From adsorption data and measurements of length changes of a porous glass rod, a qualitative description of the processes involved in the adsorption of water vapor is developed. Particular attention is devoted to the causes of the hysteresis loop. The qualitative theory appears to be useful in understanding the adsorption of water on charcoal, and may therefore be of value in interpreting the phenomenon of limited hysteresis on any porous adsorbent.Three attempts to test the theory quantitatively are presented. These involve the computation of surface areas, of Young's moduli, and of isosteric heats of adsorption. The quantitative treatment also leads to an estimate of the total number of pores and the mean length of the pores, in addition to the pore radius. Such an assessment of a porous structure has apparently not been possible earlier.

Accurate numerical calculation of the thermal profile in humans requires reliable estimates of the following five tissue properties: specific heat capacity (c), thermal conductivity (k), blood perfusion rates (m), metabolic heat production (A0), and density (ρ). A sixth property, water content (w, as a %), can also be used to estimate c and k. To date, researchers have used various and inconsistent estimates of these parameters, which hinders comparison of the corresponding results. In an effort to standardize and improve the accuracy of these parameters for future studies, we have documented over 150 key papers and books and developed a database of the six thermal properties listed above for 43 human tissues. For each tissue and each property the following were obtained: the average value, the number of source values, the minimum and maximum of source values, and the reference for each source value. A key premise for the development of the database was to only use references that provided the original measurements. This database is offered for use by the biological thermal modeling community to help improve the accuracy and consistency of thermal modeling results.

The effect of electromagnetic field (EMF) exposures at the microwave (MW) frequency of 18 GHz, on four cocci, Planococcus maritimus KMM 3738, Staphylococcus aureus CIP 65.8T, S. aureus ATCC 25923 and S. epidermidis ATCC 14990T, was investigated. We demonstrate that exposing the bacteria to an EMF induced permeability in the bacterial membranes of all strains studied, as confirmed directly by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and indirectly via the propidium iodide assay and the uptake of silica nanospheres. The cells remained permeable for at least nine minutes after EMF exposure. It was shown that all strains internalized 23.5 nm nanospheres, whereas the internalization of the 46.3 nm nanospheres differed amongst the bacterial strains (S. epidermidis ATCC 14990T~ 0%; Staphylococcus aureus CIP 65.8T S. aureus ATCC 25923, ~40%; Planococcus maritimus KMM 3738, ~80%). Cell viability experiments indicated that up to 84% of the cells exposed to the EMF remained viable. The morphology of the bacterial cells was not altered, as inferred from the scanning electron micrographs, however traces of leaked cytosolic fluids from the EMF exposed cells could be detected. EMF-induced permeabilization may represent an innovative, alternative cell permeability technique for applications in biomedical engineering, cell drug delivery and gene therapy.

The 1998 International Commission for Non-Ionising Radiation (ICNIRP) Guidelines for human exposure to radiofrequency (RF) fields contain a recommendation to assess the potential impact of metallic implants in workers exposed up to the allowable occupational field limits. This study provides an example of how numerical electromagnetic (EM) and thermal modelling can be used to determine whether scattered RF fields around metallic implants in workers exposed to allowable occupational ambient field limits will comply with the recommendations of relevant standards and guidelines. A case study is performed for plane wave exposures of a 50 mm diameter titanium cranioplasty plate, implanted around 5-6 mm under the surface of the forehead. The level of exposures was set to the ambient power flux density limits for occupational exposures specified in the 1998 ICNIRP guidelines and the current 1999 IEEE C95.1 standard over the frequency range 100-3000 MHz. Two distinct peak responses were observed. There was a resonant response for the whole implant at 200-300 MHz where the maximum dimension of the implant is around a third of the wavelength of the RF exposure. This, however, resulted in relatively low peak specific energy absorption rate (SAR) levels around the implant at the exposure limits. Between 2100-2800 MHz, a second SAR concentrating mechanism of constructive interference of the wave reflected back and forth between the air-scalp interface and the scalp-plate interface resulted in higher peak SARs that were within the allowable limits for the ICNIRP exposures, but not for the IEEE C95.1 exposures. Moreover, the IEEE peak SAR limits were also exceeded, to a lesser degree, even when the implant was not present. However, thermal modelling indicated that the peak SAR concentrations around the implant did not result in any peak temperature rise above 1 degrees C for occupational exposures recommended in the ICNIRP guidelines, and hence would not pose any significant health risk.

The length variations of two zinc chloride activated carbon rods caused by the adsorption of several vapors are reported. The relationship between percent extension of the rod and calculated spreading pressure of the adsorbed film suggested by Bangham has been tested. The relation agrees well with experiment for organic vapors above about ⅓ saturation of the monolayer capacity. It does not agree in the low adsorption region nor along the desorption branch of the water isotherm. A marked contraction of the rod below its original length has been noted when water is desorbed, and this contraction may be considered as a proof of the establishment of concave menisci in the capillaries along the desorption branch.

Freezing has been detected in the adsorbed water and benzene of porous Vycor glass a t temperatures below that a t which the bulk phases freeze. The evidence presented by equilibrium pressure measurements and dimensional changes of the systems is considered in terms of theories of capillary condensation and freezing in cements and soil. Although not all the results can be esplained, it is concluded that the freezing process is a gradual one for both adsorbate-adsorbent systems. The evidence further suggests that hysteresis is absent in isotherms if the solid phase has formed.

The causes of hysteresis in the adsorption isotherms on porous Vycor glass are discussed, employing as ancillary evidence the dimensional changes of the adsorbent. Diagrams of domain complexions for pores of the ink-bottle type are given and used to develop certain of Everett's theorems. Evidence showing the interdependence of domains or voids is given. The compressibility of the porous adsorbent is evaluated and shown to differ with different adsorbates, which suggests distributions of adsorbed matter specific to the adsorbate. A thermodynamic development is given, which indicates that the most stable states of the system are represented along the adsorption isotherm. Finally, certain anomalous findings in the region of low adsorption and within the hysteresis loop are reported and discussed.

This paper investigates the influence of EEG electrode caps on specific absorption rate (SAR) in the head from a GSM900 mobile phone (217-Hz modulation, peak power output 2 W). SAR measurements were recorded in an anthropomorphic phantom using a precision robotic system. Peak 10 g average SAR in the whole head and in just the temporal region was compared for three phantom arrangements; no cap, 64-electrode "ElectroCap," and 64-electrode "Quick-Cap". Relative to the "no cap" arrangement, the Electro-Cap and Quick-Cap caused a peak SAR (10 g) reduction of 14% and 18% respectively in both the whole head and in the temporal region. Additional computational modeling confirmed that SAR (10 g) is reduced by the presence of electrode leads and that the extent of the effect varies according to the orientation of the leads with respect to the radiofrequency (RF) source. The modeling also indicated that the nonconductive shell between the electrodes and simulated head material does not significantly alter the electrode lead shielding effect. The observed SAR reductions are not likely to be sufficiently large to have accounted for null EEG findings in the past but should nonetheless be noted in studies aiming to measure and report human brain activity under similar exposure conditions. Abstract-This paper investigates the influence of EEG electrode caps on specific absorption rate (SAR) in the head from a GSM900 mobile phone (217-Hz modulation, peak power output 2 W). SAR measurements were recorded in an anthropomorphic phantom using a precision robotic system. Peak 10 g average SAR in the whole head and in just the temporal region was compared for three phantom arrangements; no cap, 64-electrode "Electro-Cap," and 64-electrode "Quick-Cap". Relative to the "no cap" arrangement, the Electro-Cap and Quick-Cap caused a peak SAR (10 g) reduction of 14% and 18% respectively in both the whole head and in the temporal region. Additional computational modeling confirmed that SAR (10 g) is reduced by the presence of electrode leads and that the extent of the effect varies according to the orientation of the leads with respect to the radiofrequency (RF) source. The modeling also indicated that the nonconductive shell between the electrodes and simulated head material does not significantly alter the electrode lead shielding effect. The observed SAR reductions are not likely to be sufficiently large to have accounted for null EEG findings in the past but should nonetheless be noted in studies aiming to measure and report human brain activity under similar exposure conditions.