An emissions measurement system capable of providing an accurate, real-time estimate of particle number (PN)/particulate matter (PM) within exhaust is disclosed. The system is capable of accurately differentiating the size and composition of PM/PN by synchronizing dissimilarly configured sensors. The exhaust may be generated by an internal combustion engine, in which case the system may be sequentially connected to the exhaust from the internal combustion engine.

An emissions measurement system capable of providing an accurate, real-time estimate of particle number (PN)/particulate matter (PM) within exhaust is disclosed. The system is capable of accurately differentiating the size and composition of PM/PN by synchronizing dissimilarly configured sensors. The exhaust may be generated by an internal combustion engine, in which case the system may be sequentially connected to the exhaust from the internal combustion engine.

Laser speckle microrheology is used to determine a mechanical property of a biological tissue, namely, an elastic modulus. Speckle frames may be acquired by illuminating a coherent light and capturing back-scattered rays in parallel and cross-polarized states with respect to illumination. The speckle frames may be analyzed temporally to obtain diffuse reflectance profiles (DRPs) for the parallel-polarized and cross-polarized states. A scattering characteristic of particles in the biological tissue may be determined based on the DRPs, and a displacement characteristic may be determined based at least in part on a speckle intensity autocorrelation function and the scattering characteristic. A size characteristic of scattering particles may be determined based on the DRP for the parallel polarization state. The mechanical property may be calculated using the displacement and size characteristics.

A search device updates positions and momentums of a plurality of virtual particles, for each unit time from an initial time to an end time. The search device, for each unit time, calculates, for each of the particles, a position at a target time of a corresponding particle, calculates, for each of a plurality of nodes, a first accumulative value by cumulatively adding positions at the target time of two or more particles corresponding to outgoing two or more directed edges, calculates, for each of the nodes, a second accumulative value by cumulatively adding positions at the target time of two or more particles corresponding to incoming two or more directed edges, and calculates, for each of the particles, a momentum at the target time of a corresponding particle based on the first accumulative value and the second accumulative value.

A search device updates positions and momentums of a plurality of virtual particles, for each unit time from an initial time to an end time. The search device, for each unit time, calculates, for each of the particles, a position at a target time of a corresponding particle, calculates, for each of a plurality of nodes, a first accumulative value by cumulatively adding positions at the target time of two or more particles corresponding to outgoing two or more directed edges, calculates, for each of the nodes, a second accumulative value by cumulatively adding positions at the target time of two or more particles corresponding to incoming two or more directed edges, and calculates, for each of the particles, a momentum at the target time of a corresponding particle based on the first accumulative value and the second accumulative value.

Systems and methods for monitoring air particulate matter are provided herein that capture particles from the air for analysis. Particles are captured using electrostatic and/or mechanical means to deflect particles toward a substrate. Electrostatic precipitation causes charged carriers to deflect towards a charged substrate. Filtration-based means employ filters and/or fibers to capture particles from air flowing therethrough. A sensor such as a camera is used to read the captured particles. An illumination source directs light towards the substrate, causing the particles to scatter light, which the sensor can detect and derive information or imaging therefrom, which can also be used for further particle or pollution analyses. The substrate can be replenished using electrostatic techniques such as reverse electrostatic force, or mechanical means such as cleaning using a brush or replacing a tape substrate. Dynamic PM monitoring detects and makes adjustments such as those related to air volume, imaging characteristics and substrate replenishment.

An apparatus (100), a system (200), and a method (500) for simulating deposition of an inhaled drug on lungs of an individual are disclosed. The apparatus (100) includes a mouth-throat model (102), an inhalation device (104), and a breath simulator (106) connected to the mouth-throat model (102) for dispersing drug and respiration flow respectively in the mouth-throat model (102). The apparatus (100) also includes a controlling unit (108) in communication with the breath simulator (106) and the inhalation device (104) to detect the dispersion of the respiration flow and actuate the inhalation device (104) to disperse the drug. The respiration flow and the drug are uniformly mixed while passing through a mixing unit (110) formed downstream to the mouth-throat model (102) and the breath simulator (106). The mixture is then received by a lung cast model (112) formed downstream to the mixing unit (110) to accommodate deposition of the drug.

Methods described herein, in some embodiments, permit extraction of particle structural and/or surface charge data from gradient induced particle motion in channels. In one aspect, a method of manipulating particle motion comprises introducing a fluid into a channel, the fluid comprising particles, and driving particle accumulation to a preselected location in the channel by setting advective velocity of the fluid to offset diffusiophoretic mobility of the particles at the preselected location.

Methods described herein, in some embodiments, permit extraction of particle structural and/or surface charge data from gradient induced particle motion in channels. In one aspect, a method of manipulating particle motion comprises introducing a fluid into a channel, the fluid comprising particles, and driving particle accumulation to a preselected location in the channel by setting advective velocity of the fluid to offset diffusiophoretic mobility of the particles at the preselected location.

A microorganism evaluation system comprising a viewing section for image acquisition, the viewing section comprising a viewing port configured to accommodate a fluid flow, at least one independently controlled imaging light source operably installed in the viewing section and configured to selectively illuminate the viewing port, and at least one independently controlled light stimulation device operably installed in the viewing section and configured to selectively emit light for invoking a motile response in a microorganism within the fluid flow in the viewing port, whereby the system synchronizes illumination of the at least one imaging light source and the at least one light stimulation device of the viewing section.