A hand-held electronic tongue based on fluorometry for taste assessment of tea.

A hand-held electronic tongue was developed for determining taste levels of astringency and umami in tea infusions. The sensing principles are based on quenching the fluorescence of 3-aminophthalate by tannin, and the fluorogenic reaction of o-phthalaldehyde (OPA) with amino acids to determine astringency and umami levels, respectively. Both reactions were measured by a single fluorescence sensing system with same excitation and emission wavelengths (340/425 nm). This work describes in detail the design, fabrication, and performance evaluation of a hand-held fluorometer with an ultra-violet light emitted diode (UVLED) and a photo-detector with a filter built-in. The dimension and the weight of proposed electronic tongue prototype are only 120×60×65 mm(3) and 150 g, respectively. The detection limits of this prototype for theanine and tannic acid were 0.2 µg/ml and 1 µg/ml, respectively. Correlation coefficients of this prototype compared with a commercial fluorescence instrument are both higher than 0.995 in determinations of tannin acid and theanine. Linear detection ranges of the hand-held fluorometer for tannic acid and theanine are 1-20 µg/ml and 0.2-10 µg/ml (CV<5%, n=3), respectively. A specified taste indicator for tea, defined as ratio of umami to astringency, was adopted here to effectively distinguish flavour quality of partially fermented Oolong teas.

An advanced approach for computer modeling and prototyping of the human tooth.

This paper presents a systematic and practical method for constructing accurate computer and physical models that can be employed for the study of human tooth mechanics. The proposed method starts with a histological section preparation of a human tooth. Through tracing outlines of the tooth on the sections, discrete points are obtained and are employed to construct B-spline curves that represent the exterior contours and dentino-enamel junction (DEJ) of the tooth using a least square curve fitting technique. The surface skinning technique is then employed to quilt the B-spline curves to create a smooth boundary and DEJ of the tooth using B-spline surfaces. These surfaces are respectively imported into SolidWorks via its application protocol interface to create solid models. The solid models are then imported into Pro/MECHANICA Structure for finite element analysis (FEA). The major advantage of the proposed method is that it first generates smooth solid models, instead of finite element models in discretized form. As a result, a more advanced p-FEA can be employed for structural analysis, which usually provides superior results to traditional h-FEA. In addition, the solid model constructed is smooth and can be fabricated with various scales using the solid freeform fabrication technology. This method is especially useful in supporting bioengineering applications, where the shape of the object is usually complicated. A human maxillary second molar is presented to illustrate and demonstrate the proposed method. Note that both the solid and p-FEA models of the molar are presented. However, comparison between p- and h-FEA models is out of the scope of the paper.

An advanced computer-aided geometric modeling and fabrication method for human middle ear.

This paper presents a practical and systematic method for reconstructing accurate computer and physical models of the entire human middle ear. The proposed method starts with the histological section preparation of human temporal bone. Through tracing outlines of the middle ear components on the sections, a set of discrete points is obtained and employed to construct B-spline curves that represent the exterior contours of the components using a curve-fitting technique. The surface-skinning technique is then employed to quilt the B-spline curves for smooth boundary surfaces of the middle ear components using B-spline surfaces. The solid models of the middle ear components are constructed using these surfaces and then assembled to create the entire middle ear in a computer-aided design environment. This method not only provides an effective way to visualize and measure the three-dimensional structure of the middle ear, but also provides a detailed knowledge of middle ear geometry that is required for finite element analysis or multibody dynamic analysis of the human middle ear. In addition, the geometric model constructed using the proposed method is smooth and can be fabricated in various scales using solid freeform fabrication technology. The physical model of the human middle ear is extremely effective in realizing the middle ear anatomy and enhancing discussion and collaboration among researchers and physicians.

Three-dimensional modeling of middle ear biomechanics and its applications.

HYPOTHESIS: This study investigated whether combined technologies of finite element (FE) analysis and three-dimensional reconstruction of human temporal bones could be used to construct a computational model, useful in describing normal and pathologic middle ear sound conduction. BACKGROUND: FE models for biologic systems have been used in ear biomechanics. Three-dimensional reconstructions have also been made, but not in combination with FE modeling and laser interferometry measuring of human temporal bones. Furthermore, an FE model for the human middle ear with its ossicular attachments has not been reported on the basis of temporal bone histologic sections and morphometric reconstruction, to the authors' best knowledge. Because of the size, variability, and complexity of the middle ear, accurate morphologic data and boundary conditions are necessary for accurate FE modeling. METHODS: A fresh temporal bone was decalcified, embedded in celloidin, sectioned and stained, scanned, and digitized, and the normal middle ear was reconstructed. The histologic sections were used to construct a computer-aided design model with ligaments, muscles, and tendons as boundary conditions. The data thus obtained were converted into an FE mechanical model that was validated by comparison with displacements obtained by laser Doppler interferometry on 17 fresh human temporal bones. RESULTS: An FE model was generated, demonstrating dynamic behavior that moderately approximated the laser interferometric data from human temporal bones receiving 90-dB sound pressure level auditory frequencies at the tympanic membrane. CONCLUSION: Accurate FE modeling, incorporating both morphometric and interferometric performance data, predicted both normal and pathologic mechanical performance of the human ossicular chain.