Ge-rich ZrO2 films, fabricated by confocal RF magnetron sputtering of pure Ge and ZrO2 targets in Ar plasma, were studied by multi-angle laser ellipsometry, Raman scattering, Auger electron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction for varied deposition conditions and annealing treatments. It was found that as-deposited films are homogeneous for all Ge content...

Objective Solid dispersions of daidzein (DZ) were prepared using tween-80 as the surfactant to improve its dissolution and solubility. Methods Using tween-80 as the surfactant and polyethylene glycol (PEG)-10000 as the carrier, solid dispersions of DZ were prepared by solvent method. Infrared spectroscopy (IR) and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy were applied to determine the status of DZ in carr...

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) provide individuals with a means of interacting with a computer using only neural activity. To date, the majority of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) BCIs have used prescribed tasks to achieve binary control. The goals of this study were to evaluate the possibility of using a personalized approach to establish control of a two-, three-, four-, and five-class NI...

The adsorption of diclofenac (DCF), one of the widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, onto the surface of goethite was investigated with batch experiments. The adsorption at different pH values (5.3, 7.4, and 10.0) were well fitted with the pseudo-second-order model. The results showed that the adsorption of DCF onto goethite was strongly depended on solution pH. The amount of adsor...

Surface modification and characterization of titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanoparticles and their roles in thermal, mechanical, and accelerated aging behavior of foamed wheat straw fiber/polypropylene (PP) composites are investigated. To improve the dispersion of nanoparticles and increase the possible interactions between wheat straw fiber and the PP matrix, the surface of the TiO₂ nanoparticles wa...

Fourier-transform infrared(FTIR) transmission spectroscopy has beenused for the determination of glucoseconcentrations in whole blood samples fromtwenty-eight patients. A four-vectorpartial least squares calibration model,using the spectral range 950-1200 cm(-1),yielded a standard error of prediction of0.59 mM for an independent test set. Forblood samples from a single patient, wefound that the...

Wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) from lyophilized protein is characterized by the presence of two relatively broad scattering peaks that are linked to protein structure. This work is concerned with the possibility of utilizing these peaks in the probing of the unfolding and breakdown of insulin. Native insulin is subject to thermal denaturation in the presence and in the absence of thiol cata...

In the present article, an effective, one-step, and environmentally benign protocol for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles has been discussed. The black cardamom extract is used as a reducing agent for HAuCl4.3H2O. In order to synthesize gold nanoparticles, an aqueous solution of HAuCl4.3H2O was mixed with an optimized concentration of black cardamom extract where 1,8-cineole is the dominant c...

The use of synchrotron radiation ~SR! as a farand mid-infrared source in the measurement of photoacoustic Fourier transform infrared spectra of solids is demonstrated for the first time in this work. Initial experiments were performed at beamline U10A at the National Synchrotron Light Source, Brookhaven National Laboratory. For synchrotron photoacoustic spectroscopy to be feasible, it must yiel...

The pursuit to identify vulnerable plaque has been relentless, as it is responsible for major healthcare problems, such as sudden cardiac death and acute coronary syndromes, including acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Per definition, vulnerable plaque is plaque that is prone to rupture but has not yet ruptured.1 The features associated with vulnerable plaque include a large lipid core, thin fi...