya; Shibata, Kazunari, E-mail: takahasi@kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Fast interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) are the drivers of strong space weather storms such as solar energetic particle events and geomagnetic storms. The connection between the space-weather-impacting solar wind disturbances associated with fast ICMEs at Earth and the characteristics of causative energetic CMEs observed near the Sun is a key question in the study of space weather storms, as well as in the development of practical space weather prediction. Such shock-driving fast ICMEs usually expand at supersonic speeds during the propagation, resulting in the continuous accumulation of shocked sheath plasma ahead. In this paper, we propose a “sheath-accumulating propagation”more » (SAP) model that describes the coevolution of the interplanetary sheath and decelerating ICME ejecta by taking into account the process of upstream solar wind plasma accumulation within the sheath region. Based on the SAP model, we discuss (1) ICME deceleration characteristics; (2) the fundamental condition for fast ICMEs at Earth; (3) the thickness of interplanetary sheaths; (4) arrival time prediction; and (5) the super-intense geomagnetic storms associated with huge solar flares. We quantitatively show that not only the speed but also the mass of the CME are crucial for discussing the above five points. The similarities and differences between the SAP model, the drag-based model, and the“snow-plow” model proposed by Tappin are also discussed.« less

A parametric study of non-thermal plasma synthesis of silicon nanoparticles from a chlorinated precursor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Yi; Yamada, Riku; Gresback, Ryan; Zhou, Shu; Pi, Xiaodong; Nozaki, Tomohiro

2014-12-01

Silicon nanoparticles (Si NPs) synthesized in non-thermal plasma with silicon tetrachloride (SiCl4) are anticipated as a non-toxic and inexpensive Si source for important applications. This study examines the crystallinity, yield, and size distribution of Si NPs in terms of specific energy input (SEI) for 2.5-65 J cm‒3 and the H2/SiCl4 ratio (1-10). The particle growth mechanism is discussed comprehensively. Atomic hydrogen (H) production using non-thermal plasma is the primary important step for SiCl4 dechlorination at low temperatures. The Si NP yield increases with SEI (plasma power divided by total gas flow) because SiCl4 conversion increases with energy fed into the unit volume of the feed gas. At low SEI, Si NPs were mostly in amorphous material because of insufficient plasma heating. A maximum yield of 50 wt% was obtained when SEI = 10 J cm‒3 (H2/SiCl4 = 10) with a crystal fraction of about 1%. Increased SEI is necessary to improve crystal fraction, but excessive SEI decreases the NP yield remarkably. The NP yield losses correspond to increasing NP-free thin film growth on the reactor wall. Mass spectrometry shows that SiCl4 is highly decomposed with greater SEI. Hydrogen chloride (HCl) increases as a by-product. At higher SEI, particle nucleation and subsequent growth are suppressed.

Enhanced erosion of tungsten plasma-facing components subject to simultaneous heat pulses and deuterium plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umstadter, K. R.; Doerner, R.; Tynan, G.

2009-04-01

When an ELM occurs in tokamaks, up to 30% of the pedestal energy can be deposited on the wall of the tokamak causing heating and material loss due to sublimation/evaporation and melt layer splashing of plasma-facing components (PFCs) and expansion of the ejected material into the plasma. A short-pulse laser system capable of reproducing the thermal load of an ELM heat pulse has been integrated into the existing PFC research program in PISCES, a laboratory facility capable of reproducing plasma-materials interactions expected during normal operation of large tokamaks. An Nd:YAG laser capable of delivering up to 1 J of energy over a 7 ns pulsewidth is used for the experiments. Laser heat pulse only, H +/D + plasma only, and laser plus plasma experiments were conducted and initial results indicate enhanced erosion of tungsten exposed to simultaneous plasma and heat pulses, as compared to exposure to separate plasma-only or heat pulse-only conditions.

THE PROPERTIES OF DYNAMICALLY EJECTED RUNAWAY AND HYPER-RUNAWAY STARS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Perets, Hagai B.; Subr, Ladislav

2012-06-01

Runaway stars are stars observed to have large peculiar velocities. Two mechanisms are thought to contribute to the ejection of runaway stars, both of which involve binarity (or higher multiplicity). In the binary supernova scenario, a runaway star receives its velocity when its binary massive companion explodes as a supernova (SN). In the alternative dynamical ejection scenario, runaway stars are formed through gravitational interactions between stars and binaries in dense, compact clusters or cluster cores. Here we study the ejection scenario. We make use of extensive N-body simulations of massive clusters, as well as analytic arguments, in order to characterizemore » the expected ejection velocity distribution of runaway stars. We find that the ejection velocity distribution of the fastest runaways (v {approx}> 80 km s{sup -1}) depends on the binary distribution in the cluster, consistent with our analytic toy model, whereas the distribution of lower velocity runaways appears independent of the binaries' properties. For a realistic log constant distribution of binary separations, we find the velocity distribution to follow a simple power law: {Gamma}(v){proportional_to}v{sup -8/3} for the high-velocity runaways and v{sup -3/2} for the low-velocity ones. We calculate the total expected ejection rates of runaway stars from our simulated massive clusters and explore their mass function and their binarity. The mass function of runaway stars is biased toward high masses and strongly depends on their velocity. The binarity of runaways is a decreasing function of their ejection velocity, with no binaries expected to be ejected with v > 150 km s{sup -1}. We also find that hyper-runaways with velocities of hundreds of km s{sup -1} can be dynamically ejected from stellar clusters, but only at very low rates, which cannot account for a significant fraction of the observed population of hyper-velocity stars in the Galactic halo.« less

Shock-induced compaction of nanoparticle layers into nanostructured coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayer, Alexander E.; Ebel, Andrei A.

2017-10-01

A new process of shock wave consolidation of nanoparticles into a nanocrystalline coating is theoretically considered. In the proposed scheme, the nanoparticle layers, which are attached to the substrate surface by adhesion, are compacted by plane ultra-short shock waves coming from the substrate. The initial adhesion is self-arisen at any contact between the nanoparticles without a pre-compression. The absence of the nanoparticle ejections due to the shock wave action is connected with the strong adhesive forces, which allow nanoparticles to be attached to each other and to substrate while they are being compacted; this should be valid for small enough nanoparticles. Severe plastic deformation of the nanoparticles and the increased temperature due to collapse of voids between them facilitate their compaction into the monolithic nanocrystalline layer. We consider the examples of Cu and Ni nanoparticles on Al substrate using molecular dynamic simulations. We show the efficiency of the action of multiple shock waves with the duration in the range 2-20 ps and the amplitude in the range 4-12 GPa for sequential layerwise compaction of nanoparticles. A series of shock waves can be created by a repetitive powerful pulsed laser irradiation of the opposite surface of the substrate. The method offers the challenge for the formation of nanostructured coatings of various compositions. The thickness of the compacted nanocrystalline coating can be locally varied and controlled by the number of acting pulses.

Mass ejection in failed supernovae: variation with stellar progenitor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernández, Rodrigo; Quataert, Eliot; Kashiyama, Kazumi; Coughlin, Eric R.

2018-05-01

We study the ejection of mass during stellar core-collapse when the stalled shock does not revive and a black hole forms. Neutrino emission during the protoneutron star phase causes a decrease in the gravitational mass of the core, resulting in an outward going sound pulse that steepens into a shock as it travels out through the star. We explore the properties of this mass ejection mechanism over a range of stellar progenitors using spherically symmetric, time-dependent hydrodynamic simulations that treat neutrino mass-loss parametrically and follow the shock propagation over the entire star. We find that all types of stellar progenitor can eject mass through this mechanism. The ejected mass is a decreasing function of the surface gravity of the star, ranging from several M⊙ for red supergiants to ˜0.1 M⊙ for blue supergiants and ˜10-3 M⊙ for Wolf-Rayet stars. We find that the final shock energy at the surface is a decreasing function of the core-compactness, and is ≲ 1047-1048 erg in all cases. In progenitors with a sufficiently large envelope, high core-compactness, or a combination of both, the sound pulse fails to unbind mass. Successful mass ejection is accompanied by significant fallback accretion that can last from hours to years. We predict the properties of shock breakout and thermal plateau emission produced by the ejection of the outer envelope of blue supergiant and Wolf-Rayet progenitors in otherwise failed supernovae.

Kinematic response of the spine during simulated aircraft ejections.

PubMed

Damon, Andrew M; Lessley, David J; Salzar, Robert S; Bass, Cameron R; Shen, Francis H; Paskoff, Glenn R; Shender, Barry S

2010-05-01

Military aviators are susceptible to spinal injuries during high-speed ejection scenarios. These injuries commonly arise as a result of strains induced by extreme flexion or compression of the spinal column. This study characterizes the vertebral motion of two postmortem human surrogates (PMHS) during a simulated catapult phase of ejection on a horizontal decelerator sled. During testing, the PMHS were restrained supinely to a mock ejection seat and subjected to a horizontal deceleration profile directed along the local z-axis. Two midsized males (175.3 cm, 77.1 kg; 185.4 cm, 72.6 kg) were tested. High-rate motion capture equipment was used to measure the three-dimensional displacement of the head, vertebrae, and pelvis during the ejection event. The two PMHS showed generally similar kinematic motion. Head injury criterion (HIC) results were well below injury threshold levels for both specimens. The specimens both showed compression of the spine, with a reduction in length of 23.9 mm and 45.7 mm. Post-test autopsies revealed fractures in the C5, T1, and L1 vertebrae. This paper provides an analysis of spinal motion during an aircraft ejection.The injuries observed in the test subjects were consistent with those seen in epidemiological studies. Future studies should examine the effects of gender, muscle tensing, out-of-position (of head from neutral position) occupants, and external forces (e.g., windblast) on spinal kinematics during aircraft ejection.

Two-Stage Dynamics of In Vivo Bacteriophage Genome Ejection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yi-Ju; Wu, David; Gelbart, William; Knobler, Charles M.; Phillips, Rob; Kegel, Willem K.

2018-04-01

Biopolymer translocation is a key step in viral infection processes. The transfer of information-encoding genomes allows viruses to reprogram the cell fate of their hosts. Constituting 96% of all known bacterial viruses [A. Fokine and M. G. Rossmann, Molecular architecture of tailed double-stranded DNA phages, Bacteriophage 4, e28281 (2014)], the tailed bacteriophages deliver their DNA into host cells via an "ejection" process, leaving their protein shells outside of the bacteria; a similar scenario occurs for mammalian viruses like herpes, where the DNA genome is ejected into the nucleus of host cells, while the viral capsid remains bound outside to a nuclear-pore complex. In light of previous experimental measurements of in vivo bacteriophage λ ejection, we analyze here the physical processes that give rise to the observed dynamics. We propose that, after an initial phase driven by self-repulsion of DNA in the capsid, the ejection is driven by anomalous diffusion of phage DNA in the crowded bacterial cytoplasm. We expect that this two-step mechanism is general for phages that operate by pressure-driven ejection, and we discuss predictions of our theory to be tested in future experiments.

Right Ventricular Ejection Fraction Is Incremental to Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction for the Prediction of Future Arrhythmic Events in Patients With Systolic Dysfunction.

PubMed

Mikami, Yoko; Jolly, Umjeet; Heydari, Bobak; Peng, Mingkai; Almehmadi, Fahad; Zahrani, Mohammed; Bokhari, Mahmoud; Stirrat, John; Lydell, Carmen P; Howarth, Andrew G; Yee, Raymond; White, James A

2017-01-01

Left ventricular ejection fraction remains the primary risk stratification tool used in the selection of patients for implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy. However, this solitary marker fails to identify a substantial portion of patients experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. In this study, we examined the incremental value of considering right ventricular ejection fraction for the prediction of future arrhythmic events in patients with systolic dysfunction using the gold standard of cardiovascular magnetic resonance. Three hundred fourteen consecutive patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy or nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy undergoing cardiovascular magnetic resonance were followed for the primary outcome of sudden cardiac arrest or appropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy. Blinded quantification of left ventricular and right ventricular (RV) volumes was performed from standard cine imaging. Quantification of fibrosis from late gadolinium enhancement imaging was incrementally performed. RV dysfunction was defined as right ventricular ejection fraction ≤45%. Among all patients (164 ischemic cardiomyopathy, 150 nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy), the mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 32±12% (range, 6-54%) with mean right ventricular ejection fraction of 48±15% (range, 7-78%). At a median of 773 days, 49 patients (15.6%) experienced the primary outcome (9 sudden cardiac arrest, 40 appropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapies). RV dysfunction was independently predictive of the primary outcome (hazard ratio=2.98; P=0.002). Among those with a left ventricular ejection fraction >35% (N=121; mean left ventricular ejection fraction, 45±6%), RV dysfunction provided an adjusted hazard ratio of 4.2 (P=0.02). RV dysfunction is a strong, independent predictor of arrhythmic events. Among patients with mild to moderate LV dysfunction, a cohort greatly contributing to global sudden cardiac arrest burden, this marker

Flares, ejections, proton events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belov, A. V.

2017-11-01

Statistical analysis is performed for the relationship of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and X-ray flares with the fluxes of solar protons with energies >10 and >100 MeV observed near the Earth. The basis for this analysis was the events that took place in 1976-2015, for which there are reliable observations of X-ray flares on GOES satellites and CME observations with SOHO/LASCO coronagraphs. A fairly good correlation has been revealed between the magnitude of proton enhancements and the power and duration of flares, as well as the initial CME speed. The statistics do not give a clear advantage either to CMEs or the flares concerning their relation with proton events, but the characteristics of the flares and ejections complement each other well and are reasonable to use together in the forecast models. Numerical dependences are obtained that allow estimation of the proton fluxes to the Earth expected from solar observations; possibilities for improving the model are discussed.

Photospheric magnetic field of an eroded-by-solar-wind coronal mass ejection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palacios, J.; Cid, C.; Saiz, E.; Guerrero, A.

2017-10-01

We have investigated the case of a coronal mass ejection that was eroded by the fast wind of a coronal hole in the interplanetary medium. When a solar ejection takes place close to a coronal hole, the flux rope magnetic topology of the coronal mass ejection (CME) may become misshapen at 1 AU as a result of the interaction. Detailed analysis of this event reveals erosion of the interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) magnetic field. In this communication, we study the photospheric magnetic roots of the coronal hole and the coronal mass ejection area with HMI/SDO magnetograms to define their magnetic characteristics.

Understanding the evolution and propagation of coronal mass ejections and associated plasma sheaths in interplanetary space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hess, Phillip

A Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) is an eruption of magnetized plasma from the Coronaof the Sun. Understanding the physical process of CMEs is a fundamental challenge in solarphysics, and is also of increasing importance for our technological society. CMEs are knownthe main driver of space weather that has adverse effects on satellites, power grids, com-munication and navigation systems and astronauts. Understanding and predicting CMEs is still in the early stage of research. In this dissertation, improved observational methods and advanced theoretical analysis are used to study CMEs. Unlike many studies in the past that treat CMEs as a single object, this study divides aCME into two separate components: the ejecta from the corona and the sheath region thatis the ambient plasma compressed by the shock/wave running ahead of the ejecta; bothstructures are geo-effective but evolve differently. Stereoscopic observations from multiplespacecraft, including STEREO and SOHO, are combined to provide a three-dimensionalgeometric reconstruction of the structures studied. True distances and velocities of CMEs are accurately determined, free of projection effects, and with continuous tracking from the low corona to 1 AU.To understand the kinematic evolution of CMEs, an advanced drag-based model (DBM) is proposed, with several improvements to the original DBM model. The new model varies the drag parameter with distance; the variation is constrained by thenecessary conservation of physical parameters. Second, the deviation of CME-nose from the Sun-Earth-line is taken into account. Third, the geometric correction of the shape of the ejecta front is considered, based on the assumption that the true front is a flattened croissant-shaped flux rope front. These improvements of the DBM model provide a framework for using measurement data to make accurate prediction of the arrival times of CME ejecta and sheaths. Using a set of seven events to test the model, it is found that the evolution

Efficient barrier for charge injection in polyethylene by silver nanoparticles/plasma polymer stack

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Milliere, L.; Makasheva, K., E-mail: kremena.makasheva@laplace.univ-tlse.fr; Laurent, C.

2014-09-22

Charge injection from a metal/insulator contact is a process promoting the formation of space charge in polymeric insulation largely used in thick layers in high voltage equipment. The internal charge perturbs the field distribution and can lead to catastrophic failure either through its electrostatic effects or through energetic processes initiated under charge recombination and/or hot electrons effects. Injection is still ill-described in polymeric insulation due to the complexity of the contact between the polymer chains and the electrodes. Barrier heights derived from the metal work function and the polymer electronic affinity do not provide a good description of the measurementsmore » [Taleb et al., IEEE Trans. Dielectr. Electr. Insul. 20, 311–320 (2013)]. Considering the difficulty to describe the contact properties and the need to prevent charge injection in polymers for high voltage applications, we developed an alternative approach by tailoring the interface properties by the silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)/plasma polymer stack, deposited on the polymer film. Due to their small size, the AgNPs, covered by a very thin film of plasma polymer, act as deep traps for the injected charges thereby stabilizing the interface from the point of view of charge injection. After a quick description of the method for elaborating the nanostructured layer near the contact, it is demonstrated how the AgNPs/plasma polymer stack effectively prevents, in a spectacular way, the formation of bulk space charge.« less

Experimental demonstration of plasma-drag acceleration of a dust cloud to hypervelocities.

PubMed

Ticoş, C M; Wang, Zhehui; Wurden, G A; Kline, J L; Montgomery, D S; Dorf, L A; Shukla, P K

2008-04-18

Simultaneous acceleration of hundreds of dust particles to hypervelocities by collimated plasma flows ejected from a coaxial gun is demonstrated. Graphite and diamond grains with radii between 5 and 30 microm, and flying at speeds up to 3.7 km/s, have been recorded with a high-speed camera. The observations agree well with a model for plasma-drag acceleration of microparticles much larger than the plasma screening length.

Nanocomposites based on graphene oxide and mesoporous silica nanoparticles: Preparation, characterization and nanobiointeractions with red blood cells and human plasma proteins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fonseca, Leandro C.; de Araújo, Maciel M.; de Moraes, Ana Carolina M.; da Silva, Douglas S.; Ferreira, Ariane G.; Franqui, Lidiane S.; Martinez, Diego Stéfani T.; Alves, Oswaldo L.

2018-04-01

The current work refers to the development of a novel nanocomposite based on graphene oxide (GO) and mesoporous amino silica nanoparticles (H2N-MSNs) and its biological interaction with red blood cells (RBCs) and human blood plasma toward the investigation of nanobiointeractions. Silica nanoparticles and several graphene oxide-based materials are, separately, known for their high hemolytic potential and strong interaction with human plasma proteins. In this context, the GO-MSN interaction and its influence in minimizing the reported effects were investigated. The materials were synthesized by covalently attaching H2N-MSNs onto the surface of GO through an amidation reaction. GO-MSN nanocomposites were obtained by varying the mass of H2N-MSNs and were characterized by FTIR, NMR, XRD, TGA, zeta potential and TEM. The characterization results confirm that nanocomposites were obtained, suggest covalent bond attachment mostly by amine-epoxy reactions and evidence an unexpected reduction reaction of GO by H2N-MSNs, whose mechanism is proposed. Biological assays showed a decrease of hemolysis (RBC lysis) and a minimization of the interaction with human plasma proteins (protein corona formation). These are important findings toward achieving in vivo biocompatibility and understanding the nanobiointeractions. Finally, this work opens possibilities for new nanomedicine applications of GO-MSN nanocomposites, such as drug delivery system.

Characterizing the original ejection velocity field of the Koronis family

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carruba, V.; Nesvorný, D.; Aljbaae, S.

2016-06-01

An asteroid family forms as a result of a collision between an impactor and a parent body. The fragments with ejection speeds higher than the escape velocity from the parent body can escape its gravitational pull. The cloud of escaping debris can be identified by the proximity of orbits in proper element, or frequency, domains. Obtaining estimates of the original ejection speed can provide valuable constraints on the physical processes occurring during collision, and used to calibrate impact simulations. Unfortunately, proper elements of asteroids families are modified by gravitational and non-gravitational effects, such as resonant dynamics, encounters with massive bodies, and the Yarkovsky effect, such that information on the original ejection speeds is often lost, especially for older, more evolved families. It has been recently suggested that the distribution in proper inclination of the Koronis family may have not been significantly perturbed by local dynamics, and that information on the component of the ejection velocity that is perpendicular to the orbital plane (vW), may still be available, at least in part. In this work we estimate the magnitude of the original ejection velocity speeds of Koronis members using the observed distribution in proper eccentricity and inclination, and accounting for the spread caused by dynamical effects. Our results show that (i) the spread in the original ejection speeds is, to within a 15% error, inversely proportional to the fragment size, and (ii) the minimum ejection velocity is of the order of 50 m/s, with larger values possible depending on the orbital configuration at the break-up.

Transmission electron microscopy of unstained hybrid Au nanoparticles capped with PPAA (plasma-poly-allylamine): structure and electron irradiation effects.

PubMed

Gontard, Lionel C; Fernández, Asunción; Dunin-Borkowski, Rafal E; Kasama, Takeshi; Lozano-Pérez, Sergio; Lucas, Stéphane

2014-12-01

Hybrid (organic shell-inorganic core) nanoparticles have important applications in nanomedicine. Although the inorganic components of hybrid nanoparticles can be characterized readily using conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques, the structural and chemical arrangement of the organic molecular components remains largely unknown. Here, we apply TEM to the physico-chemical characterization of Au nanoparticles that are coated with plasma-polymerized-allylamine, an organic compound with the formula C3H5NH2. We discuss the use of energy-filtered TEM in the low-energy-loss range as a contrast enhancement mechanism for imaging the organic shells of such particles. We also study electron-beam-induced crystallization and amorphization of the shells and the formation of graphitic-like layers that contain both C and N. The resistance of the samples to irradiation by high-energy electrons, which is relevant for optical tuning and for understanding the degree to which such hybrid nanostructures are stable in the presence of biomedical radiation, is also discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fighter Pilot Ejection Study as an Educational Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Garry; Jovanoski, Zlatko

2010-01-01

In this article, we apply the well-known equations of projectile motion to the case of a fighter pilot ejecting from an aircraft, the aim being to establish under what conditions there is danger of impact with the rear vertical stabilizer. The drag force on the pilot after ejection is assumed to vary as the velocity squared and the aircraft motion…

Plasma Biomarkers Reflecting Profibrotic Processes in Heart Failure With a Preserved Ejection Fraction: Data From the Prospective Comparison of ARNI With ARB on Management of Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction Study.

PubMed

Zile, Michael R; Jhund, Pardeep S; Baicu, Catalin F; Claggett, Brian L; Pieske, Burkert; Voors, Adriaan A; Prescott, Margaret F; Shi, Victor; Lefkowitz, Martin; McMurray, John J V; Solomon, Scott D

2016-01-01

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction is a clinical syndrome that has been associated with changes in the extracellular matrix. The purpose of this study was to determine whether profibrotic biomarkers accurately reflect the presence and severity of disease and underlying pathophysiology and modify response to therapy in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Four biomarkers, soluble form of ST2 (an interleukin-1 receptor family member), galectin-3, matrix metalloproteinase-2, and collagen III N-terminal propeptide were measured in the Prospective Comparison of ARNI With ARB on Management of Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction (PARAMOUNT) trial at baseline, 12 and 36 weeks after randomization to valsartan or LCZ696. We examined the relationship between baseline biomarkers, demographic and echocardiographic characteristics, change in primary (change in N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide) and secondary (change in left atrial volume) end points. The median (interquartile range) value for soluble form of ST2 (33 [24.6-48.1] ng/mL) and galectin 3 (17.8 [14.1-22.8] ng/mL) were higher, and for matrix metalloproteinase-2 (188 [155.5-230.6] ng/mL) lower, than in previously published referent controls; collagen III N-terminal propeptide (5.6 [4.3-6.9] ng/mL) was similar to referent control values. All 4 biomarkers correlated with severity of disease as indicated by N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide, E/E', and left atrial volume. Baseline biomarkers did not modify the response to LCZ696 for lowering N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide; however, left atrial volume reduction varied by baseline level of soluble form of ST2 and galectin 3; patients with values less than the observed median (<33 ng/mL soluble form of ST2 and <17.8 ng/mL galectin 3) had reduction in left atrial volume, those above median did not. Although LCZ696 reduced N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide, levels of the other 4 biomarkers were

Clusterin in the protein corona plays a key role in the stealth effect of nanoparticles against phagocytes.

PubMed

Aoyama, Michihiko; Hata, Katsutomo; Higashisaka, Kazuma; Nagano, Kazuya; Yoshioka, Yasuo; Tsutsumi, Yasuo

2016-11-25

In biological fluids, nanoparticles interact with biological components such as proteins, and a layer called the "protein corona" forms around the nanoparticles. It is believed that the composition of the protein corona affects the cellular uptake and in vivo biodistribution of nanoparticles; however, the key proteins of the protein corona that control the biological fate of nanoparticles remain unclear. Recently, it was reported that clusterin binding to pegylated nanoparticles is important for the stealth effect of pegylated nanoparticles in phagocytes. However, the effect of clusterin on non-pegylated nanoparticles is unknown, although it is known that clusterin is present in the protein corona of non-pegylated nanoparticles. Here, we assessed the stealth effect of clusterin in the corona of non-pegylated silver nanoparticles and silica nanoparticles. We found that serum- and plasma-protein corona inhibited the cellular uptake of silver nanoparticles and silica nanoparticles in phagocytes and that the plasma-protein corona showed a greater stealth effect compared with the serum-protein corona. Clusterin was present in both the serum- and plasma-protein corona, but was present at a higher level in the plasma-protein corona than in the serum-protein corona. Clusterin binding to silver nanoparticles and silica nanoparticles suppressed the cellular uptake of nanoparticles in human macrophage-like cells (THP-1 cells). Although further studies are required to determine how clusterin suppresses non-specific cellular uptake in phagocytes, our data suggest that clusterin plays a key role in the stealth effect of not only pegylated nanoparticles but also non-pegylated nanoparticles. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Speeds of coronal mass ejections: SMM observations from 1980 and 1984-1989

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hundhausen, A. J.; Burkepile, J. T.; St. Cyr, O. C.

1994-01-01

The speeds of 936 features in 673 coronal mass ejections have been determined from trajectories observed with the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) coronagraph in 1980 and 1984 to 1989. The distribution of observed speeds has a range (from 5th to 95th percentile) of 35 to 911 km/s; the average and median speeds are 349 and 285 km/s. The speed distributions of some selected classes of mass ejections are significantly different. For example, the speeds of 331 'outer loops' range from 80 to 1042 km/s; the average and median speeds for this class of ejections are 445 and 372 km/s. The speed distributions from each year of SMM observations show significant changes, with the annual average speeds varying from 157 (1984) to 458 km/s (1985). These variations are not simply related to the solar activity cycle; the annual averages from years near the sunspot maxima and minimum are not significantly different. The widths, latitudes, and speeds of mass ejections determined from the SMM observations are only weakly correlated. In particular, mass ejection speeds vary only slightly with the heliographic latitudes of the ejection. High-latitude ejections, which occur well poleward of the active latitudes, have speeds similar to active latitude ejections.

Response of Jupiter's Aurora to Plasma Mass Loading Rate Monitored by the Hisaki Satellite During Io's Volcanic Event

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimura, T.; Yoshioka, K.; Tsuchiya, F.; Hiraki, Y.; Tao, C.; Murakami, G.; Yamazaki, A.; Fujimoto, M.; Badman, S. V.; Delamere, P. A.; Bagenal, F.

2016-12-01

Plasma production and transfer processes in the planetary and stellar magnetospheres are essential for understanding the space environments around the celestial bodies. It is hypothesized that the mass of plasma loaded from Io's volcano to Jupiter's rotating magnetosphere is recurrently ejected as blobs from the distant tail region of the magnetosphere. The plasma ejections are possibly triggered by the magnetic reconnections, which are followed by the particle energization, bursty planetward plasma flow, and resultant auroral emissions. They are referred to as the 'energetic events'. However, there has been no evidence that the plasma mass loading actually causes the energetic events because of lack of the simultaneous observation of them. This study presents that the recurrent transient auroras, which are possibly representative for the energetic events, are closely associated with the mass loading. Continuous monitoring of the aurora and Io plasma torus indicates onset of the recurrent auroras when accumulation of the loaded plasma mass reaches the canonical total mass of the magnetosphere. This onset condition implies that the fully filled magnetosphere overflows the plasma mass accompanying the energetic events.

A validated silver-nanoparticle-enhanced chemiluminescence method for the determination of citalopram in pharmaceutical preparations and human plasma.

PubMed

Khan, Muhammad Naeem; Jan, Muhammad Rasul; Shah, Jasmin; Lee, Sang Hak

2014-05-01

A simple and sensitive chemiluminescence (CL) method was developed for the determination of citalopram in pharmaceutical preparations and human plasma. The method is based on the enhancement of the weak CL signal of the luminol-H2 O2 system. It was found that the CL signal arising from the reaction between alkaline luminol and H2 O2 was greatly increased by the addition of silver nanoparticles in the presence of citalopram. Prepared silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Various experimental parameters affecting CL intensity were studied and optimized for the determination of citalopram. Under optimized experimental conditions, CL intensity was found to be proportional to the concentration of citalopram in the range 40-2500 ng/mL, with a correlation coefficient of 0.9997. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of the devised method were 3.78 and 12.62 ng/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the developed method was found to have excellent reproducibility with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of 3.65% (n = 7). Potential interference by common excipients was also studied. The method was validated statistically using recovery studies and was successfully applied to the determination of citalopram in the pure form, in pharmaceutical preparations and in spiked human plasma samples. Percentage recoveries were found to range from 97.71 to 101.99% for the pure form, from 97.84 to 102.78% for pharmaceutical preparations and from 95.65 to 100.35% for spiked human plasma. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Investigation of the Large Scale Evolution and Topology of Coronal Mass Ejections in the Solar Wind

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Riley, Peter

1999-01-01

This investigation is concerned with the large-scale evolution and topology of Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) in the solar wind. During this reporting period we have analyzed a series of low density intervals in the ACE (Advanced Composition Explorer) plasma data set that bear many similarities to CMEs. We have begun a series of 3D, MHD (Magnetohydrodynamics) coronal models to probe potential causes of these events. We also edited two manuscripts concerning the properties of CMEs in the solar wind. One was re-submitted to the Journal of Geophysical Research.

Implications of Vehicle Roll Direction on Occupant Ejection and Injury Risk

PubMed Central

Gloeckner, D. Claire; Moore, Tara L. A.; Steffey, Duane; Bare, Cleve; Corrigan, Catherine Ford

2006-01-01

Vehicle roll direction and occupant position have been shown to affect occupant kinematics. Data from NASS-CDS were analyzed for risk of serious or greater injuries and ejection with respect to the position of the occupant (near side or far side). The risk of AIS 3+ injuries was higher for unrestrained occupants, for ejected occupants, for occupants involved in rollovers with higher numbers of quarter turns, and for far side occupants. Near side occupants had an increased risk of partial ejection in rollovers consisting of one complete roll or less. Occupant roll direction did not affect risk of complete ejection. PMID:16968635

Ejection-ionization of molecules from free standing graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verkhoturov, Stanislav V.; Czerwinski, Bartlomiej; Verkhoturov, Dmitriy S.; Geng, Sheng; Delcorte, Arnaud; Schweikert, Emile A.

2017-02-01

We present the first data on emission of -C60 stimulated by single impacts of 50 keV C60+2 on the self-assembled molecular layer of C60 deposited on free standing 2 layer graphene. The yield, Y, of -C60 emitted in the transmission direction is 1.7%. To characterize the ejection and ionization of molecules, we have measured the emission of -C60 from the surface of bulk C60 (Y = 3.7%) and from a single layer of C60 deposited on bulk pyrolytic graphite (Y = 3.3%). To gain insight into the mechanism(s) of ejection, molecular dynamic simulations were performed. The scenario of the energy deposition and ejection of molecules is different for the case of graphene due to the confined volume of projectile-analyte interaction. In the case of 50 keV C60+2 impacts on graphene plus C60, the C atoms of the projectile collide with those of the target. The knocked-on atoms take on a part of the kinetic energy of the projectile atoms. Another part of the kinetic energy is deposited into the rim around the impact site. The ejection of molecules from the rim is a result of collective movement of the molecules and graphene membrane, where the membrane movement provides the impulse for ejection. The efficient emission of the intact molecular ions implies an effective ionization probability of intact C60. The proposed mechanism of ionization involves the tunneling of electrons from the vibrationally exited area around the hole to the ejecta.

White-Light and Radioastronomical Remote-Sensing of Coronal Mass Ejections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kooi, Jason E.; Spangler, Steven R.

2017-01-01

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are large-scale eruptions of plasma from the Sun that play an important role in space weather. Faraday rotation (FR) is the rotation of the plane of polarization that results when a linearly polarized signal passes through a magnetized plasma (such as a CME) and is proportional to the path integral through the plasma of the electron density and the line-of-sight component of the magnetic field. FR observations of a source near the Sun can provide information on the plasma structure of a CME shortly after launch; however, separating the contribution of the plasma density from the line-of-sight magnetic field is challenging.We report on simultaneous white-light and radio observations made of three CMEs in August 2012. We made radio observations using the Very Large Array (VLA) at 1 - 2 GHz frequencies of a "constellation" of radio sources through the solar corona at heliocentric distances that ranged from 6 - 15 solar radii: two sources (0842+1835 and 0900+1832) were occulted by a single CME and one source (0843+1547) was occulted by two CMEs. In addition to our radioastronomical observations, which represent one of the first active hunts for CME Faraday rotation since Bird et al. (1985) and the first active hunt using the VLA, we obtained white-light coronagraph images from the LASCO/C3 instrument to determine the Thomson scattering brightness (BT), providing a means to independently estimate the plasma density and determine its contribution to the observed Faraday rotation.A constant density force-free flux rope embedded in the background corona was used to model the effects of the CMEs on BT and FR and infer the plasma densities (6 - 22 x 103 cm-3) and axial magnetic field strengths (2 - 12 mG) for the three CMEs. A single flux rope model successfully reproduces the observed BT and FR profiles for 0842+1835 and 0900+1832; however 0843+1547 was occulted by two CMEs. Using the multiple viewpoints provided by LASCO/C3 and STEREO-A/COR2

The influence of occupant anthropometry and seat position on ejection risk in a rollover.

PubMed

Atkinson, Theresa; Fras, Andrew; Telehowski, Paul

2010-08-01

During rollover crashes, ejection increases an occupant's risk of severe to fatal injury as compared to risks for those retained in the vehicle. The current study examined whether occupant anthropometry might influence ejection risk. Factors such as restraint use/disuse, seating position, vehicle type, and roll direction were also considered in the analysis. The current study examined occupant ejections in 10 years of National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) single-event rollovers of passenger vehicles and light trucks. Statistical analysis of unweighted and weighted ejection data was carried out. No statistically significant differences in ejection rates were found based on occupant height, age, or body mass index. Drivers were ejected significantly more frequently than other occupants: 62 percent of unrestrained drivers were ejected vs. 51 percent unrestrained right front occupants. Second row unrestrained occupants were ejected at rates similar to right front-seated occupants. There were no significant differences in ejection rates for near- vs. far-side occupants. These data suggest that assessment of ejection prevention systems using either a 50th or 5th percentile adult anthropomorphic test dummy (ATD) might provide a reasonable measure of system function for a broad range of occupants. They also support the development of ejection mitigation technologies that extend beyond the first row to protect occupants in rear seat positions. Future studies should consider potential interaction effects (i.e., occupant size and vehicle dimensions) and the influence of occupant size on ejection risk in non-single-event rollovers.

Non-thermal plasma technology for the development of antimicrobial surfaces: a review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikiforov, Anton; Deng, Xiaolong; Xiong, Qing; Cvelbar, U.; DeGeyter, N.; Morent, R.; Leys, Christophe

2016-05-01

Antimicrobial coatings are in high demand in many fields including the biomaterials and healthcare sectors. Within recent progress in nanoscience and engineering at the nanoscale, preparation of nanocomposite films containing metal nanoparticles (such as silver nanoparticles, copper nanoparticles, zinc oxide nanoparticles) is becoming an important step in manufacturing biomaterials with high antimicrobial activity. Controlled release of antibiotic agents and eliminating free nanoparticles are of equal importance for engineering antimicrobial nanocomposite materials. Compared to traditional chemical ‘wet’ methods, plasma deposition and plasma polymerization are promising approaches for the fabrication of nanocomposite films with the advantages of gas phase dry processes, effective use of chemicals and applicability to various substrates. In this article, we present a short overview of state-of-the-art engineering of antimicrobial materials based on the use of non-thermal plasmas at low and atmospheric pressure.

Value of the QRS complex in assessing left ventricular ejection fraction.

PubMed

Askenazi, J; Parisi, A F; Cohn, P F; Freedman, W B; Braunwald, E

1978-03-01

The relation between electrocardiographic findings and the angiographic left ventricular ejection fraction and the augmented ejection fraction after a premature ventricular contraction was investigated in 73 patients with documented chronic coronary artery disease. The patients were separated into four groups according to the presence or absence of abnormal Q waves. Twenty-four patients had diaphragmatic myocardial infarction, 21 had anterior myocardial infarction, 15 had both and 13 had no myocardial infarction. There was no statistically significant differences in cardiac index, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure or number of coronary vessels showing critical narrowing in the four groups. The sum of R waves (in mv) in leads aVL, aVF and V1 to V6 (sigmaR) was correlated with the ejection fraction (EF) and the augmented ejection fraction (EFa). EF in percent = 6.6 sigmaR mv + 9.4 (no. =73, r = 0.61); and EFa in percent = 8.6 sigmaR mv + 11.0 (no. = 73, r = 0.77). Among patients with sigmaR of less than 4.0 mv, augmented ejection fraction was less than 0.45 in 73 percent; among patients with sigmaR of 4.0 mv or more the augmented ejection fraction was greater than 0.45 in 93 percent (P less than 0.001). Thus, the sigmaR, calculated from six precordial and two augmented leads in patients with chronic coronary artery disease, correlated with both ejection fraction and augmented ejection fraction. The electrocardiogram in patients with coronary artery disease may prove useful as a simple, readily available and noninvasive guide in the assessment of left ventricular function in patients with coronary artery disease.

Laser Heating in a Dense Plasma Focus.

DTIC Science & Technology

The report is divided in two parts. In the first part an account is given of the measurement of the momentum distribution of the deuterons ejected from a dense plasma focus . The results show the existence of a pronounced non-Maxwellian distribution and a small population of deuterons accelerated to the voltage of the condenser bank. In the second part theoretical calculation of laser heating establish the presence of large density gradient which probably accounts for the large currents detected in such plasmas. (Author)

Pulsed arc plasma jet synchronized with drop-on-demand dispenser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mavier, F.; Lemesre, L.; Rat, V.; Bienia, M.; Lejeune, M.; Coudert, J.-F.

2017-04-01

This work concerns with the liquid injection in arc plasma spraying for the development of finely structured ceramics coatings. Nanostructured coatings can be now achieved with nanopowders dispersed in a liquid (SPS: Suspension Plasma Spraying) or with a salt dissolved into a liquid (SPPS: Solution Precursor Plasma Spraying) injected into the plasma jet. Controlling electric arc instabilities confined in non-transferred arc plasma torch is therefore a key issue to get reproducible coating properties. Adjustment of parameters with a mono-cathode arc plasma allows a new resonance mode called “Mosquito”. A pulsed arc plasma producing a periodic regular voltage signal with modulation of enthalpy is obtained. The basic idea is to synchronize the injection system with the arc to introduce the liquid material in each plasma oscillation in the same conditions, in order to control the plasma treatment of the material in-fly. A custom-developed pulsed arc plasma torch is used with a drop-on-demand dispenser triggered by the arc voltage. A delay is added to adjust the droplets emission time and their penetration into the plasma gusts. Indeed, the treatment of droplets is also shown to be dependent on this injection delay. A TiO2 suspension and an aqueous solution of aluminium nitrate were optimized to get ejectable inks forming individual droplets. The feasibility of the process was demonstrated for SPS and SPPS techniques. Coatings from the suspension and the solution were achieved. First synchronized sprayings show a good penetration of the droplets into the plasma. Coatings show a fine structure of cauliflowers shapes. The synchronization of the ejection allows a control of morphology and a better deposition efficiency. Further investigations will find the optimal operating parameters to show the full potential of this original liquid injection technique.

Screening Methods for Metal-Containing Nanoparticles in Water

EPA Science Inventory

Screening-level analysis of water for metal-containing nanoparticles is achieved with single particle-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SP-ICPMS). This method measures both the concentration of nanoparticles containing an analyte metal and the mass of the metal in eac...

Plasma plume MHD power generator and method

DOEpatents

Hammer, James H.

1993-01-01

Highly-conducting plasma plumes are ejected across the interplanetary magnetic field from a situs that is moving relative to the solar wind, such as a spacecraft or an astral body, such as the moon, having no magnetosphere that excludes the solar wind. Discrete plasma plumes are generated by plasma guns at the situs extending in opposite directions to one another and at an angle, preferably orthogonal, to the magnetic field direction of the solar wind plasma. The opposed plumes are separately electrically connected to their source by a low impedance connection. The relative movement between the plasma plumes and the solar wind plasma creates a voltage drop across the plumes which is tapped by placing the desired electrical load between the electrical connections of the plumes to their sources. A portion of the energy produced may be used in generating the plasma plumes for sustained operation.

Dynamical and Physical Properties of a Post-Coronal Mass Ejection Current Sheet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ko, Yuan-Kuen; Raymond, John C.; Lin, Jun; Lawrence, Gareth; Li, Jing; Fludra, Andrzej

2003-01-01

In the eruptive process of the Kopp-Pneuman type, the closed magnetic field is stretched by the eruption so much that it is usually believed to be " open " to infinity. Formation of the current sheet in such a configuration makes it possible for the energy in the coronal magnetic field to quickly convert into thermal and kinetic energies and cause significant observational consequences, such as growing postflare/CME loop system in the corona, separating bright flare ribbons in the chromosphere, and fast ejections of the plasma and the magnetic flux. An eruption on 2002 January 8 provides us a good opportunity to look into these observational signatures of and place constraints on the theories of eruptions. The event started with the expansion of a magnetic arcade over an active region, developed into a coronal mass ejection (CME), and left some thin streamer-like structures with successively growing loop systems beneath them. The plasma outflow and the highly ionized states of the plasma inside these streamer-like structures, as well as the growing loops beneath them, lead us to conclude that these structures are associated with a magnetic reconnection site, namely, the current sheet, of this eruptive process. We combine the data from the Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer, Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph Experiment, EUV Imaging Telescope, and Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, as well is from the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory Mark IV K-coronameter, to investigate the morphological and dynamical properties of this event, as well as the physical properties of the current sheet. The velocity and acceleration of the CME reached up to 1800 km/s and 1 km/sq s, respectively. The acceleration is found to occur mainly at the lower corona (<2.76 Solar Radius). The post-CME loop systems showed behaviors of both postflare loops (upward motion with decreasing speed) and soft X-ray giant arches (upward motion with constant

Forces in magnetospheric launching of micro-ejections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cemeljic, Miljenko

2013-07-01

In 2D-axisymmetric simulations with our resistive MHD code Zeus-347 we show that micro-ejections, a quasi-stationary fast ejecta of matter of small mass and angular momentum fluxes, can be launched from a purely resistive magnetosphere above the disk gap. They are produced by a combination of pressure gradient and magnetic forces, in presence of ongoing magnetic reconnection along the boundary layer between the star and the disk, where a current sheet is formed. Mass flux of micro-ejections increases with increasing magnetic field strength and stellar rotation rate.

Plasma-Induced Nonvolatile Resistive Switching with Extremely Low SET Voltage in TiOxFy with AgF Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Sun, Xiangyu; Wu, Chuangui; Shuai, Yao; Pan, Xinqiang; Luo, Wenbo; You, Tiangui; Bogusz, Agnieszka; Du, Nan; Li, Yanrong; Schmidt, Heidemarie

2016-12-07

Low power consumption is crucial for the application of resistive random access memory. In this work, we present the bipolar resistive switching in an Ag/TiO x F y /Ti/Pt stack with extremely low switch-on voltage of 0.07 V. Operating current as low as 10 nA was also obtained by conductive atomic force microscopy. The highly defective TiO x F y layer was fabricated by plasma treatment using helium, oxygen, and carbon tetrafluoride orderly. During the electroforming process, AgF nanoparticles were formed due to the diffusion of Ag + which reacted with the adsorbed F - in the TiO x F y layer. These nanoparticles are of great importance to resistive switching performance because they are believed to be conductive phases and become part of the conducting path when the sample is switched to a low-resistance state.

Disulfiram-loaded mixed nanoparticles with high drug-loading and plasma stability by reducing the core crystallinity for intravenous delivery.

PubMed

Zhuo, Xuezhi; Lei, Tian; Miao, Linlin; Chu, Wei; Li, Xiaowen; Luo, Lifeng; Gou, Jingxin; Zhang, Yu; Yin, Tian; He, Haibing; Tang, Xing

2018-05-30

To develop an injectable formulation and improve the stability of disulfiram (DSF), DSF was encapsulated into mixed nanoparticles (DSF-NPs) through a high-pressure homogenization method. The Flory-Huggins interaction parameters (χ FH ) were calculated to predict the miscibility between DSF and the hydrophobic core, resulting in PCL 5000 selected as the hydrophobic block to encapsulate the DSF, as PCL 5000 had a lower χ FH 3.39 and the drug loading of the nanoparticles prepared by mPEG 5000 -PCL 5000 was relatively higher. mPEG 5000 -PCL 5000 and PCL 5000 were blended to reduce the leakage of DSF during preparation, as well as increase the stability of the nanoparticles. The cargo-loading capacity of the nanoparticles was improved from 3.35% to 5.50% by reducing the crystallinity of the PCL nanoparticle core, and the crystallinity decreased from 51.13% to 25.15% after adding medium chain triglyceride (MCT). The DSF-NPs prepared by the above method had a small particle size of 98.1 ± 10.54 nm, with a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.036, as well as drug loading of 5.50%. Furthermore, DSF-NPs containing MCT showed higher stability than DSF-NPs without MCT and DSF-sol (DSF dissolved in Cremophor EL and ethanol) in water and 90% plasma-containing PBS. The pharmacokinetics proved that DSF-NPs containing MCT enhanced the DSF concentration in the blood. Finally, DSF-NPs effectively inhibited H22 xenograft tumor growth in vivo. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Noninvasive iPhone Measurement of Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Using Intrinsic Frequency Methodology.

PubMed

Pahlevan, Niema M; Rinderknecht, Derek G; Tavallali, Peyman; Razavi, Marianne; Tran, Thao T; Fong, Michael W; Kloner, Robert A; Csete, Marie; Gharib, Morteza

2017-07-01

The study is based on previously reported mathematical analysis of arterial waveform that extracts hidden oscillations in the waveform that we called intrinsic frequencies. The goal of this clinical study was to compare the accuracy of left ventricular ejection fraction derived from intrinsic frequencies noninvasively versus left ventricular ejection fraction obtained with cardiac MRI, the most accurate method for left ventricular ejection fraction measurement. After informed consent, in one visit, subjects underwent cardiac MRI examination and noninvasive capture of a carotid waveform using an iPhone camera (The waveform is captured using a custom app that constructs the waveform from skin displacement images during the cardiac cycle.). The waveform was analyzed using intrinsic frequency algorithm. Outpatient MRI facility. Adults able to undergo MRI were referred by local physicians or self-referred in response to local advertisement and included patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction diagnosed by a cardiologist. Standard cardiac MRI sequences were used, with periodic breath holding for image stabilization. To minimize motion artifact, the iPhone camera was held in a cradle over the carotid artery during iPhone measurements. Regardless of neck morphology, carotid waveforms were captured in all subjects, within seconds to minutes. Seventy-two patients were studied, ranging in age from 20 to 92 years old. The main endpoint of analysis was left ventricular ejection fraction; overall, the correlation between ejection fraction-iPhone and ejection fraction-MRI was 0.74 (r = 0.74; p < 0.0001; ejection fraction-MRI = 0.93 × [ejection fraction-iPhone] + 1.9). Analysis of carotid waveforms using intrinsic frequency methods can be used to document left ventricular ejection fraction with accuracy comparable with that of MRI. The measurements require no training to perform or interpret, no calibration, and can be repeated at the bedside to generate almost

Ejection associated injuries within the German Air Force from 1981-1997.

PubMed

Werner, U

1999-12-01

From 1981-1997 there were 86 ejections from 56 aircraft within the German Air Force. Of these, 24 accidents were associated with the F-104 Starfighter, 14 with the PA 200 Tornado, 12 from the F-4 Phantom, 5 from the Alpha Jet and 1 from a MiG 29 Fulcrum. One case involved a front seat pilot, who had already sustained fatal injuries from midair collision, being command ejected by the rear seat pilot. The remaining 85 ejections are the basis of this study. One weapons system officer died from hypothermia after landing in the sea and another from bleeding into the medulla oblongata after flailing; all other participants survived. This is an overall success rate of 97.6%. Of all 85 participants, 12 (14%) were uninjured, 41 (48.2%) were slightly injured, and 30 (35.3%) were severely injured. Typical injuries were those of the spine and lower limbs. The most common severe injury was a vertebral fracture caused by ejection acceleration. This is followed by lower limb injuries received during the parachute landing fall. At the time of ejection, all uninjured crews were flying below 3500 ft altitude and below 260 kn airspeed. Of all ejections from each aircraft type, the percentage of vertebral fractures is highest with the F-4 Phantom (31.8%), followed by the F-104 (16.6%) and the PA 200 Tornado with only 14.8%. The PA 200 is equipped with the most modern type of ejection seat of these aircraft. A conclusion of the gained data is that more modern ejection seat types provide lower injury severity but not fewer total injury numbers, and that the medical data taken during accident investigation should be taken more accurately and in a more standarized fashion to be comparable.

Relationships between egg-recognition and egg-ejection in a grasp-ejector species.

PubMed

Soler, Manuel; Ruiz-Raya, Francisco; Roncalli, Gianluca; Ibáñez-Álamo, Juan Diego

2017-01-01

Brood parasitism frequently leads to a total loss of host fitness, which selects for the evolution of defensive traits in host species. Experimental studies have demonstrated that recognition and rejection of the parasite egg is the most common and efficient defence used by host species. Egg-recognition experiments have advanced our knowledge of the evolutionary and coevolutionary implications of egg recognition and rejection. However, our understanding of the proximate mechanisms underlying both processes remains poor. Egg rejection is a complex behavioural process consisting of three stages: egg recognition, the decision whether or not to reject the putative parasitic egg and the act of ejection itself. We have used the blackbird (Turdus merula) as a model species to explore the relationship between egg recognition and the act of egg ejection. We have manipulated the two main characteristics of parasitic eggs affecting egg ejection in this grasp-ejector species: the degree of colour mimicry (mimetic and non-mimetic, which mainly affects the egg-recognition stage of the egg-rejection process) and egg size (small, medium and large, which affects the decision to eject), while maintaining a control group of non-parasitized nests. The behaviour of the female when confronted with an experimental egg was filmed using a video camera. Our results show that egg touching is an indication of egg recognition and demonstrate that blackbirds recognized (i.e., touched) non-mimetic experimental eggs significantly more than mimetic eggs. However, twenty per cent of the experimental eggs were touched but not subsequently ejected, which confirms that egg recognition does not necessarily mean egg ejection and that accepting parasitic eggs, at least sometimes, is the consequence of acceptance decisions. Regarding proximate mechanisms, our results show that the delay in egg ejection is not only due to recognition problems as usually suggested, given that experimental eggs are not

Relationships between egg-recognition and egg-ejection in a grasp-ejector species

PubMed Central

Soler, Manuel; Ruiz-Raya, Francisco; Roncalli, Gianluca; Ibáñez-Álamo, Juan Diego

2017-01-01

Brood parasitism frequently leads to a total loss of host fitness, which selects for the evolution of defensive traits in host species. Experimental studies have demonstrated that recognition and rejection of the parasite egg is the most common and efficient defence used by host species. Egg-recognition experiments have advanced our knowledge of the evolutionary and coevolutionary implications of egg recognition and rejection. However, our understanding of the proximate mechanisms underlying both processes remains poor. Egg rejection is a complex behavioural process consisting of three stages: egg recognition, the decision whether or not to reject the putative parasitic egg and the act of ejection itself. We have used the blackbird (Turdus merula) as a model species to explore the relationship between egg recognition and the act of egg ejection. We have manipulated the two main characteristics of parasitic eggs affecting egg ejection in this grasp-ejector species: the degree of colour mimicry (mimetic and non-mimetic, which mainly affects the egg-recognition stage of the egg-rejection process) and egg size (small, medium and large, which affects the decision to eject), while maintaining a control group of non-parasitized nests. The behaviour of the female when confronted with an experimental egg was filmed using a video camera. Our results show that egg touching is an indication of egg recognition and demonstrate that blackbirds recognized (i.e., touched) non-mimetic experimental eggs significantly more than mimetic eggs. However, twenty per cent of the experimental eggs were touched but not subsequently ejected, which confirms that egg recognition does not necessarily mean egg ejection and that accepting parasitic eggs, at least sometimes, is the consequence of acceptance decisions. Regarding proximate mechanisms, our results show that the delay in egg ejection is not only due to recognition problems as usually suggested, given that experimental eggs are not

Kinetic Properties of an Interplanetary Shock Propagating inside a Coronal Mass Ejection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Mingzhe; Liu, Ying D.; Yang, Zhongwei; Wilson, L. B., III; Hu, Huidong

2018-05-01

We investigate the kinetic properties of a typical fast-mode shock inside an interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) observed on 1998 August 6 at 1 au, including particle distributions and wave analysis with the in situ measurements from Wind. Key results are obtained concerning the shock and the shock–ICME interaction at kinetic scales: (1) gyrating ions, which may provide energy dissipation at the shock in addition to wave-particle interactions, are observed around the shock ramp; (2) despite the enhanced proton temperature anisotropy of the shocked plasma, the low plasma β inside the ICME constrains the shocked plasma under the thresholds of the ion cyclotron and mirror-mode instabilities; (3) whistler heat flux instabilities, which can pitch-angle scatter halo electrons through a cyclotron resonance, are observed around the shock, and can explain the disappearance of bi-directional electrons (BDEs) inside the ICME together with normal betatron acceleration; (4) whistler waves near the shock are likely associated with the whistler heat flux instabilities excited at the shock ramp, which is consistent with the result that the waves may originate from the shock ramp; (5) the whistlers share a similar characteristic with the shocklet whistlers observed by Wilson et al., providing possible evidence that the shock is decaying because of the strong magnetic field inside the ICME.

Process to make core-shell structured nanoparticles

DOEpatents

Luhrs, Claudia; Phillips, Jonathan; Richard, Monique N

2014-01-07

Disclosed is a process for making a composite material that contains core-shell structured nanoparticles. The process includes providing a precursor in the form of a powder a liquid and/or a vapor of a liquid that contains a core material and a shell material, and suspending the precursor in an aerosol gas to produce an aerosol containing the precursor. In addition, the process includes providing a plasma that has a hot zone and passing the aerosol through the hot zone of the plasma. As the aerosol passes through the hot zone of the plasma, at least part of the core material and at least part of the shell material in the aerosol is vaporized. Vapor that contains the core material and the shell material that has been vaporized is removed from the hot zone of the plasma and allowed to condense into core-shell structured nanoparticles.

Spinal injury after ejection in jet pilots: mechanism, diagnosis, followup, and prevention.

PubMed

Rotondo, G

1975-06-01

In order to contribute to the study of spinal injury after ejection., the author analyzed the results of 100 cases of ejections carried out by military and civil Italian jet pilots in a period of 20 years. Of this group, 47 successfully ejected from aircraft without injury; 11 ejections proved fatal. The remaining 42 pilots sutained vertebral fractures, while 27 sustained other traumatic injuries different from spinal fractures. There were 23 vertebral fractures in 15 pilots and the most frequently affected vertebrae were those of the thoraco-lumbar junction. Analysis was make of the pathology, the clinical and radiological profiles, the therapeutic treatment, and the relative aeromedico-legal aspects concerning the temporary unfitness for flying or permanent grounding of the personnel as well as the possible prevention of spinal injury after ejection

On the Mechanism of In Nanoparticle Formation by Exposing ITO Thin Films to Hydrogen Plasmas.

PubMed

Fan, Zheng; Maurice, Jean-Luc; Chen, Wanghua; Guilet, Stéphane; Cambril, Edmond; Lafosse, Xavier; Couraud, Laurent; Merghem, Kamel; Yu, Linwei; Bouchoule, Sophie; Roca I Cabarrocas, Pere

2017-10-31

We present our systematic work on the in situ generation of In nanoparticles (NPs) from the reduction of ITO thin films by hydrogen (H 2 ) plasma exposure. In contrast to NP deposition from the vapor phase (i.e., evaporation), the ITO surface can be considered to be a solid reservoir of In atoms thanks to H 2 plasma reduction. On one hand, below the In melting temperature, solid In NP formation is governed by the island-growth mode, which is a self-limiting process because the H 2 plasma/ITO interaction will be gradually eliminated by the growing In NPs that cover the ITO surface. On the other hand, we show that above the melting temperature In droplets prefer to grow along the grain boundaries on the ITO surface and dramatic coalescence occurs when the growing NPs connect with each other. This growth-connection-coalescence behavior is even strengthened on In/ITO bilayers, where In particles larger than 10 μm can be formed, which are made of evaporated In atoms and in situ released ones. Thanks to this understanding, we manage to disperse dense evaporated In NPs under H 2 plasma exposure when inserting an ITO layer between them and substrate like c-Si wafer or glass by modifying the substrate surface chemistry. Further studies are needed for more precise control of this self-assembling method. We expect that our findings are not limited to ITO thin films but could be applicable to various metal NPs generation from the corresponding metal oxide thin films.

Interference patterns in the Spacelab 2 plasma wave data - Oblique electrostatic waves generated by the electron beam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Feng, Wei; Gurnett, Donald A.; Cairns, Iver H.

1992-01-01

During the Spacelab 2 mission the University of Iowa's Plasma Diagnostics Package (PDP) explored the plasma environment around the shuttle. Wideband spectrograms of plasma waves were obtained from the PDP at frequencies of 0-30 kHz and at distances up to 400 m from the shuttle. Strong low-frequency (below 10 kHz) electric field noise was observed in the wideband data during two periods in which an electron beam was ejected from the shuttle. This noise shows clear evidence of interference patterns caused by the finite (3.89 m) antenna length. The low-frequency noise was the most dominant type of noise produced by the ejected electron beam. Analysis of antenna interference patterns generated by these waves permits a determination of the wavelength, the direction of propagation, and the location of the source region. The observed waves have a linear dispersion relation very similar to that of ion acoustic waves. The waves are believed to be oblique ion acoustic or high-order ion cyclotron waves generated by a current of ambient electrons returning to the shuttle in response to the ejected electron beam.

Physics of Self-Field-Dominated Plasmas.

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-03-31

plasma focus machines (APF) for different optimal levels of discharge feeding energy W, in particular for APF-20O (W <or = 200 kJ) and APF-50 (W <or= 50 kJ). The function of these APF systems was to determine, along with the data of smaller machines, the scaling laws of the emission (fluence) of ion and ion cluster beams as a function of W, ejected from the self field dominated plasma of the APF pinch. Typical ion spectra from a Thomson (parabola) spectrometer in the 80 deg direction from the electrode/pinch axis are also included

Some Research Centers for Plasma Physics and Solid State Physics in the Netherlands and Belgium. Part II. Belgium,

DTIC Science & Technology

plasma column and observed the interesting phenomenon of plasma ejection. At FUB, Balescu and Prigogine direct a group of sixty theoreticians doing...outstanding work in statistical physics. Balescu is writing another graduate textbook on non-equilibrium statistical mechanics. He is tackling the

Capstan Friction Model for DNA Ejection from Bacteriophages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosal, Sandip

2012-12-01

Bacteriophages infect cells by attaching to the outer membrane and injecting their DNA into the cell. The phage DNA is then transcribed by the cell’s transcription machinery. A number of physical mechanisms by which DNA can be translocated from the phage capsid into the cell have been identified. A fast ejection driven by the elastic and electrostatic potential energy of the compacted DNA within the viral capsid appears to be used by most phages, at least to initiate infection. In recent in vitro experiments, the speed of DNA translocation from a λ phage capsid has been measured as a function of ejected length over the entire duration of the event. Here, a mechanical model is proposed that is able to explain the observed dependence of exit velocity on ejected length, and that is also consistent with the accepted picture of the geometric arrangement of DNA within the viral capsid.

Report of ejections in the Spanish Air Force, 1979-1995: an epidemiological and comparative study.

PubMed

Moreno Vázquez, J M; Durán Tejeda, M R; García Alcón, J L

1999-07-01

Ejection seats have saved many lives with more than 80% of pilots having survived an ejection. Nevertheless, ejection injuries are seen in all modern air forces. An epidemiological study has been carried out on the 48 ejections made by the Spanish Air Force (SpAF) from 1979-1995. From data facilitated by the Flight Safety Section of the SpAF Staff, by the Flight Safety Section of Squadrons, and from personal reports of pilots who survived ejections a form was created. Relationships between data concerning aeronautical parameters, pilot data and injuries have been found, and a comparative study was made between these results and data shown by air forces of other countries. Of 48 pilots who ejected, 7 died, 25 had severe injuries, 11 had minor injuries and 5 had no injuries. The reason for the ejections included 35 cases of technical failure, and 13 cases of human error. Of 43 surviving pilots, 23 were injured only at the egress phase, 1 1 only at landing, and 9 cases at both moments. None of the five pilots who ejected outside the ejection envelope were able to adopt the correct position. However, of 43 pilots who ejected within the envelope, 19 were seated in good position. Of 13 pilots who maintained control of the airplane, 9 were able to adopt a correct position. Of 35 pilots who effected the ejection without control of the aircraft, 25 were not able to achieve a correct seated position. The pilot position in the ejection seat, plane control, ejection inside the envelope, the pilot's training in how to assume the necessary body position at both egress and landing phases are determining factors for successful ejections.

Improved Measurement of Ejection Velocities From Craters Formed in Sand

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cintala, Mark J.; Byers, Terry; Cardenas, Francisco; Montes, Roland; Potter, Elliot E.

2014-01-01

A typical impact crater is formed by two major processes: compression of the target (essentially equivalent to a footprint in soil) and ejection of material. The Ejection-Velocity Measurement System (EVMS) in the Experimental Impact Laboratory has been used to study ejection velocities from impact craters formed in sand since the late 1990s. The original system used an early-generation Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) camera; custom-written software; and a complex, multicomponent optical system to direct laser light for illumination. Unfortunately, the electronic equipment was overtaken by age, and the software became obsolete in light of improved computer hardware.

Photocatalytic activity of silver oxide capped Ag nanoparticles constructed by air plasma irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Yingcui; Wu, Qingmeng; Li, Huanhuan; Zhang, Bing; Yan, Rong; Chen, Junling; Sun, Mengtao

2018-04-01

We construct a kind of structure of silver oxide capped silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) by cost-efficient air plasma irradiation, and study its visible-light driven photocatalytic activity (PA). By controlling the oxidization time, the relationship between the intensity of the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and the PA is well established. The PA reaches the maximum when the LSPR of AgNPs is nearly completely damped (according to absorption spectra); however, under this condition, the LSPR still works, confirmed with the high efficient selective transformation of p-Aminothiophenol (PATP) to p, p'-dimercaptoazobenzene (DMAB) under visible light. The mechanism of the LSPR damping induced PA improvement is discussed. We not only provide a cost-efficient approach to construct a LSPR strong damping structure but also promote the understanding of LSPR strong damping and its relationship with photocatalysis.

Faraday Rotation as a Probe of Coronal Mass Ejections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kooi, J. E.; Spangler, S. R.; Kassim, N. E.

2016-12-01

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are large-scale eruptions of plasma from the Sun that play an important role in space weather. Although CMEs have been an active field of research since their discovery in the 1970s, there is still much to understand about the plasma structure of CMEs. Faraday rotation (FR) is the rotation of the plane of polarization that results when a linearly polarized signal passes through a magnetized plasma such as a CME. FR observations of a source near the Sun can provide information on the plasma structure of a CME shortly after launch. We made sensitive Very Large Array (VLA) full-polarization observations in August, 2012, using 1 — 2 GHz frequencies of a "constellation" of radio sources through the solar corona at heliocentric distances that ranged from 6 — 15 solar radii. Of the nine sources observed, three were occulted by CMEs. In addition to our radioastronomical observations, which represent one of the first active hunts for CME Faraday rotation since Bird et al. (1985) and the first active hunt using the VLA, we obtained white-light coronagraph images from the LASCO/C3 instrument to determine the Thomson scattering brightness, BT, providing a means to independently estimate the plasma density and determine its contribution to the observed Faraday rotation. A constant density force-free flux rope embedded in the background corona was used to model the effects of the CMEs on BT and FR. The single flux rope model successfully reproduces the observed BT and FR profiles for two sources. The third source (0843+1547) was occulted by two CMEs and, therefore, we modeled observations of this source using two flux ropes embedded in the background corona. The two flux rope model successfully reproduces both BT and FR profiles for 0843+1547 and, in particular, the two flux rope model successfully replicates the appropriate slope in FR before and after occultation by the second CME and predicts the observed change in sign to FR > 0 at the end

Mapping of native inorganic elements and injected nanoparticles in a biological organ with laser-induced plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Motto-Ros, V.; Sancey, L.; Ma, Q. L.; Lux, F.; Bai, X. S.; Wang, X. C.; Yu, Jin; Panczer, G.; Tillement, O.

2012-11-01

Emission spectroscopy of laser-induced plasma from a thin section of mouse kidney successfully detected inorganic elements, Na, Ca, Cu, and Gd, naturally contained in the organ or artificially injected in the form of Gd-based nanoparticle. A two-dimensional scan of the sample allowed the laser beam to explore its surface with a resolution of 100 μm, resulting in a quantitative elemental mapping of the organ with sub-mM sensitivity. The compatibility of the setup with standard optical microscopy emphasizes the potential to provide multiple images of a same biological tissue with different types of response which can be elemental, molecular, or cellular.

Excitation of the lower oblique resonance by an artificial plasma jet in the ionosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thiel, J.; Storey, L. R. O.; Bauer, O. H.; Jones, D.

1984-04-01

Aboard the Porcupine rockets, bursts of noise were detected in the electron whistler range during the operation of a xenon plasma gun on a package ejected from the main payload. These observations can be interpreted in terms of excitation of the lower oblique resonance by instabilities associated with the motion of the xenon ion beam through the ionospheric plasma.

Nest sanitation does not elicit egg ejection in a brown-headed cowbird host.

PubMed

Peer, Brian D

2017-03-01

Most passerine birds practice nest sanitation whereby they remove debris from their nest. Nest sanitation has been posited as a pre-adaptation for egg ejection by hosts of avian brood parasites. However, relatively few North American hosts of the brood parasitic brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) eject cowbird eggs to the detriment of their fitness. In this study, I added either a piece of flagging tape or a pine cone bract scale along with an artificial cowbird egg to nests of the red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) to determine whether the act of nest sanitation would elicit egg ejection. All red-winged blackbirds removed the debris within 24 h, but all individuals also accepted the cowbird eggs and this rate of ejection did not differ from that in nests that only received a cowbird egg. While nest cleaning and egg ejection are similar mechanically, they differ cognitively and egg ejection is not elicited in red-winged blackbirds during the act of removing debris from their nests.

Ejection of a rear facing, golf cart passenger.

PubMed

Schau, Kyle; Masory, Oren

2013-10-01

The following report details the findings of a series of experiments and simulations performed on a commercially available, shuttle style golf cart during several maneuvers involving rapid accelerations of the vehicle. It is determined that the current set of passive restraints on these types of golf carts are not adequate in preventing ejection of a rear facing passenger during rapid accelerations in the forward and lateral directions. Experimental data and simulations show that a hip restraint must be a minimum of 13 in. above the seat in order to secure a rear facing passenger during sharp turns, compared to the current restraint height of 5 in. Furthermore, it is determined that a restraint directly in front of the rear facing passenger is necessary to prevent ejection. In addressing these issues, golf cart manufacturers could greatly reduce the likelihood of injury due to ejection of a rear facing, golf cart passenger. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fluctuation Pressure Assisted Ejection of DNA From Bacteriophage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harrison, Michael J.

2011-03-01

The role of thermal pressure fluctuations excited within tightly packaged DNA while it is ejected from protein capsid shells is discussed in a model calculation. At equilibrium before ejection we assume the DNA is folded many times into a bundle of parallel segments that forms an equilibrium conformation at minimum free energy, which presses tightly against capsid walls. Using a canonical ensemble at temperature T we calculate internal pressure fluctuations against a slowly moving or static capsid mantle for an elastic continuum model of the folded DNA bundle. It is found that fluctuating pressures on the capsid from thermal excitation of longitudinal acoustic vibrations in the bundle whose wavelengths are exceeded by the bend persistence length may have root-mean-square values that are several tens of atmospheres for typically small phage dimensions. Comparisons are given with measured data on three mutants of lambda phage with different base pair lengths and total genome ejection pressures.

Gold nano-particle formation from crystalline AuCN: Comparison of thermal, plasma- and ion-beam activated decomposition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beck, Mihály T.; Bertóti, Imre, E-mail: bertoti.imre@ttk.mta.hu; Mohai, Miklós

In this work, in addition to the conventional thermal process, two non-conventional ways, the plasma and ion beam activations are described for preparing gold nanoparticles from microcrystalline AuCN precursor. The phase formation at plasma and ion beam treatments was compared with that at thermal treatments and the products and transformations were characterized by thermogravimetry-mass-spectrometry (TG-MS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TG-MS measurements in Ar atmosphere revealed that AuCN decomposition starts at 400 °C and completes at ≈700 °C with evolution of gaseous (CN){sub 2}. XPS and TEM show that in heat treatment at 450 °C formore » 1 h in Ar, loss of nitrogen and carbon occurs and small, 5–30 nm gold particles forms. Heating at 450 °C for 10 h in sealed ampoule, much larger, 60–200 nm size and well faceted Au particles develop together with a fibrous (CN){sub n} polymer phase, and the Au crystallites are covered by a 3–5 nm thick polymer shell. Low pressure Ar plasma treatment at 300 eV energy results in 4–20 nm size Au particles and removes most of the nitrogen and part of carbon. During Ar{sup +} ion bombardment with 2500 eV energy, 5–30 nm size Au crystallites form already in 10 min, with preferential loss of nitrogen and with increased amount of carbon residue. The results suggest that plasma and ion beam activation, acting similarly to thermal treatment, may be used to prepare Au nanoparticles from AuCN on selected surface areas either by depositing AuCN precursors on selected regions or by focusing the applied ionized radiation. Thus they may offer alternative ways for preparing tailor-made catalysts, electronic devices and sensors for different applications. - Graphical abstract: Proposed scheme of the decomposition mechanism of AuCN samples: heat treatment in Ar flow (a) and in sealed ampoule (b); Ar{sup +} ion treatment at 300 eV (c) and at 2500 eV (d). Cross section

Hyperdynamic left ventricular ejection fraction in the intensive care unit.

PubMed

Paonessa, Joseph R; Brennan, Thomas; Pimentel, Marco; Steinhaus, Daniel; Feng, Mengling; Celi, Leo Anthony

2015-08-07

Limited information exists on the etiology, prevalence, and significance of hyperdynamic left ventricular ejection fraction (HDLVEF) in the intensive care unit (ICU). Our aim in the present study was to compare characteristics and outcomes of patients with HDLVEF with those of patients with normal left ventricular ejection fraction in the ICU using a large, public, deidentified critical care database. We conducted a longitudinal, single-center, retrospective cohort study of adult patients who underwent echocardiography during a medical or surgical ICU admission at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center using the Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care II database. The final cohort had 2867 patients, of whom 324 had HDLVEF, defined as an ejection fraction >70%. Patients with an ejection fraction <55% were excluded. Compared with critically ill patients with normal left ventricular ejection fraction, the finding of HDLVEF in critically ill patients was associated with female sex, increased age, and the diagnoses of hypertension and cancer. Patients with HDLVEF had increased 28-day mortality compared with those with normal ejection fraction in multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, Elixhauser score for comorbidities, vasopressor use, and mechanical ventilation use (odds ratio 1.38, 95% confidence interval 1.039-1.842, p =0.02). The presence of HDLVEF portended increased 28-day mortality, and may be helpful as a gravity marker for prognosis in patients admitted to the ICU. Further research is warranted to gain a better understanding of how these patients respond to common interventions in the ICU and to determine if pharmacologic modulation of HDLVEF improves outcomes.

Ring and plasma - The enigmae of Enceladus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haff, P. K.; Siscoe, G. L.; Eviatar, A.

1983-01-01

The E ring associated with the Kronian moon Enceladus has a lifetime of only a few thousand years against sputtering by slow corotating O ions. The existence of the ring implies the necessity for a continuous supply of matter. Possible particle source mechanisms on Enceladus include meteoroidal impact ejection and geysering. Estimates of ejection rates of particulate debris following small meteoroid impact are on the order of 3 x 10 to the -18th g/(sq cm sec), more than an order of magnitude too small to sustain the ring. A geyser source would need to generate a droplet supply at a rate of approximately 10 to the -16th g/(sq cm sec) in order to account for a stable ring. Enceladus and the ring particles also directly supply both plasma and vapor to space via sputtering. The absence of a 60 eV plasma at the Voyager 2 Enceladus L-shell crossing, such as might have been expected from sputtering, cannot be explained by absorption and moderation of plasma ions by ring particles, because the ring is too diffuse. Evidently, the effective sputtering yield in the vicinity of Enceladus is on the order of, or smaller than, 0.4, about an order of magnitude less than te calculated value. Small scale surface roughness may account for some of this discrepancy.

Do we understand coronal mass ejections yet?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hildner, Ernest

1986-01-01

Though many more coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were observed, and though much more has been learned about them during the Solar Maximum Analysis period, they are not yet fully understood. A few recent observational results are reviewed; conclusions and implications drawn from these observations are presented. An emerging picture of the magnetic character of CMEs is sketched; the variations of CMEs' frequency and latitudes over most of a solar cycle are shown. A strong caution about the present lack of concensus on the definition of CMEs is illustrated with examples of the consequences of using different definitions. Finally, some remaining questions about coronal mass ejections are posed.

Characterization of Dust-Plasma Interactions In Non-Thermal Plasmas Under Low Pressure and the Atmospheric Pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bilik, Narula

This dissertation research focuses on the experimental characterization of dust-plasma interactions at both low and atmospheric pressure. Its goal is to fill the knowledge gaps in (1) the fundamental research of low pressure dusty plasma electrons, which mainly relied on models with few experimental results; and (2) the nanoparticle synthesis process in atmospheric pressure uniform glow plasmas (APGDs), which is largely unexplored in spite of the economical advantage of APGDs in nanotechnology. The low pressure part of the dissertation research involves the development of a complete diagnostic process for an argon-siline capacitively-coupled RF plasma. The central part of the diagnostic process is the Langmuir probe measurement of the electron energy probability function (EEPF) in a dusty plasma, which has never been measured before. This is because the dust particles in the plasma cause severe probe surface contamination and consequently distort the measurement. This problem is solved by adding a solenoid-actuated shield structure to the Langmuir probe, which physically protects the Langmuir probe from the dust particle deposition to ensure reliable EEPF measurements. The dusty plasma EEPFs are characterized by lower electron density and higher electron temperature accompanied by a drop in the low energy electron population. The Langmuir probe measurement is complemented with other characterizations including the capacitive probe measurement, power measurement, and dust particle collection. The complete diagnostic process then gives a set of local plasma parameters as well as the details of the dust-electron interactions reflected in the EEPFs. This set of data serves as input for an analytical model of nanoparticle charging to yield the time evolution of nanoparticle size and charge in the dusty plasma. The atmospheric pressure part of the dissertation focuses on the design and development of an APGD for zinc oxide nanocrystal synthesis. One of the main

Collisionless Coupling between Explosive Debris Plasma and Magnetized Ambient Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bondarenko, Anton

2016-10-01

The explosive expansion of a dense debris plasma cloud into relatively tenuous, magnetized, ambient plasma characterizes a wide variety of astrophysical and space phenomena, including supernova remnants, interplanetary coronal mass ejections, and ionospheric explosions. In these rarified environments, collective electromagnetic processes rather than Coulomb collisions typically mediate the transfer of momentum and energy from the debris plasma to the ambient plasma. In an effort to better understand the detailed physics of collisionless coupling mechanisms in a reproducible laboratory setting, the present research jointly utilizes the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) and the Phoenix laser facility at UCLA to study the super-Alfvénic, quasi-perpendicular expansion of laser-produced carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) debris plasma through preformed, magnetized helium (He) ambient plasma via a variety of diagnostics, including emission spectroscopy, wavelength-filtered imaging, and magnetic field induction probes. Large Doppler shifts detected in a He II ion spectral line directly indicate initial ambient ion acceleration transverse to both the debris plasma flow and the background magnetic field, indicative of a fundamental process known as Larmor coupling. Characterization of the laser-produced debris plasma via a radiation-hydrodynamics code permits an explicit calculation of the laminar electric field in the framework of a ``hybrid'' model (kinetic ions, charge-neutralizing massless fluid electrons), thus allowing for a simulation of the initial response of a distribution of He II test ions. A synthetic Doppler-shifted spectrum constructed from the simulated velocity distribution of the accelerated test ions excellently reproduces the spectroscopic measurements, confirming the role of Larmor coupling in the debris-ambient interaction.

Energetics of genome ejection from phage revealed by isothermal titration calorimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeembaeva, Meerim; Jonsson, Bengt; Castelnovo, Martin; Evilevitch, Alex

2009-03-01

It has been experimentally shown that ejection of double-stranded DNA from phage is driven by internal pressure reaching tens of atmospheres. This internal pressure is partially responsible for delivery of DNA into the host cell. While several theoretical models and simulations nicely describe the experimental data of internal forces either resisting active packaging or equivalently favoring spontaneous ejection, there are no direct energy measurements available that would help to verify how quantitative these theories are. We performed direct measurements of the enthalpy responsible for DNA ejection from phage λ, using Isothermal Titration Calorimetry. The phage capsids were ``opened'' in vitro by titrating λ into a solution with LamB receptor and the enthalpy of DNA ejection process was measured. In his way, enthalpy stored in λ was determined as a function of packaged DNA length comparing wild-type phage λ (48.5 kb) with a shorter λ-DNA length mutant (37.7 kb). The temperature dependence of the ejection enthalpy was also investigated. The values obtained were in good agreement with existing models and provide a better understanding of ds- DNA packaging and release mechanisms in motor-packaged viruses (e.g., tailed bacteriophages, Herpes Simplex, and adenoviruses).

Protein corona formation in bronchoalveolar fluid enhances diesel exhaust nanoparticle uptake and pro-inflammatory responses in macrophages.

PubMed

Shaw, Catherine A; Mortimer, Gysell M; Deng, Zhou J; Carter, Edwin S; Connell, Shea P; Miller, Mark R; Duffin, Rodger; Newby, David E; Hadoke, Patrick W F; Minchin, Rodney F

2016-09-01

In biological fluids nanoparticles bind a range of molecules, particularly proteins, on their surface. The resulting protein corona influences biological activity and fate of nanoparticle in vivo. Corona composition is often determined by the biological milieu encountered at the entry portal into the body, and, can therefore, depend on the route of exposure to the nanoparticle. For environmental nanoparticles where exposure is by inhalation, this will be lung lining fluid. This study examined plasma and bronchoalveolar fluid (BALF) protein binding to engineered and environmental nanoparticles. We hypothesized that protein corona on nanoparticles would influence nanoparticle uptake and subsequent pro-inflammatory biological response in macrophages. All nanoparticles bound plasma and BALF proteins, but the profile of bound proteins varied between nanoparticles. Focusing on diesel exhaust nanoparticles (DENP), we identified proteins bound from plasma to include fibrinogen, and those bound from BALF to include albumin and surfactant proteins A and D. The presence on DENP of a plasma-derived corona or one of purified fibrinogen failed to evoke an inflammatory response in macrophages. However, coronae formed in BALF increased DENP uptake into macrophages two fold, and increased nanoparticulate carbon black (NanoCB) uptake fivefold. Furthermore, a BALF-derived corona increased IL-8 release from macrophages in response to DENP from 1720 ± 850 pg/mL to 5560 ± 1380 pg/mL (p = 0.014). These results demonstrate that the unique protein corona formed on nanoparticles plays an important role in determining biological reactivity and fate of nanoparticle in vivo. Importantly, these findings have implications for the mechanism of detrimental properties of environmental nanoparticles since the principle route of exposure to such particles is via the lung.

Ejected Particle Size Distributions from Shocked Metal Surfaces

DOE PAGES

Schauer, M. M.; Buttler, W. T.; Frayer, D. K.; ...

2017-04-12

Here, we present size distributions for particles ejected from features machined onto the surface of shocked Sn targets. The functional form of the size distributions is assumed to be log-normal, and the characteristic parameters of the distribution are extracted from the measured angular distribution of light scattered from a laser beam incident on the ejected particles. We also found strong evidence for a bimodal distribution of particle sizes with smaller particles evolved from features machined into the target surface and larger particles being produced at the edges of these features.

Ejected Particle Size Distributions from Shocked Metal Surfaces

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schauer, M. M.; Buttler, W. T.; Frayer, D. K.

Here, we present size distributions for particles ejected from features machined onto the surface of shocked Sn targets. The functional form of the size distributions is assumed to be log-normal, and the characteristic parameters of the distribution are extracted from the measured angular distribution of light scattered from a laser beam incident on the ejected particles. We also found strong evidence for a bimodal distribution of particle sizes with smaller particles evolved from features machined into the target surface and larger particles being produced at the edges of these features.

Mortality associated with heart failure with preserved vs. reduced ejection fraction in a prospective international multi-ethnic cohort study.

PubMed

Lam, Carolyn S P; Gamble, Greg D; Ling, Lieng H; Sim, David; Leong, Kui Toh Gerard; Yeo, Poh Shuan Daniel; Ong, Hean Yee; Jaufeerally, Fazlur; Ng, Tze P; Cameron, Vicky A; Poppe, Katrina; Lund, Mayanna; Devlin, Gerry; Troughton, Richard; Richards, A Mark; Doughty, Robert N

2018-05-21

Whether prevalence and mortality of patients with heart failure with preserved or mid-range (40-49%) ejection fraction (HFpEF and HFmREF) are similar to those of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), as reported in some epidemiologic studies, remains highly controversial. We determined and compared characteristics and outcomes for patients with HFpEF, HFmREF, and HFrEF in a prospective, international, multi-ethnic population. Prospective multi-centre longitudinal study in New Zealand (NZ) and Singapore. Patients with HF were assessed at baseline and followed over 2 years. The primary outcome was death from any cause. Secondary outcome was death and HF hospitalization. Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare outcomes for patients with HFpEF, HFmrEF, and HFrEF. Of 2039 patients enrolled, 28% had HFpEF, 13% HFmrEF, and 59% HFrEF. Compared with HFrEF, patients with HFpEF were older (62 vs. 72 years), more commonly female (17% vs. 48%), and more likely to have a history of hypertension (61% vs. 78%) but less likely to have coronary artery disease (55% vs. 41%). During 2 years of follow-up, 343 (17%) patients died. Adjusting for age, sex, and clinical risk factors, patients with HFpEF had a lower risk of death compared with those with HFrEF (hazard ratio 0.62, 95% confidence interval 0.46-0.85). Plasma (NT-proBNP) was similarly related to mortality in both HFpEF, HFmrEF, and HFrEF independent of the co-variates listed and of ejection fraction. Results were similar for the composite endpoint of death or HF and were consistent between Singapore and NZ. These prospective multinational data showed that the prevalence of HFpEF within the HF population was lower than HFrEF. Death rate was comparable in HFpEF and HFmrEF and lower than in HFrEF. Plasma levels of NT-proBNP were independently and similarly predictive of death in the three HF phenotypes. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (ACTRN12610000374066).

Pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution, and excretion of zinc oxide nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Baek, Miri; Chung, Hae-Eun; Yu, Jin; Lee, Jung-A; Kim, Tae-Hyun; Oh, Jae-Min; Lee, Won-Jae; Paek, Seung-Min; Lee, Jong Kwon; Jeong, Jayoung; Choy, Jin-Ho; Choi, Soo-Jin

2012-01-01

Background This study explored the pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution, and excretion profile of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles with respect to their particle size in rats. Methods Two ZnO nanoparticles of different size (20 nm and 70 nm) were orally administered to male and female rats, respectively. The area under the plasma concentration-time curve, tissue distribution, excretion, and the fate of the nanoparticles in organs were analyzed. Results The plasma zinc concentration of both sizes of ZnO nanoparticles increased during the 24 hours after administration in a dose-dependent manner. They were mainly distributed to organs such as the liver, lung, and kidney within 72 hours without any significant difference being found according to particle size or rat gender. Elimination kinetics showed that a small amount of ZnO nanoparticles was excreted via the urine, while most of nanoparticles were excreted via the feces. Transmission electron microscopy and x-ray absorption spectroscopy studies in the tissues showed no noticeable ZnO nanoparticles, while new Zn-S bonds were observed in tissues. Conclusion ZnO nanoparticles of different size were not easily absorbed into the bloodstream via the gastrointestinal tract after a single oral dose. The liver, lung, and kidney could be possible target organs for accumulation and toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles was independent of particle size or gender. ZnO nanoparticles appear to be absorbed in the organs in an ionic form rather than in a particulate form due to newly formed Zn-S bonds. The nanoparticles were mainly excreted via the feces, and smaller particles were cleared more rapidly than the larger ones. ZnO nanoparticles at a concentration below 300 mg/kg were distributed in tissues and excreted within 24 hours. These findings provide crucial information on possible acute and chronic toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles in potential target organs. PMID:22811602

Plasma jet ignition device

DOEpatents

McIlwain, Michael E.; Grant, Jonathan F.; Golenko, Zsolt; Wittstein, Alan D.

1985-01-15

An ignition device of the plasma jet type is disclosed. The device has a cylindrical cavity formed in insulating material with an electrode at one end. The other end of the cylindrical cavity is closed by a metal plate with a small orifice in the center which plate serves as a second electrode. An arc jumping between the first electrode and the orifice plate causes the formation of a highly-ionized plasma in the cavity which is ejected through the orifice into the engine cylinder area to ignite the main fuel mixture. Two improvements are disclosed to enhance the operation of the device and the length of the plasma plume. One improvement is a metal hydride ring which is inserted in the cavity next to the first electrode. During operation, the high temperature in the cavity and the highly excited nature of the plasma breaks down the metal hydride, liberating hydrogen which acts as an additional fuel to help plasma formation. A second improvement consists of a cavity insert containing a plurality of spaced, metal rings. The rings act as secondary spark gap electrodes reducing the voltage needed to maintain the initial arc in the cavity.

Magazine Influence on Cartridge Case Ejection Patterns with Glock Pistols.

PubMed

Kerkhoff, Wim; Alberink, Ivo; Mattijssen, Erwin J A T

2018-01-01

In this study, the cartridge case ejection patterns of six different Glock model pistols (one specimen per model) were compared under three conditions: firing with a loaded magazine, an empty magazine, and without magazine. The distances, covered by the ejected cartridge cases given these three conditions, were compared for each of the six models. A significant difference was found between the groups of data for each of the tested specimens. This indicates that it is important that, to reconstruct a shooting scene incident based on the ejection patterns of a pistol, test shots are fired with the same pistol type and under the correct magazine condition. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Enhancement of Quasistationary Shocks and Heating via Temporal Staging in a Magnetized Laser-Plasma Jet

DOE PAGES

Higginson, D. P.; Khiar, B.; Revet, G.; ...

2017-12-22

Here, we investigate the formation of a laser-produced magnetized jet under conditions of a varying mass ejection rate and a varying divergence of the ejected plasma flow. This is done by irradiating a solid target placed in a 20 T magnetic field with, first, a collinear precursor laser pulse (10 12 W/cm 2) and, then, a main pulse (10 13 W/cm 2) arriving 9–19 ns later. Varying the time delay between the two pulses is found to control the divergence of the expanding plasma, which is shown to increase the strength of and heating in the conical shock that ismore » responsible for jet collimation. These results show that plasma collimation due to shocks against a strong magnetic field can lead to stable, astrophysically relevant jets that are sustained over time scales 100 times the laser pulse duration (i.e., >70 ns), even in the case of strong variability at the source.« less

Synthesis of antibacterial surfaces by plasma grafting of zinc oxide based nanocomposites onto polypropylene.

PubMed

de Rancourt, Yoann; Couturaud, Benoit; Mas, André; Robin, Jean Jacques

2013-07-15

Antibacterial polymer surfaces were designed using ZnO nanoparticles as a bactericide. Mineral encapsulated nanoparticles were grafted onto activated polymer surfaces through their shells. Polypropylene (PP) surfaces were treated using an innovative process coupling core-shell technology and plasma grafting, well-known techniques commonly used to obtain active surfaces for biomedical applications. First, ZnO nanoparticles were encapsulated by (co)polymers: poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) or a poly(methyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) copolymer [P(MMA-MA)]. Second, PP substrates were activated using plasma treatment. Finally, plasma-treated surfaces were immersed in solutions containing the encapsulated nanoparticles dispersed in an organic solvent and allowed to graft onto it. The presence of nanoparticles on the substrates was demonstrated using Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis, Scanning Electron Microspcopy (SEM)/Energy-Dispersive X-ray (EDX), and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) studies. Indeed, the ZnO-functionalized substrates exhibited an antibacterial response in Escherichia coli adhesion tests. Moreover, this study revealed that, surprisingly, native ZnO nanoparticles without any previous functionalization could be directly grafted onto polymeric surfaces through plasma activation. The antibacterial activity of the resulting sample was shown to be comparable to that of the other samples. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reconstructing the Morphology of an Evolving Coronal Mass Ejection

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

694, 707 Wood, B. E., Howard, R. A ., Thernisien, A ., Plunkett, S. P., & Socker, D. G. 2009b, Sol. Phys., 259, 163 Wood, B. E., Karovska , M., Chen, J...Reconstructing the Morphology of an Evolving Coronal Mass Ejection B. E. Wood, R. A . Howard, D. G. Socker Naval Research Laboratory, Space Science...mission, we empirically reconstruct the time-dependent three-dimensional morphology of a coronal mass ejection (CME) from 2008 June 1, which exhibits

Lithium-ions diffusion kinetic in LiFePO4/carbon nanoparticles synthesized by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition for lithium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Chao; Zhou, Jian; Liu, Guizhen; Wang, Lin

2018-03-01

Olivine structure LiFePO4/carbon nanoparticles are synthesized successfully using a microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) method. Microwave is an effective method to synthesize nanomaterials, the LiFePO4/carbon nanoparticles with high crystallinity can shorten diffusion routes for ionic transfer and electron tunneling. Meanwhile, a high quality, complete and homogenous carbon layer with appropriate thickness coating on the surface of LiFePO4 particles during in situ chemical vapor deposition process, which can ensure that electrons are able to transfer fast enough from all sides. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is carried out to collect information about the kinetic behavior of lithium diffusion in LiFePO4/carbon nanoparticles during the charging and discharging processes. The chemical diffusion coefficients of lithium ions, DLi, are calculated in the range of 10-15-10-9 cm2s-1. Nanoscale LiFePO4/carbon particles show the longer regions of the faster solid-solution diffusion, and corresponding to the narrower region of the slower two-phase diffusion during the insertion/exaction of lithium ions. The CV and galvanostatic charge-discharge measurements show that the LiFePO4/carbon nanoparticles perform an excellent electrochemical performance, especially the high rate capacity and cycle life.

Origin of coronal mass ejection and magnetic cloud: Thermal or magnetic driven?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhang, Gong-Liang; Wang, Chi; He, Shuang-Hua

1995-01-01

A fundamental problem in Solar-Terrestrial Physics is the origin of the solar transient plasma output, which includes the coronal mass ejection and its interplanetary manifestation, e.g. the magnetic cloud. The traditional blast wave model resulted from solar thermal pressure impulse has faced with challenge during recent years. In the MHD numerical simulation study of CME, the authors find that the basic feature of the asymmetrical event on 18 August 1980 can be reproduced neither by a thermal pressure nor by a speed increment. Also, the thermal pressure model fails in simulating the interplanetary structure with low thermal pressure and strong magnetic field strength, representative of a typical magnetic cloud. Instead, the numerical simulation results are in favor of the magnetic field expansion as the likely mechanism for both the asymmetrical CME event and magnetic cloud.

Experimental comparison of forces resisting viral DNA packaging and driving DNA ejection

PubMed Central

Keller, Nicholas; Berndsen, Zachary T.; Jardine, Paul J.; Smith, Douglas E.

2018-01-01

We compare forces resisting DNA packaging in bacteriophage phi29 inferred from optical tweezers studies with forces driving DNA ejection inferred from osmotic pressure studies. Ejection forces from 0–80% filling are consistent with a model that assumes a repulsive DNA-DNA interaction potential derived from DNA condensation studies and predicts an inverse spool DNA conformation. Forces resisting packaging from ~80–100% filling are also consistent with this model. However, that electron microscopy does not reveal a spool conformation suggests that this model overestimates bending rigidity and underestimates repulsion. Below 80% filling, inferred ejection forces are higher than those resisting packaging. Although unexpected, this suggests that most force that builds during packaging is available to drive DNA ejection. PMID:28618627

Sizes and locations of coronal mass ejections - SMM observations from 1980 and 1984-1989

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hundhausen, A. J.

1993-01-01

A statistical description of the sizes and locations of 1209 mass ejections observed with the SMM coronagraph/polarimeter in 1980 and 1984-1989 is presented. The average width of the coronal mass ejections detected with this instrument was close to 40 deg in angle for the entire period of SMM observations. No evidence was found for a significant change in mass ejection widths as reported by Howard et al. (1986). There is clear evidence for changes in the latitude distribution of mass ejections over this epoch. Mass ejections occurred over a much wider range of latitudes at the times of high solar activity (1980 and 1989) than at times of low activity (1985-1986).

Analysis of Ejection in Fatal Crashes

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-11-01

Data from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) show that the : ejection rate among fatally injured passenger vehicle occupants has remained at : over 20 percent since the early 1980's. Because the risk of fatality in a crash : is over th...

Studies of limb-dislodging forces acting on an ejection seat occupant.

PubMed

Schneck, D J

1980-03-01

A mathematical theory is being developed in order to calculate the aerodynamic loading to which a pilot is exposed during high-speed ejections. Neglecting the initial effects of flow separation, results thus far indicate that a pilot's musculoskeletal system is not likely to withstand the tendency for limb-flailing if he is ejecting at Mach numbers in excess of about 0.7. This tendency depends very strongly upon the angle at which the pilot's limbs intercept a high-speed flow; the forces that cause limb dislodgement increase dramatically with speed of ejection. Examining the time-course of limb-dislodging forces after the initial onset of windblast, the theory further predicts the generation of a double vortex street pattern on the downstream side of the limbs of an ejection seat occupant. This results in the corresponding appearance of oscillating forces tending to cause lateral motion (vibration) of the limbs. The amplitude and frequency of these oscillating forces are also very dependent on the Mach number of ejection and the angle at which the pilot's limbs intercept the flow. However, even at moderate Mach numbers, the frequency can be as high as 100 cycles per second, and the amplitude rapidly exceeds a pilot's musculo-skeletal resistive powers for Mach numbers above 0.7.

Time course of pressure and flow in ascending aorta during ejection.

PubMed

Perlini, S; Soldà, P L; Piepoli, M; Calciati, A; Paro, M; Marchetti, G; Meno, F; Finardi, G; Bernardi, L

1991-02-01

To analyze aortic flow and pressure relationships, 10 closed-chest anaesthetised dogs were instrumented with electromagnetic aortic flow probes and micromanometers in the left ventricle and ascending aorta. Left ventricular ejection time was divided into: time to peak flow (T1) (both pressure and flow rising), peak flow to peak pressure time (T2) (pressure rising, flow decreasing), and peak pressure to dicrotic notch time (T3) (pressure and flow both decreasing). These time intervals were expressed as percent of total ejection time. Load-active interventions rose markedly T2 (from 4.2 +/- 5.5 to 19.4 +/- 3.5 after phenylephrine (p less than 0.02); from 4.2 +/- 6.5 to 21.2 +/- 5.3 after dextran (p less than 0.02)). Conversely, dobutamine reduced T2 from 4.4 +/- 5.9 to -2.5 +/- 6.5 (p less than 0.05). Thus, during load-active interventions aortic pressure increases for a longer T2 time although forward flow is decreasing, as a result of higher aortic elastic recoil during ejection. Conversely, beta 1-adrenergic stimulation significantly shortens T2. Dynamic pressure-flow relationship is thus continuously changing during ejection. T2 seems to be inversely related to the efficiency of left ventricular ejection dynamics.

First High-resolution Spectroscopic Observations by IRIS of a Fast, Helical Prominence Eruption Associated with a Coronal Mass Ejection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, W.; De Pontieu, B.; Okamoto, T. J.; Vial, J. C.; Title, A. M.; Antolin, P.; Berger, T. E.; Uitenbroek, H.

2014-12-01

High-resolution spectroscopic observations of prominence eruptions and associated coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are rare but can provide valuable plasma and energy diagnostics. New opportunities have recently become available with the advent of the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) mission equipped with high resolution of 0.33-0.4 arcsec in space and 1 km/s in velocity, together with the Hinode Solar Optical Telescope of 0.2 arcsec spatial resolution. We report the first result of joint IRIS-Hinode observations of a spectacular prominence eruption occurring on 2014-May-09. IRIS detected a maximum redshift of 450 km/s, which, combined with the plane-of-sky speed of 800 km/s, gives a large velocity vector of 920 km/s at 30 degrees from the sky plane. This direction agrees with the source location at 30 degrees behind the limb observed by STEREO-A and indicates a nearly vertical ejection. We found two branches of redshifts separated by 200 km/s appearing in all strong lines at chromospheric to transition-region temperatures, including Mg II k/h, C II, and Si IV, suggesting a hollow, rather than solid, cone in the velocity space of the ejected material. Opposite blue- and redshifts on the two sides of the prominence exhibit corkscrew variations both in space and time, suggestive of unwinding rotations of a left-handed helical flux rope. Some erupted material returns as nearly streamline flows, exhibiting distinctly narrow line widths (~10 km/s), about 50% of those of the nearby coronal rain at the apexes of coronal loops, where the rain material is initially formed out of cooling condensation. We estimate the mass and kinetic energy of the ejected and returning material and compare them with those of the associated CME. We will discuss the implications of these observations for CME initiation mechanisms.

Dynamics of Magnetized Plasma Jets and Bubbles Launched into a Background Magnetized Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wallace, B.; Zhang, Y.; Fisher, D. M.; Gilmore, M.

2016-10-01

The propagation of dense magnetized plasma, either collimated with mainly azimuthal B-field (jet) or toroidal with closed B-field (bubble), in a background plasma occurs in a number of solar and astrophysical cases. Such cases include coronal mass ejections moving in the background solar wind and extragalactic radio lobes expanding into the extragalactic medium. Understanding the detailed MHD behavior is crucial for correctly modeling these events. In order to further the understanding of such systems, we are investigating the injection of dense magnetized jets and bubbles into a lower density background magnetized plasma using a coaxial plasma gun and a background helicon or cathode plasma. In both jet and bubble cases, the MHD dynamics are found to be very different when launched into background plasma or magnetic field, as compared to vacuum. In the jet case, it is found that the inherent kink instability is stabilized by velocity shear developed due to added magnetic tension from the background field. In the bubble case, rather than directly relaxing to a minimum energy Taylor state (spheromak) as in vacuum, there is an expansion asymmetry and the bubble becomes Rayleigh-Taylor unstable on one side. Recent results will be presented. Work supported by the Army Research Office Award No. W911NF1510480.

Two billion years of magmatism recorded from a single Mars meteorite ejection site

PubMed Central

Lapen, Thomas J.; Righter, Minako; Andreasen, Rasmus; Irving, Anthony J.; Satkoski, Aaron M.; Beard, Brian L.; Nishiizumi, Kunihiko; Jull, A. J. Timothy; Caffee, Marc W.

2017-01-01

The timing and nature of igneous activity recorded at a single Mars ejection site can be determined from the isotope analyses of Martian meteorites. Northwest Africa (NWA) 7635 has an Sm-Nd crystallization age of 2.403 ± 0.140 billion years, and isotope data indicate that it is derived from an incompatible trace element–depleted mantle source similar to that which produced a geochemically distinct group of 327- to 574-million-year-old “depleted” shergottites. Cosmogenic nuclide data demonstrate that NWA 7635 was ejected from Mars 1.1 million years ago (Ma), as were at least 10 other depleted shergottites. The shared ejection age is consistent with a common ejection site for these meteorites. The spatial association of 327- to 2403-Ma depleted shergottites indicates >2 billion years of magmatism from a long-lived and geochemically distinct volcanic center near the ejection site. PMID:28164153

EDITORIAL: Plasmas and plasmons: links in nanosilver Plasmas and plasmons: links in nanosilver

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demming, Anna

2013-03-01

appearing in the 620-800 nm regions of the absorption spectra. A number of research groups have investigated the possibility of exploiting the plasmonic properties of silver and gold nanostructures for optoelectronic devices [7-9]. The advantages can be quite substantial. Researchers in Korea successfully used silver nanoparticles to obtain a 38% increase in performance of blue LEDs by using silver nanoparticles embedded in p-GaN [10]. The researchers attribute the improvement to an increase in the spontaneous emission rate through resonance coupling between the excitons in multiple quantum wells and localized surface plasmons in the silver nanoparticles. In their work reported in this issue Kostya Ostrikov and his co-authors bridge the link between microplasma-assisted electrochemical process parameters and the plasmonic response. As they point out, 'This is an important experimental step towards bringing together plasma chemistry and plasmonics' [1]. All-gas-phase plasma approaches have already been demonstrated for the synthesis of nanoparticles of other metals. X D Pi and colleagues from the University of Minnesota demonstrated how one simple gas-phase process could produce stable silicon nanocrystal emitters with tailored size and surface functionalization [11]. Previously silicon nanocrystals had been prone to emission instabilities in air. Now Ostrikov and colleagues at the University of Sydney, CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering in Australia and the Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas in China have studied microplasma-assisted electrochemical synthesis of Ag nanoparticles for plasmonic applications [1]. The synthesis uses moderate temperatures and atmospheric pressures and does not involve any toxic reducing agents. In addition they demonstrate how it allows control over nanoparticle size and interparticle spacing to optimize performance in device applications. Despite the overlap in plasma physics and the origins of plasmonic phenomena, studies of the

Preparation and characterization of carbon nanofluid by a plasma arc nanoparticles synthesis system

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Heat dissipation from electrical appliances is a significant issue with contemporary electrical devices. One factor in the improvement of heat dissipation is the heat transfer performance of the working fluid. In this study, we used plasma arc technology to produce a nanofluid of carbon nanoparticles dispersed in distilled water. In a one-step synthesis, carbon was simultaneously heated and vaporized in the chamber, the carbon vapor and particles were then carried to a collector, where cooling furnished the desired carbon/water nanofluid. The particle size and shape were determined using the light-scattering size analyzer, SEM, and TEM. Crystal morphology was examined by XRD. Finally, the characterization include thermal conductivity, viscosity, density and electric conductivity were evaluated by suitable instruments under different temperatures. The thermal conductivity of carbon/water nanofluid increased by about 25% at 50°C compared to distilled water. The experimental results demonstrated excellent thermal conductivity and feasibility for manufacturing of carbon/water nanofluids. PMID:21711828

Cross-field transport by instabilities and blobs in a magnetized toroidal plasma.

PubMed

Podestà, M; Fasoli, A; Labit, B; Furno, I; Ricci, P; Poli, F M; Diallo, A; Müller, S H; Theiler, C

2008-07-25

The mechanisms for anomalous transport across the magnetic field are investigated in a toroidal magnetized plasma. The role of plasma instabilities and macroscopic density structures (blobs) is discussed. Examples from a scenario with open magnetic field lines are shown. A transition from a main plasma region into a loss region is reproduced. In the main plasma, which includes particle and heat source locations, the transport is dominated by the fluctuation-induced particle and heat flux associated with a plasma instability. On the low-field side, the cross-field transport is ascribed to the intermittent ejection of macroscopic blobs propagating toward the outer wall. It is shown that instabilities and blobs represent fundamentally different mechanisms for cross-field transport.

Novel biomaterials: plasma-enabled nanostructures and functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levchenko, Igor; Keidar, Michael; Cvelbar, Uroš; Mariotti, Davide; Mai-Prochnow, Anne; Fang, Jinghua; (Ken Ostrikov, Kostya

2016-07-01

Material processing techniques utilizing low-temperature plasmas as the main process tool feature many unique capabilities for the fabrication of various nanostructured materials. As compared with the neutral-gas based techniques and methods, the plasma-based approaches offer higher levels of energy and flux controllability, often leading to higher quality of the fabricated nanomaterials and sometimes to the synthesis of the hierarchical materials with interesting properties. Among others, nanoscale biomaterials attract significant attention due to their special properties towards the biological materials (proteins, enzymes), living cells and tissues. This review briefly examines various approaches based on the use of low-temperature plasma environments to fabricate nanoscale biomaterials exhibiting high biological activity, biological inertness for drug delivery system, and other features of the biomaterials make them highly attractive. In particular, we briefly discuss the plasma-assisted fabrication of gold and silicon nanoparticles for bio-applications; carbon nanoparticles for bioimaging and cancer therapy; carbon nanotube-based platforms for enzyme production and bacteria growth control, and other applications of low-temperature plasmas in the production of biologically-active materials.

Slowing of magnetic reconnection concurrent with weakening plasma inflows and increasing collisionality in strongly-driven laser-plasma experiments

DOE PAGES

Rosenberg, M.  J.; Li, C.  K.; Fox, W.; ...

2015-05-20

An evolution of magnetic reconnection behavior, from fast jets to the slowing of reconnection and the establishment of a stable current sheet, has been observed in strongly-driven, β ≲ 20 laser-produced plasma experiments. This process has been inferred to occur alongside a slowing of plasma inflows carrying the oppositely-directed magnetic fields as well as the evolution of plasma conditions from collisionless to collisional. High-resolution proton radiography has revealed unprecedented detail of the forced interaction of magnetic fields and super-Alfvénic electron jets (V jet~ 20V A) ejected from the reconnection region, indicating that two-fluid or collisionless magnetic reconnection occurs early inmore » time. The absence of jets and the persistence of strong, stable magnetic fields at late times indicates that the reconnection process slows down, while plasma flows stagnate and plasma conditions evolve to a cooler, denser, more collisional state. These results demonstrate that powerful initial plasma flows are not sufficient to force a complete reconnection of magnetic fields, even in the strongly-driven regime.« less

Multiple Ejection Effects Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-01

in future designs . Accession For * I N’IS CRA&I PTIV TAB\\ U:,zmnounced Ja St if ic ft IonL- 1) i tributIon/ Availability Codes Avail and/or )Ibt...between aircraft separation and drogue line stretch. In the case I of the crew module, design changes were eventually adopted to provide a stable...system, and the attitude excursions are very mild. The ejection seat system underwent an important design change because of high-speed aerodynamic

High Power Helicon Plasma Source for Plasma Processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prager, James; Ziemba, Timothy; Miller, Kenneth E.

2015-09-01

Eagle Harbor Technologies (EHT), Inc. is developing a high power helicon plasma source. The high power nature and pulsed neutral gas make this source unique compared to traditional helicon source. These properties produce a plasma flow along the magnetic field lines, and therefore allow the source to be decoupled from the reaction chamber. Neutral gas can be injected downstream, which allows for precision control of the ion-neutral ratio at the surface of the sample. Although operated at high power, the source has demonstrated very low impurity production. This source has applications to nanoparticle productions, surface modification, and ionized physical vapor deposition.

Pattern transfer with stabilized nanoparticle etch masks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hogg, Charles R.; Picard, Yoosuf N.; Narasimhan, Amrit; Bain, James A.; Majetich, Sara A.

2013-03-01

Self-assembled nanoparticle monolayer arrays are used as an etch mask for pattern transfer into Si and SiOx substrates. Crack formation within the array is prevented by electron beam curing to fix the nanoparticles to the substrate, followed by a brief oxygen plasma to remove excess carbon. This leaves a dot array of nanoparticle cores with a minimum gap of 2 nm. Deposition and liftoff can transform the dot array mask into an antidot mask, where the gap is determined by the nanoparticle core diameter. Reactive ion etching is used to transfer the dot and antidot patterns into the substrate. The effect of the gap size on the etching rate is modeled and compared with the experimental results.

PEGylated human serum albumin (HSA) nanoparticles: preparation, characterization and quantification of the PEGylation extent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fahrländer, E.; Schelhaas, S.; Jacobs, A. H.; Langer, K.

2015-04-01

Modification with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) is a widely used method for the prolongation of plasma half-life of colloidal carrier systems such as nanoparticles prepared from human serum albumin (HSA). However, the quantification of the PEGylation extent is still challenging. Moreover, the influence of different PEG derivatives, which are commonly used for nanoparticle conjugation, has not been investigated so far. The objective of the present study is to develop a method for the quantification of PEG and to monitor the influence of diverse PEG reagents on the amount of PEG linked to the surface of HSA nanoparticles. A size exclusion chromatography method with refractive index detection was established which enabled the quantification of unreacted PEG in the supernatant. The achieved results were confirmed using a fluorescent PEG derivative, which was detected by photometry and fluorimetry. Additionally, PEGylated HSA nanoparticles were enzymatically digested and the linked amount of fluorescently active PEG was directly determined. All the analytical methods confirmed that under optimized PEGylation conditions a PEGylation efficiency of up to 0.5 mg PEG per mg nanoparticle could be achieved. Model calculations made a ‘brush’ conformation of the PEG chains on the particle surface very likely. By incubating the nanoparticles with fetal bovine serum the reduced adsorption of serum proteins on PEGylated HSA nanoparticles compared to non-PEGylated HSA nanoparticles was demonstrated using sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Finally, the positive effect of PEGylation on plasma half-life was demonstrated in an in vivo study in mice. Compared to unmodified nanoparticles the PEGylation led to a four times larger plasma half-life.

Generation and remote delivery of plasma activated species

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maguire, Paul; Mahony, Charles; Kelsey, Colin; Rutherford, David; Mariotti, Davide; Macias-Montero, Manuel; Perez-Martin, Fatima; Diver, Declan

2016-09-01

Plasma interactions with microdroplets offer new opportunities to deliver active chemical agents and nanoparticles to remote substrates downstream with many potential applications from cancer theranostics and wound healing in biomedicine, gentle food decontamination and seed germination in plasma agriculture to catalyst production and photonic structures fabrication, among others. We demonstrate plasma-liquid based pristine nanomaterials synthesis in flight and subsequent delivery up to 120mm from the atmospheric pressure plasma source. Monosized and non-aggregating metal nanoparticles are formed in the rf plasma in less than 100us, representing an increase in precursor reduction rate that is many (>4) orders of magnitude faster than that observed with standard colloidal chemistry or via high energy radiolytic techniques. Also the collection and purification limitations of the latter are avoided. Plasma activated liquid including OH radicals and H2O2 are transported over 120mm and have demonstrated high efficacy bacterial decontamination. These results will be compared with charge species and radical transport from the rf plasma without microdroplets. Reaction models based on high solvated surface electron concentrations will be presented. Funding from EPSRC acknowledged (Grants EP/K006088/1 and EP/K006142/1).

Femtosecond laser ablation and nanoparticle formation in intermetallic NiAl

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jorgensen, David J.; Titus, Michael S.; Pollock, Tresa M.

2015-10-01

The ablation behavior of a stoichiometric intermetallic compound β-NiAl subjected to femtosecond laser pulsing in air has been investigated. The single-pulse ablation threshold for NiAl was determined to be 83 ± 4 mJ/cm2 and the transition to the high-fluence ablation regime occurred at 2.8 ± 0.3 J/cm2. Two sizes of nanoparticles consisting of Al, NiAl, Ni3Al and NiO were formed and ejected from the target during high-fluence ablation. Chemical analysis revealed that smaller nanoparticles (1-30 nm) tended to be rich in Al while larger nanoparticles (>100 nm) were lean in Al. Ablation in the low-fluence regime maintained this trend. Redeposited material and nanoparticles remaining on the surface after a single 3.7 J/cm2 pulse, one hundred 1.7 J/cm2 pulses, or one thousand 250 mJ/cm2 pulses were enriched in Al relative to the bulk target composition. Further, the surface of the irradiated high-fluence region was depleted in Al indicating that the fs laser ablation removal rate of the intermetallic constituents in this regime does not scale with the individual pure element ablation thresholds.

Investigation of a clamshell roll-out ejection concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hatakeyama, L. F.

1971-01-01

The equations for the motion, forces, and couples generated by clamshells released from spinning sounding rockets in accordance with a roll-out ejection concept are presented. The application of these equations to a study of a system for the Javelin rocket vehicle is discussed. The roll-out ejection concept advocated requires that each deploying clamshell be pivoted about an axis at its trailing edge located in the system sectioning plane. Clamshell despinning is a consequence of this deployment since the pivotal rate is in opposition to the rocket vehicle spin. The energy required by the deployment is derived largely from the rotational energy of the clamshell. Thus, the rocket vehicle will not be significantly despun by this kind of clamshell deployment. This ejection concept also permits a system design which makes it possible to limit clamshell angular motion to rotation about that one of its centroidal principal axes which is brought into parallelism with the rocket vehicle longitudinal axis. Also, by equalizing the moments of inertia about the other centroidal principal axes, the roll-out motion can be decoupled from any extraneous angular motion about these axes.

In vitro cytotoxicity of carbon black nanoparticles synthesized from solution plasma on human lung fibroblast cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panomsuwan, Gasidit; Chokradjaroen, Chayanaphat; Rujiravanit, Ratana; Ueno, Tomonaga; Saito, Nagahiro

2018-01-01

Carbon black nanoparticles (CB-NPs) have been synthesized from liquid benzene by a solution plasma method at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The morphological observation by scanning electron microscopy revealed the agglomeration of aggregated fine particles. The synthesized CB-NPs were predominantly amorphous as confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The in vitro cytotoxicity of CB-NPs on the human lung fibroblast (MRC-5) cell line was assessed by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and systematically compared with those of two types of commercial carbon blacks (i.e., Vulcan XC-72 and Ketjenblack EC-600JD). Cell viabilities were studied at different concentrations of 32.5, 65, 125, and 250 µg/mL. It was found that the CB-NPs derived from solution plasma exhibited a lower cytotoxicity on the MRC-5 cells than the other two comparative carbon blacks. The viability of MRC-5 cells exposed to CB-NPs remained higher than 90% even at a high concentration of 250 µg/mL. This result preliminarily confirmed the biosafety and potential use of CB-NPs in the field of biological applications.

Membrane-targeting liquid crystal nanoparticles (LCNPs) for drug delivery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nag, Okhil K.; Naciri, Jawad; Spillmann, Christopher M.; Delehanty, James B.

2016-03-01

In addition to maintaining the structural integrity of the cell, the plasma membrane regulates multiple important cellular processes, such as endocytosis and trafficking, apoptotic pathways and drug transport. The modulation or tracking of such cellular processes by means of controlled delivery of drugs or imaging agents via nanoscale delivery systems is very attractive. Nanoparticle-mediated delivery systems that mediate long-term residence (e.g., days) and controlled release of the cargoes in the plasma membrane while simultaneously not interfering with regular cellular physiology would be ideal for this purpose. Our laboratory has developed a plasma membrane-targeted liquid crystal nanoparticle (LCNP) formulation that can be loaded with dyes or drugs which can be slowly released from the particle over time. Here we highlight the utility of these nanopreparations for membrane delivery and imaging.

Mechanism for the acceleration and ejection of dust grains from Jupiter's magnetosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horanyi, M.; Morfill, G.; Gruen, E.

1993-01-01

The Ulysses mission detected quasi-periodic streams of high-velocity submicron-sized dust particles during its encounter with Jupiter. It is shown here how the dust events could result from the acceleration and subsequent ejection of small grains by Jupiter's magnetosphere. Dust grains entering the plasma environment of the magnetosphere become charged, with the result that their motion is then determined by both electromagnetic and gravitational forces. This process is modeled, and it is found that only those particles in a certain size range gain sufficient energy to escape the Jovian system. Moreover, if Io is assumed to be the source of the dust grains, its location in geographic and geomagnetic coordinates determines the exit direction of the escaping particles, providing a possible explanation for the observed periodicities. The calculated mass and velocity range of the escaping dust gains are consistent with the Ulysses findings.

High-speed photography of plasma during excimer laser-tissue interaction.

PubMed

Murray, Andrea K; Dickinson, Mark R

2004-08-07

During high fluence laser-tissue interaction, ablation of tissue occurs, debris is removed from the ablation site and is then ejected at high velocity. This debris may be observed as a combination of luminous plasma and non-luminous plume, both of which have the potential to shield the ablation site. This study examined the role of ablation debris in shielding the tissue and determined its effects on the ablation rate over a range of laser pulse energies, pulse repetition rates and pulse numbers for dentine; the velocity differences between hard and soft tissues were also examined. High-speed photography was carried out at up to 1 x 10(8) frames per second. A maximum velocity of 2.58 +/- 0.52 x 10(4) m s(-1) was recorded for dentine debris within the first 10 ns following ejection. The maximum duration of tissue shielding due to a single pulse, determined by attenuation of a probe beam, was found to be approximately 7 ms, approximately 80 micros of which was due to luminous plasma and the remainder due to the non-luminous plume.

Development of an on-column enrichment technique based on C18-functionalized magnetic silica nanoparticles for the determination of lidocaine in rat plasma by high performance liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Chu, Bin; Lou, Dujuan; Yu, Panfeng; Hu, Shaonan; Shen, Shun

2011-10-14

In this study, a novel on-column enrichment technique filled with C(18)-functionalized magnetic silica nanoparticles was successfully developed for the determination of lidocaine in rat plasma by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The synthesized Fe(3)O(4)@SiO(2)-C(18) nanoparticles were locally packed into the capillary by the application of magnets. Lidocaine in the sample solutions pumped into the capillary tube could be easily adsorbed by Fe(3)O(4)@SiO(2)-C(18) through hydrophobic interaction by the interior C(18) groups, and eluted by acetonitrile solution. Different extraction conditions were investigated. Method validations including linear range, quantification limit, detection limit, precision, accuracy and recovery were also studied. The results showed that the proposed method based on on-column enrichment by Fe(3)O(4)@SiO(2)-C(18) was a novel, little solvent and efficient approach for the determination of lidocaine in the complex plasma samples. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Molecular dynamics simulation of shock induced ejection on fused silica surface

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Su, Rui; Xiang, Meizhen; Jiang, Shengli

2014-05-21

Shock response and surface ejection behaviors of fused silica are studied by using non-equilibrium molecular dynamics combining with the Tersoff potential. First, bulk structure and Hugoniot curves of fused silica are calculated and compared with experimental results. Then, the dynamical process of surface ejection behavior is simulated under different loading velocities ranging from 3.5 to 5.0 km∕s, corresponding to shock wave velocities from 7.1 to 8.8 km∕s. The local atomistic shear strain parameter is used to describe the local plastic deformation under conditions of shock compression or releasing. Our result shows that the shear strain is localized in the bottom area ofmore » groove under the shock compression. Surface ejection is observed when the loading velocity exceeds 4.0 km∕s. Meanwhile, the temperature of the micro-jet is ∼5574.7 K, which is close to experiment measurement. Several kinds of structural defects including non-bridging oxygen are found in the bulk area of the sample after ejection.« less

Back scattering involving embedded silicon nitride (SiN) nanoparticles for c-Si solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, Hemanta; Mitra, Suchismita; Siddiqui, M. S.; Saxena, A. K.; Chaudhuri, Partha; Saha, Hiranmay; Banerjee, Chandan

2018-04-01

A novel material, structure and method of synthesis for dielectric light trapping have been presented in this paper. First, the light scattering behaviour of silicon nitride nanoparticles have been theoretically studied in order to find the optimized size for dielectric back scattering by FDTD simulations from Lumerical Inc. The optical results have been used in electrical analysis and thereby, estimate the effect of nanoparticles on efficiency of the solar cells depending on substrate thickness. Experimentally, silicon nitride (SiN) nanoparticles have been formed using hydrogen plasma treatment on SiN layer deposited by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition (PECVD). The size and area coverage of the nanoparticles were controlled by varying the working pressure, power density and treatment duration. The nanoparticles were integrated with partial rear contact c-Si solar cells as dielectric back reflector structures for the light trapping in thin silicon solar cells. Experimental results revealed the increases of current density by 2.7% in presence of SiN nanoparticles.

THE ROLE OF A FLUX ROPE EJECTION IN A THREE-DIMENSIONAL MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC SIMULATION OF A SOLAR FLARE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nishida, Keisuke; Shibata, Kazunari; Nishizuka, Naoto, E-mail: nishida@kwasan.kyoto-u.ac.jp

2013-10-01

We investigated the dynamic evolution of a three-dimensional (3D) flux rope eruption and magnetic reconnection process in a solar flare by simply extending the two-dimensional (2D) resistive magnetohydrodynamic simulation model of solar flares with low β plasma to a 3D model. We succeeded in reproducing a current sheet and bi-directional reconnection outflows just below the flux rope during the eruption in our 3D simulations. We calculated four cases of a strongly twisted flux rope and a weakly twisted flux rope in 2D and 3D simulations. The time evolution of a weakly twisted flux rope in the 3D simulation shows behaviorsmore » similar to those of the 2D simulation, while a strongly twisted flux rope in the 3D simulation clearly shows a different time evolution from the 2D simulation except for the initial phase evolution. The ejection speeds of both strongly and weakly twisted flux ropes in 3D simulations are larger than in the 2D simulations, and the reconnection rates in 3D cases are also larger than in the 2D cases. This indicates positive feedback between the ejection speed of a flux rope and the reconnection rate even in the 3D simulation, and we conclude that the plasmoid-induced reconnection model can be applied to 3D. We also found that small-scale plasmoids are formed inside a current sheet and make it turbulent. These small-scale plasmoid ejections have a role in locally increasing the reconnection rate intermittently as observed in solar flares, coupled with a global eruption of a flux rope.« less

Exploiting the biomolecular corona: pre-coating of nanoparticles enables controlled cellular interactions.

PubMed

Simon, Johanna; Müller, Laura K; Kokkinopoulou, Maria; Lieberwirth, Ingo; Morsbach, Svenja; Landfester, Katharina; Mailänder, Volker

2018-06-14

Formation of the biomolecular corona ultimately determines the successful application of nanoparticles in vivo. Adsorption of biomolecules such as proteins is an inevitable process that takes place instantaneously upon contact with physiological fluid (e.g. blood). Therefore, strategies are needed to control this process in order to improve the properties of the nanoparticles and to allow targeted drug delivery. Here, we show that the design of the protein corona by a pre-formed protein corona with tailored properties enables targeted cellular interactions. Nanoparticles were pre-coated with immunoglobulin depleted plasma to create and design a protein corona that reduces cellular uptake by immune cells. It was proven that a pre-formed protein corona remains stable even after nanoparticles were re-introduced to plasma. This opens up the great potential to exploit protein corona formation, which will significantly influence the development of novel nanomaterials.

Poly (vinyl alcohol)/gum karaya electrospun plasma treated membrane for the removal of nanoparticles (Au, Ag, Pt, CuO and Fe3O4) from aqueous solutions.

PubMed

Padil, Vinod Vellora Thekkae; Černík, Miroslav

2015-04-28

In the present work, nanofibre membranes composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and a natural gum karaya (GK) hydrocolloid were prepared using electrospinning. The electrospun membranes of PVA/GK were cross-linked with heat treatment and later methane plasma was used to obtain a hydrophobic membrane. The morphology, characterization and adsorption ability of P-NFM was assessed using scanning electron microscopy, UV-vis spectroscopy, ATR-FTIR techniques, water contact angle and ICP-MS analytical methods. The membrane was employed for the extraction of nanoparticles (Ag, Au, Pt, CuO and Fe3O4) from water. The nanoparticle extraction kinetic and adsorption isotherm perform the pseudo-second-order model and Langmuir isotherm model, respectively. The adsorption capacities of the membrane for the removal of NPs from water diverge in the order Pt>Au>Ag>CuO>Fe3O4. The high adsorption efficiency for the removal of NPs from water was compared with an untreated membrane. Physisorption, functional group interactions, complexation reactions between metal/metal oxide nanoparticles with various functional groups present in NFM and modified surface properties such as the balance of hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity, surface free energy, and the high surface area of the plasma treated membrane were possible mechanisms of NPs adsorption onto NFM. The regeneration and reusability were tested in five consecutive adsorption/desorption cycles. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optical characterization of composite layers prepared by plasma polymerization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radeva, E.; Hikov, T.; Mitev, D.; Stroescu, H.; Nicolescu, M.; Gartner, M.; Presker, R.; Pramatarova, L.

2016-02-01

Thin composite layers from polymer/nanoparticles (Ag-nanoparticles and detonation nanodiamonds) were prepared by plasma polymerization process on the base of hexamethyldisiloxane. The variation of the layer composition was achieved by changing the type of nanoparticles. The optical measurement techniques used were UV-VIS-NIR ellipsometry (SE), Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy. The values of the refractive index determined are in the range 1.30 to 1.42. All samples are transparent with transmission between 85-95% and very smooth. The change in Raman and FTIR spectra of the composites verify the expected bonding between polymer and diamond nanoparticles due to the penetration of the fillers in the polymer matrix. The comparison of the spectra of the corresponding NH3 plasma treated composites revealed that the composite surface becomes more hydrophilic. The obtained results indicate that preparation of layers with desired compositions is possible at a precise control of the detonation nanodiamond materials.

Physical investigation of a quad confinement plasma source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knoll, Aaron; Lucca Fabris, Andrea; Young, Christopher; Cappelli, Mark

2016-10-01

Quad magnetic confinement plasma sources are novel magnetized DC discharges suitable for applications in a broad range of fields, particularly space propulsion, plasma etching and deposition. These sources contain a square discharge channel with magnetic cusps at the four lateral walls, enhancing plasma confinement and electron residence time inside the device. The magnetic field topology is manipulated using four independent electromagnets on each edge of the channel, tuning the properties of the generated plasma. We characterize the plasma ejected from the quad confinement sources using a combination of traditional electrostatic probes and non-intrusive laser-based diagnostics. Measurements show a strong ion acceleration layer located 8 cm downstream of the exit plane, beyond the extent of the magnetic field. The ion velocity field is investigated with different magnetic configurations, demonstrating how ion trajectories may be manipulated. C.Y. acknowledges support from the DOE NSSA Stewardship Science Graduate Fellowship under contract DE-FC52-08NA28752.

Different effect of hydrogelation on anti-fouling and circulation properties of dextran–iron oxide nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Karmali, Priya Prakash; Chao, Ying; Park, Ji-Ho (Joe); Sailor, Michael J.; Ruoslahti, Erkki; Esener, Sadik C.; Simberg, Dmitri

2012-01-01

Premature recognition and clearance of nanoparticulate imaging and therapeutic agents by macrophages in the tissues can dramatically reduce both the nanoparticle half-life and delivery to the diseased tissue. Grafting nanoparticles with hydrogels prevents nanoparticulate recognition by liver and spleen macrophages and greatly prolongs circulation times in vivo. Understanding the mechanisms by which hydrogels achieve this “stealth” effect has implications for the design of long-circulating nanoparticles. Thus, the role of plasma protein absorption in the hydrogel effect is not yet understood. Short-circulating dextran-coated iron oxide nanoparticles could be converted into stealth hydrogel nanoparticles by crosslinking with 1-chloro-2,3-epoxypropane. We show that hydrogelation did not affect the size, shape and zeta potential, but completely prevented the recognition and clearance by liver macrophages in vivo. Hydrogelation decreased the number of hydroxyl groups on the nanoparticle surface and reduced the binding of the anti-dextran antibody. At the same time, hydrogelation did not reduce the absorption of cationic proteins on the nanoparticle surface. Specifically, there was no effect on the binding of kininogen, histidine-rich glycoprotein, and protamine sulfate to the anionic nanoparticle surface. In addition, hydrogelation did not prevent activation of plasma kallikrein on the metal oxide surface. These data suggest that: (a) a stealth hydrogel coating does not mask charge interactions with iron oxide surface and (b) the total blockade of plasma protein absorption is not required for maintaining iron oxide nanoparticles’ long-circulating stealth properties. These data illustrate a novel, clinically promising property of long-circulating stealth nanoparticles. PMID:22243419

Experimental comparison of forces resisting viral DNA packaging and driving DNA ejection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keller, Nicholas; Berndsen, Zachary T.; Jardine, Paul J.; Smith, Douglas E.

2017-05-01

We compare forces resisting DNA packaging and forces driving DNA ejection in bacteriophage phi29 with theoretical predictions. Ejection of DNA from prohead-motor complexes is triggered by heating complexes after in vitro packaging and force is inferred from the suppression of ejection by applied osmotic pressure. Ejection force from 0 % to 80 % filling is found to be in quantitative agreement with predictions of a continuum mechanics model that assumes a repulsive DNA-DNA interaction potential based on DNA condensation studies and predicts an inverse-spool conformation. Force resisting DNA packaging from ˜80 % to 100 % filling inferred from optical tweezers studies is also consistent with the predictions of this model. The striking agreement with these two different measurements suggests that the overall energetics of DNA packaging is well described by the model. However, since electron microscopy studies of phi29 do not reveal a spool conformation, our findings suggest that the spool model overestimates the role of bending rigidity and underestimates the role of intrastrand repulsion. Below ˜80 % filling the inferred forces resisting packaging are unexpectedly lower than the inferred ejection forces, suggesting that in this filling range the forces are less accurately determined or strongly temperature dependent.

Experimental comparison of forces resisting viral DNA packaging and driving DNA ejection.

PubMed

Keller, Nicholas; Berndsen, Zachary T; Jardine, Paul J; Smith, Douglas E

2017-05-01

We compare forces resisting DNA packaging and forces driving DNA ejection in bacteriophage phi29 with theoretical predictions. Ejection of DNA from prohead-motor complexes is triggered by heating complexes after in vitro packaging and force is inferred from the suppression of ejection by applied osmotic pressure. Ejection force from 0% to 80% filling is found to be in quantitative agreement with predictions of a continuum mechanics model that assumes a repulsive DNA-DNA interaction potential based on DNA condensation studies and predicts an inverse-spool conformation. Force resisting DNA packaging from ∼80% to 100% filling inferred from optical tweezers studies is also consistent with the predictions of this model. The striking agreement with these two different measurements suggests that the overall energetics of DNA packaging is well described by the model. However, since electron microscopy studies of phi29 do not reveal a spool conformation, our findings suggest that the spool model overestimates the role of bending rigidity and underestimates the role of intrastrand repulsion. Below ∼80% filling the inferred forces resisting packaging are unexpectedly lower than the inferred ejection forces, suggesting that in this filling range the forces are less accurately determined or strongly temperature dependent.

Rollover Car Crashes with Ejection: A Deadly Combination—An Analysis of 719 Patients

PubMed Central

Latifi, Rifat; El-Menyar, Ayman; El-Hennawy, Hany; Al-Thani, Hassan

2014-01-01

Rollover car crashes (ROCs) are serious public safety concerns worldwide. Objective. To determine the incidence and outcomes of ROCs with or without ejection of occupants in the State of Qatar. Methods. A retrospective study of all patients involved in ROCs admitted to Level I trauma center in Qatar (2011-2012). Patients were divided into Group I (ROC with ejection) and Group II (ROC without ejection). Results. A total of 719 patients were evaluated (237 in Group I and 482 in Group II). The mean age in Group I was lower than in Group II (24.3 ± 10.3 versus 29 ± 12.2; P = 0.001). Group I had higher injury severity score and sustained significantly more head, chest, and abdominal injuries in comparison to Group II. The mortality rate was higher in Group I (25% versus 7%; P = 0.001). Group I patients required higher ICU admission rate (P = 0.001). Patients in Group I had a 5-fold increased risk for age-adjusted mortality (OR 5.43; 95% CI 3.11–9.49), P = 0.001). Conclusion. ROCs with ejection are associated with higher rate of morbidity and mortality compared to ROCs without ejection. As an increased number of young Qatari males sustain ROCs with ejection, these findings highlight the need for research-based injury prevention initiatives in the country. PMID:24693231

Characterization of a low pressure supersonic plasma jet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caldirola, S.; Barni, R.; Riccardi, C.

2014-11-01

Plasma assisted supersonic jet deposition (PA-SJD) is a technique which combines a inductively coupled plasma (ICP) with a supersonic jet for the fabrication of thin films having a desired morphology. A reactive argon-oxygen plasma is employed to dissociate an organic precursor (titanium tetra-isopropoxide for TiO2 thin films) in a first vacuum chamber which is connected through a nozzle to a lower pressure chamber. The pressure difference produces a supersonic jet, seeded with nanoparticles. Along the jet the nucleation and aggregation of nanoparticles can be controlled to obtain nanostructured depositions. We report here the results of an analysis performed with a quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS) which was used to sample neutrals and ions from the jet at different positions along the centerline of the supersonic expansion.

Detailed numerical simulation of cathode spots in vacuum arcs: Interplay of different mechanisms and ejection of droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaufmann, H. T. C.; Cunha, M. D.; Benilov, M. S.; Hartmann, W.; Wenzel, N.

2017-10-01

A model of cathode spots in high-current vacuum arcs is developed with account of all the potentially relevant mechanisms: the bombardment of the cathode surface by ions coming from a pre-existing plasma cloud; vaporization of the cathode material in the spot, its ionization, and the interaction of the produced plasma with the cathode; the Joule heat generation in the cathode body; melting of the cathode material and motion of the melt under the effect of the plasma pressure and the Lorentz force and related phenomena. After the spot has been ignited by the action of the cloud (which takes a few nanoseconds), the metal in the spot is melted and accelerated toward the periphery of the spot, with the main driving force being the pressure due to incident ions. Electron emission cooling and convective heat transfer are dominant mechanisms of cooling in the spot, limiting the maximum temperature of the cathode to approximately 4700-4800 K. A crater is formed on the cathode surface in this way. After the plasma cloud has been extinguished, a liquid-metal jet is formed and a droplet is ejected. No explosions have been observed. The modeling results conform to estimates of different mechanisms of cathode erosion derived from the experimental data on the net and ion erosion of copper cathodes.

Assessment of functional changes in nanoparticle-exposed neuroendocrine cells with amperometry: exploring the generalizability of nanoparticle-vesicle matrix interactions.

PubMed

Love, Sara A; Haynes, Christy L

2010-09-01

Using two of the most commonly synthesized noble metal nanoparticle preparations, citrate-reduced Au and Ag, the impacts of short-term accidental nanoparticle exposure are examined in primary culture murine adrenal medullary chromaffin cells. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and Alamar Blue viability studies revealed that nanoparticles are taken up by cells but do not decrease cell viability within 48 hours of exposure. Carbon-fiber microelectrode amperometry (CFMA) examination of exocytosis in nanoparticle-exposed cells revealed that nanoparticle exposure does lead to decreased secretion of chemical messenger molecules, of up to 32.5% at 48 hours of Au exposure. The kinetics of intravesicular species liberation also slows after nanoparticle exposure, between 30 and 50% for Au and Ag, respectively. Repeated stimulation of exocytosis demonstrated that these effects persisted during subsequent stimulations, meaning that nanoparticles do not interfere directly with the vesicle recycling machinery but also that cellular function is unable to recover following vesicle content expulsion. By comparing these trends with parallel studies done using mast cells, it is clear that similar exocytosis perturbations occur across cell types following noble metal nanoparticle exposure, supporting a generalizable effect of nanoparticle-vesicle interactions.

Laser experiments to simulate coronal mass ejection driven magnetospheres and astrophysical plasma winds on compact magnetized stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horton, W.; Ditmire, T.; Zakharov, Yu. P.

2010-06-01

Laboratory experiments using a plasma wind generated by laser-target interaction are proposed to investigate the creation of a shock in front of the magnetosphere and the dynamo mechanism for creating plasma currents and voltages. Preliminary experiments are shown where measurements of the electron density gradients surrounding the obstacles are recorded to infer the plasma winds. The proposed experiments are relevant to understanding the electron acceleration mechanisms taking place in shock-driven magnetic dipole confined plasmas surrounding compact magnetized stars and planets. Exploratory experiments have been published [P. Brady, T. Ditmire, W. Horton, et al., Phys. Plasmas 16, 043112 (2009)] with the one Joule Yoga laser and centimeter sized permanent magnets.

Single-step synthesis of carbon encapsulated magnetic nanoparticles in arc plasma and potential biomedical applications.

PubMed

Fang, Xiuqi; Cheng, Xiaoqian; Zhang, Yuerou; Zhang, Lijie Grace; Keidar, Michael

2018-01-01

A novel highly controllable process of Carbon Encapsulated Magnetic Nanoparticles (CEMNs) synthesis in arc discharge plasma has been developed. In this work, both the size distribution and the purity of the CEMNs have been made more controllable by adding an external magnetic field. It is shown that with the increase of the external magnetic field, the CEMNs get a better separation from the carbon impurities and the size distribution become narrower. This conclusion is valid for Fe, Ni and Fe+Ni CEMNs synthesis. In order to assess biomedical potential of these CEMNs, the cytotoxicity has also been measured for the human breast adenocarcinoma cell line MDA-MB-231. It was concluded that the CEMNs with the concentration in cell of about 0.0001-0.01ug/ml are not toxic. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nano-Advantage in Enhanced Drug Delivery with Biodegradable Nanoparticles: Contribution of Reduced Clearance

PubMed Central

Kadam, Rajendra S.; Bourne, David W. A.

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of reduced apparent clearance to the enhanced exposure reported for biodegradable nanoparticles after extravascular and intravascular routes of administration. Plasma concentration profiles for drug and nanoparticle formulations after administration by intravenous, intraduodenal, and oral routes were extracted from the literature. Data were fit to pharmacokinetic models using BOOMER. The compartmental pharmacokinetic analysis of literature data for six drugs (camptothecin, 9-nitrocamptothecin, epirubicin, vinpocetine, clozapine, and cyclosporine) showed that the encapsulation of drug molecules in nanoparticles significantly reduced the apparent clearance and prolonged the apparent circulation half-life compared with those for the plain drug. Positively charged nanoparticles assessed in this study had lower apparent clearance, lower elimination rate constant values, and longer apparent circulation half-life than neutral and negatively charged nanoparticles. After oral administration, a reduction in apparent clearance contributed substantially to elevations in plasma drug exposure with nanoparticles. For the drugs and delivery systems examined, the nano-advantage in drug delivery enhancement can be explained, in part, by reduced clearance. PMID:22498894

A novel method for fabrication of size-controlled metallic nanoparticles by laser ablation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choudhury, Kaushik; Singh, R. K.; Ranjan, Mukesh; Kumar, Ajai; Srivastava, Atul

2017-12-01

Time resolved experimental investigation of laser produced plasma-induced shockwaves has been carried out in the presence of confining walls placed along the lateral directions using a Mach Zehnder interferometer in air ambient. Copper was used as target material. The primary and the reflected shock waves and their effects on the evolution of medium density and the plasma density have been studied. The reflected shock wave has been seen to be affecting the shape and density of the plasma plume in the confined geometry. The same experiments were performed with water and isopropyl alcohol as the ambient liquids and the produced nanoparticles were characterised for size and size distribution. Significant differences in the size and size distribution are seen in case of the nanoparticles produced from the ablation of the targets with and without confining boundary. The observed trend has been attributed to the presence of confining boundary and the way it affects the thermalisation time of the plasma plume. The experiments also show the effect of medium density on the mean size of the copper nanoparticles produced.

Nanoparticle-Delivered Chemotherapy: Old Drugs in New Packages.

PubMed

Lee, Michael S; Dees, E Claire; Wang, Andrew Z

2017-03-15

Cytotoxic chemotherapies have a narrow therapeutic window, with high peaks and troughs of plasma concentration. Novel nanoparticle formulations of cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs can enhance pharmacokinetic characteristics and facilitate passive targeting of drugs to tumors via the enhanced permeability and retention effect, thus mitigating toxicity. Nanoparticle vehicles currently in clinical use or undergoing clinical investigation for anticancer therapies include liposomes, polymeric micelles, protein-drug nanoparticles, and dendrimers. Multiple nanoparticle formulations of existing cytotoxic chemotherapies are approved for use in several indications, with clinical data indeed showing optimization of pharmacokinetics and different toxicity profiles compared with their parent drugs. There are also many new nanoparticle drug formulations in development and undergoing early- and late-phase clinical trials, including several that utilize active targeting or triggered release based on environmental stimuli. Here, we review the rationale for nanoparticle formulations of existing or previously investigated cytotoxic drugs, describe currently approved nanoparticle formulations of drugs, and discuss some of the most promising clinical trials currently underway.

Efficient common-envelope ejection through dust-driven winds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glanz, Hila; Perets, Hagai B.

2018-04-01

Common-envelope evolution (CEE) is the short-lived phase in the life of an interacting binary-system during which two stars orbit inside a single shared envelope. Such evolution is thought to lead to the inspiral of the binary, the ejection of the extended envelope and the formation of a remnant short-period binary. However, detailed hydrodynamical models of CEE encounter major difficulties. They show that following the inspiral most of the envelope is not ejected; though it expands to larger separations, it remains bound to the binary. Here we propose that dust-driven winds can be produced following the CEE. These can evaporate the envelope following similar processes operating in the ejection of the envelopes of AGB stars. Pulsations in an AGB-star drives the expansion of its envelope, allowing the material to cool down to low temperatures thus enabling dust condensation. Radiation pressure on the dust accelerates it, and through its coupling to the gas it drives winds which eventually completely erode the envelope. We show that the inspiral phase in CE-binaries can effectively replace the role of stellar pulsation and drive the CE expansion to scales comparable with those of AGB stars, and give rise to efficient mass-loss through dust-driven winds.

Monitoring of conditions inside gas aggregation cluster source during production of Ti/TiOx nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kousal, J.; Kolpaková, A.; Shelemin, A.; Kudrna, P.; Tichý, M.; Kylián, O.; Hanuš, J.; Choukourov, A.; Biederman, H.

2017-10-01

Gas aggregation sources are nowadays rather widely used in the research community for producing nanoparticles. However, the direct diagnostics of conditions inside the source are relatively scarce. In this work, we focused on monitoring the plasma parameters and the composition of the gas during the production of the TiOx nanoparticles. We studied the role of oxygen in the aggregation process and the influence of the presence of the particles on the plasma. The construction of the source allowed us to make a 2D map of the plasma parameters inside the source.

An Evaluation of a New Format for Presenting Ejection Information in a NATOPS Manual.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-11-01

Assessment-the subject’s awareness of ejection system limits and knowledge of the specific principles and relationships involved in the ejection decision...percti & le pilot ejecting cannern tintiong onfigursesan at~ 71 knete arrtaeei.l From" th front cockpit. c. Normal aircraft pitc For conditions shown it...40) Arlington, VA 22209 700 Robbins Avenue * 1 CDR P.R. Chatelier Philadelphia, PA 19111 Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research

A tandem mirror hybrid plume plasma propulsion facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang-Diaz, F. R.; Yang, T. F.; Krueger, W. A.; Peng, S.; Urbahn, J.; Yao, X.; Griffin, D.

1988-01-01

A concept in electrodeless plasma propulsion, which is also capable of delivering a variable Isp, is presented. The concept involves a three-stage system of plasma injection, heating, and subsequent ejection through a magnetic nozzle. The nozzle produces the hybrid plume by the coaxial injection of hypersonic neutral gas. The gas layer, thus formed, protects the material walls from the hot plasma and, through increased collisions, helps detach it from the diverging magnetic field. The physics of this concept is evaluated numerically through full spatial and temporal simulations; these explore the operating characteristics of such a device over a wide region of parameter space. An experimental facility to study the plasma dynamics in the hybrid plume was built. The device consists of a tandem mirror operating in an asymmetric mode. A later upgrade of this system will incorporate a cold plasma injector at one end of the machine. Initial experiments involve the full characterization of the operating envelope, as well as extensive measurements of plasma properties at the exhaust. The results of the numerical simulations are described.

Plasma-induced synthesis of Pt nanoparticles supported on TiO2 nanotubes for enhanced methanol electro-oxidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Nan; Hu, Xiulan; Zhang, Jianbo; Huang, Huihong; Cheng, Jiexu; Yu, Jinchen; Ge, Chao

2017-03-01

A Pt/C/TiO2 nanotube composite catalyst was successfully prepared for enhanced methanol electro-oxidation. Pt nanoparticles with a particle size of 2 nm were synthesized by plasma sputtering in water, and anatase TiO2 nanotubes with an inner diameter of approximately 100 nm were prepared by a simple two-step anodization method and annealing process. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy images indicated that the different morphologies of TiO2 synthesized on the surface of Ti foils were dependent on the different anodization parameters. The electrochemical performance of Pt/C/TiO2 catalysts for methanol oxidation showed that TiO2 nanotubes were more suitable for use as Pt nanoparticle support materials than irregular TiO2 short nanorods due to their tubular morphology and better electronic conductivity. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterization showed that the binding energies of the Pt 4f of the Pt/C/TiO2 nanotubes exhibited a slightly positive shift caused by the relatively strong interaction between Pt and the TiO2 nanotubes, which could mitigate the poisoning of the Pt catalyst by COads, and further enhance the electrocatalytic performance. Thus, the as-obtained Pt/C/TiO2 nanotubes composites may become a promising catalyst for methanol electro-oxidation.

Cationic nanoparticles induce nanoscale disruption in living cell plasma membranes.

PubMed

Chen, Jiumei; Hessler, Jessica A; Putchakayala, Krishna; Panama, Brian K; Khan, Damian P; Hong, Seungpyo; Mullen, Douglas G; Dimaggio, Stassi C; Som, Abhigyan; Tew, Gregory N; Lopatin, Anatoli N; Baker, James R; Holl, Mark M Banaszak; Orr, Bradford G

2009-08-13

It has long been recognized that cationic nanoparticles induce cell membrane permeability. Recently, it has been found that cationic nanoparticles induce the formation and/or growth of nanoscale holes in supported lipid bilayers. In this paper, we show that noncytotoxic concentrations of cationic nanoparticles induce 30-2000 pA currents in 293A (human embryonic kidney) and KB (human epidermoid carcinoma) cells, consistent with a nanoscale defect such as a single hole or group of holes in the cell membrane ranging from 1 to 350 nm(2) in total area. Other forms of nanoscale defects, including the nanoparticle porating agents adsorbing onto or intercalating into the lipid bilayer, are also consistent; although the size of the defect must increase to account for any reduction in ion conduction, as compared to a water channel. An individual defect forming event takes 1-100 ms, while membrane resealing may occur over tens of seconds. Patch-clamp data provide direct evidence for the formation of nanoscale defects in living cell membranes. The cationic polymer data are compared and contrasted with patch-clamp data obtained for an amphiphilic phenylene ethynylene antimicrobial oligomer (AMO-3), a small molecule that is proposed to make well-defined 3.4 nm holes in lipid bilayers. Here, we observe data that are consistent with AMO-3 making approximately 3 nm holes in living cell membranes.

Linear theory on temporal instability of megahertz faraday waves for monodisperse microdroplet ejection.

PubMed

Tsai, Shirley C; Tsai, Chen S

2013-08-01

A linear theory on temporal instability of megahertz Faraday waves for monodisperse microdroplet ejection based on mass conservation and linearized Navier-Stokes equations is presented using the most recently observed micrometer- sized droplet ejection from a millimeter-sized spherical water ball as a specific example. The theory is verified in the experiments utilizing silicon-based multiple-Fourier horn ultrasonic nozzles at megahertz frequency to facilitate temporal instability of the Faraday waves. Specifically, the linear theory not only correctly predicted the Faraday wave frequency and onset threshold of Faraday instability, the effect of viscosity, the dynamics of droplet ejection, but also established the first theoretical formula for the size of the ejected droplets, namely, the droplet diameter equals four-tenths of the Faraday wavelength involved. The high rate of increase in Faraday wave amplitude at megahertz drive frequency subsequent to onset threshold, together with enhanced excitation displacement on the nozzle end face, facilitated by the megahertz multiple Fourier horns in resonance, led to high-rate ejection of micrometer- sized monodisperse droplets (>10(7) droplets/s) at low electrical drive power (<;1 W) with short initiation time (<;0.05 s). This is in stark contrast to the Rayleigh-Plateau instability of a liquid jet, which ejects one droplet at a time. The measured diameters of the droplets ranging from 2.2 to 4.6 μm at 2 to 1 MHz drive frequency fall within the optimum particle size range for pulmonary drug delivery.

Novel lanthanide-labeled metal oxide nanoparticles improve the measurement of in vivo clearance and translocation.

PubMed

Abid, Aamir D; Anderson, Donald S; Das, Gautom K; Van Winkle, Laura S; Kennedy, Ian M

2013-01-10

The deposition, clearance and translocation of europium-doped gadolinium oxide nanoparticles in a mouse lung were investigated experimentally. Nanoparticles were synthesized by spray flame pyrolysis. The particle size, crystallinity and surface properties were characterized. Following instillation, the concentrations of particles in organs were determined with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The protein corona coating the nanoparticles was found to be similar to the coating on more environmentally relevant nanoparticles such as iron oxide. Measurements of the solubility of the nanoparticles in surrogates of biological fluids indicated very little propensity for dissolution, and the elemental ratio of particle constituents did not change, adding further support to the contention that intact nanoparticles were measured. The particles were intratracheally instilled into the mouse lung. After 24 hours, the target organs were harvested, acid digested and the nanoparticle mass in each organ was measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The nanoparticles were detected in all the studied organs at low ppb levels; 59% of the particles remained in the lung. A significant amount of particles was also detected in the feces, suggesting fast clearance mechanisms. The nanoparticle system used in this work is highly suitable for quantitatively determining deposition, transport and clearance of nanoparticles from the lung, providing a quantified measure of delivered dose.

Spheromaks and how plasmas may explain the ultra high energy cosmic ray mystery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fowler, T. Kenneth; Li, Hui

2016-10-01

> eV or more, finally ejected as ultra high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) long regarded as one of the mysteries of astrophysics. The acceleration is mainly due to the drift cyclotron loss cone kinetic instability known from plasma research. Experiments and simulations are suggested to verify the acceleration process.

Artificial plasma jet in the ionosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haerendel, G.; Sagdeev, R. Z.

The dynamics of an artificially injected plasma beam in the near-earth space are analyzed in terms of the beam structure, its propagation across the magnetic field, and the resulting wave phenomena (Porcupine Project, flight 4, March 31, 1979). Out of the four ejectable canisters attached to the main payload, two were instrumented by the U.S., one by the USSR (the Xenon plasma beam experiment), and one by West Germany (carrying a barium ion jet experiment). The propagation of the plasma seems to occur in three stages, with high-frequency broad-band oscillations mainly localized in the 'core' of the jet, while low-frequency oscillations were spatially separated from it. The generation region of LF oscillations was found to be much wider than the jet core. As a result of the interaction between the plasma beam and the ambient medium a heating of electrons, up to energies of about 20 eV, associated with LF noise was observed. The behavior of high-energy ions and the observed HF wave phenomena need further analysis.

Helium-based cold atmospheric plasma-induced reactive oxygen species-mediated apoptotic pathway attenuated by platinum nanoparticles.

PubMed

Jawaid, Paras; Rehman, Mati Ur; Zhao, Qing Li; Takeda, Keigo; Ishikawa, Kenji; Hori, Masaru; Shimizu, Tadamichi; Kondo, Takashi

2016-09-01

Plasma is generated by ionizing gas molecules. Helium (He)-based cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) was generated using a high-voltage power supply with low-frequency excitation (60 Hz at 7 kV) and He flow at 2 l/min. Platinum nanoparticles (Pt-NPs) are potent antioxidants due to their unique ability to scavenge superoxides and peroxides. These features make them useful for the protection against oxidative stress-associated pathologies. Here, the effects of Pt-NPs on He-CAP-induced apoptosis and the underlying mechanism were examined in human lymphoma U937 cells. Apoptosis was measured after cells were exposed to He-CAP in the presence or absence of Pt-NPs. The effects of combined treatment were determined by observing the changes in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and both mitochondrial and Fas dependent pathway. The results indicate that Pt-NPs substantially scavenge He-CAP-induced superoxides and peroxides and inhibit all the pathways involved in apoptosis execution. This might be because of the SOD/catalase mimetic effects of Pt-NPs. These results showed that the Pt-NPs can induce He-CAP desensitization in human lymphoma U937 cells. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

An Exploration of Heating Mechanisms in a Supra-arcade Plasma Sheet Formed after a Coronal Mass Ejection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Reeves, Katharine K.; Freed, Michael S.; McKenzie, David E.

We perform a detailed analysis of the thermal structure of the region above the post-eruption arcade for a flare that occurred on 2011 October 22. During this event, a sheet of hot plasma is visible above the flare loops in the 131 Å bandpass of the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on the Solar Dynamics Observatory . Supra-arcade downflows (SADs) are observed traveling sunward through the post-eruption plasma sheet. We calculate differential emission measures using the AIA data and derive an emission measure weighted average temperature in the supra-arcade region. In areas where many SADs occur, the temperature of the supra-arcademore » plasma tends to increase, while in areas where no SADs are observed, the temperature tends to decrease. We calculate the plane-of-sky velocities in the supra-arcade plasma and use them to determine the potential heating due to adiabatic compression and viscous heating. Of the 13 SADs studied, 10 have noticeable signatures in both the adiabatic and the viscous terms. The adiabatic heating due to compression of plasma in front of the SADs is on the order of 0.1–0.2 MK/s, which is similar in magnitude to the estimated conductive cooling rate. This result supports the notion that SADs contribute locally to the heating of plasma in the supra-arcade region. We also find that in the region without SADs, the plasma cools at a rate that is slower than the estimated conductive cooling, indicating that additional heating mechanisms may act globally to keep the plasma temperature high.« less

Statistical analysis of mirror mode waves in sheath regions driven by interplanetary coronal mass ejection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ala-Lahti, Matti M.; Kilpua, Emilia K. J.; Dimmock, Andrew P.; Osmane, Adnane; Pulkkinen, Tuija; Souček, Jan

2018-05-01

We present a comprehensive statistical analysis of mirror mode waves and the properties of their plasma surroundings in sheath regions driven by interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME). We have constructed a semi-automated method to identify mirror modes from the magnetic field data. We analyze 91 ICME sheath regions from January 1997 to April 2015 using data from the Wind spacecraft. The results imply that similarly to planetary magnetosheaths, mirror modes are also common structures in ICME sheaths. However, they occur almost exclusively as dip-like structures and in mirror stable plasma. We observe mirror modes throughout the sheath, from the bow shock to the ICME leading edge, but their amplitudes are largest closest to the shock. We also find that the shock strength (measured by Alfvén Mach number) is the most important parameter in controlling the occurrence of mirror modes. Our findings suggest that in ICME sheaths the dominant source of free energy for mirror mode generation is the shock compression. We also suggest that mirror modes that are found deeper in the sheath are remnants from earlier times of the sheath evolution, generated also in the vicinity of the shock.

Personalized protein corona on nanoparticles and its clinical implications.

PubMed

Corbo, Claudia; Molinaro, Roberto; Tabatabaei, Mateen; Farokhzad, Omid C; Mahmoudi, Morteza

2017-02-28

It is now well understood that once in contact with biological fluids, nanoscale objects lose their original identity and acquire a new biological character, referred to as a protein corona. The protein corona changes many of the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles, including size, surface charge, and aggregation state. These changes, in turn, affect the biological fate of nanoparticles, including their pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and therapeutic efficacy. It is progressively being accepted that even slight variations in the composition of a protein source (e.g., plasma and serum) can substantially change the composition of the corona formed on the surface of the exact same nanoparticles. Recently it has been shown that the protein corona is strongly affected by the patient's specific disease. Therefore, the same nanomaterial incubated with plasma proteins of patients with different pathologies adsorb protein coronas with different compositions, giving rise to the concept of personalized protein corona. Herein, we review this concept along with recent advances on the topic, with a particular focus on clinical relevance.

Pilot Fullerton in ejection escape suit (EES) on aft flight deck

NASA Image and Video Library

1982-03-30

STS003-31-290 (30 March 1982) --- Astronaut Gordon Fullerton, STS-3 pilot, wearing communications kit assembly (ASSY) mini-headset (HDST) and ejection escape suit (EES), holds flexible hose attached to his EES vent hose fitting and second hose for commander's EES while behind pilots ejection seat (S2) seat back on the aft flight deck. Forward flight deck control panels are visible in the background. Photo credit: NASA

Plasma lipophilic antioxidants and malondialdehyde in congestive heart failure patients: relationship to disease severity.

PubMed

Polidori, Maria Cristina; Savino, Ketty; Alunni, Gianfranco; Freddio, Michela; Senin, Umberto; Sies, Helmut; Stahl, Wilhelm; Mecocci, Patrizia

2002-01-15

Plasma levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), vitamin A, and of antioxidant micronutrients including vitamin E, lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, and alpha- and beta-carotene were measured in 30 patients with class II and III congestive heart failure (CHF) according to the New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification and in 55 controls. Ejection fraction was evaluated by echocardiography in all patients as a measure of the emptying capacity of the heart. Plasma levels of all measured compounds were significantly lower and MDA significantly higher in patients compared to controls (p <.001). Class II NYHA patients showed significantly lower MDA levels and significantly higher levels of vitamin A, vitamin E, lutein, and lycopene than class III patients. Ejection fraction was inversely correlated with MDA levels and directly correlated with vitamin A, vitamin E, lutein, and lycopene levels in patients. The present study supports the concept that an increased consumption of vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables might help in achieving cardiovascular health.

Activity associated with coronal mass ejections at solar minimum - SMM observations from 1984-1986

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

St. Cyr, O. C.; Webb, D. F.

1991-01-01

Seventy-three coronal mass ejections (CMEs) observed by the coronagraph aboard SMM between 1984 and 1986 were examined in order to determine the distribution of various forms of solar activity that were spatially and temporally associated with mass ejections during solar minimum phase. For each coronal mass ejection a speed was measured, and the departure time of the transient from the lower corona estimated. Other forms of solar activity that appeared within 45 deg longitude and 30 deg latitude of the mass ejection and within +/-90 min of its extrapolated departure time were explored. The statistical results of the analysis of these 73 CMEs are presented, and it is found that slightly less than half of them were infrequently associated with other forms of solar activity. It is suggested that the distribution of the various forms of activity related to CMEs does not change at different phases of the solar cycle. For those CMEs with associations, it is found that eruptive prominences and soft X-rays were the most likely forms of activity to accompany the appearance of mass ejections.

A Novel Charged Medium Consisting of Gas-Liquid Interfacial Plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kaneko, Toshiro; Hatakeyama, Rikizo

Due to the unique properties of ionic liquids such as their extremely low vapor pressure and high heat capacity, we succeed in creating the reactive gas (plasmas)--liquid (ionic liquids) interfacial field under a low gas pressure condition, where the plasma ion behavior can be controlled. The effects of the plasma ion irradiation on the liquid medium are quantitatively revealed for the first time. In connection with the plasma ion irradiation, the potential structure and optical emission properties of the gas-liquid interfacial plasma are investigated by changing a polarity of the electrode in the liquid to evaluate the plasma-liquid interactions. Thesemore » results would contribute to synthesizing the metal nanoparticles with carbon nanotubes as a template in the ionic liquid. It is found that the high density, mono-dispersed, and isolated metal nanoparticles are synthesized between or inside the carbon nanotubes by controlling the gas-liquid interfacial plasmas. Furthermore, we can form novel nano-bio composite materials, such as DNA encapsulated carbon nanotubes using the plasma ion irradiation method in an electrolyte plasma with DNA, and demonstrate modifications of the electrical properties of the carbon nanotubes depending on the kinds of encapsulated DNA for the first time.« less

Droplet ejection and sliding on a flapping film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xi; Doughramaji, Nicole; Betz, Amy Rachel; Derby, Melanie M.

2017-03-01

Water recovery and subsequent reuse are required for human consumption as well as industrial, and agriculture applications. Moist air streams, such as cooling tower plumes and fog, represent opportunities for water harvesting. In this work, we investigate a flapping mechanism to increase droplet shedding on thin, hydrophobic films for two vibrational cases (e.g., ± 9 mm and 11 Hz; ± 2 mm and 100 Hz). Two main mechanisms removed water droplets from the flapping film: vibrational-induced coalescence/sliding and droplet ejection from the surface. Vibrations mobilized droplets on the flapping film, increasing the probability of coalescence with neighboring droplets leading to faster droplet growth. Droplet departure sizes of 1-2 mm were observed for flapping films, compared to 3-4 mm on stationary films, which solely relied on gravity for droplet removal. Additionally, flapping films exhibited lower percentage area coverage by water after a few seconds. The second removal mechanism, droplet ejection was analyzed with respect to surface wave formation and inertia. Smaller droplets (e.g., 1-mm diameter) were ejected at a higher frequency which is associated with a higher acceleration. Kinetic energy of the water was the largest contributor to energy required to flap the film, and low energy inputs (i.e., 3.3 W/m2) were possible. Additionally, self-flapping films could enable novel water collection and condensation with minimal energy input.

Dielectric Yagi-Uda nanoantennas driven by electron-hole plasma photoexcitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, S.; Lepeshov, S.; Savelev, R.; Baranov, D.; Belov, P.; Krasnok, A.

2017-11-01

All-dielectric nanophotonics based on high-index dielectric nanoparticles became a powerful platform for modern light science, providing many fascinating applications, including high-efficient nanoantennas and metamaterials. High-index dielectric nanostructures are of a special interest for nonlinear nanophotonics, where they demonstrate special types of optical nonlinearity, such as electron-hole plasma photoexcitation, which are not inherent to plasmonic nanostructures. Here, we propose a novel type of highly tunable all-dielectric Yagi-Uda nanoantennas, consisting of a chain of Si nanoparticles exciting by an electric dipole source, which allow tuning of their radiating properties via electron-hole plasma photoexcitation. We theoretically and numerically demonstrate the tuning of radiation power patterns and the Purcell effect by additional pumping of several boundary nanoparticles with relatively low peak intensities of fs-laser.

Spironolactone for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

PubMed

Pitt, Bertram; Pfeffer, Marc A; Assmann, Susan F; Boineau, Robin; Anand, Inder S; Claggett, Brian; Clausell, Nadine; Desai, Akshay S; Diaz, Rafael; Fleg, Jerome L; Gordeev, Ivan; Harty, Brian; Heitner, John F; Kenwood, Christopher T; Lewis, Eldrin F; O'Meara, Eileen; Probstfield, Jeffrey L; Shaburishvili, Tamaz; Shah, Sanjiv J; Solomon, Scott D; Sweitzer, Nancy K; Yang, Song; McKinlay, Sonja M

2014-04-10

Mineralocorticoid-receptor antagonists improve the prognosis for patients with heart failure and a reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. We evaluated the effects of spironolactone in patients with heart failure and a preserved left ventricular ejection fraction. In this randomized, double-blind trial, we assigned 3445 patients with symptomatic heart failure and a left ventricular ejection fraction of 45% or more to receive either spironolactone (15 to 45 mg daily) or placebo. The primary outcome was a composite of death from cardiovascular causes, aborted cardiac arrest, or hospitalization for the management of heart failure. With a mean follow-up of 3.3 years, the primary outcome occurred in 320 of 1722 patients in the spironolactone group (18.6%) and 351 of 1723 patients in the placebo group (20.4%) (hazard ratio, 0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.77 to 1.04; P=0.14). Of the components of the primary outcome, only hospitalization for heart failure had a significantly lower incidence in the spironolactone group than in the placebo group (206 patients [12.0%] vs. 245 patients [14.2%]; hazard ratio, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.69 to 0.99, P=0.04). Neither total deaths nor hospitalizations for any reason were significantly reduced by spironolactone. Treatment with spironolactone was associated with increased serum creatinine levels and a doubling of the rate of hyperkalemia (18.7%, vs. 9.1% in the placebo group) but reduced hypokalemia. With frequent monitoring, there were no significant differences in the incidence of serious adverse events, a serum creatinine level of 3.0 mg per deciliter (265 μmol per liter) or higher, or dialysis. In patients with heart failure and a preserved ejection fraction, treatment with spironolactone did not significantly reduce the incidence of the primary composite outcome of death from cardiovascular causes, aborted cardiac arrest, or hospitalization for the management of heart failure. (Funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood

Left atrial ejection force predicts the outcome after catheter ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

PubMed

Kishima, Hideyuki; Mine, Takanao; Takahashi, Satoshi; Ashida, Kenki; Ishihara, Masaharu; Masuyama, Tohru

2018-02-01

Left atrium (LA) systolic dysfunction is observed in the early stages of atrial fibrillation (AF) prior to LA anatomical change. We investigated whether LA systolic dysfunction predicts recurrent AF after catheter ablation (CA) in patients with paroxysmal AF. We studied 106 patients who underwent CA for paroxysmal AF. LA systolic function was assessed with the LA emptying volume = Maximum LA volume (LAV max ) - Minimum LA volume (LAV min ), LA emptying fraction = [(LAV max - LAV min )/LAV max ] × 100, and LA ejection force calculated with Manning's method [LA ejection force = (0.5 × ρ × mitral valve area × A 2 )], where ρ is the blood density and A is the late-diastolic mitral inflow velocity. Recurrent AF was detected in 35/106 (33%) during 14.6 ± 9.1 months. Univariate analysis revealed reduced LA ejection force, decreased LA emptying fraction, larger LA diameter, and elevated brain natriuretic peptide as significant variables. On multivariate analysis, reduced LA ejection force and larger LA diameter were independently associated with recurrent AF. Moreover, patients with reduced LA ejection force and larger LA diameter had a higher risk of recurrent AF than preserved LA ejection force (log-rank P = 0.0004). Reduced LA ejection force and larger LA diameter were associated with poor outcome after CA for paroxysmal AF, and could be a new index to predict recurrent AF. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Pilot ejection, parachute, and helicopter crash injuries.

PubMed

McBratney, Colleen M; Rush, Stephen; Kharod, Chetan U

2014-01-01

USAF Pararescuemen (PJs) respond to downed aircrew as a fundamental mission for personnel recovery (PR), one of the Air Force's core functions. In addition to responding to these in Military settings, the PJs from the 212 Rescue Squadron routinely respond to small plane crashes in remote regions of Alaska. While there is a paucity of information on the latter, there have been articles detailing injuries sustained from helicopter crashes and while ejecting or parachuting from fixed wing aircraft. The following represents a new chapter added to the Pararescue Medical Operations Handbook, Sixth Edition (2014, editors Matt Wolf, MD, and Stephen Rush, MD, in press). It was designed to be a quick reference for PJs and their Special Operations flight surgeons to help with understanding of mechanism of injury with regard to pilot ejection, parachute, and helicopter accident injuries. It outlines the nature of the injuries sustained in such mishaps and provides an epidemiologic framework from which to approach the problem. 2014.

Understanding Coronal Dimming and its Relation to Coronal Mass Ejections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mason, J. P.; Woods, T. N.; Caspi, A.; Hock, R. A.

2013-12-01

When extreme ultraviolet (EUV) emitting material in the corona is lost during a coronal mass ejection (CME), the solar spectral irradiance is impacted and these effects are observed in data from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) EUV Variability Experiment (EVE) and Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA). This process is one of the physical mechanisms that can lead to the observation of 'coronal dimming,' a phenomenon lasting eight hours on average and rarely persisting longer than one day. Other mechanisms that can cause observed dimming include obscuration of bright material (e.g., flare arcade) by dark material (e.g., filament), temperature evolution (e.g., cool plasma being heated causing transient decreases in characteristic emission lines), and propagation of global waves. Each of these processes has a unique spectral signature, which will be explained and exemplified. In particular, the 7 August 2010 M1.0 flare with associated ~870 km/s CME will be analyzed in detail using both AIA and EVE to demonstrate new techniques for isolating dimming due to the CME ('core dimming'). Further analysis will estimate CME mass and velocity using only parameterization of core dimming and compare these estimates to traditionally calculated CME kinetics.

New Mixed Conductivity Mechanisms in the Cold Plasma Device Based on Silver-Modified Zeolite Microporous Electronic Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koç, Sevgul Ozturk; Galioglu, Sezin; Ozturk, Seckin; Kurç, Burcu Akata; Koç, Emrah; Salamov, Bahtiyar G.

2018-02-01

We have analyzed the interaction between microdischarge and microporous zeolite electronic materials modified by silver (Ag0) nanoparticles (resistivity 1011 to 106 Ω cm) on the atmospheric pressure cold plasma generation in air. The generation and maintenance of stable cold plasma is studied according to the effect of the Ag0 nanoparticles. The role of charge carriers in mixed conductivity processes and electrical features of zeolite from low pressure to atmospheric pressure is analyzed in air microplasmas for both before and after breakdown regimes. The results obtained from the experiments indicate that Ag0 nanoparticles play a significant role in considerably reducing the breakdown voltage in plasma electronic devices with microporous zeolite electronic materials.

Purification and Concentration of Nanoparticles Using Diafiltration: Scientific Operating Procedure Series: SOP-P-1

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-01

Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) analysis If the nanoparticle of choice is a metal such as gold or silver , an aliquot can be measured using USEPA...ER D C/ EL S R- 15 -4 Environmental Consequences of Nanotechnologies Purification and Concentration of Nanoparticles Using...Environmental Consequences of Nanotechnologies ERDC/EL SR-15-4 July 2015 Purification and Concentration of Nanoparticles Using Diafiltration

ISAAC: A REXUS Student Experiment to Demonstrate an Ejection System with Predefined Direction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balmer, G.; Berquand, A.; Company-Vallet, E.; Granberg, V.; Grigore, V.; Ivchenko, N.; Kevorkov, R.; Lundkvist, E.; Olentsenko, G.; Pacheco-Labrador, J.; Tibert, G.; Yuan, Y.

2015-09-01

ISAAC Infrared Spectroscopy to Analyse the middle Atmosphere Composition — was a student experiment launched from SSC's Esrange Space Centre, Sweden, on 29th May 2014, on board the sounding rocket REXUS 15 in the frame of the REXUS/BEXUS programme. The main focus of the experiment was to implement an ejection system for two large Free Falling Units (FFUs) (240 mm x 80 mm) to be ejected from a spinning rocket into a predefined direction. The system design relied on a spring-based ejection system. Sun and angular rate sensors were used to control and time the ejection. The flight data includes telemetry from the Rocket Mounted Unit (RMU), received and saved during flight, as well as video footage from the GoPro camera mounted inside the RMU and recovered after the flight. The FFUs' direction, speed and spin frequency as well as the rocket spin frequency were determined by analyzing the video footage. The FFU-Rocket-Sun angles were 64.3° and 104.3°, within the required margins of 90°+45°. The FFU speeds were 3.98 mIs and 3.74 mIs, lower than the expected 5± 1 mIs. The FFUs' spin frequencies were 1 .38 Hz and 1 .60 Hz, approximately half the rocket's spin frequency. The rocket spin rate slightly changed from 3. 163 Hz before the ejection to 3.1 17 Hz after the ejection of the two FFUs. The angular rate, sun sensor data and temperature on the inside of the rocket module skin were also recorded. The experiment design and results of the data analysis are presented in this paper.

Activity associated with the solar origin of coronal mass ejections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Webb, D. F.; Hundhausen, A. J.

1987-01-01

Solar coronal mass ejections (CMEs) observed in 1980 with the HAO Coronagraph/Polarimeter on the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) satellite are compared with other forms of solar activity that might be physically related to the ejections. The solar phenomena checked and the method of association used were intentionally patterned after those of Munro et al.'s (1979) analysis of mass ejections observed with the Skylab coronagraph to facilitate comparison of the two epochs. Comparison of the results reveals that the types and degree of CME associations are similar near solar activity minimum and at maximum. For both epochs, most CMEs with associations had associated eruptive prominences, and the proportions of association of all types of activity were similar. A high percentage of association between SMM CMEs and X-ray long duration events is also found, in agreement with Skylab results. It is concluded that most CMEs are the result of the destabilization and eruption of a prominence and its overlying coronal structure, or of a magnetic structure capable of supporting a prominence.

Synthesis of Nanomaterials by the Pulsed Plasma in Liquid and their Bio-medical Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Omurzak, E.; Abdullaeva, Z.; Satyvaldiev, A.; Zhasnakunov, Z.; Kelgenbaeva, Z.; Akai Tegin, R. Adil; Syrgakbek kyzy, D.; Doolotkeldieva, T.; Bobusheva, S.; Mashimo, T.

2018-01-01

Pulsed plasma in liquid is a simple, ecologically friendly, cost-efficient method based on electrical discharge between two metal electrodes submerged into a dielectric liquid. We synthesized carbon-encapsulated Fe (Fe@C) magnetic nanoparticles with low cytotoxicity using pulsed plasma in a liquid. Body-centered cubic Fe core nanoparticles showed good crystalline structures with an average size between 20 and 30 nm were encapsulated in onion-like carbon coatings with a thickness of 2-10 nm. Thermal gravimetric analysis showed a high stability of the as-synthesized samples under thermal treatment and oxidation. Cytotoxicity measurements showed higher cancer cell viability than samples synthesized by different methods. Carbon coated ZnO nanorods with about 20 nm thickness and 150 nm length were synthesized by this method using different surfactant materials such as cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS). Cu and Ag nanoparticles of about 10 nm in size were also synthesized by the pulsed plasma in aquatic solution of 0.2 % gelatine as surfactant material. These nanoparticles showed high antibacterial activity for Erwinia amylovora and Escherichia coli.

Single Particle-Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy Analysis of Metallic Nanoparticles in Environmental Samples with Large Dissolved Analyte Fractions.

PubMed

Schwertfeger, D M; Velicogna, Jessica R; Jesmer, Alexander H; Scroggins, Richard P; Princz, Juliska I

2016-10-18

There is an increasing interest to use single particle-inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (SP-ICPMS) to help quantify exposure to engineered nanoparticles, and their transformation products, released into the environment. Hindering the use of this analytical technique for environmental samples is the presence of high levels of dissolved analyte which impedes resolution of the particle signal from the dissolved. While sample dilution is often necessary to achieve the low analyte concentrations necessary for SP-ICPMS analysis, and to reduce the occurrence of matrix effects on the analyte signal, it is used here to also reduce the dissolved signal relative to the particulate, while maintaining a matrix chemistry that promotes particle stability. We propose a simple, systematic dilution series approach where by the first dilution is used to quantify the dissolved analyte, the second is used to optimize the particle signal, and the third is used as an analytical quality control. Using simple suspensions of well characterized Au and Ag nanoparticles spiked with the dissolved analyte form, as well as suspensions of complex environmental media (i.e., extracts from soils previously contaminated with engineered silver nanoparticles), we show how this dilution series technique improves resolution of the particle signal which in turn improves the accuracy of particle counts, quantification of particulate mass and determination of particle size. The technique proposed here is meant to offer a systematic and reproducible approach to the SP-ICPMS analysis of environmental samples and improve the quality and consistency of data generated from this relatively new analytical tool.

Better Visual Outcome by Intraocular Lens Ejection in Geriatric Patients with Ruptured Ocular Injuries

PubMed Central

Sugita, Tadasu; Tsunekawa, Taichi; Matsuura, Toshiyuki; Takayama, Kei; Yamamoto, Kentaro; Kachi, Shu; Ito, Yasuki; Ueno, Shinji; Nonobe, Norie; Kataoka, Keiko; Suzumura, Ayana; Iwase, Takeshi; Terasaki, Hiroko

2017-01-01

Ocular trauma is one of the leading causes of visual impairment worldwide. Because of the popularity of cataract surgeries, aged individuals with ocular trauma commonly have a surgical wound in their eyes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the visual outcome of cases that were coincident with intraocular lens (IOL) ejection in the eyes with ruptured open-globe ocular injuries. Consecutive patients with open-globe ocular injuries were first reviewed. Patients’ characteristics, corrected distance visual acuities (CDVAs) over 3 years after the trauma, causes of injuries, traumatic wound patterns, and coexistence of retinal detachment were examined. The relationships between poor CDVA and the other factors, including the complications of crystalline lens and IOL ejection, were examined. A total of 105 eyes/patients [43 eyes with rupture, 33 with penetrating, 28 with intraocular foreign body (IOFB), and 1 with perforating injuries] were included. Rupture injuries were common in aged patients and were mostly caused by falls, whereas penetrating and IOFB injuries were common in young male patients. CDVAs of the eyes with rupture injuries were significantly worse than those of the eyes with penetrating or IOFB injuries. CDVA from more than 50% of the ruptured eyes resulted in no light perception or light perception to 20/500. CDVA of the ruptured eyes complicated by crystalline lens ejection was significantly worse than that of those complicated by IOL ejection. The wounds of the ruptured eyes complicated by IOL ejection were mainly located at the superior corneoscleral limbus, whereas those of the eyes complicated by crystalline lens ejection were located at the posterior sclera. There were significant correlations between poor CDVA and retinal detachment and crystalline lens ejection. These results proposed a new trend in the ocular injuries that commonly occur in aged patients; history of cataract surgery might affect the final visual outcome after open

Green-synthetized silver nanoparticles for Nanoparticle-Enhanced Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (NELIBS) using a mobile instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poggialini, F.; Campanella, B.; Giannarelli, S.; Grifoni, E.; Legnaioli, S.; Lorenzetti, G.; Pagnotta, S.; Safi, A.; Palleschi, V.

2018-03-01

When compared to other analytical techniques, LIBS shows relatively low precision and, generally, high Limits of Detection (LODs). Until recently, the attempts in improving the LIBS performances have been based on the use of more stable/powerful lasers, high sensitivity detectors or controlled environmental parameters. This can hinder the competitiveness of LIBS by increasing the instrumental setup cost and the difficulty of operation. Sample treatment has proved to be a viable and simple way to increase the LIBS signal; in particular, the Nanoparticle-Enhanced Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (NELIBS) methodology uses a deposition of metal nanoparticles on the sample to greatly increase the emission of the LIBS plasma. In this work, we used a simple, fast, "green" and low-cost method to synthetize silver nanoparticles by using coffee extract as reducing agents for a silver nitrate solution. This allowed us to obtain nanoparticles of about 25 nm in diameter. We then explored the application of such nanoparticles to the NELIBS analysis of metallic samples with a mobile LIBS instrument. By adjusting the laser parameters and optimizing the sample preparation procedure, we obtained a NELIBS signal that is 4 times the LIBS one. This showed the potential of green-synthetized nanoparticle for NELIBS applications and suggests the possibility of an in-situ application of the technique.

Mixing and unmixedness in plasma jets 1: Near-field analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ilegbusi, Olusegun J.

1993-01-01

The flow characteristics in the near-field of a plasma jet are simulated with a two-fluid model. This model accounts for both gradient-diffusion mixing and uni-directional sifting motion resulting from pressure-gradient-body-force imbalance. This latter mechanism is believed to be responsible for the umixedness observed in plasma jets. The unmixedness is considered to be essentially a Rayleigh-Taylor kind instability. Transport equations are solved for the individual plasma and ambient gas velocities, temperatures and volume fractions. Empirical relations are employed for the interface transfers of mass, momentum and heat. The empirical coefficients are first established by comparison of predictions with available experimental data for shear flows. The model is then applied to an Argon plasma jet ejecting into stagnant air. The predicted results show the significant build-up of unmixed air within the plasma gas, even relatively far downstream of the torch. By adjusting the inlet condition, the model adequately reproduces the experimental data.

How much dust does Enceladus eject?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kempf, Sascha; Horanyi, Mihaly; Schmidt, Jürgen; Southworth, Ben

2015-04-01

There is an ongoing argument how much dust per second the ice volcanoes on Saturn's ice moon Enceladus eject. By adjusting their plume model to the dust flux measured by the Cassini dust detector during the close Enceladus flyby in 2005, as well as to the plume brightness in Cassini imaging, Schmidt et al. (2008) obtained a total dust production rate in the plumes of about 5 kg/s. On the other hand, Ingersoll and Ewald (2011) derived a dust production rate of 51 kg/s from photometry of very high phase-angle images of the plume, a method that is sensitive also to particles in the size range of microns and larger. Knowledge of the production rate is essential for estimating the dust to gas mass ratio, which in turn is an important constraint for finding the plume source mechanism. Here we report on numerical simulations of the Enceladus dust plume. We run a large number of dynamical simulations including gravity and Lorentz force to investigate the earliest phase of the ring particle life span. The magnetic field in the vicinity of Enceladus is based on the model by Simon et al. (2012). The evolution of the electrostatic charge carried by the initially uncharged grains is treated self-consistently. Our numerical simulations reproduce dust measurements by the Cassini Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA) during Cassini plume traversals as well as the snowfall pattern derived from ISS observations of the Enceladus surface (Schenk et al, 2011, EPSC abstract). Based on our simulation results we are able to draw conclusions about the dust production rate as well as wether the Enceladus dust plume constitutes a dusty plasma.

Surface functionalisation of polypropylene hernia-repair meshes by RF-activated plasma polymerisation of acrylic acid and silver nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nisticò, Roberto; Rosellini, Andrea; Rivolo, Paola; Faga, Maria Giulia; Lamberti, Roberta; Martorana, Selanna; Castellino, Micaela; Virga, Alessandro; Mandracci, Pietro; Malandrino, Mery; Magnacca, Giuliana

2015-02-01

Hernia diseases are among the most common and diffuse causes of surgical interventions. Unfortunately, still nowadays there are different phenomena which can cause the hernioplasty failure, for instance post-operative prostheses displacements and proliferation of bacteria in the surgical site. In order to limit these problems, commercial polypropylene (PP) and polypropylene/Teflon (PP/PTFE) bi-material meshes were surface functionalised to confer adhesive properties (and therefore reduce undesired displacements) using polyacrylic acid synthesized by plasma polymerisation (PPAA). A broad physico-chemical and morphological characterisation was carried out and adhesion properties were investigated by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM) used in force/distance (F/D) mode. Once biomedical devices surface was functionalised by PPAA coating, metallic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with antimicrobial properties were synthesised and loaded onto the polymeric prostheses. The effect of the PPAA, containing carboxylic functionalities, adhesive coating towards AgNPs loading capacity was verified by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Preliminary measurement of the Ag loaded amount and release in water were also investigated via inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Promising results were obtained for the functionalised biomaterials, encouraging future in vitro and in vivo tests.

Spin stability of sounding rocket secondary payloads following high velocity ejections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Weston M.

The Auroral Spatial Structures Probe (ASSP) mission is a sounding rocket mission studying solar energy input to space weather. ASSP requires the high velocity ejection (up to 50 m/s) of 6 secondary payloads, spin stabilized perpendicular to the ejection velocity. The proposed scientific instrumentation depends on a high degree of spin stability, requiring a maximum coning angle of less than 5°. It also requires that the spin axis be aligned within 25° of the local magnetic field lines. The maximum velocities of current ejection methods are typically less than 10m/s, and often produce coning angles in excess of 20°. Because of this they do not meet the ASSP mission requirements. To meet these requirements a new ejection method is being developed by NASA Wallops Flight Facility. Success of the technique in meeting coning angle and B-field alignment requirements is evaluated herein by modeling secondary payload dynamic behavior using a 6-DOF dynamic simulation employing state space integration written in MATLAB. Simulation results showed that secondary payload mass balancing is the most important factor in meeting stability requirements. Secondary mass payload properties will be measured using an inverted torsion pendulum. If moment of inertia measurement errors can be reduced to 0.5%, it is possible to achieve mean coning and B-field alignment angles of 2.16° and 2.71°, respectively.

Pathfinder landing sites at candidate SNC impact ejection sites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Golombek, Matthew P.

1994-01-01

If Mars Pathfinder were able to land at a site on Mars from which the SNC meteorites were ejected by impact, the Pathfinder mission would essentially represent a very inexpensive sample return mission. Geologic units that contain four potential impact craters from which SNC meteorites could have been ejected from Mars are accessible to the Mars Pathfinder lander. Determining that SNC meteorites came from a particular spot on Mars raises the intriguing possibility of using Pathfinder as a sample return mission and providing a radiometric age for the considerably uncertain martian crater-age timescale. Pathfinder instruments are capable of determining if the rock type at the landing site is similar to that of one or more of the SNC meteorites, which would strengthen the hypothesis that the SNC meteorites did, in fact, come from Mars. Unfortunately, instrument observations from Pathfinder are probably not capable of determining if the geologic unit sampled by the lander is definitively the unit from which a SNC meteorite came from as opposed to Mars in general or perhaps a particular region on Mars. This abstract evaluates the possibility of landing at potential SNC ejection sites and the ability of Pathfinder to identify the landing site as the place from which an SNC meteorite came.

IR Variability During a Shell Ejection of Eta Carinae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Nathan

2006-02-01

Every 5.5 years, η Carinae experiences a dramatic ``spectroscopic event'' when high-excitation lines in its UV, optical, and IR spectrum disappear, and its hard X-ray and radio continuum flux crash. This periodicity has been attributed to a very eccentric binary system with a shell ejection occurring at periastron. Mid-IR images and spectra with T-ReCS are needed to measure changes in the current bolometric luminosity and to trace dust formation episodes. This will provide a direct estimate of the mass ejected. Near-IR emission lines trace related changes in the post-event wind and ionization changes in the circumstellar environment needed to test specific models for the cause of η Car's variability as it recovers from its recent ``event''. High resolution near-IR spectra with GNIRS will continue the important work of HST/STIS, investigating changes in the direct and reflected spectrum of the stellar wind, and ionization changes in the nebula. The complex kinematic structure of η Car's ejecta also holds important clues to its mass ejection history, and is essential for interpreting other data. Phoenix can provide a unique kinematic map of the complex density and time-variable ionization structure of η Car's nebula, which is our best example of the pre-explosion environment of very massive stars.

Role of Plasma Temperature and Residence Time in Stagnation Plasma Synthesis of c-BN Nanopowders

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

outer diameter of 15mm. A center injection 19 nozzle of 1.4mm diameter is implemented for precursor introduction. Plasma and sheath gas ... Gas Phase Synthesis of Nanoparticles..................................................... 5 2.2 Cubic Boron Nitride Synthesis...11 2.2.4 Effects of gas composition ............................................................................................ 11

Physico-chemical changes of ZnO nanoparticles with different size and surface chemistry under physiological pH conditions.

PubMed

Gwak, Gyeong-Hyeon; Lee, Won-Jae; Paek, Seung-Min; Oh, Jae-Min

2015-03-01

We studied the physico-chemical properties of ZnO nanoparticles under physiological pH conditions (gastric, intestinal and plasma) as functions of their size (20 and 70 nm) and surface chemistry (pristine, L-serine, or citrate coating). ZnO nanoparticles were dispersed in phosphate buffered saline under physiological pH conditions and aliquots were collected at specific time points (0.5, 1, 4, 10 and 24 h) for further characterization. The pH values of the aqueous ZnO colloids at each condition were in the neutral to slightly basic range and showed different patterns depending on the original size and surface chemistry of the ZnO nanoparticles. The gastric pH condition was found to significantly dissolve ZnO nanoparticles up to 18-30 wt%, while the intestinal or plasma pH conditions resulted in much lower dissolution amounts than expected. Based on the X-ray diffraction patterns and X-ray absorption spectra, we identified partial phase transition of the ZnO nanoparticles from wurtzite to Zn(OH)2 under the intestinal and plasma pH conditions. Using scanning electron microscopy, we verified that the overall particle size and morphology of all ZnO nanoparticles were maintained regardless of the pH. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Temperature and size-dependent Hamaker constants for metal nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, K.; Pinchuk, P.

2016-08-01

Theoretical values of the Hamaker constant have been calculated for metal nanoparticles using Lifshitz theory. The theory describes the Hamaker constant in terms of the permittivity of the interacting bodies. Metal nanoparticles exhibit an internal size effect that alters the dielectric permittivity of the particle when its size falls below the mean free path of the conducting electrons. This size dependence of the permittivity leads to size-dependence of the Hamaker constant for metal nanoparticles. Additionally, the electron damping and the plasma frequency used to model the permittivity of the particle exhibit temperature-dependence, which lead to temperature dependence of the Hamaker constant. In this work, both the size and temperature dependence for gold, silver, copper, and aluminum nanoparticles is demonstrated. The results of this study might be of interest for studying the colloidal stability of nanoparticles in solution.

Temperature and size-dependent Hamaker constants for metal nanoparticles.

PubMed

Jiang, K; Pinchuk, P

2016-08-26

Theoretical values of the Hamaker constant have been calculated for metal nanoparticles using Lifshitz theory. The theory describes the Hamaker constant in terms of the permittivity of the interacting bodies. Metal nanoparticles exhibit an internal size effect that alters the dielectric permittivity of the particle when its size falls below the mean free path of the conducting electrons. This size dependence of the permittivity leads to size-dependence of the Hamaker constant for metal nanoparticles. Additionally, the electron damping and the plasma frequency used to model the permittivity of the particle exhibit temperature-dependence, which lead to temperature dependence of the Hamaker constant. In this work, both the size and temperature dependence for gold, silver, copper, and aluminum nanoparticles is demonstrated. The results of this study might be of interest for studying the colloidal stability of nanoparticles in solution.

Density and white light brightness in looplike coronal mass ejections - Temporal evolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinolfson, R. S.; Hundhausen, A. J.

1988-01-01

Three ambient coronal models suitable for studies of time-dependent phenomena were used to investigate the propagation of coronal mass ejections initiated in each atmosphere by an identical energy source. These models included those of a static corona with a dipole magnetic field, developed by Dryer et al. (1979); a steady polytropic corona with an equatorial coronal streamer, developed by Steinolfson et al. (1982); and Steinolfson's (1988) model of heated corona with an equatorial coronal streamer. The results indicated that the first model does not adequately represent the general characteristics of observed looplike mass ejections, and the second model simulated only some of the observed features. Only the third model, which included a heating term and a streamer, was found to yield accurate simulation of the mess ejection observations.

Increased cellular uptake of peptide-modified PEGylated gold nanoparticles.

PubMed

He, Bo; Yang, Dan; Qin, Mengmeng; Zhang, Yuan; He, Bing; Dai, Wenbing; Wang, Xueqing; Zhang, Qiang; Zhang, Hua; Yin, Changcheng

2017-12-09

Gold nanoparticles are promising drug delivery vehicles for nucleic acids, small molecules, and proteins, allowing various modifications on the particle surface. However, the instability and low bioavailability of gold nanoparticles compromise their clinical application. Here, we functionalized gold nanoparticles with CPP fragments (CALNNPFVYLI, CALRRRRRRRR) through sulfhydryl PEG to increase their stability and bioavailability. The resulting gold nanoparticles were characterized with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), UV-visible spectrometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the stability in biological solutions was evaluated. Comparing to PEGylated gold nanoparticles, CPP (CALNNPFVYLI, CALRRRRRRRR)-modified gold nanoparticles showed 46 folds increase in cellular uptake in A549 and B16 cell lines, as evidenced by the inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). The interactions between gold nanoparticles and liposomes indicated CPP-modified gold nanoparticles bind to cell membrane more effectively than PEGylated gold nanoparticles. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) was used to measure interactions between nanoparticles and the membrane. TEM and uptake inhibitor experiments indicated that the cellular entry of gold nanoparticles was mediated by clathrin and macropinocytosis. Other energy independent endocytosis pathways were also identified. Our work revealed a new strategy to modify gold nanoparticles with CPP and illustrated the cellular uptake pathway of CPP-modified gold nanoparticles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Coronal mass ejection kinematics deduced from white light (Solar Mass Ejection Imager) and radio (Wind/WAVES) observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reiner, M. J.; Jackson, B. V.; Webb, D. F.; Mizuno, D. R.; Kaiser, M. L.; Bougeret, J.-L.

2005-09-01

White-light and radio observations are combined to deduce the coronal and interplanetary kinematics of a fast coronal mass ejection (CME) that was ejected from the Sun at about 1700 UT on 2 November 2003. The CME, which was associated with an X8.3 solar flare from W56°, was observed by the Mauna Loa and Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) Large-Angle Spectrometric Coronograph (LASCO) coronagraphs to 14 R⊙. The measured plane-of-sky speed of the LASCO CME was 2600 km s-1. To deduce the kinematics of this CME, we use the plane-of-sky white light observations from both the Solar Mass Ejection Imager (SMEI) all-sky camera on board the Coriolis spacecraft and the SOHO/LASCO coronagraph, as well as the frequency drift rate of the low-frequency radio data and the results of the radio direction-finding analysis from the WAVES experiment on the Wind spacecraft. In agreement with the in situ observations for this event, we find that both the white light and radio observations indicate that the CME must have decelerated significantly beginning near the Sun and continuing well into the interplanetary medium. More specifically, by requiring self-consistency of all the available remote and in situ data, together with a simple, but not unreasonable, assumption about the general characteristic of the CME deceleration, we were able to deduce the radial speed and distance time profiles for this CME as it propagated from the Sun to 1 AU. The technique presented here, which is applicable to mutual SMEI/WAVES CME events, is expected to provide a more complete description and better quantitative understanding of how CMEs propagate through interplanetary space, as well as how the radio emissions, generated by propagating CME/shocks, relate to the shock and CME. This understanding can potentially lead to more accurate predictions for the onset times of space weather events, such as those that were observed during this unique period of intense solar activity.

In-house validation of a method for determination of silver nanoparticles in chicken meat based on asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric detection.

PubMed

Loeschner, Katrin; Navratilova, Jana; Grombe, Ringo; Linsinger, Thomas P J; Købler, Carsten; Mølhave, Kristian; Larsen, Erik H

2015-08-15

Nanomaterials are increasingly used in food production and packaging, and validated methods for detection of nanoparticles (NPs) in foodstuffs need to be developed both for regulatory purposes and product development. Asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric detection (AF(4)-ICP-MS) was applied for quantitative analysis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in a chicken meat matrix following enzymatic sample preparation. For the first time an analytical validation of nanoparticle detection in a food matrix by AF(4)-ICP-MS has been carried out and the results showed repeatable and intermediately reproducible determination of AgNP mass fraction and size. The findings demonstrated the potential of AF(4)-ICP-MS for quantitative analysis of NPs in complex food matrices for use in food monitoring and control. The accurate determination of AgNP size distribution remained challenging due to the lack of certified size standards. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Polymer Coated Echogenic Lipid Nanoparticles with Dual Release Triggers

PubMed Central

Nahire, Rahul; Haldar, Manas K.; Paul, Shirshendu; Mergoum, Anaas; Ambre, Avinash H.; Katti, Kalpana S.; Gange, Kara N.; Srivastava, D. K.; Sarkar, Kausik; Mallik, Sanku

2013-01-01

Although lipid nanoparticles are promising drug delivery vehicles, passive release of encapsulated contents at the target site is often slow. Herein, we report contents release from targeted, polymer coated, echogenic lipid nanoparticles in the cell cytoplasm by redox trigger and simultaneously enhanced by diagnostic frequency ultrasound. The lipid nanoparticles were polymerized on the external leaflet using a disulfide cross-linker. In the presence of cytosolic concentrations of glutathione, the lipid nanoparticles released 76% of encapsulated contents. Plasma concentrations of glutathione failed to release the encapsulated contents. Application of 3 MHz ultrasound for 2 minutes simultaneously with the reducing agent enhanced the release to 96%. Folic acid conjugated, doxorubicin loaded nanoparticles showed enhanced uptake and higher cytotoxicity in cancer cells overexpressing the folate receptor (compared to the control). With further developments, these lipid nanoparticles have the potential to be used as multimodal nanocarriers for simultaneous targeted drug delivery and ultrasound imaging. PMID:23394107

Injury pattern as an indication of seat belt failure in ejected vehicle occupants.

PubMed

Freeman, Michael D; Eriksson, Anders; Leith, Wendy

2014-09-01

Prior authors have suggested that when occupant ejection occurs in association with a seat belt failure, entanglement of the outboard upper extremity (OUE) with the retracting shoulder belt will invariably occur, leaving injury pattern evidence of belt use. In the present investigation, the authors assessed this theory using data accessed from the NASS-CDS for ejected front seat occupants of passenger vehicles. Logistic regression models were used to assess the associations between seat belt failure status and injuries. Injury types associated with seat belt failure were significant OUE and head injuries (OR = 3.87, [95% CI 1.2, 13.0] and 3.1, [95% CI 1.0, 9.7], respectively). The two injury types were found to be a predictor of seat belt use and subsequent failure only if combined with a high (≥0.8) precrash probability of belt use. The injury pattern associated with a seat belt failure-related ejection has limited use in the forensic investigation of crash-related ejections. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Microwave plasma enabled synthesis of free standing carbon nanostructures at atmospheric pressure conditions.

PubMed

Bundaleska, N; Tsyganov, D; Dias, A; Felizardo, E; Henriques, J; Dias, F M; Abrashev, M; Kissovski, J; Tatarova, E

2018-05-23

An experimental and theoretical study on microwave (2.45 GHz) plasma enabled assembly of carbon nanostructures, such as multilayer graphene sheets and nanoparticles, was performed. The carbon nanostructures were fabricated at different Ar-CH4 gas mixture composition and flows at atmospheric pressure conditions. The synthesis method is based on decomposition of the carbon-containing precursor (CH4) in the "hot" microwave plasma environment into carbon atoms and molecules, which are further converted into solid carbon nuclei in the "colder" plasma zones. By tailoring of the plasma environment, a controlled synthesis of graphene sheets and diamond-like nanoparticles was achieved. Selective synthesis of graphene flakes was achieved at a microwave power of 1 kW, Ar and methane flow rates of 600 sccm and 2 sccm respectively, while the predominant synthesis of diamond-like nanoparticles was obtained at the same power, but with higher flow rates, i.e. 1000 and 7.5 sccm, respectively. Optical emission spectroscopy was applied to detect the plasma emission related to carbon species from the 'hot' plasma zone and to determine the main plasma parameters. Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy have been applied to characterize the synthesized nanostructures. A previously developed theoretical model was further updated and employed to understand the mechanism of CH4 decomposition and formation of the main building units, i.e. C and C2, of the carbon nanostructures. An insight into the physical chemistry of carbon nanostructure formation in a high energy density microwave plasma environment is presented.

Colliding Laser-Produced Plasmas on LaPD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collette, Andrew; Gekelman, Walter

2007-11-01

The expansion and interaction of dense plasmas in the presence of a magnetized background plasma is important in many astrophysical processes, among them coronal mass ejections and the many examples of plasma jets from astrophotography. Turbulence is expected to be present in many such configurations. We describe a series of experiments which involve the collision of two dense (initially, n > 10^15cm-3) laser-produced plasmas within an ambient, highly magnetized plasma. The laser-produced plasmas form diamagnetic cavities in which a large percentage of the background magnetic field (600G) has been expelled. First-stage observations using a fast (3ns exposure) camera indicate complicated structure at late times, in addition to coherent corrugated structures on the bubble surfaces. The data hint at the presence of turbulence in the interaction. The second stage of observation consists of direct investigation of the magnetic field using probes. A novel diagnostic system composed of small (300-500 micron) 3-axis differential magnetic field probes in conjunction with a ceramic motor system capable of extremely fine (sub-micron) positioning accuracy is currently under development. An ensemble of magnetic field data from fixed and movable probes makes possible the calculation of the cross-spectral function.

Delivery of molecules into cells using carbon nanoparticles activated by femtosecond laser pulses

PubMed Central

Chakravarty, Prerona; Qian, Wei; El-Sayed, Mostafa A.; Prausnitz, Mark R.

2010-01-01

A major barrier to drug and gene delivery is crossing the cell's plasma membrane. Physical forces applied to cells via electroporation1, ultrasound2 and laser-irradiation3–6 generate nanoscale holes in the plasma membrane for direct delivery of drugs into the cytoplasm. Inspired by previous work showing that laser excitation of carbon nanoparticles can drive the carbon-steam reaction to generate highly controlled shock waves7–10, here we show carbon black (CB) nanoparticles activated by femtosecond laser pulses can facilitate the delivery of small molecules, proteins and DNA into two types of cells. Our initial results suggest that interaction between the laser energy and CB nanoparticles may generate photoacoustic forces by chemical reaction to create transient holes in the membrane for delivery. PMID:20639882

On the hypothesis of hyperimpact-induced ejection of asteroid-size bodies from Earth-type planets.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drobyshevski, E. M.

During the last two decades a number of facts have brought to life a seemingly fantastic idea of ejection of large rocky fragments from planets into space, like for example SNC meteorites or many-km-size fragments of Vesta. The theoretical description of impact processes of this ejection lags behind. Considerable efforts have been spent to show the possibility of ejection of bodies several meters in size from large impact craters on Mars. In general, the possibility of impact self-destruction of inner planets may drastically alter traditional models of the origin of the Solar System. However, non-destructive gasdynamic ejection of large fragments from planets requires a mechanism for fast conversion of shock-wave energy into heat. The extrapolation of data from laboratory impact experiments (≡10 kJ) and nuclear explosions (<1 Mt TNT) in order to describe hyperimpact processes with 105 - 106 Mt TNT energies can hardly be justified, that is why these calculations give relatively small gas production and, consequently, small velocities of fragment ejection from impact craters. It is predicted that at such energies some instabilities may lead to formation of new dissipation channels, that would increase the part of the overheated gas fraction in the hyperimpact ejection products. This would eliminate numerous contradictions in the impact history of planets, asteroids, meteorites etc.

Prolonged Hypocalcemic Effect by Pulmonary Delivery of Calcitonin Loaded Poly(Methyl Vinyl Ether Maleic Acid) Bioadhesive Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Varshosaz, J.; Minaiyan, M.; Forghanian, M.

2014-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to design a pulmonary controlled release system of salmon calcitonin (sCT). Therefore, poly(methyl vinyl ether maleic acid) [P(MVEMA)] nanoparticles were prepared by ionic cross-linking method using Fe2+ and Zn2+ ions. Physicochemical properties of nanoparticles were studied in vitro. The stability of sCT in the optimized nanoparticles was studied by electrophoretic gel method. Plasma calcium levels until 48 h were determined in rats as pulmonary-free sCT solution or nanoparticles (25 μg·kg−1), iv solution of sCT (5 μg·kg−1), and pulmonary blank nanoparticles. The drug remained stable during fabrication and tests on nanoparticles. The optimized nanoparticles showed proper physicochemical properties. Normalized reduction of plasma calcium levels was at least 2.76 times higher in pulmonary sCT nanoparticles compared to free solution. The duration of hypocalcemic effect of pulmonary sCT nanoparticles was 24 h, while it was just 1 h for the iv solution. There was not any significant difference between normalized blood calcium levels reduction in pulmonary drug solution and iv injection. Pharmacological activity of nanoparticles after pulmonary delivery was 65% of the iv route. Pulmonary delivery of P(MVEMA) nanoparticles of sCT enhanced and prolonged the hypocalcemic effect of the drug significantly. PMID:24701588

CME Plasma Dynamics Using In-situ and Remote-sensing Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kocher, Manan; Lepri, Susan; Landi, Enrico

2017-04-01

The thermal and kinetic energy of Coronal Mass Ejections [CMEs] can be best reconstructed if the plasma density, temperature and dynamics of each of their components are known. During periods of quadrature, we use a combination of in-situ measurements from ACE/SWICS and remote sensing observations from SDO/AIA and STEREO/EUVI to present several case studies of geo-effective halo-CMEs. We carry out density diagnostics and Differential Emission Measure [DEM] profile calculations to reconstruct a 3D picture of the CME plasma for the selected cases in the low solar corona. We then discuss these results in the context of models of CME initiation and release.

Duplex-imprinted nano well arrays for promising nanoparticle assembly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiangping; Manz, Andreas

2018-02-01

A large area nano-duplex-imprint technique is presented in this contribution using natural cicada wings as stamps. The glassy wings of the cicada, which are abundant in nature, exhibit strikingly interesting nanopillar structures over their membrane. This technique, with excellent performance despite the nonplanar surface of the wings, combines both top-down and bottom-up nanofabrication techniques. It transitions micro-nanofabrication from a cleanroom environment to the bench. Two different materials, dicing tape with an acrylic layer and a UV optical adhesive, are used to make replications at the same time, thus achieving duplex imprinting. The promise of a large volume of commercial manufacturing of these nanostructure elements can be envisaged through this contribution to speeding up the fabrication process and achieving a higher throughput. The contact angle of the replicated nanowell arrays before and after oxygen plasma was measured. Gold nanoparticles (50 nm) were used to test how the nanoparticles behaved on the untreated and plasma-treated replica surface. The experiments show that promising nanoparticle self-assembly can be obtained.

Complement proteins bind to nanoparticle protein corona and undergo dynamic exchange in vivo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Fangfang; Wang, Guankui; Griffin, James I.; Brenneman, Barbara; Banda, Nirmal K.; Holers, V. Michael; Backos, Donald S.; Wu, Linping; Moghimi, Seyed Moein; Simberg, Dmitri

2017-05-01

When nanoparticles are intravenously injected into the body, complement proteins deposit on the surface of nanoparticles in a process called opsonization. These proteins prime the particle for removal by immune cells and may contribute toward infusion-related adverse effects such as allergic responses. The ways complement proteins assemble on nanoparticles have remained unclear. Here, we show that dextran-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide core-shell nanoworms incubated in human serum and plasma are rapidly opsonized with the third complement component (C3) via the alternative pathway. Serum and plasma proteins bound to the nanoworms are mostly intercalated into the nanoworm shell. We show that C3 covalently binds to these absorbed proteins rather than the dextran shell and the protein-bound C3 undergoes dynamic exchange in vitro. Surface-bound proteins accelerate the assembly of the complement components of the alternative pathway on the nanoworm surface. When nanoworms pre-coated with human plasma were injected into mice, C3 and other adsorbed proteins undergo rapid loss. Our results provide important insight into dynamics of protein adsorption and complement opsonization of nanomedicines.

Nylon-sputtered nanoparticles: fabrication and basic properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polonskyi, O.; Kylián, O.; Solař, P.; Artemenko, A.; Kousal, J.; Slavínská, D.; Choukourov, A.; Biederman, H.

2012-12-01

Nylon-sputtered nanoparticles were prepared using a simple gas aggregation cluster source based on a planar magnetron (Haberland type) and equipped with a nylon target. Plasma polymer particles originated in an aggregation chamber and travelled to a main (deposition) chamber with a gas flow through an orifice. The deposited nanoparticles were observed to have a cauliflower-like structure. The nanoparticles were found to be nitrogen-rich with N/C ratio close to 0.5. An increase in rf power from 60 to 100 W resulted in a decrease in mean particle size from 210 to 168 nm whereas an increase in their residence time in the cluster source from 0.7 to 4.6 s resulted in an increase in the size from 73 to 231 nm.

Conductive Polymer Synthesis with Single-Crystallinity via a Novel Plasma Polymerization Technique for Gas Sensor Applications.

PubMed

Park, Choon-Sang; Kim, Dong Ha; Shin, Bhum Jae; Kim, Do Yeob; Lee, Hyung-Kun; Tae, Heung-Sik

2016-09-30

This study proposes a new nanostructured conductive polymer synthesis method that can grow the single-crystalline high-density plasma-polymerized nanoparticle structures by enhancing the sufficient nucleation and fragmentation of the pyrrole monomer using a novel atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) technique. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) results show that the plasma-polymerized pyrrole (pPPy) nanoparticles have a fast deposition rate of 0.93 µm·min -1 under a room-temperature process and have single-crystalline characteristics with porous properties. In addition, the single-crystalline high-density pPPy nanoparticle structures were successfully synthesized on the glass, plastic, and interdigitated gas sensor electrode substrates using a novel plasma polymerization technique at room temperature. To check the suitability of the active layer for the fabrication of electrochemical toxic gas sensors, the resistance variations of the pPPy nanoparticles grown on the interdigitated gas sensor electrodes were examined by doping with iodine. As a result, the proposed APPJ device could obtain the high-density and ultra-fast single-crystalline pPPy thin films for various gas sensor applications. This work will contribute to the design of highly sensitive gas sensors adopting the novel plasma-polymerized conductive polymer as new active layer.

Modeling of meteoroid streams: The velocity of ejection of meteoroids from comets (a review)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryabova, G. O.

2013-05-01

An analytical review of the models of ejection of meteoroids from cometary nuclei is presented. Different formulas for the ejection velocity of meteoroids and the corresponding parameters are discussed and compared with the use of comet Halley and the Geminids meteoroid stream as examples. The ejection velocities obtained from observations of the dust trails of comets are discussed, and the values for comets 2P/Encke, 4P/Faye, 17P/Holmes, 22P/Kopff, and 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko are compared to the velocities yielded by Whipple's model. The uncertainty intervals of the results are estimated.

Ejection of spalled layers from laser shock-loaded metals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lescoute, E.; De Rességuier, T.; Chevalier, J.-M.; Loison, D.; Cuq-Lelandais, J.-P.; Boustie, M.; Breil, J.; Maire, P.-H.; Schurtz, G.

2010-11-01

Dynamic fragmentation of shock-loaded metals is an issue of considerable importance for both basic science and a variety of technological applications, such as inertial confinement fusion, which involves high energy laser irradiation of thin metallic shells. In this context, we present an experimental and numerical study of debris ejection in laser shock-loaded metallic targets (aluminum, gold, and iron) where fragmentation is mainly governed by spall fracture occurring upon tensile loading due to wave interactions inside the sample. Experimental results consist of time-resolved velocity measurements, transverse optical shadowgraphy of ejected debris, and postshock observations of targets and fragments recovered within a transparent gel of low density. They are compared to numerical computations performed with a hydrodynamic code. A correct overall consistency is obtained.

Inflammatory Biomarkers Predict Heart Failure Severity and Prognosis in Patients With Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: A Holistic Proteomic Approach.

PubMed

Hage, Camilla; Michaëlsson, Erik; Linde, Cecilia; Donal, Erwan; Daubert, Jean-Claude; Gan, Li-Ming; Lund, Lars H

2017-02-01

Underlying mechanisms in heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction remain unknown. We investigated cardiovascular plasma biomarkers in HF with preserved ejection fraction and their correlation to diastolic dysfunction, functional class, pathophysiological processes, and prognosis. In 86 stable patients with HF and EF ≥45% in the Karolinska Rennes (KaRen) biomarker substudy, biomarkers were quantified by a multiplex immunoassay. Orthogonal projection to latent structures by partial least square analysis was performed on 87 biomarkers and 240 clinical variables, ranking biomarkers associated with New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional class and the composite outcome (all-cause mortality and HF hospitalization). Biomarkers significantly correlated with outcome were analyzed by multivariable Cox regression and correlations with echocardiographic measurements performed. The orthogonal partial least square outcome-predicting biomarker pattern was run against the Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) database, containing annotated data from the public domain. The orthogonal partial least square analyses identified 32 biomarkers correlated with NYHA class and 28 predicting outcomes. Among outcome-predicting biomarkers, growth/differentiation factor-15 was the strongest and an additional 7 were also significant in Cox regression analyses when adjusted for age, sex, and N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide: adrenomedullin (hazard ratio per log increase 2.53), agouti-related protein; (1.48), chitinase-3-like protein 1 (1.35), C-C motif chemokine 20 (1.35), fatty acid-binding protein (1.33), tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (2.29), and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (0.34). Twenty-three of them correlated with diastolic dysfunction (E/e') and 5 with left atrial volume index. The IPA suggested that increased inflammation, immune activation with decreased necrosis and apoptosis preceded poor outcome. In HF with preserved ejection fraction, novel biomarkers

PLGA/liposome hybrid nanoparticles for short-chain ceramide delivery.

PubMed

Zou, Peng; Stern, Stephan T; Sun, Duxin

2014-03-01

Rapid premature release of lipophilic drugs from liposomal lipid bilayer to plasma proteins and biological membranes is a challenge for targeted drug delivery. The purpose of this study is to reduce premature release of lipophilic short-chain ceramides by encapsulating ceramides into liposomal aqueous interior with the aid of poly (lactic-coglycolicacid) (PLGA). BODIPY FL labeled ceramide (FL-ceramide) and BODIPY-TR labeled ceramide (TR-ceramide) were encapsulated into carboxy-terminated PLGA nanoparticles. The negatively charged PLGA nanoparticles were then encapsulated into cationic liposomes to obtain PLGA/liposome hybrids. As a control, FL-ceramide and/or TR ceramide co-loaded liposomes without PLGA were prepared. The release of ceramides from PLGA/liposome hybrids and liposomes in rat plasma, cultured MDA-MB-231 cells, and rat blood circulation was compared using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between FL-ceramide (donor) and TR-ceramide (acceptor). FRET analysis showed that FL-ceramide and TR-ceramide in liposomal lipid bilayer were rapidly released during incubation with rat plasma. In contrast, the FL-ceramide and TR-ceramide in PLGA/liposome hybrids showed extended release. FRET images of cells revealed that ceramides in liposomal bilayer were rapidly transferred to cell membranes. In contrast, ceramides in PLGA/liposome hybrids were internalized into cells with nanoparticles simultaneously. Upon intravenous administration to rats, ceramides encapsulated in liposomal bilayer were completely released in 2 min. In contrast, ceramides encapsulated in the PLGA core were retained in PLGA/liposome hybrids for 4 h. The PLGA/liposome hybrid nanoparticles reduced in vitro and in vivo premature release of ceramides and offer a viable platform for targeted delivery of lipophilic drugs.

PLGA/liposome hybrid nanoparticles for short-chain ceramide delivery

PubMed Central

Zou, Peng; Stern, Stephan T.; Sun, Duxin

2014-01-01

Purpose Rapid premature release of lipophilic drugs from liposomal lipid bilayer to plasma proteins and biological membranes is a challenge for targeted drug delivery. The purpose of this study is to reduce premature release of lipophilic short-chain ceramides by encapsulating ceramides into liposomal aqueous interior with the aid of poly( lactic-coglycolicacid) (PLGA). Methods BODIPY FL labeled ceramide (FL-ceramide) and BODIPY-TR labeled ceramide (TR-ceramide) were encapsulated into carboxy-terminated PLGA nanoparticles. The negatively charged PLGA nanoparticles were then encapsulated into cationic liposomes to obtain PLGA/liposome hybrids. As a control, FL-ceramide and/or TR ceramide co-loaded liposomes without PLGA were prepared. The release of ceramides from PLGA/liposome hybrids and liposomes in rat plasma, cultured MDA-MB-231 cells, and rat blood circulation was compared using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between FL-ceramide (donor) and TR-ceramide (acceptor). Results FRET analysis showed that FL-ceramide and TR-ceramide in liposomal lipid bilayer were rapidly released during incubation with rat plasma. In contrast, the FL-ceramide and TR-ceramide in PLGA/liposome hybrids showed extended release. FRET images of cells revealed that ceramides in liposomal bilayer were rapidly transferred to cell membranes. In contrast, ceramides in PLGA/liposome hybrids were internalized into cells with nanoparticles simultaneously. Upon intravenous administration to rats, ceramides encapsulated in liposomal bilayer were completely released in 2 minutes. In contrast, ceramides encapsulated in the PLGA core were retained in PLGA/liposome hybrids for 4 hours. Conclusions The PLGA/liposome hybrid nanoparticles reduced in vitro and in vivo premature release of ceramides and offer a viable platform for targeted delivery of lipophilic drugs. PMID:24065591