Human gnathostomiasis is an emerging food-borne parasitic disease caused by nematodes of the genus Gnathostoma. Currently, serological tests are commonly applied to support clinical diagnosis. In the present study, a simple and rapid filtration-based test, dot immune–gold filtration assay (DIGFA) was developed using a partially purified antigen of Gnathostoma third-stage larvae (L3). A total of 180 serum samples were tested to evaluate the diagnostic potential of DIGFA for gnathostomiasis. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were 96.7% (29/30) and 100% (25/25), respectively. The cross-reactivity with sera from other helminthiasis patients ranged from 0 to 4%, with an average of 1.6% (2/125). DIGFA using a partially purified L3 antigen was not only simple and rapid, but also more accurate than standard assays for the diagnosis of human gnathostomiasis. DIGFA may represent a promising tool for application in laboratories or in the field, without requiring any instrumentation.

The Ultra-Fast Flash Observatory (UFFO), which will be launched onboard theLomonosov spacecraft, contains two crucial instruments: UFFO BurstAlert & Trigger Telescope (UBAT) for detection and localization of Gamma-Ray Bursts(GRBs) and the fast-response Slewing Mirror Telescope (SMT) designed for the observationof the prompt optical/UV counterparts. Here we discuss the in-space calibrations of theUBAT detector and SMT telescope. After the launch, the observations of the standard X-raysources such as pulsar in Crab nebula will provide data for necessary calibrations ofUBAT. Several standard stars will be used for the photometric calibration of SMT. Thecelestial X-ray sources, e.g. X-ray binaries with bright optical sourcesin their close angular vicinity will serve for the cross-calibration of UBAT and SMT.

The Ultra-Fast Flash Observatory (UFFO) Pathfinder for Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs) consistsof two telescopes. The UFFO Burst Alert & Trigger Telescope (UBAT) handles thedetection and localization of GRBs, and the Slewing Mirror Telescope (SMT) conducts themeasurement of the UV/optical afterglow. UBAT is equipped with an X-ray detector, analogand digital signal readout electronics that detects X-rays from GRBs and determines thelocation. SMT is equipped with a stepping motor and the associated electronics to rotatethe slewing mirror targeting the GRBs identified by UBAT. First the slewing mirror pointsto a GRB, then SMT obtains the optical image of the GRB using the intensified CCD and itsreadout electronics. The UFFO Data Acquisition system (UDAQ) is responsible for theoverall function and operation of the observatory and the communication with the satellitemain processor. In this paper we present the design and implementation of the electronicsof UBAT and SMT as well as the architecture and implementation of UDAQ.

The UFFO (Ultra-Fast Flash Observatory) is a GRB detector on board the Lomonosovsatellite, to be launched in 2013. The GRB trigger is provided by an X-ray detector,called UBAT (UFFO Burst Alarm & Trigger Telescope), which detects X-rays from the GRBand then triggers to determine the direction of the GRB and then alerts the Slewing MirrorTelescope (SMT) to turn in the direction of the GRB and record the optical photon fluxes.This report details the calibration of the two components: the MAPMTs and the YSO crystalsand simulations of the UBAT. The results shows that this design can observe a GRB within afield of view of ±35° and can trigger in a time scale as short as 0.2 – 1.0 safter the appearance of a GRB X-ray spike.

The Ultra-Fast Flash Observatory (UFFO) is a space observatory for optical follow-ups ofgamma ray bursts (GRBs), aiming to explore the first 60 seconds of GRBs optical emission.UFFO is utilized to catch early optical emissions from GRBs within few sec after triggerusing a Gimbal mirror which redirects the optical path rather than slewing entirespacecraft. We have developed a 15 cm two-axis Gimbal mirror stage for the UFFO-Pathfinderwhich is going to be on board the Lomonosov satellite which is to be launched in 2013. Thestage is designed for fast and accurate motion with given budgets of 3 kg of mass and 3Watt of power. By employing stepping motors, the slewing mirror can rotate faster than 15deg/sec so that objects in the UFFO coverage (60 deg × 60 deg) can be targeted in~1 sec. The obtained targeting resolution is better 2 arcmin using a close-loopcontrol with high precision rotary encoder. In this presentation, we will discuss detailsof design, manufacturing, space qualification tests, as well as performance tests.

Tension and stress-relaxation behaviors of a La62Al14Cu11.7Ag2.3Ni5Co5 bulk metallic glass (BMG) as a function of isothermal annealing time have been investigated. It is found that annealing at 373 K below the glass-transition temperature (423 K) of the BMG alloy causes an increase of special heat difference at the glass transition and density of the alloy, indicating a reduction of free volume in the BMG alloy with annealing time. Compared with the as-cast sample, the fracture strength, Vickers hardness, viscosity, Young’s modulus, and stress-relaxation stability of the annealed BMGs increase with annealing time, which is caused by the reduction of free volume in the annealed samples. Furthermore, a change of fracture morphology from a mixture of smooth and furrow zones in the as-cast sample to a mainly furrow zone in the sample annealed for 8 h was also observed. All samples exhibit brittle behavior during tension tests.

We present evidence that a minor adjustment in Zr/Ni concentration ratio can dramatically enhance the plasticity of monolithic Zr-based bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) from about 2.2% for Zr65Al8Ni10Cu17 BMG to 14% for Zr62Al8Ni13Cu17 BMG. No deformation-induced nanocrystallization appears in a 55% strained Zr62Al8Ni13Cu17 BMG without catastrophic failure while pre-existing nanocrystals in Zr65Al8Ni10Cu17 BMG result in its limited plasticity. Also note that the stability of Zr62Al8Ni13Cu17 BMG against crystallization upon deformation is somewhat higher than that of Zr65Al8Ni10Cu17 BMG. As determined by x-ray diffraction using synchrotron radiation, the enhanced plasticity of Zr62Al8Ni13Cu17 BMG seems to be related to the relative homogeneity of the amorphous structure.

Two isothermal sections of the Co–Cu–Ti ternary system at 973 and 1123 K were experimentally determined using the diffusion triple technique together with scanning electron microscopy and electron probe microanalysis. The solubility of Cu (substituting Co) in CoTi increased from 22.8 at.% at 973 K to 28.1 at.% at 1123 K while that of Co (substituting Cu) in CuTi decreased from 11.1 to 8.8 at.% accordingly. In addition, the solubility limits of the third element in the binary compounds CoTi2, CuTi2, Cu4Ti3, and Cu3Ti2 were remarkable. Besides the solubility change, we found the Cu2Ti phase was stable at 1123 K but disappeared at 973 K. A ternary compound “m” with a composition range covering Co10Cu57Ti33 was detected at both isothermal sections. An invariant reaction Cu4Ti3 + CoTi ↔ CuTi + m at a temperature between 973 and 1023 K was deduced. Further investigations are necessary to confirm the reactions among Cu, Cu4Ti, Cu2Ti, Cu3Ti2, and “m” between 1023 and 1123 K.

Thin films of Ti1–x–y Six Ny were produced on unheated Si(100) substrates by reactive unbalanced dc-magnetron sputtering of titanium and silicon in an Ar–N2 gas mixture. The effects of silicon incorporation on surface morphology and structural properties of these films as well as the influence of postdeposition annealing have been studied. These films were characterized ex situ in terms of their core-level electron bonding configuration by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, their microstructure by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction, their hardness by nanoindentation measurements, and their roughening kinetics by atomic force microscopy (AFM) with the scaling analysis. It was found that a linear increase in the Si concentration of the films was observed with increasing Si target current up to 2 A whereas the reverse trend was seen for the Ti concentration. The films consisted of 15–20-nm-sized TiN crystallites embedded in an amorphous SiNx matrix. They had a hardness of about 32.8 GPa with silicon concentration x = 0.1. The improved mechanical properties of Ti1–x–y Six Ny films with the addition of Si into TiN were attributed to their densified microstructure with development of fine grain size and reduced surface roughness. The reduction in grain size has been supported by means of a Monte Carlo simulation that reveals that the average size of TiN grains decreases with the volume fraction of amorphous SiNx approximately according to a power law, showing a reasonable agreement with the experimental results. By applying the height–height correlation functions to the measured AFM images, a steady growth roughness exponent α = 0.89 ± 0.05 was determined for all the films with different Si additions. It was also found that the nanocomposite films were thermodynamically stable up to 800 °C. The effect of thin SiNx layer in stabilizing nanocrystalline TiN structure is also elucidated and explained on the basis of structural and thermodynamic stability.

Ion exchange was carried out on a lithium-doped fluorophlogopite machinable glassceramic with composition, in wt%, 52.2 SiO2, 14.0 Al2O3, 14.2 MgO, 12.5 MgF2, 1.4 Li2O, and 5.7 Na2O, to study the strengthening effect. The crystalline phases after annealings were Na-fluorophlogopite and betaspodumene, with a volume fraction of about 2:1. Ion exchange of Li by K in the glassceramic at 770° C for 4 h improved 2.1 to 2.3 times the three point bending strength (TPBS). Hence strong machinable ceramic with TPBS of greater than 300 MPa can be made. Ion exchange increases 100% electrical resistivity and improves 21% chemical stability, due to a surface layer of about 100 micrometer enriched with K.

Selective modification of surface reactivities with lasers, using either direct writing or projection method, is intrinsically a sensitive method to prepare a surface for highresolution and high-speed area selective thin film deposition. In this paper, we demonstrated the use of laser direct-writing and projection patterning techniques for selective modification of the electrochemical property of a polyimide surface. High quality and highresolution copper patterns on polyimide surfaces are produced when the surface-modified sample is subsequently placed in an electroless plating solution. These results demonstrated that the use of laser-selective-modification of surface properties in conjunction with other batch thin film deposition processes provides an attractive approach for area-selective metallization for a variety of applications in which high writing speed and high sensitivity are required.