Polarization optics of the Brewster's dark patch visible on water surfaces versus solar height and sky conditions: theory, computer modeling, photography, and painting.

Science.gov (United States)

Takács, Péter; Barta, András; Pye, David; Horváth, Gábor

2017-10-20

When the sun is near the horizon, a circular band with approximately vertically polarized skylight is formed at 90° from the sun, and this skylight is only weakly reflected from the region of the water surface around the Brewster's angle (53° from the nadir). Thus, at low solar heights under a clear sky, an extended dark patch is visible on the water surface when one looks toward the north or south quarter perpendicular to the solar vertical. In this work, we study the radiance distribution of this so-called Brewster's dark patch (BDP) in still water as functions of the solar height and sky conditions. We calculate the pattern of reflectivity R of a water surface for a clear sky and obtain from this idealized situation the shape of the BDP. From three full-sky polarimetric pictures taken about a clear, a partly cloudy, and an overcast sky, we determine the R pattern and compose from that synthetic color pictures showing how the radiance distribution of skylight reflected at the water surface and the BDPs would look under these sky conditions. We also present photographs taken without a linearly polarizing filter about the BDP. Finally, we show a 19th century painting on which a river is seen with a dark region of the water surface, which can be interpreted as an artistic illustration of the BDP.

Full-angle tomographic phase microscopy of flowing quasi-spherical cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Villone, Massimiliano M; Memmolo, Pasquale; Merola, Francesco; Mugnano, Martina; Miccio, Lisa; Maffettone, Pier Luca; Ferraro, Pietro

2017-12-19

We report a reliable full-angle tomographic phase microscopy (FA-TPM) method for flowing quasi-spherical cells along microfluidic channels. This method lies in a completely passive optical system, i.e. mechanical scanning or multi-direction probing of the sample is avoided. It exploits the engineered rolling of cells while they are flowing along a microfluidic channel. Here we demonstrate significant progress with respect to the state of the art of in-flow TPM by showing a general extension to cells having almost spherical shapes while they are flowing in suspension. In fact, the adopted strategy allows the accurate retrieval of rotation angles through a theoretical model of the cells' rotation in a dynamic microfluidic flow by matching it with phase-contrast images resulting from holographic reconstructions. So far, the proposed method is the first and the only one that permits to get in-flow TPM by probing the cells with full-angle, achieving accurate 3D refractive index mapping and the simplest optical setup, simultaneously. Proof of concept experiments were performed successfully on human breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7 cells, opening the way for the full characterization of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the new paradigm of liquid biopsy.

Interaction of L-Phenylalanine with a Phospholipid Monolayer at the Water−Air Interface

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Griffith, E. C.; Perkins, R.J.; Telesford, D.-M.; Adams, E. M.; Cwiklik, Lukasz; Allen, H. C.; Roeselová, Martina; Vaida, V.

2015-01-01

Roč. 119, č. 29 (2015), s. 9038-9048 ISSN 1520-6106 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-06181S Institutional support: RVO:61388955 ; RVO:61388963 Keywords : SUM-FREQUENCY GENERATION * BREWSTER-ANGLE MICROSCOPY * INTRINSICALLY UNSTRUCTURED PROTEINS Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 3.187, year: 2015

Auto-calibrated scanning-angle prism-type total internal reflection microscopy for nanometer-precision axial position determination and optional variable-illumination-depth pseudo total internal reflection microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Ning; Sun, Wei

2015-04-21

A method, apparatus, and system for improved VA-TIRFM microscopy. The method comprises automatically controlled calibration of one or more laser sources by precise control of presentation of each laser relative a sample for small incremental changes of incident angle over a range of critical TIR angles. The calibration then allows precise scanning of the sample for any of those calibrated angles for higher and more accurate resolution, and better reconstruction of the scans for super resolution reconstruction of the sample. Optionally the system can be controlled for incident angles of the excitation laser at sub-critical angles for pseudo TIRFM. Optionally both above-critical angle and sub critical angle measurements can be accomplished with the same system.

Correlation of Cell Surface Biomarker Expression Levels with Adhesion Contact Angle Measured by Lateral Microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Walz, Jenna A; Mace, Charles R

2018-06-05

Immunophenotyping is typically achieved using flow cytometry, but any influence a biomarker may have on adhesion or surface recognition cannot be determined concurrently. In this manuscript, we demonstrate the utility of lateral microscopy for correlating cell surface biomarker expression levels with quantitative descriptions of cell morphology. With our imaging system, we observed single cells from two T cell lines and two B cell lines adhere to antibody-coated substrates and quantified this adhesion using contact angle measurements. We found that SUP-T1 and CEM CD4+ cells, both of which express similar levels of CD4, experienced average changes in contact angle that were not statistically different from one another on surfaces coated in anti-CD4. However, MAVER-1 and BJAB K20 cells, both of which express different levels of CD20, underwent average changes in contact angle that were significantly different from one another on surfaces coated in anti-CD20. Our results indicate that changes in cell contact angles on antibody-coated substrates reflect the expression levels of corresponding antigens on the surfaces of cells as determined by flow cytometry. Our lateral microscopy approach offers a more reproducible and quantitative alternative to evaluate adhesion compared to commonly used wash assays and can be extended to many additional immunophenotyping applications to identify cells of interest within heterogeneous populations.

Characterization of duplex stainless steels by TEM [transmission electron microscopy], SANS [small-angle neutron scattering], and APFIM [atom-probe field ion microscopy] techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, H.M.; Chopra, O.K.

1987-06-01

Results are presented of complementary characterization of aged duplex stainless steels by advanced metallographic techniques, including transmission and high-voltage electron microscopies; small-angle neutron scattering; and atom-probe field ion microscopy. On the basis of the characterization, the mechanisms of aging embrittlement have been shown to be associated with the precipitation of Ni- and Si-rich G phase and Cr-rich α' in the ferrite, and M 23 C 6 carbides on the austenite-ferrite phase boundaries. 19 refs., 19 figs., 1 tab

Characterization of polyethersulfone-polyimide hollow fiber membranes by atomic force microscopy and contact angle goniometery

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Khulbe, K.C.; Feng, C.; Matsuura, T.; Kapantaidakis, G.; Wessling, Matthias; Koops, G.H.

2003-01-01

Asymmetric blend polyethersulfone-polyimide (PES-PI) hollow fiber membranes prepared at different air gap and used for gas separation are characterized by atomic force microscopy (inside and out side surfaces) and by measuring the contact angle of out side surface. The outer surface was entirely

Design of angle-resolved illumination optics using nonimaging bi-telecentricity for 193 nm scatterfield microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Sohn, Martin Y; Barnes, Bryan M; Silver, Richard M

2018-03-01

Accurate optics-based dimensional measurements of features sized well-below the diffraction limit require a thorough understanding of the illumination within the optical column and of the three-dimensional scattered fields that contain the information required for quantitative metrology. Scatterfield microscopy can pair simulations with angle-resolved tool characterization to improve agreement between the experiment and calculated libraries, yielding sub-nanometer parametric uncertainties. Optimized angle-resolved illumination requires bi-telecentric optics in which a telecentric sample plane defined by a Köhler illumination configuration and a telecentric conjugate back focal plane (CBFP) of the objective lens; scanning an aperture or an aperture source at the CBFP allows control of the illumination beam angle at the sample plane with minimal distortion. A bi-telecentric illumination optics have been designed enabling angle-resolved illumination for both aperture and source scanning modes while yielding low distortion and chief ray parallelism. The optimized design features a maximum chief ray angle at the CBFP of 0.002° and maximum wavefront deviations of less than 0.06 λ for angle-resolved illumination beams at the sample plane, holding promise for high quality angle-resolved illumination for improved measurements of deep-subwavelength structures using deep-ultraviolet light.

Epitaxial Nucleation on Rationally Designed Peptide Functionalized Interface

Science.gov (United States)

2011-07-19

is dissolved in the subphase of the Langmuir Blodgett trough. We do not add a reductant to the subphase to initiate the nucleation process... ionic liquids41 and C18-imidazole surfactants44. In the case of the ionic liquid study, higher concentrations produce plate-like particles similar...phase behavior. We characterize the phase behavior by using Langmuir techniques, Brewster Angle Microscopy, Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier

Novel operation mode for eliminating influence of inclination angle and friction in atomic force microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Fei; Wang, Yueyu; Zhou, Faquan; Zhao, Xuezeng

2010-01-01

The accuracy of topography imaging in contact force mode of atomic force microscopy (AFM) depends on the one-to-one corresponding relationship between the cantilever deflection and the tip-sample distance, whereas such a relationship cannot be always achieved in the presence of friction and incline angle of sample surface. Recently, we have developed a novel operation mode in which we keep the van der Waals force as constant instead of the applied normal force, to eliminate the effect of inclination angle and friction on topography imaging in the contact force mode. We have improved our AFM to enable the new operation mode for validation. Comparative experiments have been performed and the results have shown that the effect of friction and inclination angle on topography imaging in contact mode of AFM can be eliminated or at least decreased effectively by working in the new operation mode we present.

Three-dimensional imaging of individual point defects using selective detection angles in annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, Jared M.; Im, Soohyun; Windl, Wolfgang; Hwang, Jinwoo, E-mail: hwang.458@osu.edu

2017-01-15

We propose a new scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) technique that can realize the three-dimensional (3D) characterization of vacancies, lighter and heavier dopants with high precision. Using multislice STEM imaging and diffraction simulations of β-Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} and SrTiO{sub 3}, we show that selecting a small range of low scattering angles can make the contrast of the defect-containing atomic columns substantially more depth-dependent. The origin of the depth-dependence is the de-channeling of electrons due to the existence of a point defect in the atomic column, which creates extra “ripples” at low scattering angles. The highest contrast of the point defect can be achieved when the de-channeling signal is captured using the 20–40 mrad detection angle range. The effect of sample thickness, crystal orientation, local strain, probe convergence angle, and experimental uncertainty to the depth-dependent contrast of the point defect will also be discussed. The proposed technique therefore opens new possibilities for highly precise 3D structural characterization of individual point defects in functional materials. - Highlights: • A new electron microscopy technique that can visualize 3D position of point defect is proposed. • The technique relies on the electron de-channeling signals at low scattering angles. • The technique enables precise determination of the depth of vacancies and lighter impurity atoms.

Adhesion of living cells revealed by variable-angle total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Cardoso Dos Santos, Marcelina; Vézy, Cyrille; Jaffiol, Rodolphe

2016-02-01

Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy (TIRFM) is a widespread technique to study cellular process occurring near the contact region with the glass substrate. In this field, determination of the accurate distance from the surface to the plasma membrane constitutes a crucial issue to investigate the physical basis of cellular adhesion process. However, quantitative interpretation of TIRF pictures regarding the distance z between a labeled membrane and the substrate is not trivial. Indeed, the contrast of TIRF images depends on several parameters more and less well known (local concentration of dyes, absorption cross section, angular emission pattern…). The strategy to get around this problem is to exploit a series of TIRF pictures recorded at different incident angles in evanescent regime. This technique called variable-angle TIRF microscopy (vaTIRFM), allowing to map the membrane-substrate separation distance with a nanometric resolution (10-20 nm). vaTIRFM was developed by Burmeister, Truskey and Reichert in the early 1990s with a prism-based TIRF setup [Journal of Microscopy 173, 39-51 (1994)]. We propose a more convenient prismless setup, which uses only a rotatable mirror to adjust precisely the laser beam on the back focal plane of the oil immersion objective (no azimuthal scanning is needed). The series of TIRF images permit us to calculate accurately membrane-surface distances in each pixel. We demonstrate that vaTIRFM are useful to quantify the adhesion of living cells for specific and unspecific membrane-surface interactions, achieved on various functionalized substrates with polymers (BSA, poly-L-lysin) or extracellular matrix proteins (collagen and fibronectin).

Degradation of thin poly(lactic acid) films: Characterization by capacitance–voltage, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and contact-angle measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schusser, S.; Menzel, S.; Bäcker, M.; Leinhos, M.; Poghossian, A.; Wagner, P.; Schöning, M.J.

2013-01-01

For the development of new biopolymers and implantable biomedical devices with predicted biodegradability, simple, non-destructive, fast and inexpensive techniques capable for real-time in situ testing of the degradation kinetics of polymers are highly appreciated. In this work, a capacitive field-effect electrolyte–insulator–semiconductor (EIS) sensor has been applied for real-time in situ monitoring of degradation of thin poly(D,L-lactic acid) (PDLLA) films over a long-time period of one month. Generally, the polymer-modified EIS (PMEIS) sensor is capable of detecting any changes in the bulk, surface and interface properties of the polymer (e.g., thickness, coverage, dielectric constant, surface potential) induced by degradation processes. The time-dependent capacitance–voltage (C–V) characteristics of PMEIS structures were used as an indicator of the polymer degradation. To accelerate the PDLLA degradation, experiments were performed in alkaline buffer solution of pH 10.6. The results of these degradation measurements with the EIS sensor were verified by the detection of lactic acid (product of the PDLLA degradation) in the degradation medium. In addition, the micro-structural and morphological changes of the polymer surface induced by the polymer degradation have been systematically studied by means of scanning-electron microscopy, atomic-force microscopy, optical microscopy, and contact-angle measurements

Single cell adhesion strength assessed with variable-angle total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcelina Cardoso Dos Santos

2017-06-01

Full Text Available We propose a new strategy to evaluate adhesion strength at the single cell level. This approach involves variable-angle total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy to monitor in real time the topography of cell membranes, i.e. a map of the membrane/substrate separation distance. According to the Boltzmann distribution, both potential energy profile and dissociation energy related to the interactions between the cell membrane and the substrate were determined from the membrane topography. We have highlighted on glass substrates coated with poly-L-lysine and fibronectin, that the dissociation energy is a reliable parameter to quantify the adhesion strength of MDA-MB-231 motile cells.

The effect of spectral width on Goos–Hanchen and Imbert–Fedorov shifts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prajapati, Chandravati; Ranganathan, D

2013-01-01

We study the Goos–Hanchen and Imbert–Fedorov shifts for quasi-monochromatic Gaussian beams near the Brewster angle, when the reflection is from a denser to a rarer medium. This is the case of interest in the usual experiments on reflectometry, etc. We have incorporated the effects of the finite linewidth of the quasi-monochromatic light and treated the cases of a Lorentzian and a Gaussian lineshape of the input light spectrum. This study of light with a finite spectral width was carried out for the more frequently studied case, namely reflection from a dense to a rare medium. We found that the shift is increased as compared to the monochromatic Gaussian beam, and is zero at the Brewster angle for a p polarized beam. The shift variation with angle of incidence near the Brewster and critical angles at different values of refractive index ratios is found. We also studied the shift variation for Hermite–Gauss beams around the Brewster angle when the reflection is from a rarer to a denser medium and compare this with our earlier results for the case when the reflection was from a denser to a rarer medium. (paper)

Small angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy study of the Lactobacillus brevis S-layer protein

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jaeaeskelaeinen, Pentti [Department of Biomedical Engineering and Computational Science, PO Box 2200, FI-02015 Aalto University School of Science and Technology (Finland); Engelhardt, Peter [Haartman Institute, Department of Pathology, PO Box 21, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki (Finland); Hynoenen, Ulla; Palva, Airi [Department of Basic Veterinary Sciences, Division of Microbiology, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki (Finland); Torkkeli, Mika; Serimaa, Ritva, E-mail: ritva.serimaa@helsinki.f [Department of Physics, POB 64, 00014 University of Helsinki (Finland)

2010-10-01

The structure of self-assembly domain containing recombinant truncation mutants of Lactobacillus brevis surface layer protein SlpA in aqueous solution was studied using small-angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy. The proteins were found out to interact with each other forming stable globular oligomers of about 10 monomers. The maximum diameter of the oligomers varied between 75 A and 435 A.

Interaction of toremifene with dipalmitoyl-phosphatidyl-glycerol in monolayers at the air–water interface followed by fluorescence microscopy in Langmuir–Blodgett films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Romão, Rute I.S.; Maçôas, Ermelinda; Martinho, José M.G.; Gonçalves da Silva, Amélia M.P.S.

2013-01-01

Langmuir monolayers of dipalmitoyl-phosphatidyl-glycerol (DPPG) containing toremifene (TOR), an antiestrogen drug derivative of tamoxifen, were prepared in order to study the interaction of the drug with the cell membrane. TOR is not surface active but it remains at the interface in DPPG rich monolayers anchored by electrostatic interaction with the anionic DPPG up to the equimolar composition. The fluidity of mixed monolayers increases up to the TOR mole fraction X TOR = 0.3, remaining practically invariant for higher compositions. Brewster angle microscopy shows that the TOR disturbs the DPPG organization and the liquid condensed (LC) domains of DPPG become undetectable for X TOR ≥ 0.4. Laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy images of the LB films doped with rhodamine B-piperazine amide dye confirm the progressive reduction in size of LC domains, from which TOR and rhodamine are excluded. The incorporation of TOR in DPPG monolayers up to the equimolar composition supports the formation of a TOR:DPPG complex (1:1) due to electrostatic interactions between the negatively charged polar groups of DPPG and protonated TOR. - Highlights: • Toremifene (TOR) in dipalmitoyl-phosphatidyl-glycerol (DPPG) monolayers • Electrostatic interactions between DPPG and TOR form a 1:1 complex. • TOR increases the fluidity of DPPG monolayers. • Incorporation of TOR in the fluid phase of DPPG followed by fluorescence imaging

Interaction of toremifene with dipalmitoyl-phosphatidyl-glycerol in monolayers at the air–water interface followed by fluorescence microscopy in Langmuir–Blodgett films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Romão, Rute I.S. [Centro de Química Estrutural, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, P-1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal); Maçôas, Ermelinda [Centro de Química-Física Molecular and IN — Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, P-1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal); Martinho, José M.G. [Centro de Química-Física Molecular and IN — Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, P-1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal); Departamento de Engenharia Química, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, P-1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal); Gonçalves da Silva, Amélia M.P.S., E-mail: ameliags@ist.utl.pt [Centro de Química Estrutural, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, P-1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal); Departamento de Engenharia Química, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, P-1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal)

2013-05-01

Langmuir monolayers of dipalmitoyl-phosphatidyl-glycerol (DPPG) containing toremifene (TOR), an antiestrogen drug derivative of tamoxifen, were prepared in order to study the interaction of the drug with the cell membrane. TOR is not surface active but it remains at the interface in DPPG rich monolayers anchored by electrostatic interaction with the anionic DPPG up to the equimolar composition. The fluidity of mixed monolayers increases up to the TOR mole fraction X{sub TOR} = 0.3, remaining practically invariant for higher compositions. Brewster angle microscopy shows that the TOR disturbs the DPPG organization and the liquid condensed (LC) domains of DPPG become undetectable for X{sub TOR} ≥ 0.4. Laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy images of the LB films doped with rhodamine B-piperazine amide dye confirm the progressive reduction in size of LC domains, from which TOR and rhodamine are excluded. The incorporation of TOR in DPPG monolayers up to the equimolar composition supports the formation of a TOR:DPPG complex (1:1) due to electrostatic interactions between the negatively charged polar groups of DPPG and protonated TOR. - Highlights: • Toremifene (TOR) in dipalmitoyl-phosphatidyl-glycerol (DPPG) monolayers • Electrostatic interactions between DPPG and TOR form a 1:1 complex. • TOR increases the fluidity of DPPG monolayers. • Incorporation of TOR in the fluid phase of DPPG followed by fluorescence imaging.

Primer reporte del híbrido intergenérico Vermivora chrysoptera x Vermivora pinus (“Brewsters Warbler”) en Nicaragua

Science.gov (United States)

W.J. Arendt; M.A. Tórrez

2008-01-01

This article is in Spanish. During an inventory to assess avian biodiversity among the critical watersheds that flow into the Pacific from Nicaragua, we captured a hybrid Vermivora chrysoptera (“Golden-winged Warbler”) with V. pinus (“Blue-winged Warbler”) known as Brewster’s Warbler (V. leucobronchialis). The capture ocurred on November 30, 2007 in dry forest (...

Proof of pore formation and biophysical perturbations through a 2D amoxicillin-lipid membrane interaction approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopes, Daniela; Nunes, Cláudia; Fontaine, Philippe; Sarmento, Bruno; Reis, Salette

2017-05-01

Amoxicillin is a worldwide used antibiotic, and it is classified as a first-line drug against Helicobacter pylori gastric infections. However, the current treatment of these infections has several limitations, such as the side effects and the low therapeutic compliance. Amoxicillin has been associated with gastrointestinal and renal side effects, with higher toxicity when the pH is lower. By considering this association and the well-known pH gradient of the gastric mucosa, this work aims to evaluate the influence of pH on the toxicity of amoxicillin. For that purpose, 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) monolayers were used since phosphatidylcholines are the most common phospholipid headgroup of biological membranes. To have insight of the effects of amoxicillin, different techniques were employed, namely, isotherm measurements, infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy, grazing incident X-ray diffraction and Brewster angle microscopy. The monolayers of DPPC spread onto different buffer solutions (pH1.2, pH5 and pH7.4) showed different structural and packing properties. The interaction with amoxicillin also depended on the pH. At pH7.4, the highest effect was visualized at lower pressures, with partial restoration of the biophysical properties of the monolayer at 30 mN.m -1 . A higher perturbation is shown at acidic pH, in which pores were visualized by Brewster angle microscopy. These perturbations may ultimately be related with amoxicillin toxicity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Variable-angle epifluorescence microscopy characterizes protein dynamics in the vicinity of plasma membrane in plant cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Tong; Ji, Dongchao; Tian, Shiping

2018-03-14

The assembly of protein complexes and compositional lipid patterning act together to endow cells with the plasticity required to maintain compositional heterogeneity with respect to individual proteins. Hence, the applications for imaging protein localization and dynamics require high accuracy, particularly at high spatio-temporal level. We provided experimental data for the applications of Variable-Angle Epifluorescence Microscopy (VAEM) in dissecting protein dynamics in plant cells. The VAEM-based co-localization analysis took penetration depth and incident angle into consideration. Besides direct overlap of dual-color fluorescence signals, the co-localization analysis was carried out quantitatively in combination with the methodology for calculating puncta distance and protein proximity index. Besides, simultaneous VAEM tracking of cytoskeletal dynamics provided more insights into coordinated responses of actin filaments and microtubules. Moreover, lateral motility of membrane proteins was analyzed by calculating diffusion coefficients and kymograph analysis, which represented an alternative method for examining protein motility. The present study presented experimental evidence on illustrating the use of VAEM in tracking and dissecting protein dynamics, dissecting endosomal dynamics, cell structure assembly along with membrane microdomain and protein motility in intact plant cells.

Structure and Dynamics of Interfaces: Drops and Films

Science.gov (United States)

Mann, J. Adin, Jr.; Mann, Elizabeth K.; Meyer, William V.; Neumann, A. Wilhelm; Tavana, Hossein

2015-01-01

We aim to acquire measurements of the structure and dynamics of certain liquid-fluid interfaces using an ensemble of techniques in collaboration: (1) Total internal reflection (TIR) Surface light scattering spectroscopy (SLSS), (2) Brewster angle microscopy (BAM), and (3) Drop-shape analysis. SLSS and BAM can be done on a shared interfacial footprint. Results using a 50-50 mixture of pentane-isohexane, which extends the range of NASA's Confined Vapor Bubble (CVB) experiment, yield surface tension results that differ from the expected Langmuir Fit. These results were confirmed using both the SLSS and drop-shape analysis approaches.

Rethinking motherhood and motherly love in Toni Morrison’s Sula and Gloria Naylor’s The Women of Brewster Place

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ane Caroline Faria Ribeiro

2017-01-01

Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2175-8026.2017v70n1p69 The present article examines how the novels Sula by Toni Morrison, and The Women of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor, deconstruct long-held controlling images of black women, particularly the Matriarch. The characters Eva Peace and Mattie Michael provide great illustrations of black women who have denied many of the places reserved for them in society, consequently deconstructing controlling images white society imposes on them. These novels place emphasis on black women’s plural roles in society, thereby opening possibilities for a liberating experience of black womanhood.

Scanning electron microscopy of the trabecular meshwork: Understanding the pathogenesis of primary angle closure glaucoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramanjit Sihota

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To study ultrastructural changes of the trabecular meshwork in acute and chronic primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG and primary open angle glaucoma (POAG eyes by scanning electron microscopy. Materials and Methods: Twenty-one trabecular meshwork surgical specimens from consecutive glaucomatous eyes after a trabeculectomy and five postmortem corneoscleral specimens were fixed immediately in Karnovsky solution. The tissues were washed in 0.1 M phosphate buffer saline, post-fixed in 1% osmium tetraoxide, dehydrated in acetone series (30-100%, dried and mounted. Results: Normal trabecular tissue showed well-defined, thin, cylindrical uveal trabecular beams with many large spaces, overlying flatter corneoscleral beams and numerous smaller spaces. In acute PACG eyes, the trabecular meshwork showed grossly swollen, irregular trabecular endothelial cells with intercellular and occasional basal separation with few spaces. Numerous activated macrophages, leucocytes and amorphous debris were present. Chronic PACG eyes had a few, thickened posterior uveal trabecular beams visible. A homogenous deposit covered the anterior uveal trabeculae and spaces. Converging, fan-shaped trabecular beam configuration corresponded to gonioscopic areas of peripheral anterior synechiae. In POAG eyes, anterior uveal trabecular beams were thin and strap-like, while those posteriorly were wide, with a homogenous deposit covering and bridging intertrabecular spaces, especially posteriorly. Underlying corneoscleral trabecular layers and spaces were visualized in some areas. Conclusions: In acute PACG a marked edema of the endothelium probably contributes for the acute and marked intraocular pressure (IOP elevation. Chronically raised IOP in chronic PACG and POAG probably results, at least in part, from decreased aqueous outflow secondary to widening and fusion of adjacent trabecular beams, together with the homogenous deposit enmeshing trabecular beams and spaces.

Myosin helical pitch angle as a quantitative imaging biomarker for characterization of cardiac programming in fetal growth restriction measured by polarization second harmonic microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Amat-Roldan, I.; Psilodimitrakopoulos, S.,; Eixarch, E.,; Torre, I.; Wotjas, B.; Crispi, F.; Figueras, F.; Artigas, D.,; Loza-Alvarez, P.; Gratacos, E.,

2009-07-01

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) has recently shown a strong association with cardiac programming which predisposes to cardiovascular mortality in adulthood. Polarization Second Harmonic Microscopy can quantify molecular architecture changes with high sensitivity in cardiac myofibrils. In this work, we use myosin helical pitch angle as an example to quantify such alterations related to this high risk population. Importantly, this shows a potential use of the technique as an early diagnostic tool and an alternative method to understand pathophysiological processes.

Remote sensing of sea state by the Brewster's angle technique

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Sathe, P.V.; AjoyKumar

stream_size 13 stream_content_type text/plain stream_name Def_Sci_J_40_119.pdf.txt stream_source_info Def_Sci_J_40_119.pdf.txt Content-Encoding ISO-8859-1 Content-Type text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 ...

Quantitative atomic resolution mapping using high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Aert, S.; Verbeeck, J.; Erni, R.; Bals, S.; Luysberg, M.; Dyck, D. Van; Tendeloo, G. Van

2009-01-01

A model-based method is proposed to relatively quantify the chemical composition of atomic columns using high angle annular dark field (HAADF) scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) images. The method is based on a quantification of the total intensity of the scattered electrons for the individual atomic columns using statistical parameter estimation theory. In order to apply this theory, a model is required describing the image contrast of the HAADF STEM images. Therefore, a simple, effective incoherent model has been assumed which takes the probe intensity profile into account. The scattered intensities can then be estimated by fitting this model to an experimental HAADF STEM image. These estimates are used as a performance measure to distinguish between different atomic column types and to identify the nature of unknown columns with good accuracy and precision using statistical hypothesis testing. The reliability of the method is supported by means of simulated HAADF STEM images as well as a combination of experimental images and electron energy-loss spectra. It is experimentally shown that statistically meaningful information on the composition of individual columns can be obtained even if the difference in averaged atomic number Z is only 3. Using this method, quantitative mapping at atomic resolution using HAADF STEM images only has become possible without the need of simultaneously recorded electron energy loss spectra.

Contact angle distribution of particles at fluid interfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Snoeyink, Craig; Barman, Sourav; Christopher, Gordon F

2015-01-27

Recent measurements have implied a distribution of interfacially adsorbed particles' contact angles; however, it has been impossible to measure statistically significant numbers for these contact angles noninvasively in situ. Using a new microscopy method that allows nanometer-scale resolution of particle's 3D positions on an interface, we have measured the contact angles for thousands of latex particles at an oil/water interface. Furthermore, these measurements are dynamic, allowing the observation of the particle contact angle with high temporal resolution, resulting in hundreds of thousands of individual contact angle measurements. The contact angle has been found to fit a normal distribution with a standard deviation of 19.3°, which is much larger than previously recorded. Furthermore, the technique used allows the effect of measurement error, constrained interfacial diffusion, and particle property variation on the contact angle distribution to be individually evaluated. Because of the ability to measure the contact angle noninvasively, the results provide previously unobtainable, unique data on the dynamics and distribution of the adsorbed particles' contact angle.

Biomimetic mineralization of CaCO3 on a phospholipid monolayer: from an amorphous calcium carbonate precursor to calcite via vaterite.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Junwu; Wang, Zhining; Tang, Yecang; Yang, Shihe

2010-04-06

A phospholipid monolayer, approximately half the bilayer structure of a biological membrane, can be regarded as an ideal model for investigating biomineralization on biological membranes. In this work on the biomimetic mineralization of CaCO(3) under a phospholipid monolayer, we show the initial heterogeneous nucleation of amorphous calcium carbonate precursor (ACC) nanoparticles at the air-water interface, their subsequent transformation into the metastable vaterite phase instead of the most thermodynamically stable calcite phase, and the ultimate phase transformation to calcite. Furthermore, the spontaneity of the transformation from vaterite to calcite was found to be closely related to the surface tension; high surface pressure could inhibit the process, highlighting the determinant of surface energy. To understand better the mechanisms for ACC formation and the transformation from ACC to vaterite and to calcite, in situ Brewster angle microscopy (BAM), ex situ scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis were employed. This work has clarified the crystallization process of calcium carbonate under phospholipid monolayers and therefore may further our understanding of the biomineralization processes induced by cellular membranes.

Membrane and Films Based on Novel Crown-Containing Dyes as Promising Chemosensoring Materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergei Yu. Zaitsev

2010-12-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses several works on supramolecular systems such as monolayer and multilayer, polymer films of various crown-containing dyes, surface-active monomers and polymers. Design, production and investigation of the membrane nanostructures based on crown ethers is a rapidly developing field at the “junction” of materials sciences and nanotechnology. These nanostructures can serve as convenient models for studying the self-organization and molecular recognition processes at interfaces that are typical for biomembranes. Based on the results obtained for such structures by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, atomic force and Brewster-angle microscopy, surface pressure and surface potential isotherm measurements, the possibility of developing micro- and nanomaterials possessing a set of specified properties (including chemosensor, photochromic and photorefractive materials is demonstrated.

Stirring competes with chemical induction in chiral selection of Langmuir monolayer domains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petit-Garrido Nuria

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Chirality, the absence of mirror symmetry, can be equally invoked in relation to physical forces and chemical induction processes, yet a competition between these two types of influences is rarely reported. Here, we employ Langmuir monolayers of azobenzene surfactants as a prototypical self-assembled two-dimensional system in which chiral selection is controlled by the combined independent action of a chiral dopant and vortical stirring. The two effects can be arbitrarily coupled, either constructively or destructively, leading to a situation of perfect compensation. The induced enantiomorphic excess is measured in terms of the statistical imbalance of an ensemble of sub-millimeter monolayer domains, where achiral molecules self-assemble with a well-defined orientational chirality, which is unambiguously resolved using Brewster angle microscopy.

X-ray optics for scanning fluorescence microscopy and other applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryon, R.W.; Warburton, W.K.

1992-05-01

Scanning x-ray fluorescence microscopy is analogous to scanning electron microscopy. Maps of chemical element distribution are produced by scanning with a very small x-ray beam. Goal is to perform such scanning microscopy with resolution in the range of <1 to 10 μm, using standard laboratory x-ray tubes. We are investigating mirror optics in the Kirkpatrick-Baez (K-B) configuration. K-B optics uses two curved mirrors mounted orthogonally along the optical axis. The first mirror provides vertical focus, the second mirror provides horizontal focus. We have used two types of mirrors: synthetic multilayers and crystals. Multilayer mirrors are used with lower energy radiation such as Cu Kα. At higher energies such as Ag Kα, silicon wafers are used in order to increase the incidence angles and thereby the photon collection efficiency. In order to increase the surface area of multilayers which reflects x-rays at the Bragg angle, we have designed mirrors with the spacing between layers graded along the optic axis in order to compensate for the changing angle of incidence. Likewise, to achieve a large reflecting surface with silicon, the wafers are placed on a specially designed lever arm which is bent into a log spiral by applying force at one end. In this way, the same diffracting angle is maintained over the entire surface of the wafer, providing a large solid angle for photon collection

PAUL A. SHAPIRO, The Kishinev Ghetto, 1941–1942. A Documen-tary History of the Holocaust in Romania’s Contested Borderlands. With chronology by Radu Ioanid and Brewster Chamberlin and translations by Angela Jianu. Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabam

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suveica, Svetlana

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Review on the book PAUL A. SHAPIRO, The Kishinev Ghetto, 1941–1942. A Documen-tary History of the Holocaust in Romania’s Contested Borderlands. With chronology by Radu Ioanid and Brewster Chamberlin and translations by Angela Jianu. Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabam

Chiral hierarchical self-assembly in Langmuir monolayers of diacetylenic lipids

KAUST Repository

Basnet, Prem B.

2013-01-01

When compressed in the intermediate temperature range below the chain-melting transition yet in the low-pressure liquid phase, Langmuir monolayers made of chiral lipid molecules form hierarchical structures. Using Brewster angle microscopy to reveal this structure, we found that as the liquid monolayer is compressed, an optically anisotropic condensed phase nucleates in the form of long, thin claws. These claws pack closely to form stripes. This appears to be a new mechanism for forming stripes in Langmuir monolayers. In the lower temperature range, these stripes arrange into spirals within overall circular domains, while near the chain-melting transition, the stripes arrange into target patterns. We attributed this transition to a change in boundary conditions at the core of the largest-scale circular domains. © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Inactivation of pulmonary surfactant due to serum-inhibited adsorption and reversal by hydrophilic polymers: experimental

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Taeusch, H William; de la Serna, Jorge Bernardino; Perez-Gil, Jesus

2005-01-01

adsorption of surface active serum proteins. Aqueous suspensions of native porcine surfactant, organic extracts of native surfactant, and the clinical surfactants Curosurf, Infasurf, and Survanta spread on buffered subphases increase the surface pressure, pi, to approximately 40 mN/m within 2 min....... The variation with concentration, temperature, and mode of spreading confirmed Brewster angle microscopy observations that subphase to surface adsorption of surfactant is the dominant form of surfactant transport to the interface. However (with the exception of native porcine surfactant), similar rapid...... increases in pi did not occur when surfactants were applied to subphases containing serum. Components of serum are surface active and adsorb reversibly to the interface increasing pi up to a concentration-dependent saturation value, pi(max). When surfactants were applied to subphases containing serum...

Experimental Study of Static Contact-angle on Peak-like Microstructural Surfaces Produced by PIII Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Runhua; Yang, Lixin

2018-06-01

Plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) was used to fabricate micro/nano structures on monocrystalline Si surfaces with different ratios of mixed gases (SF6/O2). The micro/nano structures on the surfaces of the sample were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results showed that with increasing ratio of mixed gases (SF6/O2), the height of the micro/nano structures first increased and then decreased. Contact-angle measurements indicated that the surfaces' micro/nano structures have an obvious effect on the contact-angle, and could cause a change in surface wettability. The theoretical analysis of contact-angle showed that the Wenzel and Cassie theories cannot predict the contact-angle of a roughened surface accurately, and should be corrected for practical applications using an actual model. Moreover, the contact-angle first increased and then decreased with increasing ratio of mixed gases (SF6/O2), which is in accordance with the change of the height of micro/nano structures.

Investigation of ellipsometric parameters of 2D microrough surfaces by FDTD.

Science.gov (United States)

Qiu, J; Ran, D F; Liu, Y B; Liu, L H

2016-07-10

Ellipsometry is a powerful method for measuring the optical constants of materials and is very sensitive to surface roughness. In previous ellipsometric measurement of optical constants of solid materials with rough surfaces, researchers frequently used effective medium approximation (EMA) with roughness already known to fit the complex refractive index of the material. However, the ignored correlation length, the other important parameter of rough surfaces, will definitely result in fitting errors. Hence it is necessary to consider the influence of surface roughness and correlation length on the ellipsometric parameters Δ (phase difference) and Ψ (azimuth) characterizing practical systems. In this paper, the influence of roughness of two-dimensional randomly microrough surfaces (relative roughness σ/λ ranges from 0.001 to 0.025) of silicon on ellipsometric parameters was simulated by the finite-difference time-domain method which was validated with experimental results. The effects of incident angle, relative roughness, and correlation length were numerically investigated for two-dimensional Gaussian distributed randomly microrough surfaces, respectively. The simulated results showed that compared with the smooth surface, only tiny changes of the ellipsometric parameter Δ could be observed for microrough silicon surface in the vicinity of the Brewster angle, but obviously changes of Ψ occur especially in the vicinity of the Brewster angle. More differences between the ellipsometric parameters of the rough surface and smooth surface can been seen especially in the vicinity of the Brewster angle as the relative roughness σ/λ increases or correlation length τ decreases. The results reveal that when we measure the optical constants of solid materials by ellipsometry, the smaller roughness, larger correlation length and larger incident wavelength will lead to the higher precision of measurements.

Refractive Index Imaging of Cells with Variable-Angle Near-Total Internal Reflection (TIR) Microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bohannon, Kevin P; Holz, Ronald W; Axelrod, Daniel

2017-10-01

The refractive index in the interior of single cells affects the evanescent field depth in quantitative studies using total internal reflection (TIR) fluorescence, but often that index is not well known. We here present method to measure and spatially map the absolute index of refraction in a microscopic sample, by imaging a collimated light beam reflected from the substrate/buffer/cell interference at variable angles of incidence. Above the TIR critical angle (which is a strong function of refractive index), the reflection is 100%, but in the immediate sub-critical angle zone, the reflection intensity is a very strong ascending function of incidence angle. By analyzing the angular position of that edge at each location in the field of view, the local refractive index can be estimated. In addition, by analyzing the steepness of the edge, the distance-to-substrate can be determined. We apply the technique to liquid calibration samples, silica beads, cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells, and primary culture chromaffin cells. The optical technique suffers from decremented lateral resolution, scattering, and interference artifacts. However, it still provides reasonable results for both refractive index (~1.38) and for distance-to-substrate (~150 nm) for the cells, as well as a lateral resolution to about 1 µm.

CORNEAL ENDOTHELIAL CELL DENSITY IN ACUTE ANGLE CLOSURE GLAUCOMA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nishat Sultana K

2016-09-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Angle closure is characterised by apposition of the peripheral iris against the trabecular meshwork resulting in obstruction of aqueous outflow. Acute angle-closure glaucoma is characterised by pain, redness and blurred vision. The pain is typically a severe deep ache that follows the trigeminal distribution and maybe associated with nausea, vomiting, bradycardia and profuse sweating. The blurred vision, which is typically marked maybe caused by stretching of the corneal lamellae initially and later oedema of the cornea as well as a direct effect of the IOP on the optic nerve head. The modifications in corneal endothelial cell density after a crisis of angle-closure glaucoma is being evaluated. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The objective of the study is to assess the corneal endothelial cell count (density by specular microscopy in patients presenting with acute angle-closure glaucoma. METHODS Corneal endothelial cell counts of 20 eyes of patients with PACG with an earlier documented symptomatic acute attack unilaterally were compared with 20 fellow eyes. Evaluation of patient included visual acuity, intraocular pressure, gonioscopy, disc findings and specular microscopy. RESULTS The mean endothelial cell density was 2104 cells/mm2 in the eye with acute attack and 2615 cells/mm2 in the fellow eye. The average endothelial cell count when the duration of attack lasted more than 72 hours was 1861 cells/mm2 . CONCLUSION Corneal endothelial cell density was found to be significantly reduced in eyes following an acute attack of primary angle closure glaucoma.

Ultra-low-angle boundary networks within recrystallizing grains

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahl, Sonja Rosenlund; Simons, Hugh; Zhang, Yubin

2017-01-01

We present direct evidence of a network of well-defined ultra-low-angle boundaries in bulk recrystallizing grains of 99.5% pure aluminium (AA1050) by means of a new, three-dimensional X-ray mapping technique; dark-field X-ray microscopy. These boundaries separate lattice orientation differences o...

Physicochemical and structural characterization of a two-dimensional polymer performed by using the Langmuir-Blodgett technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lefevre, Didier

1995-01-01

This research thesis addresses the physicochemical and structural characterization of two-dimensional polymer made of polymerizable macro-cycles pre-organised in-plane by using the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. Macro-cycles are porphyrins with four acetylenic functions which bind in both plane directions by formation of diacetylenic covalent bonds. These porphyrins are adsorbed under a single layer of dihexadecyl-phosphoric acid to build up a monomer amphiphilic film. The author reports the characterization of the Langmuir film by the study of compression isotherms and by Brewster angle microscopy. Other techniques are used (UV, visible and infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy) to highlight the polymerization in LB film. X photo-electronic spectroscopy and secondary ion mass spectroscopy are also used. The author reports the study of the orientation of macro-cycles before and after polymerization by using linear dichroism, electronic paramagnetic resonance and X ray diffraction. The in-plane LB film structure is studied by transmission X ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy in correlation with molecular simulation. The two-dimensional feature of the polymer formed at the water surface is highlighted. The membrane is visualized by electronic and optic microscopy, and characterized by EDXS and electronic diffraction [fr

Advanced Output Coupling for High Power Gyrotrons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Read, Michael [Calabazas Creek Research, Inc., San Mateo, CA (United States); Ives, Robert Lawrence [Calabazas Creek Research, Inc., San Mateo, CA (United States); Marsden, David [Calabazas Creek Research, Inc., San Mateo, CA (United States); Collins, George [Calabazas Creek Research, Inc., San Mateo, CA (United States); Temkin, Richard [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); Guss, William [Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States); Lohr, John [General Atomics, La Jolla, CA (United States); Neilson, Jeffrey [Lexam Research, Redwood City, CA (United States); Bui, Thuc [Calabazas Creek Research, Inc., San Mateo, CA (United States)

2016-11-28

The Phase II program developed an internal RF coupler that transforms the whispering gallery RF mode produced in gyrotron cavities to an HE11 waveguide mode propagating in corrugated waveguide. This power is extracted from the vacuum using a broadband, chemical vapor deposited (CVD) diamond, Brewster angle window capable of transmitting more than 1.5 MW CW of RF power over a broad range of frequencies. This coupling system eliminates the Mirror Optical Units now required to externally couple Gaussian output power into corrugated waveguide, significantly reducing system cost and increasing efficiency. The program simulated the performance using a broad range of advanced computer codes to optimize the design. Both a direct coupler and Brewster angle window were built and tested at low and high power. Test results confirmed the performance of both devices and demonstrated they are capable of achieving the required performance for scientific, defense, industrial, and medical applications.

Very large-scale structures in sintered silica aerogels as evidenced by atomic force microscopy and ultra-small angle X-ray scattering experiments

CERN Document Server

Marliere, C; Etienne, P; Woignier, T; Dieudonné, P; Phalippou, J

2001-01-01

During the last few years the bulk structure of silica aerogels has been extensively studied mainly by scattering techniques (neutrons, X-rays, light). It has been shown that small silica particles aggregate to constitute a fractal network. Its spatial extension and fractal dimension are strongly dependent on the synthesis conditions (e.g., pH of gelifying solutions). These typical lengths range from 1 to 10 nm. Ultra-small angle X-ray scattering (USAXS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) experiments have been carried out on aerogels at different steps of densification. The results presented in this paper reveal the existence of a spatial arrangement of the solid part at a very large length scale. The evolution of this very large-scale structure during the densification process has been studied and reveals a contraction of this macro-structure made of aggregates of clusters. (16 refs).

Thin film formation at the air-water interface and on solid substrates of soluble axial substituted cis-bis-decanoate tin phthalocyanine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Campos-Teran, Jose, E-mail: jcampos@correo.cua.uam.mx [Departamento de Procesos y Tecnologia, DCNI, Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana-Cuajimalpa, Artificios 40-sexto piso, Col. Hidalgo, D. F., 001120 (Mexico); Garza, Cristina [Instituto de Fisica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, P. O. Box 20-364, D. F., 01000 (Mexico); Beltran, Hiram I. [Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, DCNI, Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana-Cuajimalpa, Artificios 40-sexto piso, Col. Hidalgo, D. F., 001120 (Mexico); Castillo, Rolando [Instituto de Fisica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, P. O. Box 20-364, D. F., 01000 (Mexico)

2012-01-01

Herein we study thin films of a recent kind of soluble axial substituted cis-bis-decanoate-tin{sup IV} phthalocyanine (PcSn10) at the air/water interface, which were compressed isothermally and observed with Brewster Angle Microscopy. The air/water interfacial behavior of the films suggests that there are strong interactions among the PcSn10 molecules, which produces multilayers and 3D self-assemblies that prevent the formation of a Langmuir monolayer. Langmuir-Blodgett deposits of these films on both mica (negatively charged) and mild steel (positively charged) surfaces were developed. Information about the morphology of the film was obtained by using atomic force microscopy. We found structural differences in the PcSn10 thin films deposited on both substrates, suggesting that a combination of {pi}-{pi}, {sigma}-{pi} and Van der Waals interactions are the leading factors for the deposition, and consequently, for the control of supramolecular order. Our findings provide insights in the design of phthalocyanine molecules for the development of highly ordered and reproducible thin films.

Thin film formation at the air–water interface and on solid substrates of soluble axial substituted cis-bis-decanoate tin phthalocyanine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campos-Terán, José; Garza, Cristina; Beltrán, Hiram I.; Castillo, Rolando

2012-01-01

Herein we study thin films of a recent kind of soluble axial substituted cis-bis-decanoate-tin IV phthalocyanine (PcSn10) at the air/water interface, which were compressed isothermally and observed with Brewster Angle Microscopy. The air/water interfacial behavior of the films suggests that there are strong interactions among the PcSn10 molecules, which produces multilayers and 3D self-assemblies that prevent the formation of a Langmuir monolayer. Langmuir–Blodgett deposits of these films on both mica (negatively charged) and mild steel (positively charged) surfaces were developed. Information about the morphology of the film was obtained by using atomic force microscopy. We found structural differences in the PcSn10 thin films deposited on both substrates, suggesting that a combination of π–π, σ–π and Van der Waals interactions are the leading factors for the deposition, and consequently, for the control of supramolecular order. Our findings provide insights in the design of phthalocyanine molecules for the development of highly ordered and reproducible thin films.

Structure of biodiesel based bicontinuous microemulsions for environmentally compatible decontamination: A small angle neutron scattering and freeze fracture electron microscopy study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wellert, S; Karg, M; Imhof, H; Steppin, A; Altmann, H-J; Dolle, M; Richardt, A; Tiersch, B; Koetz, J; Lapp, A; Hellweg, T

2008-09-01

Most toxic industrial chemicals and chemical warfare agents are hydrophobic and can only be solubilized in organic solvents. However, most reagents employed for the degradation of these toxic compounds can only be dissolved in water. Hence, microemulsions are auspicious media for the decontamination of a variety of chemical warfare agents and pesticides. They allow for the solubilization of both the lipophilic toxics and the hydrophilic reagent. Alkyl oligoglucosides and plant derived solvents like rapeseed methyl ester enable the formulation of environmentally compatible bicontinuous microemulsions. In the present article the phase behavior of such a microemulsion is studied and the bicontinuous phase is identified. Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and freeze fracture electron microscopy (FFEM) measurements are used to characterize the structure of the bicontinuous phase and allow for an estimation of the total internal interface. Moreover, also the influence of the co-surfactant (1-pentanol) on the structural parameters of the bicontinuous phase is studied with SANS.

Probing superconductors. Spectroscopic-imaging scanning tunneling microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanaguri, Tetsuo

2011-01-01

Discovery of high-temperature superconductivity in a cuprate triggered developments of various spectroscopic tools which have been utilized to elucidate electronic states of this mysterious compound. Particularly, angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and scanning-tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy are improved considerably. It is now possible to map the superconducting gap in both momentum and real spaces using these two techniques. Here we review spectroscopic-imaging scanning tunneling microscopy which is able to explore momentum-space phase structure of the superconducting gap, as well as real-space structure. Applications of this technique to a cuprate and an iron-based superconductor are discussed. (author)

Electric properties and fabrication of IMI-O LB films containing the imidazole group

CERN Document Server

Yoo, S Y; Kwon, Y S; Park, J C

1999-01-01

We fabricated an IMI-O polymer containing an imidazole group that could form a complex structure between the monolayer and the metal ions at the air-water interface. Also, the monolayer behavior at the air-water interface and the electrical properties of metal-complexed Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films were investigated by using Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) and current-voltage(I-V) measurements. The difference in the BAM images between the pure water and the aqueous metal ions is attributed to the interactions of the copolymers with the metal ions at the interface and the consequent change of the monolayer organization. In the I-V characteristics, the current for LB films with different metal ion depended on the quantity of the metal-ion complexed with the LB film due to the interaction between the metal ion and the IMI-O polymer.

Do Lipids Retard the Evaporation of the Tear Fluid?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rantamaki, A. H.; Javanainen, M.; Vattulainen, I.

2012-01-01

phosphatidylcholine (PC), nonpolar cholesteryl ester, triglycerides, and wax ester (WE). Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) and interfacial shear rheometry (ISR) were used to assess the lateral structure and shear stress response of the lipid layers, respectively. RESULTS. Olive oil and long-chain alcohol decreased......PURPOSE. We examined in vitro the potential evaporation-retarding effect of the tear film lipid layer (TFLL). The artificial TFLL compositions used here were based on the present knowledge of TFLL composition. METHODS. A custom-built system was developed to measure evaporation rates at 35 degrees C....... Lipids were applied to an air-water interface, and the evaporation rate through the lipid layer was defined as water loss from the interface. A thick layer of olive oil and a monolayer of long-chain alcohol were used as controls. The artificial TFLLs were composed of 1 to 4 lipid species: polar...

New developments in transmission electron microscopy for nanotechnology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Z.L.

2003-01-01

High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) is one of the most powerful tools used for characterizing nanomaterials, and it is indispensable for nanotechnology. This paper reviews some of the most recent developments in electron microscopy techniques for characterizing nanomaterials. The review covers the following areas: in-situ microscopy for studying dynamic shape transformation of nanocrystals; in-situ nanoscale property measurements on the mechanical, electrical and field emission properties of nanotubes/nanowires; environmental microscopy for direct observation of surface reactions; aberration-free angstrom-resolution imaging of light elements (such as oxygen and lithium); high-angle annular-dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM); imaging of atom clusters with atomic resolution chemical information; electron holography of magnetic materials; and high-spatial resolution electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) for nanoscale electronic and chemical analysis. It is demonstrated that the picometer-scale science provided by HRTEM is the foundation of nanometer-scale technology. (Abstract Copyright [2003], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Investigation of ceramic devices by analytical electron microscopy techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shiojiri, M.; Saijo, H.; Isshiki, T.; Kawasaki, M.; Yoshioka, T.; Sato, S.; Nomura, T.

1999-01-01

Ceramics are widely used as capacitors and varistors. Their electrical properties depend on the structure, which is deeply influenced not only by the composition of raw materials and additives but also by heating treatments in the production process. This paper reviews our investigations of SrTiO 3 ceramic devices, which have been performed using various microscopy techniques such as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), cathodoluminescence scanning electron microscopy (CLSEM), field emission SEM (FE-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) and high angle annular dark field (HAADF) imaging method in a FE-(scanning) transmission electron microscope(FE-(S)TEM). (author)

Formation mechanisms for the dominant kinks with different angles in InP nanowires.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Minghuan; Wang, Fengyun; Wang, Chao; Wang, Yiqian; Yip, SenPo; Ho, Johnny C

2014-01-01

The morphologies and microstructures of kinked InP nanowires (NWs) prepared by solid-source chemical vapor deposition method were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Statistical analysis and structural characterization reveal that four different kinds of kinks are dominant in the grown InP NWs with a bending angle of approximately 70°, 90°, 110°, and 170°, respectively. The formation mechanisms of these kinks are discussed. Specifically, the existence of kinks with bending angles of approximately 70° and 110° are mainly attributed to the occurrence of stacking faults and nanotwins in the NWs, which could easily form by the glide of {111} planes, while approximately 90° kinks result from the local amorphorization of InP NWs. Also, approximately 170° kinks are mainly caused by small-angle boundaries, where the insertion of extra atomic planes could make the NWs slightly bent. In addition, multiple kinks with various angles are also observed. Importantly, all these results are beneficial to understand the formation mechanisms of kinks in compound semiconductor NWs, which could guide the design of nanostructured materials, morphologies, microstructures, and/or enhanced mechanical properties.

Small angle neutron scattering study of nano sized microstructure in Fe-Cr ODS steels for gen IV in-core applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Young-Soo; Mao, Xiadong; Jang, Jinsung

2013-11-01

The nano-sized microstructures in Fe-Cr oxide dispersion strengthened steel for Gen IV in-core applications were studied using small angle neutron scattering. The oxide dispersion strengthened steel was manufactured through hot isostatic pressing with various chemical compositions and fabrication conditions. Small angle neutron scattering experiments were performed using a 40 m small angle neutron scattering instrument at HANARO. Nano sized microstructures, namely, yttrium oxides and Cr-oxides were quantitatively analyzed by small angle neutron scattering. The yttrium oxides and Cr-oxides were also observed by transmission electron microscopy. The microstructural analysis results from small angle neutron scattering were compared with those obtained by transmission electron microscopy. The effects of the chemical compositions and fabrication conditions on the microstructure were investigated in relation to the quantitative microstructural analysis results obtained by small angle neutron scattering. The volume fraction of Y-oxide increases after fabrication, and this result is considered to be due to the formation of non-stochiometric Y-Ti-oxides.

A Simple Approach for Local Contact Angle Determination on a Heterogeneous Surface

KAUST Repository

Wu, Jinbo; Zhang, Mengying; Wang, Xiang; Li, Shunbo; Wen, Weijia

2011-01-01

We report a simple approach for measuring the local contact angle of liquids on a heterogeneous surface consisting of intersected hydrophobic and hydrophilic patch arrays, specifically by employing confocal microscopy and the addition of a very low

Friction force microscopy study of annealed diamond-like carbon film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Won Seok; Joung, Yeun-Ho; Heo, Jinhee; Hong, Byungyou

2012-01-01

In this paper we introduce mechanical and structural characteristics of diamond-like carbon (DLC) films which were prepared on silicon substrates by radio frequency (RF) plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method using methane (CH 4 ) and hydrogen (H 2 ) gas. The films were annealed at various temperatures ranging from 300 to 900 °C in steps of 200 °C using rapid thermal processor (RTP) in nitrogen ambient. Tribological properties of the DLC films were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) in friction force microscopy (FFM) mode. The structural properties of the films were obtained by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The wettability of the films was obtained using contact angle measurement. XPS analysis showed that the sp 3 content is decreased from 75.2% to 24.1% while the sp 2 content is increased from 24.8% to 75.9% when the temperature is changed from 300 to 900 °C. The contact angles of DLC films were higher than 70°. The FFM measurement results show that the highest friction coefficient value was achieved at 900 °C annealing temperature.

Friction force microscopy study of annealed diamond-like carbon film

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Won Seok; Joung, Yeun-Ho [School of Electrical Engineering, Hanbat National University, Daejeon 305-719 (Korea, Republic of); Heo, Jinhee [Materials Safety Evaluation Group, Korea Institute of Materials Science, Changwon 641-831 (Korea, Republic of); Hong, Byungyou, E-mail: byhong@skku.edu [School of Information and Communication Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746 (Korea, Republic of)

2012-10-15

In this paper we introduce mechanical and structural characteristics of diamond-like carbon (DLC) films which were prepared on silicon substrates by radio frequency (RF) plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method using methane (CH{sub 4}) and hydrogen (H{sub 2}) gas. The films were annealed at various temperatures ranging from 300 to 900 °C in steps of 200 °C using rapid thermal processor (RTP) in nitrogen ambient. Tribological properties of the DLC films were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) in friction force microscopy (FFM) mode. The structural properties of the films were obtained by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The wettability of the films was obtained using contact angle measurement. XPS analysis showed that the sp{sup 3} content is decreased from 75.2% to 24.1% while the sp{sup 2} content is increased from 24.8% to 75.9% when the temperature is changed from 300 to 900 °C. The contact angles of DLC films were higher than 70°. The FFM measurement results show that the highest friction coefficient value was achieved at 900 °C annealing temperature.

ULTRAVIOLET TRANSITIONS IN EUROPIUM STUDIED WITH A FREQUENCY-DOUBLED CW RING DYE-LASER

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Eliel, E.R.; Hogervorst, W.; van Leeuwen, K.A.H.; Post, B.H.

1981-01-01

High resolution laser spectroscopy has been applied to the study of three ultraviolet transitions in Europium at λ = 294.8, 295.1 and 295.8 nm. The tunable narrowband UV has been generated by intracavity frequency doubling in a cw ring dye laser using a temperate tuned, Brewster angled ADA crystal.

All solid-state diode pumped Nd:YAG MOPA with stimulated Brillouin phase conjugate mirror

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Offerhaus, Herman L.; Godfried, Herman; Godfried, H.P; Witteman, W.J.

1996-01-01

At the Nederlands Centrum voor Laser Research (NCLR) a 1 kHz diode-pumped Nd:YAG Master Oscillator Power Amplifier (MOPA) chain with a Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS) Phase Conjugate mirror is designed and operated. A small Brewster angle Nd:YAG slab (2 by 2 by 20 mm) is side pumped with 200

Ga droplet morphology on GaAs(001) studied by Lloyd's mirror photoemission electron microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tang, W X; Jesson, D E; Pavlov, K M; Morgan, M J [School of Physics, Monash University, Victoria 3800 (Australia); Usher, B F [Department of Electronic Engineering, La Trobe University, Victoria 3086 (Australia)

2009-08-05

We apply Lloyd's mirror photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) to study the surface shape of Ga droplets on GaAs(001). An unusual rectangular-based droplet shape is identified and the contact angle is determined in situ. It is shown that quenching does not appreciably affect droplet shape and ex situ measurements of the contact angle by atomic force microscopy are in good agreement with Lloyd's mirror PEEM. Extension of Lloyd's mirror technique to reconstruct general three-dimensional (3D) surface shapes and the potential use of synchrotron radiation to improve vertical resolution is discussed.

Polarized Light Microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Frandsen, Athela F.

2016-01-01

Polarized light microscopy (PLM) is a technique which employs the use of polarizing filters to obtain substantial optical property information about the material which is being observed. This information can be combined with other microscopy techniques to confirm or elucidate the identity of an unknown material, determine whether a particular contaminant is present (as with asbestos analysis), or to provide important information that can be used to refine a manufacturing or chemical process. PLM was the major microscopy technique in use for identification of materials for nearly a century since its introduction in 1834 by William Fox Talbot, as other techniques such as SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy), FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy), XPD (X-ray Powder Diffraction), and TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy) had not yet been developed. Today, it is still the only technique approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for asbestos analysis, and is often the technique first applied for identification of unknown materials. PLM uses different configurations in order to determine different material properties. With each configuration additional clues can be gathered, leading to a conclusion of material identity. With no polarizing filter, the microscope can be used just as a stereo optical microscope, and view qualities such as morphology, size, and number of phases. With a single polarizing filter (single polars), additional properties can be established, such as pleochroism, individual refractive indices, and dispersion staining. With two polarizing filters (crossed polars), even more can be deduced: isotropy vs. anisotropy, extinction angle, birefringence/degree of birefringence, sign of elongation, and anomalous polarization colors, among others. With the use of PLM many of these properties can be determined in a matter of seconds, even for those who are not highly trained. McCrone, a leader in the field of polarized light microscopy, often

Sub-Angstrom microscopy through incoherent imaging and image reconstruction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pennycook, S.J.; Jesson, D.E.; Chisholm, M.F.; Ferridge, A.G.; Seddon, M.J.

1992-03-01

Z-contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with a high-angle annular detector breaks the coherence of the imaging process, and provides an incoherent image of a crystal projection. Even in the presence of strong dynamical diffraction, the image can be accurately described as a convolution between an object function, sharply peaked at the projected atomic sites, and the probe intensity profile. Such an image can be inverted intuitively without the need for model structures, and therefore provides the important capability to reveal unanticipated interfacial arrangements. It represents a direct image of the crystal projection, revealing the location of the atomic columns and their relative high-angle scattering power. Since no phase is associated with a peak in the object function or the contrast transfer function, extension to higher resolution is also straightforward. Image restoration techniques such as maximum entropy, in conjunction with the 1.3 Angstrom probe anticipated for a 300 kV STEM, appear to provide a simple and robust route to the achievement of sub-Angstrom resolution electron microscopy

Dark-field image contrast in transmission scanning electron microscopy: Effects of substrate thickness and detector collection angle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Woehl, Taylor, E-mail: tjwoehl@umd.edu; Keller, Robert

2016-12-15

An annular dark field (ADF) detector was placed beneath a specimen in a field emission scanning electron microscope operated at 30 kV to calibrate detector response to incident beam current, and to create transmission images of gold nanoparticles on silicon nitride (SiN) substrates of various thicknesses. Based on the linear response of the ADF detector diodes to beam current, we developed a method that allowed for direct determination of the percentage of that beam current forward scattered to the ADF detector from the sample, i.e. the transmitted electron (TE) yield. Collection angles for the ADF detector region were defined using a masking aperture above the detector and were systematically varied by changing the sample to detector distance. We found the contrast of the nanoparticles, relative to the SiN substrate, decreased monotonically with decreasing inner exclusion angle and increasing substrate thickness. We also performed Monte Carlo electron scattering simulations, which showed quantitative agreement with experimental contrast associated with the nanoparticles. Together, the experiments and Monte Carlo simulations revealed that the decrease in contrast with decreasing inner exclusion angle was due to a rapid increase in the TE yield of the low atomic number substrate. Nanoparticles imaged at low inner exclusion angles (<150 mrad) and on thick substrates (>50 nm) showed low image contrast in their centers surrounded by a bright high-contrast halo on their edges. This complex image contrast was predicted by Monte Carlo simulations, which we interpreted in terms of mixing of the nominally bright field (BF) and ADF electron signals. Our systematic investigation of inner exclusion angle and substrate thickness effects on ADF t-SEM imaging provides fundamental understanding of the contrast mechanisms for image formation, which in turn suggest practical limitations and optimal imaging conditions for different substrate thicknesses. - Highlights: • Developed a

Composites of malonic acid diamides and phospholipids--Impact of lipoplex stability on transfection efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Janich, Christopher; Wölk, Christian; Erdmann, Frank; Groth, Thomas; Brezesinski, Gerald; Dobner, Bodo; Langner, Andreas

2015-12-28

The use of cationic lipids as gene delivery systems is a basic method in gene therapy. Through ongoing research, lipofection is currently the leader of non-viral vectors in clinical trials. However, in order to unleash the full potential of lipofection further intensive investigations are indispensable. In this study, various lipoplex formulations were compared regarding their ability to bind DNA. To obtain information about a possible premature release of DNA at the cell surface, heparin and chondroitin dependent lipoplex destabilization experiments were carried out. Complementary investigations in cell culture were performed to quantify DNA outside the cell. Additionally, DNase I stability was investigated. In this regard a multitude of methods, namely confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), polymerase chain reaction (PCR), cell culture experiments, ethidium bromide assay, gel electrophoresis, Langmuir-isotherm experiments, infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS), Brewster angle microscopy (BAM), zeta-(ζ)-potential measurements, and dynamic light scattering (DLS), were applied. Although the complexation of DNA is a fundamental step, we show that the DNA release by biological agents (proteoglycans) and an unsuccessful cell attachment are major transfection limiting parameters. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantitative composition determination at the atomic level using model-based high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez, G.T.; Rosenauer, A.; De Backer, A.; Verbeeck, J.; Van Aert, S.

2014-01-01

High angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF STEM) images provide sample information which is sensitive to the chemical composition. The image intensities indeed scale with the mean atomic number Z. To some extent, chemically different atomic column types can therefore be visually distinguished. However, in order to quantify the atomic column composition with high accuracy and precision, model-based methods are necessary. Therefore, an empirical incoherent parametric imaging model can be used of which the unknown parameters are determined using statistical parameter estimation theory (Van Aert et al., 2009, [1]). In this paper, it will be shown how this method can be combined with frozen lattice multislice simulations in order to evolve from a relative toward an absolute quantification of the composition of single atomic columns with mixed atom types. Furthermore, the validity of the model assumptions are explored and discussed. - Highlights: • A model-based method is extended from a relative toward an absolute quantification of chemical composition of single atomic columns from HAADF HRSTEM images. • The methodology combines statistical parameter estimation theory with frozen lattice multislice simulations to quantify chemical composition atomic column by atomic column. • Validity and limitations of this model-based method are explored and discussed. • Quantification results obtained for a complex structure show agreement with EDX refinement

Calibration-free quantitative surface topography reconstruction in scanning electron microscopy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Faber, E.T.; Martinez-Martinez, D.; Mansilla, C.; Ocelik, V.; De Hosson, J. Th. M.

This work presents a new approach to obtain reliable surface topography reconstructions from 2D Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images. In this method a set of images taken at different tilt angles are compared by means of digital image correlation (DlC). It is argued that the strength of the

Reflection and refraction of light from a moving block of glass

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lerche, I.

1975-01-01

For a block of glass moving with speed βc we present calculations which give the changes in the laws of reflection and refraction of light from the laws which hold when β = 0. In particular we show (i) that changes in the critical internal reflection condition, although formally of order β 2 , are obtainable by measuring the refraction angle to O(β); (ii) the reflection coefficient depends not only on the polarization plane of the incident light but also on whether the plane of incidence does, or does not, include the direction of motion of the glass block. For instance, for light incident in a plane perpendicular to the direction of motion there is no Brewster angle for either plane of polarization, while for light incident in a plane containing the direction of motion at least one (and sometimes both) plane of polarization possess a Brewster angle. We have done these calculations in order to demonstrate that the shearing of one medium relative to another can have profound effects on the reflection and refraction of light. A major point here is that even when it might appear a priori that O(β 2 ) phenomena are unobservable in the laboratory, the present calculations show that this is not always so

Cholesterol Depletion from a Ceramide/Cholesterol Mixed Monolayer: A Brewster Angle Microscope Study

KAUST Repository

Mandal, Pritam

2016-06-01

Cholesterol is crucial to the mechanical properties of cell membranes that are important to cells’ behavior. Its depletion from the cell membranes could be dramatic. Among cyclodextrins (CDs), methyl beta cyclodextrin (MβCD) is the most efficient to deplete cholesterol (Chol) from biomembranes. Here, we focus on the depletion of cholesterol from a C16 ceramide/cholesterol (C16-Cer/Chol) mixed monolayer using MβCD. While the removal of cholesterol by MβCD depends on the cholesterol concentration in most mixed lipid monolayers, it does not depend very much on the concentration of cholesterol in C16-Cer/Chol monolayers. The surface pressure decay during depletion were described by a stretched exponential that suggested that the cholesterol molecules are unable to diffuse laterally and behave like static traps for the MβCD molecules. Cholesterol depletion causes morphology changes of domains but these disrupted monolayers domains seem to reform even when cholesterol level was low.

Cholesterol Depletion from a Ceramide/Cholesterol Mixed Monolayer: A Brewster Angle Microscope Study

KAUST Repository

Mandal, Pritam; Noutsi, Bakiza Kamal; Chaieb, Saharoui

2016-01-01

to deplete cholesterol (Chol) from biomembranes. Here, we focus on the depletion of cholesterol from a C16 ceramide/cholesterol (C16-Cer/Chol) mixed monolayer using MβCD. While the removal of cholesterol by MβCD depends on the cholesterol concentration

Active fragments from pro- and antiapoptotic BCL-2 proteins have distinct membrane behavior reflecting their functional divergence.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yannis Guillemin

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The BCL-2 family of proteins includes pro- and antiapoptotic members acting by controlling the permeabilization of mitochondria. Although the association of these proteins with the outer mitochondrial membrane is crucial for their function, little is known about the characteristics of this interaction. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here, we followed a reductionist approach to clarify to what extent membrane-active regions of homologous BCL-2 family proteins contribute to their functional divergence. Using isolated mitochondria as well as model lipid Langmuir monolayers coupled with Brewster Angle Microscopy, we explored systematically and comparatively the membrane activity and membrane-peptide interactions of fragments derived from the central helical hairpin of BAX, BCL-xL and BID. The results show a connection between the differing abilities of the assayed peptide fragments to contact, insert, destabilize and porate membranes and the activity of their cognate proteins in programmed cell death. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: BCL-2 family-derived pore-forming helices thus represent structurally analogous, but functionally dissimilar membrane domains.

Nanostructured Thin Films Obtained from Fischer Aminocarbene Complexes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rosa E. Lazo-Jiménez

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The synthesis of four amphiphilic organometallic complexes with the general formula RC = M(CO5NH(CH215CH3, where R is a ferrocenyl 2(a-b or a phenyl 4(a-b group as a donor moiety and a Fischer carbene of chromium (0 or tungsten (0 as an acceptor group, are reported. These four push-pull systems formed Langmuir (L monolayers at the air-water interface, which were characterized by isotherms of surface pressure versus molecular area and compression/expansion cycles (hysteresis curves; Brewster angle microscopic images were also obtained. By using the Langmuir–Blodgett (LB method, molecular monolayers were transferred onto glass substrates forming Z-type multilayers. LB films were characterized through ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques. Results indicated that films obtained from 2b complex [(Ferrocenyl(hexadecylaminemethylidene] pentacarbonyl tungsten (0 are the most stable and homogeneous; due to their properties, these materials may be incorporated into organic electronic devices.

Morphologies of laser-induced damage in hafnia-silica multilayer mirror and polarizer coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Genin, F.Y.; Stolz, C.J.

1996-08-01

Hafnium-silica multilayer mirrors and polarizers were deposited by e-beam evaporation onto BK7 glass substrates. The mirrors and polarizers were coated for operation at 1053 nm at 45 degree and at Brewster's angle (56 degree), respectively. They were tested with a single 3-ns laser pulse. Morphology of the laser-induced damage was characterized by optical and scanning electron microscopy. Four distinct damage morphologies were found: pits, flatbottom pits, scalds, and delaminates. The pits and flat bottom pits ( 2 ). The pits seemed to result from ejection of nodular defects by causing local enhancement of the electric field. Scalds and delaminates could be observed at higher fluences (above 13 J/cm 2 ) and seemed to result from the formation of plasmas on the surface. These damage types often originated at pits and were less than 300 μm diameter; their size increased almost linearly with fluence. Finally, effects of the damage on the beam (reflectivity degradation and phase modulations) were measured

Essential oils as food eco-preservatives: Model system studies on the effect of temperature on limonene antibacterial activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Hąc-Wydro, Katarzyna; Flasiński, Michał; Romańczuk, Karolina

2017-11-15

Antimicrobial properties of essential oils predestine these substances to be used as ecological food preservatives. However, their activity is determined by variety of factors among which external conditions and food properties are highly important. Herein the influence of limonene on artificial membranes was studied to verify the effect of temperature on the incorporation of this compound into model bacterial membrane. The investigations were done on lipid monolayers and the experiments involved the surface pressure-area measurements, penetration studies and Brewster Angle Microscopy analysis. It was found that limonene incorporates into lipid monolayers causing their fluidization. However, the magnitude of alterations depends on limonene concentration, model membrane composition and, for a given composition, on system condensation. Moreover, the influence of limonene is stronger at lower temperatures and, in the light of collected data, this may be a consequence of strong volatility and evaporation of limonene increasing with temperature. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Case study on the dynamics of ultrafast laser heating and ablation of gold thin films by ultrafast pump-probe reflectometry and ellipsometry

Science.gov (United States)

Pflug, T.; Wang, J.; Olbrich, M.; Frank, M.; Horn, A.

2018-02-01

To increase the comprehension of ultrafast laser ablation, the ablation process has to be portrayed with sufficient temporal resolution. For example, the temporal modification of the complex refractive index {\\tilde{n}} and the relative reflectance of a sample material after irradiation with ultrafast single-pulsed laser radiation can be measured with a pump-probe setup. This work describes the construction and validation of a pump-probe setup enabling spatially, temporally, and spectroscopically resolved Brewster angle microscopy, reflectometry, ellipsometry, and shadow photography. First pump-probe reflectometry and ellipsometry measurements are performed on gold at λ _{probe}= 440 nm and three fluences of the single-pulsed pump radiation at λ _{pump}= 800 nm generating no, gentle, and strong ablation. The relative reflectance overall increases at no and gentle ablation. At strong ablation, the relative reflectance locally decreases, presumable caused by emitted thermal electrons, ballistic electrons, and ablating material. The refractive index n is slightly decreasing after excitation, while the extinction coefficient k is increasing.

Nanostructured Thin Films Obtained from Fischer Aminocarbene Complexes

Science.gov (United States)

Lazo-Jiménez, Rosa E.; Ortega-Alfaro, M. Carmen; López-Cortés, José G.; Alvarez-Toledano, Cecilio; Chávez-Carvayar, José Á.; Ignés-Mullol, Jordi; González-Torres, Maykel; Carreón-Castro, Pilar

2016-01-01

The synthesis of four amphiphilic organometallic complexes with the general formula RC = M(CO)5NH(CH2)15CH3, where R is a ferrocenyl 2(a-b) or a phenyl 4(a-b) group as a donor moiety and a Fischer carbene of chromium (0) or tungsten (0) as an acceptor group, are reported. These four push-pull systems formed Langmuir (L) monolayers at the air-water interface, which were characterized by isotherms of surface pressure versus molecular area and compression/expansion cycles (hysteresis curves); Brewster angle microscopic images were also obtained. By using the Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) method, molecular monolayers were transferred onto glass substrates forming Z-type multilayers. LB films were characterized through ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques. Results indicated that films obtained from 2b complex [(Ferrocenyl)(hexadecylamine)methylidene] pentacarbonyl tungsten (0) are the most stable and homogeneous; due to their properties, these materials may be incorporated into organic electronic devices. PMID:28773289

Effect of electric field distribution on the morphologies of laser-induced damage in hafnia-silica multilayer polarizers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Genin, F.Y.; Stolz, C.J.; Reitter, T.; Kozlowski, M.R.; Bevis, R.P.; vonGunten, M.K.

1997-01-01

Hafnia-silica multilayer polarizers were deposited by e-beam evaporation onto BK7 glass substrates. The polarizers were designed to operate at 1064 nm at Brewster's angle (56 degree). They were tested with a 3-ns laser pulse at 45, 56, and 65 degree incidence angle in order to vary the electric field distribution in the multilayer, study their effects on damage morphology, and investigate possible advantages of off-use angle laser conditioning. Morphology of the laser-induced damage was characterized by optical and scanning electron microscopy. Four distinct damage morphologies (pit, flat bottom pit, scald, outer layer delamination) were observed; they depend strongly on incident angle of the laser beam. Massive delamination observed at 45 and 56 degree incidence, did not occur at 65 degree; instead, large and deep pits were found at 65 degree. Electric field distribution, temperature rise, and change in stress in the multilayer were calculated to attempt to better understand the relation between damage morphology, electric field peak locations, and maximum thermal stress gradients. The calculations showed a twofold increase in stress change in the hafnia top layers depending on incident angle. Stress gradient in the first hafnia-silica interface was found to be highest for 45, 56, and 65 degree, respectively. Finally, the maximum stress was deeper in the multilayer at 65 degree. Although the limitations of such simple thermal mechanical model are obvious, the results can explain that outer layer delamination is more likely at 45 and 56 degree than 65 degree and that damage sites are expected to be deeper at 65 degree

Addressing preservation of elastic contrast in energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, H.G.; D' Alfonso, A.J.; Forbes, B.D.; Allen, L.J., E-mail: lja@unimelb.edu.au

2016-01-15

Energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM) images with resolutions of the order of an Ångström can be obtained using modern microscopes corrected for chromatic aberration. However, the delocalized nature of the transition potentials for atomic ionization often confounds direct interpretation of EFTEM images, leading to what is known as “preservation of elastic contrast”. In this paper we demonstrate how more interpretable images might be obtained by scanning with a focused coherent probe and incoherently averaging the energy-filtered images over probe position. We dub this new imaging technique energy-filtered imaging scanning transmission electron microscopy (EFISTEM). We develop a theoretical framework for EFISTEM and show that it is in fact equivalent to precession EFTEM, where the plane wave illumination is precessed through a range of tilts spanning the same range of angles as the probe forming aperture in EFISTEM. It is demonstrated that EFISTEM delivers similar results to scanning transmission electron microscopy with an electron energy-loss spectrometer but has the advantage that it is immune to coherent aberrations and spatial incoherence of the probe and is also more resilient to scan distortions. - Highlights: • Interpretation of EFTEM images is complicated by preservation of elastic contrast. • More direct images obtained by scanning with a focused coherent probe and averaging. • This is equivalent to precession EFTEM through the solid angle defined by the probe. • Also yields similar results to energy-loss scanning transmission electron microscopy. • Scanning approach immune to probe aberrations and resilient to scan distortions.

Characterization of the Intrinsic Water Wettability of Graphite Using Contact Angle Measurements: Effect of Defects on Static and Dynamic Contact Angles.

Science.gov (United States)

Kozbial, Andrew; Trouba, Charlie; Liu, Haitao; Li, Lei

2017-01-31

Elucidating the intrinsic water wettability of the graphitic surface has increasingly attracted research interests, triggered by the recent finding that the well-established hydrophobicity of graphitic surfaces actually results from airborne hydrocarbon contamination. Currently, static water contact angle (WCA) is often used to characterize the intrinsic water wettability of graphitic surfaces. In the current paper, we show that because of the existence of defects, static WCA does not necessarily characterize the intrinsic water wettability. Freshly exfoliated graphite of varying qualities, characterized using atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, was studied using static, advancing, and receding WCA measurements. The results showed that graphite of different qualities (i.e., defect density) always has a similar advancing WCA, but it could have very different static and receding WCAs. This finding indicates that defects play an important role in contact angle measurements, and the static contact angle does not always represent the intrinsic water wettability of pristine graphite. On the basis of the experimental results, a qualitative model is proposed to explain the effect of defects on static, advancing, and receding contact angles. The model suggests that the advancing WCA reflects the intrinsic water wettability of pristine (defect-free) graphite. Our results showed that the advancing WCA for pristine graphite is 68.6°, which indicates that graphitic carbon is intrinsically mildly hydrophilic.

A fast and accurate surface plasmon resonance system

Science.gov (United States)

Espinosa Sánchez, Y. M.; Luna Moreno, D.; Noé Arias, E.; Garnica Campos, G.

2012-10-01

In this work we propose a Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) system driven by Labview software which produces a fast, simple and accuracy measurements of samples. The system takes 2000 data in a range of 20 degrees in 20 seconds and 0.01 degrees of resolution. All the information is sent from the computer to the microcontroller as an array of bytes in hexadecimal format to be analyzed. Besides to using the system in SPR measurement is possible to make measurement of the critic angle, and Brewster angle using the Abeles method.

Reflective small angle electron scattering to characterize nanostructures on opaque substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Friedman, Lawrence H.; Wu, Wen-Li; Fu, Wei-En; Chien, Yunsan

2017-09-01

Feature sizes in integrated circuits (ICs) are often at the scale of 10 nm and are ever shrinking. ICs appearing in today's computers and hand held devices are perhaps the most prominent examples. These smaller feature sizes demand equivalent advances in fast and accurate dimensional metrology for both development and manufacturing. Techniques in use and continuing to be developed include X-ray based techniques, optical scattering, and of course the electron and scanning probe microscopy techniques. Each of these techniques has their advantages and limitations. Here, the use of small angle electron beam scattering measurements in a reflection mode (RSAES) to characterize the dimensions and the shape of nanostructures on flat and opaque substrates is demonstrated using both experimental and theoretical evidence. In RSAES, focused electrons are scattered at angles smaller than 1 ° with the assistance of electron optics typically used in transmission electron microscopy. A proof-of-concept experiment is combined with rigorous electron reflection simulations to demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of RSAES as a method of non-destructive measurement of shapes of features less than 10 nm in size on flat and opaque substrates.

Cyclically induced softening due to low-angle boundary annihilation in a martensitic steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sauzay, Maxime; Brillet, Helene; Monnet, Isabelle; Mottot, Michel; Barcelo, Francoise; Fournier, Benjamin; Pineau, Andre

2005-01-01

Martensitic steels are known for their softening during cyclic tests carried out at high temperature. The softening has been at least partially explained by lath and sub-grain boundary elimination. This article is dedicated to an attempt at modelling both phenomena. Thanks to mechanical tests it is shown that the softening is mainly due to a decrease of the backstress. Transmission electron microscopy allows us to propose a mechanism of low-angle boundary elimination. Annihilation between dislocations of low-angle boundaries and incident mobile dislocations is modelled. The macroscopic backstress is finally computed using a Hall-Petch law and the Taylor model

Gap States at Low-Angle Grain Boundaries in Monolayer Tungsten Diselenide

KAUST Repository

Huang, Yu Li

2016-05-03

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have revealed many novel properties of interest to future device applications. In particular, the presence of grain boundaries (GBs) can significantly influence the material properties of 2D TMDs. However, direct characterization of the electronic properties of the GB defects at the atomic scale remains extremely challenging. In this study, we employ scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy to investigate the atomic and electronic structure of low-angle GBs of monolayer tungsten diselenide (WSe2) with misorientation angles of 3-6°. Butterfly features are observed along the GBs, with the periodicity depending on the misorientation angle. Density functional theory calculations show that these butterfly features correspond to gap states that arise in tetragonal dislocation cores and extend to distorted six-membered rings around the dislocation core. Understanding the nature of GB defects and their influence on transport and other device properties highlights the importance of defect engineering in future 2D device fabrication. © 2016 American Chemical Society.

Gap States at Low-Angle Grain Boundaries in Monolayer Tungsten Diselenide

KAUST Repository

Huang, Yu Li; Ding, Zijing; Zhang, Wenjing; Chang, Yung-Huang; Shi, Yumeng; Li, Lain-Jong; Song, Zhibo; Zheng, Yu Jie; Chi, Dongzhi; Quek, Su Ying; Wee, Andrew T. S.

2016-01-01

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have revealed many novel properties of interest to future device applications. In particular, the presence of grain boundaries (GBs) can significantly influence the material properties of 2D TMDs. However, direct characterization of the electronic properties of the GB defects at the atomic scale remains extremely challenging. In this study, we employ scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy to investigate the atomic and electronic structure of low-angle GBs of monolayer tungsten diselenide (WSe2) with misorientation angles of 3-6°. Butterfly features are observed along the GBs, with the periodicity depending on the misorientation angle. Density functional theory calculations show that these butterfly features correspond to gap states that arise in tetragonal dislocation cores and extend to distorted six-membered rings around the dislocation core. Understanding the nature of GB defects and their influence on transport and other device properties highlights the importance of defect engineering in future 2D device fabrication. © 2016 American Chemical Society.

Phase-Sensitive Control Of Molecular Dissociation Through Attosecond Pump/Strong-Field Mid-IR Probe Spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

2016-04-15

splitter (consisting of a thin, uncoated, silicon plate at brewsters angle) and the beams were focused onto the OPA crystal. For this work two...experiments in the future. These technologies include • Two-color driven (EUV/mid-IR) ion spectroscopy: we designed an interferometer combining EUV...isolated single-femtosecond EUV pulse generation: combining the use of low ionization threshold gas, an annual near-IR drive beam , polarization

HAADF-STEM atom counting in atom probe tomography specimens: Towards quantitative correlative microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Lefebvre, W; Hernandez-Maldonado, D; Moyon, F; Cuvilly, F; Vaudolon, C; Shinde, D; Vurpillot, F

2015-12-01

The geometry of atom probe tomography tips strongly differs from standard scanning transmission electron microscopy foils. Whereas the later are rather flat and thin (atom probe tomography specimens. Based on simulations (electron probe propagation and image simulations), the possibility to apply quantitative high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy to of atom probe tomography specimens has been tested. The influence of electron probe convergence and the benefice of deconvolution of electron probe point spread function electron have been established. Atom counting in atom probe tomography specimens is for the first time reported in this present work. It is demonstrated that, based on single projections of high angle annular dark field imaging, significant quantitative information can be used as additional input for refining the data obtained by correlative analysis of the specimen in APT, therefore opening new perspectives in the field of atomic scale tomography. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of silica nanoparticles on the interfacial properties of a canonical lipid mixture.

Science.gov (United States)

Guzmán, Eduardo; Ferrari, Michele; Santini, Eva; Liggieri, Libero; Ravera, Francesca

2015-12-01

The incorporation of silica nanoparticles (NPs) from the subphase into Langmuir lipid monolayers formed by three components, 1,2-Dipalmitoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphocholine (DPPC), 1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) and Cholesterol (Chol), modifies the thermodynamic and rheological behavior, as well as the structure of the pristine lipid film. Thus, the combination of structural characterization techniques, such as Brewster Angle Microscopy (BAM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), with interfacial thermodynamic and dilational rheology studies has allowed us to deepen on the physico-chemical bases governing the interaction between lipid molecules and NPs. The penetration of NPs driven by the interaction (electrostatic or hydrogen bonds) with the polar groups of the lipid molecules affects the phase behaviour (surface pressure-area, П-A , isotherm) of the monolayer. This can be easily rationalized considering the modification of the packing and cohesion of the molecules at the interface as revealed BAM and AFM images. Furthermore, oscillatory barrier experiments have allowed obtaining information related to the effect of NPs on the monolayer response under dynamic conditions that presents a critical impact on the characterization of biological relevant systems because most of the processes of interest for these systems present a dynamic character. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Equilibrium contact angle or the most-stable contact angle?

Science.gov (United States)

Montes Ruiz-Cabello, F J; Rodríguez-Valverde, M A; Cabrerizo-Vílchez, M A

2014-04-01

It is well-established that the equilibrium contact angle in a thermodynamic framework is an "unattainable" contact angle. Instead, the most-stable contact angle obtained from mechanical stimuli of the system is indeed experimentally accessible. Monitoring the susceptibility of a sessile drop to a mechanical stimulus enables to identify the most stable drop configuration within the practical range of contact angle hysteresis. Two different stimuli may be used with sessile drops: mechanical vibration and tilting. The most stable drop against vibration should reveal the changeless contact angle but against the gravity force, it should reveal the highest resistance to slide down. After the corresponding mechanical stimulus, once the excited drop configuration is examined, the focus will be on the contact angle of the initial drop configuration. This methodology needs to map significantly the static drop configurations with different stable contact angles. The most-stable contact angle, together with the advancing and receding contact angles, completes the description of physically realizable configurations of a solid-liquid system. Since the most-stable contact angle is energetically significant, it may be used in the Wenzel, Cassie or Cassie-Baxter equations accordingly or for the surface energy evaluation. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy of twisted trilayer graphene

Science.gov (United States)

Zuo, Wei-Jie; Qiao, Jia-Bin; Ma, Dong-Lin; Yin, Long-Jing; Sun, Gan; Zhang, Jun-Yang; Guan, Li-Yang; He, Lin

2018-01-01

Twist, as a simple and unique degree of freedom, could lead to enormous novel quantum phenomena in bilayer graphene. A small rotation angle introduces low-energy van Hove singularities (VHSs) approaching the Fermi level, which result in unusual correlated states in the bilayer graphene. It is reasonable to expect that the twist could also affect the electronic properties of few-layer graphene dramatically. However, such an issue has remained experimentally elusive. Here, by using scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS), we systematically studied a twisted trilayer graphene (TTG) with two different small twist angles between adjacent layers. Two sets of VHSs, originating from the two twist angles, were observed in the TTG, indicating that the TTG could be simply regarded as a combination of two different twisted bilayers of graphene. By using high-resolution STS, we observed a split of the VHSs and directly imaged the spatial symmetry breaking of electronic states around the VHSs. These results suggest that electron-electron interactions play an important role in affecting the electronic properties of graphene systems with low-energy VHSs.

Characterization of core-shell GaAs/AlGaAs nanowire heterostructures using advanced electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tambe, M J; Gradecak, S; Allard, L F

2010-01-01

To explore the unique properties of the nanoscale, advanced fabrication and characterization techniques are required. Specifically analyses in two orthogonal directions, plan-view and cross-section, were used to prove the core-shell morphology of GaAs/AlGaAs nanowires and determine their cross-section to be hexagonal. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy confirmed the core-shell interface to be defect-free, coherent, and sharp ( 0.9 Ga 0.1 As uniformly along the length of the nanowire. These results demonstrate the power of electron microscopy to aid the development of semiconductor nanotechnology.

Scanning microscopies of superconductors at very low temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crespo, V.; Maldonado, A.; Galvis, J.A.; Kulkarni, P.; Guillamon, I.; Rodrigo, J.G.; Suderow, H.; Vieira, S.; Banerjee, S.; Rodiere, P.

2012-01-01

We discuss basics of Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Spectroscopy (STM/S) of the superconducting state with normal and superconducting tips. We present a new method to measure the local variations in the Andreev reflection amplitude between a superconducting tip and the sample. This method is termed Scanning Andreev Reflection Spectroscopy (SAS). We also briefly discuss vortex imaging with STM/S under an applied current through the sample, and show the vortex lattice as a function of the angle between the magnetic field and sample’s surface.

Longitudinal changes of angle configuration in primary angle-closure suspects: the Zhongshan Angle-Closure Prevention Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Yuzhen; Chang, Dolly S; Zhu, Haogang; Khawaja, Anthony P; Aung, Tin; Huang, Shengsong; Chen, Qianyun; Munoz, Beatriz; Grossi, Carlota M; He, Mingguang; Friedman, David S; Foster, Paul J

2014-09-01

To determine longitudinal changes in angle configuration in the eyes of primary angle-closure suspects (PACS) treated by laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) and in untreated fellow eyes. Longitudinal cohort study. Primary angle-closure suspects aged 50 to 70 years were enrolled in a randomized, controlled clinical trial. Each participant was treated by LPI in 1 randomly selected eye, with the fellow eye serving as a control. Angle width was assessed in a masked fashion using gonioscopy and anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) before and at 2 weeks, 6 months, and 18 months after LPI. Angle width in degrees was calculated from Shaffer grades assessed under static gonioscopy. Angle configuration was also evaluated using angle opening distance (AOD250, AOD500, AOD750), trabecular-iris space area (TISA500, TISA750), and angle recess area (ARA) measured in AS-OCT images. No significant difference was found in baseline measures of angle configuration between treated and untreated eyes. At 2 weeks after LPI, the drainage angle on gonioscopy widened from a mean of 13.5° at baseline to a mean of 25.7° in treated eyes, which was also confirmed by significant increases in all AS-OCT angle width measures (Pgonioscopy (P = 0.18), AOD250 (P = 0.167) and ARA (P = 0.83). In untreated eyes, angle width consistently decreased across all follow-up visits after LPI, with a more rapid longitudinal decrease compared with treated eyes (P values for all variables ≤0.003). The annual rate of change in angle width was equivalent to 1.2°/year (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.8-1.6) in treated eyes and 1.6°/year (95% CI, 1.3-2.0) in untreated eyes (P<0.001). Angle width of treated eyes increased markedly after LPI, remained stable for 6 months, and then decreased significantly by 18 months after LPI. Untreated eyes experienced a more consistent and rapid decrease in angle width over the same time period. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by

The influence of flip angle on the magic angle effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zurlo, J.V.; Blacksin, M.F.; Karimi, S.

2000-01-01

Objective. To assess the impact of flip angle with gradient sequences on the ''magic angle effect''. We characterized the magic angle effect in various gradient echo sequences and compared the signal- to-noise ratios present on these sequences with the signal-to-noise ratios of spin echo sequences.Design. Ten normal healthy volunteers were positioned such that the flexor hallucis longus tendon remained at approximately at 55 to the main magnetic field (the magic angle). The tendon was imaged by a conventional spin echo T1- and T2-weighted techniques and by a series of gradient techniques. Gradient sequences were altered by both TE and flip angle. Signal-to-noise measurements were obtained at segments of the flexor hallucis longus tendon demonstrating the magic angle effect to quantify the artifact. Signal-to-noise measurements were compared and statistical analysis performed. Similar measurements were taken of the anterior tibialis tendon as an internal control.Results and conclusions. We demonstrated the magic angle effect on all the gradient sequences. The intensity of the artifact was affected by both the TE and flip angle. Low TE values and a high flip angle demonstrated the greatest magic angle effect. At TE values less than 30 ms, a high flip angle will markedly increase the magic angle effect. (orig.)

Hierarchical super-structure identified by polarized light microscopy, electron microscopy and nanoindentation: Implications for the limits of biological control over the growth mode of abalone sea shells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Schneider Andreas S

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mollusc shells are commonly investigated using high-resolution imaging techniques based on cryo-fixation. Less detailed information is available regarding the light-optical properties. Sea shells of Haliotis pulcherina were embedded for polishing in defined orientations in order to investigate the interface between prismatic calcite and nacreous aragonite by standard materialographic methods. A polished thin section of the interface was prepared with a defined thickness of 60 μm for quantitative birefringence analysis using polarized light and LC-PolScope microscopy. Scanning electron microscopy images were obtained for comparison. In order to study structural-mechanical relationships, nanoindentation experiments were performed. Results Incident light microscopy revealed a super-structure in semi-transparent regions of the polished cross-section under a defined angle. This super-structure is not visible in transmitted birefringence analysis due to the blurred polarization of small nacre platelets and numerous organic interfaces. The relative orientation and homogeneity of calcite prisms was directly identified, some of them with their optical axes exactly normal to the imaging plane. Co-oriented "prism colonies" were identified by polarized light analyses. The nacreous super-structure was also visualized by secondary electron imaging under defined angles. The domains of the super-structure were interpreted to consist of crystallographically aligned platelet stacks. Nanoindentation experiments showed that mechanical properties changed with the same periodicity as the domain size. Conclusions In this study, we have demonstrated that insights into the growth mechanisms of nacre can be obtained by conventional light-optical methods. For example, we observed super-structures formed by co-oriented nacre platelets as previously identified using X-ray Photo-electron Emission Microscopy (X-PEEM [Gilbert et al., Journal of the

Wetting of biopolymer coatings: contact angle kinetics and image analysis investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Farris, Stefano; Introzzi, Laura; Biagioni, Paolo; Holz, Torsten; Schiraldi, Alberto; Piergiovanni, Luciano

2011-06-21

The surface wetting of five biopolymers, used as coating materials for a plastic film, was monitored over a span of 8 min by means of the optical contact angle technique. Because most of the total variation was observed to occur during the first 60 s, we decided to focus on this curtailed temporal window. Initial contact angle values (θ(0)) ranged from ∼91° for chitosan to ∼30° for pullulan. However, the water drop profile began to change immediately following drop deposition for all biocoatings, confirming that the concept of water contact angle equilibrium is not applicable to most biopolymers. First, a three-parameter decay equation [θ(t) = θ(0) exp(kt(n))] was fit to the experimental contact angle data to describe the kinetics of the contact angle change for each biocoating. Interestingly, the k constant correlated well with the contact angle evolution rate and the n exponent seemed to be somehow linked to the physicochemical phenomena underlying the overall kinetics process. Second, to achieve a reliable description of droplet evolution, the contact angle (CA) analysis was coupled with image analysis (IA) through a combined geometric/trigonometric approach. Absorption and spreading were the key factors governing the overall mechanism of surface wetting during the 60 s analysis, although the individual quantification of both phenomena demonstrated that spreading provided the largest contribution for all biopolymers, with the only exception of gelatin, which showed two quasi-equivalent and counterbalancing effects. The possible correlation between these two phenomena and the topography of the biopolymer surfaces are then discussed on the basis of atomic force microscopy analyses. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Fabrication and characterization of optical-fiber nanoprobes for scanning near-field optical microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Essaidi, N; Chen, Y; Kottler, V; Cambril, E; Mayeux, C; Ronarch, N; Vieu, C

1998-02-01

The current scanning near-field optical microscopy has been developed with optical-fiber probes obtained by use of either laser-heated pulling or chemical etching. For high-resolution near-field imaging, the detected signal is rapidly attenuated as the aperture size of the probe decreases. It is thus important to fabricate probes optimized for both spot size and optical transmission. We present a two-step fabrication that allowed us to achieve an improved performance of the optical-fiber probes. Initially, a CO(2) laser-heated pulling was used to produce a parabolic transitional taper ending with a top thin filament. Then, a rapid chemical etching with 50% buffered hydrofluoric acid was used to remove the thin filament and to result in a final conical tip on the top of the parabolic transitional taper. Systematically, we obtained optical-fiber nanoprobes with the apex size as small as 10 nm and the final cone angle varying from 15 degrees to 80 degrees . It was found that the optical transmission efficiency increases rapidly as the taper angle increases from 15 degrees to 50 degrees , but a further increase in the taper angle gives rise to important broadening of the spot size. Finally, the fabricated nanoprobes were used in photon-scanning tunneling microscopy, which allowed observation of etched double lines and grating structures with periods as small as 200 nm.

High accuracy subwavelength distance measurements: A variable-angle standing-wave total-internal-reflection optical microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haynie, A.; Min, T.-J.; Luan, L.; Mu, W.; Ketterson, J. B.

2009-01-01

We describe an extension of the total-internal-reflection microscopy technique that permits direct in-plane distance measurements with high accuracy (<10 nm) over a wide range of separations. This high position accuracy arises from the creation of a standing evanescent wave and the ability to sweep the nodal positions (intensity minima of the standing wave) in a controlled manner via both the incident angle and the relative phase of the incoming laser beams. Some control over the vertical resolution is available through the ability to scan the incoming angle and with it the evanescent penetration depth.

A Simple Approach for Local Contact Angle Determination on a Heterogeneous Surface

KAUST Repository

Wu, Jinbo

2011-05-17

We report a simple approach for measuring the local contact angle of liquids on a heterogeneous surface consisting of intersected hydrophobic and hydrophilic patch arrays, specifically by employing confocal microscopy and the addition of a very low concentration of Rhodamine-B (RB) (2 × 10 -7 mol/L). Interestingly, RB at that concentration was found to be aggregated at the air-liquid and solid (hydrophobic patch only)-liquid interfaces, which helps us to distinguish the liquid and solid interfaces as well as hydrophobic and hydrophilic patches by their corresponding fluorescent intensities. From the measured local contact angles, the line tension can be easily derived and the value is found to be (-2.06-1.53) × 10-6 J/m. © 2011 American Chemical Society.

Scaling behavior of the surface roughness of platinum films grown by oblique angle deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Dolatshahi-Pirouz, A.; Hovgaard, M. B.; Rechendorff, K.; Chevallier, J.; Foss, M.; Besenbacher, F.

2008-03-01

Thin platinum films with well-controlled rough surface morphologies are grown by e-gun evaporation at an oblique angle of incidence between the deposition flux and the substrate normal. Atomic force microscopy is used to determine the root-mean-square value w of the surface roughness on the respective surfaces. From the scaling behavior of w , we find that while the roughness exponent α remains nearly unchanged at about 0.90, the growth exponent β changes from 0.49±0.04 to 0.26±0.01 as the deposition angle approaches grazing incidence. The values of the growth exponent β indicate that the film growth is influenced by both surface diffusion and shadowing effects, while the observed change from 0.49 to 0.26 can be attributed to differences in the relative importance of diffusion and shadowing with the deposition angle.

Characterization of structure and coagulation behaviour of refractory organic substances (ROS) using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) and x-ray microscopy; Charakterisierung von Struktur und Koagulationsverhalten von Refraktaeren Organischen Saeuren (ROS) mit Hilfe von Neutronenkleinwinkelstreuung (SANS), Roentgenkleinwinkelstreuung (SAXS) und Roentgenmikroskopie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pranzas, P.K. [GKSS-Forschungszentrum Geesthacht GmbH (Germany). Inst. fuer Werkstofforschung

1999-07-01

In this work structure, coagulation and complexation behaviour of aquatic refractory organic substances (ROS) (humic and fulvic acids) were characterized. For this purpose a structural analytical system with the methods small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) and X-ray microscopy with synchrotron radiation was developed and established. Size distributions of ROS of different origin were calculated from the scattering curves. Spherical ROS units were obtained, which coagulated by forming chainlike structures or disordered ROS agglomerates at higher concentrations. Additionally the average molecular weights of several ROS were calculated. Studies of the coagulation behaviour of ROS towards copper ions resulted in larger ROS-agglomerates besides the spherical ROS units. A linear relation between the addition of Cu{sup 2+} and the formation of the ROS-Cu{sup 2+}-agglomerates was found. With X-ray microscopy an extensive ROS-Cu{sup 2}-network structure could be registrated. For mercury and cadmium ions such coagulation interactions were not found. Investigations with X-ray microscopy of the coagulation behaviour of ROS towards the cationic surfactant DTB resulted in micel-like structures of equal size, which were spread throughout the solution. With increasing concentrations of DTB larger agglomerates up to network structures were obtained. (orig.) [German] In dieser Arbeit wurden Struktur, Koagulations- und Komplexierungsverhalten von aquatischen refraktaeren organischen Saeuren (ROS) (Humin- und Fulvinsaeuren) charakterisiert. Zu diesem Zweck wurde ein strukturanalytisches Gesamtsystem mit den Methoden Neutronenkleinwinkelstreuung (SANS), Roentgenkleinwinkelstreuung (SAXS) und Roentgenmikroskopie mit Synchrotronstrahlung entwickelt und etabliert. Fuer ROS unterschiedlicher Herkunft in Loesung wurden Groessenverteilungen aus den Streukurven berechnet. Es wurden kugelfoermige ROS-Einheiten gefunden, die bei hoeheren ROS

Bovine insulin-phosphatidylcholine mixed Langmuir monolayers: behavior at the air-water interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-López, S; Blanco-Vila, N M; Vila-Romeu, N

2011-08-04

The behavior of the binary mixed Langmuir monolayers of bovine insulin (INS) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) spread at the air-water interface was investigated under various subphase conditions. Pure and mixed monolayers were spread on water, on NaOH and phosphate-buffered solutions of pH 7.4, and on Zn(2+)-containing solutions. Miscibility and interactions between the components were studied on the basis of the analysis of the surface pressure (π)-mean molecular area (A) isotherms, surface compression modulus (C(s)(-1))-π curves, and plots of A versus mole fraction of INS (X(INS)). Our results indicate that intermolecular interactions between INS and PC depend on both the monolayer state and the structural characteristics of INS at the interface, which are strongly influenced by the subphase pH and salt content. Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) was applied to investigate the peptide aggregation pattern at the air-water interface in the presence of the studied lipid under any experimental condition investigated. The influence of the lipid on the INS behavior at the interface strongly depends on the subphase conditions.

Near-Membrane Refractometry Using Supercritical Angle Fluorescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Brunstein, Maia; Roy, Lopamudra; Oheim, Martin

2017-05-09

Total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy and its variants are key technologies for visualizing the dynamics of single molecules or organelles in live cells. Yet truly quantitative TIRF remains problematic. One unknown hampering the interpretation of evanescent-wave excited fluorescence intensities is the undetermined cell refractive index (RI). Here, we use a combination of TIRF excitation and supercritical angle fluorescence emission detection to directly measure the average RI in the "footprint" region of the cell during image acquisition. Our RI measurement is based on the determination on a back-focal plane image of the critical angle separating evanescent and far-field fluorescence emission components. We validate our method by imaging mouse embryonic fibroblasts and BON cells. By targeting various dyes and fluorescent-protein chimeras to vesicles, the plasma membrane, as well as mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum, we demonstrate local RI measurements with subcellular resolution on a standard TIRF microscope, with a removable Bertrand lens as the only modification. Our technique has important applications for imaging axial vesicle dynamics and the mitochondrial energy state or detecting metabolically more active cancer cells. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Influence of Poisson's ratio variation on lateral spring constant of atomic force microscopy cantilevers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yeh, M.-K.; Tai, N.-Ha; Chen, B.-Y.

2008-01-01

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) can be used to measure the surface morphologies and the mechanical properties of nanostructures. The force acting on the AFM cantilever can be obtained by multiplying the spring constant of AFM cantilever and the corresponding deformation. To improve the accuracy of force experiments, the spring constant of AFM cantilever must be calibrated carefully. Many methods, such as theoretical equations, the finite element method, and the use of reference cantilever, were reported to obtain the spring constant of AFM cantilevers. For the cantilever made of single crystal, the Poisson's ratio varies with different cantilever-crystal angles. In this paper, the influences of Poisson's ratio variation on the lateral spring constant and axial spring constant of rectangular and V-shaped AFM cantilevers, with different tilt angles and normal forces, were investigated by the finite element analysis. When the cantilever's tilt angle is 20 deg. and the Poisson's ratio varies from 0.02 to 0.4, the finite element results show that the lateral spring constants decrease 11.75% for the rectangular cantilever with 1 μN landing force and decrease 18.60% for the V-shaped cantilever with 50 nN landing force, respectively. The influence of Poisson's ratio variation on axial spring constant is less than 3% for both rectangular and V-shaped cantilevers. As the tilt angle increases, the axial spring constants for rectangular and V-shaped cantilevers decrease substantially. The results obtained can be used to improve the accuracy of the lateral force measurement when using atomic force microscopy

Microsphere imaging with confocal microscopy and two photon microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chun, Hyung Su; An, Kyung Won; Lee, Jai Hyung

2002-01-01

We have acquired images of polystyrene and fused-silica microsphere by using conventional optical microscopy, confocal microscopy and two-photon microscopy, and performed comparative analysis of these images. Different from conventional optical microscopy, confocal and two-photon microscopy had good optical sectioning capability. In addition, confocal microscopy and two-photon microscopy had better lateral resolution than conventional optical microscopy. These results are attributed to confocality and nonlinearity of confocal microscopy and two photon microscopy, respectively.

Longitudinal Changes of Angle Configuration in Primary Angle-Closure Suspects

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Yuzhen; Chang, Dolly S.; Zhu, Haogang; Khawaja, Anthony P.; Aung, Tin; Huang, Shengsong; Chen, Qianyun; Munoz, Beatriz; Grossi, Carlota M.

2015-01-01

Objective To determine longitudinal changes in angle configuration in the eyes of primary angle-closure suspects (PACS) treated by laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) and in untreated fellow eyes. Design Longitudinal cohort study. Participants Primary angle-closure suspects aged 50 to 70 years were enrolled in a randomized, controlled clinical trial. Methods Each participant was treated by LPI in 1 randomly selected eye, with the fellow eye serving as a control. Angle width was assessed in a masked fashion using gonioscopy and anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) before and at 2 weeks, 6 months, and 18 months after LPI. Main Outcome Measures Angle width in degrees was calculated from Shaffer grades assessed under static gonioscopy. Angle configuration was also evaluated using angle opening distance (AOD250, AOD500, AOD750), trabecular-iris space area (TISA500, TISA750), and angle recess area (ARA) measured in AS-OCT images. Results No significant difference was found in baseline measures of angle configuration between treated and untreated eyes. At 2 weeks after LPI, the drainage angle on gonioscopy widened from a mean of 13.5° at baseline to a mean of 25.7° in treated eyes, which was also confirmed by significant increases in all AS-OCT angle width measures (Pgonioscopy (P = 0.18), AOD250 (P = 0.167) and ARA (P = 0.83). In untreated eyes, angle width consistently decreased across all follow-up visits after LPI, with a more rapid longitudinal decrease compared with treated eyes (P values for all variables ≤0.003). The annual rate of change in angle width was equivalent to 1.2°/year (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.8–1.6) in treated eyes and 1.6°/year (95% CI, 1.3–2.0) in untreated eyes (P<0.001). Conclusions Angle width of treated eyes increased markedly after LPI, remained stable for 6 months, and then decreased significantly by 18 months after LPI. Untreated eyes experienced a more consistent and rapid decrease in angle width over the

A novel fibrous duct structure discovered in the brain meninges by using polarized light microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Nam, Min-Ho; Jung, Sharon Jiyoon; Soh, Kwang-Sup; Lim, Jaekwan; Seo, Eunseok; Lim, Jun; Baek, Miok; Lee, Sang Joon

2016-05-01

We have previously reported the discovery of a novel fibrous structure (NFS) consisting of unidirectionally arranged collagen fibers in the spinal pia mater. Due to its unique structure, it was easily detected using polarized light microscopy. In the current study, we describe the discovery of a similar NFS in the brain meninges of rats by using polarized light microscopy. This NFS is located beneath the superior sagittal sinus. Initially, we systemically analyzed the polarization properties of the NFS. The change in the light intensity of the NFS, with respect to the polarization angle, was eight times greater than that of blood vessels, showing that the collagen fibers are oriented in a particular direction with almost perfect parallelism (0.99). The orientation angle of the polarization ellipse confirmed the orientation of the collagen fibers in the NFS. Histological studies further confirmed that the unidirectionally arranged collagen fibers were responsible for this distinct polarization property. Surprisingly, X-ray microtomography and 3D confocal imaging revealed that the NFS contains within it a duct structure, a putative primo vessel. In conclusion, we report a NFS in the brain meninges, detected by using polarized light microscopy, that provides space for a putative primo vessel, not a blood vessel.

The paediatric Bohler's angle and crucial angle of Gissane: a case series

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Crawford Haemish A

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Bohler's angle and the crucial angle of Gissane can be used to assess calcaneal fractures. While the normal adult values of these angles are widely known, the normal paediatric values have not yet been established. Our aim is to investigate Bohler's angle and the crucial angle of Gissane in a paediatric population and establish normal paediatric reference values. Method We measured Bohler's angle and the crucial angle of Gissane using normal plain ankle radiographs of 763 patients from birth to 14 years of age completed over a five year period from July 2003 to June 2008. Results In our paediatric study group, the mean Bohler's angle was 35.2 degrees and the mean crucial angle of Gissane was 111.3 degrees. In an adult comparison group, the mean Bohler's angle was 39.2 degrees and the mean crucial angle of Gissane was 113.8 degrees. The differences in Bohler's angle and the crucial angle of Gissane between these two groups were statistically significant. Conclusion We have presented the normal values of Bohler's angle and the crucial angle of Gissane in a paediatric population. These values may provide a useful comparison to assist with the management of the paediatric calcaneal fracture.

Creation of the {pi} angle standard for the flat angle measurements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giniotis, V; Rybokas, M, E-mail: gi@ap.vtu.l, E-mail: MRybokas@gama.l [Department of Information Technologies, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Sauletekio al. 11, 10223 Vilnius-40 (Lithuania)

2010-07-01

Angle measurements are based mainly on multiangle prisms - polygons with autocollimators, rotary encoders for high accuracy and circular scales as the standards of the flat angle. Traceability of angle measurements is based on the standard of the plane angle - prism (polygon) calibrated at an appropriate accuracy. Some metrological institutions have established their special test benches (comparators) equipped with circular scales or rotary encoders of high accuracy and polygons with autocollimators for angle calibration purposes. Nevertheless, the standard (etalon) of plane angle - polygon has many restrictions for the transfer of angle unit - radian (rad) and other units of angle. It depends on the number of angles formed by the flat sides of the polygon that is restricted by technological and metrological difficulties related to the production and accuracy determination of the polygon. A possibility to create the standard of the angle equal to {pi} rad or half the circle or the full angle is proposed. It can be created by the circular scale with the rotation axis of very high accuracy and two precision reading instruments, usually, photoelectric microscopes (PM), placed on the opposite sides of the circular scale using the special alignment steps. A great variety of angle units and values can be measured and its traceability ensured by applying the third PM on the scale. Calibration of the circular scale itself and other scale or rotary encoder as well is possible using the proposed method with an implementation of {pi} rad as the primary standard angle. The method proposed enables to assure a traceability of angle measurements at every laboratory having appropriate environment and reading instruments of appropriate accuracy together with a rotary table with the rotation axis of high accuracy - rotation trajectory (runout) being in the range of 0.05 {mu}m. Short information about the multipurpose angle measurement test bench developed is presented.

Quantification of the lift height for magnetic force microscopy using 3D surface parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nenadovic, M.; Strbac, S.; Rakocevic, Z.

2010-01-01

In this work, the quantitative conditions for the lift height for imaging of the magnetic field using magnetic force microscopy (MFM) were optimized. A thin cobalt film deposited on a monocrystalline silicon (1 0 0) substrate with a thickness of 55 nm and a thin nickel film deposited on a glass with a thickness of 600 nm were used as samples. The topography of the surface was acquired by tapping mode atomic force microscopy (AFM), while MFM imaging was performed in the lift mode for various lift heights. It was determined that the sensitivity of the measurements was about 10% higher for images obtained at a scan angle of 90 o compared to a scan angle of 0 deg. Therefore, the three-dimensional surface texture parameters, i.e., average roughness, skewness, kurtosis and the bearing ratio, were determined in dependence on the lift height for a scan angle of 90 deg. The results of the analyses of the surface parameters showed that the influence of the substrate and its texture on the magnetic force image could be neglected for lift heights above 40 nm and that the upper lift height limit is 100 nm. It was determined that the optimal values of the lift heights were in the range from 60 to 80 nm, depending on the nature of the sample and on the type of the tip used.

Glaucoma, Open-Angle

Science.gov (United States)

... Home » Statistics and Data » Glaucoma, Open-angle Listen Glaucoma, Open-angle Open-angle Glaucoma Defined In open-angle glaucoma, the fluid passes ... 2010 2010 U.S. Age-Specific Prevalence Rates for Glaucoma by Age and Race/Ethnicity The prevalence of ...

Achieving ultrafine grained and homogeneous AA1050/ZnO nanocomposite with well-developed high angle grain boundaries through accumulative press bonding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amirkhanlou, Sajjad, E-mail: s.amirkhanlou@aut.ac.ir [Young Researchers and Elite Club, Najafabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Najafabad (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ketabchi, Mostafa; Parvin, Nader; Askarian, Masoomeh [Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Carreño, Fernando [Department of Physical Metallurgy, CENIM-CSIC, Av. Gregorio del Amo 8, 28040 Madrid (Spain)

2015-03-11

Aluminum matrix nanocomposites with 2 vol% ZnO nanoparticles were produced using accumulative press bonding (APB) as a very effective and novel severe plastic deformation process. Microstructural evaluation and mechanical properties of specimens were characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and tensile test. Microstructure of AA1050/ZnO nanocomposite showed a uniform distribution of ZnO nanoparticles throughout the aluminum matrix. STEM and EBSD observations revealed that ultrafine-grained Al/ZnO nanocomposite with the average grain size of <500 nm and well-developed high angle grain boundaries (80% high angle boundaries and 37° average misorientation angle) was successfully obtained by performing 14 cycles of the APB process. When the number of APB cycles increased the tensile strength of Al/ZnO nanocomposite improved and reached 228 MPa after 14 cycles, which was 2.6 and 1.3 times greater than the obtained values for annealed (raw material, 88 MPa) and monolithic aluminum (180 MPa), respectively.

Incidence Angle Effect of Energetic Carbon Ions on Deposition Rate, Topography, and Structure of Ultrathin Amorphous Carbon Films Deposited by Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc

KAUST Repository

Wang, N.

2012-07-01

The effect of the incidence angle of energetic carbon ions on the thickness, topography, and structure of ultrathin amorphous carbon (a-C) films synthesized by filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) was examined in the context of numerical and experimental results. The thickness of a-C films deposited at different incidence angles was investigated in the light of Monte Carlo simulations, and the calculated depth profiles were compared with those obtained from high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The topography and structure of the a-C films were studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. The film thickness decreased with the increase of the incidence angle, while the surface roughness increased and the content of tetrahedral carbon hybridization (sp 3) decreased significantly with the increase of the incidence angle above 45° , measured from the surface normal. TEM, AFM, and XPS results indicate that the smoothest and thinnest a-C films with the highest content of sp 3 carbon bonding were produced for an incidence angle of 45°. The findings of this study have direct implications in ultrahigh-density magnetic recording, where ultrathin and smooth a-C films with high sp 3 contents are of critical importance. © 2012 IEEE.

The film tells the story: Physical-chemical characteristics of IgG at the liquid-air interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Koepf, Ellen; Schroeder, Rudolf; Brezesinski, Gerald; Friess, Wolfgang

2017-10-01

The presence of liquid-air interfaces in protein pharmaceuticals is known to negatively impact product stability. Nevertheless, the mechanisms behind interface-related protein aggregation are not yet fully understood. Little is known about the physical-chemical behavior of proteins adsorbed to the interface. Therefore, the combinatorial use of appropriate surface-sensitive analytical methods such as Langmuir trough experiments, Infrared Reflection-Absorption Spectroscopy (IRRAS), Brewster Angle Microscopy (BAM), and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is highly expedient to uncover structures and events at the liquid-air interface directly. Concentration-dependent adsorption of a human immunoglobulin G (IgG) and characteristic surface-pressure/area isotherms substantiated the amphiphilic nature of the protein molecules as well as the formation of a compressible protein film at the liquid-air interface. Upon compression, the IgG molecules do not readily desorb but form a highly compressible interfacial film. IRRA spectra proved not only the presence of the protein at the interface, but also showed that the secondary structure does not change considerably during adsorption or compression. IRRAS experiments at different angles of incidence indicated that the film thickness and/or packing density increases upon compression. Furthermore, BAM images exposed the presence of a coherent but heterogeneous distribution of the protein at the interface. Topographical differences within the protein film after adsorption, compression and decompression were revealed using underwater AFM. The combinatorial use of physical-chemical, spectroscopic and microscopic methods provided useful insights into the liquid-air interfacial protein behavior and revealed the formation of a continuous but inhomogeneous film of native-like protein molecules whose topographical appearance is affected by compressive forces. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Langmuir-Blodgett nanotemplates for protein crystallography.

Science.gov (United States)

Pechkova, Eugenia; Nicolini, Claudio

2017-12-01

The new generation of synchrotrons and microfocused beamlines has enabled great progress in X-ray protein crystallography, resulting in new 3D atomic structures for proteins of high interest to the pharmaceutical industry and life sciences. It is, however, often still challenging to produce protein crystals of sufficient size and quality (order, intensity of diffraction, radiation stability). In this protocol, we provide instructions for performing the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) nanotemplate method, a crystallization approach that can be used for any protein (including membrane proteins). We describe how to produce highly ordered 2D LB protein monolayers at the air-water interface and deposit them on glass slides. LB-film formation can be observed by surface-pressure measurements and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM), although its quality can be characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and nanogravimetry. Such films are then used as a 2D template for triggering 3D protein crystal formation by hanging-drop vapor diffusion. The procedure for forming the 2D template takes a few minutes. Structural information about the protein reorganization in the LB film during the crystallization process on the nano level can be obtained using an in situ submicron GISAXS (grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering) method. MicroGISAXS spectra, measured directly at the interface of the LB films and protein solution in real time, as described in this protocol, can be interpreted in terms of the buildup of layers, islands, or holes. In our experience, the obtained LB crystals take 1-10 d to prepare and they are more ordered and radiation stable as compared with those produced using other crystallization methods.

Microstructural characterization of a modified 706-type Ni-Fe superalloy by small-angle neutron scattering and electron microscopy

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Del Genovese, D.; Strunz, Pavel; Mukherji, D.; Gilles, R.; Rösler, J.

36A, - (2005), s. 3439-3450 ISSN 1073-5623 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10480505 Keywords : superalloys * small-angle neutron scattering Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 1.232, year: 2005

Apparent contact angle and contact angle hysteresis on liquid infused surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Semprebon, Ciro; McHale, Glen; Kusumaatmaja, Halim

2016-12-21

We theoretically investigate the apparent contact angle and contact angle hysteresis of a droplet placed on a liquid infused surface. We show that the apparent contact angle is not uniquely defined by material parameters, but also has a dependence on the relative size between the droplet and its surrounding wetting ridge formed by the infusing liquid. We derive a closed form expression for the contact angle in the limit of vanishing wetting ridge, and compute the correction for small but finite ridge, which corresponds to an effective line tension term. We also predict contact angle hysteresis on liquid infused surfaces generated by the pinning of the contact lines by the surface corrugations. Our analytical expressions for both the apparent contact angle and contact angle hysteresis can be interpreted as 'weighted sums' between the contact angles of the infusing liquid relative to the droplet and surrounding gas phases, where the weighting coefficients are given by ratios of the fluid surface tensions.

Transmission Electron Microscopy of a CMSX-4 Ni-Base Superalloy Produced by Selective Electron Beam Melting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alireza B. Parsa

2016-10-01

Full Text Available In this work, the microstructures of superalloy specimens produced using selective electron beam melting additive manufacturing were characterized. The materials were produced using a CMSX-4 powder. Two selective electron beam melting processing strategies, which result in higher and lower effective cooling rates, are described. Orientation imaging microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy and conventional high resolution transmission electron microscopy are used to investigate the microstructures. Our results suggest that selective electron beam melting processing results in near equilibrium microstructures, as far as γ′ volume fractions, the formation of small amounts of TCP phases and the partitioning behavior of the alloy elements are concerned. As expected, higher cooling rates result in smaller dendrite spacings, which are two orders of magnitude smaller than observed during conventional single crystal casting. During processing, columnar grains grow in <100> directions, which are rotated with respect to each other. There are coarse γ/γ′ microstructures in high angle boundary regions. Dislocation networks form low angle boundaries. A striking feature of the as processed selective electron beam melting specimens is their high dislocation density. From a fundamental point of view, this opens new possibilities for the investigation of elementary dislocation processes which accompany solidification.

Estimates of md-mu and left-angle bar dd right-angle -left-angle bar uu right-angle from QCD sum rules for D and D* isospin mass differences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eletsky, V.L.; Ioffe, B.L.

1993-01-01

The recent experimental data on D +- D0 and D *+- D*0 mass differences are used as inputs in the QCD sum rules to obtain new estimates on the mass difference of light quarks and on the difference of their condensates: m d -m u =3±1 MeV, left-angle bar dd right-angle -left-angle bar uu right-angle=-(2.5±1)x10 -3 left-angle bar uu right-angle (at a standard normalization point, μ=0.5 GeV)

Surface Chemistry Interactions of Cationorm with Films by Human Meibum and Tear Film Compounds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Georgi As. Georgiev

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Cationorm® (CN cationic nanoemulsion was demonstrated to enhance tear film (TF stability in vivo possibly via effects on tear film lipid layer (TFLL. Therefore the interactions of CN with human meibum (MGS and TFLL in vitro and in vivo deserve special study. MGS and CN were spread at the air/water interface of a Langmuir surface balance to ensure a range of MGS/CN oil phase ratios: 20/1, 10/1, 5/1, 3/1, 2/1 and 1/1. The films capability to reorganize during dynamic area changes was evaluated via the surface pressure-area compression isotherms and step/relaxation dilatational rheology studies. Films structure was monitored with Brewster angle microscopy. CN/TFLL interactions at the ocular surface were monitored with non-contact specular microscopy. The in vitro studies of MGS/CN layers showed that (i CN inclusion (at fixed MGS content increased film elasticity and thickness and that (ii CN can compensate for moderate meibum deficiency in MGS/CN films. In vivo CN mixed with TFLL in a manner similar to CN/MGS interactions in vitro, and resulted in enhanced thickness of TFLL. In vitro and in vivo data complement each other and facilitated the study of the composition-structure-function relationship that determines the impact of cationic nanoemulsions on TF.

Contact angles of liquid metals on quasicrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergman, Claire; Girardeaux, Christophe; Perrin-Pellegrino, Carine; Gas, Patrick; Dubois, Jean-Marie; Rivier, Nicolas

2008-01-01

Wetting with μm-sized Pb droplets on thin polycrystalline films of decagonal Al 13 Co 4 is reported. The films were prepared under high vacuum conditions in order to have Pb droplets lying on a clean surface. The method used is sequential deposition and annealing of specific stackings of Al and Co layers of nanometric thicknesses. A 300 nm thick Pb slab was then deposited on top of the films and dewetting experiments were followed in situ in a scanning Auger microprobe. The contact angle between the Pb droplet and the surface of the film is measured to be 49 deg. ± 7 deg. Further investigation performed by cross section transmission electron microscopy allows us to better characterize the interface. Taking into account the rugosity of the film, it is concluded that there is partial wetting of the film, which corresponds to a smaller contact angle. The comparison with other results obtained either with pure metals or with a cubic AlCo compound leads to the conclusion that the wetting behaviour of Pb on the surface of a decagonal compound is close to that of a metal with a high melting point and not significantly different from that of a crystalline compound with a small unit cell

Investigation of digestion Kinetics in commercial starches using in-situ small-angle neutron scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blazek, Jaroslav; Gilbert, Elliot Paul

2009-01-01

Full text: The digestion of starch has been the subject of many investigations, mostly involving in vitro measurement of the susceptibility of starches to attack by different enzymes, rather than measuring actual digestibility in vivo. The rate and extent of amylolytic hydrolysis of granular starches is known to vary according to botanical origin. Granule characteristics considered to influence susceptibility to attack by alpha-amylase include crystallinity, granule size and available specific surface, amylose content, porosity, structural inhomogeneities and degree of integrity. Most in-vitro studies of granular starch digestion have been limited to samples for which aliquots have been removed from the reaction mixture at various time intervals and freeze-dried to be subsequently characterized using a range of techniques. It remains unclear whether sample preparation creates artefacts in the samples. In this study, we have studied the kinetics of starch digestion of several commercial granular starches by time-resolved small-angle neutron scattering using an in-situ digestion chamber allowing, for the first time, to follow structural changes of starch in the course of digestion directly in the digestion mixture. Additionally, samples before and after digestion were studied by x-ray diffraction, small-angle x-ray scattering, differential scanning calorimetry and microscopy. Microscopy revealed that studied starches, which varied in their amylose content and digestion kinetics, followed different modes of attack The multidisciplinary approach allowed the nanostructural changes detected by small-angle scattering in the course of enzymic breakdown to be correlated with changes in crystallinity and functional properties.

Scoliosis angle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marklund, T.

1978-01-01

The most commonly used methods of assessing the scoliotic deviation measure angles that are not clearly defined in relation to the anatomy of the patient. In order to give an anatomic basis for such measurements it is proposed to define the scoliotic deviation as the deviation the vertebral column makes with the sagittal plane. Both the Cobb and the Ferguson angles may be based on this definition. The present methods of measurement are then attempts to measure these angles. If the plane of these angles is parallel to the film, the measurement will be correct. Errors in the measurements may be incurred by the projection. A hypothetical projection, called a 'rectified orthogonal projection', is presented, which correctly represents all scoliotic angles in accordance with these principles. It can be constructed in practice with the aid of a computer and by performing measurements on two projections of the vertebral column; a scoliotic curve can be represented independent of the kyphosis and lordosis. (Auth.)

Automated analysis of angle closure from anterior chamber angle images.

Science.gov (United States)

Baskaran, Mani; Cheng, Jun; Perera, Shamira A; Tun, Tin A; Liu, Jiang; Aung, Tin

2014-10-21

To evaluate a novel software capable of automatically grading angle closure on EyeCam angle images in comparison with manual grading of images, with gonioscopy as the reference standard. In this hospital-based, prospective study, subjects underwent gonioscopy by a single observer, and EyeCam imaging by a different operator. The anterior chamber angle in a quadrant was classified as closed if the posterior trabecular meshwork could not be seen. An eye was classified as having angle closure if there were two or more quadrants of closure. Automated grading of the angle images was performed using customized software. Agreement between the methods was ascertained by κ statistic and comparison of area under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC). One hundred forty subjects (140 eyes) were included, most of whom were Chinese (102/140, 72.9%) and women (72/140, 51.5%). Angle closure was detected in 61 eyes (43.6%) with gonioscopy in comparison with 59 eyes (42.1%, P = 0.73) using manual grading, and 67 eyes (47.9%, P = 0.24) with automated grading of EyeCam images. The agreement for angle closure diagnosis between gonioscopy and both manual (κ = 0.88; 95% confidence interval [CI), 0.81-0.96) and automated grading of EyeCam images was good (κ = 0.74; 95% CI, 0.63-0.85). The AUC for detecting eyes with gonioscopic angle closure was comparable for manual and automated grading (AUC 0.974 vs. 0.954, P = 0.31) of EyeCam images. Customized software for automated grading of EyeCam angle images was found to have good agreement with gonioscopy. Human observation of the EyeCam images may still be needed to avoid gross misclassification, especially in eyes with extensive angle closure. Copyright 2014 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.

Correlative Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy and Electron Microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Doory; Deerinck, Thomas J.; Sigal, Yaron M.; Babcock, Hazen P.; Ellisman, Mark H.; Zhuang, Xiaowei

2015-01-01

Correlative fluorescence light microscopy and electron microscopy allows the imaging of spatial distributions of specific biomolecules in the context of cellular ultrastructure. Recent development of super-resolution fluorescence microscopy allows the location of molecules to be determined with nanometer-scale spatial resolution. However, correlative super-resolution fluorescence microscopy and electron microscopy (EM) still remains challenging because the optimal specimen preparation and imaging conditions for super-resolution fluorescence microscopy and EM are often not compatible. Here, we have developed several experiment protocols for correlative stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) and EM methods, both for un-embedded samples by applying EM-specific sample preparations after STORM imaging and for embedded and sectioned samples by optimizing the fluorescence under EM fixation, staining and embedding conditions. We demonstrated these methods using a variety of cellular targets. PMID:25874453

Flipping interferometry and its application for quantitative phase microscopy in a micro-channel.

Science.gov (United States)

Roitshtain, Darina; Turko, Nir A; Javidi, Bahram; Shaked, Natan T

2016-05-15

We present a portable, off-axis interferometric module for quantitative phase microscopy of live cells, positioned at the exit port of a coherently illuminated inverted microscope. The module creates on the digital camera an interference pattern between the image of the sample and its flipped version. The proposed simplified module is based on a retro-reflector modification in an external Michelson interferometer. The module does not contain any lenses, pinholes, or gratings and its alignment is straightforward. Still, it allows full control of the off-axis angle and does not suffer from ghost images. As experimentally demonstrated, the module is useful for quantitative phase microscopy of live cells rapidly flowing in a micro-channel.

Self-assembled monolayers of alkyl-thiols on InAs: A Kelvin probe force microscopy study

Science.gov (United States)

Szwajca, A.; Wei, J.; Schukfeh, M. I.; Tornow, M.

2015-03-01

We report on the preparation and characterization of self-assembled monolayers from aliphatic thiols with different chain length and termination on InAs (100) planar surfaces. This included as first step the development and investigation of a thorough chemical InAs surface preparation step using a dedicated bromine/NH4OH-based etching process. Ellipsometry, contact angle measurements and atomic force microscopy (AFM) indicated the formation of smooth, surface conforming monolayers. The molecular tilt angles were obtained as 30 ± 10° with respect to the surface normal. Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) measurements in hand with Parameterized Model number 5 (PM5) calculations of the involved molecular dipoles allowed for an estimation of the molecular packing densities on the surface. We obtained values of up to n = 1014 cm- 2 for the SAMs under study. These are close to what is predicted from a simple geometrical model that would calculate a maximum density of about n = 2.7 × 1014 cm- 2. We take this as additional conformation of the substrate smoothness and quality of our InAs-SAM hybrid layer systems.

Plasmonics Enhanced Smartphone Fluorescence Microscopy

KAUST Repository

Wei, Qingshan

2017-05-12

Smartphone fluorescence microscopy has various applications in point-of-care (POC) testing and diagnostics, ranging from e.g., quantification of immunoassays, detection of microorganisms, to sensing of viruses. An important need in smartphone-based microscopy and sensing techniques is to improve the detection sensitivity to enable quantification of extremely low concentrations of target molecules. Here, we demonstrate a general strategy to enhance the detection sensitivity of a smartphone-based fluorescence microscope by using surface-enhanced fluorescence (SEF) created by a thin metal-film. In this plasmonic design, the samples are placed on a silver-coated glass slide with a thin spacer, and excited by a laser-diode from the backside through a glass hemisphere, generating surface plasmon polaritons. We optimized this mobile SEF system by tuning the metal-film thickness, spacer distance, excitation angle and polarization, and achieved ~10-fold enhancement in fluorescence intensity compared to a bare glass substrate, which enabled us to image single fluorescent particles as small as 50 nm in diameter and single quantum-dots. Furthermore, we quantified the detection limit of this platform by using DNA origami-based brightness standards, demonstrating that ~80 fluorophores per diffraction-limited spot can be readily detected by our mobile microscope, which opens up new opportunities for POC diagnostics and sensing applications in resource-limited-settings.

Plasmonics Enhanced Smartphone Fluorescence Microscopy

KAUST Repository

Wei, Qingshan; Acuna, Guillermo; Kim, Seungkyeum; Vietz, Carolin; Tseng, Derek; Chae, Jongjae; Shir, Daniel; Luo, Wei; Tinnefeld, Philip; Ozcan, Aydogan

2017-01-01

Smartphone fluorescence microscopy has various applications in point-of-care (POC) testing and diagnostics, ranging from e.g., quantification of immunoassays, detection of microorganisms, to sensing of viruses. An important need in smartphone-based microscopy and sensing techniques is to improve the detection sensitivity to enable quantification of extremely low concentrations of target molecules. Here, we demonstrate a general strategy to enhance the detection sensitivity of a smartphone-based fluorescence microscope by using surface-enhanced fluorescence (SEF) created by a thin metal-film. In this plasmonic design, the samples are placed on a silver-coated glass slide with a thin spacer, and excited by a laser-diode from the backside through a glass hemisphere, generating surface plasmon polaritons. We optimized this mobile SEF system by tuning the metal-film thickness, spacer distance, excitation angle and polarization, and achieved ~10-fold enhancement in fluorescence intensity compared to a bare glass substrate, which enabled us to image single fluorescent particles as small as 50 nm in diameter and single quantum-dots. Furthermore, we quantified the detection limit of this platform by using DNA origami-based brightness standards, demonstrating that ~80 fluorophores per diffraction-limited spot can be readily detected by our mobile microscope, which opens up new opportunities for POC diagnostics and sensing applications in resource-limited-settings.

The development of optical microscopy techniques for the advancement of single-particle studies

Science.gov (United States)

Marchuk, Kyle

Single particle orientation and rotational tracking (SPORT) has recently become a powerful optical microscopy tool that can expose many molecular motions. Unfortunately, there is not yet a single microscopy technique that can decipher all particle motions in all environmental conditions, thus there are limitations to current technologies. Within, the two powerful microscopy tools of total internal reflection and interferometry are advanced to determine the position, orientation, and optical properties of metallic nanoparticles in a variety of environments. Total internal reflection is an optical phenomenon that has been applied to microscopy to produce either fluorescent or scattered light. The non-invasive far-field imaging technique is coupled with a near-field illumination scheme that allows for better axial resolution than confocal microscopy and epi-fluorescence microscopy. By controlling the incident illumination angle using total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy, a new type of imaging probe called "non-blinking" quantum dots (NBQDs) were super-localized in the axial direction to sub-10-nm precision. These particles were also used to study the rotational motion of microtubules being propelled by the motor protein kinesin across the substrate surface. The same instrument was modified to function under total internal reflection scattering (TIRS) microscopy to study metallic anisotropic nanoparticles and their dynamic interactions with synthetic lipid bilayers. Utilizing two illumination lasers with opposite polarization directions at wavelengths corresponding to the short and long axis surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of the nanoparticles, both the in-plane and out-of-plane movements of many particles could be tracked simultaneously. When combined with Gaussian point spread function (PSF) fitting for particle super-localization, the binding status and rotational movement could be resolved without degeneracy. TIRS microscopy was also used to

The development of optical microscopy techniques for the advancement of single-particle studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marchuk, Kyle [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2013-05-15

Single particle orientation and rotational tracking (SPORT) has recently become a powerful optical microscopy tool that can expose many molecular motions. Unfortunately, there is not yet a single microscopy technique that can decipher all particle motions in all environmental conditions, thus there are limitations to current technologies. Within, the two powerful microscopy tools of total internal reflection and interferometry are advanced to determine the position, orientation, and optical properties of metallic nanoparticles in a variety of environments. Total internal reflection is an optical phenomenon that has been applied to microscopy to produce either fluorescent or scattered light. The non-invasive far-field imaging technique is coupled with a near-field illumination scheme that allows for better axial resolution than confocal microscopy and epi-fluorescence microscopy. By controlling the incident illumination angle using total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy, a new type of imaging probe called “non-blinking” quantum dots (NBQDs) were super-localized in the axial direction to sub-10-nm precision. These particles were also used to study the rotational motion of microtubules being propelled by the motor protein kinesin across the substrate surface. The same instrument was modified to function under total internal reflection scattering (TIRS) microscopy to study metallic anisotropic nanoparticles and their dynamic interactions with synthetic lipid bilayers. Utilizing two illumination lasers with opposite polarization directions at wavelengths corresponding to the short and long axis surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of the nanoparticles, both the in-plane and out-of-plane movements of many particles could be tracked simultaneously. When combined with Gaussian point spread function (PSF) fitting for particle super-localization, the binding status and rotational movement could be resolved without degeneracy. TIRS microscopy was also used to

Optimal reconstruction angles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cook, G.O. Jr.; Knight, L.

1979-07-01

The question of optimal projection angles has recently become of interest in the field of reconstruction from projections. Here, studies are concentrated on the n x n pixel space, where literative algorithms such as ART and direct matrix techniques due to Katz are considered. The best angles are determined in a Gauss--Markov statistical sense as well as with respect to a function-theoretical error bound. The possibility of making photon intensity a function of angle is also examined. Finally, the best angles to use in an ART-like algorithm are studied. A certain set of unequally spaced angles was found to be preferred in several contexts. 15 figures, 6 tables

Local crystallography analysis for atomically resolved scanning tunneling microscopy images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Wenzhi; Li, Qing; Belianinov, Alexei; Gai, Zheng; Baddorf, Arthur P; Pan, Minghu; Jesse, Stephen; Kalinin, Sergei V; Sales, Brian C; Sefat, Athena

2013-01-01

Scanning probe microscopy has emerged as a powerful and flexible tool for atomically resolved imaging of surface structures. However, due to the amount of information extracted, in many cases the interpretation of such data is limited to being qualitative and semi-quantitative in nature. At the same time, much can be learned from local atom parameters, such as distances and angles, that can be analyzed and interpreted as variations of local chemical bonding, or order parameter fields. Here, we demonstrate an iterative algorithm for indexing and determining atomic positions that allows the analysis of inhomogeneous surfaces. This approach is further illustrated by local crystallographic analysis of several real surfaces, including highly ordered pyrolytic graphite and an Fe-based superconductor FeTe 0.55 Se 0.45 . This study provides a new pathway to extract and quantify local properties for scanning probe microscopy images. (paper)

Elemental mapping in scanning transmission electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allen, L J; D'Alfonso, A J; Lugg, N R; Findlay, S D; LeBeau, J M; Stemmer, S

2010-01-01

We discuss atomic resolution chemical mapping in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) based on core-loss electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and also on energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) imaging. Chemical mapping using EELS can yield counterintuitive results which, however, can be understood using first principles calculations. Experimental chemical maps based on EDX bear out the thesis that such maps are always likely to be directly interpretable. This can be explained in terms of the local nature of the effective optical potential for ionization under those imaging conditions. This is followed by an excursion into the complementary technique of elemental mapping using energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM) in a conventional transmission electron microscope. We will then consider the widely used technique of Z-contrast or high-angle annular dark field (HAADF) imaging, which is based on phonon excitation, where it has recently been shown that intensity variations can be placed on an absolute scale by normalizing the measured intensities to the incident beam. Results, showing excellent agreement between theory and experiment to within a few percent, are shown for Z-contrast imaging from a sample of PbWO 4 .

Tunable Snell's law for spin waves in heterochiral magnetic films

Science.gov (United States)

Mulkers, Jeroen; Van Waeyenberge, Bartel; Milošević, Milorad V.

2018-03-01

Thin ferromagnetic films with an interfacially induced DMI exhibit nontrivial asymmetric dispersion relations that lead to unique and useful magnonic properties. Here we derive an analytical expression for the magnon propagation angle within the micromagnetic framework and show how the dispersion relation can be approximated with a comprehensible geometrical interpretation in the k space of the propagation of spin waves. We further explore the refraction of spin waves at DMI interfaces in heterochiral magnetic films, after deriving a generalized Snell's law tunable by an in-plane magnetic field, that yields analytical expressions for critical incident angles. The found asymmetric Brewster angles at interfaces of regions with different DMI strengths, adjustable by magnetic field, support the conclusion that heterochiral ferromagnetic structures are an ideal platform for versatile spin-wave guides.

Experimental studies of contact angle hysteresis phenomena on polymer surfaces – Toward the understanding and control of wettability for different applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Grundke, K; Pöschel, K; Synytska, A; Frenzel, R; Drechsler, A; Nitschke, M; Cordeiro, A L; Uhlmann, P; Welzel, P B

2015-08-01

Contact angle hysteresis phenomena on polymer surfaces have been studied by contact angle measurements using sessile liquid droplets and captive air bubbles in conjunction with a drop shape method known as Axisymmetric Drop Shape Analysis - Profile (ADSA-P). In addition, commercially available sessile drop goniometer techniques were used. The polymer surfaces were characterized with respect to their surface structure (morphology, roughness, swelling) and surface chemistry (elemental surface composition, acid-base characteristics) by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), scanning force microscopy (SFM), ellipsometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and streaming potential measurements. Heterogeneous polymer surfaces with controlled roughness and chemical composition were prepared by different routes using plasma etching and subsequent dip coating or grafting of polymer brushes, anodic oxidation of aluminium substrates coated with thin polymer films, deposition techniques to create regular patterned and rough fractal surfaces from core-shell particles, and block copolymers. To reveal the effects of swelling and reorientation at the solid/liquid interface contact angle hysteresis phenomena on polyimide surfaces, cellulose membranes, and thermo-responsive hydrogels have been studied. The effect of different solutes in the liquid (electrolytes, surfactants) and their impact on contact angle hysteresis were characterized for solid polymers without and with ionizable functional surface groups in aqueous electrolyte solutions of different ion concentrations and pH and for photoresist surfaces in cationic aqueous surfactant solutions. The work is an attempt toward the understanding of contact angle hysteresis phenomena on polymer surfaces aimed at the control of wettability for different applications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fluorescence microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanderson, Michael J; Smith, Ian; Parker, Ian; Bootman, Martin D

2014-10-01

Fluorescence microscopy is a major tool with which to monitor cell physiology. Although the concepts of fluorescence and its optical separation using filters remain similar, microscope design varies with the aim of increasing image contrast and spatial resolution. The basics of wide-field microscopy are outlined to emphasize the selection, advantages, and correct use of laser scanning confocal microscopy, two-photon microscopy, scanning disk confocal microscopy, total internal reflection, and super-resolution microscopy. In addition, the principles of how these microscopes form images are reviewed to appreciate their capabilities, limitations, and constraints for operation. © 2014 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Effect of glycyrrhetinic acid on lipid raft model at the air/water interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakamoto, Seiichi; Uto, Takuhiro; Shoyama, Yukihiro

2015-02-01

To investigate an interfacial behavior of the aglycon of glycyrrhizin (GC), glycyrrhetinic acid (GA), with a lipid raft model consisting of equimolar ternary mixtures of N-palmitoyl sphingomyelin (PSM), dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC), and cholesterol (CHOL), Langmuir monolayer techniques were systematically conducted. Surface pressure (π)-molecular area (A) and surface potential (ΔV)-A isotherms showed that the adsorbed GA at the air/water interface was desorbed into the bulk upon compression of the lipid monolayer. In situ morphological analysis by Brewster angle microscopy and fluorescence microscopy revealed that the raft domains became smaller as the concentrations of GA in the subphase (CGA) increased, suggesting that GA promotes the formation of fluid networks related to various cellular processes via lipid rafts. In addition, ex situ morphological analysis by atomic force microscopy revealed that GA interacts with lipid raft by lying down at the surface. Interestingly, the distinctive striped regions were formed at CGA=5.0 μM. This phenomenon was observed to be induced by the interaction of CHOL with adsorbed GA and is involved in the membrane-disrupting activity of saponin and its aglycon. A quantitative comparison of GA with GC (Sakamoto et al., 2013) revealed that GA interacts more strongly with the raft model than GC in the monolayer state. Various biological activities of GA are known to be stronger than those of GC. This fact allows us to hypothesize that differences in the interactions of GA/GC with the model monolayer correlate to their degree of exertion for numerous activities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transmission electron microscopy investigation of Bi-2223/Ag tapes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, L.G.; Bals, S.; Tendeloo, G. Van

2001-01-01

during the tape processing, (3) a study of the grain boundaries on an atomic scale, including intergrowth investigations. Tapes with different process parameters have been compared with respect to the microstructure. A fully processed tape has on the average 50% thicker Bi-2223 grains than a tape after......The microstructure of (Bi,Pb)(2)Sr2Ca2CuOx (Bi-2223) tapes has been investigated by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution TEM. The emphasis has been placed on: (1) an examination of the grain morphology and size, (2) grain and colony boundary angles, which are formed...

Numerical tilting compensation in microscopy based on wavefront sensing using transport of intensity equation method

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Junbao; Meng, Xin; Wei, Qi; Kong, Yan; Jiang, Zhilong; Xue, Liang; Liu, Fei; Liu, Cheng; Wang, Shouyu

2018-03-01

Wide-field microscopy is commonly used for sample observations in biological research and medical diagnosis. However, the tilting error induced by the oblique location of the image recorder or the sample, as well as the inclination of the optical path often deteriorates the imaging quality. In order to eliminate the tilting in microscopy, a numerical tilting compensation technique based on wavefront sensing using transport of intensity equation method is proposed in this paper. Both the provided numerical simulations and practical experiments prove that the proposed technique not only accurately determines the tilting angle with simple setup and procedures, but also compensates the tilting error for imaging quality improvement even in the large tilting cases. Considering its simple systems and operations, as well as image quality improvement capability, it is believed the proposed method can be applied for tilting compensation in the optical microscopy.

Investigating the mesostructure of ordered porous silica nanocomposites by transmission electron microscopy techniques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bullita, S.; Casula, M. F., E-mail: casulaf@unica.it [INSTM and Department of Chemical and Geological Science, University of Cagliari, Monserrato (Canada) (Italy); Piludu, M. [Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Monserrato (Canada) (Italy); Falqui, A. [INSTM and Department of Chemical and Geological Science, University of Cagliari, Monserrato (Canada) Italy and KAUST-King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Jeddah (Saudi Arabia); Carta, D. [INSTM and Department of Chemical and Geological Science, University of Cagliari, Monserrato (Canada), Italy and Faculty of Physical Sciences and Engineering, University of Southampton, Southampton (United Kingdom); Corrias, A. [INSTM and Department of Chemical and Geological Science, University of Cagliari, Monserrato (Canada) Italy and School of Physical Sciences, Ingram Building, University of Kent, Canterbury (United Kingdom)

2014-10-21

Nanocomposites made out of FeCo alloy nanocrystals supported onto pre-formed mesoporous ordered silica which features a cubic arrangement of pores (SBA-16) were investigated. Information on the effect of the nanocrystals on the mesostructure (i.e. pore arrangement symmetry, pore size, and shape) were deduced by a multitechnique approach including N2 physisorption, low angle X-ray diffraction, and Transmission electron microscopy. It is shown that advanced transmission electron microscopy techniques are required, however, to gain direct evidence on key compositional and textural features of the nanocomposites. In particular, electron tomography and microtomy techniques make clear that the FeCo nanocrystals are located within the pores of the SBA-16 silica, and that the ordered mesostructure of the nanocomposite is retained throughout the observed specimen.

The influence of glancing angle deposited nano-rough platinum surfaces on the adsorption of fibrinogen and the proliferation of primary human fibroblasts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dolatshahi-Pirouz, A; Foss, M; Chevallier, J; Besenbacher, F; Pennisi, C P; Yoshida, K; Skeldal, S; Andreasen, P; Zachar, V

2009-01-01

We have used the glancing angle deposition (GLAD) method as a simple and fast method to generate nano-rough surfaces for protein adsorption experiments and cell assays. The surface roughness and the detailed geometrical surface morphology of the thin films were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). As the GLAD deposition angle approaches grazing incidence, sharp and whisker-like columnar protrusions are formed. Smaller and less sharp surface features appear for the thin films synthesized at higher deposition angles. By changing the GLAD deposition angle together with the total amount of mass deposited per area on the respective surfaces, the size of the surface features can be varied on the nanoscale. Using the GLAD topographies as model surfaces, we have investigated the influence of the nano-roughness on fibrinogen adsorption and on the proliferation of primary human fibroblasts. It is found that fibrinogen, an important blood protein, preferentially adheres on the whisker-like nano-rough substrates in comparison to a flat surface. Furthermore, the proliferation of the human fibroblasts is significantly reduced on the nano-rough substrates. These results demonstrate that the GLAD technique can be used to fabricate nano-rough surface morphologies that significantly influence both protein and cellular adhesion to surfaces and are therefore well suited for biological assays.

Apparent Contact Angle and Contact Angle Hysteresis on Liquid Infused Surfaces

OpenAIRE

Semprebon, Ciro; McHale, Glen; Kusumaatmaja, Halim

2016-01-01

We theoretically investigate the apparent contact angle and contact angle hysteresis of a droplet placed on a liquid infused surface. We show that the apparent contact angle is not uniquely defined by material parameters, but also has a strong dependence on the relative size between the droplet and its surrounding wetting ridge formed by the infusing liquid. We derive a closed form expression for the contact angle in the limit of vanishing wetting ridge, and compute the correction for small b...

Undetected angle closure in patients with a diagnosis of open-angle glaucoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Varma, Devesh K; Simpson, Sarah M; Rai, Amandeep S; Ahmed, Iqbal Ike K

2017-08-01

The aim of this study was to identify the proportion of patients referred to a tertiary glaucoma centre with a diagnosis of open-angle glaucoma (OAG) who were found to have angle closure glaucoma. Retrospective chart review. Consecutive new patients referred for glaucoma management to a tertiary centre between July 2010 and December 2011 were reviewed. Patients whose referrals for glaucoma assessment specified angle status as "open" were included. The data collected included glaucoma specialist's angle assessment, diagnosis, and glaucoma severity. The status of those with 180 degrees or more Shaffer angle grading of 0 was classified as "closed." From 1234 glaucoma referrals, 179 cases were specified to have a diagnosis of OAG or when angles were known to be open. Of these, 16 (8.9%) were found on examination by the glaucoma specialist to have angle closure. Pseudoexfoliation was present in 4 of 16 patients (25%) in the missed angle-closure glaucoma (ACG) group and 22 of 108 patients (13.5%) in the remaining OAG group. There was no difference found in demographic or ocular biometric parameters between those with confirmed OAG versus those with missed ACG. Almost 1 in 11 patients referred by ophthalmologists to a tertiary glaucoma centre with a diagnosis of OAG were in fact found to have angle closure. Given the different treatment approaches for ACG versus OAG, this study suggests a need to strengthen angle evaluations. Copyright © 2017 Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Small-angle X-ray scattering studies of thermally-induced globular protein gels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, A.H.; Tuffnell, C.D.

1980-01-01

Small-angle X-ray scattering has been applied to gels formed by heating globular proteins, in aqueous solution, above their unfolding temperatures. A number of BSA gels, previously characterised by electron microscopy, have been studied, and by setting up theoretical models for the scattering process, the X-ray data have been shown to be consistent with the microscope conclusions regarding network structure. It is concluded that the networks form by a linearly-directed aggregation of unfolded, disc-like, protein molecules, three-dimensional geometry being achieved by occasional branching, and/or cross-linking. Long-range inhomogeneities in network structure, easily observed by electron microscopy, and correlated with variations in pH or ionic strength, have an effect on X-ray scattering, and hence the X-ray method is sensitive not only to different network strand thicknesses, but to different degrees of uniformity as well. (author)

Morphological study of polymer surfaces exposed to non-thermal plasma based on contact angle and the use of scaling laws

Science.gov (United States)

Felix, T.; Cassini, F. A.; Benetoli, L. O. B.; Dotto, M. E. R.; Debacher, N. A.

2017-05-01

The experiments presented in this communication have the purpose to elaborate an explanation for the morphological evolution of the growth of polymeric surfaces provided by the treatment of non-thermal plasma. According to the roughness analysis and the model proposed by scaling laws it is possible relate to a predictable or merely random effect. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and poly(etherether)ketone (PEEK) samples were exposed to a non-thermal plasma discharge and the resulting surfaces roughness were analyzed based on the measurements from contact angle, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy coupled with scaling laws analysis which can help to describe and understand the dynamic of formation of a wide variety of rough surfaces. The roughness, RRMS (RMS- Root Mean Square) values for polymer surface range between 19.8 nm and 110.9 nm. The contact angle and the AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy) measurements as a function of the plasma exposure time were in agreement with both polar and dispersive components according to the surface roughness and also with the morphology evaluated described by Wolf-Villain model, with proximate values of α between 0.91(PET) and 0.88(PEEK), β = 0.25(PET) and z = 3,64(PET).

Growth and properties of the CuInS2 thin films produced by glancing angle deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akkari, F. Chaffar; Kanzari, M.; Rezig, B.

2008-01-01

We use the glancing angle deposition technique (GLAD) to grow CuInS 2 thin films by a vacuum thermal method onto glass substrates. During deposition, the substrate temperature was maintained at 200 deg. C. Due to shadowing effect the oblique angle deposition technique can produce nanorods tilted toward the incident deposition flux. The evaporated atoms arrive at the growing interface at a fixed angle θ measured from the substrate normal. The substrate is rotated with rotational speed ω fixed at 0.033 rev s -1 . We show that the use of this growth technique leads to an improvement in the optical properties of the films. Indeed high absorption coefficients (10 5 -3.10 5 cm -1 ) in the visible range and near-IR spectral range are reached. In the case of the absence of the substrate rotation, scanning electron microscopy pictures show that the structure of the resulting film consists of nanocolumns that are progressively inclined towards the evaporation source as the incident angle was increased. If a rapid azimuthal rotation accompanies the substrate tilt, the resulting nanostructure is composed of an array of pillars normal to the substrate. The surface morphology show an improvement without presence of secondary phases for higher incident angles (θ > 60 deg.)

Correlated Light Microscopy and Electron Microscopy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sjollema, Klaas A.; Schnell, Ulrike; Kuipers, Jeroen; Kalicharan, Ruby; Giepmans, Ben N. G.; MullerReichert, T; Verkade, P

2012-01-01

Understanding where, when, and how biomolecules (inter)act is crucial to uncover fundamental mechanisms in cell biology. Recent developments in fluorescence light microscopy (FLM) allow protein imaging in living cells and at the near molecular level. However, fluorescence microscopy only reveals

Digital stereo-holographic microscopy for studying three-dimensional particle dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Byeon, Hyeokjun; Go, Taesik; Lee, Sang Joon

2018-06-01

A digital stereo-holographic microscopy (DsHM) with two viewing angles is proposed to measure 3D information of microscale particles. This approach includes two volumetric recordings and numerical reconstruction, and it involves the combination of separately reconstructed holograms. The 3D positional information of a particle was determined by searching the center of the overlapped reconstructed volume. After confirming the proposed technique using static spherical particles, the 3D information of moving particles suspended in a Hagen-Poiseiulle flow was successfully obtained. Moreover, the 3D information of nonspherical particles, including ellipsoidal particles and red blood cells, were measured using the proposed technique. In addition to 3D positional information, the orientation and shape of the test samples were obtained from the plane images by slicing the overlapped volume perpendicular to the directions of the image recordings. This DsHM technique will be useful in analyzing the 3D dynamic behavior of various nonspherical particles, which cannot be measured by conventional digital holographic microscopy.

Evaluation of blotchy pigments in the anterior chamber angle as a sign of angle closure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harsha L Rao

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Blotchy pigments in the anterior chamber (AC angle are considered diagnostic of primary angle closure (PAC. But there are no reports either on the prevalence of blotchy pigments in AC angles or the validity of this sign. Aims: To determine the prevalence of blotchy pigments in AC angles and to evaluate their relationship with glaucomatous optic neuropathy (GON in eyes with occludable angles. Setting and Design: Cross-sectional, comparative study. Materials and Methods: Gonioscopy was performed in 1001 eyes of 526 subjects (245 eyes of 148 consecutive, occludable angle subjects and 756 eyes of 378 non-consecutive, open angle subjects, above 35 years of age. Quadrant-wise location of blotchy pigments was documented. Statistical Analysis: Odds of blotchy pigments in occludable angles against that in open angles were evaluated. Relationship of GON with blotchy pigments in occludable angle eyes was evaluated using a multivariate model. Results: Prevalence of blotchy pigments in occludable angles was 28.6% (95% CI, 22.9-34.3 and in open angles was 4.7% (95% CI, 3.2-6.3. Blotchy pigments were more frequently seen in inferior (16% and superior quadrants (15% of occludable angles, and inferior quadrant of open angles (4%. Odds of superior quadrant blotchy pigments in occludable angles were 33 times that in open angles. GON was seen in 107 occludable angle eyes. Blotchy pigments were not significantly associated with GON (odds ratio = 0.5; P = 0.1. Conclusions: Blotchy pigments were seen in 28.6% of occludable angle eyes and 4.7% of open angles eyes. Presence of blotchy pigments in the superior quadrant is more common in occludable angles. Presence of GON in occludable angle eyes was not associated with blotchy pigments.

Evaluation of blotchy pigments in the anterior chamber angle as a sign of angle closure

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, Harsha L; Mungale, Sachin C; Kumbar, Tukaram; Parikh, Rajul S; Garudadri, Chandra S

2012-01-01

Background: Blotchy pigments in the anterior chamber (AC) angle are considered diagnostic of primary angle closure (PAC). But there are no reports either on the prevalence of blotchy pigments in AC angles or the validity of this sign. Aims: To determine the prevalence of blotchy pigments in AC angles and to evaluate their relationship with glaucomatous optic neuropathy (GON) in eyes with occludable angles. Setting and Design: Cross-sectional, comparative study. Materials and Methods: Gonioscopy was performed in 1001 eyes of 526 subjects (245 eyes of 148 consecutive, occludable angle subjects and 756 eyes of 378 non-consecutive, open angle subjects), above 35 years of age. Quadrant-wise location of blotchy pigments was documented. Statistical Analysis: Odds of blotchy pigments in occludable angles against that in open angles were evaluated. Relationship of GON with blotchy pigments in occludable angle eyes was evaluated using a multivariate model. Results: Prevalence of blotchy pigments in occludable angles was 28.6% (95% CI, 22.9-34.3) and in open angles was 4.7% (95% CI, 3.2-6.3). Blotchy pigments were more frequently seen in inferior (16%) and superior quadrants (15%) of occludable angles, and inferior quadrant of open angles (4%). Odds of superior quadrant blotchy pigments in occludable angles were 33 times that in open angles. GON was seen in 107 occludable angle eyes. Blotchy pigments were not significantly associated with GON (odds ratio = 0.5; P = 0.1). Conclusions: Blotchy pigments were seen in 28.6% of occludable angle eyes and 4.7% of open angles eyes. Presence of blotchy pigments in the superior quadrant is more common in occludable angles. Presence of GON in occludable angle eyes was not associated with blotchy pigments. PMID:23202393

Giga-pixel lensfree holographic microscopy and tomography using color image sensors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Serhan O Isikman

Full Text Available We report Giga-pixel lensfree holographic microscopy and tomography using color sensor-arrays such as CMOS imagers that exhibit Bayer color filter patterns. Without physically removing these color filters coated on the sensor chip, we synthesize pixel super-resolved lensfree holograms, which are then reconstructed to achieve ~350 nm lateral resolution, corresponding to a numerical aperture of ~0.8, across a field-of-view of ~20.5 mm(2. This constitutes a digital image with ~0.7 Billion effective pixels in both amplitude and phase channels (i.e., ~1.4 Giga-pixels total. Furthermore, by changing the illumination angle (e.g., ± 50° and scanning a partially-coherent light source across two orthogonal axes, super-resolved images of the same specimen from different viewing angles are created, which are then digitally combined to synthesize tomographic images of the object. Using this dual-axis lensfree tomographic imager running on a color sensor-chip, we achieve a 3D spatial resolution of ~0.35 µm × 0.35 µm × ~2 µm, in x, y and z, respectively, creating an effective voxel size of ~0.03 µm(3 across a sample volume of ~5 mm(3, which is equivalent to >150 Billion voxels. We demonstrate the proof-of-concept of this lensfree optical tomographic microscopy platform on a color CMOS image sensor by creating tomograms of micro-particles as well as a wild-type C. elegans nematode.

Interferential multi-layer mirrors for X-UV radiation: fabrication, characterization and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Youn Ki Byoung

1987-01-01

This research thesis reports the fabrication of W/C, Ni/C and Mo/C interferential multi-layer mirrors which can be used in the X-UV domain. They have been manufactured by cathodic pulverisation by using a new system for the in-situ control of the thickness of deposited layers, based on the measurement, sampling and real time integration of the ionic current which goes through the target during the coating process. Different methods (X ray diffraction at different wavelengths, electron microscopy and diffraction, in situ electronic resistivity measurement) have been used to study the main parameters which govern the multi-layer reflectivity: structure, substrate and interface roughness, minimum thickness to be deposited to obtain a continuous layer, number of bi-layers, stacking evenness, rate of absorbent element thickness to the period. Absolute reflectivity measurements have been performed by using short wavelength synchrotron radiation and the S component of polarised soft X rays obtained after double reflection on two parallel multi-layer mirrors oriented according to the Brewster angle. Ferromagnetic properties of Ni/C multi-layers have been studied to investigate fundamental magnetic properties, and to obtain additional information on interface structure [fr

Model Lung Surfactant Films: Why Composition Matters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Selladurai, Sahana L.; Miclette Lamarche, Renaud; Schmidt, Rolf; DeWolf, Christine E.

2016-10-18

Lung surfactant replacement therapies, Survanta and Infasurf, and two lipid-only systems both containing saturated and unsaturated phospholipids and one containing additional palmitic acid were used to study the impact of buffered saline on the surface activity, morphology, rheology, and structure of Langmuir monolayer model membranes. Isotherms and Brewster angle microscopy show that buffered saline subphases induce a film expansion, except when the cationic protein, SP-B, is present in sufficient quantities to already screen electrostatic repulsion, thus limiting the effect of changing pH and adding counterions. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction results indicate an expansion not only of the liquid expanded phase but also an expansion of the lattice of the condensed phase. The film expansion corresponded in all cases with a significant reduction in the viscosity and elasticity of the films. The viscoelastic parameters are dominated by liquid expanded phase properties and do not appear to be dependent on the structure of the condensed phase domains in a phase separated film. The results highlight that the choice of subphase and film composition is important for meaningful interpretations of measurements using model systems.

Application of atomic force microscopy to the study of natural and model soil particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, S; Bryant, R; Doerr, S H; Rhodri Williams, P; Wright, C J

2008-09-01

The structure and surface chemistry of soil particles has extensive impact on many bulk scale properties and processes of soil systems and consequently the environments that they support. There are a number of physiochemical mechanisms that operate at the nanoscale which affect the soil's capability to maintain native vegetation and crops; this includes soil hydrophobicity and the soil's capacity to hold water and nutrients. The present study used atomic force microscopy in a novel approach to provide unique insight into the nanoscale properties of natural soil particles that control the physiochemical interaction of material within the soil column. There have been few atomic force microscopy studies of soil, perhaps a reflection of the heterogeneous nature of the system. The present study adopted an imaging and force measurement research strategy that accounted for the heterogeneity and used model systems to aid interpretation. The surface roughness of natural soil particles increased with depth in the soil column a consequence of the attachment of organic material within the crevices of the soil particles. The roughness root mean square calculated from ten 25 microm(2) images for five different soil particles from a Netherlands soil was 53.0 nm, 68.0 nm, 92.2 nm and 106.4 nm for the respective soil depths of 0-10 cm, 10-20 cm, 20-30 cm and 30-40 cm. A novel analysis method of atomic force microscopy phase images based on phase angle distribution across a surface was used to interpret the nanoscale distribution of organic material attached to natural and model soil particles. Phase angle distributions obtained from phase images of model surfaces were found to be bimodal, indicating multiple layers of material, which changed with the concentration of adsorbed humic acid. Phase angle distributions obtained from phase images of natural soil particles indicated a trend of decreasing surface coverage with increasing depth in the soil column. This was consistent with

AFM, SEM and in situ RHEED study of Cu texture evolution on amorphous carbon by oblique angle vapor deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, F.; Gaire, C.; Ye, D.-X.; Karabacak, T.; Lu, T.-M.; Wang, G.-C.

2005-01-01

The evolution of the crystal orientation of a Cu film grown on an amorphous carbon substrate without intentional heating under 75±6 deg. oblique angle vapor deposition was investigated ex-situ by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and in-situ by reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED). At the initial stage of growth ( ∼100 nm thick) the diffraction pattern started to break symmetrically from the middle of the (111) and (200) rings representing the absence of (111) and (200) planes parallel to the substrate. However, after this transition stage, at the thickness of ∼410 nm, the intensity distribution of diffraction patterns appeared asymmetric about the middle of the rings, which is interpreted as the appearance of a tilted (111) texture. Finally the diffraction patterns developed into separated short arcs and showed only a II-O (two-orientation) texture. By comparing RHEED patterns with the SEM and AFM images of the final film, we argue that the tilted columns having tilted (111) top faces dominate in the later stage of growth. Furthermore, considering the geometry of crystals and shadowing effects, we argue that the vertices of columns having the highest growth velocity normal to the substrate and therefore receiving the maximum flux will dominate the film growth and determine the tilt angle of the texture and the preference of the azimuthal angle orientation

Behavior of obliquely incident vector Bessel beams at planar interfaces

KAUST Repository

Salem, Mohamed

2013-01-01

We investigate the behavior of full-vector electromagnetic Bessel beams obliquely incident at an interface between two electrically different media. We employ a Fourier transform domain representation of Bessel beams to determine their behavior upon reflection and transmission. This transform, which is geometric in nature, consists of elliptical support curves with complex weighting associated with them. The behavior of the scattered field at an interface is highly complex, owing to its full-vector nature; nevertheless, this behavior has a straightforward representation in the transform domain geometry. The analysis shows that the reflected field forms a different vector Bessel beam, but in general, the transmitted field cannot be represented as a Bessel beam. Nevertheless, using this approach, we demonstrate a method to propagate a Bessel beam in the refractive medium by launching a non- Bessel beam at the interface. Several interesting phenomena related to the behavior of Bessel beams are illustrated, such as polarized reflection at Brewster\\'s angle incidence, and the Goos-Hänchen and Imbert-Federov shifts in the case of total reflection. © 2013 Optical Society of America.

Dictionary of Microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Heath, Julian

2005-10-01

The past decade has seen huge advances in the application of microscopy in all areas of science. This welcome development in microscopy has been paralleled by an expansion of the vocabulary of technical terms used in microscopy: terms have been coined for new instruments and techniques and, as microscopes reach even higher resolution, the use of terms that relate to the optical and physical principles underpinning microscopy is now commonplace. The Dictionary of Microscopy was compiled to meet this challenge and provides concise definitions of over 2,500 terms used in the fields of light microscopy, electron microscopy, scanning probe microscopy, x-ray microscopy and related techniques. Written by Dr Julian P. Heath, Editor of Microscopy and Analysis, the dictionary is intended to provide easy navigation through the microscopy terminology and to be a first point of reference for definitions of new and established terms. The Dictionary of Microscopy is an essential, accessible resource for: students who are new to the field and are learning about microscopes equipment purchasers who want an explanation of the terms used in manufacturers' literature scientists who are considering using a new microscopical technique experienced microscopists as an aide mémoire or quick source of reference librarians, the press and marketing personnel who require definitions for technical reports.

The Q-angle and sport

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hahn, Thomas; Foldspang, Anders

1997-01-01

Quadriceps muscle contraction tends to straighten the Q angle. We expected that sports comprising a high amount of quadriceps training could be associated with low Q angles. The aim of the present study was to estimate the Q angle in athletes and to investigate its potential associations with par......Quadriceps muscle contraction tends to straighten the Q angle. We expected that sports comprising a high amount of quadriceps training could be associated with low Q angles. The aim of the present study was to estimate the Q angle in athletes and to investigate its potential associations...... with participation in sport. Three hundred and thirty-nine athletes had their Q angle measured. The mean of right-side Q angles was higher than left side, and the mean Q angle was higher in women than in men. The Q angle was positively associated with years of jogging, and negatively with years of soccer, swimming...... and sports participation at all. It is concluded that the use of Q angle measurements is questionable....

Measurement of nanoscale molten polymer droplet spreading using atomic force microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Soleymaniha, Mohammadreza; Felts, Jonathan R.

2018-03-01

We present a technique for measuring molten polymer spreading dynamics with nanometer scale spatial resolution at elevated temperatures using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The experimental setup is used to measure the spreading dynamics of polystyrene droplets with 2 μm diameters at 115-175 °C on sapphire, silicon oxide, and mica. Custom image processing algorithms determine the droplet height, radius, volume, and contact angle of each AFM image over time to calculate the droplet spreading dynamics. The contact angle evolution follows a power law with time with experimentally determined values of -0.29 ± 0.01, -0.08 ± 0.02, and -0.21 ± 0.01 for sapphire, silicon oxide, and mica, respectively. The non-zero steady state contact angles result in a slower evolution of contact angle with time consistent with theories combining molecular kinetic and hydrodynamic models. Monitoring the cantilever phase provides additional information about the local mechanics of the droplet surface. We observe local crystallinity on the molten droplet surface, where crystalline structures appear to nucleate at the contact line and migrate toward the top of the droplet. Increasing the temperature from 115 °C to 175 °C reduced surface crystallinity from 35% to 12%, consistent with increasingly energetically favorable amorphous phase as the temperature approaches the melting temperature. This platform provides a way to measure spreading dynamics of extremely small volumes of heterogeneously complex fluids not possible through other means.

Extreme Ultraviolet Stokesmeter for Pulsed Magneto-Optics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mabel Ruiz-Lopez

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Several applications in material science and magnetic holography using extreme ultraviolet (EUV radiation require the measurement of the degree and state of polarization. In this work, an instrument to measure simultaneously both parameters from EUV pulses is presented. The instrument determines the Stokes parameters after a reflection on an array of multilayer mirrors at the Brewster angle. The Stokesmeter was tested at Swiss Light Source at different EUV wavelengths. The experimental Stokes patterns of the source were compared with the simulated pattern.

Contact Angle Goniometer

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — Description:The FTA32 goniometer provides video-based contact angle and surface tension measurement. Contact angles are measured by fitting a mathematical expression...

Heavy-ion microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kraft, G.; Yang, T.C.H.; Richards, T.; Tobias, C.A.

1980-01-01

This chapter briefly describes the techniques of optical microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, soft x-ray microscopy and compares these latter techniques with heavy-ion microscopy. The resolution obtained with these various types of microscopy are compared and the influence of the etching procedure on total resolution is discussed. Several micrographs of mammalian cells are included

Large-angle illumination STEM: Toward three-dimensional atom-by-atom imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ishikawa, Ryo, E-mail: ishikawa@sigma.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp [Institute of Engineering Innovation, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan); Lupini, Andrew R. [Materials Science & Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831 (United States); Hinuma, Yoyo [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501 (Japan); Pennycook, Stephen J. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Tennessee, 328 Ferris Hall, Knoxville, TN 37996 (United States)

2015-04-15

To fully understand and control materials and their properties, it is of critical importance to determine their atomic structures in all three dimensions. Recent revolutionary advances in electron optics – the inventions of geometric and chromatic aberration correctors as well as electron source monochromators – have provided fertile ground for performing optical depth sectioning at atomic-scale dimensions. In this study we theoretically demonstrate the imaging of top/sub-surface atomic structures and identify the depth of single dopants, single vacancies and the other point defects within materials by large-angle illumination scanning transmission electron microscopy (LAI-STEM). The proposed method also allows us to measure specimen properties such as thickness or three-dimensional surface morphology using observations from a single crystallographic orientation. - Highlights: • We theoretically demonstrate 3D near-atomic depth resolution imaging by large-angle illumination STEM. • This method can be useful to identify the depth of single dopants, single vacancies within materials. • This method can be useful to determine reconstructed surface atomic structures.

left-angle 100 right-angle Burgers vector in single phase γ' material verified by image simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Link, T.; Knobloch, C.; Glatzel, U.

1998-01-01

The deformation mechanisms of Ni 3 Al, an ordered L1 2 or γ' phase, is under intense research since Westbrook showed the increase of its hardness with temperature in 1957. The super dislocations of this ordered phase normally have Burgers vectors rvec b = a left-angle 110 right-angle, disassociated in either two a/2 left-angle 110 right-angle or two rvec b = a/3 left-angle 112 right-angle, depending on deformation temperature and rate. Recent observations in [111] oriented γ' specimens suggest that additional dislocations with the shorter Burgers vector rvec b = a left-angle 100 right-angle might be active. Dislocations with rvec b = a left-angle 110 right-angle on cube glide planes have a Schmidt factor of 0.47 and on octahedral planes of 0.27. Dislocations with rvec b = a left-angle 100 right-angle have a Schmidt factor of 0.47 for {110} glide planes and 0.33 for cube glide planes. The a left-angle 100 right-angle Burgers vector is the shortest of all complete dislocations of the L1 2 structure and creates no planar fault like antiphase boundaries or stacking faults. Due to the [111] oriented stress axis, which is used in this contribution, plastic deformation by a left-angle 100 right-angle dislocations as well as cube glide planes for left-angle 110 right-angle dislocations is encouraged. These dislocations could be reaction products, but will soon after contribute to deformation

Study on Brewster angle thin film polarizer using hafnia-silica mixture as high-refractive-index material

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Nuo; Zhu, Meiping; Sun, Jian; Chai, Yingjie; Kui, Yi; Zhao, Yuanan; Shao, Jianda

2018-02-01

Two kinds of polarizer coatings were prepared by electron beam evaporation, using HfO2-SiO2 mixture and HfO2 as the high-refractive-index materials, respectively. The HfO2-SiO2 mixture layer was implemented by coevaporating SiO2 and metal Hf, the materials were deposited at an oxygen atmosphere to achieve stoichiometric coatings. The certain HfO2 and SiO2 content ratio is controlled by adjusting the deposition rate of HfO2 and SiO2 using individual quartz crystal monitor. The spectral performance, surface and interfacial properties, as well as the laser-induced damage performance were studied and compared. Comparing with polarizer coating using HfO2 as high-refractive-index material, the polarizer coating using HfO2-SiO2 mixture as high-refractive-index material shows better performance with broader polarizing bandwidth, lower surface roughness, better interfacial property while maintaining high laser-induced damage threshold.

In search of new structural states of exchangeable apolipoproteins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xicohtencatl-Cortes, J.; Castillo, R.; Mas-Oliva, J.

2004-01-01

Based upon state of the art biophysical experimentation, this article focuses on the different structural arrangements exchangeable apolipoproteins achieve when placed on Langmuir monolayers and subjected to changes in lateral pressure. We have studied the monolayers of apolipoproteins CI, CIII, AI, AII, and E that show as secondary structure a high percentage of amphipathic α-helix. This has been achieved employing techniques such as Brewster angle microscopy, synchrotron X-ray diffraction, and surface pressure measurements. In addition, the lateral order of protein arrays has been also studied by atomic force microscopy. These monolayers show that a phase transition from a two-dimensional disorder fluid to an ordered state is detected at relatively high lateral pressure, where unusual one-dimensional solid phases are discovered. While several helices that conform the apolipoprotein are confined to the interface, others are uniformly tilted toward the hydrophobic air or the phospholipid fatty acid chains. Our results suggest that a similar ordering might also occur when these apolipoproteins are attached to a lipoprotein particle such as a high density lipoprotein (HDL) particle. Therefore, changes from a nascent or discoidal HDL to a mature spherical HDL might in parallel involve structural changes as those described in our Langmuir interfaces. Current experimentation is being carried out in order to elucidate if the structural states already found are related to the efficiency of lipid transfer between lipoprotein particles or lipoproteins and the plasma membrane of cells, as well as receptor ligand recognition

Carbon Nanotubes and Algal Polysaccharides To Enhance the Enzymatic Properties of Urease in Lipid Langmuir-Blodgett Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigues, Raul T; Morais, Paulo V; Nordi, Cristina S F; Schöning, Michael J; Siqueira, José R; Caseli, Luciano

2018-03-06

Algal polysaccharides (extracellular polysaccharides) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were adsorbed on dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide Langmuir monolayers to serve as a matrix for the incorporation of urease. The physicochemical properties of the supramolecular system as a monolayer at the air-water interface were investigated by surface pressure-area isotherms, surface potential-area isotherms, interfacial shear rheology, vibrational spectroscopy, and Brewster angle microscopy. The floating monolayers were transferred to hydrophilic solid supports, quartz, mica, or capacitive electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor (EIS) devices, through the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique, forming mixed films, which were investigated by quartz crystal microbalance, fluorescence spectroscopy, and field emission gun scanning electron microscopy. The enzyme activity was studied with UV-vis spectroscopy, and the feasibility of the thin film as a urea sensor was essayed in an EIS sensor device. The presence of CNT in the enzyme-lipid LB film not only tuned the catalytic activity of urease but also helped to conserve its enzyme activity. Viability as a urease sensor was demonstrated with capacitance-voltage and constant capacitance measurements, exhibiting regular and distinctive output signals over all concentrations used in this work. These results are related to the synergism between the compounds on the active layer, leading to a surface morphology that allowed fast analyte diffusion owing to an adequate molecular accommodation, which also preserved the urease activity. This work demonstrates the feasibility of employing LB films composed of lipids, CNT, algal polysaccharides, and enzymes as EIS devices for biosensing applications.

Backscattered electron imaging at low emerging angles: A physical approach to contrast in LVSEM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cazaux, J., E-mail: jacques.cazaux@univ-reims.fr [LISM, EA 4695 Faculty of Sciences, BP 1039, 51687 Reims Cedex 2 (France); Kuwano, N. [Malaysia–Japan International Institute of Technology, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Jalan Semarak, 54100 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Sato, K. [Steel Research Laboratory, JFE Steel Corporation, 1 Kawasaki-cho, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-0835 (Japan)

2013-12-15

Due to the influence of refraction effects on the escape probability of the Back-Scattered Electrons (BSE), an expression of the fraction of these BSE is given as a function of the beam energy, E°, and emission angle (with respect to the normal) α. It has been shown that these effects are very sensitive to a local change of the work function in particular for low emerging angles. This sensitivity suggests a new type of contrast in Low Voltage Scanning Electron Microscopy (LVSEM for E°<2 keV): the work function contrast. Involving the change of ϕ with crystalline orientation, this possibility is supported by a new interpretation of a few published images. Some other correlated contrasts are also suggested. These are topographical contrasts or contrasts due to subsurface particles and cracks. Practical considerations of the detection system and its optimization are indicated. - Highlights: • Refraction effects experienced by Back-Scattered Electrons at sample/vacuum interfaces are evaluated as a function of energy and angles. • Sensitive to local work function changes with crystalline orientation these effects concern mainly keV-electrons at low emerging angles. • A new type of contrast in SEM is thus deduced and illustrated. • Some other correlated contrasts, topographical contrasts or contrasts due to subsurface particles and cracks are also suggested.

Innovative Strategies for Clinical Microscopy Instruction: Virtual Versus Light Microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

McDaniel, M Jane; Russell, Gregory B; Crandall, Sonia J

2018-06-01

The purpose of the study was to compare virtual microscopy with light microscopy to determine differences in learning outcomes and learner attitudes in teaching clinical microscopy to physician assistant (PA) students. A prospective, randomized, crossover design study was conducted with a convenience sample of 67 first-year PA students randomized to 2 groups. One group used light microscopes to find microscopic structures, whereas the other group used instructor-directed video streaming of microscopic elements. At the midpoint of the study, the groups switched instructional strategies. Learning outcomes were assessed via posttest after each section of the study, with comparison of final practical examination results to previous cohorts. Attitudes about the 2 educational strategies were assessed through a postcourse questionnaire with a Likert scale. Analysis of the first posttest demonstrated that students in the video-streamed group had significantly better learning outcomes than those in the light microscopy group (P = .004; Cohen's d = 0.74). Analysis of the posttest after crossover showed no differences between the 2 groups (P = .48). Between the 2 posttests, students first assigned to the light microscopy group scored a 6.6 mean point increase (±10.4 SD; p = .0011), whereas students first assigned to the virtual microscopy group scored a 1.3 mean point increase (±7.1 SD; p = .29). The light microscopy group improved more than the virtual microscopy group (P = .019). Analysis of practical examination data revealed higher scores for the study group compared with 5 previous cohorts of first-year students (P virtual microscopy to traditional light microscopy. Virtual microscopy is an effective educational strategy, and students prefer this method when learning to interpret images of clinical specimens.

Angle Performance on Optima XE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

David, Jonathan; Satoh, Shu

2011-01-01

Angle control on high energy implanters is important due to shrinking device dimensions, and sensitivity to channeling at high beam energies. On Optima XE, beam-to-wafer angles are controlled in both the horizontal and vertical directions. In the horizontal direction, the beam angle is measured through a series of narrow slits, and any angle adjustment is made by steering the beam with the corrector magnet. In the vertical direction, the beam angle is measured through a high aspect ratio mask, and any angle adjustment is made by slightly tilting the wafer platen during implant.Using a sensitive channeling condition, we were able to quantify the angle repeatability of Optima XE. By quantifying the sheet resistance sensitivity to both horizontal and vertical angle variation, the total angle variation was calculated as 0.04 deg. (1σ). Implants were run over a five week period, with all of the wafers selected from a single boule, in order to control for any crystal cut variation.

Biological Small Angle Scattering: Techniques, Strategies and Tips

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chaudhuri, Barnali [University at Buffalo (SUNY); Muñoz, Inés G. [Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Urban, Volker S. [ORNL; Qian, Shuo [ORNL

2017-12-01

This book provides a clear, comprehensible and up-to-date description of how Small Angle Scattering (SAS) can help structural biology researchers. SAS is an efficient technique that offers structural information on how biological macromolecules behave in solution. SAS provides distinct and complementary data for integrative structural biology approaches in combination with other widely used probes, such as X-ray crystallography, Nuclear magnetic resonance, Mass spectrometry and Cryo-electron Microscopy. The development of brilliant synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) beam lines has increased the number of researchers interested in solution scattering. SAS is especially useful for studying conformational changes in proteins, highly flexible proteins, and intrinsically disordered proteins. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) with neutron contrast variation is ideally suited for studying multi-component assemblies as well as membrane proteins that are stabilized in surfactant micelles or vesicles. SAS is also used for studying dynamic processes of protein fibrillation in amyloid diseases, and pharmaceutical drug delivery. The combination with size-exclusion chromatography further increases the range of SAS applications.The book is written by leading experts in solution SAS methodologies. The principles and theoretical background of various SAS techniques are included, along with practical aspects that range from sample preparation to data presentation for publication. Topics covered include techniques for improving data quality and analysis, as well as different scientific applications of SAS. With abundant illustrations and practical tips, we hope the clear explanations of the principles and the reviews on the latest progresses will serve as a guide through all aspects of biological solution SAS.The scope of this book is particularly relevant for structural biology researchers who are new to SAS. Advanced users of the technique will find it helpful for

Electron Source Brightness and Illumination Semi-Angle Distribution Measurement in a Transmission Electron Microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Börrnert, Felix; Renner, Julian; Kaiser, Ute

2018-05-21

The electron source brightness is an important parameter in an electron microscope. Reliable and easy brightness measurement routes are not easily found. A determination method for the illumination semi-angle distribution in transmission electron microscopy is even less well documented. Herein, we report a simple measurement route for both entities and demonstrate it on a state-of-the-art instrument. The reduced axial brightness of the FEI X-FEG with a monochromator was determined to be larger than 108 A/(m2 sr V).

Fe-Ti-O based catalyst for large-chiral-angle single-walled carbon nanotube growth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

He, Maoshuai; Zhang, Lili; Jiang, Hua

2016-01-01

Catalyst selection is very crucial for controlled growth of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). Here we introduce a well-designed Fe-Ti-O solid solution for SWNT growth with a high preference to large chiral angles. The Fe-Ti-O catalyst was prepared by combining Ti layer deposition onto premade...... Fe nanoparticles with subsequent high-temperature air calcination, which favours the formation of a homogeneous Fe-Ti-O solid solution. Using CO as the carbon feedstock, chemical vapour deposition growth of SWNTs at 800 °C was demonstrated on the Fe-Ti-O catalyst. Nanobeam electron diffraction...... characterization on a number of individual SWNTs revealed that more than 94% of SWNTs have chiral angles larger than 15°. In situ environmental transmission electron microscopy study was carried out to reveal the catalyst dynamics upon reduction. Our results identify that the phase segregation through reducing Fe...

Influence of substrate miscut angle on surface morphology and luminescence properties of AlGaN

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kusch, Gunnar; Edwards, Paul R.; Bruckbauer, Jochen; Martin, Robert W.; Li, Haoning; Parbrook, Peter J.; Sadler, Thomas C.

2014-01-01

The influence of substrate miscut on Al 0.5 Ga 0.5  N layers was investigated using cathodoluminescence (CL) hyperspectral imaging and secondary electron imaging in an environmental scanning electron microscope. The samples were also characterized using atomic force microscopy and high resolution X-ray diffraction. It was found that small changes in substrate miscut have a strong influence on the morphology and luminescence properties of the AlGaN layers. Two different types are resolved. For low miscut angle, a crack-free morphology consisting of randomly sized domains is observed, between which there are notable shifts in the AlGaN near band edge emission energy. For high miscut angle, a morphology with step bunches and compositional inhomogeneities along the step bunches, evidenced by an additional CL peak along the step bunches, are observed

Small angle neutron scattering and small angle X-ray scattering ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Abstract. The morphology of carbon nanofoam samples comprising platinum nanopar- ticles dispersed in the matrix was characterized by small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) techniques. Results show that the structure of pores of carbon matrix exhibits a mass (pore) fractal nature ...

The red, purple and blue modifications of polymeric unsymmetrical hydroxyalkadiynyl-N-arylcarbamate derivatives in Langmuir-Schaefer films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alekseev, Alexander, E-mail: alexanderalekseev@yandex.ru [A. M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119991 (Russian Federation); Ihalainen, Petri, E-mail: petri.ihalainen@abo.fi [Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Center for Functional Materials, Åbo Akademi University, Turku FI-20500 (Finland); Ivanov, Artem [A. M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119991 (Russian Federation); Domnin, Ivan [Department of Chemistry, St. Petersburg State University, Peterhof, St. Petersburg 198904 (Russian Federation); Klechkovskaya, Vera; Orekhov, Anton [Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography, Russian Academy of Science, Moscow 119333 (Russian Federation); NRC Kurchatov Institute, Moscow 123182 (Russian Federation); Lemmetyinen, Helge; Vuorimaa-Laukkanen, Elina [Department of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Tampere University of Technology, Tampere FI-33101 (Finland); Peltonen, Jouko [Laboratory of Physical Chemistry, Center for Functional Materials, Åbo Akademi University, Turku FI-20500 (Finland); Vyaz' min, Sergey [Laboratory of Nanobiotechnologies, St. Petersburg Academic University-Nanotechnology Research and Education Centre, Russian Academy of Science, St. Petersburg 194021 (Russian Federation)

2016-08-01

Solid topochemical photopolymerization (STP) of Langmuir-Schaefer films of a new class of unsymmetrical diynes, containing N-arylcarbamate groups in the hydrophobic part and hydroxymethylene groups in the hydrophilic part of the molecules was examined. In addition, the monomeric Langmuir monolayer formation was studied by Brewster angle microscopy and the surface morphology of monomer and polymer films on solid substrates were studied by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Three phases of polydiacetylene (PDA) (red, purple and blue) were observed after UV-light polymerization of above-mentioned films of alcohol diacetylene (DA) derivatives. The substitution of MeO group in the aryl ring substituent by hydrogen atom and the variation of the methylene group number in the hydrophobic part from 5 to 6 changed significantly the result of STP: instead of blue phase PDA observed for diynes with MeO group, the red phase PDA was observed for DA with H-atom from the very beginning of diyne film UV irradiation. For two other diynilic N-arylcarbamates of identical chemical structures except of the substituents in the aryl ring of hydrophobic parts of the molecules, no changes in the efficiency of polymerization or the position and shape of absorption bands were observed. This indicated the formation of the purple phase PDA. For these molecules, the number of methylene groups in hydrophobic and hydrophilic parts of the molecules was 9 and 2, respectively. - Highlights: • STP reaction of diacetylenes in LS films depends on number and ratio of CH{sub 2} groups. • Three phases of polydiacetylene (red, purple and blue) were observed in LS films. • Structural organization of the monomer film determines the type of polymer phase.

Analysis of dislocation loops by means of large-angle convergent beam electron diffraction

CERN Document Server

Jäger, C; Morniroli, J P; Jäger, W

2002-01-01

Diffusion-induced dislocation loops in GaP and GaAs were analysed by means of large-angle convergent beam electron diffraction (LACBED) and conventional contrast methods of transmission electron microscopy. It is demonstrated that LACBED is perfectly suited for use in analysing dislocation loops. The method combines analyses of the dislocation-induced splitting of Bragg lines in a LACBED pattern for the determination of the Burgers vector with analyses of the loop contrast behaviour in transmission electron microscopy bright-field images during tilt experiments, from which the habit plane of the dislocation loop is determined. Perfect dislocation loops formed by condensation of interstitial atoms or vacancies were found, depending on the diffusion conditions. The loops possess left brace 110 right brace-habit planes and Burgers vectors parallel to (110). The LACBED method findings are compared with results of contrast analyses based on the so-called 'inside-outside' contrast of dislocation loops. Advantages o...

Needle twins and right-angled twins in minerals: comparison between experiment and theory

Science.gov (United States)

Salje, E.K.H.; Buckley, A.; Van Tendeloo, G.; Ishibashi, Y.; Nord, G.L.

1998-01-01

Transformation twinning in minerals forms isolated twin walls, intesecting walls with corner junctions, and wedge-shaped twins as elements of hierarchical patterns. When cut perpendicular to the twin walls, the twins have characteristic shapes, right-angled and needle-shaped wall traces, which can be observed by transmission electron microscopy or by optical microscopy. Theoretical geometries of wall shapes recently derived for strain-related systems should hold for most displacive and order-disorder type phase transitions: 1) right-angled twins show curved junctions; 2) needle-shaped twins contain flat wall segments near the needle tip if the elastic behaviour of the mineral is dominated by its anisotroyp; 3) additional bending forces and pinning effects lead to curved walls near the junction that make the needle tip appear more blunt. Bent right-angled twins were analyzed in Gd2(MoO4)3. Linear needle tips were found in WO3, [N(CH3)4]2.ZnBr4 CrAl, BiVO4, GdBa2Cu3O7, and PbZrO. Parabolic tips occur in K2Ba(NO2)4, and GeTe whereas exponential curvatures appear in BaTiO3, KSCN, Pb3(PO4)2, CaTiO3, alkali feldspars, YBa2Cu3O7, and MnAl. The size and shape of the twin microstructure relates to its formation during the phase transition and the subsequent annealing history. The mobility of the twin walls after formation depends not only on the thermal activation but also on the structure of the wall, which may be pinned to impurities on a favorable structural site. Depinnign energies are often large compared with thermal energies for diffusion. This leads to kinetic time scales for twin coarsening that are comparable to geological time scales. Therefore, transformation twins that exhibit needle domains not only indicate that the mineral underwent a structural phase transition but also contain information about its subsequent geological history.

Limited angle STIM and PIXE tomography of single cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrea, T.; Rothermel, M.; Werner, R.; Butz, T.; Reinert, T.

2010-01-01

STIM (scanning transmission ion microscopy) tomography has been shown to be a valuable method for the three-dimensional characterization of microsamples. It has, however, rarely been employed for the study of single cells, since a free-standing sample is needed for an ordinary tomography experiment. This requirement places high demands on sample preparation techniques. In this study cells fixated on a substrate rather than free-standing were used for tomography. Since the substrate prevented a full rotation of the sample an algorithm for limited-angle tomography was devised. STIM projections covering only a limited angular range of ca. 120 o were supplemented with simulated projections generated from a back and forth iteration between real space and Radon space. The energy loss caused by the substrate was subtracted from each projection. The cells were reconstructed using filtered backprojection. The surface of the cells as well as some interior structures could be reconstructed. Following the STIM projections a lesser number of PIXE (particle induced X-ray emission) projections were taken in order to obtain information about the elemental distribution of the sample. From the PIXE projections the three-dimensional phosphorus distribution within the cell was reconstructed using limited-angle tomography. Superimposition of the STIM and PIXE tomograms revealed the location of intracellular structures. Whereas STIM tomography is sensitive to density contrast, which are greatest at the surface, PIXE tomography is sensitive to changes in elemental concentration. Hence, the combination of the two methods can be very fruitful, while the limited angle approach can compensate some of the difficulties associated with tomography of single cells, namely preparation difficulties and excessive sample damage.

Measurement of Antenna Bore-Sight Gain

Science.gov (United States)

Fortinberry, Jarrod; Shumpert, Thomas H.

2016-01-01

The absolute or free-field gain of a simple antenna can be approximated using standard antenna theory formulae or for a more accurate prediction, numerical methods may be employed to solve for antenna parameters including gain. Both of these methods will result in relatively reasonable estimates but in practice antenna gain is usually verified and documented via measurements and calibration. In this paper, a relatively simple and low-cost, yet effective means of determining the bore-sight free-field gain of a VHF/UHF antenna is proposed by using the Brewster angle relationship.

Research on disk amplifiers as polarizer of electro-optical switch

CERN Document Server

Zheng Kui Xing; Feng Bin; Zheng Jian; Dong Yun; Peng Zhi Tao; Lu Jing Ping; Jing Feng; Wei Xiao Feng

2002-01-01

It benefits to decrease the engineering cost and to debase the technical crisis by the polarizer composed of amplifier Nd sup 3 sup + : glass slabs located with the Brewster angle in large scale multi-passes laser facility. The relationships of the isolation efficiency with the numbers of slab, the growth of the amplifier and the switch efficiency of Pockels cell are calculated theoretically. The experimental results indicated that the output energy ratio of this Pockels cell-amplifier isolation system is 1 : 8 while Pockels cell is on and off

Sharper angle, higher risk? The effect of cutting angle on knee mechanics in invasion sport athletes.

Science.gov (United States)

Schreurs, Mervin J; Benjaminse, Anne; Lemmink, Koen A P M

2017-10-03

Cutting is an important skill in team-sports, but unfortunately is also related to non-contact ACL injuries. The purpose was to examine knee kinetics and kinematics at different cutting angles. 13 males and 16 females performed cuts at different angles (45°, 90°, 135° and 180°) at maximum speed. 3D kinematics and kinetics were collected. To determine differences across cutting angles (45°, 90°, 135° and 180°) and sex (female, male), a 4×2 repeated measures ANOVA was conducted followed by post hoc comparisons (Bonferroni) with alpha level set at α≤0.05a priori. At all cutting angles, males showed greater knee flexion angles than females (pcutting angles with no differences in the amount of knee flexion -42.53°±8.95°, females decreased their knee flexion angle from -40.6°±7.2° when cutting at 45° to -36.81°±9.10° when cutting at 90°, 135° and 180° (pcutting towards sharper angles (pcutting angles and then stabilized compared to the 45° cutting angle (pcutting to sharper angles (pcutting angles demand different knee kinematics and kinetics. Sharper cutting angles place the knee more at risk. However, females and males handle this differently, which has implications for injury prevention. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optical constants and band edge of amorphous zinc oxide thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khoshman, Jebreel M.; Kordesch, Martin E.

2007-01-01

The optical characteristics of amorphous zinc oxide (a-ZnO) thin films grown by radio frequency reactive magnetron sputtering on various substrates at temperature -8 -0.32, respectively. The band edge of the films on Si (100) and quartz has been determined by spectroscopic ellipsometry (3.39 ± 0.05 eV) and spectrophotometric (3.35 ± 0.05 eV) methods, respectively. From the angle dependence of the p-polarized reflectivity we deduce a Brewster angle of 60.5 deg. Measurement of the polarized optical properties shows a high transmissivity (81%-99%) and low absorptivity (< 5%) in the visible and near infrared regions at different angles of incidence. Also, we found that there was a higher absorptivity for wavelength < 370 nm. This wavelength, ∼ 370 nm, therefore indicated that the band edge for a-ZnO thin films is about 3.35 eV

The refractive index in electron microscopy and the errors of its approximations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lentzen, M.

2017-05-15

In numerical calculations for electron diffraction often a simplified form of the electron-optical refractive index, linear in the electric potential, is used. In recent years improved calculation schemes have been proposed, aiming at higher accuracy by including higher-order terms of the electric potential. These schemes start from the relativistically corrected Schrödinger equation, and use a second simplified form, now for the refractive index squared, being linear in the electric potential. The second and higher-order corrections thus determined have, however, a large error, compared to those derived from the relativistically correct refractive index. The impact of the two simplifications on electron diffraction calculations is assessed through numerical comparison of the refractive index at high-angle Coulomb scattering and of cross-sections for a wide range of scattering angles, kinetic energies, and atomic numbers. - Highlights: • The standard model for the refractive index in electron microscopy is investigated. • The error of the standard model is proportional to the electric potential squared. • Relativistically correct error terms are derived from the energy-momentum relation. • The errors are assessed for Coulomb scattering varying energy and atomic number. • Errors of scattering cross-sections are pronounced at large angles and attain 10%.

The refractive index in electron microscopy and the errors of its approximations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lentzen, M.

2017-01-01

In numerical calculations for electron diffraction often a simplified form of the electron-optical refractive index, linear in the electric potential, is used. In recent years improved calculation schemes have been proposed, aiming at higher accuracy by including higher-order terms of the electric potential. These schemes start from the relativistically corrected Schrödinger equation, and use a second simplified form, now for the refractive index squared, being linear in the electric potential. The second and higher-order corrections thus determined have, however, a large error, compared to those derived from the relativistically correct refractive index. The impact of the two simplifications on electron diffraction calculations is assessed through numerical comparison of the refractive index at high-angle Coulomb scattering and of cross-sections for a wide range of scattering angles, kinetic energies, and atomic numbers. - Highlights: • The standard model for the refractive index in electron microscopy is investigated. • The error of the standard model is proportional to the electric potential squared. • Relativistically correct error terms are derived from the energy-momentum relation. • The errors are assessed for Coulomb scattering varying energy and atomic number. • Errors of scattering cross-sections are pronounced at large angles and attain 10%.

Sample Preparation and Mounting of Drosophila Embryos for Multiview Light Sheet Microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmied, Christopher; Tomancak, Pavel

2016-01-01

Light sheet fluorescent microscopy (LSFM), and in particular its most widespread flavor Selective Plane Illumination Microscopy (SPIM), promises to provide unprecedented insights into developmental dynamics of entire living systems. By combining minimal photo-damage with high imaging speed and sample mounting tailored toward the needs of the specimen, it enables in toto imaging of embryogenesis with high spatial and temporal resolution. Drosophila embryos are particularly well suited for SPIM imaging because the volume of the embryo does not change from the single cell embryo to the hatching larva. SPIM microscopes can therefore image Drosophila embryos embedded in rigid media, such as agarose, from multiple angles every few minutes from the blastoderm stage until hatching. Here, we describe sample mounting strategies to achieve such a recording. We also provide detailed protocols to realize multiview, long-term, time-lapse recording of Drosophila embryos expressing fluorescent markers on the commercially available Zeiss Lightsheet Z.1 microscope and the OpenSPIM.

Progress in the Correlative Atomic Force Microscopy and Optical Microscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lulu Zhou

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Atomic force microscopy (AFM has evolved from the originally morphological imaging technique to a powerful and multifunctional technique for manipulating and detecting the interactions between molecules at nanometer resolution. However, AFM cannot provide the precise information of synchronized molecular groups and has many shortcomings in the aspects of determining the mechanism of the interactions and the elaborate structure due to the limitations of the technology, itself, such as non-specificity and low imaging speed. To overcome the technical limitations, it is necessary to combine AFM with other complementary techniques, such as fluorescence microscopy. The combination of several complementary techniques in one instrument has increasingly become a vital approach to investigate the details of the interactions among molecules and molecular dynamics. In this review, we reported the principles of AFM and optical microscopy, such as confocal microscopy and single-molecule localization microscopy, and focused on the development and use of correlative AFM and optical microscopy.

Survival and Growth of Cottonwood Clones After Angle Planting and Base Angle Treatments

Science.gov (United States)

W.K. Randall; Harvey E. Kennedy

1976-01-01

Presently, commercial cottonwood plantations in the lower Mississippi Valley are established using vertically planted, unrooted cuttings with a flat (90°) base. Neither survival nor first-year growth of a group of six Stoneville clones was improved by angle planting or cutting base angles diagonally. For one clone, survival was significantly better when base angle was...

Nondestructive hydrogen analysis of steam-oxidized Zircaloy-4 by wide-angle neutron scattering

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Yong; Qian, Shuo; Garrison, Ben; Smith, Tyler; Kim, Peter

2018-04-01

A nondestructive neutron scattering method to precisely measure the hydrogen content in high-temperature steam-oxidized Zircaloy-4 cladding was developed. Zircaloy-4 cladding was used to produce hydrided specimens with hydrogen content up to ≈500 wppm. Following hydrogen charging, the hydrogen content of the hydrided specimens was measured using the vacuum hot extraction method, by which the samples with desired hydrogen concentrations were selected for the neutron study. The hydrided samples were then oxidized in steam up to ≈6.0 wt. % at 1100 °C. Optical microscopy shows that our hydriding procedure results in uniform distribution of circumferential hydrides across the wall thickness, and uniform oxide layers were formed on the sample surfaces by the steam oxidation. Small- and wide-angle neutron scattering were simultaneously performed to provide a quick (less than an hour per sample) measurement of the hydrogen content in various types of hydrided and oxidized Zircaloy-4. Our study demonstrates that the hydrogen in pre-oxidized Zircaloy-4 cladding can be measured very accurately by both small- and wide-angle neutron scattering. For steam-oxidized samples, the small-angle neutron scattering is contaminated with coherent scattering from additional structural features induced by the steam oxidation. However, the scattering intensity of the wide-angle neutron scattering increases proportionally with the hydrogen charged in the samples. The hydrogen content and wide-angle neutron scattering intensity are highly linearly correlated for the oxidized cladding samples examined in this work, and can be used to precisely determine the hydrogen content in steam-oxidized Zircaloy-4 samples. Hydrogen contents determined by neutron scattering of oxidation samples were also found to be consistent with the results of chemical analysis within acceptable margins for error.

Gold coated metal nanostructures grown by glancing angle deposition and pulsed electroplating

Science.gov (United States)

Grüner, Christoph; Reeck, Pascal; Jacobs, Paul-Philipp; Liedtke, Susann; Lotnyk, Andriy; Rauschenbach, Bernd

2018-05-01

Nickel based nanostructures are grown by glancing angle deposition (GLAD) on flat and pre-patterned substrates. These fabricated porous thin films were subsequently coated by pulsed electroplating with gold. The morphology and conformity of the gold coating were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Controlled growth of closed gold layers on the nanostructures could be achieved, while the open-pore structure of the nanosculptured thin films was preserved. Such gold coated nanostructures are a candidate for optical sensing and catalysis applications. The demonstrated method can be applied for numerous material combinations, allowing to provide GLAD thin films with new surface properties.

Morphological study of polymer surfaces exposed to non-thermal plasma based on contact angle and the use of scaling laws

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Felix, T., E-mail: tsfelix81@gmail.com [Chemistry Department, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Campus Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC (Brazil); Cassini, F.A.; Benetoli, L.O.B. [Chemistry Department, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Campus Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC (Brazil); Dotto, M.E.R. [Physics Department, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Campus Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC (Brazil); Debacher, N.A. [Chemistry Department, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Campus Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC (Brazil)

2017-05-01

Highlights: • Polymeric surfaces were etched using non-thermal plasma at different intensities. • Polymers of low mechanical hardness reached the saturation level faster. • A mathematical model based on scaling laws was proposed. - Abstract: The experiments presented in this communication have the purpose to elaborate an explanation for the morphological evolution of the growth of polymeric surfaces provided by the treatment of non-thermal plasma. According to the roughness analysis and the model proposed by scaling laws it is possible relate to a predictable or merely random effect. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and poly(etherether)ketone (PEEK) samples were exposed to a non-thermal plasma discharge and the resulting surfaces roughness were analyzed based on the measurements from contact angle, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy coupled with scaling laws analysis which can help to describe and understand the dynamic of formation of a wide variety of rough surfaces. The roughness, R{sub RMS} (RMS- Root Mean Square) values for polymer surface range between 19.8 nm and 110.9 nm. The contact angle and the AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy) measurements as a function of the plasma exposure time were in agreement with both polar and dispersive components according to the surface roughness and also with the morphology evaluated described by Wolf-Villain model, with proximate values of α between 0.91{sub (PET)} and 0.88{sub (PEEK)}, β = 0.25{sub (PET)} and z = 3,64{sub (PET)}.

Morphological study of polymer surfaces exposed to non-thermal plasma based on contact angle and the use of scaling laws

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Felix, T.; Cassini, F.A.; Benetoli, L.O.B.; Dotto, M.E.R.; Debacher, N.A.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Polymeric surfaces were etched using non-thermal plasma at different intensities. • Polymers of low mechanical hardness reached the saturation level faster. • A mathematical model based on scaling laws was proposed. - Abstract: The experiments presented in this communication have the purpose to elaborate an explanation for the morphological evolution of the growth of polymeric surfaces provided by the treatment of non-thermal plasma. According to the roughness analysis and the model proposed by scaling laws it is possible relate to a predictable or merely random effect. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and poly(etherether)ketone (PEEK) samples were exposed to a non-thermal plasma discharge and the resulting surfaces roughness were analyzed based on the measurements from contact angle, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy coupled with scaling laws analysis which can help to describe and understand the dynamic of formation of a wide variety of rough surfaces. The roughness, R_R_M_S (RMS- Root Mean Square) values for polymer surface range between 19.8 nm and 110.9 nm. The contact angle and the AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy) measurements as a function of the plasma exposure time were in agreement with both polar and dispersive components according to the surface roughness and also with the morphology evaluated described by Wolf-Villain model, with proximate values of α between 0.91_(_P_E_T_) and 0.88_(_P_E_E_K_), β = 0.25_(_P_E_T_) and z = 3,64_(_P_E_T_).

A high resolution electron microscopy investigation of curvature in multilayer graphite sheets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zhenxia; Hu Jun; Wang Wenmin; Yu Guoqing

1998-01-01

Here the authors report a carbon sample generated by ultrasonic wave high oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) in ethanol, water or ethanol-water mixed solution. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) revealed many multilayer graphite sheets with a total curved angle that is multiples of θ 0 (= 30 degree C). Close examination of the micrographs showed that the curvature is accomplished by bending the lattice planes. A possible explanation for the curvature in multilayer graphite sheets is discussed based on the conformation of graphite symmetry axes and the formation of sp 3 -like line defects in the sp 2 graphitic network

French Society of Microscopy, 10. conference; Societe Francaise des Microscopies, 10. colloque

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thibault-Penisson, J; Cremer, Ch; Susini, J; Kirklanda, A I; Rigneault, H; Renault, O; Bailly, A; Zagonel, L F; Barrett, N; Bogner, A; Gauthier, C; Jouneau, P H; Thollet, G; Fuchs, G; Basset, D; Deconihout, B; Vurpillot, F; Vella, A; Matthieu, G; Cadel, E; Bostel, A; Blavette, D; Baumeister, W; Usson, Y; Zaefferer, St; Laffont, L; Weyland, M; Thomas, J M; Midgley, P; Benlekbir, S; Epicier, Th; Diop, B N; Roux, St; Ou, M; Perriat, P; Bausach, M; Aouine, M; Berhault, G; Idrissi, H; Cottevieille, M; Jonic, S; Larquet, E; Svergun, D; Vannoni, M A; Boisset, N; Ersena, O; Werckmann, J; Ulhaq, C; Hirlimann, Ch; Tihay, F; Cuong, Pham-Huu; Crucifix, C; Schultz, P; Jornsanoha, P; Thollet, G; Masenelli-Varlot, K; Gauthier, C; Ludwig, W; King, A; Johnson, G; Gonzalves-Hoennicke, M; Reischig, P; Messaoudi, C; Ibrahim, R; Marco, S; Klie, R F; Zhao, Y; Yang, G; Zhu, Y; Hue, F; Hytch, M; Hartmann, J M; Bogumilowicz, Y; Claverie, A; Klein, H; Alloyeau, D; Ricolleau, C; Langlois, C; Le Bouar, Y; Loiseau, A; Colliex, C; Stephan, O; Kociak, M; Tence, M; Gloter, A; Imhoff, D; Walls, M; Nelayah, J; March, K; Couillard, M; Ailliot, C; Bertin, F; Cooper, D; Rivallin, P; Dumelie, N; Benhayoune, H; Balossier, G; Cheynet, M; Pokrant, S; Tichelaar, F; Rouviere, J L; Cooper, D; Truche, R; Chabli, A; Debili, M Y; Houdellier, F; Warot-Fonrose, B; Hytch, M J; Snoeck, E; Calmels, L; Serin, V; Schattschneider, P; Jacob, D; Cordier, P

2007-07-01

This document gathers the resumes of some of the presentations made at this conference whose aim was to present the last developments and achievements of the 3 complementary microscopies: optical microscopy, electron microscopy and X-ray microscopy. The contributions have been organized around the following 12 topics: 1) new technical developments, 2) 3-dimensional imaging, 3) quantitative microscopy, 4) technical progress in photon microscopy, 5) synchrotron radiation, 6) measurements of patterns, deformations and strains, 7) materials for energy and transports, 8) nano-structures, 9) virus: structure and infection mechanisms, 10) 3-dimensional imaging for molecules, cells and cellular tissues, 11) nano-particles and colloids, and 12) liquid crystals.

Prospective case series on trabecular-iris angle status after an acute episode of phacomorphic angle closure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacky Lee

2013-02-01

Full Text Available AIM:To investigate the trabecular-iris angle with ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM post cataract extraction after an acute attack of phacomorphic angle closure.METHODS: This prospective study involved 10 cases of phacomorphic angle closure that underwent cataract extraction and intraocular lens insertion after intraocular pressure (IOP lowering. Apart from visual acuity and IOP, the trabecular-iris angle was measured by gonioscopy and UBM at 3 months post attack.RESULTS: In 10 consecutive cases of acute phacomorphic angle closure from December 2009 to December 2010, gonioscopic findings showed peripheral anterior synechiae (PAS ≤ 90° in 30% of phacomorphic patients and a mean Shaffer grading of (3.1±1.0. UBM showed a mean angle of (37.1°±4.5° in the phacomorphic eye with the temporal quadrant being the most opened and (37.1°±8.0° in the contralateral uninvolved eye. The mean time from consultation to cataract extraction was (1.4±0.7 days and the mean total duration of phacomorphic angle closure was (3.6±2.8 days but there was no correlation to the degree of angle closure on UBM (Spearman correlation P=0.7. The presenting mean IOP was (50.5±7.4 mmHg and the mean IOP at 3 months was (10.5±3.4 mmHg but there were no correlations with the degree of angle closure (Spearman correlations P=0.9.CONCLUSION:An open trabecular-iris angle and normal IOP can be achieved after an acute attack of phacomorphic angle closure if cataract extraction is performed within 1 day - 2 days after IOP control. Gonioscopic findings were in agreement with UBM, which provided a more specific and object angle measurement. The superior angle is relatively more narrowed compared to the other quadrants. All contralateral eyes in this series had open angles.

Atomic origin of the scanning tunneling microscopy images of charge-density-waves on 1T-TaSe{sub 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stoltz, D. [Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9504, 2300 RA Leiden (Netherlands)], E-mail: stoltz@physics.leidenuniv.nl; Bielmann, M.; Schlapbach, L. [Swiss Federal Lab for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA), CH-8600 Duebendorf (Switzerland); Bovet, M. [Institut de Physique, Universite de Neuchatel, CH-2000 Neuchatel (Switzerland); Berger, H. [Institut de Physique Appliquee, EPF, 1015 Lausanne (Switzerland); Goethelid, M. [Materialfysik, MAP, KTH-Electrum, SE-16440 Kista (Sweden); Stoltz, S.E. [MAX-Lab, Lund University, SE-22100 Lund (Sweden); Starnberg, H.I. [Department of Physics, Goeteborg University and Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Goeteborg (Sweden)

2008-07-01

We show atomically resolved scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) images of charge density waves (CDWs) at room temperature together with angle-resolved photoelectron band-mapping of 1T-TaSe{sub 2}. By comparing the results of these two techniques, we demonstrate the atomic structure of the CDW-features observed by the STM and atomic origin of the reconstructed band-structure in this material.

Phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation in primary angle-closure suspect, primary angle-closure and primary angle-closure glaucoma with cataract

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kun Zeng

2013-08-01

Full Text Available AIM: To evaluate the features and clinical outcomes of cataract extraction by phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation in primary angle-closure suspect(PACS, primary angle-closure(PACand primary angle-closure glaucoma(PACGwith cataract.METHODS:Phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation was performed on 86 cases(86 eyesdiagnosed as PACS, PAC and PACG co-existing cataract from January to December 2012. All cases were followed up for 3 months to 1 year. Pre-operative and post-operative visual acuity, intraocular pressure(IOP, gonioscopy, ultrasound biomicroscopy(UBM, visual field and usage of anti-glaucomaous eye drops were recorded.RESULTS:Zonular dialysis existed in 19 eyes(22%. The post-operative visual acuity improved in 84 eyes(98%. The post-operative visual acuity was CONCLUSION: PACS, PAC and PACG co-existing zonular dialysis is common. Phacoemulsification with IOL implantation can reduce IOP, deepen anterior chamber and open angle.

A robotized six degree of freedom stage for optical microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Avramov, M. Z.; Ivanov, I.; Pavlov, V.; Zaharieva, K.

2013-04-01

This work represents an investigation of the possibility to use a hexapod system for optical microscopy investigation and measurements. An appropriate hexapod stage has been developed. The stage has been calibrated and used for several different optical microscopy applications. The construction of the stage is based on the classic Stewart platform and thus represents a parallel robot with 6 degree of freedom. Appropriate software is controlling the transformation of the 3 position coordinates of the moving plate and the 3 Euler angles in position velocities and accelerations of the plate motion. An embedded microcontroller is implementing the motion plan and the PID controller regulating the kinematics. By difference to the available in the market hexapods the proposed solution is with lower precision but is significantly cheaper and simple to maintain. The repeatability obtained with current implementation is 0,05 mm and 0,001 rad. A specialized DSP based video processing engine is used for both feedback computation and application specific image processing in real-time. To verify the concept some applications has been developed for specific tasks and has been used for specific measurements.

Small angle spectrometers: Summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Courant, E.; Foley, K.J.; Schlein, P.E.

1986-01-01

Aspects of experiments at small angles at the Superconducting Super Collider are considered. Topics summarized include a small angle spectrometer, a high contingency spectrometer, dipole and toroid spectrometers, and magnet choices

Demonstration of angle widening using EyeCam after laser peripheral iridotomy in eyes with angle closure.

Science.gov (United States)

Perera, Shamira A; Quek, Desmond T; Baskaran, Mani; Tun, Tin A; Kumar, Rajesh S; Friedman, David S; Aung, Tin

2010-06-01

To evaluate EyeCam in detecting changes in angle configuration after laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) in comparison to gonioscopy, the reference standard. Prospective comparative study. Twenty-four subjects (24 eyes) with primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) were recruited. Gonioscopy and EyeCam (Clarity Medical Systems) imaging of all 4 angle quadrants were performed, before and 2 weeks after LPI. Images were graded according to angle structures visible by an observer masked to clinical data or the status of LPI, and were performed in a random order. Angle closure in a quadrant was defined as the inability to visualize the posterior trabecular meshwork. We determined the number of quadrants with closed angles and the mean number of clock hours of angle closure before and after LPI in comparison to gonioscopy. Using EyeCam, all 24 eyes showed at least 1 quadrant of angle widening after LPI. The mean number of clock hours of angle closure decreased significantly, from 8.15 +/- 3.47 clock hours before LPI to 1.75 +/- 2.27 clock hours after LPI (P gonioscopy showed 1.0 +/- 1.41 (95% CI, 0.43-1.57) quadrants opening from closed to open after LPI compared to 2.0 +/- 1.28 (95% CI, 1.49-2.51, P = .009) quadrants with EyeCam. Intra-observer reproducibility of grading the extent of angle closure in clock hours in EyeCam images was moderate to good (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.831). EyeCam may be used to document changes in angle configuration after LPI in eyes with PACG. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Electron diffraction and microscopy study of the structure and microstructure of the hexagonal perovskite Ba3Ti2MnO9

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maunders, C.

2007-01-01

This paper reports a structural and microstructural investigation of the hexagonal perovskite Ba 3 Ti 2 MnO 9 using electron microscopy and diffraction. Convergent-beam electron diffraction (CBED) revealed the structure has the noncentrosymmetric space group P6 3 mc (186) at room temperature and at ∝ 110 K. Compared with the centrosymmetric parent structure BaTiO 3 , with space group P6 3 /mmc, this represents a break in mirror symmetry normal to the c axis. This implies the Ti and Mn atoms are ordered on alternate octahedral sites along the left angle 0001 right angle direction in Ba 3 Ti 2 MnO 9 . Using high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM), we observed occasional 6H/12R interfaces on (0001) planes, however, no antiphase boundaries were observed, as were seen in Ba 3 Ti 2 RuO 9 . Using powder X-ray Rietveld refinement we have measured the lattice parameters from polycrystalline samples to be a=5.6880±0.0005, c=13.9223±0.0015 Aa at room temperature. (orig.)

Coherent light microscopy

CERN Document Server

Ferraro, Pietro; Zalevsky, Zeev

2011-01-01

This book deals with the latest achievements in the field of optical coherent microscopy. While many other books exist on microscopy and imaging, this book provides a unique resource dedicated solely to this subject. Similarly, many books describe applications of holography, interferometry and speckle to metrology but do not focus on their use for microscopy. The coherent light microscopy reference provided here does not focus on the experimental mechanics of such techniques but instead is meant to provide a users manual to illustrate the strengths and capabilities of developing techniques. Th

Behavior of Tilted Angle Shear Connectors

Science.gov (United States)

Khorramian, Koosha; Maleki, Shervin; Shariati, Mahdi; Ramli Sulong, N. H.

2015-01-01

According to recent researches, angle shear connectors are appropriate to transfer longitudinal shear forces across the steel-concrete interface. Angle steel profile has been used in different positions as L-shaped or C-shaped shear connectors. The application of angle shear connectors in tilted positions is of interest in this study. This study investigates the behaviour of tilted-shaped angle shear connectors under monotonic loading using experimental push out tests. Eight push-out specimens are tested to investigate the effects of different angle parameters on the ultimate load capacity of connectors. Two different tilted angles of 112.5 and 135 degrees between the angle leg and steel beam are considered. In addition, angle sizes and lengths are varied. Two different failure modes were observed consisting of concrete crushing-splitting and connector fracture. By increasing the size of connector, the maximum load increased for most cases. In general, the 135 degrees tilted angle shear connectors have a higher strength and stiffness than the 112.5 degrees type. PMID:26642193

Behavior of Tilted Angle Shear Connectors.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koosha Khorramian

Full Text Available According to recent researches, angle shear connectors are appropriate to transfer longitudinal shear forces across the steel-concrete interface. Angle steel profile has been used in different positions as L-shaped or C-shaped shear connectors. The application of angle shear connectors in tilted positions is of interest in this study. This study investigates the behaviour of tilted-shaped angle shear connectors under monotonic loading using experimental push out tests. Eight push-out specimens are tested to investigate the effects of different angle parameters on the ultimate load capacity of connectors. Two different tilted angles of 112.5 and 135 degrees between the angle leg and steel beam are considered. In addition, angle sizes and lengths are varied. Two different failure modes were observed consisting of concrete crushing-splitting and connector fracture. By increasing the size of connector, the maximum load increased for most cases. In general, the 135 degrees tilted angle shear connectors have a higher strength and stiffness than the 112.5 degrees type.

Analysis of dislocation loops by means of large-angle convergent beam electron diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaeger, Ch; Spiecker, E; Morniroli, J P; Jaeger, W

2002-01-01

Diffusion-induced dislocation loops in GaP and GaAs were analysed by means of large-angle convergent beam electron diffraction (LACBED) and conventional contrast methods of transmission electron microscopy. It is demonstrated that LACBED is perfectly suited for use in analysing dislocation loops. The method combines analyses of the dislocation-induced splitting of Bragg lines in a LACBED pattern for the determination of the Burgers vector with analyses of the loop contrast behaviour in transmission electron microscopy bright-field images during tilt experiments, from which the habit plane of the dislocation loop is determined. Perfect dislocation loops formed by condensation of interstitial atoms or vacancies were found, depending on the diffusion conditions. The loops possess {110}-habit planes and Burgers vectors parallel to (110). The LACBED method findings are compared with results of contrast analyses based on the so-called 'inside-outside' contrast of dislocation loops. Advantages of the LACBED method consist in the possibility of determining the complete Burgers vector of the dislocation loops and of an unambiguous and fast loop type analysis

Sensitive singular-phase optical detection without phase measurements with Tamm plasmons

Science.gov (United States)

Boriskina, Svetlana V.; Tsurimaki, Yoichiro

2018-06-01

Spectrally-tailored interactions of light with material interfaces offer many exciting applications in sensing, photo-detection, and optical energy conversion. In particular, complete suppression of light reflectance at select frequencies accompanied by sharp phase variations in the reflected signal forms the basis for the development of ultra-sensitive singular-phase optical detection schemes such as Brewster and surface plasmon interferometry. However, both the Brewster effect and surface-plasmon-mediated absorption on planar interfaces are limited to one polarization of the incident light and oblique excitation angles, and may have limited bandwidth dictated by the material dielectric index and plasma frequency. To alleviate these limitations, we design narrow-band super-absorbers composed of plasmonic materials embedded into dielectric photonic nanostructures with topologically-protected interfacial Tamm plasmon states. These structures have planar geometry and do not require nanopatterning to achieve perfect absorption of both polarizations of the incident light in a wide range of incident angles, including the normal incidence. Their absorption lines are tunable across a very broad spectral range via engineering of the photon bandstructure of the dielectric photonic nanostructures to achieve reversal of the geometrical phase across the interface with the plasmonic absorber. We outline the design strategy to achieve perfect absorptance in Tamm structures with dissipative losses via conjugate impedance matching. We further demonstrate via modeling how these structures can be engineered to support sharp asymmetric amplitude resonances, which can be used to improve the sensitivity of optical sensors in the amplitude-only detection scheme that does not require use of bulky and expensive ellipsometry equipment.

Fibrillization kinetics of insulin solution in an interfacial shearing flow

Science.gov (United States)

Balaraj, Vignesh; McBride, Samantha; Hirsa, Amir; Lopez, Juan

2015-11-01

Although the association of fibril plaques with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's is well established, in-depth understanding of the roles played by various physical factors in seeding and growth of fibrils is far from well known. Of the numerous factors affecting this complex phenomenon, the effect of fluid flow and shear at interfaces is paramount as it is ubiquitous and the most varying factor in vivo. Many amyloidogenic proteins have been found to denature upon contact at hydrophobic interfaces due to the self-assembling nature of protein in its monomeric state. Here, fibrillization kinetics of insulin solution is studied in an interfacial shearing flow. The transient surface rheological response of the insulin solution to the flow and its effect on the bulk fibrillization process has been quantified. Minute differences in hydrophobic characteristics between two variants of insulin- Human recombinant and Bovine insulin are found to result in very different responses. Results presented will be in the form of fibrillization assays, images of fibril plaques formed, and changes in surface rheological properties of the insulin solution. The interfacial velocity field, measured from images (via Brewster Angle Microscopy), is compared with computations. Supported by NNX13AQ22G, National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Surface Properties of Squalene/Meibum Films and NMR Confirmation of Squalene in Tears

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Slavyana Ivanova

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Squalene (SQ possesses a wide range of pharmacological activities (antioxidant, drug carrier, detoxifier, hydrating, emollient that can be of benefit to the ocular surface. It can come in contact with human meibum (hMGS; the most abundant component of the tear film lipid layer as an endogenous tear lipid or from exogenous sources as eyelid sebum or pharmaceuticals. The aims of this study were to determine (i if SQ is in tear lipids and (ii its influence on the surface properties of hMGS films. Heteronuclear single quantum correlation NMR confirmed 7 mol % SQ in Schirmer’s strips extracts. The properties of SQ/hMGS pseudo-binary films at the air/water interface were studied with Langmuir surface balance, stress-relaxation dilatational rheology and Brewster angle microscopy. SQ does not possess surfactant properties. When mixed with hMGS squalene (i localized over the layers’ thinner regions and (ii did not affect the film pressure at high compression. Therefore, tear SQ is unlikely to instigate dry eye, and SQ can be used as a safe and “inert” ingredient in formulations to protect against dry eye. The layering of SQ over the thinner film regions in addition to its pharmacological properties could contribute to the protection of the ocular surface.

Preparation and morphological and optical characterization of azo-polymer-based SiO2 sonogel hybrid composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morales-Saavedra, Omar G; Ontiveros-Barrera, Fernando G; Torres-Zúñiga, Vicente; Guadalupe-Bañuelos, José; Ortega-Martínez, Roberto; Rivera, Ernesto; García, Tonatiuh

2009-01-01

The well-established catalyst-free sonogel route was successfully implemented to fabricate highly pure, optically active, solid state polymeric azo- dye/SiO 2 -based hybrid composites. Bulk samples exhibit controllable geometrical shapes and monolithic structure with variable dopant concentrations. Since the implemented azo-dye chromophores exhibit a push–pull structure, hybrid film samples were spin-coated on ITO-covered glass substrates; molecular alignment was then performed via electrical poling in order to explore the quadratic nonlinear optical performance of this kind of composite. Comprehensive morphological, spectroscopic and optical characterization of the samples were performed with several experimental techniques: atomic force microscopy, x-ray diffraction and infrared, Raman, photoluminescent and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopies. The linear refractive indices of both bulk and thin film samples were measured according to the Brewster angle technique and a numerical analysis of the transmission spectral data, respectively. Regardless of the low glass transition temperatures of the studied polymers, some hybrid film samples were able to display stable nonlinear optical activity such as second harmonic generation. Results show that the chromophores were satisfactorily embedded into the highly pure SiO 2 sonogel network without significant guest–host molecular interactions, thus preserving their optical properties and producing sol–gel hybrid glasses suitable for optical applications

Nano-and microstructure of air/oil/water interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McGillivray, D.; Mata, J.; White, J.; Zank, J.

2009-01-01

Full text: We report the creation of air/oil/water interfaces with variable thickness oil films, using polyisobutylen based (PIB) surfactants co-spread with long-chain paraffinic alkanes on clean water surfaces. The resultant stable oil layers are readily measurable with simple surface techniques, exhibit physical densities the same as expected for bulk oils, and are up to - 1 00 A thick above the water surface as determined using x-ray reflectometry. This provides a ready system for studying the competition of surfactants at the oil/water interface. Results from the competition of a non-ionic polyamide surfactant or an anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate with the PIB surfactant are reported. However, this smooth oil layer does not account for the total volume of spread oil, nor is the increase in thickness proportional to the film compression. Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) reveals surfactant and oil structures on the scale of 1 to 10μm at the interface. At low surface pressure (π m Nm-1) large, -10μm inhomogeneities are observed. Beyond a phase transition observed at ∼ 24 m Nm-1 a structure with a spongy appearance and a micron-scale texture develops. These structures have implications for understanding the microstructure at the oil/water interface in emulsions.

Interaction of 3‧,4‧,6‧-trimyristoyl-uridine derivative as potential anticancer drug with phospholipids of tumorigenic and non-tumorigenic cells

Science.gov (United States)

Salis, Luiz Fernando Grosso; Jaroque, Guilherme Nuñez; Escobar, Jhon Fernando Berrío; Giordani, Cristiano; Martinez, Alejandro Martinez; Fernández, Diana Margarita Márquez; Castelli, Francesco; Sarpietro, Maria Grazia; Caseli, Luciano

2017-12-01

Investigating the mechanism of action of drugs whose pharmaceutical activity is associated with cell membranes is fundamental to comprehending the biochemical and biophysical processes that occur on membrane surfaces. In this work, we investigated the interaction of an ester-type derivative of uridine, 3‧,4‧,6‧-trimyristoyl uridine, with models for cell membranes formed by lipid monolayers at the air-water interface. For that, selected lipids have been chosen in order to mimic tumorigenic and non-tumorigenic cells. For mixed monolayers with 2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) or 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-L-serine (DPPS), the surface pressure-area isotherms exhibited a noticeable shift to lower areas in relation to the areas predicted for ideal mixtures, indicating a condensation of the monolayer structure. Changes in the viscoelastic properties of the interfacial film could be inferred by analyzing the compressibility modulus of the monolayer. Structural and morphological changes were also evidenced by using vibrational spectroscopy and Brewster angle microscopy, respectively, with distinctive effects on DPPC and DPPS. As conclusion we can state that the lipid composition of the monolayer modulates the interaction with this lipophilic drug, which may have important implications in understanding how this drug acts on specific sites of the cellular membrane.

The impact of inlet angle and outlet angle of guide vane on pump in reversal based hydraulic turbine performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi, F X; Yang, J H; Wang, X H; Zhang, R H; Li, C E

2012-01-01

In this paper, in order to research the impact of inlet angle and outlet angle of guide vane on hydraulic turbine performance, a centrifugal pump in reversal is adopted as turbine. A numerical simulation method is adopted for researching outer performance and flow field of turbine. The results show: inlet angle has a crucial role to turbine, to the same flow, there is a noticeable decline for the efficiency and head of turbine with the inlet angle increases. At the best efficiency point(EFP),to a same inlet angle, when the inlet angle greater than inlet angle, velocity circulation in guide vane outlet decreases, which lead the efficiency of turbine to reduce, Contrarily, the efficiency rises. With the increase of inlet angle and outlet angle, the EFP moves to the big flow area and the uniformity of pressure distribution becomes worse. The paper indicates that the inlet angle and outlet angle have great impact on the turbine performance, and the best combination exists for the inlet angle and outlet angle of the guide vane.

Adsorption and enzyme activity of asparaginase at lipid Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rocha Junior, Carlos da; Caseli, Luciano

2017-01-01

In this present work, the surface activity of the enzyme asparaginase was investigated at the air-water interface, presenting surface activity in high ionic strengths. Asparaginase was incorporated in Langmuir monolayers of the phospholipid dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), forming a mixed film, which was characterized with surface pressure-area isotherms, surface potential-area isotherms, polarization-modulated infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS), and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM). The adsorption of the enzyme at the air-water interface condensed the lipid monolayer and increased the film compressibility at high surface pressures. Amide bands in the PM-IRRAS spectra were identified, with the C−N and C =O dipole moments lying parallel to monolayer plane, revealing the structuring of the enzyme into α-helices and β-sheets. The floating monolayers were transferred to solid supports as Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films and characterized with fluorescence spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. Catalytic activities of the films were measured and compared to the homogenous medium. The enzyme accommodated in the LB films preserved more than 78% of the enzyme activity after 30 days, in contrast for the homogeneous medium, which preserved less than 13%. The method presented in this work not only allows for an enhanced catalytic activity, but also can help explain why certain film architectures exhibit better performance. - Highlights: • Biomembranes are mimicked with Langmuir monolayers. • Asparaginase is incorporated into the lipid monolayer. • Enzyme adsorption is confirmed with tensiometry and infrared spectroscopy. • Langmuir-Blodgett films of the enzyme present enzyme activity.

Adsorption and enzyme activity of asparaginase at lipid Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rocha Junior, Carlos da; Caseli, Luciano, E-mail: lcaseli@unifesp.br

2017-04-01

In this present work, the surface activity of the enzyme asparaginase was investigated at the air-water interface, presenting surface activity in high ionic strengths. Asparaginase was incorporated in Langmuir monolayers of the phospholipid dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), forming a mixed film, which was characterized with surface pressure-area isotherms, surface potential-area isotherms, polarization-modulated infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS), and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM). The adsorption of the enzyme at the air-water interface condensed the lipid monolayer and increased the film compressibility at high surface pressures. Amide bands in the PM-IRRAS spectra were identified, with the C−N and C =O dipole moments lying parallel to monolayer plane, revealing the structuring of the enzyme into α-helices and β-sheets. The floating monolayers were transferred to solid supports as Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films and characterized with fluorescence spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. Catalytic activities of the films were measured and compared to the homogenous medium. The enzyme accommodated in the LB films preserved more than 78% of the enzyme activity after 30 days, in contrast for the homogeneous medium, which preserved less than 13%. The method presented in this work not only allows for an enhanced catalytic activity, but also can help explain why certain film architectures exhibit better performance. - Highlights: • Biomembranes are mimicked with Langmuir monolayers. • Asparaginase is incorporated into the lipid monolayer. • Enzyme adsorption is confirmed with tensiometry and infrared spectroscopy. • Langmuir-Blodgett films of the enzyme present enzyme activity.

Workshop Proceedings of the Conference on Solid State Tunable Lasers Held at Hampton, Virginia on 13-15 June 1984.

Science.gov (United States)

1985-07-01

The first attempt replaced the rear mirror with a porro prism . This helped average the high and low gain areas, broke up the lowest order laser modes...with an argon or krypton ion laser. The typical experimental set-up is shown in Fig. 9. The tuning element is a Brewster-angle prism or a two-plate...MirrarM 2 Diode 6elcis N3.WI% fucm T r, a & m T9S% r2* m I #JM I G2 FFcat for t Fig. 9: Typical resonator for testing laser action in Cr-doped crystals

Time-resolved GISAXS and cryo-microscopy characterization of block copolymer membrane formation

KAUST Repository

Marques, Debora S.; Dorin, Rachel Mika; Wiesner, Ulrich B.; Smilgies, Detlef Matthias; Behzad, Ali Reza; Vainio, Ulla; Peinemann, Klaus-Viktor; Nunes, Suzana Pereira

2014-01-01

Time-resolved grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) and cryo-microscopy were used for the first time to understand the pore evolution by copolymer assembly, leading to the formation of isoporous membranes with exceptional porosity and regularity. The formation of copolymer micelle strings in solution (in DMF/DOX/THF and DMF/DOX) was confirmed by cryo field emission scanning electron microscopy (cryo-FESEM) with a distance of 72 nm between centers of micelles placed in different strings. SAXS measurement of block copolymer solutions in DMF/DOX indicated hexagonal assembly with micelle-to-micelle distance of 84-87 nm for 14-20 wt% copolymer solutions. GISAXS in-plane peaks were detected, revealing order close to hexagonal. The d-spacing corresponding to the first peak in this case was 100-130 nm (lattice constant 115-150 nm) for 17 wt% copolymer solutions evaporating up to 100 s. Time-resolved cryo-FESEM showed the formation of incipient pores on the film surface after 4 s copolymer solution casting with distances between void centers of 125 nm. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Time-resolved GISAXS and cryo-microscopy characterization of block copolymer membrane formation

KAUST Repository

Marques, Debora S.

2014-03-01

Time-resolved grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) and cryo-microscopy were used for the first time to understand the pore evolution by copolymer assembly, leading to the formation of isoporous membranes with exceptional porosity and regularity. The formation of copolymer micelle strings in solution (in DMF/DOX/THF and DMF/DOX) was confirmed by cryo field emission scanning electron microscopy (cryo-FESEM) with a distance of 72 nm between centers of micelles placed in different strings. SAXS measurement of block copolymer solutions in DMF/DOX indicated hexagonal assembly with micelle-to-micelle distance of 84-87 nm for 14-20 wt% copolymer solutions. GISAXS in-plane peaks were detected, revealing order close to hexagonal. The d-spacing corresponding to the first peak in this case was 100-130 nm (lattice constant 115-150 nm) for 17 wt% copolymer solutions evaporating up to 100 s. Time-resolved cryo-FESEM showed the formation of incipient pores on the film surface after 4 s copolymer solution casting with distances between void centers of 125 nm. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of the incidence angle on the morphology of enamel and dentin under Er:YAG laser irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Junqueira Junior, Duilio Naves

2002-01-01

The purpose of this study is to make an in vitro evaluation, using scanning electron microscopy, of the influence of the laser beam irradiation angle on the enamel and dentin morphology. These tissues were both irradiated by Er:YAG Laser, with the same energy parameter. Twenty-four incisive bovine teeth were used, separated in eight groups, four of enamel, and four of dentin, with three specimens in each group. Each specimen was submitted to three laser applications, varying the incidence angle, between the laser and the tooth surface, at 90, 50 and 20 degrees. The applied frequency was 2 Hz, with 20 pulses in each application. The KaVo Key Laser 3 was employed, wavelength at 2940 nm, adjustable energy from 40 to 600 mJ and repetition rate from 1 to 25 Hz. The groups were distributed according to the energy parameter as follows - enamel: 250 mJ; 300 mJ; 350 mJ and 400 mJ; dentin: 200 mJ; 250 mJ; 300 mJ and 350 mJ. The results evidenced the Laser incidence angle importance; it is an essential parameter in the protocol of utilization and it should not be disregarded. The observations of this study allow to conclude that the Laser incidence angle has direct influence on the morphological aspect of the alterations produced in enamel and dentin. (author)

Calibration-free quantitative surface topography reconstruction in scanning electron microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Faber, E T; Martinez-Martinez, D; Mansilla, C; Ocelík, V; Hosson, J Th M De

2015-01-01

This work presents a new approach to obtain reliable surface topography reconstructions from 2D Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images. In this method a set of images taken at different tilt angles are compared by means of digital image correlation (DIC). It is argued that the strength of the method lies in the fact that precise knowledge about the nature of the rotation (vector and/or magnitude) is not needed. Therefore, the great advantage is that complex calibrations of the measuring equipment are avoided. The paper presents the necessary equations involved in the methods, including derivations and solutions. The method is illustrated with examples of 3D reconstructions followed by a discussion on the relevant experimental parameters. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In vivo confocal microscopy appearance of Fusarium and Aspergillus species in fungal keratitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chidambaram, Jaya Devi; Prajna, Namperumalsamy Venkatesh; Larke, Natasha; Macleod, David; Srikanthi, Palepu; Lanjewar, Shruti; Shah, Manisha; Lalitha, Prajna; Elakkiya, Shanmugam; Burton, Matthew J

2017-08-01

Clinical outcomes in fungal keratitis vary between Fusarium and Aspergillus spp, therefore distinguishing between species using morphological features such as filament branching angles, sporulation along filaments (adventitious sporulation) or dichotomous branching may be useful. In this study, we assessed these three features within Heidelberg Retina Tomograph 3 in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) images from culture-positive Fusarium and Aspergillus spp keratitis participants. Prospective observational cohort study in Aravind Eye Hospital (February 2011-February 2012). Eligibility criteria: age ≥18 years, stromal infiltrate ≥3 mm diameter, Fusarium or Aspergillus spp culture-positive. previous/current herpetic keratitis, visual acuity 80% corneal thinning. IVCM was performed and images analysed for branch angle, presence/absence of adventitious sporulation or dichotomous branching by a grader masked to the microbiological diagnosis. 98 participants were included (106 eligible, 8 excluded as no measurable branch angles); 68 were positive for Fusarium spp, 30 for Aspergillus spp. Mean branch angle for Fusarium spp was 59.7° (95% CI 57.7° to 61.8°), and for Aspergillus spp was 63.3° (95% CI 60.8° to 65.8°), p=0.07. No adventitious sporulation was detected in Fusarium spp ulcers. Dichotomous branching was detected in 11 ulcers (7 Aspergillus spp, 4 Fusarium spp). There was very little difference in the branching angle of Fusarium and Aspergillus spp. Adventitious sporulation was not detected and dichotomous branching was infrequently seen. Although IVCM remains a valuable tool to detect fungal filaments in fungal keratitis, it cannot be used to distinguish Fusarium from Aspergillus spp and culture remains essential to determine fungal species. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Mechanisms of decoherence in electron microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Howie, A

2011-06-01

The understanding and where possible the minimisation of decoherence mechanisms in electron microscopy were first studied in plasmon loss, diffraction contrast images but are of even more acute relevance in high resolution TEM phase contrast imaging and electron holography. With the development of phase retrieval techniques they merit further attention particularly when their effect cannot be eliminated by currently available energy filters. The roles of electronic excitation, thermal diffuse scattering, transition radiation and bremsstrahlung are examined here not only in the specimen but also in the electron optical column. Terahertz-range aloof beam electronic excitation appears to account satisfactorily for recent observations of decoherence in electron holography. An apparent low frequency divergence can emerge for the calculated classical bremsstrahlung event probability but can be ignored for photon wavelengths exceeding the required coherence distance or path lengths in the equipment. Most bremsstrahlung event probabilities are negligibly important except possibly in large-angle bending magnets or mandolin systems. A more reliable procedure for subtracting thermal diffuse scattering from diffraction pattern intensities is proposed. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mechanisms of decoherence in electron microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Howie, A., E-mail: ah30@cam.ac.uk [Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J.J. Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE (United Kingdom)

2011-06-15

The understanding and where possible the minimisation of decoherence mechanisms in electron microscopy were first studied in plasmon loss, diffraction contrast images but are of even more acute relevance in high resolution TEM phase contrast imaging and electron holography. With the development of phase retrieval techniques they merit further attention particularly when their effect cannot be eliminated by currently available energy filters. The roles of electronic excitation, thermal diffuse scattering, transition radiation and bremsstrahlung are examined here not only in the specimen but also in the electron optical column. Terahertz-range aloof beam electronic excitation appears to account satisfactorily for recent observations of decoherence in electron holography. An apparent low frequency divergence can emerge for the calculated classical bremsstrahlung event probability but can be ignored for photon wavelengths exceeding the required coherence distance or path lengths in the equipment. Most bremsstrahlung event probabilities are negligibly important except possibly in large-angle bending magnets or mandolin systems. A more reliable procedure for subtracting thermal diffuse scattering from diffraction pattern intensities is proposed.

Mechanisms of decoherence in electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Howie, A.

2011-01-01

The understanding and where possible the minimisation of decoherence mechanisms in electron microscopy were first studied in plasmon loss, diffraction contrast images but are of even more acute relevance in high resolution TEM phase contrast imaging and electron holography. With the development of phase retrieval techniques they merit further attention particularly when their effect cannot be eliminated by currently available energy filters. The roles of electronic excitation, thermal diffuse scattering, transition radiation and bremsstrahlung are examined here not only in the specimen but also in the electron optical column. Terahertz-range aloof beam electronic excitation appears to account satisfactorily for recent observations of decoherence in electron holography. An apparent low frequency divergence can emerge for the calculated classical bremsstrahlung event probability but can be ignored for photon wavelengths exceeding the required coherence distance or path lengths in the equipment. Most bremsstrahlung event probabilities are negligibly important except possibly in large-angle bending magnets or mandolin systems. A more reliable procedure for subtracting thermal diffuse scattering from diffraction pattern intensities is proposed.

Exfoliation of GaAs caused by MeV 1H and 4He ion implantation at left angle 100 right angle , left angle 110 right angle axial and random orientations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rauhala, E.; Raeisaenen, J.

1994-01-01

The exfoliation procedure of the ion range determination of gaseous implants in single crystal GaAs is investigated. The correlation of the observed crater depth with the ion range is studied for random, left angle 100 right angle and left angle 110 right angle axial orientation high dose implantations of 1.5-2.5 MeV 1 H and 4 He ions. Depending on the experimental conditions, the crater depths corresponded to range values between the modal range and the range maximum. The observed crater depths could be related to the actual He concentration depth distributions by determining the profiles of the 4 He implants by 2.7 MeV proton backscattering. The implantation parameters affecting the exfoliation process, and especially the increase rate of the sample temperature, are investigated. The range distribution parameters for the 1.5 MeV 4 He implants are presented. ((orig.))

Wafer scale oblique angle plasma etching

Science.gov (United States)

Burckel, David Bruce; Jarecki, Jr., Robert L.; Finnegan, Patrick Sean

2017-05-23

Wafer scale oblique angle etching of a semiconductor substrate is performed in a conventional plasma etch chamber by using a fixture that supports a multiple number of separate Faraday cages. Each cage is formed to include an angled grid surface and is positioned such that it will be positioned over a separate one of the die locations on the wafer surface when the fixture is placed over the wafer. The presence of the Faraday cages influences the local electric field surrounding each wafer die, re-shaping the local field to be disposed in alignment with the angled grid surface. The re-shaped plasma causes the reactive ions to follow a linear trajectory through the plasma sheath and angled grid surface, ultimately impinging the wafer surface at an angle. The selected geometry of the Faraday cage angled grid surface thus determines the angle at with the reactive ions will impinge the wafer.

Angles in hyperbolic lattices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Risager, Morten S.; Södergren, Carl Anders

2017-01-01

It is well known that the angles in a lattice acting on hyperbolic n -space become equidistributed. In this paper we determine a formula for the pair correlation density for angles in such hyperbolic lattices. Using this formula we determine, among other things, the asymptotic behavior of the den......It is well known that the angles in a lattice acting on hyperbolic n -space become equidistributed. In this paper we determine a formula for the pair correlation density for angles in such hyperbolic lattices. Using this formula we determine, among other things, the asymptotic behavior...... of the density function in both the small and large variable limits. This extends earlier results by Boca, Pasol, Popa and Zaharescu and Kelmer and Kontorovich in dimension 2 to general dimension n . Our proofs use the decay of matrix coefficients together with a number of careful estimates, and lead...

Optimum Tilt Angle at Tropical Region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S Soulayman

2015-02-01

Full Text Available : One of the important parameters that affect the performance of a solar collector is its tilt angle with the horizon. This is because of the variation of tilt angle changes the amount of solar radiation reaching the collector surface. Meanwhile, is the rule of thumb, which says that solar collector Equator facing position is the best, is valid for tropical region? Thus, it is required to determine the optimum tilt as for Equator facing and for Pole oriented collectors. In addition, the question that may arise: how many times is reasonable for adjusting collector tilt angle for a definite value of surface azimuth angle? A mathematical model was used for estimating the solar radiation on a tilted surface, and to determine the optimum tilt angle and orientation (surface azimuth angle for the solar collector at any latitude. This model was applied for determining optimum tilt angle and orientation in the tropical zones, on a daily basis, as well as for a specific period. The optimum angle was computed by searching for the values for which the radiation on the collector surface is a maximum for a particular day or a specific period. The results reveal that changing the tilt angle 12 times in a year (i.e. using the monthly optimum tilt angle maintains approximately the total amount of solar radiation near the maximum value that is found by changing the tilt angle daily to its optimum value. This achieves a yearly gain in solar radiation of 11% to 18% more than the case of a solar collector fixed on a horizontal surface.

Anterior chamber configuration in patients with glaucoma: MR gonioscopy evaluation with half-Fourier single-shot RARE sequence and microscopy coil.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanitame, Keizo; Sasaki, Ko; Sone, Takashi; Uyama, Shinji; Sumida, Masumi; Ichiki, Toshio; Ito, Katsuhide

2008-10-01

The purpose of the study was to determine the accuracy of half-Fourier single-shot rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement high-spatial-resolution magnetic resonance (MR) imaging performed with a microscopy coil in the diagnosis of narrow anterior chamber angle in patients with glaucoma. Slit-lamp biomicroscopy served as the reference standard. The institutional review board approved this study, and written informed consent was obtained from the 20 recruited patients. There was excellent agreement between MR gonioscopy and slit-lamp biomicroscopy in the classification of anterior chamber angles as narrow or open (kappa = 0.89 [95% confidence interval: 0.69, 1.10]). MR gonioscopy has substantial potential as a technique used to evaluate glaucoma. (c) RSNA, 2008.

New microscopy for nanoimaging

CERN Document Server

Kinjo, Y; Watanabe, M

2002-01-01

Two types of new microscopy, namely, X-ray contact microscopy (XRCM) in combination with atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray projection microscopy (XRPM) using synchrotron radiation and zone plate optics were used to image the fine structures of human chromosomes. In the XRCM plus AFM system, location of X-ray images on a photoresist has become far easier than that with our previous method using transmission electron microscopy coupled with the replica method. In addition, the images obtained suggested that the conformation of chromatin fiber differs from the current textbook model regarding the architecture of a eukaryotic chromosome. X-ray images with high contrast of the specimens could be obtained with XRPM. The resolution of each microscopy was about 30 and 200-300 nm for XRCM plus AFM and XRPM, respectively. (author)

Graphene-enabled electron microscopy and correlated super-resolution microscopy of wet cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Wojcik, Michal; Hauser, Margaret; Li, Wan; Moon, Seonah; Xu, Ke

2015-06-11

The application of electron microscopy to hydrated biological samples has been limited by high-vacuum operating conditions. Traditional methods utilize harsh and laborious sample dehydration procedures, often leading to structural artefacts and creating difficulties for correlating results with high-resolution fluorescence microscopy. Here, we utilize graphene, a single-atom-thick carbon meshwork, as the thinnest possible impermeable and conductive membrane to protect animal cells from vacuum, thus enabling high-resolution electron microscopy of wet and untreated whole cells with exceptional ease. Our approach further allows for facile correlative super-resolution and electron microscopy of wet cells directly on the culturing substrate. In particular, individual cytoskeletal actin filaments are resolved in hydrated samples through electron microscopy and well correlated with super-resolution results.

Calcium detection in secretion granules of avian oviduct by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makita, T.; Hatsuoka, M.; Sugi, Y.

1983-01-01

Secretion granules in the shell gland, isthmus, and albumin-secreting region of the hen oviduct were analyzed with WET-scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and EDX, a combination of wide-angle backscattered electron detector (BED) and energy-dispersive X-ray microanalyzer (EDX). Glutaraldehyde-fixed but unhydrated, unstained, and uncoated samples were analyzed; Ca was localized in all secretion granules in all three sections of the hen oviduct studied

Laser peripheral iridoplasty for angle-closure.

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Wai Siene; Ang, Ghee Soon; Azuara-Blanco, Augusto

2012-02-15

Angle-closure glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness in the world. Treatment is aimed at opening the anterior chamber angle and lowering the IOP with medical and/or surgical treatment (e.g. trabeculectomy, lens extraction). Laser iridotomy works by eliminating pupillary block and widens the anterior chamber angle in the majority of patients. When laser iridotomy fails to open the anterior chamber angle, laser iridoplasty may be recommended as one of the options in current standard treatment for angle-closure. Laser peripheral iridoplasty works by shrinking and pulling the peripheral iris tissue away from the trabecular meshwork. Laser peripheral iridoplasty can be used for crisis of acute angle-closure and also in non-acute situations.   To assess the effectiveness of laser peripheral iridoplasty in the treatment of narrow angles (i.e. primary angle-closure suspect), primary angle-closure (PAC) or primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) in non-acute situations when compared with any other intervention. In this review, angle-closure will refer to patients with narrow angles (PACs), PAC and PACG. We searched CENTRAL (which contains the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Group Trials Register) (The Cochrane Library 2011, Issue 12), MEDLINE (January 1950 to January 2012), EMBASE (January 1980 to January 2012), Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences (LILACS) (January 1982 to January 2012), the metaRegister of Controlled Trials (mRCT) (www.controlled-trials.com), ClinicalTrials.gov (www.clinicaltrials.gov) and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (www.who.int/ictrp/search/en). There were no date or language restrictions in the electronic searches for trials. The electronic databases were last searched on 5 January 2012. We included only randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in this review. Patients with narrow angles, PAC or PACG were eligible. We excluded studies that included only patients with acute presentations

Angle parameter changes of phacoemulsification and combined phacotrabeculectomy for acute primary angle closure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shi-Wei Li

2015-08-01

Full Text Available AIM: To evaluate the difference in angle parameters and clinical outcome following phacoemulsification and combined phacotrabeculectomy in patients with acute primary angle closure (APAC using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM.METHODS: Patients (n=23, 31 eyes were randomized to receive phacoemulsification or combined phacotrabeculectomy (n=24, 31 eyes. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA, intraocular pressure (IOP, the main complications following surgery, and indentation gonioscopy and angle parameters measured using UBM were documented preoperatively and postoperatively.RESULTS:The improvement in BCVA in the phacoemulsification group was significantly greater than in the combined group (P<0.05. IOP in the phacoemulsification group was slightly higher than in the combined group following 1wk of follow-up (P<0.05, whereas there was no significant difference between the two groups at the latter follow-up (P>0.05. Phacoemulsification alone resulted in a slight increase in the trabecular ciliary processes distance compared with the combined surgery (P<0.05, whereas the other angle parameters showed no significant difference between the groups. Complications in combined group were greater than phacoemulsification only group.CONCLUSION:Both surgeries effectively opened the drainage angle and deepened the anterior chamber, and IOP was well controlled postoperatively. However, phacoemulsification showed better efficacy in improving visual function and showed reduced complications following surgery.

Electron microscopy of surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venables, J.A.

1981-01-01

Electron beam techniques used to study clean surfaces and surface processes on a microscopic scale are reviewed. Recent experimental examples and possible future developments are discussed. Special emphasis is given to (i) transmission diffraction and microscopy techniques, including atomic imaging; (ii) Auger microscopy on bulk and thin film samples; (iii) secondary electron microscopy, especially low energy secondaries for work-function imaging and photoelectron imaging; and (iv) reflection electron microscopy and diffraction. (orig.)

Effect of stacking angles on mechanical properties and damage propagation of plain woven carbon fiber laminates

Science.gov (United States)

Zhuang, Weimin; Ao, Wenhong

2018-03-01

Damage propagation induced failure is a predominant damage mechanism. This study is aimed at assessing the damage state and damage propagation induced failure with different stacking angles, of woven carbon fiber/epoxy laminates subjected to quasi-static tensile and bending load. Different stages of damage processing and damage behavior under the bending load are investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The woven carbon fiber/epoxy laminates which are stacked at six different angles (0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 75°) with eight plies have been analyzed: [0]8, [15]8, [30]8, [45]8, [60]8, [75]8. Three-point bending test and quasi-static tensile test are used in validating the woven carbon fiber/epoxy laminates’ mechanical properties. Furthermore, the damage propagation and failure modes observed under flexural loading is correlated with flexural force and load-displacement behaviour respectively for the laminates. The experimental results have indicated that [45]8 laminate exhibits the best flexural performance in terms of energy absorption duo to its pseudo-ductile behaviour but the tensile strength and flexural strength drastically decreased compared to [0]8 laminate. Finally, SEM micrographs of specimens and fracture surfaces are used to reveal the different types of damage of the laminates with different stacking angles.

Uncertainty in T1 mapping using the variable flip angle method with two flip angles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schabel, Matthias C; Morrell, Glen R

2009-01-01

Propagation of errors, in conjunction with the theoretical signal equation for spoiled gradient echo pulse sequences, is used to derive a theoretical expression for uncertainty in quantitative variable flip angle T 1 mapping using two flip angles. This expression is then minimized to derive a rigorous expression for optimal flip angles that elucidates a commonly used empirical result. The theoretical expressions for uncertainty and optimal flip angles are combined to derive a lower bound on the achievable uncertainty for a given set of pulse sequence parameters and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). These results provide a means of quantitatively determining the effect of changing acquisition parameters on T 1 uncertainty. (note)

Adsorption of modified dextrins on molybdenite: AFM imaging, contact angle, and flotation studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Beaussart, Audrey; Parkinson, Luke; Mierczynska-Vasilev, Agnieszka; Beattie, David A

2012-02-15

The adsorption of three dextrins (a regular wheat dextrin, Dextrin TY, carboxymethyl (CM) Dextrin, and hydroxypropyl (HP) Dextrin) on molybdenite has been investigated using adsorption isotherms, tapping mode atomic force microscopy (TMAFM), contact angle measurements, and dynamic bubble-surface collisions. In addition, the effect of the polymers on the flotation recovery of molybdenite has been determined. The isotherms revealed the importance of molecular weight in determining the adsorbed amounts of the polymers on molybdenite at plateau coverage. TMAFM revealed the morphology of the three polymers, which consisted of randomly dispersed domains with a higher area fraction of surface coverage for the substituted dextrins. The contact angle of polymer-treated molybdenite indicated that polymer layer coverage and hydration influenced the mineral surface hydrophobicity. Bubble-surface collisions indicated that the polymers affected thin film rupture and dewetting rate differently, correlating with differences in the adsorbed layer morphology. Direct correlations were found between the surface coverage of the adsorbed layers, their impact on thin film rupture time, and their impact on flotation recovery, highlighting the paramount role of the polymer morphology in the bubble/particle attachment process and subsequent flotation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mosaicing of single plane illumination microscopy images using groupwise registration and fast content-based image fusion

Science.gov (United States)

Preibisch, Stephan; Rohlfing, Torsten; Hasak, Michael P.; Tomancak, Pavel

2008-03-01

Single Plane Illumination Microscopy (SPIM; Huisken et al., Nature 305(5686):1007-1009, 2004) is an emerging microscopic technique that enables live imaging of large biological specimens in their entirety. By imaging the living biological sample from multiple angles SPIM has the potential to achieve isotropic resolution throughout even relatively large biological specimens. For every angle, however, only a relatively shallow section of the specimen is imaged with high resolution, whereas deeper regions appear increasingly blurred. In order to produce a single, uniformly high resolution image, we propose here an image mosaicing algorithm that combines state of the art groupwise image registration for alignment with content-based image fusion to prevent degrading of the fused image due to regional blurring of the input images. For the registration stage, we introduce an application-specific groupwise transformation model that incorporates per-image as well as groupwise transformation parameters. We also propose a new fusion algorithm based on Gaussian filters, which is substantially faster than fusion based on local image entropy. We demonstrate the performance of our mosaicing method on data acquired from living embryos of the fruit fly, Drosophila, using four and eight angle acquisitions.

Preparation of high-quality ultrathin transmission electron microscopy specimens of a nanocrystalline metallic powder.

Science.gov (United States)

Riedl, Thomas; Gemming, Thomas; Mickel, Christine; Eymann, Konrad; Kirchner, Alexander; Kieback, Bernd

2012-06-01

This article explores the achievable transmission electron microscopy specimen thickness and quality by using three different preparation methods in the case of a high-strength nanocrystalline Cu-Nb powder alloy. Low specimen thickness is essential for spatially resolved analyses of the grains in nanocrystalline materials. We have found that single-sided as well as double-sided low-angle Ar ion milling of the Cu-Nb powders embedded into epoxy resin produced wedge-shaped particles of very low thickness (coating on the sections consisting of epoxy deployed as the embedding material and considerable nanoscale thickness variations. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Experimental investigation of high He/dpa microstructural effects in neutron irradiated B-alloyed Eurofer97 steel by means of small angle neutron scattering (SANS and electron microscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Coppola

2016-12-01

Full Text Available High He/dpa microstructural effects have been investigated, by means of small-angle neutron scattering (SANS and transmission electron microscopy (TEM, in B-alloyed ferritic/martensitic steel Eurofer97-1 (0.12 C, 9 Cr, 0.2V, 1.08W wt%, B contents variable between 10 and 1000ppm, neutron irradiated at the High Flux Reactor of the JRC-Petten at temperatures between 250 °C and 450 °C, up do a dose level of 16 dpa. Under these irradiation parameters, B activation is expected to produce corresponding helium contents variable between 80 and 5600appm, with helium bubble distributions relevant for the technological applications. The SANS measurements were carried out under magnetic field to separate nuclear and magnetic SANS components; a reference, un-irradiated sample was also measured to evaluate as accurately as possible the genuine effect of the irradiation on the microstructure. Increasing the estimated helium content from 400 to 5600appm, the analysis of the SANS cross-sections yields an increase in the volume fraction, attributed to helium bubbles, of almost one order of magnitude (from 0.007 to 0.038; furthermore, the difference between nuclear and magnetic SANS components is strongly reduced. These results are discussed in correlation with TEM observations of the same samples and are tentatively attributed to the effect of drastic microstructural changes in Eurofer97-1 for high He/dpa ratio values, possibly relating to the dissolution of large B-carbides due to transmutation reactions.

Implant Angle Monitor System of MC3-II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, Fumiaki; Sano, Makoto; Nakaoka, Hiroaki; Fujii, Yoshito; Kudo, Tetuya; Nakanishi, Makoto; Koike, Masazumi; Fujino, Yasushi

2008-01-01

Precise implant angle control is required for the latest generation of ion implanters to meet further shrink semiconductor device requirements. Especially, the highest angle accuracy is required for Halo implant process of Logic devices. The Halo implant angle affects the device performance, because slight differences of beam divergence change the overlap profile towards the extension. Additionally, twist angle accuracy is demanded in case of channeling angle implant. Therefore monitoring beam angles and wafer twist angles is important. A new monitoring system for the MC3-II, SEN Corp.'s single wafer type medium current implanter has been developed. This paper describes the angle control performance and monitoring system of the MC3-II. For the twist angle control, we developed a wafer notch angle monitor. The system monitors the wafer notch image on the platen. And the notch angle variation is calculated by using image processing method. It is also able to adjust the notch angle according to the angle error. For the tilt angle control, we developed a vertical beam profile monitor. The monitor system can detect beam profile of vertical directions with horizontally scanning beam. It also measures beam angles of a tilt direction to a wafer. The system configuration and sample beam data are presented.

X-ray microscopy in Aarhus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uggerhoej, Erik; Abraham-Peskir, Joanna V.

2000-01-01

The Aarhus imaging soft X-ray microscope is now a busy multi-user facility. The optical set-up will be described and project highlights discussed. a) Metal-induced structural changes in whole cells in solution. The effects of aluminum, copper, nickel and zinc on protozoa investigated by using a combination of light microscopy, confocal scanning laser microscopy and X-ray microscopy. b) Botanical studies by X-ray microscopy used to compliment electron microscopy studies. c) Sludge morphology and iron precipitation in Danish freshwater plants by combining X-ray, scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy

Transmission acoustic microscopy investigation

Science.gov (United States)

Maev, Roman; Kolosov, Oleg; Levin, Vadim; Lobkis, Oleg

The nature of acoustic contrast, i.e. the connection of the amplitude and phase of the output signal of the acoustic microscope with the local values of the acoustic parameters of the sample (density, elasticity, viscosity) is a central problem of acoustic microscopy. A considerable number of studies have been devoted to the formation of the output signal of the reflection scanning acoustic microscope. For the transmission acoustic microscope (TAM) this problem has remained almost unstudied. Experimental investigation of the confocal system of the TAM was carried out on an independently manufactured laboratory mockup of the TAM with the working frequency of the 420 MHz. Acoustic lenses with the radius of curvature of about 500 microns and aperture angle of 45 deg were polished out in the end faces of two cylindrical sound conductors made from Al2O3 single crystals with an axis parallel to the axis C of the crystal (the length of the sound conductor is 20 mm; diameter, 6 mm). At the end faces of the sound conductor, opposite to the lenses, CdS transducers with a diameter of 2 mm were disposed. The electric channel of the TAM provided a possibility for registering the amplitude of the microscope output signal in the case of the dynamic range of the 50 dB.

Dimensions and Global Twist of Single-Layer DNA Origami Measured by Small-Angle X-ray Scattering.

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Matthew A B; Tuckwell, Andrew J; Berengut, Jonathan F; Bath, Jonathan; Benn, Florence; Duff, Anthony P; Whitten, Andrew E; Dunn, Katherine E; Hynson, Robert M; Turberfield, Andrew J; Lee, Lawrence K

2018-06-04

The rational design of complementary DNA sequences can be used to create nanostructures that self-assemble with nanometer precision. DNA nanostructures have been imaged by atomic force microscopy and electron microscopy. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) provides complementary structural information on the ensemble-averaged state of DNA nanostructures in solution. Here we demonstrate that SAXS can distinguish between different single-layer DNA origami tiles that look identical when immobilized on a mica surface and imaged with atomic force microscopy. We use SAXS to quantify the magnitude of global twist of DNA origami tiles with different crossover periodicities: these measurements highlight the extreme structural sensitivity of single-layer origami to the location of strand crossovers. We also use SAXS to quantify the distance between pairs of gold nanoparticles tethered to specific locations on a DNA origami tile and use this method to measure the overall dimensions and geometry of the DNA nanostructure in solution. Finally, we use indirect Fourier methods, which have long been used for the interpretation of SAXS data from biomolecules, to measure the distance between DNA helix pairs in a DNA origami nanotube. Together, these results provide important methodological advances in the use of SAXS to analyze DNA nanostructures in solution and insights into the structures of single-layer DNA origami.

Experimental study of crossing angle collision

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, T.; Rice, D.; Rubin, D.; Sagan, D.; Tigner, M.

1993-01-01

The non-linear coupling due to the beam-beam interaction with crossing angle has been studied. The major effect of a small (∼12mrad) crossing angle is to excite 5Q x ±Q s =integer coupling resonance family on large amplitude particles, which results in bad lifetime. On the CESR, a small crossing angle (∼2.4mr) was created at the IP and a reasonable beam-beam tune-shift was achieved. The decay rate of the beam is measured as a function of horizontal tune with and without crossing angle. The theoretical analysis, simulation and experimental measurements have a good agreement. The resonance strength as a function of crossing angle is also measured

Multi-angle compound imaging

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jespersen, Søren Kragh; Wilhjelm, Jens Erik; Sillesen, Henrik

1998-01-01

This paper reports on a scanning technique, denoted multi-angle compound imaging (MACI), using spatial compounding. The MACI method also contains elements of frequency compounding, as the transmit frequency is lowered for the highest beam angles in order to reduce grating lobes. Compared to conve......This paper reports on a scanning technique, denoted multi-angle compound imaging (MACI), using spatial compounding. The MACI method also contains elements of frequency compounding, as the transmit frequency is lowered for the highest beam angles in order to reduce grating lobes. Compared...... to conventional B-mode imaging MACI offers better defined tissue boundaries and lower variance of the speckle pattern, resulting in an image with reduced random variations. Design and implementation of a compound imaging system is described, images of rubber tubes and porcine aorta are shown and effects...... on visualization are discussed. The speckle reduction is analyzed numerically and the results are found to be in excellent agreement with existing theory. An investigation of detectability of low-contrast lesions shows significant improvements compared to conventional imaging. Finally, possibilities for improving...

Advanced Microscopy of Microbial Cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haagensen, Janus Anders Juul; Regenberg, Birgitte; Sternberg, Claus

2011-01-01

microscopy, super-resolution optical microscopy (STED, SIM, PALM) as well as atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Using examples of bistability in microbial populations as well as biofilm development and differentiation in bacterial and yeast consortia, we demonstrate the importance of microscopy...

Multi-scale simulations of field ion microscopy images—Image compression with and without the tip shank

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

NiewieczerzaŁ, Daniel; Oleksy, CzesŁaw; Szczepkowicz, Andrzej

2012-01-01

Multi-scale simulations of field ion microscopy images of faceted and hemispherical samples are performed using a 3D model. It is shown that faceted crystals have compressed images even in cases with no shank. The presence of the shank increases the compression of images of faceted crystals quantitatively in the same way as for hemispherical samples. It is hereby proven that the shank does not influence significantly the local, relative variations of the magnification caused by the atomic-scale structure of the sample. -- Highlights: ► Multi-scale simulations of field ion microscopy images. ► Faceted and hemispherical samples with and without shank. ► Shank causes overall compression, but does not influence local magnification effects. ► Image compression linearly increases with the shank angle. ► Shank changes compression of image of faceted tip in the same way as for smooth sample.

Confocal Raman microscopy

CERN Document Server

Dieing, Thomas; Hollricher, Olaf

2018-01-01

This second edition provides a cutting-edge overview of physical, technical and scientific aspects related to the widely used analytical method of confocal Raman microscopy. The book includes expanded background information and adds insights into how confocal Raman microscopy, especially 3D Raman imaging, can be integrated with other methods to produce a variety of correlative microscopy combinations. The benefits are then demonstrated and supported by numerous examples from the fields of materials science, 2D materials, the life sciences, pharmaceutical research and development, as well as the geosciences.

Poly(styrene-co-butadiene) random copolymer thin films and nanostructures on a mica surface: morphology and contact angles of nanodroplets.

Science.gov (United States)

McClements, Jake; Buffone, Cosimo; Shaver, Michael P; Sefiane, Khellil; Koutsos, Vasileios

2017-09-20

The self-assembly of poly(styrene-co-butadiene) random copolymers on mica surfaces was studied by varying solution concentrations and polymer molecular weights. Toluene solutions of the poly(styrene-co-butadiene) samples were spin coated onto a mica surface and the resulting polymer morphology was investigated by atomic force microscopy. At higher concentrations, thin films formed with varying thicknesses; some dewetting was observed which depended on the molecular weight. Total dewetting did not occur despite the polymer's low glass transition temperature. Instead, partial dewetting was observed suggesting that the polymer was in a metastable equilibrium state. At lower concentrations, spherical cap shaped nanodroplets formed with varying sizes from single polymer chains to aggregates containing millions of chains. As the molecular weight was increased, fewer aggregates were observed on the surface, albeit with larger sizes resulting from increased solution viscosities and more chain entanglements at higher molecular weights. The contact angles of the nanodroplets were shown to be size dependent. A minimum contact angle occurs for droplets with radii of 100-250 nm at each molecular weight. Droplets smaller than 100 nm showed a sharp increase in contact angle; attributed to an increase in the elastic modulus of the droplets, in addition, to a positive line tension value. Droplets larger than 250 nm also showed an increased contact angle due to surface heterogeneities which cannot be avoided for larger droplets. This increase in contact angle plateaus as the droplet size reaches the macroscopic scale.

A lattice determination of gA and left angle x right angle from overlap fermions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guertler, M.; Schiller, A.; Streuer, T.; Freie Univ. Berlin

2004-10-01

We present results for the nucleon's axial charge g A and the first moment left angle x right angle of the unpolarized parton distribution function from a simulation of quenched overlap fermions. (orig.)

Advanced Microscopy of Microbial Cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haagensen, Janus Anders Juul; Regenberg, Birgitte; Sternberg, Claus

2011-01-01

Growing awareness of heterogeneity in cells of microbial populations has emphasized the importance of advanced microscopy for visualization and understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying cell-to-cell variation. In this review, we highlight some of the recent advances in confocal...... microscopy, super-resolution optical microscopy (STED, SIM, PALM) as well as atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Using examples of bistability in microbial populations as well as biofilm development and differentiation in bacterial and yeast consortia, we demonstrate the importance of microscopy...

Does the Angle of the Nail Matter for Pertrochanteric Fracture Reduction? Matching Nail Angle and Native Neck-Shaft Angle.

Science.gov (United States)

Parry, Joshua A; Barrett, Ian; Schoch, Bradley; Yuan, Brandon; Cass, Joseph; Cross, William

2018-04-01

To determine whether fixation of pertrochanteric hip fractures with cephalomedullary nails (CMNs) with a neck-shaft angle (NSA) less than the native NSA affects reduction and lag screw cutout. Retrospective comparative study. Level I trauma center. Patients treated with a CMN for unstable pertrochanteric femur fractures (OTA/AO 31-A2.2 and 31-A2.3) between 2005 and 2014. CMN fixation. NSA reduction and lag screw cutout. Patients fixed with a nail angle less than their native NSA were less likely to have good reductions [17% vs. 60%, 95% confidence interval (CI), -63% to -18%; P = 0.0005], secondary to more varus reductions (41% vs. 10%, 95% CI, 9%-46%; P = 0.01) and more fractures with ≥4 mm of displacement (63% vs. 35%, 95% CI, 3%-49%; P = 0.03). The cutout was not associated with the use of a nail angle less than the native NSA (60% vs. 76%, 95% CI, -56% to 18%; P = 0.5), varus reductions (60% vs. 32%, 95% CI, -13% to 62%; P = 0.3), or poor reductions (20% vs. 17%, 95% CI, -24% to 44%; P = 1.0). The fixation of unstable pertrochanteric hip fractures with a nail angle less than the native NSA was associated with more varus reductions and fracture displacement but did not affect the lag screw cutout. Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Direct observation for atomically flat and ordered vertical {111} side-surfaces on three-dimensionally figured Si(110) substrate using scanning tunneling microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Haoyu; Hattori, Azusa N.; Ohata, Akinori; Takemoto, Shohei; Hattori, Ken; Daimon, Hiroshi; Tanaka, Hidekazu

2017-11-01

A three-dimensional Si{111} vertical side-surface structure on a Si(110) wafer was fabricated by reactive ion etching (RIE) followed by wet-etching and flash-annealing treatments. The side-surface was studied with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) in atomic scale for the first time, in addition to atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and low-energy electron diffraction (LEED). AFM and SEM showed flat and smooth vertical side-surfaces without scallops, and STM proved the realization of an atomically-flat 7 × 7-reconstructed structure, under optimized RIE and wet-etching conditions. STM also showed that a step-bunching occurred on the produced {111} side-surface corresponding to a reversely taped side-surface with a tilt angle of a few degrees, but did not show disordered structures. Characteristic LEED patterns from both side- and top-reconstructed surfaces were also demonstrated.

Simultaneous differential spinning disk fluorescence optical sectioning microscopy and nanomechanical mapping atomic force microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miranda, Adelaide; De Beule, Pieter A. A.; Martins, Marco

2015-01-01

Combined microscopy techniques offer the life science research community a powerful tool to investigate complex biological systems and their interactions. Here, we present a new combined microscopy platform based on fluorescence optical sectioning microscopy through aperture correlation microscopy with a Differential Spinning Disk (DSD) and nanomechanical mapping with an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). The illumination scheme of the DSD microscope unit, contrary to standard single or multi-point confocal microscopes, provides a time-independent illumination of the AFM cantilever. This enables a distortion-free simultaneous operation of fluorescence optical sectioning microscopy and atomic force microscopy with standard probes. In this context, we discuss sample heating due to AFM cantilever illumination with fluorescence excitation light. Integration of a DSD fluorescence optical sectioning unit with an AFM platform requires mitigation of mechanical noise transfer of the spinning disk. We identify and present two solutions to almost annul this noise in the AFM measurement process. The new combined microscopy platform is applied to the characterization of a DOPC/DOPS (4:1) lipid structures labelled with a lipophilic cationic indocarbocyanine dye deposited on a mica substrate

Simultaneous differential spinning disk fluorescence optical sectioning microscopy and nanomechanical mapping atomic force microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miranda, Adelaide; De Beule, Pieter A. A., E-mail: pieter.de-beule@inl.int [Applied Nano-Optics Laboratory, International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Avenida Mestre José Veiga, s/n, 4715-330 Braga (Portugal); Martins, Marco [Nano-ICs Group, International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Avenida Mestre José Veiga, s/n, 4715-330 Braga (Portugal)

2015-09-15

Combined microscopy techniques offer the life science research community a powerful tool to investigate complex biological systems and their interactions. Here, we present a new combined microscopy platform based on fluorescence optical sectioning microscopy through aperture correlation microscopy with a Differential Spinning Disk (DSD) and nanomechanical mapping with an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). The illumination scheme of the DSD microscope unit, contrary to standard single or multi-point confocal microscopes, provides a time-independent illumination of the AFM cantilever. This enables a distortion-free simultaneous operation of fluorescence optical sectioning microscopy and atomic force microscopy with standard probes. In this context, we discuss sample heating due to AFM cantilever illumination with fluorescence excitation light. Integration of a DSD fluorescence optical sectioning unit with an AFM platform requires mitigation of mechanical noise transfer of the spinning disk. We identify and present two solutions to almost annul this noise in the AFM measurement process. The new combined microscopy platform is applied to the characterization of a DOPC/DOPS (4:1) lipid structures labelled with a lipophilic cationic indocarbocyanine dye deposited on a mica substrate.

A computer program for scanning transmission ion microscopy simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, R.; Shen, H.; Mi, Y.; Sun, M.D.; Yang, M.J.

2005-01-01

With the installation of the Scanning Proton Microprobe system at Fudan University, we are in the process of developing a three-dimension reconstruction technique based on scanning transmission ion microscopy-computed tomography (STIM-CT). As the first step, a related computer program of STIM simulation has been established. This program is written in the Visual C++[reg], using the technique of OOP (Object Oriented Programming) and it is a standard multiple-document Windows[reg] program. It can be run with all MS Windows[reg] operating systems. The operating mode is the menu mode, using a multiple process technique. The stopping power theory is based on the Bethe-Bloch formula. In order to simplify the calculation, the improved cylindrical coordinate model was introduced in the program instead of a usual spherical or cylindrical coordinate model. The simulated results of a sample at several rotation angles are presented

Ten helical twist angles of B-DNA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kabsch, W; Sander, C; Trifonov, E N

1982-01-01

On the assumption that the twist angles between adjacent base-pairs in the DNA molecule are additive a linear system of 40 equations was derived from experimental measurements of the total twist angles for different pieces of DNA of known sequences. This system of equations is found to be statistically consistent providing a solution for all ten possible twist angles of B-DNA by a least squares fitting procedure. Four of the calculated twist angles were not known before. The other six twist angles calculated are very close to the experimentally measured ones. The data used were obtained by the electrophoretic band-shift method, crystallography and nuclease digestion of DNA adsorbed to mica or Ca-phosphate surface. The validity of the principle of additivity of the twist angles implies that the angle between any particular two base-pairs is a function of only these base-pairs, independent of nearest neighbors.

Optical investigation of effective permeability of dilute magnetic dielectrics with magnetic field

Science.gov (United States)

Banerjee, Ananya; Sarkar, A.

2016-05-01

The prime objective of this paper is to investigate the magnetic nature of dilute magnetic dielectrics (DMD) under variation of external magnetic field. The said variation is studied over developed nano-sized Gadolinium Oxide as a DMD system. The observed experimental field variation of the effective magnetic permeability is analyzed results of optical experiment. The experiment records the variation of Brewster angle of incident polarized LASER beam from the surface of developed DMD specimen with applied out of plane external magnetic field. The effective refractive index and hence relative magnetic permeability were estimated following electro-magnetic theory. The overall results obtained and agreement between theory and experiment are good.

Optical investigation of effective permeability of dilute magnetic dielectrics with magnetic field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Banerjee, Ananya, E-mail: banerjee.ananya2008@gmail.com; Sarkar, A. [Dept. of Physics, Bijoy Krishna Girls’ College, 5/3 M.G. Road, Howrah 711101, W.B. (India)

2016-05-06

The prime objective of this paper is to investigate the magnetic nature of dilute magnetic dielectrics (DMD) under variation of external magnetic field. The said variation is studied over developed nano-sized Gadolinium Oxide as a DMD system. The observed experimental field variation of the effective magnetic permeability is analyzed results of optical experiment. The experiment records the variation of Brewster angle of incident polarized LASER beam from the surface of developed DMD specimen with applied out of plane external magnetic field. The effective refractive index and hence relative magnetic permeability were estimated following electro-magnetic theory. The overall results obtained and agreement between theory and experiment are good.

Non-critically phase-matched second harmonic generation and third order nonlinearity in organic crystal glucuronic acid γ-lactone

Science.gov (United States)

Saripalli, Ravi Kiran; Katturi, Naga Krishnakanth; Soma, Venugopal Rao; Bhat, H. L.; Elizabeth, Suja

2017-12-01

The linear, second order, and third order nonlinear optical properties of glucuronic acid γ-lactone single crystals were investigated. The optic axes and principal dielectric axes were identified through optical conoscopy and the principal refractive indices were obtained using the Brewster's angle method. Conic sections were observed which is perceived to be due to spontaneous non-collinear phase matching. The direction of collinear phase matching was determined and the deff evaluated in this direction was 0.71 pm/V. Open and closed aperture Z-scan measurements with femtosecond pulses revealed high third order nonlinearity in the form of self-defocusing, two-photon absorption, as well as saturable absorption.

Anterior Segment Imaging Predicts Incident Gonioscopic Angle Closure.

Science.gov (United States)

Baskaran, Mani; Iyer, Jayant V; Narayanaswamy, Arun K; He, Yingke; Sakata, Lisandro M; Wu, Renyi; Liu, Dianna; Nongpiur, Monisha E; Friedman, David S; Aung, Tin

2015-12-01

To investigate the incidence of gonioscopic angle closure after 4 years in subjects with gonioscopically open angles but varying degrees of angle closure detected on anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS OCT; Visante; Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA) at baseline. Prospective, observational study. Three hundred forty-two subjects, mostly Chinese, 50 years of age or older, were recruited, of whom 65 were controls with open angles on gonioscopy and AS OCT at baseline, and 277 were cases with baseline open angles on gonioscopy but closed angles (1-4 quadrants) on AS OCT scans. All subjects underwent gonioscopy and AS OCT at baseline (horizontal and vertical single scans) and after 4 years. The examiner performing gonioscopy was masked to the baseline and AS OCT data. Angle closure in a quadrant was defined as nonvisibility of the posterior trabecular meshwork by gonioscopy and visible iridotrabecular contact beyond the scleral spur in AS OCT scans. Gonioscopic angle closure in 2 or 3 quadrants after 4 years. There were no statistically significant differences in age, ethnicity, or gender between cases and controls. None of the control subjects demonstrated gonioscopic angle closure after 4 years. Forty-eight of the 277 subjects (17.3%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 12.8-23; P < 0.0001) with at least 1 quadrant of angle closure on AS OCT at baseline demonstrated gonioscopic angle closure in 2 or more quadrants, whereas 28 subjects (10.1%; 95% CI, 6.7-14.6; P < 0.004) demonstrated gonioscopic angle closure in 3 or more quadrants after 4 years. Individuals with more quadrants of angle closure on baseline AS OCT scans had a greater likelihood of gonioscopic angle closure developing after 4 years (P < 0.0001, chi-square test for trend for both definitions of angle closure). Anterior segment OCT imaging at baseline predicts incident gonioscopic angle closure after 4 years among subjects who have gonioscopically open angles and iridotrabecular contact on AS OCT at

Influence of Contact Angle, Growth Angle and Melt Surface Tension on Detached Solidification of InSb

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yazhen; Regel, Liya L.; Wilcox, William R.

2000-01-01

We extended the previous analysis of detached solidification of InSb based on the moving meniscus model. We found that for steady detached solidification to occur in a sealed ampoule in zero gravity, it is necessary for the growth angle to exceed a critical value, the contact angle for the melt on the ampoule wall to exceed a critical value, and the melt-gas surface tension to be below a critical value. These critical values would depend on the material properties and the growth parameters. For the conditions examined here, the sum of the growth angle and the contact angle must exceed approximately 130, which is significantly less than required if both ends of the ampoule are open.

Differential dynamic microscopy of weakly scattering and polydisperse protein-rich clusters

Science.gov (United States)

Safari, Mohammad S.; Vorontsova, Maria A.; Poling-Skutvik, Ryan; Vekilov, Peter G.; Conrad, Jacinta C.

2015-10-01

Nanoparticle dynamics impact a wide range of biological transport processes and applications in nanomedicine and natural resource engineering. Differential dynamic microscopy (DDM) was recently developed to quantify the dynamics of submicron particles in solutions from fluctuations of intensity in optical micrographs. Differential dynamic microscopy is well established for monodisperse particle populations, but has not been applied to solutions containing weakly scattering polydisperse biological nanoparticles. Here we use bright-field DDM (BDDM) to measure the dynamics of protein-rich liquid clusters, whose size ranges from tens to hundreds of nanometers and whose total volume fraction is less than 10-5. With solutions of two proteins, hemoglobin A and lysozyme, we evaluate the cluster diffusion coefficients from the dependence of the diffusive relaxation time on the scattering wave vector. We establish that for weakly scattering populations, an optimal thickness of the sample chamber exists at which the BDDM signal is maximized at the smallest sample volume. The average cluster diffusion coefficient measured using BDDM is consistently lower than that obtained from dynamic light scattering at a scattering angle of 90∘. This apparent discrepancy is due to Mie scattering from the polydisperse cluster population, in which larger clusters preferentially scatter more light in the forward direction.

The resection angle in apical surgery

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

von Arx, Thomas; Janner, Simone F M; Jensen, Simon S

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of the present radiographic study was to analyse the resection angle in apical surgery and its correlation with treatment outcome, type of treated tooth, surgical depth and level of root-end filling. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the context of a prospective clinical...... study, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans were taken before and 1 year after apical surgery to measure the angle of the resection plane relative to the longitudinal axis of the root. Further, the surgical depth (distance from the buccal cortex to the most lingual/palatal point of the resection...... or with the retrofilling length. CONCLUSIONS: Statistically significant differences were observed comparing resection angles of different tooth groups. However, the angle had no significant effect on treatment outcome. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Contrary to common belief, the resection angle in maxillary anterior teeth...

Effect of angle of deposition on micro-roughness parameters and optical properties of HfO{sub 2} thin films deposited by reactive electron beam evaporation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tokas, R.B., E-mail: tokasstar@gmail.com; Jena, S.; Thakur, S.; Sahoo, N.K.

2016-06-30

Oblique angle deposited oxide thin films, in which refractive index profiles can be tailored across depth by tuning their microstructure using varying angle of deposition, have opened up new dimensions in fabrication of optical interference devices. Since surface morphology plays an important role for the qualification of these thin film devices for optical or other applications, it is important to investigate morphological properties of obliquely deposited thin films. In the present work, a set of HfO{sub 2} thin films have been deposited at several oblique angles. Morphological parameters of such thin films viz., correlation length, intrinsic roughness, fractal spectral strength, etc., have been determined through suitable modelling of extended power spectral density measured by atomic force microscopy. It has been found that intrinsic roughness and fractal spectral strength show an interesting behaviour with deposition angle and the same has been discussed in the light of atomic shadowing and re-emission and diffusion of ad-atoms. Further refractive index and thickness of such thin films have been estimated from optical transmission spectra through suitable modelling. Refractive index of such thin film varies from 1.93 to 1.37 as the deposition angle varies from normal to glancing angle (80°). Further, refractive index and grain size depict an opposite trend with deposition angle. This variation has been explained in terms of varying film porosity and column slanting with angle of deposition. - Highlights: • HfO{sub 2} thin films deposited at several oblique angles • Film deposited at 80° exhibits the highest grain size and intrinsic roughness (σ). • Fractal strength and σ depict an interesting trend with angle of deposition. • Refractive index and grain size depict an opposite trend with angle of deposition.

Modified Angle's Classification for Primary Dentition.

Science.gov (United States)

Chandranee, Kaushik Narendra; Chandranee, Narendra Jayantilal; Nagpal, Devendra; Lamba, Gagandeep; Choudhari, Purva; Hotwani, Kavita

2017-01-01

This study aims to propose a modification of Angle's classification for primary dentition and to assess its applicability in children from Central India, Nagpur. Modification in Angle's classification has been proposed for application in primary dentition. Small roman numbers i/ii/iii are used for primary dentition notation to represent Angle's Class I/II/III molar relationships as in permanent dentition, respectively. To assess applicability of modified Angle's classification a cross-sectional preschool 2000 children population from central India; 3-6 years of age residing in Nagpur metropolitan city of Maharashtra state were selected randomly as per the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Majority 93.35% children were found to have bilateral Class i followed by 2.5% bilateral Class ii and 0.2% bilateral half cusp Class iii molar relationships as per the modified Angle's classification for primary dentition. About 3.75% children had various combinations of Class ii relationships and 0.2% children were having Class iii subdivision relationship. Modification of Angle's classification for application in primary dentition has been proposed. A cross-sectional investigation using new classification revealed various 6.25% Class ii and 0.4% Class iii molar relationships cases in preschool children population in a metropolitan city of Nagpur. Application of the modified Angle's classification to other population groups is warranted to validate its routine application in clinical pediatric dentistry.

Fluorescence (Multiwave) Confocal Microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Welzel, J; Kästle, Raphaela; Sattler, Elke C

2016-10-01

In addition to reflectance confocal microscopy, multiwave confocal microscopes with different laser wavelengths in combination with exogenous fluorophores allow fluorescence mode confocal microscopy in vivo and ex vivo. Fluorescence mode confocal microscopy improves the contrast between the epithelium and the surrounding soft tissue and allows the depiction of certain structures, like epithelial tumors, nerves, and glands. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nucleation of small angle boundaries

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Nabarro, FRN

1996-12-01

Full Text Available The internal stresses induced by the strain gradients in an array of lattice cells delineated by low-angle dislocation boundaries are partially relieved by the creation of new low-angle boundaries. This is shown to be a first-order transition...

Phase microscopy using light-field reconstruction method for cell observation.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiu, Peng; Zhou, Xin; Kuang, Cuifang; Xu, Yingke; Liu, Xu

2015-08-01

The refractive index (RI) distribution can serve as a natural label for undyed cell imaging. However, the majority of images obtained through quantitative phase microscopy is integrated along the illumination angle and cannot reflect additional information about the refractive map on a certain plane. Herein, a light-field reconstruction method to image the RI map within a depth of 0.2 μm is proposed. It records quantitative phase-delay images using a four-step phase shifting method in different directions and then reconstructs a similar scattered light field for the refractive sample on the focus plane. It can image the RI of samples, transparent cell samples in particular, in a manner similar to the observation of scattering characteristics. The light-field reconstruction method is therefore a powerful tool for use in cytobiology studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis, characterization and electro-optic properties of novel siloxane liquid crystalline with a large tilt angle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liao, Chien-Tung; Lee, Jiunn-Yih; Lai, Chiu-Chun

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → In this study we report the synthesis and characterization of new ferroelectric liquid crystal material. → We examined the influence of the addition of a trisiloxane end-group on one side-chain of an achiral alkyl chain on the phase transition. → Finally, the properties of the chiral smectic C (SmC*) phase were measured for target compounds. - Abstract: This paper presents a study of the ferroelectric behavior in low molar mass organosiloxane liquid crystal materials. A few novel series of compounds with a large tilt angle were synthesized, and the mesophases exhibited were compared. The mesophases under discussion were investigated by means of polarizing microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electro-optical experiments. The influence of the molecular structure on the occurrence of the chiral smectic C (SmC*) phase was investigated. Finally, the electro-optical properties of the SmC* phase, such as tilt angle, dielectric permittivity and switching behavior were also measured. As a consequence, the correlation between the electro-optical properties and chemical structures of these compounds was investigated.

Hong's grading for evaluating anterior chamber angle width.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Seok Hwan; Kang, Ja Heon; Park, Ki Ho; Hong, Chul

2012-11-01

To compare Hong's grading method with anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT), gonioscopy, and the dark-room prone-position test (DRPT) for evaluating anterior chamber width. The anterior chamber angle was graded using Hong's grading method, and Hong's angle width was calculated from the arctangent of Hong's grades. The correlation between Hong's angle width and AS-OCT parameters was analyzed. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for Hong's grading method when discriminating between narrow and open angles as determined by gonioscopy was calculated. Correlation analysis was performed between Hong's angle width and intraocular pressure (IOP) changes determined by DRPT. A total of 60 subjects were enrolled. Of these subjects, 53.5 % had a narrow angle. Hong's angle width correlated significantly with the AS-OCT parameters (r = 0.562-0.719, P < 0.01). A Bland-Altman plot showed relatively good agreement between Hong's angle width and the angle width obtained by AS-OCT. The ability of Hong's grading method to discriminate between open and narrow angles was good (AUC = 0.868, 95 % CI 0.756-0.942). A significant linear correlation was found between Hong's angle width and IOP change determined by DRPT (r = -0.761, P < 0.01). Hong's grading method is useful for detecting narrow angles. Hong's grading correlated well with AS-OCT parameters and DRPT.

X-ray microscopy with high resolution zone plates -- Recent developments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, G.; Wilhein, T.; Niemann, B.; Guttmann, P.

1995-01-01

In order to expand the applications of X-ray microscopy, developments in the fields of zone plate technology, specimen preparation and imaging techniques have been made. A new cross-linked polymer chain electron beam resist allows to record zone plate pattern down to 19 nm outermost zone width. High resolution zone plates in germanium with outermost zone widths down to 19 nm have been developed. In addition, phase zone plates in nickel down to 30 nm zone width have been made by electroplating. In order to enhance the image contrast for weak absorbing objects, the phase contrast method for X-ray microscopy was developed and implemented on the Goettingen X-ray microscope at BESSY. The effects of X-ray absorption on the structure of biological specimen limits the maximum applicable radiation dose and therefore the achievable signal to noise ratio for an artifact-free X-ray image. To improve the stability especially of biological specimen, a cryogenic object chamber has been developed and tested. It turns out that at the operating temperature T ≤ 130 K unfixed biological specimen can be exposed to a radiation dose of 10 9 --10 10 Gy without any observable structural changes. A multiple-angle viewing stage allows to take stereoscopic images with the X-ray microscope, giving a 3D-impression of the object

Contact angle hysteresis on superhydrophobic stripes.

Science.gov (United States)

Dubov, Alexander L; Mourran, Ahmed; Möller, Martin; Vinogradova, Olga I

2014-08-21

We study experimentally and discuss quantitatively the contact angle hysteresis on striped superhydrophobic surfaces as a function of a solid fraction, ϕS. It is shown that the receding regime is determined by a longitudinal sliding motion of the deformed contact line. Despite an anisotropy of the texture the receding contact angle remains isotropic, i.e., is practically the same in the longitudinal and transverse directions. The cosine of the receding angle grows nonlinearly with ϕS. To interpret this we develop a theoretical model, which shows that the value of the receding angle depends both on weak defects at smooth solid areas and on the strong defects due to the elastic energy of the deformed contact line, which scales as ϕS(2)lnϕS. The advancing contact angle was found to be anisotropic, except in a dilute regime, and its value is shown to be determined by the rolling motion of the drop. The cosine of the longitudinal advancing angle depends linearly on ϕS, but a satisfactory fit to the data can only be provided if we generalize the Cassie equation to account for weak defects. The cosine of the transverse advancing angle is much smaller and is maximized at ϕS ≃ 0.5. An explanation of its value can be obtained if we invoke an additional energy due to strong defects in this direction, which is shown to be caused by the adhesion of the drop on solid sectors and is proportional to ϕS(2). Finally, the contact angle hysteresis is found to be quite large and generally anisotropic, but it becomes isotropic when ϕS ≤ 0.2.

Microscopy and Image Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

McNamara, George; Difilippantonio, Michael; Ried, Thomas; Bieber, Frederick R

2017-07-11

This unit provides an overview of light microscopy, including objectives, light sources, filters, film, and color photography for fluorescence microscopy and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). We believe there are excellent opportunities for cytogeneticists, pathologists, and other biomedical readers, to take advantage of specimen optical clearing techniques and expansion microscopy-we briefly point to these new opportunities. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Widefield and total internal reflection fluorescent structured illumination microscopy with scanning galvo mirrors

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Youhua; Cao, Ruizhi; Liu, Wenjie; Zhu, Dazhao; Zhang, Zhiming; Kuang, Cuifang; Liu, Xu

2018-04-01

We present an alternative approach to realize structured illumination microscopy (SIM), which is capable for live cell imaging. The prototype utilizes two sets of scanning galvo mirrors, a polarization converter and a piezo-platform to generate a fast shifted, s-polarization interfered and periodic variable illumination patterns. By changing the angle of the scanning galvanometer, we can change the position of the spots at the pupil plane of the objective lens arbitrarily, making it easy to switch between widefield and total internal reflection fluorescent-SIM mode and adapting the penetration depth in the sample. Also, a twofold resolution improvement is achieved in our experiments. The prototype offers more flexibility of pattern period and illumination orientation changing than previous systems.

Comparison of axial lengths in occludable angle and angle-closure glaucoma-The Bhaktapur Glaucoma Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Thapa, S.S.; Paudyal, I.; Khanal, S.; Paudel, N.; van Rens, G.H.M.B.

2011-01-01

Purpose. To compare the anterior chamber depth (ACD) and axial length of eyes in a population-based sample among normal, occludable angle, and primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) groups. Methods. Totally, 3979 subjects from a population-based glaucoma prevalence study underwent complete ocular

Template Adaptability is Key in the Oriented Crystallization of CaCO3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Popescu, D.; Smulders, M.; Pichon, B.; Chebotareva, N.; Kwak, S.; van Asselen, O.; Sijbesma, R.; DiMasi, E.; Sommerdijk, N.

2007-01-01

In CaCO3, biomineralization nucleation and growth of the crystals are related to the presence of carboxylate-rich proteins within a macromolecular matrix, often with organized β-sheet domains. To understand the interplay between the organic template and the mineral crystal it is important to explicitly address the issue of structural adaptation of the template during mineralization. To this end we have developed a series of self-organizing surfactants (1-4) consisting of a dodecyl chain connected via a bisureido-heptylene unit to an amino acid head group. In Langmuir monolayers the spacing of these molecules in one direction is predetermined by the hydrogen-bonding distances between the bis-urea units. In the other direction, the intermolecular distance is determined by steric interactions introduced by the side groups (-R) of the amino acid moiety. Thus, by the choice of the amino acid we can systematically alter the density of the surfactant molecules in a monolayer and their ability to respond to the presence of calcium ions. The monolayer films are characterized by surface pressure-surface area (p-A) isotherms, Brewster angle microscopy, in-situ synchrotron X-ray scattering at fixed surface area, and also infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) of films transferred to solid substrates. The developing crystals are studied with scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and crystal modeling. The results demonstrate that although all compounds are active in the nucleation of calcium carbonate, habit modification is only observed when the size of the side group allows the molecules to rearrange and adapt their organization in response to the mineral phase.

Incorporation in Langmuir-Blodgett films of an amphiphilic derivative of fullerene C{sub 60} and oligo-para-phenylenevinylene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alvarez-Venicio, V. [Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM), Circuito Exterior, CU, C.P. 04510, D.F. (Mexico); Gutierrez-Nava, M. [CIATEQ, A.C., Centro de Tecnologia Avanzada, Circuito de la Industria Poniente Lote: 11, Mza. 3, No. 11, Colonia Parque Industrial Ex Hacienda Dona Rosa, Lerma C.P. 52004, Estado de Mexico (Mexico); Amelines-Sarria, O. [Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM), Circuito Exterior, CU, C.P. 04510, D.F. (Mexico); Alvarez-Zauco, E. [Facultad de Ciencias, UNAM, Circuito Exterior, C.U., C.P. 04510, D.F. (Mexico); Basiuk, V.A. [Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM), Circuito Exterior, CU, C.P. 04510, D.F. (Mexico); Carreon-Castro, M.P., E-mail: pilar@nucleares.unam.mx [Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM), Circuito Exterior, CU, C.P. 04510, D.F. (Mexico)

2012-12-30

Langmuir (L) and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of fullerene C{sub 60}-oligo-para-phenylenevinylene (OPV) derivative with six C{sub 12}H{sub 25} aliphatic chains were characterized. For the Langmuir films, isotherms of surface pressure versus molecular area, compression/expansion cycles (hysteresis curves) and Brewster angle microscopic images were obtained. We performed molecular mechanics and density functional theory calculations to determine the molecular and electronic structure of our compound at a water-air interface. We found agreement between experimental and theoretical values for the molecular surface area. LB films of up to ten layers were obtained on glass substrates, and were characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. We observed that the absorbance at a wavelength of 326 nm grows almost linearly as a function of the number of layers. Films on glass-indium tin oxide were characterized by atomic force microscopy. We also observed a uniform deposition over the whole area of the scanned substrate. We demonstrated that the fullerene C{sub 60}-OPV derivative is able to form both L and LB films preventing fullerene aggregation with its aliphatic chains. We suggest that, due to its electron-acceptor properties, the C{sub 60}-OPV derivative could be used for organic-photovoltaic and organic-electronic applications. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We performed isotherm and hysteresis studies of fullerene derivative compound. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We found that the theoretical and experimental molecular areas agree. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We deposited Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films on glass-indium tin oxide. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer LB films were characterized using UV-visible spectroscopy. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We observed the morphology of the LB films through atomic force microscopy.

International Multidisciplinary Microscopy Congress

CERN Document Server

Oral, Ahmet; Ozer, Mehmet; InterM; INTERM2013

2014-01-01

The International Multidisciplinary Microscopy Congress (INTERM2013) was organized on October 10-13, 2013. The aim of the congress was to bring together scientists from various branches to discuss the latest advances in the field of microscopy. The contents of the congress have been broadened to a more "interdisciplinary" scope, so as to allow all scientists working on related subjects to participate and present their work. These proceedings include 39 peer-reviewed technical papers, submitted by leading academic and research institutions from over 12 countries and representing some of the most cutting-edge research available. The 39 papers are grouped into the following sections: - Applications of Microscopy in the Physical Sciences - Applications of Microscopy in the Biological Sciences

Modified angle's classification for primary dentition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaushik Narendra Chandranee

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Aim: This study aims to propose a modification of Angle's classification for primary dentition and to assess its applicability in children from Central India, Nagpur. Methods: Modification in Angle's classification has been proposed for application in primary dentition. Small roman numbers i/ii/iii are used for primary dentition notation to represent Angle's Class I/II/III molar relationships as in permanent dentition, respectively. To assess applicability of modified Angle's classification a cross-sectional preschool 2000 children population from central India; 3–6 years of age residing in Nagpur metropolitan city of Maharashtra state were selected randomly as per the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: Majority 93.35% children were found to have bilateral Class i followed by 2.5% bilateral Class ii and 0.2% bilateral half cusp Class iii molar relationships as per the modified Angle's classification for primary dentition. About 3.75% children had various combinations of Class ii relationships and 0.2% children were having Class iii subdivision relationship. Conclusions: Modification of Angle's classification for application in primary dentition has been proposed. A cross-sectional investigation using new classification revealed various 6.25% Class ii and 0.4% Class iii molar relationships cases in preschool children population in a metropolitan city of Nagpur. Application of the modified Angle's classification to other population groups is warranted to validate its routine application in clinical pediatric dentistry.

Two Comments on Bond Angles

Science.gov (United States)

Glaister, P.

1997-09-01

Tetrahedral Bond Angle from Elementary Trigonometry The alternative approach of using the scalar (or dot) product of vectors enables the determination of the bond angle in a tetrahedral molecule in a simple way. There is, of course, an even more straightforward derivation suitable for students who are unfamiliar with vectors, or products thereof, but who do know some elementary trigonometry. The starting point is the figure showing triangle OAB. The point O is the center of a cube, and A and B are at opposite corners of a face of that cube in which fits a regular tetrahedron. The required bond angle alpha = AÔB; and using Pythagoras' theorem, AB = 2(square root 2) is the diagonal of a face of the cube. Hence from right-angled triangle OEB, tan(alpha/2) = (square root 2) and therefore alpha = 2tan-1(square root 2) is approx. 109° 28' (see Fig. 1).

Effect of laser peripheral iridotomy on anterior chamber angle anatomy in primary angle closure spectrum eyes

Science.gov (United States)

Kansara, Seema; Blieden, Lauren S.; Chuang, Alice Z.; Baker, Laura A.; Bell, Nicholas P.; Mankiewicz, Kimberly A.; Feldman, Robert M.

2015-01-01

Purpose To evaluate the change in trabecular-iris circumference volume (TICV) after laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) in primary angle closure (PAC) spectrum eyes Patients and Methods Forty-two chronic PAC spectrum eyes from 24 patients were enrolled. Eyes with anterior chamber abnormalities affecting angle measurement were excluded. Intraocular pressure, slit lamp exam, and gonioscopy were recorded at each visit. Anterior segment optical coherence tomography (ASOCT) with 3D mode angle analysis scans were taken with the CASIA SS-1000 (Tomey Corp., Nagoya, Japan) before and after LPI. Forty-two pre-LPI ASOCT scans and 34 post-LPI ASOCT scans were analyzed using the Anterior Chamber Analysis and Interpretation (ACAI, Houston, TX) software. A mixed-effect model analysis was used to compare the trabecular-iris space area (TISA) changes among 4 quadrants, as well as to identify potential factors affecting TICV. Results There was a significant increase in all average angle parameters after LPI (TISA500, TISA750, TICV500, and TICV750). The magnitude of change in TISA500 in the superior angle was significantly less than the other angles. The changes in TICV500 and TICV750 were not associated with any demographic or ocular characteristics. Conclusion TICV is a useful parameter to quantitatively measure the effectiveness of LPI in the treatment of eyes with PAC spectrum disease. PMID:26066504

Using Digital Technology to See Angles from Different Angles. Part 2: Openings and Turns

Science.gov (United States)

Host, Erin; Baynham, Emily; McMaster, Heather

2015-01-01

Ever wondered how to use technology to teach angles? This article follows on from an earlier article published last year, providing a range of ideas for integrating technology and concrete materials with the teaching of angle concepts. The authors also provide a comprehensive list of free online games and learning objects that can be used to teach…

Kerr microscopy study of exchange-coupled FePt/Fe exchange spring magnets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hussain, Zaineb; Kumar, Dileep [UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, University Campus, Khandwa Road, Indore 452001 (India); Reddy, V. Raghavendra, E-mail: varimalla@yahoo.com [UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, University Campus, Khandwa Road, Indore 452001 (India); Gupta, Ajay [Amity Center for Spintronic Materials, Amity University, Noida 201303 (India)

2017-05-15

Magnetization reversal and magnetic microstructure of top soft magnetic layer (Fe) in exchange spring coupled L1{sub 0} FePt/Fe is studied using high resolution Kerr microscopy. With remnant state of the hard magnetic layer (L1{sub 0} FePt) as initial condition, magnetization loops along with magnetic domains are recorded for the top soft magnetic layer (Fe) using Kerr microscopy. Considerable shifting of Fe layer hysteresis loop from center which is similar to exchange bias phenomena is observed. It is also observed that one can tune the magnitude of hysteresis shift by reaching the remanent state from different saturating fields (H{sub SAT}) and also by varying the angle between measuring field and H{sub SAT}. The hysteresis loops and magnetic domains of top soft Fe layer demonstrate unambiguously that soft magnetic layer at remanent state in such exchange coupled system is having unidirectional anisotropy. An analogy is drawn and the observations are explained in terms of established model of exchange bias phenomena framed for field-cooled ferromagnetic - antiferromagnetic bilayer systems. - Highlights: • Kerr microscopy of top soft magnetic Fe layer in exchange spring coupled L1{sub 0} FePt (30 nm)/Fe (22 nm) is reported. • Considerable shifting of Fe layer hysteresis loop from center which is similar to exchange bias phenomena is observed. • Tuneable nature of magnitude of hysteresis shift is shown. • It is unambiguously shown that the top soft Fe magnetic layer at remanent state is having unidirectional anisotropy.

Details of 1π sr wide acceptance angle electrostatic lens for electron energy and two-dimensional angular distribution analysis combined with real space imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tóth, László; Matsuda, Hiroyuki; Matsui, Fumihiko; Goto, Kentaro; Daimon, Hiroshi

2012-01-01

We propose a new 1π sr Wide Acceptance Angle Electrostatic Lens (WAAEL), which works as a photoemission electron microscope (PEEM), a highly sensitive display-type electron energy and two-dimensional angular distribution analyzer. It can display two-dimensional angular distributions of charged particles within the acceptance angle of ±60° that is much larger than the largest acceptance angle range so far and comparable to the display-type spherical mirror analyzer developed by Daimon et al. . It has good focusing capabilities with 5-times magnification and 27(4) μm lateral-resolution. The relative energy resolution is typically from 2 to 5×10 -3 depending on the diameter of energy aperture and the emission area on the sample. Although, the lateral resolution of the presented lens is far from those are available nowadays, but this is the first working model that can form images using charged particles collected from 1π sr wide acceptance angle. The realization of such lens system is one of the first possible steps towards reaching the field of imaging type atomic resolution electron microscopy Feynman et al. Here some preliminary results are shown.

Variable angle asymmetric cut monochromator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smither, R.K.; Fernandez, P.B.

1993-09-01

A variable incident angle, asymmetric cut, double crystal monochromator was tested for use on beamlines at the Advanced Photon Source (APS). For both undulator and wiggler beams the monochromator can expand area of footprint of beam on surface of the crystals to 50 times the area of incident beam; this will reduce the slope errors by a factor of 2500. The asymmetric cut allows one to increase the acceptance angle for incident radiation and obtain a better match to the opening angle of the incident beam. This can increase intensity of the diffracted beam by a factor of 2 to 5 and can make the beam more monochromatic, as well. The monochromator consists of two matched, asymmetric cut (18 degrees), silicon crystals mounted so that they can be rotated about three independent axes. Rotation around the first axis controls the Bragg angle. The second rotation axis is perpendicular to the diffraction planes and controls the increase of the area of the footprint of the beam on the crystal surface. Rotation around the third axis controls the angle between the surface of the crystal and the wider, horizontal axis for the beam and can make the footprint a rectangle with a minimum. length for this area. The asymmetric cut is 18 degrees for the matched pair of crystals, which allows one to expand the footprint area by a factor of 50 for Bragg angles up to 19.15 degrees (6 keV for Si[111] planes). This monochromator, with proper cooling, will be useful for analyzing the high intensity x-ray beams produced by both undulators and wigglers at the APS

Angle measurement with laser feedback instrument.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Wenxue; Zhang, Shulian; Long, Xingwu

2013-04-08

An instrument for angle measurement based on laser feedback has been designed. The measurement technique is based on the principle that when a wave plate placed into a feedback cavity rotates, its phase retardation varies. Phase retardation is a function of the rotating angle of the wave plate. Hence, the angle can be converted to phase retardation. The phase retardation is measured at certain characteristic points identified in the laser outputting curve that are then modulated by laser feedback. The angle of a rotating object can be measured if it is connected to the wave plate. The main advantages of this instrument are: high resolution, compact, flexible, low cost, effective power, and fast response.

Gonioscopy in primary angle closure glaucoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruno, Christina A; Alward, Wallace L M

2002-06-01

Primary angle closure is a condition characterized by obstruction to aqueous humor outflow by the peripheral iris, and results in changes in the iridocorneal angle that are visible through gonioscopic examination. Gonioscopy in these eyes, however, can be difficult. This chapter discusses techniques that might help in the examination. These include beginning the examination with the inferior angle, methods to help in looking over the iris, cycloplegia, locating the corneal wedge, indentation, van Herick estimation, examining the other eye, and topical glycerin. Finally, there is a discussion about the pathology associated with the closed angle, with emphasis on the appearance of iris bombé, plateau iris, and the distinction between iris processes and peripheral anterior synechiae.

Ring magnet firing angle control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knott, M.J.; Lewis, L.G.; Rabe, H.H.

1975-01-01

A device is provided for controlling the firing angles of thyratrons (rectifiers) in a ring magnet power supply. A phase lock loop develops a smooth ac signal of frequency equal to and in phase with the frequency of the voltage wave developed by the main generator of the power supply. A counter that counts from zero to a particular number each cycle of the main generator voltage wave is synchronized with the smooth AC signal of the phase lock loop. Gates compare the number in the counter with predetermined desired firing angles for each thyratron and with coincidence the proper thyratron is fired at the predetermined firing angle

Variable-flip-angle spin-echo imaging (VFSE)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasai, Toshifumi; Sugimura, Kazuro; Kawamitsu, Hideaki; Yasui, Kiyoshi; Ishida, Tetsuya; Tsukamoto, Tetsuji.

1990-01-01

T 2 weighted imaging provides images with high object contrast for pathologic conditions in which the water content of tissues is increased. The authors predicted theoretical analysis of the effects of changing flip angle, and analyzed the effects in MR imaging of both phantoms and humans. Variable flip angle spin echo MR imaging (VFSE) with a 1,000/80 (repetition time msec/echo time msec) can obtain T 2 weighted image when flip angle is smaller than 80 degrees. VFSE with 40 to 60 degrees flip angle have higher contrast than other flip angle images. Signal to noise ratio (S/N) of VFSE are 55% at a 30 degree, 76% at a 45 degree, 92% at a 60 degree respectively as compared with conventional spin echo image (2000/80, flip angle 90 degree). VFSE is applicable to obtain T 2 weighted image reduced imaging time. (author)

A thermodynamic model of contact angle hysteresis.

Science.gov (United States)

Makkonen, Lasse

2017-08-14

When a three-phase contact line moves along a solid surface, the contact angle no longer corresponds to the static equilibrium angle but is larger when the liquid is advancing and smaller when the liquid is receding. The difference between the advancing and receding contact angles, i.e., the contact angle hysteresis, is of paramount importance in wetting and capillarity. For example, it determines the magnitude of the external force that is required to make a drop slide on a solid surface. Until now, fundamental origin of the contact angle hysteresis has been controversial. Here, this origin is revealed and a quantitative theory is derived. The theory is corroborated by the available experimental data for a large number of solid-liquid combinations. The theory is applied in modelling the contact angle hysteresis on a textured surface, and these results are also in quantitative agreement with the experimental data.

Investigation of growth and characterization of nanostructured CuIn5S8 thin films produced by glancing angle deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sinaoui, A.; Chaffar-Akkari, F.; Gallas, B.; Demaille, D.; Kanzari, M.

2015-01-01

Ternary chalcogenide of copper and indium (CuIn 5 S 8 ) thin films were grown by thermal evaporation method using GLancing Angle Deposition (GLAD) technique. The samples were prepared under different incident angles (α = 0°, 40°, 60° and 85° measured from the normal to the substrate surface) with a substrate rotation of 2 rpm. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and ultraviolet–visible-infrared spectra are employed to characterize the microstructure and optical properties of the CuIn 5 S 8 thin films deposited by this technique. Under the GLAD conditions, we demonstrate that with substrate rotation, the columns were grown vertically due to the shadowing symmetry. The optical constants of the deposited films were determined from the analysis of transmission and reflection data. The results show that the refractive index and the thickness were decreased as α rises from 0° to 85° while the porosity and the Urbach energy were increased with increasing of the incident angle. The minimum refractive index is found to be 2.03 for the helical CuIn 5 S 8 film deposited at an angle of 85° and the Urbach energy was found to increase from 0.29 to 0.5 eV as α rises from 0° to 85°. Such changes of the optical behaviors are correlated with changes of the microstructure, especially a porous architecture which is favored for high incident angle. These properties exhibit potential for use in applications such as photonic crystals, graded index optical filters, and birefrigent omnidirectional reflectors. - Highlights: • GLancing angle deposition technique was employed to prepare CuIn 5 S 8 thin films. • CuIn 5 S 8 films exhibit a spinel structure with a preferred orientation along 311. • With substrate rotation, the columns were grown vertically due to shadowing symmetry. • The refractive index decreases with increasing glancing angle deposition. • Variations of the optical behaviors were correlated to the highly porous structure

Solar cell angle of incidence corrections

Science.gov (United States)

Burger, Dale R.; Mueller, Robert L.

1995-01-01

Literature on solar array angle of incidence corrections was found to be sparse and contained no tabular data for support. This lack along with recent data on 27 GaAs/Ge 4 cm by 4 cm cells initiated the analysis presented in this paper. The literature cites seven possible contributors to angle of incidence effects: cosine, optical front surface, edge, shadowing, UV degradation, particulate soiling, and background color. Only the first three are covered in this paper due to lack of sufficient data. The cosine correction is commonly used but is not sufficient when the incident angle is large. Fresnel reflection calculations require knowledge of the index of refraction of the coverglass front surface. The absolute index of refraction for the coverglass front surface was not known nor was it measured due to lack of funds. However, a value for the index of refraction was obtained by examining how the prediction errors varied with different assumed indices and selecting the best fit to the set of measured values. Corrections using front surface Fresnel reflection along with the cosine correction give very good predictive results when compared to measured data, except there is a definite trend away from predicted values at the larger incident angles. This trend could be related to edge effects and is illustrated by a use of a box plot of the errors and by plotting the deviation of the mean against incidence angle. The trend is for larger deviations at larger incidence angles and there may be a fourth order effect involved in the trend. A chi-squared test was used to determine if the measurement errors were normally distributed. At 10 degrees the chi-squared test failed, probably due to the very small numbers involved or a bias from the measurement procedure. All other angles showed a good fit to the normal distribution with increasing goodness-of-fit as the angles increased which reinforces the very small numbers hypothesis. The contributed data only went to 65 degrees

The Influence of Face Angle and Club Path on the Resultant Launch Angle of a Golf Ball

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Wood

2018-02-01

Full Text Available A two-part experimental study was conducted in order to better understand how the delivered face angle and club path of a golf club influences the initial launch direction of a golf ball for various club types. A robust understanding of how these parameters influence the ball direction has implications for both coaches and club designers. The first study used a large sample of golfers hitting shots with different clubs. Initial ball direction was measured with a Foresight Sports camera system, while club delivery parameters were recorded with a Vicon motion capture system. The second study used a golf robot and Vision Research camera to measure club and ball parameters. Results from these experiments show that the launch direction fell closer to face angle than club path. The percent toward the face angle ranged from 61% to 83%, where 100% designates a launch angle entirely toward the face angle.

Polarization contrast in photon scanning tunnelling microscopy combined with atomic force microscopy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Propstra, K.; Propstra, K.; van Hulst, N.F.

1995-01-01

Photon scanning tunnelling microscopy combined with atomic force microscopy allows simultaneous acquisition and direct comparison of optical and topographical images, both with a lateral resolution of about 30 nm, far beyond the optical diffraction limit. The probe consists of a modified

Efficacy of goniosynechialysis for advanced chronic angle-closure glaucoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qing G

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Guoping Qing,1,2 Ningli Wang,1 Dapeng Mu11Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Key Lab, Beijing, China; 2State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaPurpose: To evaluate the intraocular pressure (IOP-lowering efficacy of goniosynechialysis (GSL for advanced chronic angle-closure glaucoma (CACG using a simplified slit-lamp technique.Patients and methods: Patients with CACG with one severely affected eye with best-corrected visual acuity below 20/200 and a mildly or functionally unaffected fellow eye were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent ophthalmologic examinations including measurement of visual acuity, best-corrected visual acuity, and IOP; biomicroscopy; specular microscopy; fundus examination; and gonioscopy followed by anterior chamber paracentesis and GSL for nasal peripheral anterior synechiae in the eye with severe CACG.Results: Thirty patients (18 men, 12 women were identified as having CACG with an initial mean IOP of 47.1 ± 6.7 mmHg (range 39–61 mmHg in the severely affected eye. One week after GSL, the mean IOP of the treated eyes decreased to 19.3 ± 2.8 mmHg (range 14–26 mmHg without antiglaucoma medication (average decrease 27.7 ± 6.5 mmHg; range 16–41 mmHg, which was significant (P < 0.00001 compared with baseline. After an average follow-up period of 36.6 ± 1.0 months (range 35–38 months, the mean IOP stabilized at 17.4 ± 2.2 mmHg (range 12–21 mmHg. The nasal angle recess did not close again in any one of the patients during the follow-up period. The average significant (P < 0.00001 decrease in corneal endothelial cell density in the treated eyes was 260 ± 183 cells/mm2 (range 191–328 cells/mm2.Conclusions: Anterior chamber paracentesis and GSL lowers IOP in advanced CACG, though it may lead to mild corneal endothelial cell loss

CARS microscopy for imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arzumanyan Grigory; Voskanyan Karine

2013-01-01

Optical microscopy grows in its importance with the development of modern nanotechnology, biotechnology, methods of diagnostics and treatment of most dangerous diseases for mankind. There are several important goals of optical microscopy for biomedical studies among which the next three may be distinguished: fast imaging with high lateral spatial resolution, 3-D sectioning capability and high contrast for chemical selectivity. To meet these specific requirements, various types of both linear and nonlinear optical microscopy were elaborated. (authors)

A gallery approach for off-angle iris recognition

Science.gov (United States)

Karakaya, Mahmut; Yoldash, Rashiduddin; Boehnen, Christopher

2015-05-01

It has been proven that hamming distance score between frontal and off-angle iris images of same eye differs in iris recognition system. The distinction of hamming distance score is caused by many factors such as image acquisition angle, occlusion, pupil dilation, and limbus effect. In this paper, we first study the effect of the angle variations between iris plane and the image acquisition systems. We present how hamming distance changes for different off-angle iris images even if they are coming from the same iris. We observe that increment in acquisition angle of compared iris images causes the increment in hamming distance. Second, we propose a new technique in off-angle iris recognition system that includes creating a gallery of different off-angle iris images (such as, 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 degrees) and comparing each probe image with these gallery images. We will show the accuracy of the gallery approach for off-angle iris recognition.

Concepts in Light Microscopy of Viruses

Science.gov (United States)

Witte, Robert; Georgi, Fanny

2018-01-01

Viruses threaten humans, livestock, and plants, and are difficult to combat. Imaging of viruses by light microscopy is key to uncover the nature of known and emerging viruses in the quest for finding new ways to treat viral disease and deepening the understanding of virus–host interactions. Here, we provide an overview of recent technology for imaging cells and viruses by light microscopy, in particular fluorescence microscopy in static and live-cell modes. The review lays out guidelines for how novel fluorescent chemical probes and proteins can be used in light microscopy to illuminate cells, and how they can be used to study virus infections. We discuss advantages and opportunities of confocal and multi-photon microscopy, selective plane illumination microscopy, and super-resolution microscopy. We emphasize the prevalent concepts in image processing and data analyses, and provide an outlook into label-free digital holographic microscopy for virus research. PMID:29670029

Detection of latent fingerprints using high-resolution 3D confocal microscopy in non-planar acquisition scenarios

Science.gov (United States)

Kirst, Stefan; Vielhauer, Claus

2015-03-01

In digitized forensics the support of investigators in any manner is one of the main goals. Using conservative lifting methods, the detection of traces is done manually. For non-destructive contactless methods, the necessity for detecting traces is obvious for further biometric analysis. High resolutional 3D confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) grants the possibility for a detection by segmentation approach with improved detection results. Optimal scan results with CLSM are achieved on surfaces orthogonal to the sensor, which is not always possible due to environmental circumstances or the surface's shape. This introduces additional noise, outliers and a lack of contrast, making a detection of traces even harder. Prior work showed the possibility of determining angle-independent classification models for the detection of latent fingerprints (LFP). Enhancing this approach, we introduce a larger feature space containing a variety of statistical-, roughness-, color-, edge-directivity-, histogram-, Gabor-, gradient- and Tamura features based on raw data and gray-level co-occurrence matrices (GLCM) using high resolutional data. Our test set consists of eight different surfaces for the detection of LFP in four different acquisition angles with a total of 1920 single scans. For each surface and angles in steps of 10, we capture samples from five donors to introduce variance by a variety of sweat compositions and application influences such as pressure or differences in ridge thickness. By analyzing the present test set with our approach, we intend to determine angle- and substrate-dependent classification models to determine optimal surface specific acquisition setups and also classification models for a general detection purpose for both, angles and substrates. The results on overall models with classification rates up to 75.15% (kappa 0.50) already show a positive tendency regarding the usability of the proposed methods for LFP detection on varying surfaces in non

An Angle Criterion for Riesz Bases

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindner, Alexander M; Bittner, B.

1999-01-01

We present a characterization of Riesz bases in terms ofthe angles between certain finite dimensional subspaces. Correlationsbetween the bounds of the Riesz basis and the size of the angles arederived....

Goniodysgenesis in familial primary open-angle glaucoma

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verbraak, F. D.; vd Berg, W.; Delleman, J. W.; Greve, E. L.

1994-01-01

Results of a pilot study to evaluate goniodysgenesis as a cause of familial open-angle glaucoma are reported. Patients with a familial high tension open-angle glaucoma and a goniodysgenetic chamber angle (n = 11), a number of their relatives with glaucoma (n = 12), and their relatives without

Bridging fluorescence microscopy and electron microscopy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Giepmans, Ben N. G.

Development of new fluorescent probes and fluorescence microscopes has led to new ways to study cell biology. With the emergence of specialized microscopy units at most universities and research centers, the use of these techniques is well within reach for a broad research community. A major

Research on recognition of ramp angle based on transducer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenhao GU

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Focusing on the recognition of ramp angle, the relationship between the signal of vehicle transducer and real ramp angle is studied. The force change of vehicle on the ramp, and the relationship between the body tilt angle and front and rear suspension scale is discussed. According to the suspension and tire deformation, error angle of the ramp angle is deduced. A mathematical model is established with Matlab/Simulink and used for simulation to generate error curve of ramp angle. The results show that the error angle increases with the increasing of the ramp angle, and the limit value can reach 6.5%, while the identification method can effectively eliminate this error, and enhance the accuracy of ramp angle recognition.

Anterior chamber angle assessment using gonioscopy and ultrasound biomicroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Narayanaswamy, Arun; Vijaya, Lingam; Shantha, B; Baskaran, Mani; Sathidevi, A V; Baluswamy, Sukumar

2004-01-01

Comparison of anterior chamber angle measurements using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) and gonioscopy. Five hundred subjects were evaluated for grading of angle width by the Shaffer method. UBM was done in the same group to document angle width, angle opening distance (AOD 500), and anterior chamber depth. Biometric parameters were documented in all subjects. UBM and gonioscopic findings were compared. A study was conducted in 282 men and 218 women with a mean age of 57.32 +/- 12.48 years. Gonioscopic grading was used to segregate occludable (slit-like, grades 1 and 2) from nonoccludable (grades 3 and 4) angles. Subjective assessment by gonioscopy resulted in an overestimation of angle width within the occludable group when compared with values obtained by UBM. This did not affect the segregation of occludable versus nonoccludable angles by gonioscopy. Biometric parameters in eyes with occludable angles were significantly lower in comparison with eyes with nonoccludable angles, except for lens thickness. AOD 500 correlated well with angle width. We concluded that clinical segregation into occludable and nonoccludable angles by an experienced observer using gonioscopy is fairly accurate. However, UBM is required for objective quantification of angles, and AOD 500 can be a reliable and standard parameter to grade angle width.

Validation of Digital Microscopy Compared With Light Microscopy for the Diagnosis of Canine Cutaneous Tumors.

Science.gov (United States)

Bertram, Christof A; Gurtner, Corinne; Dettwiler, Martina; Kershaw, Olivia; Dietert, Kristina; Pieper, Laura; Pischon, Hannah; Gruber, Achim D; Klopfleisch, Robert

2018-07-01

Integration of new technologies, such as digital microscopy, into a highly standardized laboratory routine requires the validation of its performance in terms of reliability, specificity, and sensitivity. However, a validation study of digital microscopy is currently lacking in veterinary pathology. The aim of the current study was to validate the usability of digital microscopy in terms of diagnostic accuracy, speed, and confidence for diagnosing and differentiating common canine cutaneous tumor types and to compare it to classical light microscopy. Therefore, 80 histologic sections including 17 different skin tumor types were examined twice as glass slides and twice as digital whole-slide images by 6 pathologists with different levels of experience at 4 time points. Comparison of both methods found digital microscopy to be noninferior for differentiating individual tumor types within the category epithelial and mesenchymal tumors, but diagnostic concordance was slightly lower for differentiating individual round cell tumor types by digital microscopy. In addition, digital microscopy was associated with significantly shorter diagnostic time, but diagnostic confidence was lower and technical quality was considered inferior for whole-slide images compared with glass slides. Of note, diagnostic performance for whole-slide images scanned at 200× magnification was noninferior in diagnostic performance for slides scanned at 400×. In conclusion, digital microscopy differs only minimally from light microscopy in few aspects of diagnostic performance and overall appears adequate for the diagnosis of individual canine cutaneous tumors with minor limitations for differentiating individual round cell tumor types and grading of mast cell tumors.

Comparison of rigorous modelling of different structure profiles on photomasks for quantitative linewidth measurements by means of UV- or DUV-optical microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Ehret, Gerd; Bodermann, Bernd; Woehler, Martin

2007-06-01

The optical microscopy is an important instrument for dimensional characterisation or calibration of micro- and nanostructures, e.g. chrome structures on photomasks. In comparison to scanning electron microscopy (possible contamination of the sample) and atomic force microscopy (slow, risk of damage) optical microscopy is a fast and non destructive metrology method. The precise quantitative determination of the linewidth from the microscope image is, however, only possible by knowledge of the geometry of the structures and their consideration in the optical modelling. We compared two different rigorous model approaches, the Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis (RCWA) and the Finite Elements Method (FEM) for modelling of structures with different edge angles, linewidths, line to space ratios and polarisations. The RCWA method can adapt inclined edges profiles only by a staircase approximation leading to increased modelling errors of the RCWA method. Even today's sophisticated rigorous methods still show problems with TM-polarisation. Therefore both rigorous methods are compared in terms of their convergence for TE and TM- polarisation. Beyond that also the influence of typical illumination wavelengths (365 nm, 248 nm and 193 nm) on the microscope images and their contribution to the measuring uncertainty budget will be discussed.

Frequency scaling for angle gathers

KAUST Repository

Zuberi, M. A H; Alkhalifah, Tariq Ali

2014-01-01

Angle gathers provide an extra dimension to analyze the velocity after migration. Space-shift and time shift-imaging conditions are two methods used to obtain angle gathers, but both are reasonably expensive. By scaling the time-lag axis of the time-shifted images, the computational cost of the time shift imaging condition can be considerably reduced. In imaging and more so Full waveform inversion, frequencydomain Helmholtz solvers are used more often to solve for the wavefields than conventional time domain extrapolators. In such cases, we do not need to extend the image, instead we scale the frequency axis of the frequency domain image to obtain the angle gathers more efficiently. Application on synthetic data demonstrate such features.

Angle imaging: Advances and challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Quek, Desmond T L; Nongpiur, Monisha E; Perera, Shamira A; Aung, Tin

2011-01-01

Primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) is a major form of glaucoma in large populous countries in East and South Asia. The high visual morbidity from PACG is related to the destructive nature of the asymptomatic form of the disease. Early detection of anatomically narrow angles is important and the subsequent prevention of visual loss from PACG depends on an accurate assessment of the anterior chamber angle (ACA). This review paper discusses the advantages and limitations of newer ACA imaging technologies, namely ultrasound biomicroscopy, Scheimpflug photography, anterior segment optical coherence tomography and EyeCam, highlighting the current clinical evidence comparing these devices with each other and with clinical dynamic indentation gonioscopy, the current reference standard. PMID:21150037

Surface adhesion properties of graphene and graphene oxide studied by colloid-probe atomic force microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding Yanhuai; Zhang Ping; Ren Huming; Zhuo Qin; Yang Zhongmei; Jiang Xu; Jiang Yong

2011-01-01

Surface adhesion properties are important to various applications of graphene-based materials. Atomic force microscopy is powerful to study the adhesion properties of samples by measuring the forces on the colloidal sphere tip as it approaches and retracts from the surface. In this paper we have measured the adhesion force between the colloid probe and the surface of graphene (graphene oxide) nanosheet. The results revealed that the adhesion force on graphene and graphene oxide surface were 66.3 and 170.6 nN, respectively. It was found the adhesion force was mainly determined by the water meniscus, which was related to the surface contact angle of samples.

Understanding Angle and Angle Measure: A Design-Based Research Study Using Context Aware Ubiquitous Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Crompton, Helen

2015-01-01

Mobile technologies are quickly becoming tools found in the educational environment. The researchers in this study use a form of mobile learning to support students in learning about angle concepts. Design-based research is used in this study to develop an empirically-substantiated local instruction theory about students' develop of angle and…

Data preprocessing methods for robust Fourier ptychographic microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yan; Pan, An; Lei, Ming; Yao, Baoli

2017-12-01

Fourier ptychographic microscopy (FPM) is a recently developed computational imaging technique that achieves gigapixel images with both high resolution and large field-of-view. In the current FPM experimental setup, the dark-field images with high-angle illuminations are easily overwhelmed by stray lights and background noises due to the low signal-to-noise ratio, thus significantly degrading the achievable resolution of the FPM approach. We provide an overall and systematic data preprocessing scheme to enhance the FPM's performance, which involves sampling analysis, underexposed/overexposed treatments, background noises suppression, and stray lights elimination. It is demonstrated experimentally with both US Air Force (USAF) 1951 resolution target and biological samples that the benefit of the noise removal by these methods far outweighs the defect of the accompanying signal loss, as part of the lost signals can be compensated by the improved consistencies among the captured raw images. In addition, the reported nonparametric scheme could be further cooperated with the existing state-of-the-art algorithms with a great flexibility, facilitating a stronger noise-robust capability of the FPM approach in various applications.

French Society of Microscopy, 10. conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thibault-Penisson, J.; Cremer, Ch.; Susini, J.; Kirklanda, A.I.; Rigneault, H.; Renault, O.; Bailly, A.; Zagonel, L.F.; Barrett, N.; Bogner, A.; Gauthier, C.; Jouneau, P.H.; Thollet, G.; Fuchs, G.; Basset, D.; Deconihout, B.; Vurpillot, F.; Vella, A.; Matthieu, G.; Cadel, E.; Bostel, A.; Blavette, D.; Baumeister, W.; Usson, Y.; Zaefferer, St.; Laffont, L.; Weyland, M.; Thomas, J.M.; Midgley, P.; Benlekbir, S.; Epicier, Th.; Diop, B.N.; Roux, St.; Ou, M.; Perriat, P.; Bausach, M.; Aouine, M.; Berhault, G.; Idrissi, H.; Cottevieille, M.; Jonic, S.; Larquet, E.; Svergun, D.; Vannoni, M.A.; Boisset, N.; Ersena, O.; Werckmann, J.; Ulhaq, C.; Hirlimann, Ch.; Tihay, F.; Cuong, Pham-Huu; Crucifix, C.; Schultz, P.; Jornsanoha, P.; Thollet, G.; Masenelli-Varlot, K.; Gauthier, C.; Ludwig, W.; King, A.; Johnson, G.; Gonzalves-Hoennicke, M.; Reischig, P.; Messaoudi, C.; Ibrahim, R.; Marco, S.; Klie, R.F.; Zhao, Y.; Yang, G.; Zhu, Y.; Hue, F.; Hytch, M.; Hartmann, J.M.; Bogumilowicz, Y.; Claverie, A.; Klein, H.; Alloyeau, D.; Ricolleau, C.; Langlois, C.; Le Bouar, Y.; Loiseau, A.; Colliex, C.; Stephan, O.; Kociak, M.; Tence, M.; Gloter, A.; Imhoff, D.; Walls, M.; Nelayah, J.; March, K.; Couillard, M.; Ailliot, C.; Bertin, F.; Cooper, D.; Rivallin, P.; Dumelie, N.; Benhayoune, H.; Balossier, G.; Cheynet, M.; Pokrant, S.; Tichelaar, F.; Rouviere, J.L.; Cooper, D.; Truche, R.; Chabli, A.; Debili, M.Y.; Houdellier, F.; Warot-Fonrose, B.; Hytch, M.J.; Snoeck, E.; Calmels, L.; Serin, V.; Schattschneider, P.; Jacob, D.; Cordier, P.

2007-01-01

This document gathers the resumes of some of the presentations made at this conference whose aim was to present the last developments and achievements of the 3 complementary microscopies: optical microscopy, electron microscopy and X-ray microscopy. The contributions have been organized around the following 12 topics: 1) new technical developments, 2) 3-dimensional imaging, 3) quantitative microscopy, 4) technical progress in photon microscopy, 5) synchrotron radiation, 6) measurements of patterns, deformations and strains, 7) materials for energy and transports, 8) nano-structures, 9) virus: structure and infection mechanisms, 10) 3-dimensional imaging for molecules, cells and cellular tissues, 11) nano-particles and colloids, and 12) liquid crystals

Relationship between the Angle of Repose and Angle of Internal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

). The angle of internal friction ... compression chambers. Lorenzen, 1957 (quoted by Mohsenin,. 1986), reported that the design of deep ... tiongiven for lateral pressure in deep bins as presented by Mohsenin. (1986). The presence of moisture ...

Investigation into scanning tunnelling luminescence microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manson-Smith, S.K.

2001-01-01

This work reports on the development of a scanning tunnelling luminescence (STL) microscope and its application to the study of Ill-nitride semiconductor materials used in the production of light emitting devices. STL microscopy is a technique which uses the high resolution topographic imaging capabilities of the scanning tunnelling microscope (STM) to generate high resolution luminescence images. The STM tunnelling current acts as a highly localised source of electrons (or holes) which generates luminescence in certain materials. Light generated at the STM tunnelling junction is collected concurrently with the height variation of the tunnelling probe as it is scanned across a sample surface, producing simultaneous topographic and luminescence images. Due to the very localised excitation source, high resolution luminescence images can be obtained. Spectroscopic resolution can be obtained by using filters. Additionally, the variation of luminescence intensity with tunnel current and with bias voltage can provide information on recombination processes and material properties. The design and construction of a scanning tunnelling luminescence microscope is described in detail. Operating under ambient conditions, the microscope has several novel features, including a new type of miniature inertial slider-based approach motor, large solid-angle light collection optical arrangement and a tip-height regulation system which requires the minimum of operator input. (author)

The qualitative criterion of transient angle stability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lyu, R.; Xue, Y.; Xue, F.

2015-01-01

In almost all the literatures, the qualitative assessment of transient angle stability extracts the angle information of generators based on the swing curve. As the angle (or angle difference) of concern and the threshold value rely strongly on the engineering experience, the validity and robust...... of these criterions are weak. Based on the stability mechanism from the extended equal area criterion (EEAC) theory and combining with abundant simulations of real system, this paper analyzes the criterions in most literatures and finds that the results could be too conservative or too optimistic. It is concluded...

Microscopy techniques in flavivirus research.

Science.gov (United States)

Chong, Mun Keat; Chua, Anthony Jin Shun; Tan, Terence Tze Tong; Tan, Suat Hoon; Ng, Mah Lee

2014-04-01

The Flavivirus genus is composed of many medically important viruses that cause high morbidity and mortality, which include Dengue and West Nile viruses. Various molecular and biochemical techniques have been developed in the endeavour to study flaviviruses. However, microscopy techniques still have irreplaceable roles in the identification of novel virus pathogens and characterization of morphological changes in virus-infected cells. Fluorescence microscopy contributes greatly in understanding the fundamental viral protein localizations and virus-host protein interactions during infection. Electron microscopy remains the gold standard for visualizing ultra-structural features of virus particles and infected cells. New imaging techniques and combinatory applications are continuously being developed to push the limit of resolution and extract more quantitative data. Currently, correlative live cell imaging and high resolution three-dimensional imaging have already been achieved through the tandem use of optical and electron microscopy in analyzing biological specimens. Microscopy techniques are also used to measure protein binding affinities and determine the mobility pattern of proteins in cells. This chapter will consolidate on the applications of various well-established microscopy techniques in flavivirus research, and discuss how recently developed microscopy techniques can potentially help advance our understanding in these membrane viruses. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Angle closure glaucoma in congenital ectropion uvea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grace M. Wang

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Congenital ectropion uvea is a rare anomaly, which is associated with open, but dysplastic iridocorneal angles that cause childhood glaucoma. Herein, we present 3 cases of angle-closure glaucoma in children with congenital ectropion uvea. Observations: Three children were initially diagnosed with unilateral glaucoma secondary to congenital ectropion uvea at 7, 8 and 13 years of age. The three cases showed 360° of ectropion uvea and iris stromal atrophy in the affected eye. In one case, we have photographic documentation of progression to complete angle closure, which necessitated placement of a glaucoma drainage device 3 years after combined trabeculotomy and trabeculectomy. The 2 other cases, which presented as complete angle closure, also underwent glaucoma drainage device implantation. All three cases had early glaucoma drainage device encapsulation (within 4 months and required additional surgery (cycloablation or trabeculectomy. Conclusions and importance: Congenital ectropion uvea can be associated with angle-closure glaucoma, and placement of glaucoma drainage devices in all 3 of our cases showed early failure due to plate encapsulation. Glaucoma in congenital ectropion uvea requires attention to angle configuration and often requires multiple surgeries to obtain intraocular pressure control. Keywords: Congenital ectropion uvea, Juvenile glaucoma, Angle-closure glaucoma, Glaucoma drainage device

Spondylolysis and the sacro-horizontal angle in athletes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swaerd, L.; Hellstroem, M.; Jacobsson, B.; Peterson, L.; Sahlgrenska Sjukhuset, Goeteborg; King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh

1989-01-01

The frequency of spondylolysis and the relationship between spondylolysis and the sacro-horizontal angle in 143 athletes and 30 non-athletes is reported. Athletes had a larger sacro-horizontal angle than non-athletes. The sacro-horizontal angle was larger in athletes with spondylolysis as compared with those without. An increased incidence of spondylolysis with an increased angle was demonstrated. It is suggested that an increased sacro-horizontal angle may predispose to spondylolysis, especially in combination with the high mechanical loads sustained in certain sports. (orig.)

Spondylolysis and the sacro-horizontal angle in athletes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Swaerd, L.; Hellstroem, M.; Jacobsson, B.; Peterson, L. (Oestra Sjukhuset, Goeteborg (Sweden). Dept. of Orthopaedics; Sahlgrenska Sjukhuset, Goeteborg (Sweden). Dept. of Diagnostic Radiology; King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia). Dept. of Radiology)

The frequency of spondylolysis and the relationship between spondylolysis and the sacro-horizontal angle in 143 athletes and 30 non-athletes is reported. Athletes had a larger sacro-horizontal angle than non-athletes. The sacro-horizontal angle was larger in athletes with spondylolysis as compared with those without. An increased incidence of spondylolysis with an increased angle was demonstrated. It is suggested that an increased sacro-horizontal angle may predispose to spondylolysis, especially in combination with the high mechanical loads sustained in certain sports. (orig.).

Ocular Biometrics of Myopic Eyes With Narrow Angles.

Science.gov (United States)

Chong, Gabriel T; Wen, Joanne C; Su, Daniel Hsien-Wen; Stinnett, Sandra; Asrani, Sanjay

2016-02-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the ocular biometrics between myopic patients with and without narrow angles. Patients with a stable myopic refraction (myopia worse than -1.00 D spherical equivalent) were prospectively recruited. Angle status was assessed using gonioscopy and biometric measurements were performed using an anterior segment optical coherence tomography and an IOLMaster. A total of 29 patients (58 eyes) were enrolled with 13 patients (26 eyes) classified as having narrow angles and 16 patients (32 eyes) classified as having open angles. Baseline demographics of age, sex, and ethnicity did not differ significantly between the 2 groups. The patients with narrow angles were on average older than those with open angles but the difference did not reach statistical significance (P=0.12). The central anterior chamber depth was significantly less in the eyes with narrow angles (P=0.05). However, the average lens thickness, although greater in the eyes with narrow angles, did not reach statistical significance (P=0.10). Refractive error, axial lengths, and iris thicknesses did not differ significantly between the 2 groups (P=0.32, 0.47, 0.15). Narrow angles can occur in myopic eyes. Routine gonioscopy is therefore recommended for all patients regardless of refractive error.

Characterization of Nanocellulose Using Small-Angle Neutron, X-ray, and Dynamic Light Scattering Techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Yimin; Liu, Kai; Zhan, Chengbo; Geng, Lihong; Chu, Benjamin; Hsiao, Benjamin S

2017-02-16

Nanocellulose extracted from wood pulps using TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical)-mediated oxidation and sulfuric acid hydrolysis methods was characterized by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques. The dimensions of this nanocellulose (TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofiber (TOCN) and sulfuric acid hydrolyzed cellulose nanocrystal (SACN)) revealed by the different scattering methods were compared with those characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The SANS and SAXS data were analyzed using a parallelepiped-based form factor. The width and thickness of the nanocellulose cross section were ∼8 and ∼2 nm for TOCN and ∼20 and ∼3 nm for SACN, respectively, where the fitting results from SANS and SAXS profiles were consistent with each other. DLS was carried out under both the V V mode with the polarizer and analyzer parallel to each other and the H V mode having them perpendicular to each other. Using rotational and translational diffusion coefficients obtained under the H V mode yielded a nanocellulose length qualitatively consistent with that observed by TEM, whereas the length derived by the translational diffusion coefficient under the V V mode appeared to be overestimated.

Glancing angle deposited Al-doped ZnO nanostructures with different structural and optical properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yildiz, A., E-mail: yildizab@gmail.com [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR 72204 (United States); Department of Energy Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Ankara (Turkey); Cansizoglu, H. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR 72204 (United States); Turkoz, M. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR 72204 (United States); Department of Electrical-Electronic Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Karabuk, Karabuk (Turkey); Abdulrahman, R.; Al-Hilo, Alaa; Cansizoglu, M.F.; Demirkan, T.M.; Karabacak, T. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock, AR 72204 (United States)

2015-08-31

Al-doped ZnO (AZO) nanostructure arrays with different shapes (tilted rods, vertical rods, spirals, and zigzags) were fabricated by utilizing glancing angle deposition (GLAD) technique in a DC sputter growth unit at room temperature. During GLAD, all the samples were tilted at an oblique angle of about 90° with respect to incoming flux direction. In order to vary the shapes of nanostructures, each sample was rotated at different speeds around the substrate normal axis. Rotation speed did not only affect the shape but also changed the microstructural and optical properties of GLAD AZO nanostructures. The experimental results reveal that GLAD AZO nanostructures of different shapes each have unique morphological, crystal structure, mechanical, and optical properties determined by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission, and reflectance measurements. Vertical nanorods display the largest grain size, minimum strain, lowest defect density, and highest optical transmittance compared to the other shapes. Growth dynamics of GLAD has been discussed to explain the dependence of structural and optical properties of nanostructures on the substrate rotation speed. - Highlights: • Al-doped ZnO (AZO) nanostructures with different shapes were fabricated. • They have unique morphological, crystal structure, and optical properties. • Vertical AZO nanorods show an enhanced optical transmittance.

Resolution of the hydroxyapatite crystal lattice in bone and dental enamel by electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selvig, K.A.

1975-01-01

The molecular and atomic structure of hydroxyapatite was studied by transmission electron microscopy. The form, size and packing of hydroxyapatite crystals in sections of bone and dental hard tissues could be determined. Lattice fringe patterns with repeat distances in the range 2.7-8.2 A occurred in images of individual crystals. On the basis of these fringes the true orientation of the crystals relative to the plane of sectioning was calculated. The observed crystal lattice spacings and interplanar angles were in close agreement with data derived from X-ray diffraction analysis. This study shows that the possibility exists of relating crystallographic analysis to the morphology and fine structure of calcified tissue in health and disease

Confocal Raman Microscopy

CERN Document Server

Dieing, Thomas; Toporski, Jan

2011-01-01

Confocal Raman Microscopy is a relatively new technique that allows chemical imaging without specific sample preparation. By integrating a sensitive Raman spectrometer within a state-of-the-art microscope, Raman microscopy with a spatial resolution down to 200nm laterally and 500nm vertically can be achieved using visible light excitation. Recent developments in detector and computer technology as well as optimized instrument design have reduced integration times of Raman spectra by orders of magnitude, so that complete images consisting of tens of thousands of Raman spectra can be acquired in seconds or minutes rather than hours, which used to be standard just one decade ago. The purpose of this book is to provide the reader a comprehensive overview of the rapidly developing field of Confocal Raman Microscopy and its applications.

Mapping of low flip angles in magnetic resonance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balezeau, Fabien; Saint-Jalmes, Herve; Eliat, Pierre-Antoine; Cayamo, Alejandro Bordelois

2011-01-01

Errors in the flip angle have to be corrected in many magnetic resonance imaging applications, especially for T1 quantification. However, the existing methods of B1 mapping fail to measure lower values of the flip angle despite the fact that these are extensively used in dynamic acquisition and 3D imaging. In this study, the nonlinearity of the radiofrequency (RF) transmit chain, especially for very low flip angles, is investigated and a simple method is proposed to accurately determine both the gain of the RF transmitter and the B1 field map for low flip angles. The method makes use of the spoiled gradient echo sequence with long repetition time (TR), such as applied in the double-angle method. It uses an image acquired with a flip angle of 90 0 as a reference image that is robust to B1 inhomogeneity. The ratio of the image at flip angle alpha to the image at a flip angle of 90 0 enables us to calculate the actual value of alpha. This study was carried out at 1.5 and 4.7 T, showing that the linearity of the RF supply system is highly dependent on the hardware. The method proposed here allows us to measure the flip angle from 1 0 to 60 0 with a maximal uncertainty of 10% and to correct T1 maps based on the variable flip angle method.

Fluorescence confocal microscopy for pathologists.

Science.gov (United States)

Ragazzi, Moira; Piana, Simonetta; Longo, Caterina; Castagnetti, Fabio; Foroni, Monica; Ferrari, Guglielmo; Gardini, Giorgio; Pellacani, Giovanni

2014-03-01

Confocal microscopy is a non-invasive method of optical imaging that may provide microscopic images of untreated tissue that correspond almost perfectly to hematoxylin- and eosin-stained slides. Nowadays, following two confocal imaging systems are available: (1) reflectance confocal microscopy, based on the natural differences in refractive indices of subcellular structures within the tissues; (2) fluorescence confocal microscopy, based on the use of fluorochromes, such as acridine orange, to increase the contrast epithelium-stroma. In clinical practice to date, confocal microscopy has been used with the goal of obviating the need for excision biopsies, thereby reducing the need for pathological examination. The aim of our study was to test fluorescence confocal microscopy on different types of surgical specimens, specifically breast, lymph node, thyroid, and colon. The confocal images were correlated to the corresponding histological sections in order to provide a morphologic parallel and to highlight current limitations and possible applications of this technology for surgical pathology practice. As a result, neoplastic tissues were easily distinguishable from normal structures and reactive processes such as fibrosis; the use of fluorescence enhanced contrast and image quality in confocal microscopy without compromising final histologic evaluation. Finally, the fluorescence confocal microscopy images of the adipose tissue were as accurate as those of conventional histology and were devoid of the frozen-section-related artefacts that can compromise intraoperative evaluation. Despite some limitations mainly related to black/white images, which require training in imaging interpretation, this study confirms that fluorescence confocal microscopy may represent an alternative to frozen sections in the assessment of margin status in selected settings or when the conservation of the specimen is crucial. This is the first study to employ fluorescent confocal microscopy on

Ion-beam modification of 2-D materials - single implant atom analysis via annular dark-field electron microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bangert, U., E-mail: Ursel.Bangert@ul.ie [Department of Physics, School of Sciences & Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick (Ireland); Stewart, A.; O’Connell, E.; Courtney, E. [Department of Physics, School of Sciences & Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick (Ireland); Ramasse, Q.; Kepaptsoglou, D. [SuperSTEM Laboratory, STFC Daresbury Campus, Daresbury WA4 4AD (United Kingdom); Hofsäss, H.; Amani, J. [II. Physikalisches Institut, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Friedrich-Hund-PLatz 1, 37077 Göttingen (Germany); Tu, J.-S.; Kardynal, B. [Peter Grünberg Institut 9, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich (Germany)

2017-05-15

Functionalisation of two-dimensional (2-D) materials via low energy ion implantation could open possibilities for fabrication of devices based on such materials. Nanoscale patterning and/or electronically doping can thus be achieved, compatible with large scale integrated semiconductor technologies. Using atomic resolution High Angle Annular Dark Field (HAADF) scanning transmission electron microscopy supported by image simulation, we show that sites and chemical nature of individual implants/ dopants in graphene, as well as impurities in hBN, can uniquely and directly be identified on grounds of their position and their image intensity in accordance with predictions from Z-contrast theories. Dopants in graphene (e.g., N) are predominantly substitutional. In other 2-Ds, e.g. dichalcogenides, the situation is more complicated since implants can be embedded in different layers and substitute for different elements. Possible configurations of Se-implants in MoS{sub 2} are discussed and image contrast calculations performed. Implants substituting for S in the top or bottom layer can undoubtedly be identified. We show, for the first time, using HAADF contrast measurement that successful Se-integration into MoS{sub 2} can be achieved via ion implantation, and we demonstrate the possibility of HAADF image contrast measurements for identifying impurities and dopants introduced into in 2-Ds. - Highlights: • Ion implantation of 2-dimensional materials. • Targeted and controlled functionalisation of graphene and 2-D dichalcocenides. • Atomic resolution High Angle Dark Field scanning transmission electron microscopy. • Determination of atomic site and elemental nature of dopants in 2-D materials. • Quantitative information from Z-contrast images.

Investigations of time resolved x-ray wide-angle scattering and x-ray small-angle scattering at DESY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zachmann, H.G.; Gehrke, R.; Prieske, W.; Riekel, C.

1985-01-01

Instrumentation is described for the simultaneous wide-angle and small-angle x-ray scattering. The method was applied to the study of the isothermal crystallization of polyethylene terephthalates. In agreement with the classical theories of crystallization, the data showed that the density difference between the crystals and the non-crystalline regions does not change with time. The mechanisms of melting, recrystallization, and crystal thickening were investigated by small-angle x-ray scattering with stepwise changes and continuous changes of temperature using polyethylene terephthalate

Electron microscopy for Engineers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, I P

2009-01-01

This paper reviews the application of (mainly) Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) in an engineering context. The first two sections are TEM and chemical in nature; the final three sections are more general and include aspects of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).

Measurement of the angle gamma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aleksan, R.; Sphicas, P.; Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge, MA

1993-12-01

The angle γ as defined in the Wolfenstein approximation is not completely out of reach of current or proposed dedicated B experiments. This work represents but a first step in the direction of extracting the third angle of the unitarity triangle by study the feasibility of using new decay modes in a hadronic machine. (A.B.). 11 refs., 1 fig., 7 tabs

Angle-averaged Compton cross sections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nickel, G.H.

1983-01-01

The scattering of a photon by an individual free electron is characterized by six quantities: α = initial photon energy in units of m 0 c 2 ; α/sub s/ = scattered photon energy in units of m 0 c 2 ; β = initial electron velocity in units of c; phi = angle between photon direction and electron direction in the laboratory frame (LF); theta = polar angle change due to Compton scattering, measured in the electron rest frame (ERF); and tau = azimuthal angle change in the ERF. We present an analytic expression for the average of the Compton cross section over phi, theta, and tau. The lowest order approximation to this equation is reasonably accurate for photons and electrons with energies of many keV

Angle-averaged Compton cross sections

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nickel, G.H.

1983-01-01

The scattering of a photon by an individual free electron is characterized by six quantities: ..cap alpha.. = initial photon energy in units of m/sub 0/c/sup 2/; ..cap alpha../sub s/ = scattered photon energy in units of m/sub 0/c/sup 2/; ..beta.. = initial electron velocity in units of c; phi = angle between photon direction and electron direction in the laboratory frame (LF); theta = polar angle change due to Compton scattering, measured in the electron rest frame (ERF); and tau = azimuthal angle change in the ERF. We present an analytic expression for the average of the Compton cross section over phi, theta, and tau. The lowest order approximation to this equation is reasonably accurate for photons and electrons with energies of many keV.

Atomic force microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy on the cytoskeleton of permeabilised and embedded cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meller, Karl; Theiss, Carsten

2006-01-01

We describe a technical method of cell permeabilisation and embedding to study the organisation and distribution of intracellular proteins with aid of atomic force microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy in identical areas. While confocal laser scanning microscopy is useful for the identification of certain proteins subsequent labelling with markers or antibodies, atomic force microscopy allows the observation of macromolecular structures in fixed and living cells. To demonstrate the field of application of this preparatory technique, cells were permeabilised, fixed, and the actin cytoskeleton was stained with phalloidin-rhodamine. Confocal laser scanning microscopy was used to show the organisation of these microfilaments, e.g. geodesic dome structures. Thereafter, cells were embedded in Durcupan water-soluble resin, followed by UV-polymerisation of resin at 4 o C. This procedure allowed intracellular visualisation of the cell nucleus or cytoskeletal elements by atomic force microscopy, for instance to analyse the globular organisation of actin filaments. Therefore, this method offers a great potential to combine both microscopy techniques in order to understand and interpret intracellular protein relations, for example, the biochemical and morphological interaction of the cytoskeleton

Angle Kappa and its importance in refractive surgery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Majid Moshirfar

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Angle kappa is the difference between the pupillary and visual axis. This measurement is of paramount consideration in refractive surgery, as proper centration is required for optimal results. Angle kappa may contribute to MFIOL decentration and its resultant photic phenomena. Adjusting placement of MFIOLs for angle kappa is not supported by the literature but is likely to help reduce glare and haloes. Centering LASIK in angle kappa patients over the corneal light reflex is safe, efficacious, and recommended. Centering in-between the corneal reflex and the entrance pupil is also safe and efficacious. The literature regarding PRK in patients with an angle kappa is sparse but centering on the corneal reflex is assumed to be similar to centering LASIK on the corneal reflex. Thus, centration of MFIOLs, LASIK, and PRK should be focused on the corneal reflex for patients with a large angle kappa. More research is needed to guide surgeons′ approach to angle kappa.

Angles of total shifts and angles of maxumum crop during development of faces diagonal to seam strike directions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Н. А. Колесник

2017-06-01

Full Text Available When predicting deformations and determining measures to protect underworked objects, angular parameters are used: the boundary angles, the angles of total shift, the angle of maximum crop. The values of these angular parameters are given in the normative documents, but only for sections across and along the strike of the formation. However, at present, longwall face mining is mainly being carried out along a diagonal direction to the strike of the formation. In connection with this, the determination of the values of the angular parameters for such conditions is a topical task.The method of determination and the analytical dependences of the angles of total shifts and angles of maximum crop in sections of the longitudinal and transverse axes of coal-mining faces developed along diagonal directions to the strike of the formation are proposed. These angular parameters are used for prognosis of deformations of the earth's surface and for determining the characteristic zones of influence of mine workings on the local places.

Atomic force microscopy study of stacking modes of martensitic transformation in Fe-Mn-Si based shape memory alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, D.Z.; Kikuchi, T.; Kajiwara, S.; Shinya, N.

2000-01-01

Stacking modes of thermally induced and stress-induced martensitic transformation in Fe-28Mn-6Si-5Cr shape memory alloys have been studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM). It has been found that thermally induced martensite plates appear with the self-accommodated stacking form, in which all the three possible variants with different left angle 112 right angle shear directions in a {111} plane are activated and formed in parallel but at separate places; i.e. each plate corresponds to one variant. In addition, a plastic deformation band is always induced in austenite between two different variants. On the other hand, stress-induced martensite plates appear with the mono-partial stacking form, i.e. only single variant is activated in a {111} plane in a grain. The difference between stacking modes of thermally induced and stress-induced martensites makes them play a different role in contributing to shape memory effect in Fe-Mn-Si based shape memory alloys. (orig.)

Characterization of oligomerization of a peptide from the ebola virus glycoprotein by small-angle neutron scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Egorov, V. V.; Gorshkov, A. N.; Murugova, T. N.; Vasin, A. V.; Lebedev, D. V.; Isaev-Ivanov, V. V.; Kiselev, O. I.

2016-01-01

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) studies showed that model peptides QNALVCGLRQ (G33) and QNALVCGLRG (G31) corresponding to region 551–560 of the GP protein of the Sudan Ebola virus are prone to oligomerization in solution. Both peptides can form amyloid-like fibrills. The G33 peptide forms fibrils within one day of incubation, whereas the fibrillogenesis of the G31 peptide is observed only after incubation for several months. The possible role of the observed processes in the pathogenesis and the possibility of applying a combination of the TEM and SANS techniques to search for new compounds that are able to influence the protein oligomerization are discussed

Characterization of oligomerization of a peptide from the ebola virus glycoprotein by small-angle neutron scattering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Egorov, V. V., E-mail: vlaegur@omrb.pnpi.spb.ru [National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Konstantinov Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute (Russian Federation); Gorshkov, A. N. [Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Research Institute of Influenza (Russian Federation); Murugova, T. N. [Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (Russian Federation); Vasin, A. V. [Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Research Institute of Influenza (Russian Federation); Lebedev, D. V.; Isaev-Ivanov, V. V. [National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Konstantinov Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute (Russian Federation); Kiselev, O. I. [Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Research Institute of Influenza (Russian Federation)

2016-01-15

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) studies showed that model peptides QNALVCGLRQ (G33) and QNALVCGLRG (G31) corresponding to region 551–560 of the GP protein of the Sudan Ebola virus are prone to oligomerization in solution. Both peptides can form amyloid-like fibrills. The G33 peptide forms fibrils within one day of incubation, whereas the fibrillogenesis of the G31 peptide is observed only after incubation for several months. The possible role of the observed processes in the pathogenesis and the possibility of applying a combination of the TEM and SANS techniques to search for new compounds that are able to influence the protein oligomerization are discussed.

Characterization of oligomerization of a peptide from the ebola virus glycoprotein by small-angle neutron scattering

Science.gov (United States)

Egorov, V. V.; Gorshkov, A. N.; Murugova, T. N.; Vasin, A. V.; Lebedev, D. V.; Isaev-Ivanov, V. V.; Kiselev, O. I.

2016-01-01

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) studies showed that model peptides QNALVCGLRQ (G33) and QNALVCGLRG (G31) corresponding to region 551-560 of the GP protein of the Sudan Ebola virus are prone to oligomerization in solution. Both peptides can form amyloid-like fibrills. The G33 peptide forms fibrils within one day of incubation, whereas the fibrillogenesis of the G31 peptide is observed only after incubation for several months. The possible role of the observed processes in the pathogenesis and the possibility of applying a combination of the TEM and SANS techniques to search for new compounds that are able to influence the protein oligomerization are discussed.

Preferred nasolabial angle in Middle Eastern population.

Science.gov (United States)

Alharethy, Sami

2017-05-01

To define the preferred nasolabial angle measurement in Middle Eastern population. An observational study was conducted from January 2012 to January 2016 at the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A total of 1027 raters, 506 males, and 521 females were asked to choose the most ideal nasolabial angle for 5 males and 5 females lateral photographs whose nasolabial angle were modified with Photoshop into the following angles (85°, 90°, 95°, 100°, 105°, and 110°). Male raters preferred the angle of 89.5° ± 3.5° (mean ± SD) for males and 90.8° ± 5.6° for females. While female raters preferred the angle of 89.3° ± 3.8° for males and 90.5° ± 4.8° for females. ANOVA test compare means among groups: p: 0.342, and there is no statistically significant difference between groups. The results of our study showed an even more acute angles than degrees found in the literature. It shows that what young generation in our region prefers and clearly reflects that what could be explained as under rotation of the nasal tip in other cultures is just the ideal for some Middle Eastern population.

ASSESSMENT OF LENS THICKNESS IN ANGLE CLOSURE DISEASE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nishat Sultana Khayoom

2016-08-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Anterior chamber depth and lens thickness have been considered as important biometric determinants in primary angle-closure glaucoma. Patients with primary narrow angle may be classified as a primary angle closure suspect (PACS, or as having primary angle closure (PAC or primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG. 23.9% of patients with primary angle closure disease are in India, which highlights the importance of understanding the disease, its natural history, and its underlying pathophysiology, so that we may try to establish effective methods of treatment and preventative measures to delay, or even arrest, disease progression, thereby reducing visual morbidity. AIM To determine the lens thickness using A-scan biometry and its significance in various stages of angle closure disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients attending outpatient department at Minto Ophthalmic Hospital between October 2013 to May 2015 were screened for angle closure disease and subsequently evaluated at glaucoma department. In our study, lens thickness showed a direct correlation with shallowing of the anterior chamber by determining the LT/ ACD ratio. A decrease in anterior chamber depth is proportional to the narrowing of the angle which contributes to the progression of the angle closure disease from just apposition to occlusion enhancing the risk for optic nerve damage and visual field loss. Hence, if the lens thickness values are assessed earlier in the disease process, appropriate intervention can be planned. CONCLUSION Determination of lens changes along with anterior chamber depth and axial length morphometrically can aid in early detection of angle closure. The role of lens extraction for PACG is a subject of increased interest. Lens extraction promotes the benefits of anatomical opening of the angle, IOP reduction and improved vision. This potential intervention may be one among the armamentarium of approaches for PACG. Among the current treatment modalities

Scattering angle-based filtering via extension in velocity

KAUST Repository

Kazei, Vladimir; Tessmer, Ekkehart; Alkhalifah, Tariq

2016-01-01

The scattering angle between the source and receiver wavefields can be utilized in full-waveform inversion (FWI) and in reverse-time migration (RTM) for regularization and quality control or to remove low frequency artifacts. The access to the scattering angle information is costly as the relation between local image features and scattering angles has non-stationary nature. For the purpose of a more efficient scattering angle information extraction, we develop techniques that utilize the simplicity of the scattering angle based filters for constantvelocity background models. We split the background velocity model into several domains with different velocity ranges, generating an

Scattering angle-based filtering via extension in velocity

KAUST Repository

Kazei, Vladimir

2016-09-06

The scattering angle between the source and receiver wavefields can be utilized in full-waveform inversion (FWI) and in reverse-time migration (RTM) for regularization and quality control or to remove low frequency artifacts. The access to the scattering angle information is costly as the relation between local image features and scattering angles has non-stationary nature. For the purpose of a more efficient scattering angle information extraction, we develop techniques that utilize the simplicity of the scattering angle based filters for constantvelocity background models. We split the background velocity model into several domains with different velocity ranges, generating an

A Facile All-Solution-Processed Surface with High Water Contact Angle and High Water Adhesive Force.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Mei; Hu, Wei; Liang, Xiao; Zou, Cheng; Li, Fasheng; Zhang, Lanying; Chen, Feiwu; Yang, Huai

2017-07-12

A series of sticky superhydrophobicity surfaces with high water contact angle and high water adhesive force is facilely prepared via an all-solution-processed method based on polymerization-induced phase separation between liquid crystals (LCs) and epoxy resin, which produces layers of epoxy microspheres (EMSs) with nanofolds on the surface of a substrate. The morphologies and size distributions of EMSs are confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. Results reveal that the obtained EMS coated-surface exhibits high apparent contact angle of 152.0° and high water adhesive force up to 117.6 μN. By varying the composition of the sample or preparing conditions, the sizes of the produced EMSs can be artificially regulated and, thus, control the wetting properties and water adhesive behaviors. Also, the sticky superhydrophobic surface exhibits excellent chemical stability, as well as long-term durability. Water droplet transportation experiments further prove that the as-made surface can be effectively used as a mechanical hand for water transportation applications. Based on this, it is believed that the simple method proposed in this paper will pave a new way for producing a sticky superhydrophobic surface and obtain a wide range of use.

Filamentary superhydrophobic Teflon surfaces: Moderate apparent contact angle but superior air-retaining properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Di Mundo, Rosa; Bottiglione, Francesco; Palumbo, Fabio; Notarnicola, Michele; Carbone, Giuseppe

2016-11-15

Micro-scale textured Teflon surfaces, resulting from plasma etching modification, show extremely high water contact angle values and fairly good resistance to water penetration when hit by water drops at medium-high speed. This behavior is more pronounced when these surfaces present denser and smaller micrometric reliefs. Tailoring the top of these reliefs with a structure which further stabilizes the air may further increase resistance to wetting (water penetration) under static and dynamic conditions. Conditions of the oxygen fed plasma were tuned in order to explore the possibility of obtaining differently topped structures on the surface of the polymer. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used to explore topography and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) to assess chemical similarity of the modified surfaces. Beside the usual advancing and receding water contact angle (WCA) measurements, surfaces were subjected to high speed impacting drops and immersion in water. At milder, i.e. shorter time and lower input power, plasma conditions formation of peculiar filaments is observed on the top of the sculpted reliefs. Filamentary topped surfaces result in a lower WCA than the spherical ones, appearing in this sense less superhydrophobic. However, these surfaces give rise to the formation of a more pronounced air layer when placed underwater. Further, when hit by water drops falling at medium/high speed, they show a higher resistance to water penetration and a sensitively lower surface-liquid contact time. The contact time is as low as previously observed only on heated solids. This behavior may be ascribed to the cavities formed beneath the filaments which, similarly with the salvinia leaf structures, require a surplus of pressure to be filled by water. Also, it suggests a different concept of superhydrophobicity, which cannot be expected on the basis of the conventional water contact angle characterization. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Radiodiagnosis of Cerebellopontine-angle tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weyer, K.H. van de

1979-01-01

The most important radiodiagnostic signs of cerebellopontine-angle tumors are demonstrated. The value of plain films and special projections is discussed. The use of recent diagnostic procedures like scintography, CT and cisternography with oily contrast medium is critically analyzed. The advantage and disadvantages of these procedures are discussed according to their usefullness in evaluating size, route of spread and localisation of cerebellopontine-angle tumors. (orig.) [de

Solid state laser driver for an ICF reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krupke, W.F.

1988-01-01

A conceptual design is presented of the main power amplifier of a multi-beamline, multi-megawatt solid state ICF reactor driver. Simultaneous achievement of useful beam quality and high average power is achieved by a proper choice of amplifier geometry. An amplifier beamline consists of a sequence of face-pumped rectangular slab gain elements, oriented at the Brewster angle relative to the beamline axis, and cooled on their large faces by helium gas that is flowing subsonically. The infrared amplifier output radiation is shifted to an appropriately short wavelength ( 10% (including all flow cooling input power) when the amplifiers are pumped by efficient high-power AlGaAs semiconductor laser diode arrays. 11 refs., 3 figs., 7 tabs

A small angle neutron study of irradiation induced microstructures in Cr-Mo-V WWER steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levit, Vladimir I.; Santos, Ari S.; Louzada, Ana R.R.; Silveira, Cristina M.; Vaniel, Ana Paula H.; Odette, George R.; Mader, Eric

2000-01-01

Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) has proven to be a very effective technique for characterizing the ultrafine (∼1 nm) irradiation induced microstructures which are responsible for hardening and the concomitant embrittlement of reactor pressure vessel steels. SANS measurement were carried out on three irradiated and unirradiated weld materials of WWER- type on 8 m instrument at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Washington, USA. Small (r m < 1 nm) irradiation induced features were found for all three materials. Were found volume fractions, number densities and ratios of magnetic to nuclear scattering. Some analyses of the irradiation induced precipitation nature and possible chemical composition were made by comparison of the results with other reactor materials SANS and Atom Probe Field Ion Microscopy data. (author)

Sharper angle, higher risk? The effect of cutting angle on knee mechanics in invasion sport athletes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schreurs, Mervin J.; Benjaminse, Anne; Lemmink, Koen A. P. M.

2017-01-01

Introduction: Cutting is an important skill in team-sports, but unfortunately is also related to non-contact ACL injuries. The purpose was to examine knee kinetics and kinematics at different cutting angles. Material and methods: 13 males and 16 females performed cuts at different angles (45°, 90°,

Angle closure glaucoma in congenital ectropion uvea.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Grace M; Thuente, Daniel; Bohnsack, Brenda L

2018-06-01

Congenital ectropion uvea is a rare anomaly, which is associated with open, but dysplastic iridocorneal angles that cause childhood glaucoma. Herein, we present 3 cases of angle-closure glaucoma in children with congenital ectropion uvea. Three children were initially diagnosed with unilateral glaucoma secondary to congenital ectropion uvea at 7, 8 and 13 years of age. The three cases showed 360° of ectropion uvea and iris stromal atrophy in the affected eye. In one case, we have photographic documentation of progression to complete angle closure, which necessitated placement of a glaucoma drainage device 3 years after combined trabeculotomy and trabeculectomy. The 2 other cases, which presented as complete angle closure, also underwent glaucoma drainage device implantation. All three cases had early glaucoma drainage device encapsulation (within 4 months) and required additional surgery (cycloablation or trabeculectomy). Congenital ectropion uvea can be associated with angle-closure glaucoma, and placement of glaucoma drainage devices in all 3 of our cases showed early failure due to plate encapsulation. Glaucoma in congenital ectropion uvea requires attention to angle configuration and often requires multiple surgeries to obtain intraocular pressure control.

Neutron spin echo scattering angle measurement (SESAME)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pynn, R.; Fitzsimmons, M.R.; Fritzsche, H.; Gierlings, M.; Major, J.; Jason, A.

2005-01-01

We describe experiments in which the neutron spin echo technique is used to measure neutron scattering angles. We have implemented the technique, dubbed spin echo scattering angle measurement (SESAME), using thin films of Permalloy electrodeposited on silicon wafers as sources of the magnetic fields within which neutron spins precess. With 30-μm-thick films we resolve neutron scattering angles to about 0.02 deg. with neutrons of 4.66 A wavelength. This allows us to probe correlation lengths up to 200 nm in an application to small angle neutron scattering. We also demonstrate that SESAME can be used to separate specular and diffuse neutron reflection from surfaces at grazing incidence. In both of these cases, SESAME can make measurements at higher neutron intensity than is available with conventional methods because the angular resolution achieved is independent of the divergence of the neutron beam. Finally, we discuss the conditions under which SESAME might be used to probe in-plane structure in thin films and show that the method has advantages for incident neutron angles close to the critical angle because multiple scattering is automatically accounted for

The Effect of Suture Anchor Insertion Angle on Calcaneus Pullout Strength: Challenging the Deadman's Angle.

Science.gov (United States)

Weiss, William M; Saucedo, Ramon P; Robinson, John D; Lo, Chung-Chieh Jason; Morris, Randal P; Panchbhavi, Vinod K

2017-10-01

Refractory cases of Achilles tendinopathy amenable to surgery may include reattachment of the tendon using suture anchors. However, there is paucity of information describing the optimal insertion angle to maximize the tendon footprint and anchor stability in the calcaneus. The purpose of this investigation is to compare the fixation strength of suture anchors inserted at 90° and 45° (the Deadman's angle) relative to the primary compressive trabeculae of the calcaneus. A total of 12 matched pairs of adult cadaveric calcanei were excised and potted to approximate their alignment in vivo. Each pair was implanted with 5.5-mm bioabsorbable suture anchors placed either perpendicular (90°) or oblique (45°) to the primary compressive trabeculae. A tensile load was applied until failure of anchor fixation. Differences in failure load and stiffness between anchor fixation angles were determined by paired t-tests. No significant differences were detected between perpendicular and oblique suture anchor insertion relative to primary compressive trabeculae in terms of load to failure or stiffness. This investigation suggests that the fixation strength of suture anchors inserted perpendicular to the primary compression trabeculae and at the Deadman's angle are possibly comparable. Biomechanical comparison study.

Effects of pressure and temperature on pore structure of ceramic synthesized from rice husk: A small angle neutron scattering investigation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raut Dessai, R., E-mail: reshooin@yahoo.com [Department of Physics, Goa University, Taleigao Plateau, Goa 403 206 (India); Desa, J.A.E. [Department of Physics, Goa University, Taleigao Plateau, Goa 403 206 (India); Sen, D.; Mazumder, S. [Solid State Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085 (India)

2013-07-05

Highlights: ► A porous ceramic has been prepared from silica obtained from rice husk. ► The ceramic has a hierarchical pore structure from micrometric to nano-metric. ► Small Angle Neutron Scattering data indicate nano-pore connectivity to micro-pores. ► Pore morphology can be tuned by compaction pressure and sintering temperature. -- Abstract: Ceramic powder has been synthesized from rice husk as the source of silica. In order to probe the evolution of its hierarchical mesoscopic and microscopic porous structure, the ceramic powder was compacted at different pressures and was sintered at different temperatures. A glassy ceramic to crystalline transition under thermal treatment (up to 1000 °C) was revealed by X-ray diffraction. Existence of pores in two widely separated length scales was indicated by small angle neutron scattering with the smaller ones having mass fractal arrangement. Although no significant change in small pore structure under thermal effect was indicated, a significant modification of the same has been revealed by small angle neutron scattering at different compaction pressures. Connectivity between the pores was ascertained from scattering experiments on the ceramic compact impregnated with heavy water. Scanning electron microscopy shows the microstructure to undergo appreciable coalescence of micrometric ceramic particles for sintering temperature and pressure changes.

Effect of deposition angle on the structure and properties of pulsed-DC magnetron sputtered TiAlN thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shetty, A.R.; Karimi, A.; Cantoni, M.

2011-01-01

This article reports the comparison of structure and properties of titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN) films deposited onto Si(100) substrates under normal and oblique angle depositions using pulsed-DC magnetron sputtering. The substrate temperature was set at room temperature, 400 o C and 650 o C, and the bias was kept at 0, - 25, - 50, and - 80 V for both deposition angles. The surface and cross-section of the films were observed by scanning electron microscopy. It was found that as the deposition temperature increases, films deposited under normal incidence exhibit distinct faceted crystallites, whereas oblique angle deposited (OAD) films develop a kind of 'tiles of a roof' or 'stepwise structure', with no facetted crystallites. The OAD films showed an inclined columnar structure, with columns tilting in the direction of the incident flux. As the substrate temperature was increased, the tilting of columns nearly approached the substrate normal. Both hardness and Young's modulus decreases when the flux angle was changed from α = 0 o to 45 o as measured by nanoindentation. This was attributed to the voids formed due to the shadowing effect. The crystallographic properties of these coatings were studied by θ-2θ scan and pole figure X-ray diffraction. Films deposited at α = 0 o showed a mixed (111) and (200) out-of-plane orientation with random in-plane alignment. On the other hand, films deposited at α = 45 o revealed an inclined texture with (111) orientation moving towards the incident flux direction and the (200) orientation approaching the substrate normal, showing substantial in-plane alignment.

Dynamic angle selection in X-ray computed tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dabravolski, Andrei, E-mail: andrei.dabravolski@uantwerpen.be [iMinds-Vision Lab, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk (Belgium); Batenburg, Kees Joost, E-mail: joost.batenburg@uantwerpen.be [iMinds-Vision Lab, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk (Belgium); Centrum Wiskunde and Informatica (CWI), Science Park 123, 1098 XG Amsterdam (Netherlands); Sijbers, Jan, E-mail: jan.sijbers@uantwerpen.be [iMinds-Vision Lab, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk (Belgium)

2014-04-01

Highlights: • We propose the dynamic angle selection algorithm for CT scanning. • The approach is based on the concept of information gain over a set of solutions. • Projection angles are selected based on the already available projection data. • The approach can lead to more accurate results from fewer projections. - Abstract: In X-ray tomography, a number of radiographs (projections) are recorded from which a tomogram is then reconstructed. Conventionally, these projections are acquired equiangularly, resulting in an unbiased sampling of the Radon space. However, especially in case when only a limited number of projections can be acquired, the selection of the angles has a large impact on the quality of the reconstructed image. In this paper, a dynamic algorithm is proposed, in which new projection angles are selected by maximizing the information gain about the object, given the set of possible new angles. Experiments show that this approach can select projection angles for which the accuracy of the reconstructed image is significantly higher compared to the standard angle selections schemes.

Dynamic angle selection in X-ray computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dabravolski, Andrei; Batenburg, Kees Joost; Sijbers, Jan

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We propose the dynamic angle selection algorithm for CT scanning. • The approach is based on the concept of information gain over a set of solutions. • Projection angles are selected based on the already available projection data. • The approach can lead to more accurate results from fewer projections. - Abstract: In X-ray tomography, a number of radiographs (projections) are recorded from which a tomogram is then reconstructed. Conventionally, these projections are acquired equiangularly, resulting in an unbiased sampling of the Radon space. However, especially in case when only a limited number of projections can be acquired, the selection of the angles has a large impact on the quality of the reconstructed image. In this paper, a dynamic algorithm is proposed, in which new projection angles are selected by maximizing the information gain about the object, given the set of possible new angles. Experiments show that this approach can select projection angles for which the accuracy of the reconstructed image is significantly higher compared to the standard angle selections schemes

The structure of Ta nanopillars grown by glancing angle deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, C.M.; Gall, D.

2006-01-01

Regular arrays of Ta nanopillars, 200 nm wide and 500 nm tall, were grown on SiO 2 nanosphere patterns by glancing angle sputter deposition (GLAD). Plan-view and cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy analyses show dramatic changes in the structure and morphology of individual nanopillars as a function of growth temperature T s ranging from 200 to 700 deg. C. At low temperatures, T s ≤ 300 deg. C, single nanopillars develop on each sphere and branch into subpillars near the pillar top. In contrast, T s ≥ 500 deg. C leads to branching during the nucleation stage at the pillar bottom. The top branching at low T s is associated with surface mounds on a growing pillar that, due to atomic shadowing, develop into separated subpillars. At high T s , the branching occurs during the nucleation stage where multiple nuclei on a single SiO 2 sphere develop into subpillars during a competitive growth mode which, in turn, leads to intercolumnar competition and the extinction of some nanopillars

Environmental transmission electron microscopy investigations of Pt-Fe2O3 nanoparticles for nucleating carbon nanotubes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

He, Maoshuai; Jin, Hua; Zhang, Lili

2016-01-01

electron microscopy, restructuring of the acorn-like Pt-Fe2O3 nanoparticles at reaction conditions is investigated. Upon heating to reaction temperature, ε-Fe2O3 is converted to β-Fe2O3, which can be subsequently reduced to metallic Fe once introducing CO. As Pt promotes the carburization of Fe, part...... of the metallic Fe reacts with active carbon atoms to form Fe2.5C instead of Fe3C, catalyzing the nucleation of carbon nanotubes. Nanobeam electron diffraction characterizations on SWCNTs grown under ambient pressure at 800 °C demonstrate that their chiral angle and diameter distributions are similar to those...

Luminosity Anti-leveling with Crossing Angle (MD 1669)

CERN Document Server

Gorzawski, Arkadiusz; Ponce, Laurette; Salvachua Ferrando, Belen Maria; Wenninger, Jorg; CERN. Geneva. ATS Department

2016-01-01

A significant fraction of the LHC luminosity ($\\sim$30\\% in 2016) is lost due to the presence (and necessity) of the crossing angles at the IPs. At the LHC the crossing angle is typically set to a value that provides sufficient separation of the beams at the start of fills for the peak bunch intensities. As the bunch intensity decays during a fill, it is possible to reduce the crossing angle and recover some luminosity. A smooth crossing angle reduction procedure must be developed to take advantage of this option during stable beam operation. During this MD a smooth procedure for luminosity leveling with crossing angle was tested. It was demonstrated that the orbit was well controlled, beam losses were low and the offset leveled experiments ALICE and LHCb were not affected by crossing angle leveling in ATLAS and CMS.

Common-path configuration in total internal reflection digital holography microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Calabuig, Alejandro; Matrecano, Marcella; Paturzo, Melania; Ferraro, Pietro

2014-04-15

Total Internal Reflection Digital Holographic Microscopy (TIRDHM) is recognized to be a powerful tool for retrieving quantitative phase images of cell-substrate interfaces, adhesions, and tissue structures close to the prism surface. In this Letter, we develop an improved TIRDHM system, taking advantage of a refractive index mismatch between the prism and the sample substrate, to allow phase-shifting DH with just a single-beam interferometric configuration. Instead of the traditional off-axis method, phase-shift method is used to retrieve amplitude and phase images in coherent light and TIR modality. Essentially, the substrate-prism interface acts like a beam splitter generating a reference beam, where the phase-shift dependence on the incident angle is exploited in this common-path configuration. With the aim to demonstrate the technique's validity, some experiments are performed to establish the advantage of this compact and simple configuration, in which the reference arm in the setup is avoided.

Graphene spin valve: An angle sensor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iqbal, Muhammad Zahir, E-mail: zahir.upc@gmail.com [Faculty of Engineering Sciences, GIK Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Topi 23640, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan); Hussain, Ghulam [Faculty of Engineering Sciences, GIK Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, Topi 23640, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan); Siddique, Salma [Department of Bioscience & Biotechnology, Sejong University, Seoul 143-747 (Korea, Republic of); Iqbal, Muhammad Waqas [Department of Physics, Riphah Institute of Computing and Applied Sciences (RICAS), Riphah International University, Lahore (Pakistan)

2017-06-15

Graphene spin valves can be optimized for various spintronic applications by tuning the associated experimental parameters. In this work, we report the angle dependent magnetoresistance (MR) in graphene spin valve for different orientations of applied magnetic field (B). The switching points of spin valve signals show a clear shift towards higher B for each increasing angle of the applied field, thus sensing the response for respective orientation of the magnetic field. The angular variation of B shifts the switching points from ±95 G to ±925 G as the angle is varied from 0° to 90° at 300 K. The observed shifts in switching points become more pronounced (±165 G to ±1450 G) at 4.2 K for similar orientation. A monotonic increase in MR ratio is observed as the angle of magnetic field is varied in the vertical direction at 300 K and 4.2 K temperatures. This variation of B (from 0° to 90°) increases the magnitude of MR ratio from ∼0.08% to ∼0.14% at 300 K, while at 4.2 K it progresses to ∼0.39% from ∼0.14%. The sensitivity related to angular variation of such spin valve structure can be employed for angle sensing applications.

Apparatus and method for variable angle slant hole collimator

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Seung Joon; Kross, Brian J.; McKisson, John E.

2017-07-18

A variable angle slant hole (VASH) collimator for providing collimation of high energy photons such as gamma rays during radiological imaging of humans. The VASH collimator includes a stack of multiple collimator leaves and a means of quickly aligning each leaf to provide various projection angles. Rather than rotate the detector around the subject, the VASH collimator enables the detector to remain stationary while the projection angle of the collimator is varied for tomographic acquisition. High collimator efficiency is achieved by maintaining the leaves in accurate alignment through the various projection angles. Individual leaves include unique angled cuts to maintain a precise target collimation angle. Matching wedge blocks driven by two actuators with twin-lead screws accurately position each leaf in the stack resulting in the precise target collimation angle. A computer interface with the actuators enables precise control of the projection angle of the collimator.

EFFECT OF SWEEP ANGLE ON THE VORTICAL FLOW OVER DELTA WINGS AT AN ANGLE OF ATTACK OF 10°

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

JAMES BRETT

2014-12-01

Full Text Available CFD simulations have been used to analyse the vortical flows over sharp edged delta wings with differing sweep angles under subsonic conditions at an angle of attack of 10°. RANS simulations were validated against experimental data for a 65° sweep wing, with a flat cross-section, and the steadiness of the flow field was assessed by comparing the results against unsteady URANS and DES simulations. To assess the effect of sweep angle on the flow field, a range of sweep angles from 65° to 43° were simulated. For moderate sweep wings the primary vortex was observed to detach from the leading edge, undergoing vortex breakdown, and a weaker, replacement, "shadow" vortex was formed. The shadow vortex was observed for sweep angles of 50° and less, and resulted in reduced lift production near the wing tips loss of the stronger primary vortex.

Nano-contact microscopy of supracrystals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adam Sweetman

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Highly ordered three-dimensional colloidal crystals (supracrystals comprised of 7.4 nm diameter Au nanocrystals (with a 5% size dispersion have been imaged and analysed using a combination of scanning tunnelling microscopy and dynamic force microscopy.Results: By exploring the evolution of both the force and tunnel current with respect to tip–sample separation, we arrive at the surprising finding that single nanocrystal resolution is readily obtained in tunnelling microscopy images acquired more than 1 nm into the repulsive (i.e., positive force regime of the probe–nanocrystal interaction potential. Constant height force microscopy has been used to map tip–sample interactions in this regime, revealing inhomogeneities which arise from the convolution of the tip structure with the ligand distribution at the nanocrystal surface.Conclusion: Our combined STM–AFM measurements show that the contrast mechanism underpinning high resolution imaging of nanoparticle supracrystals involves a form of nanoscale contact imaging, rather than the through-vacuum tunnelling which underpins traditional tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy.

Trabecular Meshwork Height in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma Versus Primary Angle-Closure Glaucoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Masis, Marisse; Chen, Rebecca; Porco, Travis; Lin, Shan C

2017-11-01

To determine if trabecular meshwork (TM) height differs between primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) eyes. Prospective, cross-sectional clinical study. Adult patients were consecutively recruited from glaucoma clinics at the University of California, San Francisco, from January 2012 to July 2015. Images were obtained from spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (Cirrus OCT; Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc, Dublin, California, USA). Univariate and multivariate linear mixed models comparing TM height and glaucoma type were performed to assess the relationship between TM height and glaucoma subtype. Mixed-effects regression was used to adjust for the use of both eyes in some subjects. The study included 260 eyes from 161 subjects, composed of 61 men and 100 women. Mean age was 70 years (SD 11.77). There were 199 eyes (123 patients) in the POAG group and 61 eyes (38 patients) in the PACG group. Mean TM heights in the POAG and PACG groups were 812 ± 13 μm and 732 ± 27 μm, respectively, and the difference was significant in univariate analysis (P = .004) and in multivariate analysis (β = -88.7 [24.05-153.5]; P = .008). In this clinic-based population, trabecular meshwork height is shorter in PACG patients compared to POAG patients. This finding may provide insight into the pathophysiology of angle closure and provide assistance in future diagnosis, prevention, and management of the angle-closure spectrum of disorders. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dosimetric Comparison of Manual and Beam Angle Optimization of Gantry Angles in IMRT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Srivastava, Shiv P.; Das, Indra J.; Kumar, Arvind; Johnstone, Peter A.S.

2011-01-01

Dosimetric comparison of manual beam angle selection (MBS) and beam angle optimization (BAO) for IMRT plans is investigated retrospectively for 15 head and neck and prostate patients. The head and neck and prostate had planning target volumes (PTVs) ranging between 96.0 and 319.9 cm 3 and 153.6 and 321.3 cm 3 , whereas OAR ranged between 8.3 and 47.8 cm 3 and 68.3 and 469.2 cm 3 , respectively. In MBS, a standard coplanar 7-9 fields equally spaced gantry angles were used. In BAO, the selection of gantry angle was optimized by the algorithm for the same number of beams. The optimization and dose-volume constraints were kept the same for both techniques. Treatment planning was performed on the Eclipse treatment planning system. Our results showed that the dose-volume histogram for PTV are nearly identical in both techniques but BAO provided superior sparing of the organs at risk compared with the MBS. Also, MBS produced statistically significant higher monitor units (MU) and segments than the BAO; 13.1 ± 6.6% (p = 0.012) and 10.4 ± 13.6% (p = 0.140), and 14.6 ± 5.6% (p = 1.003E-5) and 12.6 ± 7.4% (p = 0.76E-3) for head and neck and prostate cases, respectively. The reduction in MU translates into the reduction in total body and integral dose. It is concluded that BAO provides advantage over MBS for most intenisty-modulated radiation therapy cases.

Scoliosis angle. Conceptual basis and proposed definition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marklund, T [Linkoepings Hoegskola (Sweden)

1978-01-01

The most commonly used methods of assessing the scoliotic deviation measure angles that are not clearly defined in relation to the anatomy of the patient. In order to give an anatomic basis for such measurements it is proposed to define the scoliotic deviation as the deviation the vertebral column makes with the sagittal plane. Both the Cobb and the Ferguson angles may be based on this definition. The present methods of measurement are then attempts to measure these angles. If the plane of these angles is parallel to the film, the measurement will be correct. Errors in the measurements may be incurred by the projection. A hypothetical projection, called a 'rectified orthogonal projection', is presented, which correctly represents all scoliotic angles in accordance with these principles. It can be constructed in practice with the aid of a computer and by performing measurements on two projections of the vertebral column; a scoliotic curve can be represented independent of the kyphosis and lordosis.

Full Characterization of CO2-Oil Properties On-Chip: Solubility, Diffusivity, Extraction Pressure, Miscibility, and Contact Angle.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharbatian, Atena; Abedini, Ali; Qi, ZhenBang; Sinton, David

2018-02-20

Carbon capture, storage, and utilization technologies target a reduction in net CO 2 emissions to mitigate greenhouse gas effects. The largest such projects worldwide involve storing CO 2 through enhanced oil recovery-a technologically and economically feasible approach that combines both storage and oil recovery. Successful implementation relies on detailed measurements of CO 2 -oil properties at relevant reservoir conditions (P = 2.0-13.0 MPa and T = 23 and 50 °C). In this paper, we demonstrate a microfluidic method to quantify the comprehensive suite of mutual properties of a CO 2 and crude oil mixture including solubility, diffusivity, extraction pressure, minimum miscibility pressure (MMP), and contact angle. The time-lapse oil swelling/extraction in response to CO 2 exposure under stepwise increasing pressure was quantified via fluorescence microscopy, using the inherent fluorescence property of the oil. The CO 2 solubilities and diffusion coefficients were determined from the swelling process with measurements in strong agreement with previous results. The CO 2 -oil MMP was determined from the subsequent oil extraction process with measurements within 5% of previous values. In addition, the oil-CO 2 -silicon contact angle was measured throughout the process, with contact angle increasing with pressure. In contrast with conventional methods, which require days and ∼500 mL of fluid sample, the approach here provides a comprehensive suite of measurements, 100-fold faster with less than 1 μL of sample, and an opportunity to better inform large-scale CO 2 projects.

Deep learning methods for protein torsion angle prediction.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Haiou; Hou, Jie; Adhikari, Badri; Lyu, Qiang; Cheng, Jianlin

2017-09-18

Deep learning is one of the most powerful machine learning methods that has achieved the state-of-the-art performance in many domains. Since deep learning was introduced to the field of bioinformatics in 2012, it has achieved success in a number of areas such as protein residue-residue contact prediction, secondary structure prediction, and fold recognition. In this work, we developed deep learning methods to improve the prediction of torsion (dihedral) angles of proteins. We design four different deep learning architectures to predict protein torsion angles. The architectures including deep neural network (DNN) and deep restricted Boltzmann machine (DRBN), deep recurrent neural network (DRNN) and deep recurrent restricted Boltzmann machine (DReRBM) since the protein torsion angle prediction is a sequence related problem. In addition to existing protein features, two new features (predicted residue contact number and the error distribution of torsion angles extracted from sequence fragments) are used as input to each of the four deep learning architectures to predict phi and psi angles of protein backbone. The mean absolute error (MAE) of phi and psi angles predicted by DRNN, DReRBM, DRBM and DNN is about 20-21° and 29-30° on an independent dataset. The MAE of phi angle is comparable to the existing methods, but the MAE of psi angle is 29°, 2° lower than the existing methods. On the latest CASP12 targets, our methods also achieved the performance better than or comparable to a state-of-the art method. Our experiment demonstrates that deep learning is a valuable method for predicting protein torsion angles. The deep recurrent network architecture performs slightly better than deep feed-forward architecture, and the predicted residue contact number and the error distribution of torsion angles extracted from sequence fragments are useful features for improving prediction accuracy.

Traditional microscopy instruction versus process-oriented virtual microscopy instruction: a naturalistic experiment with control group.

Science.gov (United States)

Helle, Laura; Nivala, Markus; Kronqvist, Pauliina; Gegenfurtner, Andreas; Björk, Pasi; Säljö, Roger

2011-03-30

Virtual microscopy is being introduced in medical education as an approach for learning how to interpret information in microscopic specimens. It is, however, far from evident how to incorporate its use into existing teaching practice. The aim of the study was to explore the consequences of introducing virtual microscopy tasks into an undergraduate pathology course in an attempt to render the instruction more process-oriented. The research questions were: 1) How is virtual microscopy perceived by students? 2) Does work on virtual microscopy tasks contribute to improvement in performance in microscopic pathology in comparison with attending assistant-led demonstrations only? During a one-week period, an experimental group completed three sets of virtual microscopy homework assignments in addition to attending demonstrations. A control group attended the demonstrations only. Performance in microscopic pathology was measured by a pre-test and a post-test. Student perceptions of regular instruction and virtual microscopy were collected one month later by administering the Inventory of Intrinsic Motivation and open-ended questions. The students voiced an appreciation for virtual microscopy for the purposes of the course and for self-study. As for learning gains, the results indicated that learning was speeded up in a subgroup of students consisting of conscientious high achievers. The enriched instruction model may be suited as such for elective courses following the basic course. However, the instructional model needs further development to be suited for basic courses.

Atomic force microscopy characterization of the surface wettability of natural fibres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pietak, Alexis; Korte, Sandra; Tan, Emelyn; Downard, Alison; Staiger, Mark P.

2007-01-01

Natural fibres represent a readily available source of ecologically friendly and inexpensive reinforcement in composites with degradable thermoplastics, however chemical treatments of fibres are required to prepare feasible composites. It is desirable to characterize the surface wettability of fibres after chemical treatment as the polarity of cellulose-based fibres influences compatibility with a polymer matrix. Assessment of the surface wettability of natural fibres using conventional methods presents a challenge as the surfaces are morphologically and chemically heterogeneous, rough, and can be strongly wicking. In this work it is shown that under atmospheric conditions the adhesion force between an atomic force microscopy (AFM) tip and the fibre surface can estimate the water contact angle and surface wettability of the fibre. AFM adhesion force measurements are suitable for the more difficult surfaces of natural fibres and in addition allow for correlations between microstructural features and surface wettability characteristics

Small-angle neutron-scattering experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hardy, A.D.; Thomas, M.W.; Rouse, K.D.

1981-04-01

A brief introduction to the technique of small-angle neutron scattering is given. The layout and operation of the small-angle scattering spectrometer, mounted on the AERE PLUTO reactor, is also described. Results obtained using the spectrometer are presented for three materials (doped uranium dioxide, Magnox cladding and nitrided steel) of interest to Springfields Nuclear Power Development Laboratories. The results obtained are discussed in relation to other known data for these materials. (author)

The 2015 super-resolution microscopy roadmap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hell, Stefan W; Sahl, Steffen J; Bates, Mark; Jakobs, Stefan; Zhuang, Xiaowei; Heintzmann, Rainer; Booth, Martin J; Bewersdorf, Joerg; Shtengel, Gleb; Hess, Harald; Tinnefeld, Philip; Honigmann, Alf; Testa, Ilaria; Cognet, Laurent; Lounis, Brahim; Ewers, Helge; Davis, Simon J; Eggeling, Christian; Klenerman, David; Willig, Katrin I

2015-01-01

Far-field optical microscopy using focused light is an important tool in a number of scientific disciplines including chemical, (bio)physical and biomedical research, particularly with respect to the study of living cells and organisms. Unfortunately, the applicability of the optical microscope is limited, since the diffraction of light imposes limitations on the spatial resolution of the image. Consequently the details of, for example, cellular protein distributions, can be visualized only to a certain extent. Fortunately, recent years have witnessed the development of ‘super-resolution’ far-field optical microscopy (nanoscopy) techniques such as stimulated emission depletion (STED), ground state depletion (GSD), reversible saturated optical (fluorescence) transitions (RESOLFT), photoactivation localization microscopy (PALM), stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM), structured illumination microscopy (SIM) or saturated structured illumination microscopy (SSIM), all in one way or another addressing the problem of the limited spatial resolution of far-field optical microscopy. While SIM achieves a two-fold improvement in spatial resolution compared to conventional optical microscopy, STED, RESOLFT, PALM/STORM, or SSIM have all gone beyond, pushing the limits of optical image resolution to the nanometer scale. Consequently, all super-resolution techniques open new avenues of biomedical research. Because the field is so young, the potential capabilities of different super-resolution microscopy approaches have yet to be fully explored, and uncertainties remain when considering the best choice of methodology. Thus, even for experts, the road to the future is sometimes shrouded in mist. The super-resolution optical microscopy roadmap of Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics addresses this need for clarity. It provides guidance to the outstanding questions through a collection of short review articles from experts in the field, giving a thorough

Scanning tunneling microscopy study of a newly proposed topological insulator ZrTe{sub 5}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuhn, Timo; Gragnaniello, Luca; Fonin, Mikhail [Universitaet Konstanz (Germany); Autes, Gabriel; Berger, Helmuth; Yazyev, Oleg [Institute of Condensed Matter Physics, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne (Switzerland); Manzoni, Giulia [Universita degli Studi di Trieste (Italy); Crepaldi, Alberto; Parmigiani, Fulvio [Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, Trieste (Italy)

2016-07-01

Topological insulators belong to a new kind of material class that posses robust gapless states inside the insulating bulk gap, which makes them promising candidates for achieving dissipationless transport devices. We present a Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy (STS) study on a layered material ZrTe{sub 5}, a promising candidate for a new topological insulator. The crystal structure could clearly be identified in topography images. STM measurements enabled direct imaging of standing waves at steps and defects. The standing waves show a clearly dispersive character. Furthermore STS measurements are in good agreement with density functional theory calculations and reveal Landau quantization with applied magnetic field. Comparison with data obtained by angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy allows for detailed insights into the electronic properties of this material.

Atomic-scale Ge diffusion in strained Si revealed by quantitative scanning transmission electron microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Radtke, G.; Favre, L.; Couillard, M.; Amiard, G.; Berbezier, I.; Botton, G. A.

2013-05-01

Aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy is employed to investigate the local chemistry in the vicinity of a Si0.8Ge0.2/Si interface grown by molecular-beam epitaxy. Atomic-resolution high-angle annular dark field contrast reveals the presence of a nonuniform diffusion of Ge from the substrate into the strained Si thin film. On the basis of multislice calculations, a model is proposed to quantify the experimental contrast, showing that the Ge concentration in the thin film reaches about 4% at the interface and decreases monotonically on a typical length scale of 10 nm. Diffusion occurring during the growth process itself therefore appears as a major factor limiting the abruptness of interfaces in the Si-Ge system.

Atomic force microscopy analysis of different surface treatments of Ti dental implant surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bathomarco, R.V.; Solorzano, G.; Elias, C.N.; Prioli, R.

2004-01-01

The surface of commercial unalloyed titanium, used in dental implants, was analyzed by atomic force microscopy. The morphology, roughness, and surface area of the samples, submitted to mechanically-induced erosion, chemical etching and a combination of both, were compared. The results show that surface treatments strongly influence the dental implant physical and chemical properties. An analysis of the length dependence of the implant surface roughness shows that, for scan sizes larger than 50 μm, the average surface roughness is independent of the scanning length and that the surface treatments lead to average surface roughness in the range of 0.37 up to 0.48 μm. It is shown that the implant surface energy is sensitive to the titanium surface area. As the area increases there is a decrease in the surface contact angle

Atomic force microscopy analysis of different surface treatments of Ti dental implant surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Bathomarco, Ti R. V.; Solorzano, G.; Elias, C. N.; Prioli, R.

2004-06-01

The surface of commercial unalloyed titanium, used in dental implants, was analyzed by atomic force microscopy. The morphology, roughness, and surface area of the samples, submitted to mechanically-induced erosion, chemical etching and a combination of both, were compared. The results show that surface treatments strongly influence the dental implant physical and chemical properties. An analysis of the length dependence of the implant surface roughness shows that, for scan sizes larger than 50 μm, the average surface roughness is independent of the scanning length and that the surface treatments lead to average surface roughness in the range of 0.37 up to 0.48 μm. It is shown that the implant surface energy is sensitive to the titanium surface area. As the area increases there is a decrease in the surface contact angle.

Thumb rule of visual angle: a new confirmation.

Science.gov (United States)

Groot, C; Ortega, F; Beltran, F S

1994-02-01

The classical thumb rule of visual angle was reexamined. Hence, the visual angle was measured as a function of a thumb's width and the distance between eye and thumb. The measurement of a thumb's width when held at arm's length was taken on 67 second-year students of psychology. The visual angle was about 2 degrees as R. P. O'Shea confirmed in 1991. Also, we confirmed a linear relationship between the size of a thumb's width at arm's length and the visual angle.

Complications and Reoperations in Mandibular Angle Fractures.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Collin L; Zenga, Joseph; Patel, Ruchin; Branham, Gregory

2018-05-01

Mandible angle fractures can be repaired in a variety of ways, with no consensus on the outcomes of complications and reoperation rates. To analyze patient, injury, and surgical factors, including approach to the angle and plating technique, associated with postoperative complications, as well as the rate of reoperation with regard to mandible angle fractures. Retrospective cohort study analyzing the surgical outcomes of patients with mandible angle fractures between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2015, who underwent open reduction and internal fixation. Patients were eligible if they were aged 18 years or older, had 3 or less mandible fractures with 1 involving the mandibular angle, and had adequate follow-up data. Patients with comminuted angle fractures, bilateral angle fractures, and multiple surgical approaches were excluded. A total of 135 patients were included in the study. All procedures were conducted at a single, large academic hospital located in an urban setting. Major complications and reoperation rates. Major complications included in this study were nonunion, malunion, severe malocclusion, severe infection, and exposed hardware. Of 135 patients 113 (83.7%) were men; median age was 29 years (range, 18-82 years). Eighty-seven patients (64.4%) underwent the transcervical approach and 48 patients (35.6%) received the transoral approach. Fifteen (17.2%) patients in the transcervical group and 9 (18.8%) patients in the transoral group experienced major complications (difference, 1%; 95% CI, -8% to 10%). Thirteen (14.9%) patients in the transcervical group and 8 (16.7%) patients in the transoral group underwent reoperations (difference, 2%; 95% CI, -13% to 17%). Active smoking had a significant effect on the rate of major complications (odds ratio, 4.04; 95% CI, 1.07 to 15.34; P = .04). During repair of noncomminuted mandibular angle fractures, both of the commonly used approaches-transcervical and transoral-can be used during treatment with equal

Angle Stability Analysis for Voltage-Controlled Converters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lin, Hengwei; Jia, Chenxi; Guerrero, Josep M.

2017-01-01

a criterion to analyze the quasi-steady angle stability and the direct current (DC) side stability for VSCs. The operating limit and the angle instability mechanism are revealed, which is generally applicable to the voltage-controlled converters. During the analysis, the influence of the parameters on angle...... stability is studied. Further, the difference on instability mechanism between power electronic converters and synchronous generators are explained in detail. Finally, experiment results with corrective actions verify the analysis....

Page 1 '---------------------------- Presenting features ofprimary angle ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

coma were assessed. The diagnosis of primary angle-closure glaucoma was made on presentation if the intra-ocular pressure was > 21 mmHg, or if a glaucomatous visual field was found, in the presence of a partially or totally closed angle or peripheral anterior synechiae. Provocation tests were not performed. Patients ...

An atomic force microscopy-based method for line edge roughness measurement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fouchier, M.; Pargon, E.; Bardet, B. [CNRS/UJF-Grenoble1/CEA LTM, 17 avenue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble cedex 9 (France)

2013-03-14

With the constant decrease of semiconductor device dimensions, line edge roughness (LER) becomes one of the most important sources of device variability and needs to be controlled below 2 nm for the future technological nodes of the semiconductor roadmap. LER control at the nanometer scale requires accurate measurements. We introduce a technique for LER measurement based upon the atomic force microscope (AFM). In this technique, the sample is tilted at about 45 Degree-Sign and feature sidewalls are scanned along their length with the AFM tip to obtain three-dimensional images. The small radius of curvature of the tip together with the low noise level of a laboratory AFM result in high resolution images. Half profiles and LER values on all the height of the sidewalls are extracted from the 3D images using a procedure that we developed. The influence of sample angle variations on the measurements is shown to be small. The technique is applied to the study of a full pattern transfer into a simplified gate stack. The images obtained are qualitatively consistent with cross-section scanning electron microscopy images and the average LER values agree with that obtained by critical dimension scanning electron microscopy. In addition to its high resolution, this technique presents several advantages such as the ability to image the foot of photoresist lines, complex multi-layer stacks regardless of the materials, and deep re-entrant profiles.

Development of Tuning Fork Based Probes for Atomic Force Microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Jalilian, Romaneh; Yazdanpanah, Mehdi M.; Torrez, Neil; Alizadeh, Amirali; Askari, Davood

2014-03-01

This article reports on the development of tuning fork-based AFM/STM probes in NaugaNeedles LLC for use in atomic force microscopy. These probes can be mounted on different carriers per customers' request. (e.g., RHK carrier, Omicron carrier, and tuning fork on a Sapphire disk). We are able to design and engineer tuning forks on any type of carrier used in the market. We can attach three types of tips on the edge of a tuning fork prong (i.e., growing Ag2Ga nanoneedles at any arbitrary angle, cantilever of AFM tip, and tungsten wire) with lengths from 100-500 μm. The nanoneedle is located vertical to the fork. Using a suitable insulation and metallic coating, we can make QPlus sensors that can detect tunneling current during the AFM scan. To make Qplus sensors, the entire quartz fork will be coated with an insulating material, before attaching the nanoneedle. Then, the top edge of one prong is coated with a thin layer of conductive metal and the nanoneedle is attached to the fork end of the metal coated prong. The metal coating provides electrical connection to the tip for tunneling current readout and to the electrodes and used to read the QPlus current. Since the amount of mass added to the fork is minimal, the resonance frequency spectrum does not change and still remains around 32.6 KHz and the Q factor is around 1,200 in ambient condition. These probes can enhance the performance of tuning fork based atomic microscopy.

Beam-beam collisions and crossing angles in RHIC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peggs, S.

1999-01-01

This paper evaluates the strength of head on and parasitic beam-beam collisions in RHIC when the crossing angle is zero. A non-zero crossing angle is not required in normal operation with 120 bunches, thanks to the early separation of the two beams. The RHIC lattice is shown to easily accommodate even conservatively large crossing angles, for example in beam dynamics studies, or in future operational upgrades to as many as 360 bunches per ring. A modest loss in luminosity is incurred when gold ions collide at an angle after 10 hours of storage

Characterization of nanomaterials with transmission electron microscopy

KAUST Repository

Anjum, Dalaver H.

2016-08-01

The field of nanotechnology is about research and development on materials whose at least one dimension is in the range of 1 to 100 nanometers. In recent years, the research activity for developing nano-materials has grown exponentially owing to the fact that they offer better solutions to the challenges faced by various fields such as energy, food, and environment. In this paper, the importance of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) based techniques is demonstrated for investigating the properties of nano-materials. Specifically the nano-materials that are investigated in this report include gold nano-particles (Au-NPs), silver atom-clusters (Ag-ACs), tantalum single-atoms (Ta-SAs), carbon materials functionalized with iron cobalt (Fe-Co) NPs and titania (TiO2) NPs, and platinum loaded Ceria (Pt-CeO2) Nano composite. TEM techniques that are employed to investigate nano-materials include aberration corrected bright-field TEM (BF-TEM), high-angle dark-field scanning TEM (HAADF-STEM), electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS), and BF-TEM electron tomography (ET). With the help presented of results in this report, it is proved herein that as many TEM techniques as available in a given instrument are essential for a comprehensive nano-scale analysis of nanomaterials.

Transmission properties of one-dimensional ternary plasma photonic crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shiveshwari, Laxmi; Awasthi, S. K.

2015-01-01

Omnidirectional photonic band gaps (PBGs) are found in one-dimensional ternary plasma photonic crystals (PPC) composed of single negative metamaterials. The band characteristics and transmission properties are investigated through the transfer matrix method. We show that the proposed structure can trap light in three-dimensional space due to the elimination of Brewster's angle transmission resonance allowing the existence of complete PBG. The results are discussed in terms of incident angle, layer thickness, dielectric constant of the dielectric material, and number of unit cells (N) for TE and TM polarizations. It is seen that PBG characteristics is apparent even in an N ≥ 2 system, which is weakly sensitive to the incident angle and completely insensitive to the polarization. Finite PPC could be used for multichannel transmission filter without introducing any defect in the geometry. We show that the locations of the multichannel transmission peaks are in the allowed band of the infinite structure. The structure can work as a single or multichannel filter by varying the number of unit cells. Binary PPC can also work as a polarization sensitive tunable filter

Transmission properties of one-dimensional ternary plasma photonic crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shiveshwari, Laxmi [Department of Physics, K. B. Womens' s College, Hazaribagh 825 301 (India); Awasthi, S. K. [Department of Physics and Material Science and Engineering, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida 201 304 (India)

2015-09-15

Omnidirectional photonic band gaps (PBGs) are found in one-dimensional ternary plasma photonic crystals (PPC) composed of single negative metamaterials. The band characteristics and transmission properties are investigated through the transfer matrix method. We show that the proposed structure can trap light in three-dimensional space due to the elimination of Brewster's angle transmission resonance allowing the existence of complete PBG. The results are discussed in terms of incident angle, layer thickness, dielectric constant of the dielectric material, and number of unit cells (N) for TE and TM polarizations. It is seen that PBG characteristics is apparent even in an N ≥ 2 system, which is weakly sensitive to the incident angle and completely insensitive to the polarization. Finite PPC could be used for multichannel transmission filter without introducing any defect in the geometry. We show that the locations of the multichannel transmission peaks are in the allowed band of the infinite structure. The structure can work as a single or multichannel filter by varying the number of unit cells. Binary PPC can also work as a polarization sensitive tunable filter.

Confocal scanning microscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bariani, Paolo

This report is based on a metrological investigation on confocal microscopy technique carried out by Uffe Rolf Arlø Theilade and Paolo Bariani. The purpose of the experimental activity was twofold a metrological instrument characterization and application to assessment of rough PP injection moulded...... replicated topography. Confocal microscopy is seen to be a promising technique in metrology of microstructures. Some limitations with respect to surface metrology were found during the experiments. The experiments were carried out using a Zeiss LSM 5 Pascal microscope owned by the Danish Polymer Centre...

Hierarchical nanoparticle morphology for platinum supported on SrTiO3 (0 0 1): A combined microscopy and X-ray scattering study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christensen, Steven T.; Lee, Byeongdu; Feng Zhenxing; Hersam, Mark C.; Bedzyk, Michael J.

2009-01-01

The morphology of metal nanoparticles supported on oxide substrates plays an important role in heterogeneous catalysis and in the nucleation of thin films. For platinum evaporated onto SrTiO 3 (0 0 1) and vacuum annealed we find an unexpected growth formation of Pt nanoparticles that aggregate into clusters without coalescence. This hierarchical nanoparticle morphology with an enhanced surface-to-volume ratio for Pt is analyzed by grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The nanoparticle constituents of the clusters measure 2-4 nm in size and are nearly contiguously spaced where the average edge-to-edge spacing is less than 1 nm. These particles make up the clusters, which are 10-50 nm in diameter and are spaced on the order of 100 nm apart.

Evolution and change of He bubbles in He-containing Ti films upon thermal treatment studied by small-angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Guangai [Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900 (China); College of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230029 (China); Wu, Erdong, E-mail: ewu@imr.ac.cn [National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016 (China); Huang, Chaoqiang [Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900 (China); College of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230029 (China); Cheng, Chun [National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016 (China); Yan, Guanyun [Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900 (China); Wang, Xiaolin [Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900 (China); College of Nuclear Science and Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230029 (China); Liu, Shi [National Laboratory for Materials Science, Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016 (China); Tian, Qiang; Chen, Bo [Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang 621900 (China); Wu, Zhonghua [Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Liu, Yi; Wang, Jie [Institute of Shanghai Apply Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800 (China)

2014-05-02

Evolution and change of He bubbles in magnetron sputtering prepared He-containing Ti films under thermal treatment are studied by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction. Incorporation of He introduces a large number of He-vacancy clusters and some voids in the films, and significantly increases SAXS intensity and causes anisotropic scattering. The change of He induced defects during annealing is affected by thermal diffusion and migration of trapped He to the surface and between interfaces of He induced defects within the films. Annealing at 200 and 400 °C reduces intensity and anisotropy of SAXS, in accord with observed shrinking and disappearance of the voids. The simultaneous growth of non-uniformly distributed He bubbles to the sizes of 1–2 nm and a population level of 10{sup 5}/μm{sup 3} are detected in the temperature range. The changes are explained by migration and coalescence mechanisms, which requires low apparent activation energy. Inconsistence between TEM and SAXS observations is noted and attributed to thinning induced internal stress relaxation of TEM specimen. Remarkable enlargement of He bubbles, associated with increased SAXS intensity and fractal dimension, is observed after 600 °C annealing, indicating involvement of Ostwald Ripening (OR) mechanism. The OR process dominates at 800 °C, where the high temperature provides activation energy for accelerated He dissociation from small bubbles into larger ones, and generating textured microstructure and agglomerated bubble clusters. The inhomogeneous bubble size distribution observed at this temperature covers a broad range of about 10–50 nm and possessing a population density level of 10{sup 3}/μm{sup 3}. - Highlights: • Change of He bubbles in thermally treated Ti–He films is studied by SAXS and TEM. • SAXS reveals size distribution and fractional population of He bubbles in films. • He-vacancy clusters in Ti–He film

Bounded-Angle Iterative Decoding of LDPC Codes

Science.gov (United States)

Dolinar, Samuel; Andrews, Kenneth; Pollara, Fabrizio; Divsalar, Dariush

2009-01-01

Bounded-angle iterative decoding is a modified version of conventional iterative decoding, conceived as a means of reducing undetected-error rates for short low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes. For a given code, bounded-angle iterative decoding can be implemented by means of a simple modification of the decoder algorithm, without redesigning the code. Bounded-angle iterative decoding is based on a representation of received words and code words as vectors in an n-dimensional Euclidean space (where n is an integer).

A correlative optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy approach to locating nanoparticles in brain tumors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kempen, Paul J; Kircher, Moritz F; de la Zerda, Adam; Zavaleta, Cristina L; Jokerst, Jesse V; Mellinghoff, Ingo K; Gambhir, Sanjiv S; Sinclair, Robert

2015-01-01

The growing use of nanoparticles in biomedical applications, including cancer diagnosis and treatment, demands the capability to exactly locate them within complex biological systems. In this work a correlative optical and scanning electron microscopy technique was developed to locate and observe multi-modal gold core nanoparticle accumulation in brain tumor models. Entire brain sections from mice containing orthotopic brain tumors injected intravenously with nanoparticles were imaged using both optical microscopy to identify the brain tumor, and scanning electron microscopy to identify the individual nanoparticles. Gold-based nanoparticles were readily identified in the scanning electron microscope using backscattered electron imaging as bright spots against a darker background. This information was then correlated to determine the exact location of the nanoparticles within the brain tissue. The nanoparticles were located only in areas that contained tumor cells, and not in the surrounding healthy brain tissue. This correlative technique provides a powerful method to relate the macro- and micro-scale features visible in light microscopy with the nanoscale features resolvable in scanning electron microscopy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of Variable-Gain Kalman Filter Based on Angle Error Calculated from Acceleration Signals in Lower Limb Angle Measurement with Inertial Sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Takashi

2013-01-01

The wearable sensor system developed by our group, which measured lower limb angles using Kalman-filtering-based method, was suggested to be useful in evaluation of gait function for rehabilitation support. However, it was expected to reduce variations of measurement errors. In this paper, a variable-Kalman-gain method based on angle error that was calculated from acceleration signals was proposed to improve measurement accuracy. The proposed method was tested comparing to fixed-gain Kalman filter and a variable-Kalman-gain method that was based on acceleration magnitude used in previous studies. First, in angle measurement in treadmill walking, the proposed method measured lower limb angles with the highest measurement accuracy and improved significantly foot inclination angle measurement, while it improved slightly shank and thigh inclination angles. The variable-gain method based on acceleration magnitude was not effective for our Kalman filter system. Then, in angle measurement of a rigid body model, it was shown that the proposed method had measurement accuracy similar to or higher than results seen in other studies that used markers of camera-based motion measurement system fixing on a rigid plate together with a sensor or on the sensor directly. The proposed method was found to be effective in angle measurement with inertial sensors. PMID:24282442

Cosmic ray zenith angle distribution at low geomagnetic latitude

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aragon, G [Instituto de Astronomia y Fisica del Espacio, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Gagliardini, A; Ghielmetti, H S

1977-12-01

The intensity of secondary charged cosmic rays at different zenith angles was measured by narrow angle Geiger-Mueller telescopes up to an atmospheric depth of 2 g cm/sup -2/. The angular distribution observed at high altitudes is nearly flat at small angles around the vertical and suggests that the particle intensity peaks at large zenith angles, close to the horizon.

Light Scattering at Various Angles

Science.gov (United States)

Latimer, Paul; Pyle, B. E.

1972-01-01

The Mie theory of scattering is used to provide new information on how changes in particle volume, with no change in dry weight, should influence light scattering for various scattering angles and particle sizes. Many biological cells (e.g., algal cells, erythrocytes) and large subcellular structures (e.g., chloroplasts, mitochondria) in suspension undergo this type of reversible volume change, a change which is related to changes in the rates of cellular processes. A previous study examined the effects of such volume changes on total scattering. In this paper scattering at 10° is found to follow total scattering closely, but scattering at 45°, 90°, 135°, and 170° behaves differently. Small volume changes can cause very large observable changes in large angle scattering if the sample particles are uniform in size; however, the natural particle size heterogeneity of most samples would mask this effect. For heterogeneous samples of most particle size ranges, particle shrink-age is found to increase large angle scattering. PMID:4556610

The Dual-Angle Method for Fast, Sensitive T1 Measurement in Vivo with Low-Angle Adiabatic Pulses

Science.gov (United States)

Bottomley, P. A.; Ouwerkerk, R.

A new method for measuring T1 based on a measurement of the ratio, R, of the steady-state partially saturated NMR signals acquired at two fixed low flip angles (hip-angle and excitation-field ( B1) inhomogeneity result in roughly proportionate errors in the apparent T1. The method is best implemented with adiabatic low-angle pulses such as B1-independent rotation (BIR-4) or BIR-4 phase-cycled (BIRP) pulses, which permit measurements with surface coils. Experimental validation was obtained at 2 T by comparison of unlocalized inversion-recovery and dual-angle proton ( 1H) and phosphorus ( 31P) measurements from vials containing doped water with 0.04 ≤ T1 ≤ 2.8 s and from the metabolites in the calf muscles of eight human volunteers. Calf muscle values of 6 ± 0.5 s for phosphocreatine and around 3.7 ± 0.8 s for the adenosine triphosphates (ATP) were in good agreement with inversion-recovery T1 values and values from the literature. Use of the dual-angle method accelerated T1 measurement time by about fivefold over inversion recovery. The dual-angle method was implemented in a one-dimensional localized surface-coil 31P spectroscopy sequence, producing consistent T1 measurements from phantoms, the calf muscle, and the human liver. 31P T1 values of ATP in the livers of six volunteers were about 0.5 ± 0.1 to 0.6 ± 0.2 s: the total exam times were about 35 minutes per subject. The method is ideally suited to low-sensitivity and/or low-concentration moieties, such as in 31P NMR in vivo, where study-time limitations are critical, and for rapid 1H T1 imaging.

Deep Learning Microscopy

KAUST Repository

Rivenson, Yair

2017-05-12

We demonstrate that a deep neural network can significantly improve optical microscopy, enhancing its spatial resolution over a large field-of-view and depth-of-field. After its training, the only input to this network is an image acquired using a regular optical microscope, without any changes to its design. We blindly tested this deep learning approach using various tissue samples that are imaged with low-resolution and wide-field systems, where the network rapidly outputs an image with remarkably better resolution, matching the performance of higher numerical aperture lenses, also significantly surpassing their limited field-of-view and depth-of-field. These results are transformative for various fields that use microscopy tools, including e.g., life sciences, where optical microscopy is considered as one of the most widely used and deployed techniques. Beyond such applications, our presented approach is broadly applicable to other imaging modalities, also spanning different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, and can be used to design computational imagers that get better and better as they continue to image specimen and establish new transformations among different modes of imaging.

Angle independent velocity spectrum determination

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2014-01-01

An ultrasound imaging system (100) includes a transducer array (102) that emits an ultrasound beam and produces at least one transverse pulse-echo field that oscillates in a direction transverse to the emitted ultrasound beam and that receive echoes produced in response thereto and a spectral vel...... velocity estimator (110) that determines a velocity spectrum for flowing structure, which flows at an angle of 90 degrees and flows at angles less than 90 degrees with respect to the emitted ultrasound beam, based on the received echoes....

Non-contact measurement of rotation angle with solo camera

Science.gov (United States)

Gan, Xiaochuan; Sun, Anbin; Ye, Xin; Ma, Liqun

2015-02-01

For the purpose to measure a rotation angle around the axis of an object, a non-contact rotation angle measurement method based on solo camera was promoted. The intrinsic parameters of camera were calibrated using chessboard on principle of plane calibration theory. The translation matrix and rotation matrix between the object coordinate and the camera coordinate were calculated according to the relationship between the corners' position on object and their coordinates on image. Then the rotation angle between the measured object and the camera could be resolved from the rotation matrix. A precise angle dividing table (PADT) was chosen as the reference to verify the angle measurement error of this method. Test results indicated that the rotation angle measurement error of this method did not exceed +/- 0.01 degree.

Contact angle of unset elastomeric impression materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Menees, Timothy S; Radhakrishnan, Rashmi; Ramp, Lance C; Burgess, John O; Lawson, Nathaniel C

2015-10-01

Some elastomeric impression materials are hydrophobic, and it is often necessary to take definitive impressions of teeth coated with some saliva. New hydrophilic materials have been developed. The purpose of this in vitro study was to compare contact angles of water and saliva on 7 unset elastomeric impression materials at 5 time points from the start of mixing. Two traditional polyvinyl siloxane (PVS) (Aquasil, Take 1), 2 modified PVS (Imprint 4, Panasil), a polyether (Impregum), and 2 hybrid (Identium, EXA'lence) materials were compared. Each material was flattened to 2 mm and a 5 μL drop of distilled water or saliva was dropped on the surface at 25 seconds (t0) after the start of mix. Contact angle measurements were made with a digital microscope at initial contact (t0), t1=2 seconds, t2=5 seconds, t3=50% working time, and t4=95% working time. Data were analyzed with a generalized linear mixed model analysis, and individual 1-way ANOVA and Tukey HSD post hoc tests (α=.05). For water, materials grouped into 3 categories at all time-points: the modified PVS and one hybrid material (Identium) produced the lowest contact angles, the polyether material was intermediate, and the traditional PVS materials and the other hybrid (EXA'lence) produced the highest contact angles. For saliva, Identium, Impregum, and Imprint 4 were in the group with the lowest contact angle at most time points. Modified PVS materials and one of the hybrid materials are more hydrophilic than traditional PVS materials when measured with water. Saliva behaves differently than water in contact angle measurement on unset impression material and produces a lower contact angle on polyether based materials. Copyright © 2015 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The ideal male jaw angle--An Internet survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Mommaerts, Maurice Y

2016-04-01

The ideal male jaw angle has not been established. With the advent of additive manufacturing, precise customized shaping is a reality. This study aimed to define the ideal masculine mandibular angle as an aid for 3-dimensional (3D) design. An Internet survey was conducted using black/white photographs of celebrities and non-celebrities. Preferences regarding gonial angle (profile and frontal views), intergonial width and vertical jaw angle position (face frontal view), and angle curvature and definition in oblique views were obtained using simplified, unbalanced Likert scales. Constructs were defined for planning 3D implant designs. The preferred jaw angle had these characteristics: 130° in face profile view, intergonial width similar to facial width, vertical position in frontal view at the oral commissure or at least not below the lower lip, jawline slope in the face frontal view nearly parallel to (with a maximum 15° downward deviation from) a line extending from the lateral canthus to the alare, ascending ramus slope 65°-75° to the Frankfort horizontal, and curvature in the oblique view visible from earlobe to chin and not pointy. Photogrammetric analysis of panel preferences lead to constructs with values useful for the design of 3D printed jaw angles. Copyright © 2016 European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A gas ionisation Direct-STIM detector for MeV ion microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Norarat, Rattanaporn; Guibert, Edouard; Jeanneret, Patrick; Dellea, Mario; Jenni, Josef; Roux, Adrien; Stoppini, Luc; Whitlow, Harry J.

2015-01-01

Direct-Scanning Transmission Ion Microscopy (Direct-STIM) is a powerful technique that yields structural information in sub-cellular whole cell imaging. Usually, a Si p-i-n diode is used in Direct-STIM measurements as a detector. In order to overcome the detrimental effects of radiation damage which appears as a broadening in the energy resolution, we have developed a gas ionisation detector for use with a focused ion beam. The design is based on the ETH Frisch grid-less off-axis Geiger–Müller geometry. It is developed for use in a MeV ion microscope with a standard Oxford Microbeams triplet lens and scanning system. The design has a large available solid angle for other detectors (e.g. proton induced fluorescence). Here we report the performance for imaging ReNcells VM with μm resolution where energy resolutions of <24 keV fwhm could be achieved for 1 MeV protons using isobutane gas

A Viewpoint on the Quantity "Plane Angle"

Science.gov (United States)

Eder, W. E.

1982-01-01

Properties of the quantity "plane angle" are explored under the hypothesis that it is a dimensional quantity. The exploration proceeds especially with respect to the physical concept, its mathematical treatment, vector concepts, measurement theory, units of related quantities, engineering pragmatism, and SI. An attempt is made to bring these different relations into a rational, logical and consistent framework, and thus to justify the hypothesis. Various types of vectorial quantities are recognized, and their properties described with an outline of the necessary algebraic manipulations. The concept of plane angle is amplified, and its interdependence with the circular arc is explored. The resulting units of plane angle form a class of similar scales of measurement. Consequences of the confirmed hypothesis are developed for mathematical expressions involving trigonometric functions, rotational volumes and areas, mathematical limits, differentiation and series expansion. Consequences for mechanical rotational quantities are developed, with proposals for revisions to a number of expressions for derived units within SI. A revised definition for the quantity "plane angle" is stated to take account of the developed insights. There is a clear need to reconsider the status of plane angle and some other quantities within the international framework of SI.

Dysprosium disilicide nanostructures on silicon(001) studied by scanning tunneling microscopy and transmission electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ye Gangfeng; Nogami, Jun; Crimp, Martin A.

2006-01-01

The microstructure of self-assembled dysprosium silicide nanostructures on silicon(001) has been studied by scanning tunneling microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The studies focused on nanostructures that involve multiple atomic layers of the silicide. Cross-sectional high resolution transmission electron microscopy images and fast Fourier transform analysis showed that both hexagonal and orthorhombic/tetragonal silicide phases were present. Both the magnitude and the anisotropy of lattice mismatch between the silicide and the substrate play roles in the morphology and epitaxial growth of the nanostructures formed

Optical fibre angle sensor used in MEMS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golebiowski, J; Milcarz, Sz; Rybak, M

2014-01-01

There is a need for displacement and angle measurements in many movable MEMS structures. The use of fibre optical sensors helps to measure micrometre displacements and small rotation angles. Advantages of this type of transducers are their simple design, high precision of processing, low costs and ability of a non-contact measurement. The study shows an analysis of a fibre-optic intensity sensor used for MEMS movable structure rotation angle measurement. An intensity of the light in the photodetector is basically dependent on a distance between a reflecting surface and a head surface of the fibre transmitting arm, and the deflection angle. Experimental tests were made for PMMA 980/1000 plastic fibres, Θ NA =33°. The study shows both analytical and practical results. It proves that calculated and experimental characteristics for the analysed transducers are similar.

Estimating Elevation Angles From SAR Crosstalk

Science.gov (United States)

Freeman, Anthony

1994-01-01

Scheme for processing polarimetric synthetic-aperture-radar (SAR) image data yields estimates of elevation angles along radar beam to target resolution cells. By use of estimated elevation angles, measured distances along radar beam to targets (slant ranges), and measured altitude of aircraft carrying SAR equipment, one can estimate height of target terrain in each resolution cell. Monopulselike scheme yields low-resolution topographical data.

Gaugings at angles from orientifold reductions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roest, Diederik

2009-01-01

We consider orientifold reductions to N= 4 gauged supergravity in four dimensions. A special feature of this theory is that different factors of the gauge group can have relative angles with respect to the electro-magnetic SL(2) symmetry. These are crucial for moduli stabilization and de Sitter vacua. We show how such gaugings at angles generically arise in orientifold reductions.

Practical evaluation of action-angle variables

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boozer, A.H.

1984-02-01

A practical method is described for establishing action-angle variables for a Hamiltonian system. That is, a given nearly integrable Hamiltonian is divided into an exactly integrable system plus a perturbation in action-angle form. The transformation of variables, which is carried out using a few short trajectory integrations, permits a rapid determination of trajectory properties throughout a phase space volume

High-resolution intravital microscopy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Volker Andresen

Full Text Available Cellular communication constitutes a fundamental mechanism of life, for instance by permitting transfer of information through synapses in the nervous system and by leading to activation of cells during the course of immune responses. Monitoring cell-cell interactions within living adult organisms is crucial in order to draw conclusions on their behavior with respect to the fate of cells, tissues and organs. Until now, there is no technology available that enables dynamic imaging deep within the tissue of living adult organisms at sub-cellular resolution, i.e. detection at the level of few protein molecules. Here we present a novel approach called multi-beam striped-illumination which applies for the first time the principle and advantages of structured-illumination, spatial modulation of the excitation pattern, to laser-scanning-microscopy. We use this approach in two-photon-microscopy--the most adequate optical deep-tissue imaging-technique. As compared to standard two-photon-microscopy, it achieves significant contrast enhancement and up to 3-fold improved axial resolution (optical sectioning while photobleaching, photodamage and acquisition speed are similar. Its imaging depth is comparable to multifocal two-photon-microscopy and only slightly less than in standard single-beam two-photon-microscopy. Precisely, our studies within mouse lymph nodes demonstrated 216% improved axial and 23% improved lateral resolutions at a depth of 80 µm below the surface. Thus, we are for the first time able to visualize the dynamic interactions between B cells and immune complex deposits on follicular dendritic cells within germinal centers (GCs of live mice. These interactions play a decisive role in the process of clonal selection, leading to affinity maturation of the humoral immune response. This novel high-resolution intravital microscopy method has a huge potential for numerous applications in neurosciences, immunology, cancer research and

High-Resolution Intravital Microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Andresen, Volker; Pollok, Karolin; Rinnenthal, Jan-Leo; Oehme, Laura; Günther, Robert; Spiecker, Heinrich; Radbruch, Helena; Gerhard, Jenny; Sporbert, Anje; Cseresnyes, Zoltan; Hauser, Anja E.; Niesner, Raluca

2012-01-01

Cellular communication constitutes a fundamental mechanism of life, for instance by permitting transfer of information through synapses in the nervous system and by leading to activation of cells during the course of immune responses. Monitoring cell-cell interactions within living adult organisms is crucial in order to draw conclusions on their behavior with respect to the fate of cells, tissues and organs. Until now, there is no technology available that enables dynamic imaging deep within the tissue of living adult organisms at sub-cellular resolution, i.e. detection at the level of few protein molecules. Here we present a novel approach called multi-beam striped-illumination which applies for the first time the principle and advantages of structured-illumination, spatial modulation of the excitation pattern, to laser-scanning-microscopy. We use this approach in two-photon-microscopy - the most adequate optical deep-tissue imaging-technique. As compared to standard two-photon-microscopy, it achieves significant contrast enhancement and up to 3-fold improved axial resolution (optical sectioning) while photobleaching, photodamage and acquisition speed are similar. Its imaging depth is comparable to multifocal two-photon-microscopy and only slightly less than in standard single-beam two-photon-microscopy. Precisely, our studies within mouse lymph nodes demonstrated 216% improved axial and 23% improved lateral resolutions at a depth of 80 µm below the surface. Thus, we are for the first time able to visualize the dynamic interactions between B cells and immune complex deposits on follicular dendritic cells within germinal centers (GCs) of live mice. These interactions play a decisive role in the process of clonal selection, leading to affinity maturation of the humoral immune response. This novel high-resolution intravital microscopy method has a huge potential for numerous applications in neurosciences, immunology, cancer research and developmental biology

Microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Patricia A. Moss; Les Groom

2001-01-01

Microscopy is the study and interpretation of images produced by a microscope. "Interpretation" is the keyword, because the microscope enables one to see structures that are too small or too close together to be resolved by the unaided eye. (The human eye cannot separate two points or lines that are closer together than 0.1 mm.) it is important to...

Glancing angle x-ray studies of oxide films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davenport, A.J.; Isaacs, H.S.

1989-01-01

High brightness synchrotron radiation incident at glancing angles has been used to study inhibiting species present in low concentrations in oxide films on aluminum. Glancing incident angle fluorescence measurements give surface-sensitive information on the valence state of elements from the shape of the x-ray absorption edge. Angle-resolved measurements show the depth distribution of the species present. 15 refs., 4 figs

Metasurface-based angle-selective multichannel acoustic refractor

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Bingyi; Jiang, Yongyuan

2018-05-01

We theoretically study the angle-selective refractions of an impedance-matched acoustic gradient-index metasurface, which is integrated with a rigid bar array of a deep subwavelength period. An interesting refraction order appears under the all-angle incidence despite the existence of a critical angle, and notably, the odevity of the phase-discretization level apparently selects the transmitted diffraction orders. We utilize the strategy of multilayered media design to realize a three-channel acoustic refractor, which shows good promise for constructing multifunctional diffractive acoustic elements for acoustic communication.

Crystallography and Molecular Arrangement of Polymorphic Monolayer J-Aggregates of a Cyanine Dye: Multiangle Polarized Light Fluorescence Optical Microscopy Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Prokhorov, Valery V; Pozin, Sergey I; Perelygina, Olga M; Mal'tsev, Eugene I

2018-04-24

The molecular orientation in monolayer J-aggregates of 3,3-di(γ-sulfopropyl)-5,5-dichlorotiamonomethinecyanine dye has been precisely estimated using improved linear polarization measurements in the fluorescence microscope in which a multiangle set of polarization data is obtained using sample rotation. The estimated molecular orientation supplemented with the previously established crystallographic constraints based on the analysis of the well-developed two-dimensional J-aggregate shapes unambiguously indicate the staircase type of molecular arrangement for striplike J-aggregates with the staircases oriented along strips. The molecular transition dipoles are inclined at an angle of ∼25° to the strip direction, whereas the characteristic strip vertex angle ∼45° is formed by the [100] and [1-10] directions of the monoclinic unit cell. Measurements of the geometry of partially unwound tubes and their polarization properties support the model of tube formation by close-packed helical winding of flexible monolayer strips. In the tubes, the long molecular axes are oriented at a small angle in the range of 5-15° to the normal to the tube axis providing low bending energy. At a nanoscale, high-resolution atomic force microscopy imaging of J-aggregate monolayers reveals a complex quasi-one-dimensional organization.

Probing cytotoxicity of nanoparticles and organic compounds using scanning proton microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tong Yongpeng [Institute of Nuclear Techniques, Shenzhen University, Nanhai Avenue 3688, Shenzhen 518060 (China)], E-mail: yongpengt@yahoo.com.cn; Li Changming [School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637457 (Singapore); Liang Feng [Institute Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200025 (China); Chen Jianmin [Shenzhen Municipal Hospital for Chronic Disease Control and Prevention, Guangdong 518020 (China); Zhang Hong; Liu Guoqing; Sun Huibin [Institute of Nuclear Techniques, Shenzhen University, Nanhai Avenue 3688, Shenzhen 518060 (China); Luong, John H.T. [Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Quebec, H4P 2R2 (Canada)

2008-12-15

Scanning proton microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fluorescence microscopy have been used to probe the cytotoxicity effect of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), ethidium bromide (EB) and nanoparticles (ZnO, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and TiO{sub 2}) on a T lymphoblastic leukemia Jurkat cell line. The increased calcium ion (from CaCl{sub 2}) in the culture medium stimulated the accumulation of BaP and EB inside the cell, leading to cell death. ZnO, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles, however, showed a protective effect against these two organic compounds. Such inorganic nanoparticles complexed with BaP or EB which became less toxic to the cell. Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles as an insoluble particle model scavenged by macrophage were investigated in rats. They were scavenged out of the lung tissue about 48 h after infection. This result suggest that some insoluble inorganic nanoparticles of PM (particulate matters) showed protective effects on organic toxins induced acute toxic effects as they can be scavenged by macrophage cells. Whereas, some inorganic ions such as calcium ion in PM may help environmental organic toxins to penetrate cell membrane and induce higher toxic effect.

Evaluation of the Anterior Segment Angle-to-Angle Scan of Cirrus High-Definition Optical Coherence Tomography and Comparison With Gonioscopy and With the Visante OCT.

Science.gov (United States)

Tun, Tin A; Baskaran, Mani; Tan, Shayne S; Perera, Shamira A; Aung, Tin; Husain, Rahat

2017-01-01

To evaluate the diagnostic performance of the anterior segment angle-to-angle scan of the Cirrus high-definition optical coherence tomography (HD-OCT) in detecting eyes with closed angles. All subjects underwent dark-room gonioscopy by an ophthalmologist. A technician performed anterior segment imaging with Cirrus (n = 202) and Visante OCT (n = 85) under dark-room conditions. All eyes were categorized by two masked graders as per number of closed quadrants. Each quadrant of anterior chamber angle was categorized as a closed angle if posterior trabecular meshwork could not be seen on gonioscopy or if there was any irido-corneal contact anterior to scleral spur in Cirrus and Visante images. An eye was graded as having a closed angle if two or more quadrants were closed. Agreement and area under the curve (AUC) were performed. There were 50 (24.8%) eyes with closed angles. The agreements of closed-angle diagnosis (by eye) between Cirrus HD-OCT and gonioscopy (k = 0.59; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.45-0.72; AC1 = 0.76) and between Cirrus and Visante OCT (k = 0.65; 95% CI 0.48-0.82, AC1 = 0.77) were moderate. The AUC for diagnosing the eye with gonioscopic closed angle by Cirrus HD-OCT was good (AUC = 0.86; sensitivity = 83.33; specificity = 77.78). The diagnostic performance of Cirrus HD-OCT in detecting the eyes with closed angles was similar to that of Visante (AUC 0.87 vs. 0.9, respectively; P = 0.51). The anterior segment angle-to-angle scans of Cirrus HD-OCT demonstrated similar diagnostic performance as Visante in detecting gonioscopic closed angles. The agreement between Cirrus and gonioscopy for detecting eyes with closed angles was moderate.

Automatic Cobb Angle Determination From Radiographic Images

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sardjono, Tri Arief; Wilkinson, Michael H. F.; Veldhuizen, Albert G.; van Ooijen, Peter M. A.; Purnama, Ketut E.; Verkerke, Gijsbertus J.

2013-01-01

Study Design. Automatic measurement of Cobb angle in patients with scoliosis. Objective. To test the accuracy of an automatic Cobb angle determination method from frontal radiographical images. Summary of Background Data. Thirty-six frontal radiographical images of patients with scoliosis. Methods.

Langmuir and Langmuir-Blodgett films of multifunctional, amphiphilic polyethers with cholesterol moieties.

Science.gov (United States)

Reuter, Sascha; Hofmann, Anna M; Busse, Karsten; Frey, Holger; Kressler, Jörg

2011-03-01

Langmuir films of multifunctional, hydrophilic polyethers containing a hydrophobic cholesterol group (Ch) were studied by surface pressure-mean molecular area (π-mmA) measurements and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM). The polyethers were either homopolymers or diblock copolymers of linear poly(glycerol) (lPG), linear poly(glyceryl glycidyl ether) (lPGG), linear poly(ethylene glycol) (lPEG), or hyperbranched poly(glycerol) (hbPG). Surface pressure measurements revealed that the homopolymers lPG and hbPG did not stay at the water surface after spreading and solvent evaporation, in contrast to lPEG. Because of the incorporation of the Ch group in the polymer structure, stable Langmuir films were formed by Ch-lPG(n), Ch-lPGG(n), and Ch-hbPG(n). The Ch-hbPG(n), Ch-lPEG(n), Ch-lPEG(n)-b-lPG(m), Ch-lPEG(n)-b-lPGG(m), and Ch-lPEG(n)-b-hbPG(m) systems showed an extended plateau region assigned to a phase transition involving the Ch groups. Typical hierarchically ordered morphologies of the LB films on hydrophilic substrates were observed for all Ch-initiated polymers. All LB films showed that Ch of the Ch-initiated homopolymers is able to crystallize. This strong tendency of self-aggregation then triggers further dewetting effects of the respective polyether entities. Fingerlike morphologies are observed for Ch-lPEG(69), since the lPEG(69) entity is able to undergo crystallization after transfer onto the silicon substrate.

[Anatomy of fractures of the inferior scapular angle].

Science.gov (United States)

Bartoníček, J; Tuček, M; Malík, J

2018-01-01

The aim of this study is to describe the anatomy of fractures of the inferior angle and the adjacent part of the scapular body, based on 3D CT reconstructions. In a series of 375 scapular fractures, we identified a total of 20 fractures of the inferior angle of the scapular body (13 men, 7 women), with a mean patient age of 50 years (range 3373). In all fractures, 3D CT reconstructions were obtained, allowing an objective evaluation of the fracture pattern with a focus on the size and shape of the inferior angle fragment, propagation of the fracture line to the lateral and medial borders of the infraspinous part of the scapular body, fragment displacement and any additional fracture of the ipsilateral scapula and the shoulder girdle. We identified a total of 5 types of fracture involving the distal half of the infraspinous part of the scapular body. The first type, recorded in 5 cases, affected only the apex of the inferior angle, with a small part of the adjacent medial border. The second type, occurring in 4 cases, involved fractures separating the entire inferior angle. The third type, represented by 4 cases, was characterized by a fracture line starting medially close above the inferior angle and passing proximolaterally. The separated fragment had a shape of a big drop, carrying also the distal half of the lateral pillar in addition to the inferior angle. In the fourth type identified in 5 fractures, the separated fragment was formed both by the inferior angle and a variable part of the medial border. The fifth type, being by its nature a transition to the fracture of the infraspinous part of the body, was recorded in 2 cases, with the same V-shaped fragment. Fractures of the inferior angle and the adjacent part of the scapular body are groups of fractures differing from other infraspinous fractures of the scapular body. Although these fractures are highly variable in terms of shape, they have the same course of fracture line and the manner of displacement

Sun-view angle effects on reflectance factors of corn canopies

Science.gov (United States)

Ranson, K. J.; Daughtry, C. S. T.; Biehl, L. L.; Bauer, M. E.

1985-01-01

The effects of sun and view angles on reflectance factors of corn (Zea mays L.) canopies ranging from the six leaf stage to harvest maturity were studied on the Purdue University Agronomy Farm by a multiband radiometer. The two methods of acquiring spectral data, the truck system and the tower systrem, are described. The analysis of the spectral data is presented in three parts: solar angle effects on reflectance factors viewed at nadir; solar angle effects on reflectance factors viewed at a fixed sun angle; and both sun and view angles effect on reflectance factors. The analysis revealed that for nadir-viewed reflectance factors there is a strong solar angle dependence in all spectral bands for canopies with low leaf area index. Reflectance factors observed from the sun angle at different view azimuth angles showed that the position of the sensor relative to the sun is important in determining angular reflectance characteristics. For both sun and view angles, reflectance factors are maximized when the sensor view direction is towards the sun.

Effect of Angle of Attack on Slope Climbing Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Creager, Colin M.; Jones, Lucas; Smith, Lauren M.

2017-01-01

Ascending steep slopes is often a very difficult challenge for off-road vehicles, whether on Earth or on extraterrestrial bodies. This challenge is even greater if the surface consists of loose granular soil that does not provide much shear strength. This study investigated how the path at which a vehicle traverses a slope, specifically the angle that it is commanded to drive relative to the base of the hill (the angle of attack), can affect its performance. A vehicle was driven in loose sand at slope angles up to 15 degrees and angles of attack ranging from 10 to 90 degrees. A novel photogrammetry technique was implemented to both track vehicle motion and create a three-dimensional profile of the terrain. This allowed for true wheel sinkage measurements. The study showed that though low angles of attack result in lower wheel slip and sinkage, the efficiency of the vehicles uphill motion increased at higher angles of attack. For slopes up to 15 degrees, a 90 degree angle of attack provided the greatest likelihood of successful ascent.

Contact angle measurement with a smartphone.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, H; Muros-Cobos, Jesus L; Amirfazli, A

2018-03-01

In this study, a smartphone-based contact angle measurement instrument was developed. Compared with the traditional measurement instruments, this instrument has the advantage of simplicity, compact size, and portability. An automatic contact point detection algorithm was developed to allow the instrument to correctly detect the drop contact points. Two different contact angle calculation methods, Young-Laplace and polynomial fitting methods, were implemented in this instrument. The performance of this instrument was tested first with ideal synthetic drop profiles. It was shown that the accuracy of the new system with ideal synthetic drop profiles can reach 0.01% with both Young-Laplace and polynomial fitting methods. Conducting experiments to measure both static and dynamic (advancing and receding) contact angles with the developed instrument, we found that the smartphone-based instrument can provide accurate and practical measurement results as the traditional commercial instruments. The successful demonstration of use of a smartphone (mobile phone) to conduct contact angle measurement is a significant advancement in the field as it breaks the dominate mold of use of a computer and a bench bound setup for such systems since their appearance in 1980s.

Contact angle measurement with a smartphone

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, H.; Muros-Cobos, Jesus L.; Amirfazli, A.

2018-03-01

In this study, a smartphone-based contact angle measurement instrument was developed. Compared with the traditional measurement instruments, this instrument has the advantage of simplicity, compact size, and portability. An automatic contact point detection algorithm was developed to allow the instrument to correctly detect the drop contact points. Two different contact angle calculation methods, Young-Laplace and polynomial fitting methods, were implemented in this instrument. The performance of this instrument was tested first with ideal synthetic drop profiles. It was shown that the accuracy of the new system with ideal synthetic drop profiles can reach 0.01% with both Young-Laplace and polynomial fitting methods. Conducting experiments to measure both static and dynamic (advancing and receding) contact angles with the developed instrument, we found that the smartphone-based instrument can provide accurate and practical measurement results as the traditional commercial instruments. The successful demonstration of use of a smartphone (mobile phone) to conduct contact angle measurement is a significant advancement in the field as it breaks the dominate mold of use of a computer and a bench bound setup for such systems since their appearance in 1980s.

Perturbative estimates of lepton mixing angles in unified models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antusch, Stefan; King, Stephen F.; Malinsky, Michal

2009-01-01

Many unified models predict two large neutrino mixing angles, with the charged lepton mixing angles being small and quark-like, and the neutrino masses being hierarchical. Assuming this, we present simple approximate analytic formulae giving the lepton mixing angles in terms of the underlying high energy neutrino mixing angles together with small perturbations due to both charged lepton corrections and renormalisation group (RG) effects, including also the effects of third family canonical normalization (CN). We apply the perturbative formulae to the ubiquitous case of tri-bimaximal neutrino mixing at the unification scale, in order to predict the theoretical corrections to mixing angle predictions and sum rule relations, and give a general discussion of all limiting cases. We also discuss the implications for the sum rule relations of the measurement of a non-zero reactor angle, as hinted at by recent experimental measurements.

Steering Angle Function Algorithm of Morphing of Residential Area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

XIE Tian

2015-07-01

Full Text Available A residential area feature morphing method based on steering angle function is presented. To residential area with the same representation under two different scales,transforming the representation of the residential area polygon from vector coordinates to steering angle function,then using the steering angle function to match,and finding out the similarity and the differences between the residential areas under different scale to get the steering angle function of the the residential areas under any middle scale,the final,transforming the middle scale steering angle function to vector coordinates form,and get the middle shape interpolation of the the residential area polygon.Experimental results show:the residential area morphing method by using steering angle function presented can realize the continuous multi-scale representation under the premise of keeping in shape for the residential area with the rectangular boundary features.

Study of Transitions between Wetting States on Microcavity Arrays by Optical Transmission Microscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søgaard, Emil; Andersen, Nis Korsgaard; Smistrup, Kristian

2014-01-01

In this article, we present a simple and fast optical method based on transmission microscopy to study the stochastic wetting transitions on micro- and nanostructured polymer surfaces immersed in water. We analyze the influence of immersion time and the liquid pressure on the degree of water......-Laplace equation for the water menisci in the cavities and the diffusion of dissolved gas molecules in the water. In addition, the wetting transitions had a stochastic nature, which resulted from the short diffusion distance for dissolved gas molecules in the water between neighboring cavities. Furthermore, we...... compared the contact angle properties of two polymeric materials (COC and PP) with moderate hydrophobicity. We attributed the difference in the water repellency of the two materials to a difference in the wetting of their nanostructures. Our experimental observations thus indicate that both the diffusion...

Bessel light sheet structured illumination microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Noshirvani Allahabadi, Golchehr

Biomedical study researchers using animals to model disease and treatment need fast, deep, noninvasive, and inexpensive multi-channel imaging methods. Traditional fluorescence microscopy meets those criteria to an extent. Specifically, two-photon and confocal microscopy, the two most commonly used methods, are limited in penetration depth, cost, resolution, and field of view. In addition, two-photon microscopy has limited ability in multi-channel imaging. Light sheet microscopy, a fast developing 3D fluorescence imaging method, offers attractive advantages over traditional two-photon and confocal microscopy. Light sheet microscopy is much more applicable for in vivo 3D time-lapsed imaging, owing to its selective illumination of tissue layer, superior speed, low light exposure, high penetration depth, and low levels of photobleaching. However, standard light sheet microscopy using Gaussian beam excitation has two main disadvantages: 1) the field of view (FOV) of light sheet microscopy is limited by the depth of focus of the Gaussian beam. 2) Light-sheet images can be degraded by scattering, which limits the penetration of the excitation beam and blurs emission images in deep tissue layers. While two-sided sheet illumination, which doubles the field of view by illuminating the sample from opposite sides, offers a potential solution, the technique adds complexity and cost to the imaging system. We investigate a new technique to address these limitations: Bessel light sheet microscopy in combination with incoherent nonlinear Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM). Results demonstrate that, at visible wavelengths, Bessel excitation penetrates up to 250 microns deep in the scattering media with single-side illumination. Bessel light sheet microscope achieves confocal level resolution at a lateral resolution of 0.3 micron and an axial resolution of 1 micron. Incoherent nonlinear SIM further reduces the diffused background in Bessel light sheet images, resulting in

Angle-selective all-dielectric Huygens’ metasurfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Arslan, D.; Chong, K. E.; Miroshnichenko, A. E.; Choi, D.-Y.; Neshev, D. N.; Pertsch, T.; Kivshar, Y. S.; Staude, I.

2017-11-01

We experimentally and numerically study the angularly resolved transmission properties of dielectric metasurfaces consisting of silicon nanodisks which support electric and magnetic dipolar Mie-type resonances in the near-infrared spectral range. First, we concentrate on Huygens’ metasurfaces which are characterised by a spectral overlap of the fundamental electric and magnetic dipole resonances of the silicon nanodisks at normal incidence. Huygens’ metasurfaces exhibit a high transmitted intensity over the spectral width of the resonances due to impedance matching, while the transmitted phase shows a variation of 2π as the wavelength is swept across the width of the resonances. We observe that the transmittance of the Huygens’ metasurfaces depends on the incidence angle and is sensitive to polarisation for non-normal incidence. As the incidence angle is increased starting from normal incidence, the two dipole resonances are shifted out of the spectral overlap and the resonant features appear as pronounced transmittance minima. Next, we consider a metasurface with an increased nanodisk radius as compared to the Huygens’ metasurface, which supports spectrally separate electric and magnetic dipole resonances at normal incidence. We show that for TM polarisation, we can shift the resonances of this metasurface into spectral overlap and regain the high resonant transmittance characteristic of Huygens’ metasurfaces at a particular incidence angle. Furthermore, both metasurfaces are demonstrated to reject all TM polarised light incident under angles other than the design overlap angle at their respective operation frequency. Our experimental observations are in good qualitative agreement with numerical calculations.

Electro-optic modulator with ultra-low residual amplitude modulation for frequency modulation and laser stabilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Tai, Zhaoyang; Yan, Lulu; Zhang, Yanyan; Zhang, Xiaofei; Guo, Wenge; Zhang, Shougang; Jiang, Haifeng

2016-12-01

The reduction of the residual amplitude modulation (RAM) induced by electro-optic modulation is essential for many applications of frequency modulation spectroscopy requiring a lower system noise floor. Here, we demonstrate a simple passive approach employing an electro-optic modulator (EOM) cut at Brewster's angle. The proposed EOM exhibits a RAM of a few parts per million, which is comparable with that achieved by a common EOM under critical active temperature and bias voltage controls. The frequency instability of a 10 cm cavity-stabilized laser induced by the RAM effect of the proposed EOM is below 3×10-17 for integration times from 1 to 1000 s, and below 4×10-16 for comprehensive noise contributions for integration times from 1 to 100 s.

Elaboration of Langmuir-Blodgett films of oligothiophenes derivatives for solid state polymerisation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isz, Sandrine

1995-01-01

Molecular electronics requires the elaboration of highly organised conductive architectures, and this research thesis addresses the fabrication of oriented conductive molecular wires. Precursors can be oriented by using the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. Synthesized molecules are oligothiophenes. After a UV-visible study in solution, these molecules have been tested under the form of Langmuir-Blodgett films. Their behaviour at the air-water interface has been characterized by using various techniques (compression isothermal, Brewster angle microscope, transmission electronic microscope, atomic force microscope) to check that higher oligothiophenes are forming a molecular film. Crystal structure reveals an almost vertical orientation of molecules at the water surface. A solid state coupling between these organised molecules has been attempted by electrochemical, thermal, and chemical ways [fr

General analysis of slab lasers using geometrical optics.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Te-yuan; Bass, Michael

2007-02-01

A thorough and general geometrical optics analysis of a slab-shaped laser gain medium is presented. The length and thickness ratio is critical if one is to achieve the maximum utilization of absorbed pump power by the laser light in such a medium; e.g., the fill factor inside the slab is to be maximized. We point out that the conditions for a fill factor equal to 1, laser light entering and exiting parallel to the length of the slab, and Brewster angle incidence on the entrance and exit faces cannot all be satisfied at the same time. Deformed slabs are also studied. Deformation along the width direction of the largest surfaces is shown to significantly reduce the fill factor that is possible.

Measurement of Angle Kappa Using Ultrasound Biomicroscopy and Corneal Topography.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeo, Joon Hyung; Moon, Nam Ju; Lee, Jeong Kyu

2017-06-01

To introduce a new convenient and accurate method to measure the angle kappa using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) and corneal topography. Data from 42 eyes (13 males and 29 females) were analyzed in this study. The angle kappa was measured using Orbscan II and calculated with UBM and corneal topography. The angle kappa of the dominant eye was compared with measurements by Orbscan II. The mean patient age was 36.4 ± 13.8 years. The average angle kappa measured by Orbscan II was 3.98° ± 1.12°, while the average angle kappa calculated with UBM and corneal topography was 3.19° ± 1.15°. The difference in angle kappa measured by the two methods was statistically significant (p topography to calculate the angle kappa. This method is convenient to use and allows for measurement of the angle kappa without an expensive device. © 2017 The Korean Ophthalmological Society

Dilemma of gonial angle measurement: Panoramic radiograph or lateral cephalogram

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Radhakrishnan, Pillai Devu; Varma, Nilambur Kovilakam Sapna; Ajith, Vallikat Velath [Dept. of Orthodontics, Amrita School of Dentistry, Kochi (India)

2017-06-15

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of panoramic imaging in measuring the right and left gonial angles by comparing the measured angles with the angles determined using a lateral cephalogram of adult patients with class I malocclusion. The gonial angles of 50 class I malocclusion patients (25 males and 25 females; mean age: 23 years) were measured using both a lateral cephalogram and a panoramic radiograph. In the lateral cephalograms, the gonial angle was measured at the point of intersection of the ramus plane and the mandibular plane. In the panoramic radiographs, the gonial angle was measured by drawing a line tangent to the lower border of the mandible and another line tangent to the distal border of the ascending ramus and the condyle on both sides. The data obtained from both radiographs were statistically compared. No statistically significant difference was observed between the gonial angle measured using the lateral cephalograms and that determined using the panoramic radiographs. Further, there was no statistically significant difference in the measured gonial angle with respect to gender. The results also showed a statistically insignificant difference in the mean of the right and the left gonial angles measured using the panoramic radiographs. As the gonial angle measurements using panoramic radiographs and lateral cephalograms showed no statistically significant difference, panoramic radiography can be considered in orthodontics for measuring the gonial angle without any interference due to superimposed images.

Flocking and invariance of velocity angles.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Le; Huang, Lihong; Wu, Jianhong

2016-04-01

Motsch and Tadmor considered an extended Cucker-Smale model to investigate the flocking behavior of self-organized systems of interacting species. In this extended model, a cone of the vision was introduced so that outside the cone the influence of one agent on the other is lost and hence the corresponding influence function takes the value zero. This creates a problem to apply the Motsch-Tadmor and Cucker-Smale method to prove the flocking property of the system. Here, we examine the variation of the velocity angles between two arbitrary agents, and obtain a monotonicity property for the maximum cone of velocity angles. This monotonicity permits us to utilize existing arguments to show the flocking property of the system under consideration, when the initial velocity angles satisfy some minor technical constraints.

Exclusive Backward-Angle Omega Meson Electroproduction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wenliang, Li [Univ. of Regina, Regina, SK (Canada)

2017-10-01

Exclusive meson electroproduction at different squared four-momenta of the exchanged virtual photon, Q² , and at different four-momentum transfers, t and u, can be used to probe QCD's transition from hadronic degrees of freedom at the long distance scale to quark-gluon degrees of freedom at the short distance scale. Backward-angle meson electroproduction was previously ignored, but is anticipated to offer complimentary information to conventional forward-angle meson electroproduction studies on nucleon structure. This work is a pioneering study of backward-angle ω cross sections through the exclusive ¹H(e, e'p)ω reaction using the missing mass reconstruction technique. The extracted cross sections are separated into the transverse (T), longitudinal (L), and LT, TT interference terms. The analyzed data were part of experiment E01-004 (Fπ-2), which used 2.6-5.2 GeV electron beams and HMS+SOS spectrometers in Jefferson Lab Hall C. The primary objective was to detect coincidence π in the forward-angle, where the backward-angle omega events were fortuitously detected. The experiment has central Q² values of 1.60 and 2.45 GeV² , at W = 2.21 GeV. There was significant coverage in phi and epsilon, which allowed separation of σ_T,L,LT,TT . The data set has a unique u coverage of -u ~ 0, which corresponds to -t > 4 GeV² . The separated σ_T result suggest a flat ~ 1/Q^1.33±1.21 dependence, whereas sigma_L seems to hold a stronger 1/Q^9.43±6.28 dependence. The σL/σ_T ratio indicate σ_T dominance at Q² = 2.45 GeV² at the ~90% confidence level. After translating the results into the -t space of the published CLAS data, our data show evidence of a backward-angle omega electroproduction peak at both Q² settings. Previously, this phenomenon showing both forward and backward-angle peaks was only observed in the meson

Experimental Validation of the Invariance of Electrowetting Contact Angle Saturation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chevalliot, S.; Dhindsa, M.; Kuiper, S.; Heikenfeld, J.

2011-01-01

Basic electrowetting theory predicts that a continued increase in applied voltage will allow contact angle modulation to zero degrees. In practice, the effect of contact angle saturation has always been observed to limit the contact angle modulation, often only down to a contact angle of 60 to 70°.

LHC Report: playing with angles

CERN Multimedia

Mike Lamont for the LHC team

2016-01-01

Ready (after a machine development period), steady (running), go (for a special run)!   The crossing angles are an essential feature of the machine set-up. They have to be big enough to reduce the long-range beam-beam effect. The LHC has recently enjoyed a period of steady running and managed to set a new record for “Maximum Stable Luminosity Delivered in 7 days” of 3.29 fb-1 between 29 August and 4 September. The number of bunches per beam remains pegged at 2220 because of the limitations imposed by the SPS beam dump. The bunch population is also somewhat reduced due to outgassing near one of the injection kickers at point 8. Both limitations will be addressed during the year-end technical stop, opening the way for increased performance in 2017. On 10 and 11 September, a two day machine development (MD) period took place. The MD programme included a look at the possibility of reducing the crossing angle at the high-luminosity interaction points. The crossing angles are an ess...

Computing angle of arrival of radio signals

Science.gov (United States)

Borchardt, John J.; Steele, David K.

2017-11-07

Various technologies pertaining to computing angle of arrival of radio signals are described. A system that is configured for computing the angle of arrival of a radio signal includes a cylindrical sheath wrapped around a cylindrical object, where the cylindrical sheath acts as a ground plane. The system further includes a plurality of antennas that are positioned about an exterior surface of the cylindrical sheath, and receivers respectively coupled to the antennas. The receivers output measurements pertaining to the radio signal. A processing circuit receives the measurements and computes the angle of arrival of the radio signal based upon the measurements.

The quadriceps angle

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Miles, James Edward; Frederiksen, Jane V.; Jensen, Bente Rona

2012-01-01

: Pelvic limbs from red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). METHODS: Q angles were measured on hip dysplasia (HD) and whole limb (WL) view radiographs of each limb between the acetabular rim, mid-point (Q1: patellar center, Q2: femoral trochlea), and tibial tuberosity. Errors of 0.5-2.0 mm at measurement landmarks...

At Right Angles

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 17; Issue 9. At Right Angles. Shailesh A Shirali. Information and Announcements Volume 17 Issue 9 September 2012 pp 920-920. Fulltext. Click here to view fulltext PDF. Permanent link: https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/017/09/0920-0920 ...

Objective for EUV microscopy, EUV lithography, and x-ray imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Bitter, Manfred; Hill, Kenneth W.; Efthimion, Philip

2016-05-03

Disclosed is an imaging apparatus for EUV spectroscopy, EUV microscopy, EUV lithography, and x-ray imaging. This new imaging apparatus could, in particular, make significant contributions to EUV lithography at wavelengths in the range from 10 to 15 nm, which is presently being developed for the manufacturing of the next-generation integrated circuits. The disclosure provides a novel adjustable imaging apparatus that allows for the production of stigmatic images in x-ray imaging, EUV imaging, and EUVL. The imaging apparatus of the present invention incorporates additional properties compared to previously described objectives. The use of a pair of spherical reflectors containing a concave and convex arrangement has been applied to a EUV imaging system to allow for the image and optics to all be placed on the same side of a vacuum chamber. Additionally, the two spherical reflector segments previously described have been replaced by two full spheres or, more precisely, two spherical annuli, so that the total photon throughput is largely increased. Finally, the range of permissible Bragg angles and possible magnifications of the objective has been largely increased.

Calibration-free quantitative surface topography reconstruction in scanning electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faber, E.T.; Martinez-Martinez, D.; Mansilla, C.; Ocelík, V.; Hosson, J.Th.M. De

2015-01-01

This work presents a new approach to obtain reliable surface topography reconstructions from 2D Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images. In this method a set of images taken at different tilt angles are compared by means of digital image correlation (DIC). It is argued that the strength of the method lies in the fact that precise knowledge about the nature of the rotation (vector and/or magnitude) is not needed. Therefore, the great advantage is that complex calibrations of the measuring equipment are avoided. The paper presents the necessary equations involved in the methods, including derivations and solutions. The method is illustrated with examples of 3D reconstructions followed by a discussion on the relevant experimental parameters. - Highlights: • A novel method for quantitative 3D surface reconstruction in SEM is described. • This method uses at least 3 SEM images acquired at different sample tilts. • This method does not need calibration from the movement of the sample holder. • Mathematical background and examples of application are presented

Analyzing Lysosome-Related Organelles by Electron Microscopy

KAUST Repository

Hurbain, Ilse

2017-04-29

Intracellular organelles have a particular morphological signature that can only be appreciated by ultrastructural analysis at the electron microscopy level. Optical imaging and associated methodologies allow to explore organelle localization and their dynamics at the cellular level. Deciphering the biogenesis and functions of lysosomes and lysosome-related organelles (LROs) and their dysfunctions requires their visualization and detailed characterization at high resolution by electron microscopy. Here, we provide detailed protocols for studying LROs by transmission electron microscopy. While conventional electron microscopy and its recent improvements is the method of choice to investigate organelle morphology, immunoelectron microscopy allows to localize organelle components and description of their molecular make up qualitatively and quantitatively.

Stochastic Optical Reconstruction Microscopy (STORM).

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Jianquan; Ma, Hongqiang; Liu, Yang

2017-07-05

Super-resolution (SR) fluorescence microscopy, a class of optical microscopy techniques at a spatial resolution below the diffraction limit, has revolutionized the way we study biology, as recognized by the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2014. Stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM), a widely used SR technique, is based on the principle of single molecule localization. STORM routinely achieves a spatial resolution of 20 to 30 nm, a ten-fold improvement compared to conventional optical microscopy. Among all SR techniques, STORM offers a high spatial resolution with simple optical instrumentation and standard organic fluorescent dyes, but it is also prone to image artifacts and degraded image resolution due to improper sample preparation or imaging conditions. It requires careful optimization of all three aspects-sample preparation, image acquisition, and image reconstruction-to ensure a high-quality STORM image, which will be extensively discussed in this unit. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Effect of MLC leaf position, collimator rotation angle, and gantry rotation angle errors on intensity-modulated radiotherapy plans for nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bai, Sen; Li, Guangjun; Wang, Maojie; Jiang, Qinfeng; Zhang, Yingjie [State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan (China); Wei, Yuquan, E-mail: yuquawei@vip.sina.com [State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan (China)

2013-07-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of multileaf collimator (MLC) leaf position, collimator rotation angle, and accelerator gantry rotation angle errors on intensity-modulated radiotherapy plans for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. To compare dosimetric differences between the simulating plans and the clinical plans with evaluation parameters, 6 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma were selected for simulation of systematic and random MLC leaf position errors, collimator rotation angle errors, and accelerator gantry rotation angle errors. There was a high sensitivity to dose distribution for systematic MLC leaf position errors in response to field size. When the systematic MLC position errors were 0.5, 1, and 2 mm, respectively, the maximum values of the mean dose deviation, observed in parotid glands, were 4.63%, 8.69%, and 18.32%, respectively. The dosimetric effect was comparatively small for systematic MLC shift errors. For random MLC errors up to 2 mm and collimator and gantry rotation angle errors up to 0.5°, the dosimetric effect was negligible. We suggest that quality control be regularly conducted for MLC leaves, so as to ensure that systematic MLC leaf position errors are within 0.5 mm. Because the dosimetric effect of 0.5° collimator and gantry rotation angle errors is negligible, it can be concluded that setting a proper threshold for allowed errors of collimator and gantry rotation angle may increase treatment efficacy and reduce treatment time.

Use of EyeCam for imaging the anterior chamber angle.

Science.gov (United States)

Perera, Shamira A; Baskaran, Mani; Friedman, David S; Tun, Tin A; Htoon, Hla M; Kumar, Rajesh S; Aung, Tin

2010-06-01

To compare EyeCam (Clarity Medical Systems, Pleasanton, CA) imaging with gonioscopy for detecting angle closure. In this prospective, hospital-based study, subjects underwent gonioscopy by a single observer and EyeCam imaging by a different operator. EyeCam images were graded by two masked observers. The anterior chamber angle in a quadrant was classified as closed if the trabecular meshwork could not be seen. The eye was classified as having angle closure if two or more quadrants were closed. One hundred fifty-two subjects were studied. The mean age was 57.4 years (SD 12.9) and there were 82 (54%) men. Of the 152 eyes, 21 (13.8%) had angle closure. The EyeCam provided clear images of the angles in 98.8% of subjects. The agreement between the EyeCam and gonioscopy for detecting angle closure in the superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal quadrants based on agreement coefficient (AC1) statistics was 0.73, 0.75, 0.76, and 0.72, respectively. EyeCam detected more closed angles than did gonioscopy in all quadrants (P gonioscopy, 21/152 (13.8%) eyes were diagnosed as angle closure compared to 41 (27.0%) of 152 with EyeCam (P gonioscopy for detecting angle closure. However, it detected more closed angles than did gonioscopy in all quadrants.

Association of lens vault with narrow angles among different ethnic groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Roland Y; Huang, Guofu; Cui, Qi N; He, Mingguang; Porco, Travis C; Lin, Shan C

2012-06-01

To compare lens vault between open-angle and narrow-angle eyes in African-, Caucasian-, Hispanic-, Chinese- and Filipino-Americans. In this prospective study, 436 patients with open angle and narrow angle based on the Shaffer gonioscopic grading classification underwent anterior-segment optical coherence tomography. The Zhongshan Angle Assessment Program was used to calculate lens vault. The narrow-angle group included 32 Chinese-Americans, 22 Filipino-Americans, 26 African-Americans, 24 Hispanic-Americans and 73 Caucasian-Americans. The open-angle group included 56 Chinese-Americans, 29 Filipino-Americans, 45 African-Americans, 27 Hispanic-Americans and 102 Caucasian-Americans. Linear mixed effect regression models, accounting for the use of both eyes and adjusting for age, sex, pupil diameter and spherical equivalent, were used to test for the ethnicity and angle coefficients. Tukey's multiple comparison test was used for pairwise comparisons among the open-angle racial groups. Significant difference in lens vault was found among the open-angle racial groups (P = 0.022). For the open-angle patients, mean values for the lens vault measurements were 265 ± 288 µm for Chinese-Americans, 431 ± 248 µm for Caucasian-Americans, 302 ± 213 µm for Filipino-Americans, 304 ± 263 µm for Hispanic-Americans and 200 ± 237 µm for African-Americans. Using Tukey's multiple comparison for pairwise comparisons among the open-angle racial groups, a significant difference was found between African-American and Caucasian-Americans groups (P values for the rest of the pairwise comparisons were not statistically significant. No significant difference was found among the narrow-angle racial groups (P = 0.14). Comparison between the open angle and narrow angle within each racial group revealed significant difference for all racial groups (P < 0.05). Among all the ethnicities included in this study, narrow-angle eyes have greater lens vault compared to open-angle

The influence of erupting lateral teeth on maxillary anterior crowding in two Angle Class I maloclussion cases with high and low angles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hiroshi Ueda

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Two cases of anterior crowding, both Skeletal Class I and Angle Class I maloclussion, one being low angle and the other high angle respectively, respectively, were treated and evaluated to ascertain whether or not there is a relationship among disproportionate mesial axial angulation of the maxillary lateral teeth and the Frankfurt Horizontal-Functional Occlusal plane, therefore generating maxillary anterior crowding. Both cases were Japanese boys, the first one aged 9 years 10 months with chief complaint being anterior crowding and the second case aged 7 years and 8 months complaining of inadequate space for satisfying canine eruption. During and after the second stage of orthodontic treatment on both cases, several radiographic analysis were performed to assess treatment progress and retention; from these radiographs, it was noticed among other findings that in the high-angle case, the axial angulations of the maxillary lateral incisors were markedly smaller than in the low-angle case, thus indicating mesial tipping in the upper dental arch. This decreased mesial axial angulation of the lateral teeth observed at high angles may potentially cause maxillary space deficiency.

Contact angle and local wetting at contact line.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ri; Shan, Yanguang

2012-11-06

This theoretical study was motivated by recent experiments and theoretical work that had suggested the dependence of the static contact angle on the local wetting at the triple-phase contact line. We revisit this topic because the static contact angle as a local wetting parameter is still not widely understood and clearly known. To further clarify the relationship of the static contact angle with wetting, two approaches are applied to derive a general equation for the static contact angle of a droplet on a composite surface composed of heterogeneous components. A global approach based on the free surface energy of a thermodynamic system containing the droplet and solid surface shows the static contact angle as a function of local surface chemistry and local wetting state at the contact line. A local approach, in which only local forces acting on the contact line are considered, results in the same equation. The fact that the local approach agrees with the global approach further demonstrates the static contact angle as a local wetting parameter. Additionally, the study also suggests that the wetting described by the Wenzel and Cassie equations is also the local wetting of the contact line rather than the global wetting of the droplet.

Polarized Line Formation in Arbitrary Strength Magnetic Fields Angle-averaged and Angle-dependent Partial Frequency Redistribution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sampoorna, M.; Nagendra, K. N. [Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Koramangala, Bengaluru 560 034 (India); Stenflo, J. O., E-mail: sampoorna@iiap.res.in, E-mail: knn@iiap.res.in, E-mail: stenflo@astro.phys.ethz.ch [Institute of Astronomy, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich (Switzerland)

2017-08-01

Magnetic fields in the solar atmosphere leave their fingerprints in the polarized spectrum of the Sun via the Hanle and Zeeman effects. While the Hanle and Zeeman effects dominate, respectively, in the weak and strong field regimes, both these effects jointly operate in the intermediate field strength regime. Therefore, it is necessary to solve the polarized line transfer equation, including the combined influence of Hanle and Zeeman effects. Furthermore, it is required to take into account the effects of partial frequency redistribution (PRD) in scattering when dealing with strong chromospheric lines with broad damping wings. In this paper, we present a numerical method to solve the problem of polarized PRD line formation in magnetic fields of arbitrary strength and orientation. This numerical method is based on the concept of operator perturbation. For our studies, we consider a two-level atom model without hyperfine structure and lower-level polarization. We compare the PRD idealization of angle-averaged Hanle–Zeeman redistribution matrices with the full treatment of angle-dependent PRD, to indicate when the idealized treatment is inadequate and what kind of polarization effects are specific to angle-dependent PRD. Because the angle-dependent treatment is presently computationally prohibitive when applied to realistic model atmospheres, we present the computed emergent Stokes profiles for a range of magnetic fields, with the assumption of an isothermal one-dimensional medium.

Optimal tilt-angles for solar collectors used in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang Runsheng; Wu Tong

2004-01-01

A reasonable estimation of the optimal tilt angle of a fixed collector for maximizing its energy collection must be done based on the monthly global and diffuse radiation on a horizontal surface. However, the monthly diffuse radiation is not always available in many places. In this paper, a simple mathematical procedure for the estimation of the optimal tilt angle of a collector is presented based on the monthly horizontal radiation. A comparison of the optimal tilt angles of collectors obtained from expected monthly diffuse radiation and that from the actual monthly diffuse radiation showed that this method gives a good estimation of the optimal tilt angle, except for places with a considerably lower clearness index. A contour map of the optimal tilt angle of the south-facing collectors used for the entire year in China is also outlined, based on monthly horizontal radiation of 152 places around the country, combing the optimal tilt angle of another 30 cities based on the actual monthly diffuse radiation

Calcaneal Fractures and Böhler’s Angle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lindsey Spiegelman

2017-01-01

Full Text Available History of present illness: 40-year-old male presents to the emergency department after falling off a ladder. He was repairing a window when he fell, landing on the ground 12 feet below. The patient landed onto his feet bilaterally and then fell backwards onto his buttocks. On arrival, the patient had bilateral foot pain. He denied any back pain, headache, or loss of consciousness. Significant findings: The right ankle lateral radiograph shows a comminuted, non-displaced fracture of the posterior calcaneus (red arrow in addition to fracture fragments along the heel pad margin (blue arrow. The left ankle lateral radiograph shows a displaced, comminuted fracture of the mid to posterior calcaneus with extension into the subtalar joint posteriorly (purple arrow. There is subcutaneous air seen anteriorly to the tibiotalar joint space (green arrow in addition to a joint effusion. Of note, the Böhler’s angle in the left x-ray is 16 degrees which is consistent with a fracture (see red annotation showing Böhler’s angle. Discussion: Calcaneal fractures occur typically in adults who have undergone significant axial load on their feet secondary to a fall from high height.2,3 There are two broad types of calcaneal fractures: intraarticular and extraarticular.2 The intraarticular fractures are colloquially referred to as a “Lover’s Fracture” as they have been known to occur in those jumping out of a tall window to escape the wrath of a lover’s spouse.1 Calcaneal fractures are best diagnosed with a CT scan or with lateral x-ray by measuring Böhler’s angle.2,3 This is the angle formed by the intersection of two lines demonstrated on a normal lateral ankle radiograph. The first line is drawn between the superior aspect of the anterior process of the calcaneus (point A and the superior edge of the posterior articular facet (point B. The second line is drawn between the superior aspect of the posterior calcaneal tuberosity (point C and point B.2

Rotating Shaft Tilt Angle Measurement Using an Inclinometer

OpenAIRE

Luo Jun; Wang Zhiqian; Shen Chengwu; Wen Zhuoman; Liu Shaojin; Cai Sheng; Li Jianrong

2015-01-01

This paper describes a novel measurement method to accurately measure the rotating shaft tilt angle of rotating machine for alignment or compensation using a dual-axis inclinometer. A model of the rotating shaft tilt angle measurement is established using a dual-axis inclinometer based on the designed mechanical structure, and the calculation equation between the rotating shaft tilt angle and the inclinometer axes outputs is derived under the condition that the inclinometer axes are perpendic...

Predictors of Intraocular Pressure After Phacoemulsification in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma Eyes with Wide Versus Narrower Angles (An American Ophthalmological Society Thesis).

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Shan C; Masis, Marisse; Porco, Travis C; Pasquale, Louis R

2017-08-01

To assess if narrower-angle status and anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) parameters can predict intraocular pressure (IOP) drop in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients after cataract surgery. This was a prospective case series of consecutive cataract surgery patients with POAG and no peripheral anterior synechiae (PAS) using a standardized postoperative management protocol. Preoperatively, patients underwent gonioscopy and AS-OCT. The same glaucoma medication regimen was resumed by 1 month. Potential predictors of IOP reduction included narrower-angle status by gonioscopy and angle-opening distance (AOD500) as well as other AS-OCT parameters. Mixed-effects regression adjusted for use of both eyes and other potential confounders. We enrolled 66 eyes of 40 glaucoma patients. The IOP reduction at 1 year was 4.2±3 mm Hg (26%, P gonioscopy. By AOD500 classification, the narrower-angle group had 3.4±3 mm Hg (21%, P <.001) reduction vs 2.5±3 mm Hg (16%, P <.001) in the wide-angle group ( P =.031 for difference). When the entire cohort was assessed, iris thickness, iris area, and lens vault were correlated with increasing IOP reduction at 1 year ( P <.05 for all). In POAG eyes, cataract surgery lowered IOP to a greater degree in the narrower-angle group than in the wide-angle group, and parameters relating to iris thickness and area, as well as lens vault, were correlated with IOP reduction. These findings can guide ophthalmologists in their selection of cataract surgery as a potential management option.

Analyzing the installation angle error of a SAW torque sensor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan, Yanping; Ji, Xiaojun; Cai, Ping

2014-01-01

When a torque is applied to a shaft, normal strain oriented at ±45° direction to the shaft axis is at its maximum, which requires two one-port SAW resonators to be bonded to the shaft at ±45° to the shaft axis. In order to make the SAW torque sensitivity high enough, the installation angle error of two SAW resonators must be confined within ±5° according to our design requirement. However, there are few studies devoted to the installation angle analysis of a SAW torque sensor presently and the angle error was usually obtained by a manual method. Hence, we propose an approximation method to analyze the angle error. First, according to the sensitive mechanism of the SAW device to torque, the SAW torque sensitivity is deduced based on the linear piezoelectric constitutive equation and the perturbation theory. Then, when a torque is applied to the tested shaft, the stress condition of two SAW resonators mounted with an angle deviating from ±45° to the shaft axis, is analyzed. The angle error is obtained by means of the torque sensitivities of two orthogonal SAW resonators. Finally, the torque measurement system is constructed and the loading and unloading experiments are performed twice. The torque sensitivities of two SAW resonators are obtained by applying average and least square method to the experimental results. Based on the derived angle error estimation function, the angle error is estimated about 3.447°, which is close to the actual angle error 2.915°. The difference between the estimated angle and the actual angle is discussed. The validity of the proposed angle error analysis method is testified to by the experimental results. (technical design note)

Morphological and structural characterization of PHBV/organoclay nanocomposites by small angle X-ray scattering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carli, Larissa N., E-mail: lncarli@ucs.br [Instituto de Quimica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Goncalves, 9500, Porto Alegre, 91501-970, RS (Brazil); Centro de Ciencias Exatas e Tecnologia, Universidade de Caxias do Sul, Rua Francisco Getulio Vargas, 1130, Caxias do Sul, 95070-560, RS (Brazil); Bianchi, Otavio, E-mail: obianchi@ucs.br [Centro de Ciencias Exatas e Tecnologia, Universidade de Caxias do Sul, Rua Francisco Getulio Vargas, 1130, Caxias do Sul, 95070-560, RS (Brazil); Machado, Giovanna, E-mail: giovannamachado@uol.com.br [Centro de Tecnologias Estrategicas do Nordeste, Av. Prof. Luiz Freire, 01, Cidade Universitaria, Recife, 50740-540, PE (Brazil); Programa de Pos-Graduacao de Materiais, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Prof. Moraes Rego, 1235, Recife, 50670-901, PE (Brazil); Crespo, Janaina S., E-mail: jscrespo@ucs.br [Centro de Ciencias Exatas e Tecnologia, Universidade de Caxias do Sul, Rua Francisco Getulio Vargas, 1130, Caxias do Sul, 95070-560, RS (Brazil); Mauler, Raquel S., E-mail: raquel.mauler@ufrgs.br [Instituto de Quimica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Bento Goncalves, 9500, Porto Alegre, 91501-970, RS (Brazil)

2013-03-01

In this work, the morphological and structural behaviors of poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) nanocomposites were investigated using small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The nanocomposites with 1, 3 and 5 wt.% of organically modified montmorillonite Cloisite Registered-Sign 30B (OMMT) were prepared by melt processing in a twin screw extruder using two different processing conditions (low and high shear intensity). The lamellar long period of the polymer was lower for the nanocomposites, with high polydispersity values. However, the crystalline thickness increased with the clay content and was independent of the processing conditions. This behavior resulted in a high linear crystallinity of the nanocomposites with 3 and 5 wt.% OMMT. The disruption factor ({beta}) was in agreement with the WAXD and TEM findings, indicating a good dispersion of the nanoparticles in the PHBV matrix with 3 wt.% of OMMT during the high shear intensity of melt processing. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer SAXS was used for morphological and crystalline studies of PHBV/OMMT nanocomposites. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The crystalline structure was influenced by the presence of clay. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The degree of clay dispersion in a polymer matrix was quantified. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The morphology comprised exfoliated particles, nanoscale and microscale clusters. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The results obtained by SAXS agreed well with TEM and WAXD results.

Patient-specific rhytidectomy: finding the angle of maximal rejuvenation.