Maxwell Garnett Rule for Dielectric Mixtures with Statistically Distributed Orientations of Inclusions

An analytical model of an effective permittivity of a composite taking into account statistically distributed orientations of inclusions in the form of prolate spheroids will be presented. In particular, this paper considers the normal Gaussian distribution for either zenith angle, or azimuth angle, or for both angles describing the orientation of inclusions. The model is an extension of the Maxwell Garnett (MG) mixing rule for multiphase mixtures. The resulting complex permittivity is a tensor in the general case. The formulation presented shows that the parameters of the distribution law for orientation of inclusions affect the frequency characteristics of the composites, and that it is possible to engineer the desirable frequency characteristics, if the distribution law is controlled

Double Statistical Distribution of Conductivity and Aspect Ratio of Inclusions in Dielectric Mixtures at Microwave Frequencies

An analytical model of a composite dielectric presented in this paper is the extension of Maxwell Garnett formulation. It takes into account the simultaneous statistical (Gaussian) distribution of conductivity and aspect ratio of inclusions. The inclusions are randomly oriented elongated conducting spheroids at concentrations below the percolation threshold. The formulation presented herein is limited to microwave frequencies. However, taking subtle frequency-dependent effects that play important part at optical frequencies into account is straightforward. Some results of computations of microwave complex effective permittivity of composites with different input parameters have been obtained using analytical and numerical integration in Maple 10 software. It is shown how the parameters of the distribution laws - mean values and standard deviations of aspect ratio and conductivity - affect the resultant complex effective permittivity. The results of computations demonstrate that the most important factors affecting frequency characteristics of microwave effective permittivity are the mean values of the aspect ratio and conductivity. As for the standard deviations of aspect ratio and conductivity, their effects are the most noticeable in the transition between the static and optical limits of the Debye characteristic for the effective permittivity. There is almost no effect in the static and optic regions of the Debye curves

Modeling of Dielectric Mixtures Containing Conducting Inclusions with Statistically Distributed Aspect Ratio

An analytical model of composites made of a dielectric base and randomly oriented metal inclusions in the form of nanorods is presented. This model is based on the generalized Maxwell Garnett (MG) mixing rule. In this model, the nanorod particles are modeled as prolate spheroids with a statistically normal distribution of their aspect ratios. It is shown that parameters of the distribution laws affect the frequency characteristics of the composites both at microwave and optical frequencies. The results of computations are represented

A Maxwell Garnett Model for Dielectric Mixtures Containing Conducting Particles at Optical Frequencies

Mathematical modeling of composites made of a dielectric base and randomly oriented metal inclusions is considered. Different sources of frequency-dependent metal conductivity at optical frequencies are taken into account. These include the skin-effect, dimensional (length-size) resonance of metal particles, and the Drude model. Also, the mean free path of electrons in metals can be smaller than the characteristic sizes of nanoparticles, and this leads to the decrease in conductivity of the metal inclusions. These effects are incorporated in the Maxwell Garnett mixing formulation, and give degrees of freedom for forming desirable optical frequency characteristics of composite media containing conducting particles

DOUBLE STATISTICAL DISTRIBUTION OF CONDUCTIVITY AND ASPECT RATIO OF INCLUSIONS IN DIELECTRIC MIXTURES AT MICROWAVE FREQUENCIES

Abstract—An analytical model of a composite dielectric presented in this paper is the extension of Maxwell Garnett formulation. It takes into account the simultaneous statistical (Gaussian) distribution of conductivity and aspect ratio of inclusions. The inclusions are randomly oriented elongated conducting spheroids at concentrations below the percolation threshold. The formulation presented herein is limited to microwave frequencies. However, taking subtle frequency-dependent effects that play important part at optical frequencies into account is straightforward. Some results of computations of microwave complex effective permittivity of composites with different input parameters have been obtained using analytical and numerical integration in Maple 10 software. It is shown how the parameters of the distribution laws — mean values and standard deviations of aspect ratio and conductivity — affect the resultant complex effective permittivity. The results of computations demonstrate that the most important factors affecting frequency characteristics of microwave effective permittivity are the mean values of the aspect ratio and conductivity. As for the standard deviations of aspect ratio and conductivity, their effects are the most noticeable in the transition between the static and optical limits of the Debye characteristic for the effective permittivity. There is almost no effect in the static and “optic ” regions of the Debye curves. 194 Koledintseva et al. Notations a = l/d- aspect ratio of the inclusions (ratio of the length to the diameter); a0- mean value of the aspect ratio; σa- standard deviation of the aspect ratio; σe [S/m]- bulk conductivity of an inclusion; σe0 [S/m]- mean value of the bulk conductivity; σc [S/m]- standard deviation for the bulk conductivity; n [m−3]- total concentration of inclusions; fi- volume fraction of the inclusions of the particular size and conductivity; Ni1,2,3- depolarization form factors of inclusions; εb- relative permittivity of the base material; εeff- effective permittivity of the composite material. 1

[¹⁸F]NOS PET Brain Imaging Suggests Elevated Neuroinflammation in Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease

Neuroinflammation is implicated as a key pathologic mechanism in many neurodegenerative diseases and is thought to be mediated in large part by microglia, native phagocytic immune cells of the CNS. Abnormal aggregation of the protein α-synuclein after phagocytosis by microglia is one possible neuropathophysiological mechanism driving Parkinson’s disease (PD). We conducted a human pilot study to evaluate the feasibility of targeting the inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthase using the [18F]NOS radiotracer to measure neuroinflammation in idiopathic PD. Ten adults consisting of 6 PD patients and 4 healthy controls (HC) underwent one hour of dynamic [18F]NOS positron emission tomography (PET) brain imaging with arterial blood sampling. We observed increased [18F]NOS whole brain distribution volume (VT) in PD patients compared to age-matched healthy controls (p p = 0.72). These findings suggest elevated oxidative stress, a surrogate marker of inflammation, is present in early-stage idiopathic PD and indicate that [18F]NOS PET imaging is a promising, non-invasive method to measure neuroinflammation

Decreased Nicotinic Receptor Availability in Smokers with Slow Rates of Nicotine Metabolism.

UnlabelledThe nicotine metabolite ratio (NMR), a stable measure of hepatic nicotine metabolism via the CYP2A6 pathway and total nicotine clearance, is a predictive biomarker of response to nicotine replacement therapy, with increased quit rates in slower metabolizers. Nicotine binds directly to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) to exert its psychoactive effects. This study examined the relationship between NMR and nAChR (α4β2* subtype) availability using PET imaging of the radiotracer 2-(18)F-fluoro-3-(2(S)-azetidinylmethoxy)pyridine (2-(18)F-FA-85380, or 2-(18)F-FA).MethodsTwenty-four smokers-12 slow metabolizers (NMR < 0.26) and 12 normal metabolizers (NMR ≥ 0.26)-underwent 2-(18)F-FA-PET brain imaging after overnight nicotine abstinence (18 h before scanning), using a validated bolus-plus-infusion protocol. Availability of nAChRs was compared between NMR groups in a priori volumes of interest, with total distribution volume (VT/fP) being the measure of nAChR availability. Cravings to smoke were assessed before and after the scans.ResultsThalamic nAChR α4β2* availability was significantly reduced in slow nicotine metabolizers (P = 0.04). Slow metabolizers exhibited greater reductions in cravings after scanning than normal metabolizers; however, craving was unrelated to nAChR availability.ConclusionThe rate of nicotine metabolism is associated with thalamic nAChR availability. Additional studies could examine whether altered nAChR availability underlies the differences in treatment response between slow and normal metabolizers of nicotine