Ultrasound pulse echo analysis of blood aggregation in microfluidics

International audienceBlood aggregation occurs when erythrocytes, red blood cells (RBC), agglutinate together into compact stacks of cells called rouleaux. Blood aggregation can then be compared to a liquid-gel transition that appears at low flow regime, and is responsible of the high value of the blood viscosity at low shear rate. This paper will present a physical device that can detect the appearing of this liquid-gel transition using the transmission and reflection properties of ultrasonic waves. In order to detect the liquid-gel transition in resting blood we use the property of an ultrasonic shear wave (5 MHz) to be transmitted or reflected at a glass-liquid interface that is populated with RBC. The setup, as sketched in Figure1, is made of a piezoelectric transducer, a PZT stack that is bonded on the bottom face of a glass cylinder that acts as an acoustic delay line [1]. A burst of signal (2µs) is sent by the PZT toward the glass coverslip, travels through the delay line, bounces at the interfaces and returns with a delay to the PZT where it is detected. Amplitudes of the echo is then compared to input signal in order to extract a reflexion coefficient (r). Experiments are performed both on droplets of healthy blood deposited on glass coverslips and in PDMS microfluidic circuits at low flow strength and at rest. In particular, a spiral shaped microchip, as can be seen in Figure 2, is used both to mimic a vascular network (160x150µm section channels) and to expose a large surface (about 25 mm2) of the sample to the ultrasonic signal [2]. The detection of r over time is coupled with observations of RBCs behaviour during the sample desiccation by optical microscopy to elucidate the dynamics of the drying process of blood. All measurements are carried out at controlled temperature (25 °C) and relative humidity (30-60%). Note that the acoustic power (<1pJ) sent to the blood is small and does not interact with cells through acoustophoresis mechanisms. (a) (b) Figure 1: (a) Schematic (not to scale) of the ultrasound pulse echo setup for the analysis of liquid gel transition in steady blood flow due to red blood cells aggregation. (b) Photograph of the spiral shaped microfluidic circuit bonded on a microscope glass blade a coupled to an ultrasonic pulse echo system. The spiral channel is 160μm wide, 150μm for a total diameter of diameter of 6mm

Temperature measurement of sub-micrometric ICs by scanning thermal microscopy

Surface temperature measurements were performed with a Scanning Thermal Microscope mounted with a thermoresistive wire probe of micrometrSurface temperature measurements were performed with a Scanning Thermal Microscope mounted with a thermoresistive wire probe of micrometric size. A CMOS device was designed with arrays of resistive lines 0.35µm in width. The array periods are 0.8 µm and 10µm to study the spatial resolution of the SThM. Integrated Circuits with passivation layers of micrometric and nanometric thicknesses were tested. To enhance signal-to-noise ratio, the resistive lines were heated with an AC current. The passivation layer of nanometric thickness allows us to distinguish the lines when the array period is 10μm. The results raise the difficulties of the SThM measurement due to the design and the topography of ICs on one hand and the size of the thermal probe on the other hand.ic size. A CMOS device was designed with arrays of resistive lines 0.35µm in width. The array periods are 0.8 µm and 10µm to study the spatial resolution of the SThM. Integrated Circuits with passivation layers of micrometric and nanometric thicknesses were tested. To enhance signal-to-noise ratio, the resistive lines were heated with an AC current. The passivation layer of nanometric thickness allows us to distinguish the lines when the array period is 10μm. The results raise the difficulties of the SThM measurement due to the design and the topography of ICs on one hand and the size of the thermal probe on the other hand

The Science Case for Multi-Object Spectroscopy on the European ELT

This White Paper presents the scientific motivations for a multi-object spectrograph (MOS) on the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT). The MOS case draws on all fields of contemporary astronomy, from extra-solar planets, to the study of the halo of the Milky Way and its satellites, and from resolved stellar populations in nearby galaxies out to observations of the earliest 'first-light' structures in the partially-reionised Universe. The material presented here results from thorough discussions within the community over the past four years, building on the past competitive studies to agree a common strategy toward realising a MOS capability on the E-ELT. The cases have been distilled to a set of common requirements which will be used to define the MOSAIC instrument, entailing two observational modes ('high multiplex' and 'high definition'). When combined with the unprecedented sensitivity of the E-ELT, MOSAIC will be the world's leading MOS facility. In analysing the requirements we also identify a high-multiplex MOS for the longer-term plans for the E-ELT, with an even greater multiplex (>1000 targets) to enable studies of large-scale structures in the high-redshift Universe. Following the green light for the construction of the E-ELT the MOS community, structured through the MOSAIC consortium, is eager to realise a MOS on the E-ELT as soon as possible. We argue that several of the most compelling cases for ELT science, in highly competitive areas of modern astronomy, demand such a capability. For example, MOS observations in the early stages of E-ELT operations will be essential for follow-up of sources identified by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). In particular, multi-object adaptive optics and accurate sky subtraction with fibres have both recently been demonstrated on sky, making fast-track development of MOSAIC feasible.Comment: Significantly expanded and updated version of previous ELT-MOS White Paper, so there is some textual overlap with arXiv:1303.002

Discutindo a educação ambiental no cotidiano escolar: desenvolvimento de projetos na escola formação inicial e continuada de professores

A presente pesquisa buscou discutir como a Educação Ambiental (EA) vem sendo trabalhada, no Ensino Fundamental e como os docentes desta escola compreendem e vem inserindo a EA no cotidiano escolar., em uma escola estadual do município de Tangará da Serra/MT, Brasil. Para tanto, realizou-se entrevistas com os professores que fazem parte de um projeto interdisciplinar de EA na escola pesquisada. Verificou-se que o projeto da escola não vem conseguindo alcançar os objetivos propostos por: desconhecimento do mesmo, pelos professores; formação deficiente dos professores, não entendimento da EA como processo de ensino-aprendizagem, falta de recursos didáticos, planejamento inadequado das atividades. A partir dessa constatação, procurou-se debater a impossibilidade de tratar do tema fora do trabalho interdisciplinar, bem como, e principalmente, a importância de um estudo mais aprofundado de EA, vinculando teoria e prática, tanto na formação docente, como em projetos escolares, a fim de fugir do tradicional vínculo “EA e ecologia, lixo e horta”.Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació

Etude d'un système complet de reconnaissance d'empreintes digitales pour un capteur microsystème à balayage

De nos jours la nécessité d'identifier les personnes de manière fiable est devenu un problème majeur. Là où les moyens traditionnels (carte à puce, mot de passe...) ont montré leurs limites (falsification, perte...), la biométrie (analyse des caractéristiques biologiques d'un individu) tente d'apporter une réponse. A l'heure actuelle la reconnaissance des empreintes digitales est la méthode biométrique la plus utilisée et la plus aboutie. Les empreintes digitales sont composées de lignes localement parallèles présentant des points singuliers (minuties) et constituent un motif unique, universel et permanent. Pour obtenir une image de l'empreinte d'un doigt, les avancées technologiques ont permis d'automatiser la tâche au moyen de capteurs intégrés, remplaçant ainsi l'utilisation classique de l'encre et du papier. Ces capteurs fonctionnant selon différents mécanismes de mesure (pression, champ électrique, température, ..) permettent de mesurer l'empreinte d'un doigt fixe positionné sur ce dernier (capteur matriciel) ou en mouvement (capteurs à balayage). Ce travail a consisté en l'étude d'un système complet de reconnaissance d'empreintes digitales pour un capteur d'empreintes développé au laboratoire. L'ensemble des algorithmes de traitement de l'image a été développé en fonction des spécificités du capteur (mesure de la pression, mode balayage avec une seule ligne) et des images produites par ce dernier.GRENOBLE1-BU Sciences (384212103) / SudocSudocFranceF

Food Traceability and Authenticity

International audienc

Micro and nanostructured substrates for DNA fibers combing by forced dewetting

International audienc

PLL-FITC fluorescence thermography on dry surfaces

International audienc

Double emulsion generation and separation by microfluidic consecutive flow focusing

International audienceThis article describes the first developments of a microfluidic circuit for the continuous generation of monodisperse polymersomes. The generation of these vesicles is made in a consecutive flow focusing cross-junctions structure from non miscible fluids. The device allows generating a stream of polymersomes in two steps. The breaking of a focused water flow creates first water droplets in a solution of diblock polymer and then the double emulsion is generated at the second constriction. This paper will describe microflabrication of the device and a study of the dynamics of droplets formation by high frame rate videomicroscopy. The work has been done on liposome in first steps and them with Pb-b-PEO block polymer in a second time. Finally the paper will decribe the addition of a separation structure for sorting generated vesicles by their size