Plasmonic Refractive Index Sensor and Plasmonic Bandpass Filter Including Waveguide and Four Teeth Based On Fano Resonances

A plasmonic refractive index sensor including a Metal-Insulator-Metal waveguide (MIM) with four teeth is proposed. Transmittance (T), Sensitivity (S) and Figure of Merit (FOM) investigated numerically and analysed via Finite Difference Time Domain method (FDTD). The simulation results show the generation of double Fano resonances in the system that the resonance wavelength and the resonance line-shapes can be adjusted by changing the geometry of the device. By optimizing the structure in the initial configuration, the maximum sensitivity of 1078nm/RIU and FOM of 3.62×105 is achieved. Then change the structure parameters. In this case, the maximum sensitivity and FOM are 1041nm/RIU and 2.94×104 respectively, thus two detection points can be used for the refractive index sensor. Due to proper performance and adjustable Fano resonance points, this structure is significant for fabricating sensitive refractive index sensor and plasmonic bandpass filter.

Impact of the Sampling Period on the Design of Digital PID Controllers

The impact of the sampling period on the parameterization of a digital PID controller in the frequency domain is attempted using three different digital approximations of the integral action. The controller is implemented in the industrial process of regulation of the cement sulphates in the cement mill outlet. The maximum sensitivity, Ms, has been utilized as a main robustness criterion. For the same Ms, proportional and differential gain, a rise of the sampling period leads to a decrease of the integral gain ki for all the three approximations. For the same sampling period, the function between proportional and integral gain differs for the three approximations studied. If the design satisfies two criteria simultaneously, maximum sensitivity and phase margin in the current study, then the permissible PID gains zone becomes narrower.

Application of a Global Multiparameter Scoring System for the Prenatal Prediction of Coarctation of the Aorta

To assess prospectively the capability of our previously reported global multiparameter scoring system to predict coarctation of the aorta (CoAo) in fetuses with cardiac asymmetry, we applied and analyzed the performance of our scoring system in predicting postnatal CoAo in fetuses undergoing prenatal echocardiographic assessment because of cardiac asymmetry between 2011 and 2021, and we determined the cut-off points of the score with the best balance between specificity and sensitivity, and of maximum sensitivity and specificity. CoAo was confirmed in 39/179 newborns (21.8%). We found a significantly higher probability of CoAo in fetuses with CoAo than in cases without CoAo (84.2 ± 18.2% vs. 26.0 ± 28.6%, p < 0.001). The AUC of the ROC of the score was 0.93 (95% CI 0.89–0.97). The cut-off value with the best balance between specificity and sensitivity was a predicted risk of ≥53% (sensitivity 92.3% and specificity 80.0%). The cut-off point of maximum sensitivity was ≥35% (sensitivity 100% and specificity 72.9%), and that of maximum specificity was ≥96% (sensitivity 43.6% and specificity 96.4%). In none of the fetuses with a probability of CoAo < 35% was this condition confirmed after birth. This occurred in 102 fetuses in the whole study population (57%) and in 84 of the 111 in whom CoAo was suspected beyond 28 weeks (75.7%). This multiparameter score allows an adequate discrimination between fetuses without CoAo and those with CoAo, reducing the false positive diagnoses in cardiac asymmetry.

Helium-graphene optical-acoustic converter of extreme ensitivity

The prospects for the use of single-layer graphene in the design of optical-acoustic converters (OAC) of a new generation are considered. It is shown that the limiting characteristics of transducers with single-layer graphene membranes can be obtained only in OACs constructed according to the Hayes scheme. The main characteristics of membranes – the main elements of OAC – are considered, and the physical properties of graphene, as the most preferred mate-rial for membranes, are analyzed. Estimates having been made show that the use of SLG gra-phene membranes makes it possible to create IR and THz radiation receivers with cells of the order of tens of microns with extremely high sensitivity. To achieve the maximum sensitivity, it is proposed to perform edge perforation of graphene membranes. A new design scheme of uncooled helium-graphene optoacoustic receivers with theoretically maximum sensitivity and speed and an operating range extended to helium temperatures is proposed. The de-scribed technical solutions can be used as the basis for the design of uncooled.

Gate-on-drain overlapped L-shaped channel Tunnel FET as label-free biosensor

In this manuscript gate-on-drain L-shaped channel Tunnel FET is proposed to detect various biomolecules through label-free bio-sensing detection technique. Biomolecules can be detected in the proposed structure through modulating ambipolar current between channel and drain by overlapping gate on drain thus creating a cavity. Trapped biomolecules within cavity gets immobilized. Immobilized biomolecules change the drain to channel tunneling width, thus changing the ambiploar leakage current. Drain doping and cavity length was fine-tuned to achieve better sensitivity in terms of ambipolar current and ambipolar knee voltage shift with and without presence of biomolecules. A maximum sensitivity of 3.8×107 is achieved for drain doping of 5×1019 donors/cm3 and cavity length of 60nm. A high value of sensitivity is achieved for each biomolecules when drain doping ranged from 1019 donors/cm3 to 5×1019 donors/cm3 and cavity length ranged between 40nm to 50nm. Effect of differently charged biomolecules on sensitivity has also be structured.

Etiology and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern in children with community acquired urinary tract infection

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is represented as one of the most common disease encountered in medical practice today, occurring from neonate to geriatric age group. It is an important cause of morbidity in children and affects up to 10% of the childhood population.Methods: After properly cleaning ano-genital area, in infants and young children up to 3 years of age, urine sample was collected in proper aseptic way. Midstream urine sample were collected from children older than 3 years in a sterile container. Isolation of bacteria was done on blood agar and MacConkey agar using semi quantitative methods. Antibiotic sensitivity test was carried out by disc diffusion method using Mueller-Hinton (MH) agar.Results: Over a study period of eighteen months, one hundred eighty diagnosed cases of culture positive UTI were recruited in our study. It was found that UTI was more commonly seen in females than males with male to female ratio of 0.8:1. It was more commonly seen in children with age group from one month to one year of age and least commonly seen in children’s above 4 years of age. Most commonly isolated microorganism on urine culture was Escherichia Coli (86.7%), followed by Klebsiella pneumonae (11.7%). Maximum sensitivity was to nitrofurantoin (95%) as oral antibiotics and to meropenem (97.8%) for intravenous use. Ampicillin and cefotaxime were the least sensitive antibiotics.Conclusions: E. coli was the most common uropathogen for UTI. Nitrofurantoin and meropenam were the antibiotics with maximum sensitivity.

Reliability of Hounsfield Units as a Measure of Bone Density: Applications in the Treatment of Thoracolumbar Fractures

PurposeThe aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of Hounsfield units (HU) for bone density measurement in spinal trauma. HU have already been demonstrated to be reliable for this purpose in degenerative spine disease.Methods This study is a retrospective cross-sectional analysis considering CT scanner model, slice thickness and HU in native and contrast CT scans. Linear regression, bivariate correlation and ROC analyses were performed to analyze the relationship between qCT values and HU. The inter-rater reliability of HU measurements was assessed using the intra-class correlation coefficient.Results344 patient datasets were analyzed. CT scanner model and slice thickness were found to have no significant impact on HU. The inter-rater reliability for HU measurements from native CT scans was ICC(3, 1)=0.932 (CI95: 0.919 – 0.943, p<0.001). The formula qCT=0.8·HUwithout CM+5 can be used to predict qCT values from native CT scan HU. ROC analysis revealed maximum sensitivity and specificity of 0.91 and 0.93, respectively, with a cut-off value of 93 HU to predict osteoporosis.For contrast CT scans we determined an ICC(3,1) of 0.889 (CI95: 0.801 – 0.948, p<0.001) and a formula of qCT=0.6·HUwith CM-4. The maximum sensitivity and specificity calculated using HU in the presence of contrast medium were 0.83 and 0.89 with cut-off of values of 122 and 125 HU, respectively, depending on the observer.ConclusionsHU are reliable for measurement of bone quality in spinal trauma, especially in native CT scans. HU measurements from contrast CT scans should be used more cautiously for bone quality estimation.

Assessment of Maximum Sensitivity of Acoustic Emission Technique

Knowledge of the ultimate sensitivity of the acoustic emission (AE) method is useful in studies of the mechanisms of plastic deformation of the structure, the formation and development of micro-, meso- and macro-cracks, as well as continuous processes, such as the outflow of liquids and gases, friction and a number of others. Analysis of literary data on assessment of limit sensitivity at identification of AE sources was carried out. It has been shown that when using standard resonant piezoelectric transducers with a frequency bandwidth of 30 ± 10 kHz, the ultimate sensitivity is the fraction of the nanometer in the displacement of the surface of the object and the unit micron of the size of the microcrack during its formation and hopping development. When testing industrial facilities, in many cases the level of external noise is significantly higher, the detection of defects decreases and amounts to a fraction of a millimeter. However, an increase in the energy and amplitude of AE signals as the defect develops in the vast majority of cases leads to the fact that when a crack reaches dimensions that begin to threaten the strength of the monitored object, AE signals are reliably detected by the equipment. Knowledge of the maximum sensitivity of the AE method makes it possible to compare it with other NDT methods by this parameter.

Giant Displacement Sensitivity Using Push-Pull Method in Interferometry

We present a giant sensitivity displacement sensor combining the push-pull method and enhanced Vernier effect. The displacement sensor consists in two interferometers that are composed by two cleaved standard optical fibers coupled by a 3 dB coupler and combined with a double-sided mirror. The push pull-method is applied to the mirror creating a symmetrical change to the length of each interferometer. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the Vernier effect has a maximum sensitivity of two-fold that obtained with a single interferometer. The combination of the push-pull method and the Vernier effect in the displacement sensors allows a sensitivity of 60 ± 1 nm/μm when compared with a single interferometer working in the same free spectral range. In addition, exploring the maximum performance of the displacement sensors, a sensitivity of 254 ± 6 nm/μm is achieved, presenting a M-factor of 1071 and MVernier of 1.9 corresponding to a resolution of 79 pm. This new solution allows the implementation of giant-sensitive displacement measurement for a wide range of applications.