The precision alignment of high-performance, wide-field optical systems is generally a difficult and often laborious process. We report a new merit function regression method that has the potential to bring to such an optical alignment process higher efficiency and accuracy than the conventional sensitivity table method. The technique uses actively damped least square algorithm to minimize the Zernike coefficient-based merit function representing the difference between the designed and misaligned optical wave fronts. The application of this method for the alignment experiment of a Cassegrain type collimator of 900mm in diameter resulted in a reduction of the mean system rms wave-front error from 0.283 lambda to 0.194 lambda;, and in the field dependent wave-front error difference from +/-0.2 lambda to +/-0.014 lambda in just two alignment actions. These results demonstrate a much better performance than that of the conventional sensitivity table method simulated for the same steps of experimental alignment.

Until now, most studies using calcium alginate gel (CAG) have been conducted primarily at room temperature (20 °C) without considering gelation temperature. Moreover, the effects of gelation temperature on the physical properties of CAG beads have not been studied in detail. We aimed to study the effect of gelation temperature on the physical properties (diameter, sphericity, and rupture strength) of CAG beads. Response surface methodology was used in this study. The independent variables were sodium alginate concentration (X1, 1.2–3.6%, w/v), calcium lactate concentration (X2, 0.5−4.5%, w/v), gelation temperature (X3, 5–85 °C), and gelation time (X4, 6–30 min). Diameter (Y1, mm), sphericity (Y2, %), and rupture strength (Y3, kPa) were selected as the dependent variables. A decrease in gelation temperature increased the diameter, sphericity and rupture strength of the CAG beads. Additionally, the CAG beads prepared at 5 °C exhibited the highest rupture strength (3976 kPa), lowest calcium content (1.670 mg/g wet), and a regular internal structure. These results indicate that decreasing the gelation temperature slows the calcium diffusion rate in CAG beads, yielding a more regular internal structure and increasing the rupture strength of the beads.

Calcium alginate gel (CAG) has been widely investigated for the development of artificial foods; however, there are few studies on its thermal stability. This study aimed to monitor changes in the physical properties of CAG beads during heat treatment using response surface methodology. Heating temperature (X1, 40–100 °C) and heating time (X2, 5–60 min) were chosen as independent variables. The dependent variables were rupture strength (Y1, kPa), size (Y2, μm), and sphericity (Y3, %). The heating temperature (X1) was the independent variable that had a significant effect on the rupture strength (Y1) and size (Y2). Rupture strength (Y1) increased as the heating temperature (X1) increased; at the same time, the CAG beads size (Y2) decreased. With all conditions, the values of sphericity (Y3) were over 94%. SEM images revealed that increase in the rupture strength of the CAG beads by heat treatment resulted from their porous structures. Loss of moisture by syneresis, occurring with heat treatment, was judged to create a dense porous structure of CAG beads. Our findings offer useful information for cooking or sterilizing food products utilizing CAG beads. In addition, thermal treatment could be applied to produce hard CAG beads with a high rupture strength.

We discuss the effect of stray light on a high-precision camera in an LEO(Low Earth Orbit) satellite. The critical objects and illumination objects were sorted to discover the stray light sources in the optical system. Scatter modeling was applied to determine a noise effect on the surface of a detector, and the relative flux of a signal and noise were also calculated. The stable range of reflectivity of the beam splitter was estimated for various scattering models.

Caffeine, a natural stimulant, is known to be effective for weight loss. On this basis, we screened the arousal-inducing effect of five dietary supplements with a weight loss effect (Garcinia cambogia, Coleus forskohlii, Camellia sinensis L., Irvingia gabonensis, and Malus pumila M.), of which the G. cambogia peel extract (GC) showed a significant arousal-inducing effect in the pentobarbital-induced sleep test in mice. This characteristic of GC was further evaluated by analysis of electroencephalogram and electromyogram in C57L/6N mice, and it was compared to that of the positive control, caffeine. Administration of GC (1500 mg/kg) significantly increased wakefulness and decreased non-rapid eye movement sleep, similar to that of caffeine (25 mg/kg), with GC and caffeine showing a significant increase in wakefulness at 2 and 6 h, respectively. Compared to that of caffeine, the shorter duration of efficacy of GC could be advantageous because of the lower possibility of sleep disturbance. Furthermore, the arousal-inducing effects of GC (1500 mg/kg) and caffeine (25 mg/kg) persisted throughout the chronic (3 weeks) administration study. This study, for the first time, revealed the arousal-inducing effect of GC. Our findings suggest that GC might be a promising natural stimulant with no side effects. In addition, it is preferential to take GC as a dietary supplement for weight loss during the daytime to avoid sleep disturbances owing to its arousal-inducing effect.