Electrorotation of colloidal suspensions

When a strong electric field is applied to a colloidal suspension, it may cause an aggregation of the suspended particles in response to the field. In the case of a rotating field, the electrorotation (ER) spectrum can be modified further due to the local field effects arising from the many-particle system. To capture the local field effect, we invoke the Maxwell-Garnett approximation for the dielectric response. The hydrodynamic interactions between the suspended particles can also modify the spin friction, which is a key to determine the angular velocity of ER. By invoking the spectral representation approach, we derive the analytic expressions for the characteristic frequency at which the maximum angular velocity of ER occurs. From the numerical caculation, we find that there exist two sub-dispersions in the ER spectrum. However, the two characteristic frequencies are so close that the two peaks actually overlap and become a single broad peak. We report a detailed investigation of the dependence of the characteristic frequency and the dispersion strength of ER on various material parameters.Comment: RevTeX, 4 eps figures; clarifying discussion added in accord with referees' reports; accepted by Physics Letters

Arctic nearshore current dynamics and wave climate under declining sea ice conditions Potential impacts on sediment pathways A case study from Herschel Island – Qikiqtaruk, Yukon Coast, Canada

The coast of the Western Canadian Arctic is facing rapid changes under ongoing Arctic warming. As coastal erosion rates are accelerating, detailed insights into the interplay of erosional forcing parameter like wind, waves, the influence of river discharge and currents are needed. The first ever measurements of currents in the nearshore zone of the Western Canadian Beaufort Sea, reveal a substantial effect on winds on the generation of currents. In coupling the data of two current measurements in the summer season, we found that time-lag and potential direction dependence complicate the response. Sea ice played a large role in the reduction of wave activity and largely supressed water movement in the surface layer. In general, a decreased in current speed from surface to bottom was visible at both mooring locations. While at the first location current geometries throughout the water column equal and are directed offshore, at the other site current direction were opposed. The recorded current speed at both sites agree with previous values in the Canadian Beaufort Sea. Yet, with ongoing changes in the environmental forcing of the Arctic Ocean the currents in the study area are likely to change as well. These new insights can help to comprehend the annual cycle of water movement, with insights for the transport of eroded sediment in summer, the redistribution of sediment in fall storms and the spread of Mackenzie plume water in the breakup season. This knowledge may help to improve the protection of threatened historic coastal settlements and understand the further shoreline change development along the Yukon Coast

First-Principles Approach to Electrorotation Assay

We have presented a theoretical study of electrorotation assay based on the spectral representation theory. We consider unshelled and shelled spheroidal particles as an extension to spherical ones. From the theoretical analysis, we find that the coating can change the characteristic frequency at which the maximum rotational angular velocity occurs. The shift in the characteristic frequency is attributed to a change in the dielectric properties of the bead-coating complex with respect to those of the uncoated particles. By adjusting the dielectric properties and the thickness of the coating, it is possible to obtain good agreement between our theoretical predictions and the assay data.Comment: 17 pages, 4 eps figures; minor revisions, accepted for publications by J. Phys.: Condens. Matte

Electrorotation of a pair of spherical particles

We present a theoretical study of electrorotation (ER) of two spherical particles under the action of a rotating electric field. When the two particles approach and finally touch, the mutual polarization interaction between the particles leads to a change in the dipole moment of the individual particle and hence the ER spectrum, as compared to that of the well-separated particles. The mutual polarization effects are captured by the method of multiple images. From the theoretical analysis, we find that the mutual polarization effects can change the characteristic frequency at which the maximum angular velocity of electrorotation occurs. The numerical results can be understood in the spectral representation theory.Comment: Minor revisions; accepted by Phys. Rev.

Optimizing a Rodent Model of Parkinson's Disease for Exploring the Effects and Mechanisms of Deep Brain Stimulation

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has become a treatment for a growing number of neurological and psychiatric disorders, especially for therapy-refractory Parkinson's disease (PD). However, not all of the symptoms of PD are sufficiently improved in all patients, and side effects may occur. Further progress depends on a deeper insight into the mechanisms of action of DBS in the context of disturbed brain circuits. For this, optimized animal models have to be developed. We review not only charge transfer mechanisms at the electrode/tissue interface and strategies to increase the stimulation's energy-efficiency but also the electrochemical, electrophysiological, biochemical and functional effects of DBS. We introduce a hemi-Parkinsonian rat model for long-term experiments with chronically instrumented rats carrying a backpack stimulator and implanted platinum/iridium electrodes. This model is suitable for (1) elucidating the electrochemical processes at the electrode/tissue interface, (2) analyzing the molecular, cellular and behavioral stimulation effects, (3) testing new target regions for DBS, (4) screening for potential neuroprotective DBS effects, and (5) improving the efficacy and safety of the method. An outlook is given on further developments of experimental DBS, including the use of transgenic animals and the testing of closed-loop systems for the direct on-demand application of electric stimulation

ac-field-induced fluid pumping in microsystems with asymmetric temperature gradients

We present two different designs of electrohydrodynamic micropumps for microfluidic systems. The micropumps have no movable parts, and their simple design allows for fabrication by microsystems technology. The pumps are operated by ac voltages from 1to60V and were tested with aqueous solutions in the conductivity range of 1–112mSm−1. The pump effect is induced by an ac electric field across a fluid medium with an inhomogeneous temperature distribution. It is constant over a wide range of the ac field frequency with a conductivity-dependent drop-off at high frequencies. The temperature-dependent conductivity and permittivity distributions in the fluid induce space charges that interact with the electric field and induce fluid motion. The temperature distribution can be generated either by Joule heating in the medium or by external heating. We present experimental results obtained with two prototypes featuring Joule heating and external heating by a heating filament. Experimental and numerical results are compared with an analytical model

Theory of ac electrokinetic behavior of spheroidal cell suspensions with an intrinsic dispersion

The dielectric dispersion, dielectrophoretic (DEP) and electrorotational (ER) spectra of spheroidal biological cell suspensions with an intrinsic dispersion in the constituent dielectric constants are investigated. By means of the spectral representation method, we express analytically the characteristic frequencies and dispersion strengths both for the effective dielectric constant and the Clausius-Mossotti factor (CMF). We identify four and six characteristic frequencies for the effective dielectric spectra and CMF respectively, all of them being dependent on the depolarization factor (or the cell shape). The analytical results allow us to examine the effects of the cell shape, the dispersion strength and the intrinsic frequency on the dielectric dispersion, DEP and ER spectra. Furthermore, we include the local-field effects due to the mutual interactions between cells in a dense suspension, and study the dependence of co-field or anti-field dispersion peaks on the volume fractions.Comment: accepted by Phys. Rev.

A comparative analysis of detachment forces and energies in initial and mature cell-material interaction

Single cell force spectroscopy (SCFS) enables data on interaction forces to be acquired during the very early adhesion phase. However, SCFS detachment forces and energies have not been compared so far with the forces and energies after maturation of the cell-material contact on a single cell level and with comparable time resolution. We used FluidFM (R) to physically attach single cells to the cantilever by aspiration through a microfluidic channel, in order to achieve the higher forces required for detaching maturely adhering cells. Combining these two approaches allowed us to compare cell adhesion in the initial and maturation phases of adhesion for two exemplary cell-substrate combinations - L929 fibroblasts on fibronectin and MC3T3 osteoblasts on collagen type I. Uncoated glass substrates were used as a reference. For both cell lines, SCFS measurements after contact times of 5, 15 and 30 s revealed significantly higher maximum detachment forces (MDFs) and energies on glass compared to the protein-coated surfaces in the 0.5-4 nN (1-40 fJ) range. FluidFM (R) measurements after 1, 2 and 3 days of culture revealed a significant absolute increase in the MDFs and detachment energies for both cell lines on protein-coated substrates to values of about 600 nN and 10 pJ. On glass, the MDFs were similar for MC3T3 cells, while they were significantly lower for L929 cells. For both cell types, the differences in detachment energy were significant. These differences underline the importance of investigating early and mature adhesion states to obtain a holistic assessment of the cell-material interactions.The authors are grateful to the DFG (German Research Council) graduate school GRK1505/2 "Welisa" and grant number BA 2479/2-1 for funding the position of P. Wysotzki, as well as the consumables for the experiments. We also acknowledge the ERC (European Research Council), Grant Number 617989 for the financial support given. We are grateful to Dr. W. Baumann (Department of Biophysics, Univ. of Rostock) for helpful discussions

Dielectric behaviour of graded spherical cells with an intrinsic dispersion

The dielectric properties of single-shell spherical cells with an intrinsic dielectric dispersion has been investigated. By means of the dielectric dispersion spectral representation (DDSR) for the Clausius-Mossotti (CM) factor, we express the dispersion strengths as well as the characteristic frequencies of the CM factor analytically in terms of the parameters of the cell model. These analytic expressions enable us to assess the influence of various model parameters on the electrokinetics of cells. Various interesting behaviours have been reported. We extend our considerations to a more realistic cell model with a graded core, which can have spatial gradients in the conductivity and/or permittivity. To this end, we address the effects of a graded profile in a small-gradient expansion in the framework of DDSR.Comment: accepted by European Physical Journal