The perfluorinated surfactants perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) are recognized as widespread in the environment as well as recalcitrant toward most conventional water treatment technologies In this study, acoustic cavitation as driven by high-frequency ultrasound is shown to be effective in the degradation of aqueous solutions of PFOS and PFOA and effective over a wide range of concentrations from 10 nM to 10 μM for a given compound Sulfur, fluorine, and carbon mass balances indicate that mineralization occurs immediately following the degradation of the initial perfluorinated surfactant Near complete conversion of PFOS and PFOA to CO, CO_2, F^-, and SO_4^(2-) occurs due to pyrolytic reactions at the surface and vapor phase of transiently collapsing cavitation bubbles The initial PFOS or PFOA pyrolytic degradation occurs at the bubble−water interface and involves the loss of the ionic functional group leading to the formation of the corresponding 1H-fluoroalkane or perfluoroolefin The fluorochemical intermediates undergo a series of pyrolytic reactions in the bubble vapor leading to C_1 fluoro-radicals Secondary vapor-phase bimolecular reactions coupled with concomitant hydrolysis converts the C_1 fluoro-radicals to carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and HF, forming a proton and fluoride upon dissolution Sonochemical half-lives, which are calculated from high-temperature gas-phase kinetics, are consistent with kinetic observations and suggest that mineralization occurs shortly after initial perfluorinated surfactant interfacial pyrolysis

Kinetics and mechanism of the sonolytic conversion of the aqueous perfluorinated surfactants, perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) into inorganic products.

A medical imaging system provides simulataeous rendering of visible light and fluorescent images. The system may employ dyes in a small-molecule form that remains in a subject’s blood stream for several minutes, allowing real-time imaging of the subject’s circulatory system superimposed upon a conventional, visible light image of the subject. The system may also employ dyes or other fluorscent substances associated with antibodies, antibody fragments, or ligands that accumulate within a region of diagnostic significance. In one embodiment, the system provides an excitation light source to excite the fluorescent substance and a visible light source for general illumination within the same optical guide that is used to capture images. In another embodiment, the system is configured for use in open surgical procedures by providing an operating area that is closed to ambient light. More broadly, the system described herein may be used in imaging applications where a visible light image may be usefully supplemented by an image formed from fluorescent emissions from a fluorescent substance that marks areas of functional interest.

Medical imaging systems

Input raster image data is divided into objects of each attribute. The division results, and charge information representing a consideration accrued from a vectorized process for the division results are displayed. It is designated whether to execute the vectorized process for the displayed division results. The vectorized process of converting the raster image data into vector data is executed on the basis of the contents of the designation.

Image processing apparatus, control method therefor, and program

Apparatus and methods are described for use with an image of blood vessels of a subject. In response to a user designating a single point on the image (a) a target portion of a blood vessel is automatically identified in the vicinity of the designated point, and (b) quantitative vessel analysis is performed on the target portion of the blood vessel. An output is generated based upon the quantitative vessel analysis. Other embodiments are also described.

Automatic quantitative vessel analysis

An infrastructure monitoring system and method include multiple communications devices. At least one communications device is coupled to an element of the infrastructure.

Infrastructure monitoring devices, systems, and methods.

A time series of multiple cross-sectional images of a subject are displayed in unique display formats synchronized with the acquisition of the images to provide a precise location for an invasive medical instrument, thus enabling accurate monitoring of the state and motion of the instrument during a procedure. The images are acquired through real time data acquisition apparatus, such as a real time X-ray CT scanner with a multi-line X-ray detector. Each image is displayed in a display area that is deformed to provide depth perception. Multiple display areas are displayed simultaneously on a single image display unit and the display areas can be adjusted to provide easy and continuous comparison of the spatial relationships among the images. Display areas can be overlapped and optionally assigned opacities so that overlapped images can be seen. Display areas can also be assigned opacities and displayed on a three-dimensional image reconstructed with previously acquired data.

Displaying multiple slice images

Multiple objects having the same physical property within a subject are displayed as distinct three-dimensional images in one or more views. Projection data obtained by scanning the subject with electromagnetic radiation are used to create a spatial distribution of absorption values for the subject that is displayed as an image on an image display unit. The spatial distribution is also stored as a series of voxels representing a three-dimensional image of the subject. Particular spatial regions within the image are defined as objects, with each object comprising a set of voxels. The objects are grouped into one or more views using a set selection panel on the image display unit. A density, gradient and color for each object in a view are determined based on properties input through the a series of object property setting panels on the image display unit. Each object in a particular view is associated with one of the property setting panels. A relationship between degrees of opacity and values for the voxels in an object is defined in the property setting panel for the object and used to determine the density. The density, gradient and color for the objects in a view are stored as a parameter set in memory and optionally, on a non-volatile medium for subsequent retrieval. A volume rendering process applies the data in the parameter sets to the stored voxels to create one or more views of the three-dimensional image. A viewpoint parameter provides a common viewpoint for displaying multiple views simultaneously in different areas of a display.

Displaying three-dimensional medical images

A three-dimensional image processing system enables multiple users at distant locations employing ordinary personal computers to construct and observe three-dimensional images simultaneously. In a network environment, a three-dimensional image processing device acquires image data and incorporates it into three-dimensional voxels based on instructions from the computers. The device operates on the three-dimensional voxels using object space domain, opacity and color parameters to construct three-dimensional data and operates on the three-dimensional data using projection processing parameters to construct three-dimensional images. The system sets projection processing parameters for constructing three-dimensional images from three-dimensional data and displays three-dimensional images which may be routed to the various computers via the network.

Three-dimensional image display device in network

The reactions of CF2(X1A1) radicals with O(3P) and H atoms have been studied by using a shock tube/atomic resonance absorption spectroscopy technique over the temperature ranges 2000−2430 and 1450−1860 K and the total density range 6.1 × 1018 to 1.2 × 1019 molecules cm-3. Nitrous oxide and ethyl iodide were used as precursors of O(3P) and H atoms, respectively. Electronically ground state CF2(X1A1) radicals were produced through the thermal decomposition of chlorodifluoromethane. The rate coefficients for the reactions CF2(X1A1) + O(3P) and CF2(X1A1) + H were obtained from the decay profiles of O and H atom concentrations as k(CF2+O) = 10-10.39±0.07 and k(CF2+H) = 10-10.18±0.21 exp[−(19.0 ± 6.7) kJ mol-1/RT] cm3 molecule-1 s-1 (error limits at the two standard deviation level). Neither rate coefficient had any pressure dependence under the present experimental conditions. The G2-level ab initio molecular orbital calculation was also performed to examine the product channels for the CF2(X1A1) + O(3P) and C...

Shock-Tube Studies on the Reactions of CF2(X1A1) with O(3P) and H Atoms

The reaction of CHF3 (HFC-23) with H atoms has been investigated by using a shock tube−atomic resonance absorption spectroscopy technique over the temperature range 1100−1350 K and the total concen...

Kazuo Takahashi

Papers

Displaying multiple slice images

Displaying three-dimensional medical images

Three-dimensional image display device in network

Shock-Tube Studies on the Reactions of CF2(X1A1) with O(3P) and H Atoms

A kinetic study on the reaction of chf3 with h at high temperatures