Search results for " characterization"

Intravascular Ultrasound-based Imaging Modalities for Tissue Characterisation

2014

Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in the developed world. Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is a widely used imaging modality providing complementary diagnostic information to angiography regarding the vessel wall of the coronary arteries. IVUS has been used for assessment of ambiguous angiographic lesions, evaluation of new interventional devices and in atherosclerosis progression-regression trials. However, the standard gray-scale IVUS has limited value for the accurate identification of specific plaque components. This limitation has been partially over- come by introduction of new IVUS-based imaging methods such as: virtual histology IVUS, iMAP…

Production technology of early-Hellenistic lime-based mortars from a Punic-Roman residential area at Palermo (Sicily)

2016

The topic of this study was the mineralogical and petrographic characterization of lime-based mortars of Hellenistic-Roman age (3rd century BC), taken from a residential area located in the historical centre of Palermo, near the walls of the Punic-Roman Neapolis, recently brought to light by excavations carried out by the Soprintendenza BB.CC.AA. of Palermo at Palazzo del Gran Cancelliere (Palermo). The collected mortars have been analyzed by optical microscopy (PLM), X-ray powder diffraction analysis (XRPD) and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS). The study was aimed to define the “recipe” (composition of temper and binder, temper size distrib…

2019

Ultrasound tissue characterization (UTC) imaging has been previously used to describe the characteristics of patellar and Achilles tendons. UTC imaging compares and correlates successive ultrasonographic transverse tendon images to calculate the distribution of four color-coded echo-types that represent different tendon tissue types. However, UTC has not been used to describe the characteristics of patellar tendons after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the intra and inter-rater reliability of the UTC in unharvested and harvested patellar tendons of patients undergoing ACLR. Intra and inter-rater reliability of both UTC da…

Dynamic Functional Connectivity in the Musical Brain

2019

Musical training causes structural and functional changes in the brain due to its sensory-motor demands. This leads to differences in how musicians perceive and process music as compared to non-musicians, thereby providing insights into brain adaptations and plasticity. Correlational studies and network analysis investigations have indicated the presence of large-scale brain networks involved in the processing of music and have highlighted differences between musicians and non-musicians. However, studies on functional connectivity in the brain during music listening tasks have thus far focused solely on static network analysis. Dynamic Functional Connectivity (DFC) studies have lately been …

Application of Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy to Cultural Heritage: characterization and preservation of ancient paper artwork

2016

Within the cultural heritage the characterization and conservation of artworks based on paper represents a significant issue for both restorers and scientists. The paper deterioration is affected by the degree of hydrolytic and oxidative reactions which occur upon aging. Moreover, the durability of cellulose fibers depends on the intrinsic composition/structure of the paper as well as on the conservation conditions, such as temperature and humidity. The structural and dynamical characterization of the cellulose matrix and of the water confined within its pores is therefore of central interest. Our working hypothesis is that WATER DYNAMICS is one of the main determinants of paper degradation…

Electro-optical characterization of highly efficient Dye-Sensitized solar cells

2015

Nowadays, a growing demand for free and clean energy requires the study and the development of new low-cost solar photovoltaic (PV) cells. Among them, Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) based on ruthenium complexes as sensitizers are assuming a great importance. The DSSCs under study are composed placing in succession a transparent conductive glass on which is screen-printed a mesoporous TiO2 thin film sensitized by a ruthenium based dye (N719), an electrolytic solution containing a redox couple (I-/I3-) and another conductive glass covered by a thin transparent catalyst platinum film. In this work, we have measured the main photoelectrochemical parameters of the above mentioned DSSCs at di…

Plasma Dynamics Characterization for Improvement of Resonantly Enhanced Harmonics Generation in Indium and Tin Laser-Produced Plasmas

2022

R.A.G. is grateful to H. Kuroda for providing the access to the laser facility. As a Center of Excellence, the Institute of Solid State Physics at the University of Latvia received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme H2020-WIDESPREAD-01-2016-2017-TeamingPhase2 under grant agreement no. 739508, project CAMART².

Nature of activating effect of two‐step polymerization of propylene

1999

The prepolymerization effect on propylene polymerization in the presence of a TiCl3‐based catalyst, modified by di‐n‐buthyl ether, was studied. The influence of prepolymerization on the electron spin resonance spectra and morphology of the catalyst, as well as the properties and the morphology of both prepolymer and regular polymerization products, was investigated. The polymer morphology was evaluated through scanning electron microscopy, polymer bulk density, and particle size distribution. Some evidence of the enhancement effect of prepolymerization on the catalyst activity and stereospecificity was obtained. No influence from prepolymerization was observed on molecular weight and its di…

Production d’hamburger de filet de dorade (Sparus aurata) d’élevage: caractérisation nutritionnelle et sensorielle au cours du shelf-life

2016

Within the framework of the Work Package 5 «Valorisation de l'image des produits aquacoles» and the activity 5.3 «Innovation en vue de valoriser les produits aquacoles» of SecurAqua project, we have assessed the possibility of diversification of Sicilian farmed fish, through the production of processed products, among which seabream fillets hamburgers. In order to verify the feasibility of the process, we have performed a preliminary study of global quality characteristics of the product, including both the nutritional and sensory aspects correlated to the security and sustainability of the product. Results showed that, in terms of nutritional requirements, the hamburger samples maintained …

Monitoring WWTP performance using size-exclusion chromatography with simultaneous UV and fluorescence detection to track recalcitrant wastewater frac…

2018

A trial monitoring of a typical full-scale municipal WWTP in Central Finland was aimed to explore applicability of high performance liquid chromatography – size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) with simultaneous UV and fluorescence detection as a tool for advanced routine monitoring of wastewater treatment. High, intermediate, and low molecular weight (MW) fractions of untreated wastewater (influent) and treated wastewater (secondary effluent) were characterized in terms of UV absorbance at 254 nm (UVA254) and specific fluorescence representing tyrosine-like, tryptophan-like, and humic/fulvic-like compounds. The activated sludge treatment removed 97 ± 1% of BOD, 93 ± 2% of COD, 71 ± 7% of D…