DNA profiling of spermatozoa by laser capture microdissection and low volume-PCR.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cai-xia Li

Full Text Available Genetic profiling of sperm from complex biological mixtures such as sexual assault casework samples requires isolation of a pure sperm population and the ability to analyze low abundant samples. Current standard procedure for sperm isolation includes preferential lysis of epithelial contaminants followed by collection of intact sperm by centrifugation. While effective for samples where sperm are abundant, this method is less effective when samples contain few spermatozoa. Laser capture microdissection (LCM is a proven method for the isolation of cells biological mixtures, even when found in low abundance. Here, we demonstrate the efficacy of LCM coupled with on-chip low volume PCR (LV-PCR for the isolation and genotyping of low abundance sperm samples. Our results indicate that this method can obtain complete profiles (13-16 loci from as few as 15 sperm cells with 80% reproducibility, whereas at least 40 sperm cells are required to profile 13-16 loci by standard 'in-tube' PCR. Further, LCM and LV-PCR of a sexual assault casework sample generated a DNA genotype that was consistent with that of the suspect. This method was unable, however, to analyze a casework sample from a gang rape case in which two or more sperm contributors were in a mixed population. The results indicate that LCM and LV-PCR is sensitive and effective for genotyping sperm from sperm/epithelial cell mixtures when epithelial lysis may be insufficient due to low abundance of sperm; LCM and LV-PCR, however, failed in a casework sample when spermatozoa from multiple donors was present, indicating that further study is necessitated.

The Use of Laser Microdissection in Forensic Sexual Assault Casework: Pros and Cons Compared to Standard Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Sergio; Correia-de-Sá, Paulo; Porto, Maria J; Cainé, Laura

2017-07-01

Sexual assault samples are among the most frequently analyzed in a forensic laboratory. These account for almost half of all samples processed routinely, and a large portion of these cases remain unsolved. These samples often pose problems to traditional analytic methods of identification because they consist most frequently of cell mixtures from at least two contributors: the victim (usually female) and the perpetrator (usually male). In this study, we propose the use of current preliminary testing for sperm detection in order to determine the chances of success when faced with samples which can be good candidates to undergo analysis with the laser microdissection technology. Also, we used laser microdissection technology to capture fluorescently stained cells of interest differentiated by gender. Collected materials were then used for DNA genotyping with commercially available amplification kits such as Minifiler, Identifiler Plus, NGM, and Y-Filer. Both the methodology and the quality of the results were evaluated to assess the pros and cons of laser microdissection compared with standard methods. Overall, the combination of fluorescent staining combined with the Minifiler amplification kit provided the best results for autosomal markers, whereas the Y-Filer kit returned the expected results regardless of the used method. © 2017 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Myosin content of individual human muscle fibers isolated by laser capture microdissection.

Science.gov (United States)

Stuart, Charles A; Stone, William L; Howell, Mary E A; Brannon, Marianne F; Hall, H Kenton; Gibson, Andrew L; Stone, Michael H

2016-03-01

Muscle fiber composition correlates with insulin resistance, and exercise training can increase slow-twitch (type I) fibers and, thereby, mitigate diabetes risk. Human skeletal muscle is made up of three distinct fiber types, but muscle contains many more isoforms of myosin heavy and light chains, which are coded by 15 and 11 different genes, respectively. Laser capture microdissection techniques allow assessment of mRNA and protein content in individual fibers. We found that specific human fiber types contain different mixtures of myosin heavy and light chains. Fast-twitch (type IIx) fibers consistently contained myosin heavy chains 1, 2, and 4 and myosin light chain 1. Type I fibers always contained myosin heavy chains 6 and 7 (MYH6 and MYH7) and myosin light chain 3 (MYL3), whereas MYH6, MYH7, and MYL3 were nearly absent from type IIx fibers. In contrast to cardiomyocytes, where MYH6 (also known as α-myosin heavy chain) is seen solely in fast-twitch cells, only slow-twitch fibers of skeletal muscle contained MYH6. Classical fast myosin heavy chains (MHC1, MHC2, and MHC4) were present in variable proportions in all fiber types, but significant MYH6 and MYH7 expression indicated slow-twitch phenotype, and the absence of these two isoforms determined a fast-twitch phenotype. The mixed myosin heavy and light chain content of type IIa fibers was consistent with its role as a transition between fast and slow phenotypes. These new observations suggest that the presence or absence of MYH6 and MYH7 proteins dictates the slow- or fast-twitch phenotype in skeletal muscle. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Cell proliferation and apoptosis in the primary enamel knot measured by flow cytometry of laser microdissected samples

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Matalová, Eva; Dubská, L.; Fleischmannová, Jana; Chlastáková, Ivana; Janečková, Eva; Tucker, A. S.

2010-01-01

Roč. 55, č. 8 (2010), s. 570-575 ISSN 0003-9969 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR KJB500450802; GA AV ČR IAA600450904; GA ČR GA203/08/1680 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50450515 Keywords : Laser capture microdissection * Flow cytometry * Primary enamel knot Subject RIV: EA - Cell Biology Impact factor: 1.463, year: 2010

Transcriptome profiling of sheep granulosa cells and oocytes during early follicular development obtained by Laser Capture Microdissection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bonnet Agnes

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Successful achievement of early folliculogenesis is crucial for female reproductive function. The process is finely regulated by cell-cell interactions and by the coordinated expression of genes in both the oocyte and in granulosa cells. Despite many studies, little is known about the cell-specific gene expression driving early folliculogenesis. The very small size of these follicles and the mixture of types of follicles within the developing ovary make the experimental study of isolated follicular components very difficult. The recently developed laser capture microdissection (LCM technique coupled with microarray experiments is a promising way to address the molecular profile of pure cell populations. However, one main challenge was to preserve the RNA quality during the isolation of single cells or groups of cells and also to obtain sufficient amounts of RNA. Using a new LCM method, we describe here the separate expression profiles of oocytes and follicular cells during the first stages of sheep folliculogenesis. Results We developed a new tissue fixation protocol ensuring efficient single cell capture and RNA integrity during the microdissection procedure. Enrichment in specific cell types was controlled by qRT-PCR analysis of known genes: six oocyte-specific genes (SOHLH2, MAEL, MATER, VASA, GDF9, BMP15 and three granulosa cell-specific genes (KL, GATA4, AMH. A global gene expression profile for each follicular compartment during early developmental stages was identified here for the first time, using a bovine Affymetrix chip. Most notably, the granulosa cell dataset is unique to date. The comparison of oocyte vs. follicular cell transcriptomes revealed 1050 transcripts specific to the granulosa cell and 759 specific to the oocyte. Functional analyses allowed the characterization of the three main cellular events involved in early folliculogenesis and confirmed the relevance and potential of LCM-derived RNA. Conclusions

Laser Microdissection.

Science.gov (United States)

Frost, Andra R; Eltoum, Isam-Eldin; Siegal, Gene P; Emmert-Buck, Michael R; Tangrea, Michael A

2015-10-01

Laser microdissection (LM) offers a relatively rapid and precise method of isolating and removing specified cells from complex tissues for subsequent analysis of their RNA, DNA, protein or metabolite content, thereby allowing assessment of the role of different cell types in the normal physiological or disease processes being studied. In this unit, protocols for the preparation of mammalian frozen tissues, fixed tissues, and cytologic specimens for LM, including tissue freezing, tissue processing and paraffin embedding, histologic sectioning, cell processing, hematoxylin and eosin staining, immunohistochemistry, and image-guided cell targeting are presented. Also provided are recipes for generating lysis buffers for the recovery of nucleic acids and proteins. The Commentary section addresses the types of specimens that can be utilized for LM and approaches to staining of specimens for cell visualization. Emphasis is placed on the preparation of tissue or cytologic specimens as this is critical to effective LM. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Optimization of laser capture microdissection and RNA amplification for gene expression profiling of prostate cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vasmatzis George

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background To discover prostate cancer biomarkers, we profiled gene expression in benign and malignant cells laser capture microdissected (LCM from prostate tissues and metastatic prostatic adenocarcinomas. Here we present methods developed, optimized, and validated to obtain high quality gene expression data. Results RNase inhibitor was included in solutions used to stain frozen tissue sections for LCM, which improved RNA quality significantly. Quantitative PCR assays, requiring minimal amounts of LCM RNA, were developed to determine RNA quality and concentration. SuperScript II™ reverse transcriptase was replaced with SuperScript III™, and SpeedVac concentration was eliminated to optimize linear amplification. The GeneChip® IVT labeling kit was used rather than the Enzo BioArray™ HighYield™ RNA transcript labeling kit since side-by-side comparisons indicated high-end signal saturation with the latter. We obtained 72 μg of labeled complementary RNA on average after linear amplification of about 2 ng of total RNA. Conclusion Unsupervised clustering placed 5/5 normal and 2/2 benign prostatic hyperplasia cases in one group, 5/7 Gleason pattern 3 cases in another group, and the remaining 2/7 pattern 3 cases in a third group with 8/8 Gleason pattern 5 cases and 3/3 metastatic prostatic adenocarcinomas. Differential expression of alpha-methylacyl coenzyme A racemase (AMACR and hepsin was confirmed using quantitative PCR.

MicroRNA Expression in Laser Micro-dissected Breast Cancer Tissue Samples - a Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Seclaman, Edward; Narita, Diana; Anghel, Andrei; Cireap, Natalia; Ilina, Razvan; Sirbu, Ioan Ovidiu; Marian, Catalin

2017-10-28

Breast cancer continues to represent a significant public health burden despite outstanding research advances regarding the molecular mechanisms of cancer biology, biomarkers for diagnostics and prognostic and therapeutic management of this disease. The studies of micro RNAs in breast cancer have underlined their potential as biomarkers and therapeutic targets; however most of these studies are still done on largely heterogeneous whole breast tissue samples. In this pilot study we have investigated the expression of four micro RNAs (miR-21, 145, 155, 92) known to be involved in breast cancer, in homogenous cell populations collected by laser capture microdissection from breast tissue section slides. Micro RNA expression was assessed by real time PCR, and associations with clinical and pathological characteristics were also explored. Our results have confirmed previous associations of miR-21 expression with poor prognosis characteristics of breast cancers such as high stage, large and highly proliferative tumors. No statistically significant associations were found with the other micro RNAs investigated, possibly due to the small sample size of our study. Our results also suggest that miR-484 could be a suitable endogenous control for data normalization in breast tissues, these results needing further confirmation by future studies. In summary, our pilot study showed the feasibility of detecting micro RNAs expression in homogenous laser captured microdissected invasive breast cancer samples, and confirmed some of the previously reported associations with poor prognostic characteristics of breast tumors.

Unambiguous detection of multiple TP53 gene mutations in AAN-associated urothelial cancer in Belgium using laser capture microdissection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Selda Aydin

Full Text Available In the Balkan and Taiwan, the relationship between exposure to aristolochic acid and risk of urothelial neoplasms was inferred from the A>T genetic hallmark in TP53 gene from malignant cells. This study aimed to characterize the TP53 mutational spectrum in urothelial cancers consecutive to Aristolochic Acid Nephropathy in Belgium. Serial frozen tumor sections from female patients (n=5 exposed to aristolochic acid during weight-loss regimen were alternatively used either for p53 immunostaining or laser microdissection. Tissue areas with at least 60% p53-positive nuclei were selected for microdissecting sections according to p53-positive matching areas. All areas appeared to be carcinoma in situ. After DNA extraction, mutations in the TP53 hot spot region (exons 5-8 were identified using nested-PCR and sequencing. False-negative controls consisted in microdissecting fresh-frozen tumor tissues both from a patient with a Li-Fraumeni syndrome who carried a p53 constitutional mutation, and from KRas mutated adenocarcinomas. To rule out false-positive results potentially generated by microdissection and nested-PCR, a phenacetin-associated urothelial carcinoma and normal fresh ureteral tissues (n=4 were processed with high laser power. No unexpected results being identified, molecular analysis was pursued on malignant tissues, showing at least one mutation in all (six different mutations in two patients, with 13/16 exonic (nonsense, 2; missense, 11 and 3/16 intronic (one splice site mutations. They were distributed as transitions (n=7 or transversions (n=9, with an equal prevalence of A>T and G>T (3/16 each. While current results are in line with A>T prevalence previously reported in Balkan and Taiwan studies, they also demonstrate that multiple mutations in the TP53 hot spot region and a high frequency of G>T transversion appear as a complementary signature reflecting the toxicity of a cumulative dose of aristolochic acid ingested over a short period

Laser microdissection of sensory organ precursor cells of Drosophila microchaetes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eulalie Buffin

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: In Drosophila, each external sensory organ originates from the division of a unique precursor cell (the sensory organ precursor cell or SOP. Each SOP is specified from a cluster of equivalent cells, called a proneural cluster, all of them competent to become SOP. Although, it is well known how SOP cells are selected from proneural clusters, little is known about the downstream genes that are regulated during SOP fate specification. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In order to better understand the mechanism involved in the specification of these precursor cells, we combined laser microdissection, toisolate SOP cells, with transcriptome analysis, to study their RNA profile. Using this procedure, we found that genes that exhibit a 2-fold or greater expression in SOPs versus epithelial cells were mainly associated with Gene Ontology (GO terms related with cell fate determination and sensory organ specification. Furthermore, we found that several genes such as pebbled/hindsight, scabrous, miranda, senseless, or cut, known to be expressed in SOP cells by independent procedures, are particularly detected in laser microdissected SOP cells rather than in epithelial cells. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These results confirm the feasibility and the specificity of our laser microdissection based procedure. We anticipate that this analysis will give new insight into the selection and specification of neural precursor cells.

Analysis of transcription factor mRNAs in identified oxytocin and vasopressin magnocellular neurons isolated by laser capture microdissection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Madison Humerick

Full Text Available The oxytocin (Oxt and vasopressin (Avp magnocellular neurons (MCNs in the hypothalamus are the only neuronal phenotypes that are present in the supraoptic nucleus (SON, and are characterized by their robust and selective expression of either the Oxt or Avp genes. In this paper, we take advantage of the differential expression of these neuropeptide genes to identify and isolate these two individual phenotypes from the rat SON by laser capture microdissection (LCM, and to analyze the differential expression of several of their transcription factor mRNAs by qRT-PCR. We identify these neuronal phenotypes by stereotaxically injecting recombinant Adeno-Associated Viral (rAAV vectors which contain cell-type specific Oxt or Avp promoters that drive expression of EGFP selectively in either the Oxt or Avp MCNs into the SON. The fluorescent MCNs are then dissected by LCM using a novel Cap Road Map protocol described in this paper, and the purified MCNs are extracted for their RNAs. qRT-PCR of these RNAs show that some transcription factors (RORA and c-jun are differentially expressed in the Oxt and Avp MCNs.

Laser microdissection and mass spectrometry-based proteomics aids the diagnosis and typing of renal amyloidosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sethi, Sanjeev; Vrana, Julie A; Theis, Jason D; Leung, Nelson; Sethi, Anjali; Nasr, Samih H; Fervenza, Fernando C; Cornell, Lynn D; Fidler, Mary E; Dogan, Ahmet

2012-07-01

Accurate diagnosis and typing of renal amyloidosis is critical for prognosis, genetic counseling, and treatment. Laser microdissection and mass spectrometry are emerging techniques for the analysis and diagnosis of many renal diseases. Here we present the results of laser microdissection and mass spectrometry performed on 127 cases of renal amyloidosis during 2008-2010. We found the following proteins in the amyloid deposits: immunoglobulin light and heavy chains, secondary reactive serum amyloid A protein, leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin-2, fibrinogen-α chain, transthyretin, apolipoprotein A-I and A-IV, gelsolin, and β-2 microglobulin. Thus, laser microdissection of affected areas within the kidney followed by mass spectrometry provides a direct test of the composition of the deposit and forms a useful ancillary technique for the accurate diagnosis and typing of renal amyloidosis in a single procedure.

Analysis of gene expression in prostate cancer epithelial and interstitial stromal cells using laser capture microdissection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gregg, Jennifer L; Brown, Kathleen E; Mintz, Eric M; Piontkivska, Helen; Fraizer, Gail C

2010-01-01

The prostate gland represents a multifaceted system in which prostate epithelia and stroma have distinct physiological roles. To understand the interaction between stroma and glandular epithelia, it is essential to delineate the gene expression profiles of these two tissue types in prostate cancer. Most studies have compared tumor and normal samples by performing global expression analysis using a mixture of cell populations. This report presents the first study of prostate tumor tissue that examines patterns of differential expression between specific cell types using laser capture microdissection (LCM). LCM was used to isolate distinct cell-type populations and identify their gene expression differences using oligonucleotide microarrays. Ten differentially expressed genes were then analyzed in paired tumor and non-neoplastic prostate tissues by quantitative real-time PCR. Expression patterns of the transcription factors, WT1 and EGR1, were further compared in established prostate cell lines. WT1 protein expression was also examined in prostate tissue microarrays using immunohistochemistry. The two-step method of laser capture and microarray analysis identified nearly 500 genes whose expression levels were significantly different in prostate epithelial versus stromal tissues. Several genes expressed in epithelial cells (WT1, GATA2, and FGFR-3) were more highly expressed in neoplastic than in non-neoplastic tissues; conversely several genes expressed in stromal cells (CCL5, CXCL13, IGF-1, FGF-2, and IGFBP3) were more highly expressed in non-neoplastic than in neoplastic tissues. Notably, EGR1 was also differentially expressed between epithelial and stromal tissues. Expression of WT1 and EGR1 in cell lines was consistent with these patterns of differential expression. Importantly, WT1 protein expression was demonstrated in tumor tissues and was absent in normal and benign tissues. The prostate represents a complex mix of cell types and there is a need to analyze

A minute focus of extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma arising in Hashimoto thyroiditis diagnosed with PCR after laser capture microdissection: a case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D'Antonio Antonio

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Primary thyroid gland lymphomas are uncommon tumours that occur in the setting of lymphocytic thyroiditis or Hashimoto's disease in almost all cases. In this condition a distinction between an inflammatory lymphoid infiltrate and a low grade lymphoma may be extremely difficult and precise criteria are necessary for a correct diagnosis. Patient and methods We report a case of a minute focus of primary extranodal marginal zone B-cell lymphoma (EMZBCL, incidentally discovered in a 63-year-old man with Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT and diagnosed by means of polymerase chain reaction (PCR after laser capture microdissection. The histological examination of surgical specimen confirmed the diagnosis of HT and showed a minute focus of dense lymphoid infiltrate (less than 4 mm in diameter, composed by centrocyte-like cells forming MALT balls. Immunoistochemistry was not useful. A microscopic focus of EMZBCL was suspected on the basis of morphological features. PCR assays revealed the rearrangement of the heavy chain of immunoglobulins only in the microdissected suspicious area, confirming the diagnosis of EMZBCL. Conclusion Our finding suggests that in cases of autoimmune thyroiditis a careful examination of the thyroid specimen is warranted, in order to disclose areas or small foci of lymphomatous transformation. Furthermore, in difficult cases with doubtful immunohistological findings, ancillary techniques, such as molecular studies, are necessary for a conclusive diagnosis.

Improved resolution by mounting of tissue sections for laser microdissection.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dijk, M.C.R.F. van; Rombout, P.D.M.; Dijkman, H.B.P.M.; Ruiter, D.J.; Bernsen, M.R.

2003-01-01

BACKGROUND: Laser microbeam microdissection has greatly facilitated the procurement of specific cell populations from tissue sections. However, the fact that a coverslip is not used means that the morphology of the tissue sections is often poor. AIMS: To develop a mounting method that greatly

Establishment of a protocol for the gene expression analysis of laser microdissected rat kidney samples with affymetrix genechips

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stemmer, Kerstin; Ellinger-Ziegelbauer, Heidrun; Lotz, Kerstin; Ahr, Hans-J.; Dietrich, Daniel R.

2006-01-01

Laser microdissection in conjunction with microarray technology allows selective isolation and analysis of specific cell populations, e.g., preneoplastic renal lesions. To date, only limited information is available on sample preparation and preservation techniques that result in both optimal histomorphological preservation of sections and high-quality RNA for microarray analysis. Furthermore, amplification of minute amounts of RNA from microdissected renal samples allowing analysis with genechips has only scantily been addressed to date. The objective of this study was therefore to establish a reliable and reproducible protocol for laser microdissection in conjunction with microarray technology using kidney tissue from Eker rats p.o. treated for 7 days and 6 months with 10 and 1 mg Aristolochic acid/kg bw, respectively. Kidney tissues were preserved in RNAlater or snap frozen. Cryosections were cut and stained with either H and E or cresyl violet for subsequent morphological and RNA quality assessment and laser microdissection. RNA quality was comparable in snap frozen and RNAlater-preserved samples, however, the histomorphological preservation of renal sections was much better following cryopreservation. Moreover, the different staining techniques in combination with sample processing time at room temperature can have an influence on RNA quality. Different RNA amplification protocols were shown to have an impact on gene expression profiles as demonstrated with Affymetrix Rat Genome 230 2 .0 arrays. Considering all the parameters analyzed in this study, a protocol for RNA isolation from laser microdissected samples with subsequent Affymetrix chip hybridization was established that was also successfully applied to preneoplastic lesions laser microdissected from Aristolochic acid-treated rats

Spatial and molecular resolution of diffuse malignant mesothelioma heterogeneity by integrating label-free FTIR imaging, laser capture microdissection and proteomics

Science.gov (United States)

Großerueschkamp, Frederik; Bracht, Thilo; Diehl, Hanna C.; Kuepper, Claus; Ahrens, Maike; Kallenbach-Thieltges, Angela; Mosig, Axel; Eisenacher, Martin; Marcus, Katrin; Behrens, Thomas; Brüning, Thomas; Theegarten, Dirk; Sitek, Barbara; Gerwert, Klaus

2017-03-01

Diffuse malignant mesothelioma (DMM) is a heterogeneous malignant neoplasia manifesting with three subtypes: epithelioid, sarcomatoid and biphasic. DMM exhibit a high degree of spatial heterogeneity that complicates a thorough understanding of the underlying different molecular processes in each subtype. We present a novel approach to spatially resolve the heterogeneity of a tumour in a label-free manner by integrating FTIR imaging and laser capture microdissection (LCM). Subsequent proteome analysis of the dissected homogenous samples provides in addition molecular resolution. FTIR imaging resolves tumour subtypes within tissue thin-sections in an automated and label-free manner with accuracy of about 85% for DMM subtypes. Even in highly heterogeneous tissue structures, our label-free approach can identify small regions of interest, which can be dissected as homogeneous samples using LCM. Subsequent proteome analysis provides a location specific molecular characterization. Applied to DMM subtypes, we identify 142 differentially expressed proteins, including five protein biomarkers commonly used in DMM immunohistochemistry panels. Thus, FTIR imaging resolves not only morphological alteration within tissue but it resolves even alterations at the level of single proteins in tumour subtypes. Our fully automated workflow FTIR-guided LCM opens new avenues collecting homogeneous samples for precise and predictive biomarkers from omics studies.

Spatial distributions of Kv4 channels and KChip2 isoforms in the murine heart based on laser capture microdissection.

Science.gov (United States)

Teutsch, Christine; Kondo, Richard P; Dederko, Dorothy A; Chrast, Jacqueline; Chien, Kenneth R; Giles, Wayne R

2007-03-01

Regional differences in repolarizing K(+) current densities and expression levels of their molecular components are important for coordinating the pattern of electrical excitation and repolarization of the heart. The small size of hearts from mice may obscure these interventricular and/or transmural expression differences of K(+) channels. We have examined this possibility in adult mouse ventricle using a technology that provides very high spatial resolution of tissue collection. Conventional manual dissection and laser capture microdissection (LCM) were utilized to dissect tissue from distinct ventricular regions. RNA was isolated from epicardial, mid-myocardial and endocardial layers of both the right and left ventricles. Real-time RT-PCR was used to quantify the transcript expression in these different regions. LCM revealed significant interventricular and transmural gradients for both Kv4.2 and the alpha-subunit of KChIP2. The expression profile of a second K(+) channel transcript, Kir2.1, which is responsible for the inwardly rectifying K(+) current I(k1), showed no interventricular or transmural gradients and therefore served as a negative control. Our findings are in contrast to previous reports of a relatively uniform left ventricular transmural pattern of expression of Kv4.2, Kv4.3 and KChIP2 in adult mouse heart, which appear to be different than that in larger mammals. Specifically, our results demonstrate significant epi- to endocardial differences in the patterns of expression of both Kv4.2 and KChIP2.

Simple preparation of plant epidermal tissue for laser microdissection and downstream quantitative proteome and carbohydrate analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian eFalter

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The outwardly directed cell wall and associated plasma membrane of epidermal cells represent the first layers of plant defense against intruding pathogens. Cell wall modifications and the formation of defense structures at sites of attempted pathogen penetration are decisive for plant defense. A precise isolation of these stress-induced structures would allow a specific analysis of regulatory mechanism and cell wall adaption. However, methods for large-scale epidermal tissue preparation from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, which would allow proteome and cell wall analysis of complete, laser-microdissected epidermal defense structures, have not been provided. We developed the adhesive tape – liquid cover glass technique for simple leaf epidermis preparation from A. thaliana, which is also applicable on grass leaves. This method is compatible with subsequent staining techniques to visualize stress-related cell wall structures, which were precisely isolated from the epidermal tissue layer by laser microdissection coupled to laser pressure catapulting. We successfully demonstrated that these specific epidermal tissue samples could be used for quantitative downstream proteome and cell wall analysis. The development of the adhesive tape – liquid cover glass technique for simple leaf epidermis preparation and the compatibility to laser microdissection and downstream quantitative analysis opens new possibilities in the precise examination of stress- and pathogen-related cell wall structures in epidermal cells. Because the developed tissue processing is also applicable on A. thaliana, well-established, model pathosystems that include the interaction with powdery mildews can be studied to determine principal regulatory mechanisms in plant-microbe interaction with their potential outreach into crop breeding.

Laser capture microdissection and cDNA array analysis of endometrium identify CCL16 and CCL21 as epithelial-derived inflammatory mediators associated with endometriosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jones Rebecca L

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Understanding the pathophysiology of chemokine secretion in endometriosis may offer a novel area of therapeutic intervention. This study aimed to identify chemokines differentially expressed in epithelial glands in eutopic endometrium from normal women and those with endometriosis, and to establish the expression profiles of key chemokines in endometriotic lesions. Methods Laser capture microdissection isolated epithelial glands from endometrial eutopic tissue from women with and without endometriosis in the mid-secretory phase of their menstrual cycles. Gene profiling of the excised glands used a human chemokine and receptor cDNA array. Selected chemokines were further examined using real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. Results 22 chemokine/receptor genes were upregulated and two downregulated in pooled endometrial epithelium of women with endometriosis compared with controls. CCL16 and CCL21 mRNA was confirmed as elevated in some women with endometriosis compared to controls on individual samples. Immunoreactive CCL16 and CCL21 were predominantly confined to glands in eutopic and ectopic endometrium: leukocytes also stained. Immunoreactive CCL16 was overall higher in glands in ectopic vs. eutopic endometrium from the same woman (P Conclusion This study provides novel candidate molecules and suggests a potential local role for CCL16 and CCL21 as mediators contributing to the inflammatory events associated with endometriosis.

Gene Expression Analysis of Immunostained Endothelial Cells Isolated from Formaldehyde-fixated Paraffin Embedded Tumors Using Laser Capture Microdissection – a Technical Report

Science.gov (United States)

Kaneko, Tomoatsu; Okiji, Takashi; Kaneko, Reika; Suda, Hideaki; Nör, Jacques E.

2009-01-01

Laser capture microdissection (LCM) allows microscopic procurement of specific cell types from tissue sections that can then be used for gene expression analysis. In conventional LCM, frozen tissues stained with hematoxylin are normally used to the molecular analysis. Recent studies suggested that it is possible to carry out gene expression analysis of formaldehyde-fixated paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues that were stained with hematoxylin. However, it is still unclear if quantitative gene expression analyses can be performed from LCM cells from FFPE tissues that were subjected to immunostaining to enhance identification of target cells. In this proof-of-principle study, we analyzed by RT-PCR and real time PCR the expression of genes in factor VIII immunostained human endothelial cells that were dissected from FFPE tissues by LCM. We observed that immunostaining should be performed at 4°C to preserve the mRNA from the cells. The expression of Bcl-2 in the endothelial cells was evaluated by RT-PCR and by real time PCR. GAPDH and 18S were used as house keeping genes for RT-PCR and real time PCR, respectively. This report unveils a method for quantitative gene expression analysis in cells that were identified by immunostaining and retrieved by LCM from FFPE tissues. This method is ideally suited for the analysis of relatively rare cell types within a tissue, and should improve on our ability to perform differential diagnosis of pathologies as compared to conventional LCM. PMID:19425073

Laser Capture Microdissection Assisted Identification of Epithelial MicroRNA Expression Signatures for Prognosis of Stage I NSCLC

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-01

SiC  relativ stains (B) are p tandard error 0 ng of RN on of a muc , a finding s measured crease in t dissection l, given tha of total RN ummary o...the yield and quality of microRNAs from LMD microdissectates of FFPE tissues for downstream analysis. Materials and Methods Ethics statement

An optimised protocol for isolation of RNA from small sections of laser-capture microdissected FFPE tissue amenable for next-generation sequencing.

Science.gov (United States)

Amini, Parisa; Ettlin, Julia; Opitz, Lennart; Clementi, Elena; Malbon, Alexandra; Markkanen, Enni

2017-08-23

Formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissue constitutes a vast treasury of samples for biomedical research. Thus far however, extraction of RNA from FFPE tissue has proved challenging due to chemical RNA-protein crosslinking and RNA fragmentation, both of which heavily impact on RNA quantity and quality for downstream analysis. With very small sample sizes, e.g. when performing Laser-capture microdissection (LCM) to isolate specific subpopulations of cells, recovery of sufficient RNA for analysis with reverse-transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) or next-generation sequencing (NGS) becomes very cumbersome and difficult. We excised matched cancer-associated stroma (CAS) and normal stroma from clinical specimen of FFPE canine mammary tumours using LCM, and compared the commonly used protease-based RNA isolation procedure with an adapted novel technique that additionally incorporates a focused ultrasonication step. We successfully adapted a protocol that uses focused ultrasonication to isolate RNA from small amounts of deparaffinised, stained, clinical LCM samples. Using this approach, we found that total RNA yields could be increased by 8- to 12-fold compared to a commonly used protease-based extraction technique. Surprisingly, RNA extracted using this new approach was qualitatively at least equal if not superior compared to the old approach, as Cq values in RT-qPCR were on average 2.3-fold lower using the new method. Finally, we demonstrate that RNA extracted using the new method performs comparably in NGS as well. We present a successful isolation protocol for extraction of RNA from difficult and limiting FFPE tissue samples that enables successful analysis of small sections of clinically relevant specimen. The possibility to study gene expression signatures in specific small sections of archival FFPE tissue, which often entail large amounts of highly relevant clinical follow-up data, unlocks a new dimension of hitherto difficult-to-analyse samples which now

Transmission Geometry Laser Ablation into a Non-Contact Liquid Vortex Capture Probe for Mass Spectrometry Imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ovchinnikova, Olga S [ORNL; Bhandari, Deepak [ORNL; Lorenz, Matthias [ORNL; Van Berkel, Gary J [ORNL

2014-01-01

RATIONALE: Capture of material from a laser ablation plume into a continuous flow stream of solvent provides the means for uninterrupted sampling, transport and ionization of collected material for coupling with mass spectral analysis. Reported here is the use of vertically aligned transmission geometry laser ablation in combination with a new non-contact liquid vortex capture probe coupled with electrospray ionization for spot sampling and chemical imaging with mass spectrometry. Methods: A vertically aligned continuous flow liquid vortex capture probe was positioned directly underneath a sample surface in a transmission geometry laser ablation (355 nm, 10 Hz, 7 ns pulse width) setup to capture into solution the ablated material. The outlet of the vortex probe was coupled to the Turbo V ion source of an AB SCIEX TripleTOF 5600+ mass spectrometer. System operation and performance metrics were tested using inked patterns and thin tissue sections. Glass slides and slides designed especially for laser capture microdissection, viz., DIRECTOR slides and PEN 1.0 (polyethylene naphthalate) membrane slides, were used as sample substrates. Results: The estimated capture efficiency of laser ablated material was 24%, which was enabled by the use of a probe with large liquid surface area (~ 2.8 mm2) and with gravity to help direct ablated material vertically down towards the probe. The swirling vortex action of the liquid surface potentially enhanced capture and dissolution of not only particulates, but also gaseous products of the laser ablation. The use of DIRECTOR slides and PEN 1.0 (polyethylene naphthalate) membrane slides as sample substrates enabled effective ablation of a wide range of sample types (basic blue 7, polypropylene glycol, insulin and cyctochrome c) without photodamage using a UV laser. Imaging resolution of about 6 m was demonstrated for stamped ink on DIRECTOR slides based on the ability to distinguish features present both in the optical and in the

Antibody-validated proteins in inflamed islets of fulminant type 1 diabetes profiled by laser-capture microdissection followed by mass spectrometry.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoriko Nishida

Full Text Available There are no reports of proteomic analyses of inflamed islets in type 1 diabetes.Proteins expressed in the islets of enterovirus-associated fulminant type 1 diabetes (FT1DM with extensive insulitis were identified by laser-capture microdissection mass spectrometry using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded pancreatic tissues.Thirty-eight proteins were identified solely in FT1DM islets, most of which have not been previously linked to type 1 diabetes. Five protein-protein interacting clusters were identified, and the cellular localization of selected proteins was validated immunohistochemically. Migratory activity-related proteins, including plastin-2 (LCP1, moesin (MSN, lamin-B1 (LMNB1, Ras GTPase-activating-like protein (IQGAP1 and others, were identified in CD8+ T cells and CD68+ macrophages infiltrated to inflamed FT1DM islets. Proteins involved in successive signaling in innate/adaptive immunity were identified, including SAM domain and HD domain-containing protein 1 (SAMHD1, Ras GTPase-activating-like protein (IQGAP1, proteasome activator complex subunit 1 (PSME1, HLA class I histocompatibility antigen (HLA-C, and signal transducer and activator of transcription 1-alpha/beta (STAT1. Angiogenic (thymidine phosphorylase (TYMP and anti-angiogenic (tryptophan-tRNA ligase (WARS factors were identified in migrating CD8+ T cells and CD68+ macrophages. Proteins related to virus replication and cell proliferation, including probable ATP-dependent RNA helicase DEAD box helicase 5 (DDX5 and heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein H (HNRNPH1, were identified. The anti-apoptotic protein T-complex protein 1 subunit epsilon (CCT5, the anti-oxidative enzyme 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (PDG, and the anti-viral and anti-apoptotic proteins serpin B6 (SERPINB6 and heat shock 70 kDa protein1-like (HSPA1L, were identified in FT1DM-affected islet cells.The identified FT1DM-characterizing proteins include those involved in aggressive beta cell destruction through

Microdissection of gonadal tissues for gene expression analyses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Anne; Dalgaard, Marlene Danner; Sonne, Si Brask

2011-01-01

Laser microdissection permits isolation of specific cell types from tissue sections or cell cultures. This may be beneficial when investigating the role of specific cells in a complex tissue or organ. In tissues with easily distinguishable morphology, a simple hematoxylin staining is sufficient...... phosphatase enzyme, such as fetal germ cells, testicular carcinoma in situ cells, and putatively also other early stem cell populations. We have applied these protocols for microdissection of rat Leydig cells, fetal human and zebrafish germ cells, and human testicular germ cell tumors, but the staining...

Quantitative RT-PCR analysis of estrogen receptor gene expression in laser microdissected prostate cancer tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Walton, Thomas J; Li, Geng; McCulloch, Thomas A; Seth, Rashmi; Powe, Desmond G; Bishop, Michael C; Rees, Robert C

2009-06-01

Real-time quantitative RT-PCR analysis of laser microdissected tissue is considered the most accurate technique for determining tissue gene expression. The discovery of estrogen receptor beta (ERbeta) has focussed renewed interest on the role of estrogen receptors in prostate cancer, yet few studies have utilized the technique to analyze estrogen receptor gene expression in prostate cancer. Fresh tissue was obtained from 11 radical prostatectomy specimens and from 6 patients with benign prostate hyperplasia. Pure populations of benign and malignant prostate epithelium were laser microdissected, followed by RNA isolation and electrophoresis. Quantitative RT-PCR was performed using primers for androgen receptor (AR), estrogen receptor beta (ERbeta), estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha), progesterone receptor (PGR) and prostate specific antigen (PSA), with normalization to two housekeeping genes. Differences in gene expression were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U-test. Correlation coefficients were analyzed using Spearman's test. Significant positive correlations were seen when AR and AR-dependent PSA, and ERalpha and ERalpha-dependent PGR were compared, indicating a representative population of RNA transcripts. ERbeta gene expression was significantly over-expressed in the cancer group compared with benign controls (P cancer group (P prostate cancer specimens. In concert with recent studies the findings suggest differential production of ERbeta splice variants, which may play important roles in the genesis of prostate cancer. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Identification of multiple mRNA and DNA sequences from small tissue samples isolated by laser-assisted microdissection.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernsen, M R; Dijkman, H B; de Vries, E; Figdor, C G; Ruiter, D J; Adema, G J; van Muijen, G N

1998-10-01

Molecular analysis of small tissue samples has become increasingly important in biomedical studies. Using a laser dissection microscope and modified nucleic acid isolation protocols, we demonstrate that multiple mRNA as well as DNA sequences can be identified from a single-cell sample. In addition, we show that the specificity of procurement of tissue samples is not compromised by smear contamination resulting from scraping of the microtome knife during sectioning of lesions. The procedures described herein thus allow for efficient RT-PCR or PCR analysis of multiple nucleic acid sequences from small tissue samples obtained by laser-assisted microdissection.

Semi-automatic laser beam microdissection of the Y chromosome and analysis of Y chromosome DNA in a dioecious plant, Silene latifolia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsunaga, S.; Kawano, S.; Michimoto, T.; Higashiyama, T.; Nakao, S.; Sakai, A.; Kuroiwa, T.

1999-01-01

Silene latifolia has heteromorphic sex chromosomes, the X and Y chromosomes. The Y chromosome, which is thought to carry the male determining gene, was isolated by UV laser microdissection and amplified by degenerate oligonucleotide-primed PCR. In situ chromosome suppression of the amplified Y chromosome DNA in the presence of female genomic DNA as a competitor showed that the microdissected Y chromosome DNA did not specifically hybridize to the Y chromosome, but-hybridized to all chromosomes. This result suggests that the Y chromosome does not contain Y chromosome-enriched repetitive sequences. A repetitive sequence in the microdissected Y chromosome, RMY1, was isolated while screening repetitive sequences in the amplified Y chromosome. Part of the nucleotide sequence shared a similarity to that of X-43.1, which was isolated from microdissected X chromosomes. Since fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis with RMY1 demonstrated that RMY1 was localized at the ends of the chromosome, RMY1 may be a subtelomeric repetitive sequence. Regarding the sex chromosomes, RMY1 was detected at both ends of the X chromosome and at one end near the pseudoautosomal region of the Y chromosome. The different localization of RMY1 on the sex chromosomes provides a clue to the problem of how the sex chromosomes arose from autosomes

RNA analysis of inner ear cells from formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) archival human temporal bone section using laser microdissection--a technical report.

Science.gov (United States)

Kimura, Yurika; Kubo, Sachiho; Koda, Hiroko; Shigemoto, Kazuhiro; Sawabe, Motoji; Kitamura, Ken

2013-08-01

Molecular analysis using archival human inner ear specimens is challenging because of the anatomical complexity, long-term fixation, and decalcification. However, this method may provide great benefit for elucidation of otological diseases. Here, we extracted mRNA for RT-PCR from tissues dissected from archival FFPE human inner ears by laser microdissection. Three human temporal bones obtained at autopsy were fixed in formalin, decalcified by EDTA, and embedded in paraffin. The samples were isolated into spiral ligaments, outer hair cells, spiral ganglion cells, and stria vascularis by laser microdissection. RNA was extracted and heat-treated in 10 mM citrate buffer to remove the formalin-derived modification. To identify the sites where COCH and SLC26A5 mRNA were expressed, semi-nested RT-PCR was performed. We also examined how long COCH mRNA could be amplified by semi-nested RT-PCR in archival temporal bone. COCH was expressed in the spiral ligament and stria vascularis. However, SLC26A5 was expressed only in outer hair cells. The maximum base length of COCH mRNA amplified by RT-PCR was 98 bp in 1 case and 123 bp in 2 cases. We detected COCH and SLC26A5 mRNA in specific structures and cells of the inner ear from archival human temporal bone. Our innovative method using laser microdissection and semi-nested RT-PCR should advance future RNA study of human inner ear diseases. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Laser capture microdissection-based in vivo genomic profiling of wound keratinocytes identifies similarities and differences to squamous cell carcinoma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Tanja Xenia; Leethanakul, Chidchanop; Patel, Vyomesh

2003-01-01

keratinocytes from incisional mouse skin wounds and adjacent normal skin keratinocytes. Changes in gene expression were determined by comparative cDNA array analyses, and the approach was validated by in situ hybridization. The analyses identified 48 candidate genes not previously associated with wound...... reepithelialization. Furthermore, the analyses revealed that the phenotypic resemblance of wound keratinocytes to squamous cell carcinoma is mimicked at the level of gene expression, but notable differences between the two tissue-remodeling processes were also observed. The combination of laser capture...

Proteomic Analysis of Laser Microdissected Melanoma Cells from Skin Organ Cultures

Science.gov (United States)

Hood, Brian L.; Grahovac, Jelena; Flint, Melanie S.; Sun, Mai; Charro, Nuno; Becker, Dorothea; Wells, Alan; Conrads, Thomas P

2010-01-01

Gaining insights into the molecular events that govern the progression from melanoma in situ to advanced melanoma, and understanding how the local microenvironment at the melanoma site influences this progression, are two clinically pivotal aspects that to date are largely unexplored. In an effort to identify key regulators of the crosstalk between melanoma cells and the melanoma-skin microenvironment, primary and metastatic human melanoma cells were seeded into skin organ cultures (SOCs), and grown for two weeks. Melanoma cells were recovered from SOCs by laser microdissection and whole-cell tryptic digests analyzed by nanoflow liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with an LTQ-Orbitrap. The differential protein abundances were calculated by spectral counting, the results of which provides evidence that cell-matrix and cell-adhesion molecules that are upregulated in the presence of these melanoma cells recapitulate proteomic data obtained from comparative analysis of human biopsies of invasive melanoma and a tissue sample of adjacent, non-involved skin. This concordance demonstrates the value of SOCs for conducting proteomic investigations of the melanoma microenvironment. PMID:20459140

Identification of IL-28B Genotype Modification in Hepatocytes after Living Donor Liver Transplantation by Laser Capture Microdissection and Pyrosequencing Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

King-Wah Chiu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to elucidate the biogenetic modification of donor and recipient interleukin-28B (IL-28B genotypes in liver graft biopsies after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT for chronic hepatitis C virus- (HCV- related, end-stage liver disease. Fifty liver graft biopsies were collected from recipients during LDLT treatment for HCV-related, end-stage liver disease. DNA was extracted from all 50 liver tissues, and the IL-28B single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs rs8099917 and rs12979860 were studied for allelic discrimination by real-time PCR analysis. Blood samples were obtained from donors and recipients on postoperative day 0 (POD0, POD7, and POD30. We randomly selected five liver biopsies and isolated the hepatocytes by laser capture microdissection (LCM to evaluate genotype modifications resulting from LDLT. After LDLT, the IL-28B SNP rs8099917 was identified not only in the liver graft biopsies and donors’ sera (TT = 41 : 43; GT = 9 : 5; GG = 0 : 2, but also in liver graft biopsies and recipients’ sera on POD0 (TT = 41 : 44; GT = 9 : 4; GG = 0 : 2, POD7 (TT = 41 : 30; GT = 9 : 18; GG = 0 : 2, and POD30 (TT = 41 : 29; GT = 9 : 19; GG = 0 : 2. A significant difference was observed between the rs8099917 allele frequencies of liver graft biopsies and recipients’ sera on POD30 (p=0.039. In addition, a significant difference was also noted between the rs12979860 allele frequencies of liver graft biopsies and donors’ sera (CT = 49 : 39; TT = 1 : 10 (p=0.012 and of liver graft biopsies and recipients’ sera on POD0 (CT = 49 : 39; TT = 1 : 11 (p=0.002, POD7 (CT = 49 : 42; TT = 1 : 8 (p=0.016, and POD30 (CT = 49 : 41; TT = 1 : 9 (p=0.008. This phenomenon was confirmed by pyrosequencing of hepatocytes isolated by LCM. Following LDLT, the TT-to-GT IL-28B genotype modification predominated in rs8099917, and the CC-to-CT modification predominated

Senescent vs. non-senescent cells in the human annulus in vivo: Cell harvest with laser capture microdissection and gene expression studies with microarray analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ingram Jane A

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Senescent cells are well-recognized in the aging/degenerating human disc. Senescent cells are viable, cannot divide, remain metabolically active and accumulate within the disc over time. Molecular analysis of senescent cells in tissue offers a special challenge since there are no cell surface markers for senescence which would let one use fluorescence-activated cell sorting as a method for separating out senescent cells. Methods We employed a novel laser capture microdissection (LCM design to selectively harvest senescent and non-senescent annulus cells in paraffin-embedded tissue, and compared their gene expression with microarray analysis. LCM was used to separately harvest senescent and non-senescent cells from 11 human annulus specimens. Results Microarray analysis revealed significant differences in expression levels in senescent cells vs non-senescent cells: 292 genes were upregulated, and 321 downregulated. Genes with established relationships to senescence were found to be significantly upregulated in senescent cells vs. non-senescent cells: p38 (MPAK14, RB-Associated KRAB zinc finger, Discoidin, CUB and LCCL domain, growth arrest and DNA-damage inducible beta, p28ING5, sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 2 and somatostatin receptor 3; cyclin-dependent kinase 8 showed significant downregulation in senescent cells. Nitric oxidase synthase 1, and heat shock 70 kDa protein 6, both of which were significantly down-regulated in senescent cells, also showed significant changes. Additional genes related to cytokines, cell proliferation, and other processes were also identified. Conclusions Our LCM-microarray analyses identified a set of genes associated with senescence which were significantly upregulated in senescent vs non-senescent cells in the human annulus. These genes include p38 MAP kinase, discoidin, inhibitor of growth family member 5, and growth arrest and DNA-damage-inducible beta. Other genes, including genes

UV-laser microdissection and mRNA expression analysis of individual neurons from postmortem Parkinson's disease brains.

Science.gov (United States)

Gründemann, Jan; Schlaudraff, Falk; Liss, Birgit

2011-01-01

Cell specificity of gene expression analysis is essential to avoid tissue sample related artifacts, in particular when the relative number of target cells present in the compared tissues varies dramatically, e.g., when comparing dopamine neurons in midbrain tissues from control subjects with those from Parkinson's disease (PD) cases. Here, we describe a detailed protocol that combines contact-free UV-laser microdissection and quantitative PCR of reverse-transcribed RNA of individual neurons from postmortem human midbrain tissue from PD patients and unaffected controls. Among expression changes in a variety of dopamine neuron marker, maintenance, and cell-metabolism genes, we found that α-synuclein mRNA levels were significantly elevated in individual neuromelanin-positive dopamine midbrain neurons from PD brains when compared to those from matched controls.

Production of high quality brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) RNA from isolated populations of rat spinal cord motor neurons obtained by Laser Capture Microdissection (LCM).

Science.gov (United States)

Mehta, Prachi; Premkumar, Brian; Morris, Renée

2016-08-03

The mammalian central nervous system (CNS) is composed of multiple cellular elements, making it challenging to segregate one particular cell type to study their gene expression profile. For instance, as motor neurons represent only 5-10% of the total cell population of the spinal cord, meaningful transcriptional analysis on these neurons is almost impossible to achieve from homogenized spinal cord tissue. A major challenge faced by scientists is to obtain good quality RNA from small amounts of starting material. In this paper, we used Laser Capture Microdissection (LCM) techniques to identify and isolate spinal cord motor neurons. The present analysis revealed that perfusion with paraformaldehyde (PFA) does not alter RNA quality. RNA integrity numbers (RINs) of tissue samples from rubrospinal tract (RST)-transected, intact spinal cord or from whole spinal cord homogenate were all above 8, which indicates intact, high-quality RNA. Levels of mRNA for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) or for its tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) were not affected by rubrospinal tract (RST) transection, a surgical procedure that deprive motor neurons from one of their main supraspinal input. The isolation of pure populations of neurons with LCM techniques allows for robust transcriptional characterization that cannot be achieved with spinal cord homogenates. Such preparations of pure population of motor neurons will provide valuable tools to advance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying spinal cord injury and neuromuscular diseases. In the near future, LCM techniques might be instrumental to the success of gene therapy for these debilitating conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The occasional role of low-risk human papillomaviruses 6, 11, 42, 44, and 70 in anogenital carcinoma defined by laser capture microdissection/PCR methodology: results from a global study.

Science.gov (United States)

Guimerà, Núria; Lloveras, Belén; Lindeman, Jan; Alemany, Laia; van de Sandt, Miekel; Alejo, Maria; Hernandez-Suarez, Gustavo; Bravo, Ignacio G; Molijn, Anco; Jenkins, David; Cubilla, Antonio; Muñoz, Nubia; de Sanjose, Silvia; Bosch, Francesc Xavier; Quint, Wim

2013-09-01

Low-risk human papillomaviruses (LR-HPVs) have been associated occasionally with clinically and pathologically unusual anogenital malignancies. The relation between clinicopathologic features and any pathogenetic role of LR-HPV remains unclear. From a global study of 13,328 anogenital carcinomas, we identified 57 cases in which whole-tissue polymerase chain reaction using SPF10-LiPA25 showed single LR-HPV infection. In 43/46 (93.5%) available carcinomas, multiple polymerase chain reaction assays confirmed single detection of HPV6, 11, 42, 44, or 70 DNA. In 75% (n=32) of these, LR-HPV DNA was confirmed in tumor cells by laser capture microdissection. In 2 cases, including 1 adenocarcinoma, viral DNA was only found outside the tumor. All anogenital tumors with confirmed HPV6/11 showed a distinctive range of papillary, warty or warty-basaloid, squamous, or transitional histology with patchy or negative p16 expression. HPV6-associated cervical tumors occurred at a low median age. HPV42/70 was associated with typical squamous cell carcinoma showing diffuse p16 staining like high-risk HPV-related malignancies. HPV44 was found in malignant cells in 1 case. Viral taxonomy and theoretical analysis show that HPV6/11 belong to a different genus from HPV42/70 with E6/E7 gene products that would not bind pRb or p53, whereas HPV42/70 could bind pRb. Our data support the causal involvement of LR-HPVs in the carcinogenesis of <2% of anogenital malignancies of 2 distinct clinicopathologic patterns related to the genetic structure of the HPV types 6/11 and 70/42. HPV42/70 was associated with typical squamous carcinomas. Importantly all carcinomas associated with HPV6/11 globally showed verruco-papillary, well-differentiated, squamous, or transitional histology without p16 expression.

Combined fluorescent-chromogenic in situ hybridization for identification and laser microdissection of interphase chromosomes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nerea Paz

Full Text Available Chromosome territories constitute the most conspicuous feature of nuclear architecture, and they exhibit non-random distribution patterns in the interphase nucleus. We observed that in cell nuclei from humans with Down Syndrome two chromosomes 21 frequently localize proximal to one another and distant from the third chromosome. To systematically investigate whether the proximally positioned chromosomes were always the same in all cells, we developed an approach consisting of sequential FISH and CISH combined with laser-microdissection of chromosomes from the interphase nucleus and followed by subsequent chromosome identification by microsatellite allele genotyping. This approach identified proximally positioned chromosomes from cultured cells, and the analysis showed that the identity of the chromosomes proximally positioned varies. However, the data suggest that there may be a tendency of the same chromosomes to be positioned close to each other in the interphase nucleus of trisomic cells. The protocol described here represents a powerful new method for genome analysis.

CpG Methylation Analysis of HPV16 in Laser Capture Microdissected Archival Tissue and Whole Tissue Sections from High Grade Anal Squamous Intraepithelial Lesions: A Potential Disease Biomarker.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monica Molano

Full Text Available Incidence and mortality rates of anal cancer are increasing globally. More than 90% of anal squamous cell carcinomas (ASCC are associated with human papillomavirus (HPV. Studies on HPV-related anogenital lesions have shown that patterns of methylation of viral and cellular DNA targets could potentially be developed as disease biomarkers. Lesion-specific DNA isolated from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE tissues from existing or prospective patient cohorts may constitute a valuable resource for methylation analysis. However, low concentrations of DNA make these samples technically challenging to analyse using existing methods. We therefore set out to develop a sensitive and reproducible nested PCR-pyrosequencing based method to accurately quantify methylation at 10 CpG sites within the E2BS1, E2BS2,3,4 and Sp1 binding sites in the viral upstream regulatory region of HPV16 genome. Methylation analyses using primary and nested PCR-pyrosequencing on 52 FFPE tissue [26 paired whole tissue sections (WTS and laser capture microdissected (LCM tissues] from patients with anal squamous intraepithelial lesions was performed. Using nested PCR, methylation results were obtained for the E2BS1, E2BS2,3,4 and Sp1 binding sites in 86.4% of the WTS and 81.8% of the LCM samples. Methylation patterns were strongly correlated within median values of matched pairs of WTS and LCM sections, but overall methylation was higher in LCM samples at different CpG sites. High grade lesions showed low methylation levels in the E2BS1 and E2BS2 regions, with increased methylation detected in the E2BS,3,4/Sp1 regions, showing the highest methylation at CpG site 37. The method developed is highly sensitive in samples with low amounts of DNA and demonstrated to be suitable for archival samples. Our data shows a possible role of specific methylation in the HPV16 URR for detection of HSIL.

Laser microdissection and capture of pure cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts from infarcted heart regions: perceived hyperoxia induces p21 in peri-infarct myocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuhn, Donald E; Roy, Sashwati; Radtke, Jared; Khanna, Savita; Sen, Chandan K

2007-03-01

Myocardial infarction caused by ischemia-reperfusion in the coronary vasculature is a focal event characterized by an infarct-core, bordering peri-infarct zone and remote noninfarct zone. Recently, we have reported the first technique, based on laser microdissection pressure catapulting (LMPC), enabling the dissection of infarction-induced biological responses in multicellular regions of the heart. Molecular mechanisms in play at the peri-infarct zone are central to myocardial healing. At the infarct site, myocytes are more sensitive to insult than robust fibroblasts. Understanding of cell-specific responses in the said zones is therefore critical. In this work, we describe the first technique to collect the myocardial tissue with a single-cell resolution. The infarcted myocardium was identified by using a truncated hematoxylin-eosin stain. Cell elements from the infarct, peri-infarct, and noninfarct zones were collected in a chaotropic RNA lysis solution with micron-level surgical precision. Isolated RNA was analyzed for quality by employing microfluidics technology and reverse transcribed to generate cDNA. Purity of the collected specimen was established by real-time PCR analyses of cell-specific genes. Previously, we have reported that the oxygen-sensitive induction of p21/Cip1/Waf1/Sdi1 in cardiac fibroblasts in the peri-infarct zone plays a vital role in myocardial remodeling. Using the novel LMPC technique developed herein, we confirmed that finding and report for the first time that the induction of p21 in the peri-infarct zone is not limited to fibroblasts but is also evident in myocytes. This work presents the first account of an analytical technique that applies the LMPC technology to study myocardial remodeling with a cell-type specific resolution.

Novel method to ascertain chromatin accessibility at specific genomic loci from frozen brain homogenates and laser capture microdissected defined cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Delvaux, Elaine; Mastroeni, Diego; Nolz, Jennifer; Coleman, Paul D

2016-06-01

We describe a novel method for assessing the "open" or "closed" state of chromatin at selected locations within the genome. This method combines the use of Benzonase, which can digest DNA in the presence of actin, with qPCR to define digested regions. We demonstrate the application of this method in brain homogenates and laser captured cells. We also demonstrate application to selected sites within more than one gene and multiple sites within one gene. We demonstrate the validity of the method by treating cells with valproate, known to render chromatin more permissive, and by comparison with classical digestion with DNase I in an in vitro preparation. Although we demonstrate the use of this method in brain tissue we also recognize its applicability to other tissue types.

Impaired contingent attentional capture predicts reduced working memory capacity in schizophrenia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jutta S Mayer

Full Text Available Although impairments in working memory (WM are well documented in schizophrenia, the specific factors that cause these deficits are poorly understood. In this study, we hypothesized that a heightened susceptibility to attentional capture at an early stage of visual processing would result in working memory encoding problems. 30 patients with schizophrenia and 28 demographically matched healthy participants were presented with a search array and asked to report the orientation of the target stimulus. In some of the trials, a flanker stimulus preceded the search array that either matched the color of the target (relevant-flanker capture or appeared in a different color (irrelevant-flanker capture. Working memory capacity was determined in each individual using the visual change detection paradigm. Patients needed considerably more time to find the target in the no-flanker condition. After adjusting the individual exposure time, both groups showed equivalent capture costs in the irrelevant-flanker condition. However, in the relevant-flanker condition, capture costs were increased in patients compared to controls when the stimulus onset asynchrony between the flanker and the search array was high. Moreover, the increase in relevant capture costs correlated negatively with working memory capacity. This study demonstrates preserved stimulus-driven attentional capture but impaired contingent attentional capture associated with low working memory capacity in schizophrenia. These findings suggest a selective impairment of top-down attentional control in schizophrenia, which may impair working memory encoding.

Impaired contingent attentional capture predicts reduced working memory capacity in schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Mayer, Jutta S; Fukuda, Keisuke; Vogel, Edward K; Park, Sohee

2012-01-01

Although impairments in working memory (WM) are well documented in schizophrenia, the specific factors that cause these deficits are poorly understood. In this study, we hypothesized that a heightened susceptibility to attentional capture at an early stage of visual processing would result in working memory encoding problems. 30 patients with schizophrenia and 28 demographically matched healthy participants were presented with a search array and asked to report the orientation of the target stimulus. In some of the trials, a flanker stimulus preceded the search array that either matched the color of the target (relevant-flanker capture) or appeared in a different color (irrelevant-flanker capture). Working memory capacity was determined in each individual using the visual change detection paradigm. Patients needed considerably more time to find the target in the no-flanker condition. After adjusting the individual exposure time, both groups showed equivalent capture costs in the irrelevant-flanker condition. However, in the relevant-flanker condition, capture costs were increased in patients compared to controls when the stimulus onset asynchrony between the flanker and the search array was high. Moreover, the increase in relevant capture costs correlated negatively with working memory capacity. This study demonstrates preserved stimulus-driven attentional capture but impaired contingent attentional capture associated with low working memory capacity in schizophrenia. These findings suggest a selective impairment of top-down attentional control in schizophrenia, which may impair working memory encoding.

Novel method to ascertain chromatin accessibility at specific genomic loci from frozen brain homogenates and laser capture microdissected defined cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elaine Delvaux

2016-06-01

Full Text Available We describe a novel method for assessing the “open” or “closed” state of chromatin at selected locations within the genome. This method combines the use of Benzonase, which can digest DNA in the presence of actin, with quantitative polymerase chain reaction to define digested regions. We demonstrate the application of this method in brain homogenates and laser captured cells. We also demonstrate application to selected sites within more than 1 gene and multiple sites within 1 gene. We demonstrate the validity of the method by treating cells with valproate, known to render chromatin more permissive, and by comparison with classical digestion with DNase I in an in vitro preparation. Although we demonstrate the use of this method in brain tissue, we also recognize its applicability to other tissue types.

Transcriptional profiling of cork oak phellogenic cells isolated by laser microdissection.

Science.gov (United States)

Teixeira, Rita Teresa; Fortes, Ana Margarida; Bai, Hua; Pinheiro, Carla; Pereira, Helena

2018-02-01

The phenylpropanoid pathway impacts the cork quality development. In cork of bad quality, the flavonoid route is favored, whereas in good quality, cork lignin and suberin production prevails. Cork oaks develop a thick cork tissue as a protective shield that results of the continuous activity of a secondary meristem, the cork cambium, or phellogen. Most studies applied to developmental processes do not consider the cell types from which the samples were extracted. Here, laser microdissection (LM) coupled with transcript profiling using RNA sequencing (454 pyrosequencing) was applied to phellogen cells of trees producing low- and good quality cork. Functional annotation and functional enrichment analyses showed that stress-related genes are enriched in samples extracted from trees producing good quality cork (GQC). This process is under tight transcriptional (transcription factors, kinases) regulation and also hormonal control involving ABA, ethylene, and auxins. The phellogen cells collected from trees producing bad quality cork (BQC) show a consistent up-regulation of genes belonging to the flavonoid pathway as a response to stress. They also display a different modulation of cell wall genes resulting into a thinner cork layer, i.e., less meristematic activity. Based on the analysis of the phenylpropanoid pathway regulating genes, in GQC, the synthesis of lignin and suberin is promoted, whereas in BQC, the same pathway favors the biosynthesis of free phenolic compounds. This study provided new insights of how cell-specific gene expression can determine tissue and organ morphology and physiology and identified robust candidate genes that can be used in breeding programs aiming at improving cork quality.

Infrared Laser Ablation with Vacuum Capture for Fingermark Sampling

Science.gov (United States)

Donnarumma, Fabrizio; Camp, Eden E.; Cao, Fan; Murray, Kermit K.

2017-09-01

Infrared laser ablation coupled to vacuum capture was employed to collect material from fingermarks deposited on surfaces of different porosity and roughness. Laser ablation at 3 μm was performed in reflection mode with subsequent capture of the ejecta with a filter connected to vacuum. Ablation and capture of standards from fingermarks was demonstrated on glass, plastic, aluminum, and cardboard surfaces. Using matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI), it was possible to detect caffeine after spiking with amounts as low as 1 ng. MALDI detection of condom lubricants and detection of antibacterial peptides from an antiseptic cream was demonstrated. Detection of explosives from fingermarks left on plastic surfaces as well as from direct deposition on the same surface using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was shown. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Modified microdissection electrocautery needle

OpenAIRE

Singh, Virendra; Kumar, Pramod

2014-01-01

Electrocautery is routinely used in surgical procedures. The commercially available microdissection electrocautery needles are costly. To overcome this disadvantage, we have modified monopolar electrocautery tip to function as well as commercially available systems.

Microarray Cluster Analysis of Irradiated Growth Plate Zones Following Laser Microdissection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Damron, Timothy A.; Zhang Mingliang; Pritchard, Meredith R.; Middleton, Frank A.; Horton, Jason A.; Margulies, Bryan M.; Strauss, Judith A.; Farnum, Cornelia E.; Spadaro, Joseph A.

2009-01-01

Purpose: Genes and pathways involved in early growth plate chondrocyte recovery after fractionated irradiation were sought as potential targets for selective radiorecovery modulation. Materials and Methods: Three groups of six 5-week male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent fractionated irradiation to the right tibiae over 5 days, totaling 17.5 Gy, and then were killed at 7, 11, and 16 days after the first radiotherapy fraction. The growth plates were collected from the proximal tibiae bilaterally and subsequently underwent laser microdissection to separate reserve, perichondral, proliferative, and hypertrophic zones. Differential gene expression was analyzed between irradiated right and nonirradiated left tibia using RAE230 2.0 GeneChip microarray, compared between zones and time points and subjected to functional pathway cluster analysis with real-time polymerase chain reaction to confirm selected results. Results: Each zone had a number of pathways showing enrichment after the pattern of hypothesized importance to growth plate recovery, yet few met the strictest criteria. The proliferative and hypertrophic zones showed both the greatest number of genes with a 10-fold right/left change at 7 days after initiation of irradiation and enrichment of the most functional pathways involved in bone, cartilage, matrix, or skeletal development. Six genes confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction to have early upregulation included insulin-like growth factor 2, procollagen type I alpha 2, matrix metallopeptidase 9, parathyroid hormone receptor 1, fibromodulin, and aggrecan 1. Conclusions: Nine overlapping pathways in the proliferative and hypertrophic zones (skeletal development, ossification, bone remodeling, cartilage development, extracellular matrix structural constituent, proteinaceous extracellular matrix, collagen, extracellular matrix, and extracellular matrix part) may play key roles in early growth plate radiorecovery.

Redistribution of ionotropic glutamate receptors detected by laser microdissection of the rat dentate gyrus 48 h following LTP induction in vivo.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeremy T T Kennard

Full Text Available The persistence and input specificity of long-term potentiation (LTP make it attractive as a mechanism of information storage. In its initial phase, both in vivo and in vitro studies have shown that LTP is associated with increased membrane localization of AMPA receptor subunits, but the molecular basis of LTP maintenance over the long-term is still unclear. We have previously shown that expression of AMPA and NMDA receptor subunits is elevated in whole homogenates prepared from dentate gyrus 48 h after LTP induction in vivo. In the present study, we utilized laser microdissection (LMD techniques to determine whether AMPA and NMDA receptor upregulation occurs specifically in the stimulated regions of the dentate gyrus dendritic arbor. Receptor proteins GluN1, GluA1 and GluA2, as well as postsynaptic density protein of 95 kDa and tubulin were detected by Western blot analysis in microdissected samples. Gradients of expression were observed for GluN1 and GluA2, decreasing from the inner to the outer zones of the molecular layer, and were independent of LTP. When induced at medial perforant path synapses, LTP was associated with an apparent specific redistribution of GluA1 and GluN1 to the middle molecular layer that contains these synapses. These data indicate that glutamate receptor proteins are delivered specifically to dendritic regions possessing LTP-expressing synapses, and that these changes are preserved for at least 48 h.

Microdissecção e captura a laser na investigação do gene TP53 em tecidos incluídos em parafina Laser-capture microdissection for TP53 gene analysis in paraffin-embedded tissues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shadia Muhammad Ihlaseh

2007-02-01

Full Text Available INTRODUÇÃO: Microdissecção e captura a laser (MCL é uma técnica de desenvolvimento recente que permite a coleta de células individuais ou pequeno conjunto de células para análise molecular. Atualmente, no Brasil, há raros microscópios para MCL, de modo que a divulgação dos procedimentos inerentes a essa técnica é oportuna para destacar seu amplo potencial para diagnóstico e investigação. OBJETIVO: Este trabalho descreve a padronização dos procedimentos de MCL e de extração de DNA de material fixado em formalina e incluído em parafina. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: Foram estudados o éxon 8 do gene TP53 e o gene da ciclofilina em amostras de tecido normal e de neoplasias de fígado e rim provenientes de modelo de carcinogênese química induzida em rato. A extração do DNA foi comprovada por reação em cadeia da polimerase (nested-PCR. RESULTADOS: Foram padronizados os procedimentos de preparo dos cortes histológicos, de microdissecção e captura a laser e de obtenção de seqüências gênicas pela reação de nested-PCR para tecidos incluídos em parafina. Obtivemos amplificação de 48,3% das amostras para o éxon 8 do gene TP53 e 51,7% para o gene da ciclofilina. Considerando pelo menos um dos dois segmentos gênicos, foram amplificadas 79,3% das amostras. DISCUSSÃO E CONCLUSÃO: A extração de DNA de tecidos fixados em formalina e incluídos em parafina e a técnica de nested-PCR foram adequadamente padronizadas para produtos gênicos de interesse, obtidos de material coletado por MCL. Esses procedimentos podem ser úteis para a obtenção de seqüências de DNA de arquivos para análise molecular.BACKGORUND: Laser-capture micro-dissection (LCM is a recently developed procedure that provides single cells or specific cell groups for molecular analysis. Currently, there are few LCM systems in Brazil, in such a way that it is necessary to disseminate the technical procedures inherent to the methodology, and also to

Quantitative proteomic analysis of microdissected oral epithelium for cancer biomarker discovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Hua; Langerman, Alexander; Zhang, Yan; Khalid, Omar; Hu, Shen; Cao, Cheng-Xi; Lingen, Mark W; Wong, David T W

2015-11-01

Specific biomarkers are urgently needed for the detection and progression of oral cancer. The objective of this study was to discover cancer biomarkers from oral epithelium through utilizing high throughput quantitative proteomics approaches. Morphologically malignant, epithelial dysplasia, and adjacent normal epithelial tissues were laser capture microdissected (LCM) from 19 patients and used for proteomics analysis. Total proteins from each group were extracted, digested and then labelled with corresponding isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ). Labelled peptides from each sample were combined and analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) for protein identification and quantification. In total, 500 proteins were identified and 425 of them were quantified. When compared with adjacent normal oral epithelium, 17 and 15 proteins were consistently up-regulated or down-regulated in malignant and epithelial dysplasia, respectively. Half of these candidate biomarkers were discovered for oral cancer for the first time. Cornulin was initially confirmed in tissue protein extracts and was further validated in tissue microarray. Its presence in the saliva of oral cancer patients was also explored. Myoglobin and S100A8 were pre-validated by tissue microarray. These data demonstrated that the proteomic biomarkers discovered through this strategy are potential targets for oral cancer detection and salivary diagnostics. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Single Cell Immuno-Laser Microdissection Coupled to Label-Free Proteomics to Reveal the Proteotypes of Human Brain Cells After Ischemia.

Science.gov (United States)

García-Berrocoso, Teresa; Llombart, Víctor; Colàs-Campàs, Laura; Hainard, Alexandre; Licker, Virginie; Penalba, Anna; Ramiro, Laura; Simats, Alba; Bustamante, Alejandro; Martínez-Saez, Elena; Canals, Francesc; Sanchez, Jean-Charles; Montaner, Joan

2018-01-01

Cerebral ischemia entails rapid tissue damage in the affected brain area causing devastating neurological dysfunction. How each component of the neurovascular unit contributes or responds to the ischemic insult in the context of the human brain has not been solved yet. Thus, the analysis of the proteome is a straightforward approach to unraveling these cell proteotypes. In this study, post-mortem brain slices from ischemic stroke patients were obtained corresponding to infarcted (IC) and contralateral (CL) areas. By means of laser microdissection, neurons and blood brain barrier structures (BBB) were isolated and analyzed using label-free quantification. MS data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD003519. Ninety proteins were identified only in neurons, 260 proteins only in the BBB and 261 proteins in both cell types. Bioinformatics analyses revealed that repair processes, mainly related to synaptic plasticity, are outlined in microdissected neurons, with nonexclusive important functions found in the BBB. A total of 30 proteins showing p 2 between IC and CL areas were considered meaningful in this study: 13 in neurons, 14 in the BBB and 3 in both cell types. Twelve of these proteins were selected as candidates and analyzed by immunohistofluorescence in independent brains. The MS findings were completely verified for neuronal SAHH2 and SRSF1 whereas the presence in both cell types of GABT and EAA2 was only validated in neurons. In addition, SAHH2 showed its potential as a prognostic biomarker of neurological improvement when analyzed early in the plasma of ischemic stroke patients. Therefore, the quantitative proteomes of neurons and the BBB (or proteotypes) after human brain ischemia presented here contribute to increasing the knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms of ischemic stroke pathology and highlight new proteins that might represent putative biomarkers of brain ischemia or therapeutic targets. © 2018 by The American Society for

Laser capture microdissection of gonads from juvenile zebrafish

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Anne; Nielsen, John; Morthorst, Jane Ebsen

2009-01-01

was adjusted and optimised to isolate juvenile zebrafish gonads. Results: The juvenile zebrafish gonad is not morphologically distinguishable when using dehydrated cryosections on membrane slides and a specific staining method is necessary to identify the gonads. The protocol setup in this study allows......Background: Investigating gonadal gene expression is important in attempting to elucidate the molecular mechanism of sex determination and differentiation in the model species zebrafish. However, the small size of juvenile zebrafish and correspondingly their gonads complicates this type...... of investigation. Furthermore, the lack of a genetic sex marker in juvenile zebrafish prevents pooling gonads from several individuals. The aim of this study was to establish a method to isolate the gonads from individual juvenile zebrafish allowing future investigations of gonadal gene expression during sex...

Application of laser microdissection to identify the mycorrhizal fungi that establish arbuscules inside root cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Berruti, Andrea; Borriello, Roberto; Lumini, Erica; Scariot, Valentina; Bianciotto, Valeria; Balestrini, Raffaella

2013-01-01

Obligate symbiotic fungi that form arbuscular mycorrhizae (AMF; belonging to the Glomeromycota phylum) are some of the most important soil microorganisms. AMFs facilitate mineral nutrient uptake from the soil, in exchange for plant-assimilated carbon, and promote water-stress tolerance and resistance to certain diseases. AMFs colonize the root by producing inter- and intra-cellular hyphae. When the fungus penetrates the inner cortical cells, it produces a complex ramified structure called arbuscule, which is considered the preferential site for nutrient exchange. Direct DNA extraction from the whole root and sequencing of ribosomal gene regions are commonly carried out to investigate intraradical AMF communities. Nevertheless, this protocol cannot discriminate between the AMFs that actively produce arbuscules and those that do not. To solve this issue, the authors have characterized the AMF community of arbusculated cells (AC) through a laser microdissection (LMD) approach, combined with sequencing-based taxa identification. The results were then compared with the AMF community that was found from whole root DNA extraction. The AMF communities originating from the LMD samples and the whole root samples differed remarkably. Five taxa were involved in the production of arbuscules, while two taxa were retrieved inside the root but not in the AC. Unexpectedly, one taxon was found in the AC, but its detection was not possible when extracting from the whole root. Thus, the LMD technique can be considered a powerful tool to obtain more precise knowledge on the symbiotically active intraradical AMF community.

Application of laser microdissection to identify the mycorrhizal fungi that establish arbuscules inside root cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea eBerruti

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Obligate symbiotic fungi that form arbuscular mycorrhizae (AMF; belonging to the Glomeromycota phylum are some of the most important soil microorganisms. AMFs facilitate mineral nutrient uptake from the soil, in exchange for plant-assimilated carbon, and promote water-stress tolerance and resistance to certain diseases. AMFs colonize the root by producing inter- and intracellular hyphae. When the fungus penetrates the inner cortical cells, it produces a complex ramified structure called arbuscule, which is considered the preferential site for nutrient exchange. Direct DNA extraction from the whole root and sequencing of ribosomal gene regions are commonly carried out to investigate intraradical AMF communities. Nevertheless, this protocol cannot discriminate between the AMFs that actively produce arbuscules and those that do not. To solve this issue, the authors have characterized the AMF community of arbusculated cells through a laser microdissection (LMD approach, combined with sequencing-based taxa identification. The results were then compared with the AMF community that was found from whole root DNA extraction. The AMF communities originating from the LMD samples and the whole root samples differed remarkably. Five taxa were involved in the production of arbuscules, while two taxa were retrieved inside the root but not in the arbusculated cells. Unexpectedly, one taxon was found in the arbusculated cells, but its detection was not possible when extracting from the whole root. Thus, the LMD technique can be considered a powerful tool to obtain more precise knowledge on the symbiotically active intraradical AMF community.

Fully Automated Laser Ablation Liquid Capture Sample Analysis using NanoElectrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lorenz, Matthias [ORNL; Ovchinnikova, Olga S [ORNL; Van Berkel, Gary J [ORNL

2014-01-01

RATIONALE: Laser ablation provides for the possibility of sampling a large variety of surfaces with high spatial resolution. This type of sampling when employed in conjunction with liquid capture followed by nanoelectrospray ionization provides the opportunity for sensitive and prolonged interrogation of samples by mass spectrometry as well as the ability to analyze surfaces not amenable to direct liquid extraction. METHODS: A fully automated, reflection geometry, laser ablation liquid capture spot sampling system was achieved by incorporating appropriate laser fiber optics and a focusing lens into a commercially available, liquid extraction surface analysis (LESA ) ready Advion TriVersa NanoMate system. RESULTS: Under optimized conditions about 10% of laser ablated material could be captured in a droplet positioned vertically over the ablation region using the NanoMate robot controlled pipette. The sampling spot size area with this laser ablation liquid capture surface analysis (LA/LCSA) mode of operation (typically about 120 m x 160 m) was approximately 50 times smaller than that achievable by direct liquid extraction using LESA (ca. 1 mm diameter liquid extraction spot). The set-up was successfully applied for the analysis of ink on glass and paper as well as the endogenous components in Alstroemeria Yellow King flower petals. In a second mode of operation with a comparable sampling spot size, termed laser ablation/LESA , the laser system was used to drill through, penetrate, or otherwise expose material beneath a solvent resistant surface. Once drilled, LESA was effective in sampling soluble material exposed at that location on the surface. CONCLUSIONS: Incorporating the capability for different laser ablation liquid capture spot sampling modes of operation into a LESA ready Advion TriVersa NanoMate enhanced the spot sampling spatial resolution of this device and broadened the surface types amenable to analysis to include absorbent and solvent resistant

Selective decline of neurotrophin and neurotrophin receptor genes within CA1 pyramidal neurons and hippocampus proper: Correlation with cognitive performance and neuropathology in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Ginsberg, Stephen D; Malek-Ahmadi, Michael H; Alldred, Melissa J; Che, Shaoli; Elarova, Irina; Chen, Yinghua; Jeanneteau, Freddy; Kranz, Thorsten M; Chao, Moses V; Counts, Scott E; Mufson, Elliott J

2017-09-09

Hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons, a major component of the medial temporal lobe memory circuit, are selectively vulnerable during the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The cellular mechanism(s) underlying degeneration of these neurons and the relationship to cognitive performance remains largely undefined. Here, we profiled neurotrophin and neurotrophin receptor gene expression within microdissected CA1 neurons along with regional hippocampal dissections from subjects who died with a clinical diagnosis of no cognitive impairment (NCI), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or AD using laser capture microdissection (LCM), custom-designed microarray analysis, and qPCR of CA1 subregional dissections. Gene expression levels were correlated with cognitive test scores and AD neuropathology criteria. We found a significant downregulation of several neurotrophin genes (e.g., Gdnf, Ngfb, and Ntf4) in CA1 pyramidal neurons in MCI compared to NCI and AD subjects. In addition, the neurotrophin receptor transcripts TrkB and TrkC were decreased in MCI and AD compared to NCI. Regional hippocampal dissections also revealed select neurotrophic gene dysfunction providing evidence for vulnerability within the hippocampus proper during the progression of dementia. Downregulation of several neurotrophins of the NGF family and cognate neurotrophin receptor (TrkA, TrkB, and TrkC) genes correlated with antemortem cognitive measures including the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE), a composite global cognitive score (GCS), and Episodic, Semantic, and Working Memory, Perceptual Speed, and Visuospatial domains. Significant correlations were found between select neurotrophic expression downregulation and neuritic plaques (NPs) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), but not diffuse plaques (DPs). These data suggest that dysfunction of neurotrophin signaling complexes have profound negative sequelae within vulnerable hippocampal cell types, which play a role in mnemonic and executive dysfunction

Combining laser microdissection and RNA-seq to chart the transcriptional landscape of fungal development

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background During sexual development, filamentous ascomycetes form complex, three-dimensional fruiting bodies for the protection and dispersal of sexual spores. Fruiting bodies contain a number of cell types not found in vegetative mycelium, and these morphological differences are thought to be mediated by changes in gene expression. However, little is known about the spatial distribution of gene expression in fungal development. Here, we used laser microdissection (LM) and RNA-seq to determine gene expression patterns in young fruiting bodies (protoperithecia) and non-reproductive mycelia of the ascomycete Sordaria macrospora. Results Quantitative analysis showed major differences in the gene expression patterns between protoperithecia and total mycelium. Among the genes strongly up-regulated in protoperithecia were the pheromone precursor genes ppg1 and ppg2. The up-regulation was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy of egfp expression under the control of ppg1 regulatory sequences. RNA-seq analysis of protoperithecia from the sterile mutant pro1 showed that many genes that are differentially regulated in these structures are under the genetic control of transcription factor PRO1. Conclusions We have generated transcriptional profiles of young fungal sexual structures using a combination of LM and RNA-seq. This allowed a high spatial resolution and sensitivity, and yielded a detailed picture of gene expression during development. Our data revealed significant differences in gene expression between protoperithecia and non-reproductive mycelia, and showed that the transcription factor PRO1 is involved in the regulation of many genes expressed specifically in sexual structures. The LM/RNA-seq approach will also be relevant to other eukaryotic systems in which multicellular development is investigated. PMID:23016559

Combining laser microdissection and RNA-seq to chart the transcriptional landscape of fungal development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teichert Ines

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background During sexual development, filamentous ascomycetes form complex, three-dimensional fruiting bodies for the protection and dispersal of sexual spores. Fruiting bodies contain a number of cell types not found in vegetative mycelium, and these morphological differences are thought to be mediated by changes in gene expression. However, little is known about the spatial distribution of gene expression in fungal development. Here, we used laser microdissection (LM and RNA-seq to determine gene expression patterns in young fruiting bodies (protoperithecia and non-reproductive mycelia of the ascomycete Sordaria macrospora. Results Quantitative analysis showed major differences in the gene expression patterns between protoperithecia and total mycelium. Among the genes strongly up-regulated in protoperithecia were the pheromone precursor genes ppg1 and ppg2. The up-regulation was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy of egfp expression under the control of ppg1 regulatory sequences. RNA-seq analysis of protoperithecia from the sterile mutant pro1 showed that many genes that are differentially regulated in these structures are under the genetic control of transcription factor PRO1. Conclusions We have generated transcriptional profiles of young fungal sexual structures using a combination of LM and RNA-seq. This allowed a high spatial resolution and sensitivity, and yielded a detailed picture of gene expression during development. Our data revealed significant differences in gene expression between protoperithecia and non-reproductive mycelia, and showed that the transcription factor PRO1 is involved in the regulation of many genes expressed specifically in sexual structures. The LM/RNA-seq approach will also be relevant to other eukaryotic systems in which multicellular development is investigated.

Identification of novel therapeutic targets in microdissected clear cell ovarian cancers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael P Stany

Full Text Available Clear cell ovarian cancer is an epithelial ovarian cancer histotype that is less responsive to chemotherapy and carries poorer prognosis than serous and endometrioid histotypes. Despite this, patients with these tumors are treated in a similar fashion as all other ovarian cancers. Previous genomic analysis has suggested that clear cell cancers represent a unique tumor subtype. Here we generated the first whole genomic expression profiling using epithelial component of clear cell ovarian cancers and normal ovarian surface specimens isolated by laser capture microdissection. All the arrays were analyzed using BRB ArrayTools and PathwayStudio software to identify the signaling pathways. Identified pathways validated using serous, clear cell cancer cell lines and RNAi technology. In vivo validations carried out using an orthotopic mouse model and liposomal encapsulated siRNA. Patient-derived clear cell and serous ovarian tumors were grafted under the renal capsule of NOD-SCID mice to evaluate the therapeutic potential of the identified pathway. We identified major activated pathways in clear cells involving in hypoxic cell growth, angiogenesis, and glucose metabolism not seen in other histotypes. Knockdown of key genes in these pathways sensitized clear cell ovarian cancer cell lines to hypoxia/glucose deprivation. In vivo experiments using patient derived tumors demonstrate that clear cell tumors are exquisitely sensitive to antiangiogenesis therapy (i.e. sunitinib compared with serous tumors. We generated a histotype specific, gene signature associated with clear cell ovarian cancer which identifies important activated pathways critical for their clinicopathologic characteristics. These results provide a rational basis for a radically different treatment for ovarian clear cell patients.

Laser Frequency Noise in Coherent Optical Systems: Spectral Regimes and Impairments.

Science.gov (United States)

Kakkar, Aditya; Rodrigo Navarro, Jaime; Schatz, Richard; Pang, Xiaodan; Ozolins, Oskars; Udalcovs, Aleksejs; Louchet, Hadrien; Popov, Sergei; Jacobsen, Gunnar

2017-04-12

Coherent communication networks are based on the ability to use multiple dimensions of the lightwave together with electrical domain compensation of transmission impairments. Electrical-domain dispersion compensation (EDC) provides many advantages such as network flexibility and enhanced fiber nonlinearity tolerance, but makes the system more susceptible to laser frequency noise (FN), e.g. to the local oscillator FN in systems with post-reception EDC. Although this problem has been extensively studied, statistically, for links assuming lasers with white-FN, many questions remain unanswered. Particularly, the influence of a realistic non-white FN-spectrum due to e.g., the presence of 1/f-flicker and carrier induced noise remains elusive and a statistical analysis becomes insufficient. Here we provide an experimentally validated theory for coherent optical links with lasers having general non-white FN-spectrum and EDC. The fundamental reason of the increased susceptibility is shown to be FN-induced symbol displacement that causes timing jitter and/or inter/intra symbol interference. We establish that different regimes of the laser FN-spectrum cause a different set of impairments. The influence of the impairments due to some regimes can be reduced by optimizing the corresponding mitigation algorithms, while other regimes cause irretrievable impairments. Theoretical boundaries of these regimes and corresponding criteria applicable to system/laser design are provided.

Real-time quantitative PCR of microdissected paraffin-embedded breast carcinoma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gjerdrum, Lise Mette; Sorensen, Boe Sandahl; Kjeldsen, Eigil

2004-01-01

We studied the feasibility of using real-time quantitative PCR to determine HER-2 DNA amplification and mRNA expression in microdissected formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded breast tumors and compared this with standard immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) methods...... tumors as being amplified. Interestingly, all these scored 2+ with the HercepTest, but were negative using FISH. We believe that real-time quantitative PCR analysis of HER-2 DNA amplification following microdissection represents a useful supplementary or perhaps even an alternative technique...

Capturing and modelling high-complex alluvial topography with UAS-borne laser scanning

Science.gov (United States)

Mandlburger, Gottfried; Wieser, Martin; Pfennigbauer, Martin

2015-04-01

Due to fluvial activity alluvial forests are zones of highest complexity and relief energy. Alluvial forests are dominated by new and pristine channels in consequence of current and historic flood events. Apart from topographic features, the vegetation structure is typically very complex featuring, both, dense under story as well as high trees. Furthermore, deadwood and debris carried from upstream during periods of high discharge within the river channel are deposited in these areas. Therefore, precise modelling of the micro relief of alluvial forests using standard tools like Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) is hardly feasible. Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS), in turn, is very time consuming for capturing larger areas as many scan positions are necessary for obtaining complete coverage due to view occlusions in the forest. In the recent past, the technological development of Unmanned Arial Systems (UAS) has reached a level that light-weight survey-grade laser scanners can be operated from these platforms. For capturing alluvial topography this could bridge the gap between ALS and TLS in terms of providing a very detailed description of the topography and the vegetation structure due to the achievable very high point density of >100 points per m2. In our contribution we demonstrate the feasibility to apply UAS-borne laser scanning for capturing and modelling the complex topography of the study area Neubacher Au, an alluvial forest at the pre-alpine River Pielach (Lower Austria). The area was captured with Riegl's VUX-1 compact time-of-flight laser scanner mounted on a RiCopter (X-8 array octocopter). The scanner features an effective scan rate of 500 kHz and was flown in 50-100 m above ground. At this flying height the laser footprint is 25-50 mm allowing mapping of very small surface details. Furthermore, online waveform processing of the backscattered laser energy enables the retrieval of multiple targets for single laser shots resulting in a dense point cloud of

High quality RNA isolation from Aedes aegypti midguts using laser microdissection microscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gobert Geoffrey N

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Laser microdissection microscopy (LMM has potential as a research tool because it allows precise excision of target tissues or cells from a complex biological specimen, and facilitates tissue-specific sample preparation. However, this method has not been used in mosquito vectors to date. To this end, we have developed an LMM method to isolate midgut RNA using Aedes aegypti. Results Total RNA was isolated from Ae. aegypti midguts that were either fresh-frozen or fixed with histological fixatives. Generally, fresh-frozen tissue sections are a common source of quality LMM-derived RNA; however, our aim was to develop an LMM protocol that could inactivate pathogenic viruses by fixation, while simultaneously preserving RNA from arbovirus-infected mosquitoes. Three groups (10 - 15 mosquitoes per group of female Ae. aegypti at 24 or 48-hours post-blood meal were intrathoracically injected with one of seven common fixatives (Bouin's, Carnoy's, Formoy's, Cal-Rite, 4% formalin, 10% neutral buffered formalin, or zinc formalin to evaluate their effect on RNA quality. Total RNA was isolated from the fixed abdomens using a Trizol® method. The results indicated that RNA from Carnoy's and Bouin's fixative samples was comparable to that of fresh frozen midguts (control in duplicate experiments. When Carnoy's and Bouin's were used to fix the midguts for the LMM procedure, however, Carnoy's-fixed RNA clearly showed much less degradation than Bouin's-fixed RNA. In addition, a sample of 5 randomly chosen transcripts were amplified more efficiently using the Carnoy's treated LMM RNA than Bouin's-fixed RNA in quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR assays, suggesting there were more intact target mRNAs in the Carnoy's fixed RNA. The yields of total RNA ranged from 0.3 to 19.0 ng per ~3.0 × 106 μm2 in the LMM procedure. Conclusions Carnoy's fixative was found to be highly compatible with LMM, producing high quality RNA from Ae. aegypti midguts while

UV-laser microdissection system - A novel approach for the preparation of high-resolution stable isotope records (δ13C/δ18O) from tree rings

Science.gov (United States)

Schollaen, Karina; Helle, Gerhard

2013-04-01

Intra-annual stable isotope (δ13C and δ18O) studies of tree rings at various incremental resolutions have been attempting to extract valuable seasonal climatic and environmental information or assessing plant ecophysiological processes. For preparing high-resolution isotope samples normally wood segments or cores are mechanically divided in radial direction or cut in tangential direction. After mechanical dissection, wood samples are ground to a fine powder and either cellulose is extracted or bulk wood samples are analyzed. Here, we present a novel approach for the preparation of high-resolution stable isotope records from tree rings using an UV-laser microdissection system. Firstly, tree-ring cellulose is directly extracted from wholewood cross-sections largely leaving the wood anatomical structure intact and saving time as compared to the classical procedure. Secondly, micro-samples from cellulose cross-sections are dissected with an UV-Laser dissection microscope. Tissues of interest from cellulose cross-sections are identified and marked precisely with a screen-pen and dissected via an UV-laser beam. Dissected cellulose segments were automatically collected in capsules and are prepared for stable isotope (δ13C and δ18O) analysis. The new techniques facilitate inter- and intra-annual isotope analysis on tree-ring and open various possibilities for comparisons with wood anatomy in plant eco-physiological studies. We describe the design and the handling of this novel methodology and discuss advantages and constraints given by the example of intra-annual oxygen isotope analysis on tropical trees.

Laser accelerated protons captured and transported by a pulse power solenoid

OpenAIRE

Burris-Mog, T.; Harres, K.; Zielbauer, B.; Bagnoud, V.; Herrmannsdoerfer, T.; Roth, M.; Cowan, T. E.; Nürnberg, F.; Busold, S.; Bussmann, M.; Deppert, O.; Hoffmeister, G.; Joost, M.; Sobiella, M.; Tauschwitz, A.

2011-01-01

Using a pulse power solenoid, we demonstrate efficient capture of laser accelerated proton beams and the ability to control their large divergence angles and broad energy range. Simulations using measured data for the input parameters give inference into the phase-space and transport efficiencies of the captured proton beams. We conclude with results from a feasibility study of a pulse power compact achromatic gantry concept. Using a scaled target normal sheath acceleration spectrum, we prese...

Laser-Assisted Sampling Techniques in Combination with ICP-MS: A Novel Approach for Particle Analysis at the IAEA Environmental Samples Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dzigal, N.; Chinea-Cano, E.

2015-01-01

Researchers have found many applications for lasers. About two decades ago, scientists started using lasers as sample introduction instruments for mass spectrometry measurements. Similarly, lasers as micro-dissection tools have also been increasingly on demand in the fields of life sciences, materials science, forensics, etc. This presentation deals with the interception of these aforementioned laser-assisted techniques to the field of particle analysis. Historically, the use of a nanosecond laser to ablate material has been used in materials science. Recently, it has been proven that in the analysis of particulate materials the disadvantages associated with the utilization of nanosecond lasers such as overheating and melting of the sample are suppressed when using femtosecond lasers. Further, due to the length of a single laser shot, fs-LA allows a more controlled ablation to occur and therefore the sample plasma is more homogeneous and less mass-fractionation events are detected. The use of laser micro-dissection devices enables the physical segmentation of microsized artefacts previously performed by a laborious manual procedure. By combining the precision of the laser cutting inherent to the LMD technique together with a particle identification methodology, one can increase the efficiency of single particle isolation. Further, besides the increase in throughput of analyses, this combination enhances the signal-to-noise ratio by removing matrix particles effectively. Specifically, this contribution describes the use of an Olympus+MMI laser microdissection device in improving the sample preparation of environmental swipe samples and the installation of an Applied Spectra J200 fs-LA/LIBS (laser ablation/laser inducedbreakdown spectroscopy) system as a sample introduction device to a quadrupole mass spectrometer, the iCap Q from Thermofisher Scientific at the IAEA Environmental Samples Laboratory are explored. Preliminary results of the ongoing efforts for the

Analysis of cannabinoids in laser-microdissected trichomes of medicinal Cannabis sativa using LCMS and cryogenic NMR.

Science.gov (United States)

Happyana, Nizar; Agnolet, Sara; Muntendam, Remco; Van Dam, Annie; Schneider, Bernd; Kayser, Oliver

2013-03-01

Trichomes, especially the capitate-stalked glandular hairs, are well known as the main sites of cannabinoid and essential oil production of Cannabis sativa. In this study the distribution and density of various types of Cannabis sativa L. trichomes, have been investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, glandular trichomes were isolated over the flowering period (8 weeks) by laser microdissection (LMD) and the cannabinoid profile analyzed by LCMS. Cannabinoids were detected in extracts of 25-143 collected cells of capitate-sessile and capitate stalked trichomes and separately in the gland (head) and the stem of the latter. Δ(9)-Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid [THCA (1)], cannabidiolic acid [CBDA (2)], and cannabigerolic acid [CBGA (3)] were identified as most-abundant compounds in all analyzed samples while their decarboxylated derivatives, Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol [THC (4)], cannabidiol [CBD (5)], and cannabigerol [CBG (6)], co-detected in all samples, were present at significantly lower levels. Cannabichromene [CBC (8)] along with cannabinol (CBN (9)) were identified as minor compounds only in the samples of intact capitate-stalked trichomes and their heads harvested from 8-week old plants. Cryogenic nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) was used to confirm the occurrence of major cannabinoids, THCA (1) and CBDA (2), in capitate-stalked and capitate-sessile trichomes. Cryogenic NMR enabled the additional identification of cannabichromenic acid [CBCA (7)] in the dissected trichomes, which was not possible by LCMS as standard was not available. The hereby documented detection of metabolites in the stems of capitate-stalked trichomes indicates a complex biosynthesis and localization over the trichome cells forming the glandular secretion unit. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sublethal effects of catch-and-release fishing: measuring capture stress, fish impairment, and predation risk using a condition index

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Matthew D.; Patino, Reynaldo; Tolan, J.M.; Strauss, R.E.; Diamond, S.

2009-01-01

The sublethal effects of simulated capture of red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) were analysed using physiological responses, condition indexing, and performance variables. Simulated catch-and-release fishing included combinations of depth of capture and thermocline exposure reflective of environmental conditions experienced in the Gulf of Mexico. Frequency of occurrence of barotrauma and lack of reflex response exhibited considerable individual variation. When combined into a single condition or impairment index, individual variation was reduced, and impairment showed significant increases as depth increased and with the addition of thermocline exposure. Performance variables, such as burst swimming speed (BSS) and simulated predator approach distance (AD), were also significantly different by depth. BSSs and predator ADs decreased with increasing depth, were lowest immediately after release, and were affected for up to 15 min, with longer recovery times required as depth increased. The impairment score developed was positively correlated with cortisol concentration and negatively correlated with both BSS and simulated predator AD. The impairment index proved to be an efficient method to estimate the overall impairment of red snapper in the laboratory simulations of capture and shows promise for use in field conditions, to estimate release mortality and vulnerability to predation.

Laser accelerated protons captured and transported by a pulse power solenoid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Burris-Mog

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Using a pulse power solenoid, we demonstrate efficient capture of laser accelerated proton beams and the ability to control their large divergence angles and broad energy range. Simulations using measured data for the input parameters give inference into the phase-space and transport efficiencies of the captured proton beams. We conclude with results from a feasibility study of a pulse power compact achromatic gantry concept. Using a scaled target normal sheath acceleration spectrum, we present simulation results of the available spectrum after transport through the gantry.

Comparative transcriptional survey between laser-microdissected cells from laminar abscission zone and petiolar cortical tissue during ethylene-promoted abscission in citrus leaves

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tadeo Francisco R

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Abscission is the cell separation process by which plants are able to shed organs. It has a great impact on the yield of most crop plants. At the same time, the process itself also constitutes an excellent model to study cell separation processes, since it occurs in concrete areas known as abscission zones (AZs which are composed of a specific cell type. However, molecular approaches are generally hampered by the limited area and cell number constituting the AZ. Therefore, detailed studies at the resolution of cell type are of great relevance in order to accurately describe the process and to identify potential candidate genes for biotechnological applications. Results Efficient protocols for the isolation of specific citrus cell types, namely laminar abscission zone (LAZ and petiolar cortical (Pet cells based on laser capture microdissection (LCM and for RNA microextraction and amplification have been developed. A comparative transcriptome analysis between LAZ and Pet from citrus leaf explants subjected to an in-vitro 24 h ethylene treatment was performed utilising microarray hybridization and analysis. Our analyses of gene functional classes differentially represented in ethylene-treated LAZ revealed an activation program dominated by the expression of genes associated with protein synthesis, protein fate, cell type differentiation, development and transcription. The extensive repertoire of genes associated with cell wall biosynthesis and metabolism strongly suggests that LAZ layers activate both catabolic and anabolic wall modification pathways during the abscission program. In addition, over-representation of particular members of different transcription factor families suggests important roles for these genes in the differentiation of the effective cell separation layer within the many layers contained in the citrus LAZ. Preferential expression of stress-related and defensive genes in Pet reveals that this tissue is

Tissue-based metabolite profiling and qualitative comparison of two species of Achyranthes roots by use of UHPLC-QTOF MS and laser micro-dissection

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Yogini Jaiswal; Zhitao Liang; Alan Ho; Hubiao Chen; Leonard Williams; Zhongzhen Zhao

2018-01-01

Achyranthes bidentata and Achyranthes aspera are saponin and steroid rich medicinal plants, used extensively for therapeutic treatments in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Ayurveda. A. bidentata is reported to be one of the rare and extensively exploited medicinal plant species that face the issue of being endangered. Finding qualitative substitute with identical phyto-constituents contributing to similar composition and pharmacological benefits wil help in reducing the burden of exploitation of the natural habitats of such plants. In the present study, a comparative metabolite analysis of the whole drug and specific tissues isolated by laser micro-dissection (LMD) was carried out for both the selected species, by use of ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF MS). The results of the study indicate that the cortex and the medullary ray tissues are rich in their content of steroidal and saponin con-stituents such as (25S)-inokosterone-20,22-acetonide, ginsenoside Ro, bidentatoside II and achyranthoside B. Metabolite profiling of the whole tissues of both the species indicates presence of identical constituents. Thus, it is inferred that A. bidentata and A. aspera can be used as qualitative substitutes for each other.

A powerful method for transcriptional profiling of specific cell types in eukaryotes: laser-assisted microdissection and RNA sequencing.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marc W Schmid

Full Text Available The acquisition of distinct cell fates is central to the development of multicellular organisms and is largely mediated by gene expression patterns specific to individual cells and tissues. A spatially and temporally resolved analysis of gene expression facilitates the elucidation of transcriptional networks linked to cellular identity and function. We present an approach that allows cell type-specific transcriptional profiling of distinct target cells, which are rare and difficult to access, with unprecedented sensitivity and resolution. We combined laser-assisted microdissection (LAM, linear amplification starting from <1 ng of total RNA, and RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq. As a model we used the central cell of the Arabidopsis thaliana female gametophyte, one of the female gametes harbored in the reproductive organs of the flower. We estimated the number of expressed genes to be more than twice the number reported previously in a study using LAM and ATH1 microarrays, and identified several classes of genes that were systematically underrepresented in the transcriptome measured with the ATH1 microarray. Among them are many genes that are likely to be important for developmental processes and specific cellular functions. In addition, we identified several intergenic regions, which are likely to be transcribed, and describe a considerable fraction of reads mapping to introns and regions flanking annotated loci, which may represent alternative transcript isoforms. Finally, we performed a de novo assembly of the transcriptome and show that the method is suitable for studying individual cell types of organisms lacking reference sequence information, demonstrating that this approach can be applied to most eukaryotic organisms.

Molecular profiling of tumour budding implicates TGFβ-mediated epithelial–mesenchymal transition as a therapeutic target in oral squamous cell carcinoma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, David Hebbelstrup; Dabelsteen, Erik; Specht, Lena

2015-01-01

collected from oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) specimens using laser capture microdissection and examined with RNA sequencing and miRNA-qPCR arrays. Compared with cells from the central parts of the tumours, budding cells exhibited a particular gene expression signature comprising factors involved...

Identification of circulating fetal cell markers by microarray analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brinch, Marie; Hatt, Lotte; Singh, Ripudaman

2012-01-01

identified by XY fluorescence in situ hybridization and confirmed by reverse-color fluorescence in situ hybridization were shot off microscope slides by laser capture microdissection. The expression pattern of a subset of expressed genes was compared between fetal cells and maternal blood cells using stem...

Improved method for extraction and detection of Helicobacter pylori DNA in formalin-fixed paraffin embedded gastric biopsies using laser micro-dissection.

Science.gov (United States)

Loayza, María Fernanda; Villavicencio, Fernando Xavier; Santander, Stephanie Carolina; Baldeón, Manuel; Ponce, Lourdes Karina; Salvador, Iván; Vivar Díaz, Nicolás

2015-01-01

To assess the molecular events exerted by Helicobacter pylori interacting directly with gastric epithelial cells, an improved procedure for microbial DNA isolation from stained hematoxilin-eosin gastric biopsies was developed based on laser micro-dissection (LM) [1]. Few articles have described the use of LM to select and detect H. pylori genome from formalin-fixed paraffin embedded gastric tissue [2]. To improve the yield and quality of DNA isolated from H. pylori contacting intestinal epithelial cells, the following conditions were established after modification of the QIAamp DNA Micro kit. •Use of at least 25 cut sections of 10-20 μm of diameter and 3 μm thick with more than 10 bacteria in each cut.•Lysis with 30 μL of tissue lysis buffer and 20 μL of proteinase K (PK) with the tube in an upside-down position.•The use of thin purification columns with 35 μL of elution buffer. The mean of DNA concentration obtained from 25 LM cut sections was 1.94± 0 .16 ng/μL, and it was efficiently amplified with qPCR in a Bio Rad iCycler instrument. The LM can improve the sample selection and DNA extraction for molecular analysis of H. pylori associated with human gastric epithelium.

Combining laser-assisted microdissection (LAM) and RNA-seq allows to perform a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of epidermal cells of Arabidopsis embryo.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakai, Kaori; Taconnat, Ludivine; Borrega, Nero; Yansouni, Jennifer; Brunaud, Véronique; Paysant-Le Roux, Christine; Delannoy, Etienne; Martin Magniette, Marie-Laure; Lepiniec, Loïc; Faure, Jean Denis; Balzergue, Sandrine; Dubreucq, Bertrand

2018-01-01

Genome-wide characterization of tissue- or cell-specific gene expression is a recurrent bottleneck in biology. We have developed a sensitive approach based on ultra-low RNA sequencing coupled to laser assisted microdissection for analyzing different tissues of the small Arabidopsis embryo. We first characterized the number of genes detected according to the quantity of tissue yield and total RNA extracted. Our results revealed that as low as 0.02 mm 2 of tissue and 50 pg of total RNA can be used without compromising the number of genes detected. The optimised protocol was used to compare the epidermal versus mesophyll cell transcriptomes of cotyledons at the torpedo-shaped stage of embryo development. The approach was validated by the recovery of well-known epidermal genes such AtML1 or AtPDF2 and genes involved in flavonoid and cuticular waxes pathways. Moreover, the interest and sensitivity of this approach were highlighted by the characterization of several transcription factors preferentially expressed in epidermal cells. This technical advance unlocks some current limitations of transcriptomic analyses and allows to investigate further and efficiently new biological questions for which only a very small amounts of cells need to be isolated. For instance, it paves the way to increasing the spatial accuracy of regulatory networks in developing small embryo of Arabidopsis or other plant tissues.

Numerical simulation for the influence of laser-induced plasmas addition on air mass capture of hypersonic inlet

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Wei; Dou, Zhiguo; Li, Qian

2012-03-01

The theory of laser-induced plasmas addition to hypersonic airflow off a vehicle to increase air mass capture and improve the performance of hypersonic inlets at Mach numbers below the design value is explored. For hypersonic vehicles, when flying at mach numbers lower than the design one, we can increase the mass capture ratio of inlet through laser-induced plasmas injection to the hypersonic flow upstream of cowl lip to form a virtual cowl. Based on the theory, the model of interaction between laser-induced plasmas and hypersonic flow was established. The influence on the effect of increasing mass capture ratio was studied at different positions of laser-induced plasmas region for the external compression hypersonic inlet at Mach 5 while the design value is 6, the power of plasmas was in the range of 1-8mJ. The main results are as follows: 1. the best location of the plasma addition region is near the intersection of the nose shock of the vehicle with the continuation of the cowl line, and slightly below that line. In that case, the shock generated by the heating is close to the shock that is a reflection of the vehicle nose shock off the imaginary solid surface-extension of the cowl. 2. Plasma addition does increase mass capture, and the effect becomes stronger as more energy is added, the peak value appeared when the power of plasma was about 4mJ, when the plasma energy continues to get stronger, the mass capture will decline slowly.

Characterizing the heterogeneity of triple-negative breast cancers using microdissected normal ductal epithelium and RNA-sequencing.

Science.gov (United States)

Radovich, Milan; Clare, Susan E; Atale, Rutuja; Pardo, Ivanesa; Hancock, Bradley A; Solzak, Jeffrey P; Kassem, Nawal; Mathieson, Theresa; Storniolo, Anna Maria V; Rufenbarger, Connie; Lillemoe, Heather A; Blosser, Rachel J; Choi, Mi Ran; Sauder, Candice A; Doxey, Diane; Henry, Jill E; Hilligoss, Eric E; Sakarya, Onur; Hyland, Fiona C; Hickenbotham, Matthew; Zhu, Jin; Glasscock, Jarret; Badve, Sunil; Ivan, Mircea; Liu, Yunlong; Sledge, George W; Schneider, Bryan P

2014-01-01

Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are a heterogeneous set of tumors defined by an absence of actionable therapeutic targets (ER, PR, and HER-2). Microdissected normal ductal epithelium from healthy volunteers represents a novel comparator to reveal insights into TNBC heterogeneity and to inform drug development. Using RNA-sequencing data from our institution and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) we compared the transcriptomes of 94 TNBCs, 20 microdissected normal breast tissues from healthy volunteers from the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Tissue Bank, and 10 histologically normal tissues adjacent to tumor. Pathway analysis comparing TNBCs to optimized normal controls of microdissected normal epithelium versus classic controls composed of adjacent normal tissue revealed distinct molecular signatures. Differential gene expression of TNBC compared with normal comparators demonstrated important findings for TNBC-specific clinical trials testing targeted agents; lack of over-expression for negative studies and over-expression in studies with drug activity. Next, by comparing each individual TNBC to the set of microdissected normals, we demonstrate that TNBC heterogeneity is attributable to transcriptional chaos, is associated with non-silent DNA mutational load, and explains transcriptional heterogeneity in addition to known molecular subtypes. Finally, chaos analysis identified 146 core genes dysregulated in >90 % of TNBCs revealing an over-expressed central network. In conclusion, use of microdissected normal ductal epithelium from healthy volunteers enables an optimized approach for studying TNBC and uncovers biological heterogeneity mediated by transcriptional chaos.

Circuit simulation model multi-quantum well laser diodes inducing transport and capture/escape

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhuber-Okrog, K.

1996-04-01

This work describes the development of world's first circuit simulation model for multi-quantum well (MQW) semiconductor lasers comprising caier transport and capture/escape effects. This model can be seen as the application of a new semiconductor device simulator for quasineutral structures including MQW layers with an extension for simple single mode modeling of optical behavior. It is implemented in a circuit simulation program. The model is applied to Fabry-Perot laser diodes and compared to measured data. (author)

Noncontact laser microsurgery of three-dimensional living objects for use in reproductive and regenerative medicine

Science.gov (United States)

Sitnikov, D. S.; Ilina, I. V.; Kosheleva, N. V.; Khramova, Yu V.; Filatov, M. A.; Semenova, M. L.; Zurina, I. M.; Gorkun, A. A.; Saburina, I. N.

2018-01-01

Laser microsurgery has enabled us to make highly precise and delicate processing of living biological specimens. We present the results of using femtosecond (fs) laser pulses in assisted reproductive technologies. Femtosecond laser dissection of outer shells of embryos (so-called laser-assisted hatching) as well as laser-mediated detachment of the desired amount of trophectoderm cells (so-called embryo biopsy) required for preimplantaion genetic diagnosis were successfully performed. The parameters of laser radiation were optimized so as to efficiently perform embryo biopsy and preserve the viability of the treated embryos. Effects of application of fs-laser radiation in the infrared (1028 nm) and visible (514 nm) wavelength ranges were studied. We also applied laser microsurgery to develop a new simple reproducible model for studying repair and regeneration in vitro. Nanosecond laser pulses were applied to perform localized microdissection of cell spheroids. After microdissection, the edges of the wound surface opened, the destruction of the initial spheroid structure was observed in the wound area, with surviving cells changing their shape into a round one. It was shown that the spheroid form partially restored in the first six hours with subsequent complete restoration within seven days due to remodeling of surviving cells.

Laser induced ultrasonic phased array using full matrix capture data acquisition and total focusing method.

Science.gov (United States)

Stratoudaki, Theodosia; Clark, Matt; Wilcox, Paul D

2016-09-19

Laser ultrasonics is a technique where lasers are employed to generate and detect ultrasound. A data collection method (full matrix capture) and a post processing imaging algorithm, the total focusing method, both developed for ultrasonic arrays, are modified and used in order to enhance the capabilities of laser ultrasonics for nondestructive testing by improving defect detectability and increasing spatial resolution. In this way, a laser induced ultrasonic phased array is synthesized. A model is developed and compared with experimental results from aluminum samples with side drilled holes and slots at depths of 5 - 20 mm from the surface.

Real-time quantitative PCR of microdissected paraffin-embedded breast carcinoma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gjerdrum, Lise Mette; Sorensen, Boe Sandahl; Kjeldsen, Eigil

2004-01-01

We studied the feasibility of using real-time quantitative PCR to determine HER-2 DNA amplification and mRNA expression in microdissected formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded breast tumors and compared this with standard immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) methods...

Laser acupuncture improves memory impairment in an animal model of Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Sutalangka, Chatchada; Wattanathorn, Jintanaporn; Muchimapura, Supaporn; Thukham-Mee, Wipawee; Wannanon, Panakaporn; Tong-un, Terdthai

2013-10-01

The burden of Alzheimer's disease is continually rising globally, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. Unfortunately, the efficacy of the therapeutic strategy is still very limited. Because the effect of acupuncture at HT7 can improve learning and memory, the beneficial effect of laser acupuncture, a noninvasive form of acupuncture, at HT7 on memory improvement in patients with Alzheimer's disease has been a focus of research. To elucidate this issue, we used AF64A, a cholinotoxin, to induce memory impairment in male Wistar rats, which weighed 180-220 g. Then, the animals were treated with laser acupuncture either at HT7 or at a sham acupoint once daily for 10 minutes for a period of 14 days. Spatial memory assessments were performed at 1, 7, and 14 days after AF64A administration and at the end of the experiment, and the changes in the malondialdehyde (MDA) level and in the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities in the hippocampus were recorded. The results showed that laser acupuncture significantly suppressed AChE activity in the hippocampus. Although laser acupuncture enhanced SOD and CAT activities, no reduction in MDA level in this area was observed. Therefore, laser acupuncture at HT7 is a potential strategy to attenuate memory impairment in patients with Alzheimer's disease. However, further research, especially on the toxicity of laser acupuncture following repetitive exposure, is essential. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Laser microdissection reveals that transcripts for five plant and one fungal phosphate transporter genes are contemporaneously present in arbusculated cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Balestrini, Raffaella; Gómez-Ariza, Jorge; Lanfranco, Luisa; Bonfante, Paola

2007-09-01

The establishment of a symbiotic interaction between plant roots and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi requires both partners to undergo significant morphological and physiological modifications which eventually lead to reciprocal beneficial effects. Extensive changes in gene expression profiles recently have been described in transcriptomic studies that have analyzed the whole mycorrhizal root. However, because root colonization by AM fungi involves different cell types, a cell-specific gene expression pattern is likely to occur. We have applied the laser microdissection (LMD) technology to investigate expression profiles of both plant and fungal genes in Lycopersicon esculentum roots colonized by Glomus mosseae. A protocol to harvest arbuscule-containing cells from paraffin sections of mycorrhizal roots has been developed using a Leica AS LMD system. RNA of satisfactory quantity and quality has been extracted for molecular analysis. Transcripts for plant phosphate transporters (LePTs), selected as molecular markers for a functional symbiosis, have been detected by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assays and associated to distinct cell types, leading to novel insights into the distribution of LePT mRNAs. In fact, the transcripts of the five phosphate transporters (PTs) have been detected contemporaneously in the same arbusculated cell population, unlike from the neighboring noncolonized cells. In addition, fungal H(+)ATPase (GmHA5) and phosphate transporter (GmosPT) mRNAs were found exclusively in arbusculated cells. The discovery that five plant and one fungal PT genes are consistently expressed inside the arbusculated cells provides a new scenario for plant-fungus nutrient exchanges.

Extended Field Laser Confocal Microscopy (EFLCM): Combining automated Gigapixel image capture with in silico virtual microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flaberg, Emilie; Sabelström, Per; Strandh, Christer; Szekely, Laszlo

2008-01-01

Confocal laser scanning microscopy has revolutionized cell biology. However, the technique has major limitations in speed and sensitivity due to the fact that a single laser beam scans the sample, allowing only a few microseconds signal collection for each pixel. This limitation has been overcome by the introduction of parallel beam illumination techniques in combination with cold CCD camera based image capture. Using the combination of microlens enhanced Nipkow spinning disc confocal illumination together with fully automated image capture and large scale in silico image processing we have developed a system allowing the acquisition, presentation and analysis of maximum resolution confocal panorama images of several Gigapixel size. We call the method Extended Field Laser Confocal Microscopy (EFLCM). We show using the EFLCM technique that it is possible to create a continuous confocal multi-colour mosaic from thousands of individually captured images. EFLCM can digitize and analyze histological slides, sections of entire rodent organ and full size embryos. It can also record hundreds of thousands cultured cells at multiple wavelength in single event or time-lapse fashion on fixed slides, in live cell imaging chambers or microtiter plates. The observer independent image capture of EFLCM allows quantitative measurements of fluorescence intensities and morphological parameters on a large number of cells. EFLCM therefore bridges the gap between the mainly illustrative fluorescence microscopy and purely quantitative flow cytometry. EFLCM can also be used as high content analysis (HCA) instrument for automated screening processes

Subcellular analysis by laser ablation electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Science.gov (United States)

Vertes, Akos; Stolee, Jessica A; Shrestha, Bindesh

2014-12-02

In various embodiments, a method of laser ablation electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LAESI-MS) may generally comprise micro-dissecting a cell comprising at least one of a cell wall and a cell membrane to expose at least one subcellular component therein, ablating the at least one subcellular component by an infrared laser pulse to form an ablation plume, intercepting the ablation plume by an electrospray plume to form ions, and detecting the ions by mass spectrometry.

Liver Gene Expression Profiles of Rats Treated with Clofibric Acid

Science.gov (United States)

Michel, Cécile; Desdouets, Chantal; Sacre-Salem, Béatrice; Gautier, Jean-Charles; Roberts, Ruth; Boitier, Eric

2003-01-01

Clofibric acid (CLO) is a peroxisome proliferator (PP) that acts through the peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α, leading to hepatocarcinogenesis in rodents. CLO-induced hepatocarcinogenesis is a multi-step process, first transforming normal liver cells into foci. The combination of laser capture microdissection (LCM) and genomics has the potential to provide expression profiles from such small cell clusters, giving an opportunity to understand the process of cancer development in response to PPs. To our knowledge, this is the first evaluation of the impact of the successive steps of LCM procedure on gene expression profiling by comparing profiles from LCM samples to those obtained with non-microdissected liver samples collected after a 1 month CLO treatment in the rat. We showed that hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and laser microdissection itself do not impact on RNA quality. However, the overall process of the LCM procedure affects the RNA quality, resulting in a bias in the gene profiles. Nonetheless, this bias did not prevent accurate determination of a CLO-specific molecular signature. Thus, gene-profiling analysis of microdissected foci, identified by H&E staining may provide insight into the mechanisms underlying non-genotoxic hepatocarcinogenesis in the rat by allowing identification of specific genes that are regulated by CLO in early pre-neoplastic foci. PMID:14633594

Preparation of single rice chromosome for construction of a DNA library using a laser microbeam trap.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xiaohui; Wang, Haowei; Li, Yinmei; Tang, Yesheng; Liu, Yilei; Hu, Xin; Jia, Peixin; Ying, Kai; Feng, Qi; Guan, Jianping; Jin, Chaoqing; Zhang, Lei; Lou, Liren; Zhou, Zhuan; Han, Bin

2004-04-29

We report the development of a laser micromanipulation system and its application in the isolation of individual rice chromosomes directly from a metaphase cell. Microdissection and flow sorting are two major methods for the isolation of single chromosome. These methods are dependent on the techniques of chromosome spread and chromosome suspension, respectively. In the development of this system, we avoided using chromosome spread and cell suspension was used instead. The cell wall of metaphase rice cell was cut by optical scissors. The released single chromosome was captured by an optical trap and transported to an area without cell debris. The isolated single chromosome was then collected and specific library was constructed by linker adaptor PCR. The average insert size of the library was about 300 bp. Two hundred inserts of chromosome 4 library were sequenced, and 96.5% were aligned to the corresponding sequences of rice chromosome 4. These results suggest the possible application of this method for the preparation of other subcellular structures and for the cloning of single macromolecule through a laser microbeam trap.

Proteomic alterations in early stage cervical cancer

OpenAIRE

Güzel, Coşkun; Govorukhina, Natalia; Wisman, G.B.A.; Stingl, Christoph; Dekker, Lennard; Hollema, Harry; Guryev, Victor; Horvatovich, Peter; van der Zee, Ate; Bischoff, Rainer; Luider, Theo

2018-01-01

Laser capture microdissection (LCM) allows the capture of cell types or well-defined structures in tissue. We compared in a semi-quantitative way the proteomes from an equivalent of 8,000 tumor cells from patients with squamous cell cervical cancer (SCC, n = 22) with healthy epithelial and stromal cells obtained from normal cervical tissue (n = 13). Proteins were enzymatically digested into peptides which were measured by high-resolution mass spectrometry and analyzed by “all-or-nothing” anal...

Proteomics pipeline for biomarker discovery of laser capture microdissected breast cancer tissue

NARCIS (Netherlands)

N.Q. Liu (Ning Qing); R.B.H. Braakman (René); C. Stingl (Christoph); T.M. Luider (Theo); J.W.M. Martens (John); J.A. Foekens (John); A. Umar (Arzu)

2012-01-01

textabstractMass spectrometry (MS)-based label-free proteomics offers an unbiased approach to screen biomarkers related to disease progression and therapy-resistance of breast cancer on the global scale. However, multi-step sample preparation can introduce large variation in generated data, while

Laser capture microdissection of bacterial cells targeted by fluorescence in situ hybridization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schou, Kirstine Klitgaard; Mølbak, Lars; Jensen, Tim Kåre

2005-01-01

RNA gene PCR was performed from the dissected microcolonies, and the subsequent DNA sequence analysis identified the dissected bacterial cells as belonging to the Brachyspira aalborgi cluster 1. The advantage of this technique is the ability to combine the histological recognition of the specific bacteria......Direct cultivation-independent sequence retrieval of unidentified bacteria from histological tissue sections has been limited by the difficulty of selectively isolating specific bacteria from a complex environment. Here, a new DNA isolation approach is presented for prokaryotic cells...

Can the rapid identification of mature spermatozoa during microdissection testicular sperm extraction guide operative planning?

Science.gov (United States)

Alrabeeah, K; Doucet, R; Boulet, E; Phillips, S; Al-Hathal, N; Bissonnette, F; Kadoch, I J; Zini, A

2015-05-01

The minimum sperm count and quality that must be identified during microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE) to deem the procedure successful remains to be established. We conducted a retrospective study of 81 consecutive men with non-obstructive azoospermia who underwent a primary (first) micro-TESE between March 2007 and October 2013. Final assessment of sperm recovery [reported on the day of (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) ICSI] was recorded as (i) successful (available spermatozoa for ICSI) or (ii) unsuccessful (no spermatozoa for ICSI). The decision to perform a unilateral (with limited or complete microdissection) or bilateral micro-TESE was guided by the intra-operative identification of sperm recovery (≥5 motile or non-motile sperm) from the first testicle. Overall, sperm recovery was successful in 56% (45/81) of the men. A unilateral micro-TESE was performed in 47% (38/81) of the men (based on intra-operative identification of sperm) and in 100% (38/38) of these men, spermatozoa was found on final assessment. In 42% (16/38) of the unilateral cases, a limited microdissection was performed (owing to the rapid intra-operative identification of sperm). The remaining 43 men underwent a bilateral micro-TESE and 16% (7/43) of these men had sperm identified on final assessment. The cumulative ICSI pregnancy rates (per cycle started and per embryo transfer) were 47% (21/45) and 60% (21/35), respectively, with a mean (±SD) of 1.9 ± 1.0 embryos transferred. The data demonstrate that intra-operative assessment of sperm recovery can correctly identify those men that require a unilateral micro-TESE. Moreover, the rapid identification of sperm recovery can allow some men to undergo a limited unilateral micro-TESE and avoid the need for complete testicular microdissection. © 2015 American Society of Andrology and European Academy of Andrology.

Combined gene expression analysis of whole-tissue and microdissected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma identifies genes specifically overexpressed in tumor epithelia.

Science.gov (United States)

Badea, Liviu; Herlea, Vlad; Dima, Simona Olimpia; Dumitrascu, Traian; Popescu, Irinel

2008-01-01

The precise details of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) pathogenesis are still insufficiently known, requiring the use of high-throughput methods. However, PDAC is especially difficult to study using microarrays due to its strong desmoplastic reaction, which involves a hyperproliferating stroma that effectively "masks" the contribution of the minoritary neoplastic epithelial cells. Thus it is not clear which of the genes that have been found differentially expressed between normal and whole tumor tissues are due to the tumor epithelia and which simply reflect the differences in cellular composition. To address this problem, laser microdissection studies have been performed, but these have to deal with much smaller tissue sample quantities and therefore have significantly higher experimental noise. In this paper we combine our own large sample whole-tissue study with a previously published smaller sample microdissection study by Grützmann et al. to identify the genes that are specifically overexpressed in PDAC tumor epithelia. The overlap of this list of genes with other microarray studies of pancreatic cancer as well as with the published literature is impressive. Moreover, we find a number of genes whose over-expression appears to be inversely correlated with patient survival: keratin 7, laminin gamma 2, stratifin, platelet phosphofructokinase, annexin A2, MAP4K4 and OACT2 (MBOAT2), which are all specifically upregulated in the neoplastic epithelia, rather than the tumor stroma. We improve on other microarray studies of PDAC by putting together the higher statistical power due to a larger number of samples with information about cell-type specific expression and patient survival.

Potential of a novel airborne hydrographic laser scanner for capturing shallow water bodies

Science.gov (United States)

Mandlburger, G.; Pfennigbauer, M.; Steinbacher, F.; Pfeifer, N.

2012-04-01

In this paper, we present the general design of a hydrographic laser scanner (prototype instrument) manufactured by the company Riegl Laser Measurement Systems in cooperation with the University of Innsbruck, Unit of Hydraulic Engineering. The instrument utilizes very short laser pulses (1 ns) in the green wavelength domain (λ=532 nm) capable of penetrating the water column. The backscattered signal is digitized in a waveform recorder at high frequency enabling sophisticated waveform processing, both, online during the flight and in post processing. In combination with a traditional topographic airborne laser scanner (λ=1500 nm) mounted on the same platform a complete hydrographic and topographic survey of the riparian foreland, the water surface and river bed can be carried out in a single campaign. In contrast to existing bathymetric LiDAR systems, the presented system uses only medium pulse energy but a high pulse repetition rate of up to 250 kHz and, thus, focuses on a detailed description of shallow water bodies under clear water conditions. Different potential fields of applications of the instrument (hydraulic modelling, hydro-morphology, hydro-biology, ecology, river restoration and monitoring) are discussed and the results of first real-world test flights in Austria and Germany are presented. It is shown that: (i) the high pulse repetition rate enables a point density on the ground of the water body of 10-20 pts/m2, (ii) the short laser pulses together with waveform processing enable a discrimination between water and ground reflections at a water depth of less than 25 cm, (iii) the combination of a topographic and hydrographic laser scanner enable the acquisition of the geometry data for hydraulic modeling in a single survey, thus, providing a much more homogeneous data basis compared to traditional techniques, and (iv) the high point density and the ranging accuracy of less than 10 cm enable a detailed and precise description of the river bed

Marker chromosome 21 identified by microdissection and FISH

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Y.; Palmer, C.G. [Indiana Univ. School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN (United States); Rubinstein, J. [Univ. Affiliated Cincinnati Center for Developmental Disorders, OH (United States)] [and others

1995-03-27

A child without Down`s syndrome but with developmental delay, short stature, and autistic behavior was found to be mosaic 46,XX/47,XX,+mar(21) de novo. The marker was a small ring or dot-like chromosome. Microdissection of the marker was performed. The dissected fragments were biotinylated with sequence-independent PCR as a probe pool for fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). FISH results suggested an acrocentric origin of the marker. Subsequent FISH with {alpha}-satellite DNA probes for acrocentric chromosomes and chromosome-specific 21 and 22 painting probes confirmed its origin from chromosome 21. 14 refs., 3 figs.

Launch and capture of a single particle in a pulse-laser-assisted dual-beam fiber-optic trap

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Zhenhai; She, Xuan; Li, Nan; Hu, Huizhu

2018-06-01

The rapid loading and manipulation of microspheres in optical trap is important for its applications in optomechanics and precision force sensing. We investigate the microsphere behavior under coaction of a dual-beam fiber-optic trap and a pulse laser beam, which reveals a launched microsphere can be effectively captured in a spatial region. A suitable order of pulse duration for launch is derived according to the calculated detachment energy threshold of pulse laser. Furthermore, we illustrate the effect of structural parameters on the launching process, including the spot size of pulse laser, the vertical displacement of beam waist and the initial position of microsphere. Our result will be instructive in the optimal design of the pulse-laser-assisted optical tweezers for controllable loading mechanism of optical trap.

75 FR 5796 - Danaher Corporation and MDS, Inc.; Analysis of Agreement Containing Consent Orders to Aid Public...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-04

... protein profiling. These devices are fully integrated machines that incorporate a laser, a computer, and a... price of laser microdissection devices were to increase by five or ten percent, customers would not... laser microdissection devices is no larger than North America. Customers are unwilling to consider laser...

Microdissection and chromosome painting of the alien chromosome in an addition line of wheat--Thinopyrum intermedium.

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Chuanliang; Bai, Lili; Fu, Shulan; Yin, Weibo; Zhang, Yingxin; Chen, Yuhong; Wang, Richard R-C; Zhang, Xiangqi; Han, Fangpu; Hu, Zanmin

2013-01-01

In this study, chromosome painting was developed and used to identify alien chromosomes in TAi-27, a wheat--Thinopyrum intermedium addition line, and the chromosomes of the three different genomes of Th. Intermedium. The smallest alien chromosome of TAi-27 was microdissected and its DNA amplified by DOP-PCR was used as a probe to hybridize with metaphase chromosomes of TAi-27 and Th. intermedium. Results showed that hybridization signals were observed in all regions of a pair of the smallest alien chromosomes and the pericentromeric area of another pair of alien chromosomes in TAi-27, indicating that the probe from microdissected chromosome is species specific. In Th. intermedium, 14 chromosomes had wide and strong hybridization signals distributed mainly on the pericentromere area and 9 chromosomes with narrow and weak signals on the pericentromere area. The remaining chromosomes displayed a very weak or no signal. Sequential FISH/GISH on Th. intermedium chromosomes using the DNAs of microdissected chromosome, Pseudoroegneria spicata (St genome) and pDbH12 (a J(s) genome specific probe) as the probes indicated that the microdissected chromosome belonged to the St genome, three genomes (J(s) , J and St) in Th. intermedium could be distinguished, in which there is no hybridization signal on J genome that is similar to the genome of Th. bessarabicum. Our results showed that the smallest alien chromosomes may represent a truncated chromosome and the repetitive sequence distribution might be similar in different chromosomes within the St genome. However, the repetitive sequence distributions are different within the J(s) genome, within a single chromosome, and among different genomes in Th. intermedium. Our results suggested that chromosome painting could be feasible in some plants and useful in detecting chromosome variation and repetitive sequence distribution in different genomes of polyploidy plants, which is helpful for understanding the evolution of different

Microdissection and Chromosome Painting of the Alien Chromosome in an Addition Line of Wheat - Thinopyrum intermedium

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Weibo; Zhang, Yingxin; Chen, Yuhong; Wang, Richard R.-C.; Zhang, Xiangqi; Han, Fangpu; Hu, Zanmin

2013-01-01

In this study, chromosome painting was developed and used to identify alien chromosomes in TAi-27, a wheat - Thinopyrum intermedium addition line, and the chromosomes of the three different genomes of Th. Intermedium. The smallest alien chromosome of TAi-27 was microdissected and its DNA amplified by DOP-PCR was used as a probe to hybridize with metaphase chromosomes of TAi-27 and Th . intermedium . Results showed that hybridization signals were observed in all regions of a pair of the smallest alien chromosomes and the pericentromeric area of another pair of alien chromosomes in TAi-27, indicating that the probe from microdissected chromosome is species specific. In Th . intermedium , 14 chromosomes had wide and strong hybridization signals distributed mainly on the pericentromere area and 9 chromosomes with narrow and weak signals on the pericentromere area. The remaining chromosomes displayed a very weak or no signal. Sequential FISH/GISH on Th . intermedium chromosomes using the DNAs of microdissected chromosome, Pseudoroegneria spicata (St genome) and pDbH12 (a Js genome specific probe) as the probes indicated that the microdissected chromosome belonged to the St genome, three genomes (Js, J and St) in Th . intermedium could be distinguished, in which there is no hybridization signal on J genome that is similar to the genome of Th . bessarabicum . Our results showed that the smallest alien chromosomes may represent a truncated chromosome and the repetitive sequence distribution might be similar in different chromosomes within the St genome. However, the repetitive sequence distributions are different within the Js genome, within a single chromosome, and among different genomes in Th . intermedium . Our results suggested that chromosome painting could be feasible in some plants and useful in detecting chromosome variation and repetitive sequence distribution in different genomes of polyploidy plants, which is helpful for understanding the evolution of different

A comparative tissue-specific metabolite analysis and determination of protodioscin content in Asparagus species used in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda by use of laser microdissection, UHPLC-QTOF/MS and LC-MS/MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaiswal, Yogini; Liang, Zhitao; Ho, Alan; Chen, Hubiao; Zhao, Zhongzhen

2014-01-01

Asparagus is esteemed in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda, and it is commercially one of the most important drugs in the global herbal market. Comparative metabolite profiling of different species would help in determining the similarities and ascertain their validity for being used as substitutes for each other. Laser microdissection (LMD) facilitates identification of metabolites in specific tissues, and thus it can aid in exploration of metabolic pathways in target tissues. To compare tissue-specific metabolites and protodioscin content of Asparagus cochinchinensis (Lour.) Merr. and Asparagus racemosus Willd. used in China and India. Metabolite analysis of laser-dissected tissues was carried out using UHPLC-QTOF/MS and LC-MS/MS. The protodioscin contents were determined and the method was validated as per the International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use guidelines. Metabolite analysis reveals that the velamen tissue, among other tissues such as cortex, vascular bundles and pith, contained maximum components, specifically those belonging to the steroidal saponin class. Although the metabolite profiles were similar, the content of protodioscin was found to be higher in Chinese than Indian species. The study provided a suitable methodology for metabolite profiling and protodioscin content determination of Asparagus by use of LMD, UHPLC-QTOF/MS and LC-MS/MS. The similarities in metabolite profiles indicate that Asparagus species from India and China can serve as substitute for each other in various therapeutic and pharmaceutical applications. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Microdissection and chromosome painting of the alien chromosome in an addition line of wheat--Thinopyrum intermedium.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chuanliang Deng

Full Text Available In this study, chromosome painting was developed and used to identify alien chromosomes in TAi-27, a wheat--Thinopyrum intermedium addition line, and the chromosomes of the three different genomes of Th. Intermedium. The smallest alien chromosome of TAi-27 was microdissected and its DNA amplified by DOP-PCR was used as a probe to hybridize with metaphase chromosomes of TAi-27 and Th. intermedium. Results showed that hybridization signals were observed in all regions of a pair of the smallest alien chromosomes and the pericentromeric area of another pair of alien chromosomes in TAi-27, indicating that the probe from microdissected chromosome is species specific. In Th. intermedium, 14 chromosomes had wide and strong hybridization signals distributed mainly on the pericentromere area and 9 chromosomes with narrow and weak signals on the pericentromere area. The remaining chromosomes displayed a very weak or no signal. Sequential FISH/GISH on Th. intermedium chromosomes using the DNAs of microdissected chromosome, Pseudoroegneria spicata (St genome and pDbH12 (a J(s genome specific probe as the probes indicated that the microdissected chromosome belonged to the St genome, three genomes (J(s , J and St in Th. intermedium could be distinguished, in which there is no hybridization signal on J genome that is similar to the genome of Th. bessarabicum. Our results showed that the smallest alien chromosomes may represent a truncated chromosome and the repetitive sequence distribution might be similar in different chromosomes within the St genome. However, the repetitive sequence distributions are different within the J(s genome, within a single chromosome, and among different genomes in Th. intermedium. Our results suggested that chromosome painting could be feasible in some plants and useful in detecting chromosome variation and repetitive sequence distribution in different genomes of polyploidy plants, which is helpful for understanding the evolution of

Continuous-scanning laser Doppler vibrometry: Extensions to arbitrary areas, multi-frequency and 3D capture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weekes, B.; Ewins, D.; Acciavatti, F.

2014-01-01

To date, differing implementations of continuous scan laser Doppler vibrometry have been demonstrated by various academic institutions, but since the scan paths were defined using step or sine functions from function generators, the paths were typically limited to 1D line scans or 2D areas such as raster paths or Lissajous trajectories. The excitation was previously often limited to a single frequency due to the specific signal processing performed to convert the scan data into an ODS. In this paper, a configuration of continuous-scan laser Doppler vibrometry is demonstrated which permits scanning of arbitrary areas, with the benefit of allowing multi-frequency/broadband excitation. Various means of generating scan paths to inspect arbitrary areas are discussed and demonstrated. Further, full 3D vibration capture is demonstrated by the addition of a range-finding facility to the described configuration, and iteratively relocating a single scanning laser head. Here, the range-finding facility was provided by a Microsoft Kinect, an inexpensive piece of consumer electronics

Imprinted NanoVelcro Microchips for Isolation and Characterization of Circulating Fetal Trophoblasts: Toward Noninvasive Prenatal Diagnostics

OpenAIRE

Hou, Shuang; Chen, Jie-Fu; Song, Min; Zhu, Yazhen; Jan, Yu Jen; Chen, Szu Hao; Weng, Tzu-Hua; Ling, Dean-An; Chen, Shang-Fu; Ro, Tracy; Liang, An-Jou; Lee, Tom; Jin, Helen; Li, Man; Liu, Lian

2017-01-01

Circulating fetal nucleated cells (CFNCs) in maternal blood offer an ideal source of fetal genomic DNA for noninvasive prenatal diagnostics (NIPD). We developed a class of nanoVelcro microchips to effectively enrich a subcategory of CFNCs, i.e., circulating trophoblasts (cTBs) from maternal blood, which can then be isolated with single-cell resolution by a laser capture microdissection (LCM) technique for downstream genetic testing. We first established a nanoimprinting fabrication process to...

Detection of clonal B cells in microdissected reactive lymphoproliferations: possible diagnostic pitfalls in PCR analysis of immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhou, X.G.; Sandvej, K.; Gregersen, Niels

1999-01-01

Aims-To evaluate the specificity of standard and fluorescence based (GENESCAN) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) gene rearrangement analysis in complete and microdissected paraffin wax embedded sections from lymphoid proliferations. Methods-PCR IgH gene rearrangement...... because of preferential priming or detection of local B cell clones. Data from clonal analysis of small, microdissected or lymphocyte poor samples must be evaluated critically. It is recommended that analyses should be run in parallel on at least two tissue specimens. Only reproducible bands present...

SPAM1 (PH-20 protein and mRNA expression in the epididymides of humans and macaques: utilizing laser microdissection/RT-PCR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhang Hong

2003-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Sperm Adhesion Molecule 1 (SPAM1 is an important sperm surface hyaluronidase with at least three functions in mammalian fertilization. Previously our laboratory reported that in the mouse, in addition to its expression in the testis, Spam1 is synthesized in the epididymis where it is found in membranous vesicles in the principal cells of the epithelium in all three regions. Since SPAM1 is widely conserved among mammals the aim of the study was to determine if its expression pattern in the epididymis is conserved in rodents and primates. Methods We used laser microdissection (LM/RT-PCR on frozen and paraffin-embedded epididymal sections of humans (n = 3 and macaques (n = 2 as well as in situ transcript hybridization to determine if transcripts are present in the epididymal epithelium. Western analysis and immunohistochemistry were used to detect and confirm the protein expression, and hyaluronic acid substrate gel electrophoresis analyzed its hyaluronidase activity. An in silico analysis of the proximal promoter of SPAM1 was also performed to identify relevant putative transcription binding sites for the androgen receptor. Results We demonstrate that mRNA unique to SPAM1 is present in the principal cells of the epididymal epithelium in all individuals of both species studied. SPAM1 protein is present in all three regions of the epididymis, as well as the vas deferens, and is localized similarly to the transcripts. SPAM1 was shown to have hyaluronidase activity at pH 7.0. In the proximal promoter of SPAM1 were uncovered putative epididymal transcription factor binding sites including androgen receptor elements (AREs, consistent with epididymal expression. Conclusions These findings allow us to conclude that epididymal SPAM1 is conserved in at least two mammalian classes, rodents and primates. This conservation of expression suggests that the protein is likely to play an important function, possibly in sperm maturation.

Comparing the outcomes of incisions made by colorado microdissection needle, electrosurgery tip, and surgical blade during periodontal surgery: A randomized controlled trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rampalli Viswa Chandra

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Context: Electrosurgery offers many unique advantages such as hemostasis and precise tissue cutting; however, there are a number of disadvantages including thermal injury and delayed wound healing. Aims: The aim of the present study was to compare the outcomes of incisions made by Colorado® microdissection needle, electrosurgery tip, and surgical blade during periodontal surgery. Settings and Design: Twenty-two individuals participated in this study. Three quadrants in each individual were randomly assigned into each of the following experimental groups: Colorado® microdissection needle (CMD, electrosurgery tip (EC and surgical blade (BP, in which, incisions were given with Colorado® microdissection needle, straight electrocautery tip, and a scalpel blade, respectively. Materials and Methods: Blood loss (BL was measured immediately after surgery, and changes in interdental papilla dimensions were recorded at baseline, 7, 30, 120, and 180 days after surgery. Measures of periodontal disease were recorded at baseline, 120, and 180 days after surgery. Postoperative pain and wound healing were recorded at 1, 7, and 15 days after surgery. Results: The use of CMD for periodontal surgery showed better results over EC in all parameters. CMD resulted in lesser bleeding and less postoperative pain and attained similar results to that of BP in clinical parameters of periodontal disease. Conclusions: Colorado® microdissection needle may be a better choice for incisions as it seems to show less tissue damage than cautery and offers tissue healing comparable to scalpel blade.

Isolation of a cosmid sublibrary for a region of chromosome 12 frequently amplified in human cancers using a complex chromosome microdissection probe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elkahloun, A.G.; Meltzer, P.S.; Guan, Xin-Yuan [National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD (United States)] [and others

1996-02-01

Chromosome-specific cosmid libraries are in extremely useful resource for positional cloning projects. Once a particular region of interest has been identified, it would be of value to have an approach for isolating chromosome band-specific cosmids that could be assembled into a sublibrary for rapid screening. We constructed a region-specific sublibrary of 700 cosmids by screening a chromosome 12-specific cosmid library with a complex probe generated by degenerate oligonucleotide-primed PCR of a microdissected homogeneously staining region containing sequences amplified from chromosome 12q13-q15. Based on fluorescence in situ hybridization, approximately 60% of the cosmids in the sublibrary were derived from the microdissected region. To demonstrate further the utility of the sublibrary, a 150-kb contig containing the SAS and CDK4 genes was constructed, as well as several additional contigs between CDK4 and MDM2. This study demonstrates the possibility of utilizing probes generated by microdissection for assembling band-specific libraries that are amendable to rapid screening with multiple markers.

Transcranial low-level laser therapy improves brain mitochondrial function and cognitive impairment in D-galactose-induced aging mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Salehpour, Farzad; Ahmadian, Nahid; Rasta, Seyed Hossein; Farhoudi, Mehdi; Karimi, Pouran; Sadigh-Eteghad, Saeed

2017-10-01

Mitochondrial function plays a key role in the aging-related cognitive impairment, and photoneuromodulation of mitochondria by transcranial low-level laser therapy (LLLT) may contribute to its improvement. This study focused on the transcranial LLLT effects on the D-galactose (DG)-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, and cognitive impairment in mice. For this purpose, red and near-infrared (NIR) laser wavelengths (660 and 810 nm) at 2 different fluencies (4 and 8 J/cm 2 ) at 10-Hz pulsed wave mode were administrated transcranially 3 d/wk in DG-received (500 mg/kg/subcutaneous) mice model of aging for 6 weeks. Spatial and episodic-like memories were assessed by the Barnes maze and What-Where-Which (WWWhich) tasks. Brain tissues were analyzed for mitochondrial function including active mitochondria, adenosine triphosphate, and reactive oxygen species levels, as well as membrane potential and cytochrome c oxidase activity. Apoptosis-related biomarkers, namely, Bax, Bcl-2, and caspase-3 were evaluated by Western blotting method. Laser treatments at wavelengths of 660 and 810 nm at 8 J/cm 2 attenuated DG-impaired spatial and episodic-like memories. Also, results showed an obvious improvement in the mitochondrial function aspects and modulatory effects on apoptotic markers in aged mice. However, same wavelengths at the fluency of 4 J/cm 2 had poor effect on the behavioral and molecular indexes in aging model. This data indicates that transcranial LLLT at both of red and NIR wavelengths at the fluency of 8 J/cm 2 has a potential to ameliorate aging-induced mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, and cognitive impairment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The use of laser microdissection in the identification of suitable reference genes for normalization of quantitative real-time PCR in human FFPE epithelial ovarian tissue samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Jing; Li, Tao; Huang, Bangxing; Cheng, Henghui; Ding, Hui; Dong, Weihong; Xiao, Man; Liu, Ling; Wang, Zehua

2014-01-01

Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) is a powerful and reproducible method of gene expression analysis in which expression levels are quantified by normalization against reference genes. Therefore, to investigate the potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for epithelial ovarian cancer by qPCR, it is critical to identify stable reference genes. In this study, twelve housekeeping genes (ACTB, GAPDH, 18S rRNA, GUSB, PPIA, PBGD, PUM1, TBP, HRPT1, RPLP0, RPL13A, and B2M) were analyzed in 50 ovarian samples from normal, benign, borderline, and malignant tissues. For reliable results, laser microdissection (LMD), an effective technique used to prepare homogeneous starting material, was utilized to precisely excise target tissues or cells. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and nonparametric (Kruskal-Wallis) tests were used to compare the expression differences. NormFinder and geNorm software were employed to further validate the suitability and stability of the candidate genes. Results showed that epithelial cells occupied a small percentage of the normal ovary indeed. The expression of ACTB, PPIA, RPL13A, RPLP0, and TBP were stable independent of the disease progression. In addition, NormFinder and geNorm identified the most stable combination (ACTB, PPIA, RPLP0, and TBP) and the relatively unstable reference gene GAPDH from the twelve commonly used housekeeping genes. Our results highlight the use of homogeneous ovarian tissues and multiple-reference normalization strategy, e.g. the combination of ACTB, PPIA, RPLP0, and TBP, for qPCR in epithelial ovarian tissues, whereas GAPDH, the most commonly used reference gene, is not recommended, especially as a single reference gene.

The use of laser microdissection in the identification of suitable reference genes for normalization of quantitative real-time PCR in human FFPE epithelial ovarian tissue samples.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jing Cai

Full Text Available Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR is a powerful and reproducible method of gene expression analysis in which expression levels are quantified by normalization against reference genes. Therefore, to investigate the potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for epithelial ovarian cancer by qPCR, it is critical to identify stable reference genes. In this study, twelve housekeeping genes (ACTB, GAPDH, 18S rRNA, GUSB, PPIA, PBGD, PUM1, TBP, HRPT1, RPLP0, RPL13A, and B2M were analyzed in 50 ovarian samples from normal, benign, borderline, and malignant tissues. For reliable results, laser microdissection (LMD, an effective technique used to prepare homogeneous starting material, was utilized to precisely excise target tissues or cells. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA and nonparametric (Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare the expression differences. NormFinder and geNorm software were employed to further validate the suitability and stability of the candidate genes. Results showed that epithelial cells occupied a small percentage of the normal ovary indeed. The expression of ACTB, PPIA, RPL13A, RPLP0, and TBP were stable independent of the disease progression. In addition, NormFinder and geNorm identified the most stable combination (ACTB, PPIA, RPLP0, and TBP and the relatively unstable reference gene GAPDH from the twelve commonly used housekeeping genes. Our results highlight the use of homogeneous ovarian tissues and multiple-reference normalization strategy, e.g. the combination of ACTB, PPIA, RPLP0, and TBP, for qPCR in epithelial ovarian tissues, whereas GAPDH, the most commonly used reference gene, is not recommended, especially as a single reference gene.

VEGF receptor blockade markedly reduces retinal microglia/macrophage infiltration into laser-induced CNV.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hu Huang

Full Text Available Although blocking VEGF has a positive effect in wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD, the effect of blocking its receptors remains unclear. This was an investigation of the effect of VEGF receptor (VEGFR 1 and/or 2 blockade on retinal microglia/macrophage infiltration in laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV, a model of wet AMD. CNV lesions were isolated by laser capture microdissection at 3, 7, and 14 days after laser and analyzed by RT-PCR and immunofluorescence staining for mRNA and protein expression, respectively. Neutralizing antibodies for VEGFR1 or R2 and the microglia inhibitor minocycline were injected intraperitoneally (IP. Anti-CD11b, CD45 and Iba1 antibodies were used to confirm the cell identity of retinal microglia/macrophage, in the RPE/choroidal flat mounts or retinal cross sections. CD11b(+, CD45(+ or Iba1(+ cells were counted. mRNA of VEGFR1 and its three ligands, PlGF, VEGF-A (VEGF and VEGF-B, were expressed at all stages, but VEGFR2 were detected only in the late stage. PlGF and VEGF proteins were expressed at 3 and 7 days after laser. Anti-VEGFR1 (MF1 delivered IP 3 days after laser inhibited infiltration of leukocyte populations, largely retinal microglia/macrophage to CNV, while anti-VEGFR2 (DC101 had no effect. At 14 days after laser, both MF1 and DC101 antibodies markedly inhibited retinal microglia/macrophage infiltration into CNV. Therefore, VEGFR1 and R2 play differential roles in the pathogenesis of CNV: VEGFR1 plays a dominant role at 3 days after laser; but both receptors play pivotal roles at 14 days after laser. In vivo imaging demonstrated accumulation of GFP-expressing microglia into CNV in both CX3CR1(gfp/gfp and CX3CR1(gfp/+ mice. Minocycline treatment caused a significant increase in lectin(+ cells in the sub-retinal space anterior to CNV and a decrease in dextran-perfused neovessels compared to controls. Targeting the chemoattractant molecules that regulate trafficking of retinal microglia

DPD is a molecular determinant of capecitabine efficacy in colorectal cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vallböhmer, Daniel; Yang, Dong Yun; Kuramochi, Hidekazu

2007-01-01

in this study and treated with single agent capecitabine. The intratumoral mRNA levels of DPD, TP and TS were assessed from paraffin-embedded tissue samples using laser-capture-microdissection methods and quantitative real-time PCR. There were 20 women and 17 men with a median age of 61 years (range 49...... was inevaluable in 7 patients). Higher gene expression levels of DPD were associated with resistance to capecitabine (P=0.032; Kruskal-Wallis test). Patients with a lower mRNA amount of DPD (...

Warp simulations for capture and control of laser-accelerated proton beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nuernberg, Frank; Harres, K; Roth, M; Friedman, A; Grote, D P; Logan, B G; Schollmeier, M

2010-01-01

The capture of laser-accelerated proton beams accompanied by co-moving electrons via a solenoid field has been studied with particle-in-cell simulations. The main advantages of the Warp simulation suite that we have used, relative to envelope or tracking codes, are the possibility of including all source parameters energy resolved, adding electrons as second species and considering the non-negligible space-charge forces and electrostatic self-fields. It was observed that the influence of the electrons is of vital importance. The magnetic effect on the electrons outbalances the space-charge force. Hence, the electrons are forced onto the beam axis and attract protons. Beside the energy dependent proton density increase on axis, the change in the particle spectrum is also important for future applications. Protons are accelerated/decelerated slightly, electrons highly. 2/3 of all electrons get lost directly at the source and 27% of all protons hit the inner wall of the solenoid.

Warp simulations for capture and control of laser-accelerated proton beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nurnberg, F.; Friedman, A.; Grote, D.P.; Harres, K.; Logan, B.G.; Schollmeier, M.; Roth, M.

2009-01-01

The capture of laser-accelerated proton beams accompanied by co-moving electrons via a solenoid field has been studied with particle-in-cell simulations. The main advantages of the Warp simulation suite that was used, relative to envelope or tracking codes, are the possibility of including all source parameters energy resolved, adding electrons as second species and considering the non-negligible space-charge forces and electrostatic self-fields. It was observed that the influence of the electrons is of vital importance. The magnetic effect on the electrons out balances the space-charge force. Hence, the electrons are forced onto the beam axis and attract protons. Besides the energy dependent proton density increase on axis, the change in the particle spectrum is also important for future applications. Protons are accelerated/decelerated slightly, electrons highly. 2/3 of all electrons get lost directly at the source and 27% of all protons hit the inner wall of the solenoid.

Iron transport, deposition and bioavailability in the wheat and barley grain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Borg, Søren; Brinch-Pedersen, Henrik; Tauris, Birgitte

2009-01-01

will briefly review existing knowledge on the distribution and transport pathways of iron in the two small grained cereals, barley and wheat, and focus on the efforts made to increase the iron content in cereals in general. However, mineral content is not the only factor of relevance for improving......). The nutritional impact of increasing mineral content accordingly has to be seen in the context of mineral bioavailability. Finally, we will briefly report on recent data from barley, where laser capture microdissection of the different grain tissues combined with gene expression profiling has provided some...

Human corneal epithelial subpopulations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søndergaard, Chris Bath

2013-01-01

Corneal epithelium is being regenerated throughout life by limbal epithelial stem cells (LESCs) believed to be located in histologically defined stem cell niches in corneal limbus. Defective or dysfunctional LESCs result in limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) causing pain and decreased visual acuity...... subpopulations in human corneal epithelium using a combination of laser capture microdissection and RNA sequencing for global transcriptomic profiling. We compared dissociation cultures, using either expansion on γ-irradiated NIH/3T3 feeder cells in serum-rich medium or expansion directly on plastic in serum...

A Technical Assessment of the Utility of Reverse Phase Protein Arrays for the Study of the Functional Proteome in Non-microdissected Human Breast Cancers.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Hennessy, Bryan T

2010-12-01

INTRODUCTION: The lack of large panels of validated antibodies, tissue handling variability, and intratumoral heterogeneity potentially hamper comprehensive study of the functional proteome in non-microdissected solid tumors. The purpose of this study was to address these concerns and to demonstrate clinical utility for the functional analysis of proteins in non-microdissected breast tumors using reverse phase protein arrays (RPPA). METHODS: Herein, 82 antibodies that recognize kinase and steroid signaling proteins and effectors were validated for RPPA. Intraslide and interslide coefficients of variability were <15%. Multiple sites in non-microdissected breast tumors were analyzed using RPPA after intervals of up to 24 h on the benchtop at room temperature following surgical resection. RESULTS: Twenty-one of 82 total and phosphoproteins demonstrated time-dependent instability at room temperature with most variability occurring at later time points between 6 and 24 h. However, the 82-protein functional proteomic "fingerprint" was robust in most tumors even when maintained at room temperature for 24 h before freezing. In repeat samples from each tumor, intratumoral protein levels were markedly less variable than intertumoral levels. Indeed, an independent analysis of prognostic biomarkers in tissue from multiple tumor sites accurately and reproducibly predicted patient outcomes. Significant correlations were observed between RPPA and immunohistochemistry. However, RPPA demonstrated a superior dynamic range. Classification of 128 breast cancers using RPPA identified six subgroups with markedly different patient outcomes that demonstrated a significant correlation with breast cancer subtypes identified by transcriptional profiling. CONCLUSION: Thus, the robustness of RPPA and stability of the functional proteomic "fingerprint" facilitate the study of the functional proteome in non-microdissected breast tumors.

Microdissection and molecular manipulation of single chromosomes in woody fruit trees with small chromosomes using pomelo (Citrus grandis) as a model. I. Construction of single chromosomal DNA libraries.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, D; Wu, W; Zhou, Y; Hu, Z; Lu, L

2004-05-01

Construction of single chromosomal DNA libraries by means of chromosome microdissection and microcloning will be useful for genomic research, especially for those species that have not been extensively studied genetically. Application of the technology of microdissection and microcloning to woody fruit plants has not been reported hitherto, largely due to the generally small sizes of metaphase chromosomes and the difficulty of chromosome preparation. The present study was performed to establish a method for single chromosome microdissection and microcloning in woody fruit species using pomelo as a model. The standard karyotype of a pomelo cultivar ( Citrus grandis cv. Guanxi) was established based on 20 prometaphase photomicrographs. According to the standard karyotype, chromosome 1 was identified and isolated with fine glass microneedles controlled by a micromanipulator. DNA fragments ranging from 0.3 kb to 2 kb were acquired from the isolated single chromosome 1 via two rounds of PCR mediated by Sau3A linker adaptors and then cloned into T-easy vectors to generate a DNA library of chromosome 1. Approximately 30,000 recombinant clones were obtained. Evaluation based on 108 randomly selected clones showed that the sizes of the cloned inserts varied from 0.5 kb to 1.5 kb with an average of 860 bp. Our research suggests that microdissection and microcloning of single small chromosomes in woody plants is feasible.

Optimal molecular profiling of tissue and tissue components: defining the best processing and microdissection methods for biomedical applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez-Canales, Jaime; Hanson, Jeffrey C; Hipp, Jason D; Balis, Ulysses J; Tangrea, Michael A; Emmert-Buck, Michael R; Bova, G Steven

2013-01-01

Isolation of well-preserved pure cell populations is a prerequisite for sound studies of the molecular basis of any tissue-based biological phenomenon. This updated chapter reviews current methods for obtaining anatomically specific signals from molecules isolated from tissues, a basic requirement for productive linking of phenotype and genotype. The quality of samples isolated from tissue and used for molecular analysis is often glossed over or omitted from publications, making interpretation and replication of data difficult or impossible. Fortunately, recently developed techniques allow life scientists to better document and control the quality of samples used for a given assay, creating a foundation for improvement in this area. Tissue processing for molecular studies usually involves some or all of the following steps: tissue collection, gross dissection/identification, fixation, processing/embedding, storage/archiving, sectioning, staining, microdissection/annotation, and pure analyte labeling/identification and quantification. We provide a detailed comparison of some current tissue microdissection technologies and provide detailed example protocols for tissue component handling upstream and downstream from microdissection. We also discuss some of the physical and chemical issues related to optimal tissue processing and include methods specific to cytology specimens. We encourage each laboratory to use these as a starting point for optimization of their overall process of moving from collected tissue to high-quality, appropriately anatomically tagged scientific results. Improvement in this area will significantly increase life science quality and productivity. The chapter is divided into introduction, materials, protocols, and notes subheadings. Because many protocols are covered in each of these sections, information relating to a single protocol is not contiguous. To get the greatest benefit from this chapter, readers are advised to read through the entire

Visual field impairment captures disease burden in multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz-Perez, Santiago; Andorra, Magí; Sanchez-Dalmau, Bernardo; Torres-Torres, Rubén; Calbet, David; Lampert, Erika J; Alba-Arbalat, Salut; Guerrero-Zamora, Ana M; Zubizarreta, Irati; Sola-Valls, Nuria; Llufriu, Sara; Sepúlveda, María; Saiz, Albert; Villoslada, Pablo; Martinez-Lapiscina, Elena H

2016-04-01

Monitoring disease burden is an unmeet need in multiple sclerosis (MS). Identifying patients at high risk of disability progression will be useful for improving clinical-therapeutic decisions in clinical routine. To evaluate the role of visual field testing in non-optic neuritis eyes (non-ON eyes) as a biomarker of disability progression in MS. In 109 patients of the MS-VisualPath cohort, we evaluated the association between visual field abnormalities and global and cognitive disability markers and brain and retinal imaging markers of neuroaxonal injury using linear regression models adjusted for sex, age, disease duration and use of disease-modifying therapies. We evaluated the risk of disability progression associated to have baseline impaired visual field after 3 years of follow-up. Sixty-two percent of patients showed visual field defects in non-ON eyes. Visual field mean deviation was statistically associated with global disability; brain (normalized brain parenchymal, gray matter volume and lesion load) and retinal (peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and macular ganglion cell complex thickness) markers of neuroaxonal damage. Patients with impaired visual field had statistically significative greater disability, lower normalized brain parenchymal volume and higher lesion volume than patients with normal visual field testing. MS patients with baseline impaired VF tripled the risk of disability progression during follow-up [OR = 3.35; 95 % CI (1.10-10.19); p = 0.033]. The association of visual field impairment with greater disability and neuroaxonal injury and higher risk of disability progression suggest that VF could be used to monitor MS disease burden.

Desulfovibrio bacterial species are increased in ulcerative colitis.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Rowan, Fiachra

2012-02-01

BACKGROUND: Debate persists regarding the role of Desulfovibrio subspecies in ulcerative colitis. Combined microscopic and molecular techniques enable this issue to be investigated by allowing precise enumeration of specific bacterial species within the colonic mucous gel. The aim of this study was to combine laser capture microdissection and quantitative polymerase chain reaction to determine Desulfovibrio copy number in crypt-associated mucous gel in health and in acute and chronic ulcerative colitis. METHODS: Colonic mucosal biopsies were harvested from healthy controls (n = 19) and patients with acute (n = 10) or chronic (n = 10) ulcerative colitis. Crypt-associated mucous gel was obtained by laser capture microdissection throughout the colon. Pan-bacterial 16S rRNA and Desulfovibrio copy number\\/mm were obtained by polymerase chain reaction at each locus. Bacterial copy numbers were interrogated for correlation with location and disease activity. Data were evaluated using a combination of ordinary linear methods and linear mixed-effects models to cater for multiple interactions. RESULTS: Desulfovibrio positivity was significantly increased in acute and chronic ulcerative colitis at multiple levels within the colon, and after normalization with total bacterial signal, the relative Desulfovibrio load was increased in acute colitis compared with controls. Desulfovibrio counts did not significantly correlate with age, disease duration, or disease activity but interlevel correlations were found in adjacent colonic segments in the healthy control and chronic ulcerative colitis groups. CONCLUSION: The presence of Desulfovibrio subspecies is increased in ulcerative colitis and the data presented suggest that these bacteria represent an increased percentage of the colonic microbiome in acute ulcerative colitis.

Global gene analysis of oocytes from early stages in human folliculogenesis shows high expression of novel genes in reproduction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Markholt, Sara; Grøndahl, M L; Ernst, Erik

2012-01-01

The pool of primordial follicles in humans is laid down during embryonic development and follicles can remain dormant for prolonged intervals, often decades, until individual follicles resume growth. The mechanisms that induce growth and maturation of primordial follicles are poorly understood...... but follicles once activated either continue growth or undergo atresia. We have isolated pure populations of oocytes from human primordial, intermediate and primary follicles using laser capture micro-dissection microscopy and evaluated the global gene expression profiles by whole-genome microarray analysis......) and the mitochondrial-encoded ATPase6 (ATP6). Thus, the present study provides not only a technique to capture and perform transcriptome analysis of the sparse material of human oocytes from the earliest follicle stages but further includes a comprehensive basis for our understanding of the regulatory factors...

LASER CAPTURE MICRODISSECTION AND GENE ARRAY ANALYSIS OF PALATAL EPITHELIAL AND MESENCHYMAL CELLS EXPOSED TO TCDD

Science.gov (United States)

Palatal shelves from embryos exposed on gestation day (GD) 12 to either retinoic acid (RA) or 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) contact but fail to fuse. It is of interest to know if diverse agents that induce clefting via the same etiology also activate the same biochem...

Transcriptome differentiation along the dorso-ventral axis in laser-captured microdissected rat hippocampal granular cell layer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, T.; Bisgaard, C.F.; Nielsen, Henrik Bjørn

2010-01-01

Several findings suggest a functional and anatomical differentiation along the dorso-ventral axis of the hippocampus. Lesion studies in rats have indicated that the dorsal hippocampus preferentially plays a role in spatial learning and memory, while the ventral hippocampus is involved in anxiety...... and ventral granular cell layer with a false discovery rate below 5% and with a relative change in gene expression level of 20% or more. From this pool of genes 45 genes were more than two-fold regulated, 13 genes being dorsally enriched and 32 genes being ventrally enriched. Moreover, cluster analysis based...

Capturing Reality at Centre Block

Science.gov (United States)

Boulanger, C.; Ouimet, C.; Yeomans, N.

2017-08-01

The Centre Block of Canada's Parliament buildings, National Historic Site of Canada is set to undergo a major rehabilitation project that will take approximately 10 years to complete. In preparation for this work, Heritage Conservation Services (HCS) of Public Services and Procurement Canada has been completing heritage documentation of the entire site which includes laser scanning of all interior rooms and accessible confined spaces such as attics and other similar areas. Other documentation completed includes detailed photogrammetric documentation of rooms and areas of high heritage value. Some of these high heritage value spaces present certain challenges such as accessibility due to the height and the size of the spaces. Another challenge is the poor lighting conditions, requiring the use of flash or strobe lighting to either compliment or completely eliminate the available ambient lighting. All the spaces captured at this higher level of detail were also captured with laser scanning. This allowed the team to validate the information and conduct a quality review of the photogrammetric data. As a result of this exercise, the team realized that in most, if not all cases, the photogrammetric data was more detailed and at a higher quality then the terrestrial laser scanning data. The purpose and motivation of this paper is to present these findings, as well provide the advantages and disadvantages of the two methods and data sets.

CAPTURING REALITY AT CENTRE BLOCK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Boulanger

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The Centre Block of Canada’s Parliament buildings, National Historic Site of Canada is set to undergo a major rehabilitation project that will take approximately 10 years to complete. In preparation for this work, Heritage Conservation Services (HCS of Public Services and Procurement Canada has been completing heritage documentation of the entire site which includes laser scanning of all interior rooms and accessible confined spaces such as attics and other similar areas. Other documentation completed includes detailed photogrammetric documentation of rooms and areas of high heritage value. Some of these high heritage value spaces present certain challenges such as accessibility due to the height and the size of the spaces. Another challenge is the poor lighting conditions, requiring the use of flash or strobe lighting to either compliment or completely eliminate the available ambient lighting. All the spaces captured at this higher level of detail were also captured with laser scanning. This allowed the team to validate the information and conduct a quality review of the photogrammetric data. As a result of this exercise, the team realized that in most, if not all cases, the photogrammetric data was more detailed and at a higher quality then the terrestrial laser scanning data. The purpose and motivation of this paper is to present these findings, as well provide the advantages and disadvantages of the two methods and data sets.

Introductory remarks on electron capture by multicharged ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crandall, D.H.

1979-01-01

An overview is presented of applications of multicharged-ion electron capture and, through the qualitative assessment of availability of information, the general status of current understanding of such capture. A chart is given on which the various ion collision processes are related to other pertinent fields of physical research notably fusion, astrophysics, the solar corona, and lasers. The production and transport of ions is also noted. The symposium considers collision velocities less than 4 x 10 8 cm/s, where the capture cross sections are largest and where most of the available results are quite recent

Anatomical study of the pigs temporal bone by microdissection.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Leandro de Borborema; Andrade, José Santos Cruz de; Testa, José Ricardo Gurgel

2014-01-01

Initial study of the pig`s temporal bone anatomy in order to enable a new experimental model in ear surgery. Dissection of five temporal bones of Sus scrofa pigs obtained from UNIFESP - Surgical Skills Laboratory, removed with hole saw to avoid any injury and stored in formaldehyde 10% for better conservation. The microdissection in all five temporal bone had the following steps: inspection of the outer part, external canal and tympanic membrane microscopy, mastoidectomy, removal of external ear canal and tympanic membrane, inspection of ossicular chain and middle ear. Anatomically it is located at the same position than in humans. Some landmarks usually found in humans are missing. The tympanic membrane of the pig showed to be very similar to the human, separating the external and the middle ear. The middle ear`s appearance is very similar than in humans. The ossicular chain is almost exactly the same, as well as the facial nerve, showing the same relationship with the lateral semicircular canal. The temporal bone of the pigs can be used as an alternative for training in ear surgery, especially due the facility to find it and its similarity with temporal bone of the humans.

Impairment of skin blood flow during post-occlusive reactive hyperhemy assessed by laser Doppler flowmetry correlates with renal resistive index.

Science.gov (United States)

Coulon, P; Constans, J; Gosse, P

2012-01-01

We lack non-invasive tools for evaluating the coronary and renal microcirculations. Since cutaneous Doppler laser exploration has evidenced impaired cutaneous microvascular responses in coronary artery disease and in impaired renal function, we wanted to find out if there was a link between the impairments in the cutaneous and renal microcirculations. To specify the significance of the rise in the renal resistive index (RI), which is still unclear, we also sought relations between RI and arterial stiffness. We conducted a cross-sectional controlled study in a heterogeneous population including hypertensive patients of various ages with or without a history of cardiovascular disease along with a healthy control group. The cutaneous microcirculation was evaluated by laser Doppler flowmetry of the post-occlusive reactive hyperhemy (PORH) and of the hyperhemy to heat. The renal microcirculation was evaluated by measurement of the RI. Arterial stiffness was evaluated from an ambulatory measurement of the corrected QKD(100-60) interval. We included 22 hypertensives and 11 controls of mean age 60.6 vs 40.8 years. In this population, there was a correlation between RI and basal zero to peak flow variation (BZ-PF) (r=-0.42; P=0.02) and a correlation between RI and rest flow to peak flow variation (RF-PF) (r=-0.44; P=0.01). There was also a significant correlation between RI and the corrected QKD(100-60) (r=-0.47; P=0.01). The significant correlation between PORH parameters and RI indicates that the functional modifications of the renal and cutaneous microcirculations tend to evolve in parallel during ageing or hypertension. The relation between RI and arterial stiffness shows that RI is a compound index of both renal microvascular impairment and the deterioration of macrovascular mechanics.

Laser solenoid: an alternate use of lasers in fusion power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rose, P.H.

1977-01-01

A unique laser assisted fusion approach is under development at Mathematical Sciences Northwest, Inc. (MSNW). This approach captures one of the most developed aspects of high energy laser technology, the efficient, large, scalable, pulsed electron beam initiated, electric discharge, CO 2 infrared laser. This advanced technology is then combined with the simple geometry of a linear magnetic confinement system. The laser solenoid concept will be described, current work and experimental progress will be discussed, and the technological problems of building such a system will be assessed. Finally a comparison will be made of the technology and economics for the laser solenoid and alternative fusion approaches

Comparative Tissue Proteomics of Microdissected Specimens Reveals Novel Candidate Biomarkers of Bladder Cancer*

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Chien-Lun; Chung, Ting; Wu, Chih-Ching; Ng, Kwai-Fong; Yu, Jau-Song; Tsai, Cheng-Han; Chang, Yu-Sun; Liang, Ying; Tsui, Ke-Hung; Chen, Yi-Ting

2015-01-01

More than 380,000 new cases of bladder cancer are diagnosed worldwide, accounting for ∼150,200 deaths each year. To discover potential biomarkers of bladder cancer, we employed a strategy combining laser microdissection, isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation labeling, and liquid chromatography-tandem MS (LC-MS/MS) analysis to profile proteomic changes in fresh-frozen bladder tumor specimens. Cellular proteins from four pairs of surgically resected primary bladder cancer tumor and adjacent nontumorous tissue were extracted for use in two batches of isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation experiments, which identified a total of 3220 proteins. A DAVID (database for annotation, visualization and integrated discovery) analysis of dysregulated proteins revealed that the three top-ranking biological processes were extracellular matrix organization, extracellular structure organization, and oxidation-reduction. Biological processes including response to organic substances, response to metal ions, and response to inorganic substances were highlighted by up-expressed proteins in bladder cancer. Seven differentially expressed proteins were selected as potential bladder cancer biomarkers for further verification. Immunohistochemical analyses showed significantly elevated levels of three proteins—SLC3A2, STMN1, and TAGLN2—in tumor cells compared with noncancerous bladder epithelial cells, and suggested that TAGLN2 could be a useful tumor tissue marker for diagnosis (AUC = 0.999) and evaluating lymph node metastasis in bladder cancer patients. ELISA results revealed significantly increased urinary levels of both STMN1 and TAGLN2 in bladder cancer subgroups compared with control groups. In comparisons with age-matched hernia urine specimens, urinary TAGLN2 in bladder cancer samples showed the largest fold change (7.13-fold), with an area-under-the-curve value of 0.70 (p < 0.001, n = 205). Overall, TAGLN2 showed the most significant

High beta capture and mirror confinement of laser produced plasmas. Semiannual report, July 1, 1975--January 31, 1976

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haught, A.F.; Polk, D.H.; Fader, W.J.; Tomlinson, R.G.; Jong, R.A.; Ard, W.B.; Mensing, A.E.; Churchill, T.L.; Stufflebeam, J.H.; Bresnock, F.J.

1976-01-01

The Laser Initiated Target Experiment (LITE) at the United Technologies Research Center is designed to address the target plasma buildup approach to a steady state mirror fusion device. A dense, mirror confined, target plasma is produced by high power laser irradiation of a solid lithium hydride particle, electrically suspended in a vacuum at the center of an established minimum-B magnetic field. Following expansion in and capture by the magnetic field, this target plasma is irradiated by an energetic neutral hydrogen beam. Charge exchange collisions with energetic beam particles serve to heat the confined plasma while ionization of the neutral beam atoms and trapping in the mirror magnetic field add particles to the confined plasma. For sufficiently high beam intensities, confined plasmas losses will be offset so that buildup of the plasma density occurs, thus demonstrating sustenance and fueling as well as the heating by neutral beam injection of a steady state mirror fusion device. Investigations of the decay of the magnetically confined target plasmas and initial studies of energetic neutral beam injection into confined target plasmas, conducted during this report period, are presented. Additional development of the LITE experimental systems including improvements in the laser plasma production facility, the energetic neutral beam line, and the heavy ion probe diagnostic is reported. A series of calculations on enhanced scattering and classical decay for plasma mirror confined in a LITE type system are discussed

Novel markers for differentiation of lobular and ductal invasive breast carcinomas by laser microdissection and microarray analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turashvili, Gulisa; Srovnal, Josef; Hajduch, Marian; Murray, Paul; Kolar, Zdenek; Bouchal, Jan; Baumforth, Karl; Wei, Wenbin; Dziechciarkova, Marta; Ehrmann, Jiri; Klein, Jiri; Fridman, Eduard; Skarda, Jozef

2007-01-01

Invasive ductal and lobular carcinomas (IDC and ILC) are the most common histological types of breast cancer. Clinical follow-up data and metastatic patterns suggest that the development and progression of these tumors are different. The aim of our study was to identify gene expression profiles of IDC and ILC in relation to normal breast epithelial cells. We examined 30 samples (normal ductal and lobular cells from 10 patients, IDC cells from 5 patients, ILC cells from 5 patients) microdissected from cryosections of ten mastectomy specimens from postmenopausal patients. Fifty nanograms of total RNA were amplified and labeled by PCR and in vitro transcription. Samples were analysed upon Affymetrix U133 Plus 2.0 Arrays. The expression of seven differentially expressed genes (CDH1, EMP1, DDR1, DVL1, KRT5, KRT6, KRT17) was verified by immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays. Expression of ASPN mRNA was validated by in situ hybridization on frozen sections, and CTHRC1, ASPN and COL3A1 were tested by PCR. Using GCOS pairwise comparison algorithm and rank products we have identified 84 named genes common to ILC versus normal cell types, 74 named genes common to IDC versus normal cell types, 78 named genes differentially expressed between normal ductal and lobular cells, and 28 named genes between IDC and ILC. Genes distinguishing between IDC and ILC are involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition, TGF-beta and Wnt signaling. These changes were present in both tumor types but appeared to be more prominent in ILC. Immunohistochemistry for several novel markers (EMP1, DVL1, DDR1) distinguished large sets of IDC from ILC. IDC and ILC can be differentiated both at the gene and protein levels. In this study we report two candidate genes, asporin (ASPN) and collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) which might be significant in breast carcinogenesis. Besides E-cadherin, the proteins validated on tissue microarrays (EMP1, DVL1, DDR1) may represent novel

The Y chromosome of the Atelidae family (Platyrrhini): study by chromosome microdissection.

Science.gov (United States)

Gifalli-Iughetti, C; Koiffmann, C P

2009-01-01

In order to study the intergeneric variability of the Y chromosome, we describe the hybridization of the Y chromosome of Brachytelesarachnoides, obtained by microdissection, to metaphases of Atelesbelzebuthmarginatus, Lagothrixlagothricha, and Alouatta male specimens. Brachytelesarachnoides (Atelinae) has 62 chromosomes and a very small Y chromosome. Our results showed that the Brachytelesarachnoides Y chromosome probe hybridized to Lagothrixlagothricha metaphases yielding one hybridization signal on only the tiny Y chromosome, and when hybridized with Atelesbelzebuthmarginatus metaphases it yielded one hybridization signal on two thirds of the small acrocentric Y chromosome. However, no hybridization signal was observed in Alouatta metaphases (subfamily Alouattinae), a closely related genus in the Atelidae family. Furthermore, our data support a close phylogenetic relationship among Brachyteles, Ateles, and Lagothrix and their placement in the Atelinae subfamily, but exclude Alouatta from this group indicating its placement as basal to this group. Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Examining the mechanisms of overgeneral autobiographical memory: capture and rumination, and impaired executive control.

Science.gov (United States)

Sumner, Jennifer A; Griffith, James W; Mineka, Susan

2011-02-01

Overgeneral autobiographical memory (OGM) is an important cognitive phenomenon in depression, but questions remain regarding the underlying mechanisms. The CaR-FA-X model (Williams et al., 2007) proposes three mechanisms that may contribute to OGM, but little work has examined the possible additive and/or interactive effects among them. We examined two mechanisms of CaR-FA-X: capture and rumination, and impaired executive control. We analysed data from undergraduates (N=109) scoring high or low on rumination who were presented with cues of high and low self-relevance on the Autobiographical Memory Test (AMT). Executive control was operationalised as performance on both the Stroop Colour-Word Task and the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT). Hierarchical generalised linear modelling was used to predict whether participants would generate a specific memory on a trial of the AMT. Higher COWAT scores, lower rumination, and greater cue self-relevance predicted a higher probability of a specific memory. There was also a rumination×cue self-relevance interaction: Higher (vs lower) rumination was associated with a lower probability of a specific memory primarily for low self-relevant cues. We found no evidence of interactions between these mechanisms. Findings are interpreted with respect to current autobiographical memory models. Future directions for OGM mechanism research are discussed. © 2011 Psychology Press, an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business

Confocal fluorescence microscopy in a murine model of microdissection testicular sperm extraction to improve sperm retrieval.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Ryan P; Lowe, Greg J; Kavoussi, Parviz K; Steers, William D; Costabile, Raymond A; Herr, John C; Shetty, Jagathpala; Lysiak, Jeffrey J

2012-05-01

Microdissection testicular sperm extraction markedly improves the sperm retrieval rates in men with nonobstructive azoospermia. However, localizing sperm foci can be time-consuming and it is not always successful. Fiberoptic confocal fluorescent microscopy offers the advantage of rapid in vivo detection of fluorescently labeled sperm in the seminiferous tubules. After establishing the feasibility of fiberoptic confocal fluorescent microscopy to identify antibody labeled sperm in vivo C57/B6 mice underwent intraperitoneal injection of busulfan to induce azoospermia. During spermatogenesis reestablishment at approximately 16 weeks the mice were anesthetized and the testes were delivered through a low midline incision. Fluorescein isothiocyanate labeled antibody to intra-acrosomal protein Hs-14 was injected retrograde into a single murine rete testis. The testes were imaged in vivo with fiberoptic confocal fluorescent microscopy and sperm foci were detected. The respective seminiferous tubules were excised and squash prepared for immunofluorescence microscopy. Sperm foci were identified in the testis injected with fluorescently tagged antibody by in vivo fiberoptic confocal fluorescence microscopy. The contralateral control testis of each mouse showed no specific signal. Immunofluorescence microscopy of the excised tubules provided morphological confirmation of the presence of labeled sperm with an absence in controls. Findings were consistent in the feasibility portion of the study and in the busulfan model of nonobstructive azoospermia. Fiberoptic confocal fluorescent microscopy was feasible during microdissection testicular sperm extraction in an azoospermic mouse model to identify fluorescently labeled sperm in vivo. Translation to the clinical setting could decrease operative time and improve the sperm harvest rate. Copyright © 2012 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A comparative kinetic RT/-PCR strategy for the quantitation of mRNAs in microdissected human renal biopsy specimens.

Science.gov (United States)

Del Prete, D; Forino, M; Gambaro, G; D'Angelo, A; Baggio, B; Anglani, F

1998-01-01

Molecular biology techniques, to be applicable to a diagnostic renal biopsy specimen, should (1) be highly sensitive to be performed on a very small quantity of tissue; (2) be quantitative because they have to analyze genes normally expressed in the tissue and (3) allow the analysis of as large a number of genes as possible. Among different methods, only the reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT/-PCR) might comply with previous requisites, but the few RT/-PCR examples on renal biopsies in the literature do not allow starting RNA quantification and quality control; furthermore they have the drawback of analyzing only few genes. In an ongoing study to assess the expression of a number of genes in glomeruli and in tubulointerstitium of patients with different nephropathies, we developed a comparative RT/-PCR kinetic strategy based on the purification and quantification of total glomerular and tubulointerstitial RNA and on the use of an internal standard, the housekeeping gene G3PDH. We demonstrate that in microdissected diagnostic renal biopsies (1) glomerular and interstitial starting RNA can be quantified; (2) the G3PDH gene may be used both as an internal standard and as an indirect marker of RNA integrity; (3) as low as 28 ng of total RNA is sufficient to obtain PCR products of eight genes, and (4) it is worth to operate on microdissected biopsy specimens because of the different expression of genes in the two renal compartments.

Clusters of conserved beta cell marker genes for assessment of beta cell phenotype

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Martens, Geert A; Jiang, Lei; Hellemans, Karine H

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to establish a gene expression blueprint of pancreatic beta cells conserved from rodents to humans and to evaluate its applicability to assess shifts in the beta cell differentiated state. Genome-wide mRNA expression profiles of isolated beta cells were compared to those...... of a large panel of other tissue and cell types, and transcripts with beta cell-abundant and -selective expression were identified. Iteration of this analysis in mouse, rat and human tissues generated a panel of conserved beta cell biomarkers. This panel was then used to compare isolated versus laser capture...... microdissected beta cells, monitor adaptations of the beta cell phenotype to fasting, and retrieve possible conserved transcriptional regulators....

Initial characterization of the large genome of the salamander Ambystoma mexicanum using shotgun and laser capture chromosome sequencing.

Science.gov (United States)

Keinath, Melissa C; Timoshevskiy, Vladimir A; Timoshevskaya, Nataliya Y; Tsonis, Panagiotis A; Voss, S Randal; Smith, Jeramiah J

2015-11-10

Vertebrates exhibit substantial diversity in genome size, and some of the largest genomes exist in species that uniquely inform diverse areas of basic and biomedical research. For example, the salamander Ambystoma mexicanum (the Mexican axolotl) is a model organism for studies of regeneration, development and genome evolution, yet its genome is ~10× larger than the human genome. As part of a hierarchical approach toward improving genome resources for the species, we generated 600 Gb of shotgun sequence data and developed methods for sequencing individual laser-captured chromosomes. Based on these data, we estimate that the A. mexicanum genome is ~32 Gb. Notably, as much as 19 Gb of the A. mexicanum genome can potentially be considered single copy, which presumably reflects the evolutionary diversification of mobile elements that accumulated during an ancient episode of genome expansion. Chromosome-targeted sequencing permitted the development of assemblies within the constraints of modern computational platforms, allowed us to place 2062 genes on the two smallest A. mexicanum chromosomes and resolves key events in the history of vertebrate genome evolution. Our analyses show that the capture and sequencing of individual chromosomes is likely to provide valuable information for the systematic sequencing, assembly and scaffolding of large genomes.

Novel markers for differentiation of lobular and ductal invasive breast carcinomas by laser microdissection and microarray analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Srovnal Josef

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Invasive ductal and lobular carcinomas (IDC and ILC are the most common histological types of breast cancer. Clinical follow-up data and metastatic patterns suggest that the development and progression of these tumors are different. The aim of our study was to identify gene expression profiles of IDC and ILC in relation to normal breast epithelial cells. Methods We examined 30 samples (normal ductal and lobular cells from 10 patients, IDC cells from 5 patients, ILC cells from 5 patients microdissected from cryosections of ten mastectomy specimens from postmenopausal patients. Fifty nanograms of total RNA were amplified and labeled by PCR and in vitro transcription. Samples were analysed upon Affymetrix U133 Plus 2.0 Arrays. The expression of seven differentially expressed genes (CDH1, EMP1, DDR1, DVL1, KRT5, KRT6, KRT17 was verified by immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays. Expression of ASPN mRNA was validated by in situ hybridization on frozen sections, and CTHRC1, ASPN and COL3A1 were tested by PCR. Results Using GCOS pairwise comparison algorithm and rank products we have identified 84 named genes common to ILC versus normal cell types, 74 named genes common to IDC versus normal cell types, 78 named genes differentially expressed between normal ductal and lobular cells, and 28 named genes between IDC and ILC. Genes distinguishing between IDC and ILC are involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition, TGF-beta and Wnt signaling. These changes were present in both tumor types but appeared to be more prominent in ILC. Immunohistochemistry for several novel markers (EMP1, DVL1, DDR1 distinguished large sets of IDC from ILC. Conclusion IDC and ILC can be differentiated both at the gene and protein levels. In this study we report two candidate genes, asporin (ASPN and collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1 which might be significant in breast carcinogenesis. Besides E-cadherin, the proteins validated on tissue

Intravenous injection of artificial red cells and subsequent dye laser irradiation causes deep vessel impairment in an animal model of port-wine stain.

Science.gov (United States)

Rikihisa, Naoaki; Tominaga, Mai; Watanabe, Shoji; Mitsukawa, Nobuyuki; Saito, Yoshiaki; Sakai, Hiromi

2018-03-15

Our previous study proposed using artificial blood cells (hemoglobin vesicles, Hb-Vs) as photosensitizers in dye laser treatment for port-wine stains (PWSs). Dye laser photons are absorbed by red blood cells (RBCs) and hemoglobin (Hb) mixture, which potentially produce more heat and photocoagulation and effectively destroy endothelial cells. Hb-Vs combination therapy will improve clinical outcomes of dye laser treatment for PWSs because very small vessels do not contain sufficient RBCs and they are poor absorbers/heaters of lasers. In the present study, we analyzed the relationship between vessel depth from the skin surface and vessel distraction through dye laser irradiation following intravenous Hb-Vs injection using a chicken wattle model. Hb-Vs were administered and chicken wattles underwent high-energy irradiation at energy higher than in the previous experiments. Hb-Vs location in the vessel lumen was identified to explain its photosensitizer effect using human Hb immunostaining of the irradiated wattles. Laser irradiation with Hb-Vs can effectively destroy deep vessels in animal models. Hb-Vs tend to flow in the marginal zone of both small and large vessels. Increasing laser power combined with Hb-Vs injection contributed for deep vessel impairment because of the synergetic effect of both methods. Newly added Hb tended to flow near the target endothelial cells of the laser treatment. In Hb-Vs and RBC mixture, heat transfer to endothelial cells from absorbers/heater may increase. Hb-Vs function as photosensitizers to destroy deep vessels within a restricted distance that the photon can reach.

Review of fission produce capture measurements at the Oak Ridge Electron Laser Accelerator (ORELA)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larson, D.C.; Macklin, R.L.

1992-01-01

The 40-meter capture system of R.L. Macklin at ORELA has been used to measure capture cross sections for over eighty isotopes between A = 75 and 161, the primary mass region of interest for fission products. This review outlines the primary features of the capture system, lists the isotopes measured and their references, and describes recent changes incorporated in the capture system

Gigashot Optical Laser Demonstrator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deri, R. J. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2015-10-13

The Gigashot Optical Laser Demonstrator (GOLD) project has demonstrated a novel optical amplifier for high energy pulsed lasers operating at high repetition rates. The amplifier stores enough pump energy to support >10 J of laser output, and employs conduction cooling for thermal management to avoid the need for expensive and bulky high-pressure helium subsystems. A prototype amplifier was fabricated, pumped with diode light at 885 nm, and characterized. Experimental results show that the amplifier provides sufficient small-signal gain and sufficiently low wavefront and birefringence impairments to prove useful in laser systems, at repetition rates up to 60 Hz.

Attentional capture and engagement during the attentional blink: A "camera" metaphor of attention.

Science.gov (United States)

Zivony, Alon; Lamy, Dominique

2016-11-01

Identification of a target is impaired when it follows a previous target within 500 ms, suggesting that our attentional system suffers from severe temporal limitations. Although control-disruption theories posit that such impairment, known as the attentional blink (AB), reflects a difficulty in matching incoming information with the current attentional set, disrupted-engagement theories propose that it reflects a delay in later processes leading to transient enhancement of potential targets. Here, we used a variant of the contingent-capture rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) paradigm (Folk, Ester, & Troemel, 2009) to adjudicate these competing accounts. Our results show that a salient distractor that shares the target color captures attention to the same extent whether it appears within or outside the blink, thereby invalidating the notion that control over the attentional set is compromised during the blink. In addition, our results show that during the blink, not the attention-capturing object itself but the item immediately following it, is selected, indicating that the AB manifests as a delay between attentional capture and attentional engagement. We therefore conclude that attentional capture and attentional engagement can be dissociated as separate stages of attentional selection. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Bacterial colonization of colonic crypt mucous gel and disease activity in ulcerative colitis.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Rowan, Fiachra

2012-02-01

OBJECTIVE: To optimize total bacterial 16S rRNA quantification in microdissected colonic crypts in healthy controls and patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and to characterize the findings with disease activity. BACKGROUND: Microscopic and molecular techniques have recently converged to allow bacterial enumeration in remote anatomic locations [eg, crypt-associated mucous gel (CAMG)]. The aims of this study were to combine laser capture microdissection (LCM) and 16S rRNA-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to determine total bacterial copy number in CAMG both in health and in UC and to characterize the findings with disease activity. METHODS: LCM was used to microdissect CAMG from colonic mucosal biopsies from controls (n = 20) and patients with acute (n = 10) or subacute (n = 10) UC. Pan-bacterial 16S rRNA copy number per millimeter square in samples from 6 locations across the large bowel was obtained by qPCR using Desulfovibrio desulfuricans as a reference strain. Copy numbers were correlated with the UC disease activity index (UCDAI) and the simple clinical colitis activity index (SCCAI). RESULTS: Bacterial colonization of CAMG was detectable in all groups. Copy numbers were significantly reduced in acute UC. In subacute colitis, there was a positive correlation between copy number and UCDAI and SCCAI in the ascending, transverse and sigmoid colon. CONCLUSIONS: This study describes a sensitive method of quantitatively assessing bacterial colonization of the colonic CAMG. A positive correlation was found between CAMG bacterial load and subacute disease activity in UC, whereas detectable bacterial load was reduced in acute UC.

Fractional laser-assisted drug uptake

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Banzhaf, Christina A; Thaysen-Petersen, Daniel; Bay, Christiane

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Ablative fractional laser (AFXL) is acknowledged to increase uptake of topically applied agents in skin. AFXL channels gradually close over time, which may impair this capability. The time frame for applying a drug after AFXL exposure remains to be established. The aim...... in laser-exposed and non-laser-exposed skin at 24-48 hours. CONCLUSIONS: The time frame to maintain enhanced drug delivery sustained for several hours after AFXL exposure, corresponding to channel morphology and loss of skin integrity. Lasers Surg. Med. 49:348-354, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc....

ANISOTROPY EFFECTS IN ELECTRON-CAPTURE BY O6+ FROM ALIGNED NA-ASTERISK(3P)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

SCHLATMANN, AR; WIERSEMA, WP; HOEKSTRA, R; MORGENSTERN, R; OLSON, RE; PASCALE, J

1994-01-01

We report results of one electron capture by highly charged ions colliding with laser excited aligned Na*(3p). The 0 vi(10-->8) photon emission cross section after electron capture by the O6+ projectile is measured in the collision energy range 2-8 keV/amu. Effects of the Na*(3p) orbital alignment

Optimizing Staining Protocols for Laser Microdissection of Specific Cell Types from the Testis Including Carcinoma In Situ

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sonne, Si Brask; Dalgaard, Marlene D; Nielsen, John Erik

2009-01-01

Microarray and RT-PCR based methods are important tools for analysis of gene expression; however, in tissues containing many different cells types, such as the testis, characterization of gene expression in specific cell types can be severely hampered by noise from other cells. The laser microdis......Microarray and RT-PCR based methods are important tools for analysis of gene expression; however, in tissues containing many different cells types, such as the testis, characterization of gene expression in specific cell types can be severely hampered by noise from other cells. The laser...... protocols, and present two staining protocols for frozen sections, one for fast and specific staining of fetal germ cells, testicular carcinoma in situ cells, and other cells with embryonic stem cell-like properties that express the alkaline phosphatase, and one for specific staining of lipid droplet...

Mobile Laser Scanning for Indoor Modelling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Thomson

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The process of capturing and modelling buildings has gained increased focus in recent years with the rise of Building Information Modelling (BIM. At the heart of BIM is a process change for the construction and facilities management industries whereby a BIM aids more collaborative working through better information exchange, and as a part of the process Geomatic/Land Surveyors are not immune from the changes. Terrestrial laser scanning has been proscribed as the preferred method for rapidly capturing buildings for BIM geometry. This is a process change from a traditional measured building survey just with a total station and is aided by the increasing acceptance of point cloud data being integrated with parametric building models in BIM tools such as Autodesk Revit or Bentley Architecture. Pilot projects carried out previously by the authors to investigate the geometry capture and modelling of BIM confirmed the view of others that the process of data capture with static laser scan setups is slow and very involved requiring at least two people for efficiency. Indoor Mobile Mapping Systems (IMMS present a possible solution to these issues especially in time saved. Therefore this paper investigates their application as a capture device for BIM geometry creation over traditional static methods through a fit-for-purpose test.

Mobile Laser Scanning for Indoor Modelling

Science.gov (United States)

Thomson, C.; Apostolopoulos, G.; Backes, D.; Boehm, J.

2013-10-01

The process of capturing and modelling buildings has gained increased focus in recent years with the rise of Building Information Modelling (BIM). At the heart of BIM is a process change for the construction and facilities management industries whereby a BIM aids more collaborative working through better information exchange, and as a part of the process Geomatic/Land Surveyors are not immune from the changes. Terrestrial laser scanning has been proscribed as the preferred method for rapidly capturing buildings for BIM geometry. This is a process change from a traditional measured building survey just with a total station and is aided by the increasing acceptance of point cloud data being integrated with parametric building models in BIM tools such as Autodesk Revit or Bentley Architecture. Pilot projects carried out previously by the authors to investigate the geometry capture and modelling of BIM confirmed the view of others that the process of data capture with static laser scan setups is slow and very involved requiring at least two people for efficiency. Indoor Mobile Mapping Systems (IMMS) present a possible solution to these issues especially in time saved. Therefore this paper investigates their application as a capture device for BIM geometry creation over traditional static methods through a fit-for-purpose test.

Association between mild cognitive impairment and trajectory-based spatial parameters during timed up and go test using a laser range sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishiguchi, Shu; Yorozu, Ayanori; Adachi, Daiki; Takahashi, Masaki; Aoyama, Tomoki

2017-08-08

The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test may be a useful tool to detect not only mobility impairment but also possible cognitive impairment. In this cross-sectional study, we used the TUG test to investigate the associations between trajectory-based spatial parameters measured by laser range sensor (LRS) and cognitive impairment in community-dwelling older adults. The participants were 63 community-dwelling older adults (mean age, 73.0 ± 6.3 years). The trajectory-based spatial parameters during the TUG test were measured using an LRS. In each forward and backward phase, we calculated the minimum distance from the marker, the maximum distance from the x-axis (center line), the length of the trajectories, and the area of region surrounded by the trajectory of the center of gravity and the x-axis (center line). We measured mild cognitive impairment using the Mini-Mental State Examination score (26/27 was the cut-off score for defining mild cognitive impairment). Compared with participants with normal cognitive function, those with mild cognitive impairment exhibited the following trajectory-based spatial parameters: short minimum distance from the marker (p = 0.044), narrow area of center of gravity in the forward phase (p = 0.012), and a large forward/whole phase ratio of the area of the center of gravity (p = 0.026) during the TUG test. In multivariate logistic regression analyses, a short minimum distance from the marker (odds ratio [OR]: 0.82, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.69-0.98), narrow area of the center of gravity in the forward phase (OR: 0.01, 95% CI: 0.00-0.36), and large forward/whole phase ratio of the area of the center of gravity (OR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.88-0.99) were independently associated with mild cognitive impairment. In conclusion, our results indicate that some of the trajectory-based spatial parameters measured by LRS during the TUG test were independently associated with cognitive impairment in older adults. In particular, older adults with

Laser Beam Focus Analyser

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Peter Carøe; Hansen, Hans Nørgaard; Olsen, Flemming Ove

2007-01-01

the obtainable features in direct laser machining as well as heat affected zones in welding processes. This paper describes the development of a measuring unit capable of analysing beam shape and diameter of lasers to be used in manufacturing processes. The analyser is based on the principle of a rotating......The quantitative and qualitative description of laser beam characteristics is important for process implementation and optimisation. In particular, a need for quantitative characterisation of beam diameter was identified when using fibre lasers for micro manufacturing. Here the beam diameter limits...... mechanical wire being swept through the laser beam at varying Z-heights. The reflected signal is analysed and the resulting beam profile determined. The development comprised the design of a flexible fixture capable of providing both rotation and Z-axis movement, control software including data capture...

Composition of the excimer laser-induced plume produced during LASIK refractive surgery

Science.gov (United States)

Glickman, Randolph D.; Liu, Yun; Mayo, George L.; Baribeau, Alan D.; Starck, Tomy; Bankhead, Tom

2003-07-01

Because of concerns about potential hazards to surgical personnel of the plume associated with laser refractive surgery, this study was performed to characterize the composition of such plumes. Filter elements were removed from the smoke evacuator of a VISX S3 excimer laser (filter pore size ~0.3 microns) and from a Mastel Clean Room ( filter pore size ~0.2 microns) used with a LADARVISION excimer laser. The filters from both laser systems captured the laser-induced plumes from multiple, routine, LASIK patient procedures. Some filters were processed for scanning electron microscopy, while others were extracted with methanol and chloroform for biochemical analysis. Both the VISX "Final Air" filter and the Mastel "Clean Room" filter captured material that was not observed in filters that had clean operating room air only passed through them. In the VISX system, air flows through the filter unit parallel to the filter matrix. SEM analysis showed these filters captured discrete particles of 0.3 to 3.0 microns in size. In the Mastel Clean Room unit, air flows orthogonally through the filter, and the filter matrix was heavily layered with captured debris so that individual particles were not readily distinguished. Amino acid analysis and gel electrophoresis of extracted material revealed proteinaceous molecules as large as 5000 molecular weight. Such large molecules in the laser plume are not predicted by the existing theory of photochemical ablation. The presence of relatively large biomolecules may constitute a risk of allergenic reactions in personnel exposed to the plume, and also calls into question the precise mechanism of excimer laser photochemical ablation. Supported by the RMG Research Endowment, and Research to Prevent Blindness

Simple Smartphone-Based Guiding System for Visually Impaired People.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Bor-Shing; Lee, Cheng-Che; Chiang, Pei-Ying

2017-06-13

Visually impaired people are often unaware of dangers in front of them, even in familiar environments. Furthermore, in unfamiliar environments, such people require guidance to reduce the risk of colliding with obstacles. This study proposes a simple smartphone-based guiding system for solving the navigation problems for visually impaired people and achieving obstacle avoidance to enable visually impaired people to travel smoothly from a beginning point to a destination with greater awareness of their surroundings. In this study, a computer image recognition system and smartphone application were integrated to form a simple assisted guiding system. Two operating modes, online mode and offline mode, can be chosen depending on network availability. When the system begins to operate, the smartphone captures the scene in front of the user and sends the captured images to the backend server to be processed. The backend server uses the faster region convolutional neural network algorithm or the you only look once algorithm to recognize multiple obstacles in every image, and it subsequently sends the results back to the smartphone. The results of obstacle recognition in this study reached 60%, which is sufficient for assisting visually impaired people in realizing the types and locations of obstacles around them.

Simple Smartphone-Based Guiding System for Visually Impaired People

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bor-Shing Lin

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Visually impaired people are often unaware of dangers in front of them, even in familiar environments. Furthermore, in unfamiliar environments, such people require guidance to reduce the risk of colliding with obstacles. This study proposes a simple smartphone-based guiding system for solving the navigation problems for visually impaired people and achieving obstacle avoidance to enable visually impaired people to travel smoothly from a beginning point to a destination with greater awareness of their surroundings. In this study, a computer image recognition system and smartphone application were integrated to form a simple assisted guiding system. Two operating modes, online mode and offline mode, can be chosen depending on network availability. When the system begins to operate, the smartphone captures the scene in front of the user and sends the captured images to the backend server to be processed. The backend server uses the faster region convolutional neural network algorithm or the you only look once algorithm to recognize multiple obstacles in every image, and it subsequently sends the results back to the smartphone. The results of obstacle recognition in this study reached 60%, which is sufficient for assisting visually impaired people in realizing the types and locations of obstacles around them.

Photocoagulation of microvascular and hemorrhagic lesions of the vocal fold with the KTP laser.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirano, Shigeru; Yamashita, Masaru; Kitamura, Morimasa; Takagita, Shin-ichi

2006-04-01

Ectasias and varices of the vocal fold are microvascular lesions that are often due to chronic abuse of the voice, and are occasionally encountered in association with other disorders such as polyps, Reinke's edema, and hematoma. The KTP laser can be used for photocoagulation of small vascular lesions, because the laser beam is well absorbed by hemoglobin, and damage to the epithelium is minimal. The present pilot study examined how the KTP laser could be used for microvascular lesions and their associated lesions. Twelve patients who had undergone phonomicrosurgery were enrolled in the present study. The microvascular lesions were treated by photocoagulation with the laser set at a low power of 1.5 W in the continuous mode, while preserving the epithelium, and associated lesions were then treated by microdissection with cold instruments. The postoperative phonatory function was assessed by maximum phonation time, a perceptual test rating (GRBAS scale), and stroboscopy. The procedures were completed successfully in all cases. An exceptional case of a small hemorrhagic polyp allowed treatment with the laser only. The postoperative stroboscopic findings, maximum phonation time, and perceptual test rating all showed significant improvement compared with the preoperative state. No adverse effects, such as scarring or reduction of the mucosal wave, were observed in the current series. KTP laser photocoagulation is a relatively simple and safe procedure for treating microvascular lesions of the vocal fold. It is not recommended for photocoagulation of hemorrhagic polyps or hematomas, because such lesions have little blood flow inside and thus photocoagulation is usually impossible or requires too much laser energy. However, photocoagulation of perimeter or feeding vessels of such disorders may facilitate the following procedure by avoiding unnecessary bleeding, as well as preventing recurrence of hemorrhagic lesions.

Probing plasma wakefields using electron bunches generated from a laser wakefield accelerator

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, C. J.; Wan, Y.; Guo, B.; Hua, J. F.; Pai, C.-H.; Li, F.; Zhang, J.; Ma, Y.; Wu, Y. P.; Xu, X. L.; Mori, W. B.; Chu, H.-H.; Wang, J.; Lu, W.; Joshi, C.

2018-04-01

We show experimental results of probing the electric field structure of plasma wakes by using femtosecond relativistic electron bunches generated from a laser wakefield accelerator. Snapshots of laser-driven linear wakes in plasmas with different densities and density gradients are captured. The spatiotemporal evolution of the wake in a plasma density up-ramp is recorded. Two parallel wakes driven by a laser with a main spot and sidelobes are identified in the experiment and reproduced in simulations. The capability of this new method for capturing the electron- and positron-driven wakes is also shown via 3D particle-in-cell simulations.

A bottleneck model of set-specific capture.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katherine Sledge Moore

Full Text Available Set-specific contingent attentional capture is a particularly strong form of capture that occurs when multiple attentional sets guide visual search (e.g., "search for green letters" and "search for orange letters". In this type of capture, a potential target that matches one attentional set (e.g. a green stimulus impairs the ability to identify a temporally proximal target that matches another attentional set (e.g. an orange stimulus. In the present study, we investigated whether set-specific capture stems from a bottleneck in working memory or from a depletion of limited resources that are distributed across multiple attentional sets. In each trial, participants searched a rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP stream for up to three target letters (T1-T3 that could appear in any of three target colors (orange, green, or lavender. The most revealing findings came from trials in which T1 and T2 matched different attentional sets and were both identified. In these trials, T3 accuracy was lower when it did not match T1's set than when it did match, but only when participants failed to identify T2. These findings support a bottleneck model of set-specific capture in which a limited-capacity mechanism in working memory enhances only one attentional set at a time, rather than a resource model in which processing capacity is simultaneously distributed across multiple attentional sets.

Vesicular signalling and immune modulation as hedonic fingerprints

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bisgaard, Christina F; Bak, Steffen; Christensen, Trine

2012-01-01

versions of DYN1 and GSTO1 potentially accounted for SSRI treatment refraction. In the present study, we searched for new markers of stress reactivity and treatment response as well as any underlying molecular mechanisms correlating to the development of anhedonia and antidepressant therapy refraction. Our...... the chronic mild stress (CMS) model of depression using chronic administration with two selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), escitalopram and sertraline. We isolated granular cells using Laser-Capture Microdissection (LCM) and we identified their regulated proteins using two-dimensional (2D...... alpha (GDIA) and syntaxin-binding protein 1 (STXB1) were potential markers for stress reactivity. Dynamin 1 (DYN1), glutathione S-transferase omega-1 (GSTO1) and peroxiredoxin (PRDX6) were associated with treatment response. In addition, an imbalance between different post-translationally modified...

Enrichment and Identification of the Most Abundant Zinc Binding Proteins in Developing Barley Grains by Zinc-IMAC Capture and Nano LC-MS/MS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giuseppe Dionisio

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Zinc accumulates in the embryo, aleurone, and subaleurone layers at different amounts in cereal grains. Our hypothesis is that zinc could be stored bound, not only to low MW metabolites/proteins, but also to high MW proteins as well. Methods: In order to identify the most abundant zinc binding proteins in different grain tissues, we microdissected barley grains into (1 seed coats; (2 aleurone/subaleurone; (3 embryo; and (4 endosperm. Initial screening for putative zinc binding proteins from the different tissue types was performed by fractionating proteins according to solubility (Osborne fractionation, and resolving those via Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE followed by polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF membrane blotting and dithizone staining. Selected protein fractions were subjected to Zn2+-immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography, and the captured proteins were identified using nanoscale liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (nanoLC-MS/MS. Results: In the endosperm, the most abundant zinc binding proteins were the storage protein B-hordeins, gamma-, and D-hordeins, while in the embryo, 7S globulins storage proteins exhibited zinc binding. In the aleurone/subaleurone, zinc affinity captured proteins were late abundant embryogenesis proteins, dehydrins, many isoforms of non-specific lipid transfer proteins, and alpha amylase trypsin inhibitor. Conclusions: We have shown evidence that abundant barley grain proteins have been captured by Zn-IMAC, and their zinc binding properties in relationship to the possibility of zinc storage is discussed.

High-Rate Data-Capture for an Airborne Lidar System

Science.gov (United States)

Valett, Susan; Hicks, Edward; Dabney, Philip; Harding, David

2012-01-01

A high-rate data system was required to capture the data for an airborne lidar system. A data system was developed that achieved up to 22 million (64-bit) events per second sustained data rate (1408 million bits per second), as well as short bursts (less than 4 s) at higher rates. All hardware used for the system was off the shelf, but carefully selected to achieve these rates. The system was used to capture laser fire, single-photon detection, and GPS data for the Slope Imaging Multi-polarization Photo-counting Lidar (SIMPL). However, the system has applications for other laser altimeter systems (waveform-recording), mass spectroscopy, xray radiometry imaging, high-background- rate ranging lidar, and other similar areas where very high-speed data capture is needed. The data capture software was used for the SIMPL instrument that employs a micropulse, single-photon ranging measurement approach and has 16 data channels. The detected single photons are from two sources those reflected from the target and solar background photons. The instrument is non-gated, so background photons are acquired for a range window of 13 km and can comprise many times the number of target photons. The highest background rate occurs when the atmosphere is clear, the Sun is high, and the target is a highly reflective surface such as snow. Under these conditions, the total data rate for the 16 channels combined is expected to be approximately 22 million events per second. For each photon detection event, the data capture software reads the relative time of receipt, with respect to a one-per-second absolute time pulse from a GPS receiver, from an event timer card with 0.1-ns precision, and records that information to a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) storage device. The relative time of laser pulse firings must also be read and recorded with the same precision. Each of the four event timer cards handles the throughput from four of the channels. For each detection event, a flag is

Chromosome microdissection and cloning in human genome and genetic disease analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kao, Faten; Yu, Jingwei

1991-01-01

A procedure has been described for microdissection and microcloning of human chromosomal DNA sequences in which universal amplification of the dissected fragments by Mbo I linker adaptor and polymerase chain reaction is used. A very large library comprising 700,000 recombinant plasmid microclones from 30 dissected chromosomes of human chromosome 21 was constructed. Colony hybridization showed that 42% of the clones contained repetitive sequences and 58% contained single or low-copy sequences. The insert sizes generated by complete Mbo I cleavage ranged from 50 to 1,100 base pairs with a mean of 416 base pairs. Southern blot analysis of microclones from the library confirmed their human origin and chromosome 21 specificity. Some of these clones have also been regionally mapped to specific sites of chromosome 21 by using a regional mapping panel of cell hybrids. This chromosome microtechnology can generate large numbers of microclones with unique sequences from defined chromosomal regions and can be used for processes such as (i) isolating corresponding yeast artificial chromosome clones with large inserts, (ii) screening various cDNA libraries for isolating expressed sequences, and (iii) constructing region-specific libraries of the entire human genome. The studies described here demonstrate the power of this technology for high-resolution genome analysis and explicate their use in an efficient search for disease-associated genes localized to specific chromosomal regions

Molecular approach of the fragile chromosomal region Xq31-34 in cattle (Bos taurus by microdissection and DOP-PCR Aproximação molecular da região cromossômica frágil Xq31-34 em bovinos (Bos taurus utilizando microdissecação cromossômica e DOP-PCR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Llambí

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Fragile sites (FS are chromosomal regions where the normal compactation of chromatine is not observed. FRAXA (Fra Xq27.3, X sexual chromosome is one of the most studied FS in humans. FRAXA is an expansion of the trinucleotide CGG located in the gene FMR-1. In cattle, sites of chromosomal fragility were reported in BTAX, associated with different pathologies and fertility impairment. Chromosomal microdissection has became a valuable tool for isolating chromatine fragments. In this work, it was combined the chromosomal microdissection technique with DOP-PCR in order to carry out a molecular analysis of the fragile chromosomal region BTAXq31-34. In that region, polymorphic DNA-RAPD sequences (GC rich are present and sequences of the gene FMR-1 are missing. The results showed the usefulness of the microdissection-DOP-PCR technique for molecular characterization of fragile chromosomal sites in cattle.Os sítios frágeis (FS são regiões de cromossomo onde a compactação normal da cromatina não é realizada. O FRAXA (Fra Xq27.3, cromossomo sexual X é um dos FS mais estudados em seres humanos. O FRAXA apresenta expansão do trinucleotídeo CGG localizado no gene FMR-1. Em bovinos, existem estudos informando sobre fragilidade cromossômica em BTAX associada com diversas patologias e alterações na fertilidade. A microdissecação cromossômica é uma valiosa técnica para isolar fragmentos de cromatina. Neste trabalho, combinou-se a técnica de microdissecação de cromossomo com DOP-PCR para executar a análise molecular da região do sitio frágil cromossômico BTAXq31-34. Naquela região estão presentes seqüências do polimorfo DNA-RAPD (rico em GC, em que as seqüências do gene FMR-1 estão ausentes. Os resultados mostram a utilidade da técnica de microdissecação-DOP-PCR para a caracterização molecular de sítios frágeis cromossômicos em bovinos.

Leisure and health benefits among Korean adolescents with visual impairments

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Junhyoung; Park, Se-Hyuk

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Purpose: The purpose of the study was to explore health benefits through leisure engagement among Korean adolescents with visual impairments. Method: Using semi-structured interviews, a total of 14 adolescents with visual impairments participated in this study. Results: Two salient themes were captured as health benefits as a result of leisure engagement: psychological wellbeing and personal growth. Conclusions: The findings suggest that leisure provides a venue for the development of self-expression, leisure skills, perseverance, and positive affects. It also indicates that leisure can serve as a vehicle for promoting health and life satisfaction among Korean adolescents with visual impairments. PMID:29513097

Breakdown plasma and vortex flow control for laser ignition using a combination of nano- and femto-second lasers.

Science.gov (United States)

Kojima, Hirokazu; Takahashi, Eiichi; Furutani, Hirohide

2014-01-13

The breakdown plasma and successive flow leading to combustion are controlled by the combination of a nano-second Nd:YAG laser and a femto-second Ti:Sapphire (TiS) laser. The behaviors are captured by an intensified charged coupled device (ICCD) camera and a high-speed schlieren optical system. The TiS laser determines the initial position of the breakdown by supplying the initial electrons in the optical axis of focusing YAG laser pulses. We show that the initial position of the breakdown can be controlled by the incident position of the TiS laser. In addition, the ignition lean limit of the flammable mixture changes depending on the TiS laser incident position, which is influenced by hot gas distribution and the flow in the flame kernel.

Active solution of homography for pavement crack recovery with four laser lines.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Guan; Chen, Fang; Wu, Guangwei; Li, Xiaotao

2018-05-08

An active solution method of the homography, which is derived from four laser lines, is proposed to recover the pavement cracks captured by the camera to the real-dimension cracks in the pavement plane. The measurement system, including a camera and four laser projectors, captures the projection laser points on the 2D reference in different positions. The projection laser points are reconstructed in the camera coordinate system. Then, the laser lines are initialized and optimized by the projection laser points. Moreover, the plane-indicated Plücker matrices of the optimized laser lines are employed to model the laser projection points of the laser lines on the pavement. The image-pavement homography is actively determined by the solutions of the perpendicular feet of the projection laser points. The pavement cracks are recovered by the active solution of homography in the experiments. The recovery accuracy of the active solution method is verified by the 2D dimension-known reference. The test case with the measurement distance of 700 mm and the relative angle of 8° achieves the smallest recovery error of 0.78 mm in the experimental investigations, which indicates the application potentials in the vision-based pavement inspection.

Absolute GPS Time Event Generation and Capture for Remote Locations

Science.gov (United States)

HIRES Collaboration

The HiRes experiment operates fixed location and portable lasers at remote desert locations to generate calibration events. One physics goal of HiRes is to search for unusual showers. These may appear similar to upward or horizontally pointing laser tracks used for atmospheric calibration. It is therefore necessary to remove all of these calibration events from the HiRes detector data stream in a physics blind manner. A robust and convenient "tagging" method is to generate the calibration events at precisely known times. To facilitate this tagging method we have developed the GPSY (Global Positioning System YAG) module. It uses a GPS receiver, an embedded processor and additional timing logic to generate laser triggers at arbitrary programmed times and frequencies with better than 100nS accuracy. The GPSY module has two trigger outputs (one microsecond resolution) to trigger the laser flash-lamp and Q-switch and one event capture input (25nS resolution). The GPSY module can be programmed either by a front panel menu based interface or by a host computer via an RS232 serial interface. The latter also allows for computer logging of generated and captured event times. Details of the design and the implementation of these devices will be presented. 1 Motivation Air Showers represent a small fraction, much less than a percent, of the total High Resolution Fly's Eye data sample. The bulk of the sample is calibration data. Most of this calibration data is generated by two types of systems that use lasers. One type sends light directly to the detectors via optical fibers to monitor detector gains (Girard 2001). The other sends a beam of light into the sky and the scattered light that reaches the detectors is used to monitor atmospheric effects (Wiencke 1998). It is important that these calibration events be cleanly separated from the rest of the sample both to provide a complete set of monitoring information, and more

Augmented reality in laser laboratories

Science.gov (United States)

Quercioli, Franco

2018-05-01

Laser safety glasses block visibility of the laser light. This is a big nuisance when a clear view of the beam path is required. A headset made up of a smartphone and a viewer can overcome this problem. The user looks at the image of the real world on the cellphone display, captured by its rear camera. An unimpeded and safe sight of the laser beam is then achieved. If the infrared blocking filter of the smartphone camera is removed, the spectral sensitivity of the CMOS image sensor extends in the near infrared region up to 1100 nm. This substantial improvement widens the usability of the device to many laser systems for industrial and medical applications, which are located in this spectral region. The paper describes this modification of a phone camera to extend its sensitivity beyond the visible and make a true augmented reality laser viewer.

Local Dynamic Stability Assessment of Motion Impaired Elderly Using Electronic Textile Pants.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jian; Lockhart, Thurmon E; Jones, Mark; Martin, Tom

2008-10-01

A clear association has been demonstrated between gait stability and falls in the elderly. Integration of wearable computing and human dynamic stability measures into home automation systems may help differentiate fall-prone individuals in a residential environment. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the capability of a pair of electronic textile (e-textile) pants system to assess local dynamic stability and to differentiate motion-impaired elderly from their healthy counterparts. A pair of e-textile pants comprised of numerous e-TAGs at locations corresponding to lower extremity joints was developed to collect acceleration, angular velocity and piezoelectric data. Four motion-impaired elderly together with nine healthy individuals (both young and old) participated in treadmill walking with a motion capture system simultaneously collecting kinematic data. Local dynamic stability, characterized by maximum Lyapunov exponent, was computed based on vertical acceleration and angular velocity at lower extremity joints for the measurements from both e-textile and motion capture systems. Results indicated that the motion-impaired elderly had significantly higher maximum Lyapunov exponents (computed from vertical acceleration data) than healthy individuals at the right ankle and hip joints. In addition, maximum Lyapunov exponents assessed by the motion capture system were found to be significantly higher than those assessed by the e-textile system. Despite the difference between these measurement techniques, attaching accelerometers at the ankle and hip joints was shown to be an effective sensor configuration. It was concluded that the e-textile pants system, via dynamic stability assessment, has the potential to identify motion-impaired elderly.

Impaired healing of cervical oesophagogastrostomies can be predicted by estimation of gastric serosal blood perfusion by laser Doppler flowmetry.

Science.gov (United States)

Pierie, J P; De Graaf, P W; Poen, H; Van der Tweel, I; Obertop, H

1994-11-01

To assess the value of relative blood perfusion of the gastric tube in prediction of impaired healing of cervical oesophagogastrostomies. Prospective study. University hospital, The Netherlands. Thirty patients undergoing transhiatal oesophagectomy and partial gastrectomy for cancer of the oesophagus or oesophagogastric junction, with gastric tube reconstruction and cervical oesophagogastrostomy. Operative measurement of gastric blood perfusion at four sites by laser Doppler flowmetry and perfusion of the same sites after construction of the gastric tube expressed as a percentage of preconstruction values. The relative perfusion at the most proximal site of the gastric tube was significantly lower than at the more distal sites (p = 0.001). Nine of 18 patients (50%) in whom the perfusion of the proximal gastric tube was less than 70% of preconstruction values developed an anastomotic stricture, compared with only 1 of 12 patients (8%) with a relative perfusion of 70% or more (p = 0.024). A reduction in perfusion of the gastric tube did not predict leakage. Impaired anastomotic healing is unlikely if relative perfusion is 70% or more of preconstruction values. Perfusion of less than 70% partly predicts the occurrence of anastomotic stricture, but leakage cannot be predicted. Factors other than blood perfusion may have a role in the process of anastomotic healing.

Histology-Based Expression Profiling Yields Novel Prognostic Markers in Human Glioblastoma

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Shumin; Nutt, Catherine L.; Betensky, Rebecca A.; Stemmer-Rachamimov, Anat O.; Denko, Nicholas C.; Ligon, Keith L.; Rowitch, David H.; Louis, David N.

2006-01-01

Although the prognosis for patients with glioblastoma is poor, survival is variable, with some patients surviving longer than others. For this reason, there has been longstanding interest in the identi-fication of prognostic markers for glioblastoma. We hypothesized that specific histologic features known to correlate with malignancy most likely express molecules that are directly related to the aggressive behavior of these tumors. We further hypothesized that such molecules could be used as biomarkers to predict behavior in a manner that might add prognostic power to sole histologic observation of the feature. We reasoned that perinecrotic tumor cell palisading, which denotes the most aggressive forms of malignant gliomas, would be a striking histologic feature on which to test this hypothesis. We therefore used laser capture microdissection and oligonucleotide arrays to detect molecules differentially expressed in perinecrotic palisades. A set of RNAs (including POFUT2, PTDSR, PLOD2, ATF5, and HK2) that were differentially expressed in 3 initially studied, micro-dissected glioblastomas also provided prognostic information in an independent set of 28 glioblastomas that did not all have perinecrotic palisades. On validation in a second, larger independent series, this approach could be applied to other human glioma types to derive tissue biomarkers that could offer ancillary prognostic and predictive information alongside standard histopathologic examination. PMID:16254489

White-light laser cooling of ions in a storage ring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calabrese, R.; Guidi, V.; Lenisa, P.; Grimm, R.; Miesner, H.J.; Mariotti, E.; Siena Univ.; Moi, L.; Siena Univ.

1996-01-01

We propose the use of a white laser for laser cooling of ions in a storage ring. The use of a broad-band laser provides a radiation pressure force with wide velocity capture range and high magnitude, which is promising to improve the performance of both longitudinal and indirect transverse cooling. This wide-range force could also be suitable for direct transverse cooling of low-density beams. (orig.)

Laser Capture and Deep Sequencing Reveals the Transcriptomic Programmes Regulating the Onset of Pancreas and Liver Differentiation in Human Embryos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rachel E. Jennings

2017-11-01

Full Text Available To interrogate the alternative fates of pancreas and liver in the earliest stages of human organogenesis, we developed laser capture, RNA amplification, and computational analysis of deep sequencing. Pancreas-enriched gene expression was less conserved between human and mouse than for liver. The dorsal pancreatic bud was enriched for components of Notch, Wnt, BMP, and FGF signaling, almost all genes known to cause pancreatic agenesis or hypoplasia, and over 30 unexplored transcription factors. SOX9 and RORA were imputed as key regulators in pancreas compared with EP300, HNF4A, and FOXA family members in liver. Analyses implied that current in vitro human stem cell differentiation follows a dorsal rather than a ventral pancreatic program and pointed to additional factors for hepatic differentiation. In summary, we provide the transcriptional codes regulating the start of human liver and pancreas development to facilitate stem cell research and clinical interpretation without inter-species extrapolation.

High expression of microRNA-625-3p is associated with poor response to first-line oxaliplatin based treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Mads Heilskov; Jensen, Niels; Tarpgaard, Line Schmidt

2013-01-01

The backbone of current cytotoxic treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) consists of a fluoropyrimidine together with either oxaliplatin (XELOX/FOLFOX) or irinotecan (XELIRI/FOLFIRI). With an overall objective response rate of approximately 50% for either treatment combination, a major...... analyses showed that miR-625-3p was not dysregulated between normal and cancer samples, nor was its expression associated with recurrence of stage II or III disease, indicating that miR-625-3p solely is a response marker. Finally, we also found that these miRNAs were up-regulated in oxaliplatin resistant...... unsolved problem is that no predictors of response to these treatments are available. To address this issue, we profiled 742 microRNAs in laser-capture microdissected cancer cells from responding and non-responding patients receiving XELOX/FOLFOX as first-line treatment for mCRC, and identified, among...

Nociceptor-Enriched Genes Required for Normal Thermal Nociception

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ken Honjo

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Here, we describe a targeted reverse genetic screen for thermal nociception genes in Drosophila larvae. Using laser capture microdissection and microarray analyses of nociceptive and non-nociceptive neurons, we identified 275 nociceptor-enriched genes. We then tested the function of the enriched genes with nociceptor-specific RNAi and thermal nociception assays. Tissue-specific RNAi targeted against 14 genes caused insensitive thermal nociception while targeting of 22 genes caused hypersensitive thermal nociception. Previously uncategorized genes were named for heat resistance (i.e., boilerman, fire dancer, oven mitt, trivet, thawb, and bunker gear or heat sensitivity (firelighter, black match, eucalyptus, primacord, jet fuel, detonator, gasoline, smoke alarm, and jetboil. Insensitive nociception phenotypes were often associated with severely reduced branching of nociceptor neurites and hyperbranched dendrites were seen in two of the hypersensitive cases. Many genes that we identified are conserved in mammals.

Quantum dot laser optimization: selectively doped layers

Science.gov (United States)

Korenev, Vladimir V.; Konoplev, Sergey S.; Savelyev, Artem V.; Shernyakov, Yurii M.; Maximov, Mikhail V.; Zhukov, Alexey E.

2016-08-01

Edge emitting quantum dot (QD) lasers are discussed. It has been recently proposed to use modulation p-doping of the layers that are adjacent to QD layers in order to control QD's charge state. Experimentally it has been proven useful to enhance ground state lasing and suppress the onset of excited state lasing at high injection. These results have been also confirmed with numerical calculations involving solution of drift-diffusion equations. However, deep understanding of physical reasons for such behavior and laser optimization requires analytical approaches to the problem. In this paper, under a set of assumptions we provide an analytical model that explains major effects of selective p-doping. Capture rates of elections and holes can be calculated by solving Poisson equations for electrons and holes around the charged QD layer. The charge itself is ruled by capture rates and selective doping concentration. We analyzed this self-consistent set of equations and showed that it can be used to optimize QD laser performance and to explain underlying physics.

Quantum dot laser optimization: selectively doped layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korenev, Vladimir V; Konoplev, Sergey S; Savelyev, Artem V; Shernyakov, Yurii M; Maximov, Mikhail V; Zhukov, Alexey E

2016-01-01

Edge emitting quantum dot (QD) lasers are discussed. It has been recently proposed to use modulation p-doping of the layers that are adjacent to QD layers in order to control QD's charge state. Experimentally it has been proven useful to enhance ground state lasing and suppress the onset of excited state lasing at high injection. These results have been also confirmed with numerical calculations involving solution of drift-diffusion equations. However, deep understanding of physical reasons for such behavior and laser optimization requires analytical approaches to the problem. In this paper, under a set of assumptions we provide an analytical model that explains major effects of selective p-doping. Capture rates of elections and holes can be calculated by solving Poisson equations for electrons and holes around the charged QD layer. The charge itself is ruled by capture rates and selective doping concentration. We analyzed this self-consistent set of equations and showed that it can be used to optimize QD laser performance and to explain underlying physics. (paper)

Laser-heating of hydrogen plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foeldes, I.B.; Ignacz, P.N.; Kocsis, G.

1990-10-01

The possibility of creating a fully ionized hydrogen plasma to investigate the capture of slow antiprotons is discussed. Laser heating of the initially discharge-created arc or Z-pinch plasma is proposed. Within the framework of a simple 1-dimensional model based on the energy balance equation alone it is shown that plasma equilibrium can be sustained for 10 μs. A simple pulsed CO 2 laser with this pulse duration and an energy of about 10-30 J is sufficient for heating. (author) 16 refs.; 3 figs

Laser-based structural sensing and surface damage detection

Science.gov (United States)

Guldur, Burcu

Damage due to age or accumulated damage from hazards on existing structures poses a worldwide problem. In order to evaluate the current status of aging, deteriorating and damaged structures, it is vital to accurately assess the present conditions. It is possible to capture the in situ condition of structures by using laser scanners that create dense three-dimensional point clouds. This research investigates the use of high resolution three-dimensional terrestrial laser scanners with image capturing abilities as tools to capture geometric range data of complex scenes for structural engineering applications. Laser scanning technology is continuously improving, with commonly available scanners now capturing over 1,000,000 texture-mapped points per second with an accuracy of ~2 mm. However, automatically extracting meaningful information from point clouds remains a challenge, and the current state-of-the-art requires significant user interaction. The first objective of this research is to use widely accepted point cloud processing steps such as registration, feature extraction, segmentation, surface fitting and object detection to divide laser scanner data into meaningful object clusters and then apply several damage detection methods to these clusters. This required establishing a process for extracting important information from raw laser-scanned data sets such as the location, orientation and size of objects in a scanned region, and location of damaged regions on a structure. For this purpose, first a methodology for processing range data to identify objects in a scene is presented and then, once the objects from model library are correctly detected and fitted into the captured point cloud, these fitted objects are compared with the as-is point cloud of the investigated object to locate defects on the structure. The algorithms are demonstrated on synthetic scenes and validated on range data collected from test specimens and test-bed bridges. The second objective of

A pitfall of glomerular sieving: profibrotic and matrix proteins derive from the Bowman's capsule and not the glomerular tuft in rats with renovascular hypertension.

Science.gov (United States)

Steinmetz, O M; Panzer, U; Fehr, S; Meyer-Schwesinger, C; Stahl, R A K; Wenzel, U O

2007-10-01

The glomeruli in the non-clipped kidney of rats with 2-kidney, 1-clip hypertension are a classical model for studying the mechanisms of glomerular injury. In the present study, we compared the glomerular expression of PAI-1 and collagen I alpha1 mRNA from glomeruli isolated by the classic technique of sieving with the recently developed technique of tissue laser microdissection. For quantification of mRNA from both methods, real-time PCR was used. Real-time PCR revealed a 9.0 +/- 1.3- and a 7.1 +/- 0.2-fold induction of PAI-1 and collagen I alpha 1, respectively, in the glomeruli from hypertensive rats isolated by sieving. However, in situ hybridization and microdissection revealed that expression of both mRNAs was mainly from the Bowman's capsule and not from the glomerular tuft (10.7 +/- 1.3- and 7.2 +/- 0.6-fold higher induction in whole glomeruli compared with tuft alone). This emphasizes that studies focusing on processes in the mesangium, endothelial cells or podocytes should not rely on glomeruli obtained by sieving. Rather, a technique like the laser microdissection or in situ hybridization should be applied which allows the clear separation of different glomerular and periglomerular compartments.

Detection and capture of single circulating melanoma cells using photoacoustic flowmetry

Science.gov (United States)

O'Brien, Christine; Mosley, Jeffrey; Goldschmidt, Benjamin S.; Viator, John A.

2010-02-01

Photoacoustic flowmetry has been used to detect single circulating melanoma cells in vitro. Circulating melanoma cells are those cells that travel in the blood and lymph systems to create secondary tumors and are the hallmark of metastasis. This technique involves taking blood samples from patients, separating the white blood and melanoma cells from whole blood and irradiating them with a pulsed laser in a flowmetry set up. Rapid, visible wavelength laser pulses on the order of 5 ns can induce photoacoustic waves in melanoma cells due to their melanin content, while surrounding white blood cells remain acoustically passive. We have developed a system that identifies rare melanoma cells and captures them in 50 microliter volumes using suction applied near the photoacoustic detection chamber. The 50 microliter sample is then diluted and the experiment is repeated using the new sample until only a melanoma cell remains. We have tested this system on dyed microspheres ranging in size from 300 to 500 microns. Capture of circulating melanoma cells may provide the opportunity to study metastatic cells for basic understanding of the spread of cancer and to optimize patient specific therapies.

Reproducibility of Protein Identification of Selected Cell Types in Barrett's Esophagus Analyzed by Combining Laser-Capture Microdissection and Mass Spectrometry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stingl, Christoph; van Vilsteren, Frederike G. I.; Guzel, Coskun; ten Kate, Fiebo J. W.; Visser, Mike; Krishnadath, Kausilia K.; Bergman, Jacques J.; Luider, Theo M.

2011-01-01

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is associated with increased risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and characterized by replacement of normal esophageal squamous epithelium by columnar epithelium. These alterations are also reflected in changes in the protein-expression profiles of the cell types

A Self-Assessment Stereo Capture Model Applicable to the Internet of Things

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yancong; Yang, Jiachen; Lv, Zhihan; Wei, Wei; Song, Houbing

2015-01-01

The realization of the Internet of Things greatly depends on the information communication among physical terminal devices and informationalized platforms, such as smart sensors, embedded systems and intelligent networks. Playing an important role in information acquisition, sensors for stereo capture have gained extensive attention in various fields. In this paper, we concentrate on promoting such sensors in an intelligent system with self-assessment capability to deal with the distortion and impairment in long-distance shooting applications. The core design is the establishment of the objective evaluation criteria that can reliably predict shooting quality with different camera configurations. Two types of stereo capture systems—toed-in camera configuration and parallel camera configuration—are taken into consideration respectively. The experimental results show that the proposed evaluation criteria can effectively predict the visual perception of stereo capture quality for long-distance shooting. PMID:26308004

RADIOMETRIC CALIBRATION OF AIRBORNE LASER SCANNING DATA

OpenAIRE

Pilarska Magdalena

2016-01-01

Airborne laser scanning (ALS) is widely used passive remote sensing technique. The radiometric calibration of ALS data is presented in this article. This process is a necessary element in data processing since it eliminates the influence of the external factors on the obtained values of radiometric features such as range and incidence angle. The datasets were captured with three different laser scanners; since each of these operates at a different wavelength (532, 106 4 and 1550 nm) th...

Free-electron laser results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stein, W.E.; Brau, C.A.; Newnam, B.E.; Warren, R.W.; Winston, J.; Young, L.M.

1981-01-01

The Los Alamos free-electron laser (FEL) amplifier experiment was designed to demonstrate high efficiency for transfer of energy from an electron beam to a light beam in the magnetic field of a tapered wiggler. Initial results indicate an energy transfer consistent with theory. Distinct groups of decelerated electrons as well as accelerated electrons are clearly present in the energy spectrum of electrons emerging from the wiggler when the laser light is present. The observed energy decrease for the electrons captured in the decelerating bucket is approx. 6% and the average decrease of the entire energy distribution is approx. 2% for the conditions of these initial measurements

New insights in the homotopic and heterotopic connectivity of the frontal portion of the human corpus callosum revealed by microdissection and diffusion tractography.

Science.gov (United States)

De Benedictis, Alessandro; Petit, Laurent; Descoteaux, Maxime; Marras, Carlo Efisio; Barbareschi, Mattia; Corsini, Francesco; Dallabona, Monica; Chioffi, Franco; Sarubbo, Silvio

2016-12-01

Extensive studies revealed that the human corpus callosum (CC) plays a crucial role in providing large-scale bi-hemispheric integration of sensory, motor and cognitive processing, especially within the frontal lobe. However, the literature lacks of conclusive data regarding the structural macroscopic connectivity of the frontal CC. In this study, a novel microdissection approach was adopted, to expose the frontal fibers of CC from the dorsum to the lateral cortex in eight hemispheres and in one entire brain. Post-mortem results were then combined with data from advanced constrained spherical deconvolution in 130 healthy subjects. We demonstrated as the frontal CC provides dense inter-hemispheric connections. In particular, we found three types of fronto-callosal fibers, having a dorso-ventral organization. First, the dorso-medial CC fibers subserve homotopic connections between the homologous medial cortices of the superior frontal gyrus. Second, the ventro-lateral CC fibers subserve homotopic connections between lateral frontal cortices, including both the middle frontal gyrus and the inferior frontal gyrus, as well as heterotopic connections between the medial and lateral frontal cortices. Third, the ventro-striatal CC fibers connect the medial and lateral frontal cortices with the contralateral putamen and caudate nucleus. We also highlighted an intricate crossing of CC fibers with the main association pathways terminating in the lateral regions of the frontal lobes. This combined approach of ex vivo microdissection and in vivo diffusion tractography allowed demonstrating a previously unappreciated three-dimensional architecture of the anterior frontal CC, thus clarifying the functional role of the CC in mediating the inter-hemispheric connectivity. Hum Brain Mapp 37:4718-4735, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Recycling energy to restore impaired ankle function during human walking.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steven H Collins

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Humans normally dissipate significant energy during walking, largely at the transitions between steps. The ankle then acts to restore energy during push-off, which may be the reason that ankle impairment nearly always leads to poorer walking economy. The replacement of lost energy is necessary for steady gait, in which mechanical energy is constant on average, external dissipation is negligible, and no net work is performed over a stride. However, dissipation and replacement by muscles might not be necessary if energy were instead captured and reused by an assistive device. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We developed a microprocessor-controlled artificial foot that captures some of the energy that is normally dissipated by the leg and "recycles" it as positive ankle work. In tests on subjects walking with an artificially-impaired ankle, a conventional prosthesis reduced ankle push-off work and increased net metabolic energy expenditure by 23% compared to normal walking. Energy recycling restored ankle push-off to normal and reduced the net metabolic energy penalty to 14%. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These results suggest that reduced ankle push-off contributes to the increased metabolic energy expenditure accompanying ankle impairments, and demonstrate that energy recycling can be used to reduce such cost.

Electron capture by highly charged low-velocity ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cocke, C.L.; Dubois, R.; Justiniano, E.; Gray, T.J.; Can, C.

1982-01-01

This paper describes the use of a fast heavy ion beam to produce, by bombardment of gaseous targets, highly-charged low-velocity recoil ions, and the use of these secondary ions in turn as projectiles in studies of electron capture and ionization in low-energy collision systems. The interest in collisions involving low-energy highly-charged projectiles comes both from the somewhat simplifying aspects of the physics which attend the long-range capture and from applications to fusion plasmas, astrophysics and more speculative technology such as the production of X-ray lasers. The ions of interest in such applications should have both electronic excitation and center-of-mass energies in the keV range and cannot be produced by simply stripping fast heavy ion beams. Several novel types of ion source have been developed to produce low-energy highly-charged ions, of which the secondary ion recoil source discussed in this paper is one. (Auth.)

Development of procedures for spectrometer brand Spectral Products to capture spectra of incoherent optical radiation for the Laboratorio de Fotonica y Tecnologia Laser Aplicada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arias Avendano, Fabio Andres

2008-01-01

The procedure to capture spectra of incoherent optical radiation for the Laboratorio de Fotonica y Tecnologia Laser Aplicada (LAFTLA), of the Escuela de Ingenieria Electrica de la Universidad de Costa Rica is developed through the use of a spectrometer brand Spectral Products. The thorough understanding of manuals spectrometer brand Spectral Products was necessary for the satisfactory development of the project. Spectrometer and the card National Instruments are installed and run both devices with a montage of suitable laboratory. Two catches of spectrum for two different sources of optical radiation are performanced, since damages to the files .ddl precluded that the SM 240 spectrometer worked properly to take more catches to other sources of optical radiation. A final report containing the two catches is produced with the respective analysis. (author) [es

Cytochrome P450-2C11 mRNA is not expressed in endothelial cells dissected from rat renal arterioles.

Science.gov (United States)

Heil, Sandra G; De Vriese, An S; Kluijtmans, Leo A J; Dijkman, Henry; van Strien, Denise; Akkers, Robert; Blom, Henk J

2005-01-01

Cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoenzymes (CYP2C and CYP2J) are involved in the production of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids, which are postulated as endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factors (EDHFs). We hypothesized that if CYP2C11 is involved in the EDHF-mediated responses, its mRNA should be expressed in endothelial cells. We, therefore, examined the mRNA expression of CYP2C11 in endothelial cells of renal arterioles. Laser microdissection was applied to isolate endothelial cells from the renal arterioles of 4 male and 4 female Wistar rats. As a positive control of CYP2C11 expression, hepatocytes were also dissected from these rats. RNA was isolated and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) analysis was applied. Q-PCR analysis showed that CYP2C11 mRNA was not expressed in laser microdissected endothelial cells of renal arterioles of male and female rats. CYP2C11 mRNA expression was highly abundant in hepatocytes dissected from male livers, but in female livers hardly any CYP2C11 mRNA was detected. We have shown that endothelial cells can be dissected from small renal arterioles by laser microdissection to study the mRNA expression of specific genes by Q-PCR. Using this novel tool, we demonstrated that the CYP2C11 mRNA was not expressed in the endothelial cells of renal arterioles. Therefore, we speculate that CYP2C11 does not contribute to the EDHF-mediated responses in renal arterioles. Copyright (c) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel.

ERα and ERK1/2 MAP kinase expression in microdissected stromal and epithelial endometrial cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Said Abu Alkhair Mohamed

2014-03-01

Total and phosphorylated levels for ERK1/2 and ERα were measured by quantitation of signals from Western blots using specific antibodies against the active and total forms of ERK1/2 and against ERα. When the level of the proteins was quantitated and normalized to β actin from microdissected stroma and epithelium, no significant difference was detected in the levels of these proteins between the two tissue compartments. There was a trend toward higher expression in the stroma vs. epithelium, respectively (active ERK1/2 0.45 ± 0.17 vs. 0.2 ± 0.65; total ERK1/2 0.54 ± 0.35 vs. 0.28 ± 0.23; ERα 0.82 ± 0.28 vs. 0.54 ± 0.18; n = 6. These data demonstrate that there are comparable levels of ERα (P = 0.41, total ERK1/2 (P = 0.18 and active ERK1/2 (P = 0.13 in the stroma and epithelium of proliferative phase endometrium with a trend toward higher expression of these proteins in the stromal compartment.

Influence of quasi-bound states on the carrier capture into quantum dots

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Magnúsdóttir, Ingibjörg; Uskov, A.; Bischoff, Svend

2002-01-01

An important characteristic of quantum dot (QD) materials is the timescale on which carriers are captured into the dots and relax to their ground state. The properties of devices based on QDs, such as lasers, thus rely on efficient carrier feeding to the active QD states. These processes are beli......An important characteristic of quantum dot (QD) materials is the timescale on which carriers are captured into the dots and relax to their ground state. The properties of devices based on QDs, such as lasers, thus rely on efficient carrier feeding to the active QD states. These processes...... are believed to be mediated by carrier-phonon and carrier-carrier interaction (Auger processes). In systems of higher dimensionality, carrier relaxation via emission of LO (Longitudinal Optical) phonons is dominant. However, due to the discrete QD density of states, this process is often considered impossible...... unless the energy level separation equals the LO phonon energy, leading to a so-called phonon bottleneck. This argument is based on the assumption that the carrier-LO phonon interaction is weak. It was shown that carriers in discrete QD states couple strongly to phonons and that the intersubband...

Precision toxicology based on single cell sequencing: an evolving trend in toxicological evaluations and mechanism exploration.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Boyang; Huang, Kunlun; Zhu, Liye; Luo, Yunbo; Xu, Wentao

2017-07-01

In this review, we introduce a new concept, precision toxicology: the mode of action of chemical- or drug-induced toxicity can be sensitively and specifically investigated by isolating a small group of cells or even a single cell with typical phenotype of interest followed by a single cell sequencing-based analysis. Precision toxicology can contribute to the better detection of subtle intracellular changes in response to exogenous substrates, and thus help researchers find solutions to control or relieve the toxicological effects that are serious threats to human health. We give examples for single cell isolation and recommend laser capture microdissection for in vivo studies and flow cytometric sorting for in vitro studies. In addition, we introduce the procedures for single cell sequencing and describe the expected application of these techniques to toxicological evaluations and mechanism exploration, which we believe will become a trend in toxicology.

Interstitial laser photocoagulation in the treatment of liver tumors. Personal technique, short term results and complications in patients with normal and impaired liver function; Fotocoagulazione laser-interstiziale ecoguidata dei tumori maligni del fegato: tecnica personale, risultati immediati e complicanze a breve termine nei pazienti con funzionalita' epatica normale e alterata

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giorgio, A.; Tarantino, L.; De Stefano, G.; Farella, N. [Azienda Ospedaliera D. Cotugno, Naples (Italy). Servizio di Ecografia ed Ecointerventistica; Catalano, O.; Cusati, B. [Ospedale S. Maria delle Grazie, Pozzuoli, NA (Italy). Servizio di Radiologia; Alalia, A. [Azienda Ospedaliera D. Cotugno, Naples (Italy). Servizio di Anestesia e Rianimazione; Del Vescovo, L. [Naples Univ. II, Naples (Italy). Ist. di Radiologia

2000-04-01

The work reports the personal experience with interstitial laser photocoagulation in patients with liver tumors (mostly cirrhotics with hepatocellular carcinoma). The aim was to evaluate the short term efficacy of percutaneous interstitial laser photocoagulation in inducing focal ablation of liver tumors and the possible complications in patients with normal and impaired liver function. [Italian] Il presente lavoro riporta l'esperienza personale con l'utilizzazione della fotocoagulazione laser-interstiziale per tumori maligni del fegato, rappresentati in gran parte da epatocarcinomi in cirrosi. Lo scopo e' quello di verificare l'efficacia terapeutica in termini di volume di necrosi e di valutare gli effetti collaterali e le complicanze a breve termine sulla riserva funzionale del fegato e di altri organi, soprattutto nei pazienti con alterata funzionalita' epatica.

Sensor Fusion of Cameras and a Laser for City-Scale 3D Reconstruction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yunsu Bok

2014-11-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a sensor fusion system of cameras and a 2D laser sensorfor large-scale 3D reconstruction. The proposed system is designed to capture data on afast-moving ground vehicle. The system consists of six cameras and one 2D laser sensor,and they are synchronized by a hardware trigger. Reconstruction of 3D structures is doneby estimating frame-by-frame motion and accumulating vertical laser scans, as in previousworks. However, our approach does not assume near 2D motion, but estimates free motion(including absolute scale in 3D space using both laser data and image features. In orderto avoid the degeneration associated with typical three-point algorithms, we present a newalgorithm that selects 3D points from two frames captured by multiple cameras. The problemof error accumulation is solved by loop closing, not by GPS. The experimental resultsshow that the estimated path is successfully overlaid on the satellite images, such that thereconstruction result is very accurate.

Simultaneous multi-state stimulated emission in quantum dot lasers: experiment and analytical approach

Science.gov (United States)

Korenev, V. V.; Savelyev, A. V.; Zhukov, A. E.; Omelchenko, A. V.; Maximov, M. V.; Shernyakov, Yu. M.

2012-06-01

The theoretical investigation of the double-state lasing phenomena in InAs/InGaAs quantum dot lasers has been carried out. The new mechanism of the ground-state lasing quenching, which takes place in quantum dot (QD) laser operating in double-state lasing regime at high pump level, was proposed. The difference between electron and hole capture rates causes the depletion of the hole levels and consequently leads to the decrease of an output lasing power via QD ground state with the growth of injection. Moreover, it was shown that the hole-to-electron capture rates ratio strongly affects both the light-current curve and the key laser parameters. The model of the simultaneous lasing through the ground and excited QD states was developed which allows to describe the observed quenching quantitatively.

Feasibility of Using Low-Cost Motion Capture for Automated Screening of Shoulder Motion Limitation after Breast Cancer Surgery.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valeriya Gritsenko

Full Text Available To determine if a low-cost, automated motion analysis system using Microsoft Kinect could accurately measure shoulder motion and detect motion impairments in women following breast cancer surgery.Descriptive study of motion measured via 2 methods.Academic cancer center oncology clinic.20 women (mean age = 60 yrs were assessed for active and passive shoulder motions during a routine post-operative clinic visit (mean = 18 days after surgery following mastectomy (n = 4 or lumpectomy (n = 16 for breast cancer.Participants performed 3 repetitions of active and passive shoulder motions on the side of the breast surgery. Arm motion was recorded using motion capture by Kinect for Windows sensor and on video. Goniometric values were determined from video recordings, while motion capture data were transformed to joint angles using 2 methods (body angle and projection angle.Correlation of motion capture with goniometry and detection of motion limitation.Active shoulder motion measured with low-cost motion capture agreed well with goniometry (r = 0.70-0.80, while passive shoulder motion measurements did not correlate well. Using motion capture, it was possible to reliably identify participants whose range of shoulder motion was reduced by 40% or more.Low-cost, automated motion analysis may be acceptable to screen for moderate to severe motion impairments in active shoulder motion. Automatic detection of motion limitation may allow quick screening to be performed in an oncologist's office and trigger timely referrals for rehabilitation.

Feasibility of Using Low-Cost Motion Capture for Automated Screening of Shoulder Motion Limitation after Breast Cancer Surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Gritsenko, Valeriya; Dailey, Eric; Kyle, Nicholas; Taylor, Matt; Whittacre, Sean; Swisher, Anne K

2015-01-01

To determine if a low-cost, automated motion analysis system using Microsoft Kinect could accurately measure shoulder motion and detect motion impairments in women following breast cancer surgery. Descriptive study of motion measured via 2 methods. Academic cancer center oncology clinic. 20 women (mean age = 60 yrs) were assessed for active and passive shoulder motions during a routine post-operative clinic visit (mean = 18 days after surgery) following mastectomy (n = 4) or lumpectomy (n = 16) for breast cancer. Participants performed 3 repetitions of active and passive shoulder motions on the side of the breast surgery. Arm motion was recorded using motion capture by Kinect for Windows sensor and on video. Goniometric values were determined from video recordings, while motion capture data were transformed to joint angles using 2 methods (body angle and projection angle). Correlation of motion capture with goniometry and detection of motion limitation. Active shoulder motion measured with low-cost motion capture agreed well with goniometry (r = 0.70-0.80), while passive shoulder motion measurements did not correlate well. Using motion capture, it was possible to reliably identify participants whose range of shoulder motion was reduced by 40% or more. Low-cost, automated motion analysis may be acceptable to screen for moderate to severe motion impairments in active shoulder motion. Automatic detection of motion limitation may allow quick screening to be performed in an oncologist's office and trigger timely referrals for rehabilitation.

POTENTIALS OF IMAGE BASED ACTIVE RANGING TO CAPTURE DYNAMIC SCENES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Jutzi

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Obtaining a 3D description of man-made and natural environments is a basic task in Computer Vision and Remote Sensing. To this end, laser scanning is currently one of the dominating techniques to gather reliable 3D information. The scanning principle inherently needs a certain time interval to acquire the 3D point cloud. On the other hand, new active sensors provide the possibility of capturing range information by images with a single measurement. With this new technique image-based active ranging is possible which allows capturing dynamic scenes, e.g. like walking pedestrians in a yard or moving vehicles. Unfortunately most of these range imaging sensors have strong technical limitations and are not yet sufficient for airborne data acquisition. It can be seen from the recent development of highly specialized (far-range imaging sensors – so called flash-light lasers – that most of the limitations could be alleviated soon, so that future systems will be equipped with improved image size and potentially expanded operating range. The presented work is a first step towards the development of methods capable for application of range images in outdoor environments. To this end, an experimental setup was set up for investigating these proposed possibilities. With the experimental setup a measurement campaign was carried out and first results will be presented within this paper.

Combined histochemical staining, RNA amplification, regional, and single cell cDNA analysis within the hippocampus.

Science.gov (United States)

Ginsberg, Stephen D; Che, Shaoli

2004-08-01

The use of five histochemical stains (cresyl violet, thionin, hematoxylin & eosin, silver stain, and acridine orange) was evaluated in combination with an expression profiling paradigm that included regional and single cell analyses within the hippocampus of post-mortem human brains and adult mice. Adjacent serial sections of human and mouse hippocampus were labeled by histochemistry or neurofilament immunocytochemistry. These tissue sections were used as starting material for regional and single cell microdissection followed by a newly developed RNA amplification procedure (terminal continuation (TC) RNA amplification) and subsequent hybridization to custom-designed cDNA arrays. Results indicated equivalent levels of global hybridization signal intensity and relative expression levels for individual genes for hippocampi stained by cresyl violet, thionin, and hematoxylin & eosin, and neurofilament immunocytochemistry. Moreover, no significant differences existed between the Nissl stains and neurofilament immunocytochemistry for individual CA1 neurons obtained via laser capture microdissection. In contrast, a marked decrement was observed in adjacent hippocampal sections stained for silver stain and acridine orange, both at the level of the regional dissection and at the CA1 neuron population level. Observations made on the cDNA array platform were validated by real-time qPCR using primers directed against beta-actin and glyceraldehyde-3 phosphate dehydrogenase. Thus, this report demonstrated the utility of using specific Nissl stains, but not stains that bind RNA species directly, in both human and mouse brain tissues at the regional and cellular level for state-of-the-art molecular fingerprinting studies.

Proteomic workflow for analysis of archival formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded clinical samples to a depth of 10 000 proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiśniewski, Jacek R; Duś, Kamila; Mann, Matthias

2013-04-01

Archival formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded clinical samples represent a very diverse source of material for proteomic investigation of diseases, often with follow-up patient information. Here, we describe an analytical workflow for analysis of laser-capture microdissected formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded samples that allows studying proteomes to a depth of 10 000 proteins per sample. The workflow involves lysis of tissue in SDS-containing buffer, detergent removal, and consecutive digestion of the proteins with two enzymes by the multienzyme digestion filter-aided sample preparation method. Resulting peptides are fractionated by pipette-tip based strong anion exchange into six fractions and analyzed by LC-MS/MS on a bench top quadrupole Orbitrap mass spectrometer. Analysis of the data using the MaxQuant software resulted in the identification of 9502 ± 28 protein groups per a 110 nL sample of microdissected cells from human colonic adenoma. This depth of proteome analysis enables systemic insights into the organization of the adenoma cells and an estimation of the abundances of known biomarkers. It also allows the identification of proteins expressed from tumor suppressors, oncogenes, and other key players in the development and progression of the colorectal cancer. Our proteomic platform can be used for quantitative comparisons between samples representing different stages of diseases and thus can be applied to the discovery of biomarkers or drug targets. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Comparison of tissue damage caused by various laser systems with tissue tolerable plasma by light and laser scan microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vandersee, Staffan; Lademann, Jürgen; Richter, Heike; Patzelt, Alexa; Lange-Asschenfeldt, Bernhard

2013-01-01

Tissue tolerable plasma (TTP) represents a novel therapeutic method with promising capabilities in the field of dermatological interventions, in particular disinfection but also wound antisepsis and regeneration. The energy transfer by plasma into living tissue is not easily educible, as a variety of features such as the medium’s actual molecule-stream, the ions, electrons and free radicals involved, as well as the emission of ultraviolet, visible and infrared light contribute to its increasingly well characterized effects. Thus, relating possible adversary effects, especially of prolonged exposure to a single component of the plasma’s mode of action, is difficult. Until now, severe adverse events connected to plasma exposure have not been reported when conducted according to existing therapeutic protocols. In this study, we have compared the tissue damage-potential of CO 2 and dye lasers with TTP in a porcine model. After exposure of pig ear skin to the three treatment modalities, all specimens were examined histologically and by means of laser scan microscopy (LSM). Light microscopical tissue damage could only be shown in the case of the CO 2 laser, whereas dye laser and plasma treatment resulted in no detectable impairment of the specimens. In the case of TTP, LSM examination revealed only an impairment of the uppermost corneal layers of the skin, thus stressing its safety when used in vivo. (letter)

Coherent Doppler lidar for automated space vehicle, rendezvous, station-keeping and capture

Science.gov (United States)

Dunkin, James A.

1991-01-01

Recent advances in eye-safe, short wavelength solid-state lasers offer real potential for the development of compact, reliable, light-weight, efficient coherent lidar. Laser diode pumping of these devices has been demonstrated, thereby eliminating the need for flash lamp pumping, which has been a major drawback to the use of these lasers in space based applications. Also these lasers now have the frequency stability required to make them useful in coherent lidar, which offers all of the advantages of non-coherent lidar, but with the additional advantage that direct determination of target velocity is possible by measurement of the Doppler shift. By combining the Doppler velocity measurement capability with the inherent high angular resolution and range accuracy of lidar it is possible to construct Doppler images of targets for target motion assessment. A coherent lidar based on a Tm,Ho:YAG 2-micrometer wavelength laser was constructed and successfully field tested on atmospheric targets in 1990. This lidar incorporated an all solid state (laser diode pumped) master oscillator, in conjunction with a flash lamp pumped slave oscillator. Solid-state laser technology is rapidly advancing, and with the advent of high efficiency, high power, semiconductor laser diodes as pump sources, all-solid-state, coherent lidars are a real possibility in the near future. MSFC currently has a feasibility demonstration effort under way which will involve component testing, and preliminary design of an all-solid-state, coherent lidar for automatic rendezvous, and capture. This two year effort, funded by the Director's Discretionary Fund is due for completion in 1992.

Fungal Iron Availability during Deep Seated Candidiasis Is Defined by a Complex Interplay Involving Systemic and Local Events

Science.gov (United States)

Potrykus, Joanna; Stead, David; MacCallum, Donna M.; Urgast, Dagmar S.; Raab, Andrea; van Rooijen, Nico; Feldmann, Jörg; Brown, Alistair J. P.

2013-01-01

Nutritional immunity – the withholding of nutrients by the host – has long been recognised as an important factor that shapes bacterial-host interactions. However, the dynamics of nutrient availability within local host niches during fungal infection are poorly defined. We have combined laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP MS), MALDI imaging and immunohistochemistry with microtranscriptomics to examine iron homeostasis in the host and pathogen in the murine model of systemic candidiasis. Dramatic changes in the renal iron landscape occur during disease progression. The infection perturbs global iron homeostasis in the host leading to iron accumulation in the renal medulla. Paradoxically, this is accompanied by nutritional immunity in the renal cortex as iron exclusion zones emerge locally around fungal lesions. These exclusion zones correlate with immune infiltrates and haem oxygenase 1-expressing host cells. This local nutritional immunity decreases iron availability, leading to a switch in iron acquisition mechanisms within mature fungal lesions, as revealed by laser capture microdissection and qRT-PCR analyses. Therefore, a complex interplay of systemic and local events influences iron homeostasis and pathogen-host dynamics during disease progression. PMID:24146619

The HVAC Challenges of Upgrading an Old Lab for High-end Light Microscopes

Science.gov (United States)

Richard, R.; Martone, P.; Callahan, L.M.

2014-01-01

The University of Rochester Medical Center forms the centerpiece of the University of Rochester's health research, teaching, patient care, and community outreach missions. Within this large facility of over 5 million square feet, demolition and remodeling of existing spaces is a constant activity. With more than $145 million in federal research funding, lab space is frequently repurposed and renovated to support this work. The URMC Medical Center Facilities Organization supporting small to medium space renovations is constantly challenged and constrained by the existing mechanical infrastructure and budgets to deliver a renovated space that functions within the equipment environmental parameters. One recent project, sponsored by the URMC Shared Resources Laboratory, demonstrates these points. The URMC Light Microscopy Shared Resource Laboratory requested renovation of a 121 sq. ft. room in a 40 year old building which would enable placement of a laser capture microdissection microscope and a Pascal 5 laser scanning confocal microscope with the instruments separated by a blackout curtain. This poster discusses the engineering approach implemented to bring an older lab into the environmental specifications needed for the proper operation of the high-end light microscopes.

Multiplatform Mobile Laser Scanning: Usability and Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuwei Chen

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Mobile laser scanning is an emerging technology capable of capturing three-dimensional data from surrounding objects. With state-of-the-art sensors, the achieved point clouds capture object details with good accuracy and precision. Many of the applications involve civil engineering in urban areas, as well as traffic and other urban planning, all of which serve to make 3D city modeling probably the fastest growing market segment in this field. This article outlines multiplatform mobile laser scanning solutions such as vehicle- and trolley-operated urban area data acquisition, and boat-mounted equipment for fluvial environments. Moreover, we introduce a novel backpack version of mobile laser scanning equipment for surveying applications in the field of natural sciences where the requirements include precision and mobility in variable terrain conditions. In addition to presenting a technical description of the systems, we discuss the performance of the solutions in the light of various applications in the fields of urban mapping and modeling, fluvial geomorphology, snow-cover characterization, precision agriculture, and in monitoring the effects of climate change on permafrost landforms. The data performance of the mobile laser scanning approach is described by the results of an evaluation of the ROAMER on a permanent MLS test field. Furthermore, an in situ accuracy assessment using a field of spherical 3D targets for the newly-introduced Akhka backpack system is conducted and reported on.

Modeling of laser-driven hydrodynamics experiments

Science.gov (United States)

di Stefano, Carlos; Doss, Forrest; Rasmus, Alex; Flippo, Kirk; Desjardins, Tiffany; Merritt, Elizabeth; Kline, John; Hager, Jon; Bradley, Paul

2017-10-01

Correct interpretation of hydrodynamics experiments driven by a laser-produced shock depends strongly on an understanding of the time-dependent effect of the irradiation conditions on the flow. In this talk, we discuss the modeling of such experiments using the RAGE radiation-hydrodynamics code. The focus is an instability experiment consisting of a period of relatively-steady shock conditions in which the Richtmyer-Meshkov process dominates, followed by a period of decaying flow conditions, in which the dominant growth process changes to Rayleigh-Taylor instability. The use of a laser model is essential for capturing the transition. also University of Michigan.

Secondary scattering on the intensity dependence of the capture velocity in a magneto-optical trap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loos, M.R.; Massardo, S.B.; Zanon, R.A. de S; Oliveira, A.L. de

2005-01-01

In this work, we consider a three-dimensional model to simulate the capture velocity behavior in a sample of cold-trapped sodium atoms as a function of the trapping laser intensity. We expand on previous work [V. S. Bagnato, L. G. Marcassa, S. G. Miranda, S. R. Muniz, and A. L. de Oliveira, Phys. Rev. A 62, 013404 (2000)] by calculating the capture velocity over a broad range of light intensities considering the secondary scattering in a magneto-optical trap. Our calculations are in a good agreement with recent measured values [S. R. Muniz et al., Phys. Rev. A 65, 015402 (2001)

Secondary scattering on the intensity dependence of the capture velocity in a magneto-optical trap

Science.gov (United States)

Loos, M. R.; Massardo, S. B.; de S. Zanon, R. A.; de Oliveira, A. L.

2005-08-01

In this work, we consider a three-dimensional model to simulate the capture velocity behavior in a sample of cold-trapped sodium atoms as a function of the trapping laser intensity. We expand on previous work [V. S. Bagnato, L. G. Marcassa, S. G. Miranda, S. R. Muniz, and A. L. de Oliveira, Phys. Rev. A 62, 013404 (2000)] by calculating the capture velocity over a broad range of light intensities considering the secondary scattering in a magneto-optical trap. Our calculations are in a good agreement with recent measured values [S. R. Muniz , Phys. Rev. A 65, 015402 (2001)].

Microdissecting the Genetic Events in Nephrogenic Rests and Wilms’ Tumor Development

Science.gov (United States)

Charles, Adrian K.; Brown, Keith W.; Berry, P. Jeremy

1998-01-01

Nephrogenic rests are precursor lesions associated with about 40% of Wilms’ tumors. This study identifies genetic steps occurring in the development of Wilms’ tumor. Thirty-four Wilms’ tumors with nephrogenic rests and/or areas of anaplasia were microdissected from paraffin sections to determine whether and at what stage loss of heterozygosity (LOH) occurred, using polymerase chain reaction-based polymorphic markers at 11p13, 11p15, and 16q. LOH at these loci have been identified in Wilms’ tumors and are associated with identified or putative tumor suppressor genes. Three cystic nephromas/cystic partially differentiated nephroblastomas were also examined. LOH was detected in six cases at 11p13 and in six cases at 11p15, and two of these cases had LOH at both loci. All intralobar rests showing LOH also showed LOH in the tumor. A case with a small perilobar rest showed LOH of 11p13 only in the tumor. Five cases showing LOH at 16q were identified (this was identified only in the tumor, and not in the associated rest), and three of these had recurrence of the tumor. Two cases had a WT1 mutation (one germline and the other somatic), as well as LOH in both the intralobar rest and the tumor. A cystic partially differentiated nephroblastoma showed loss at 11p13 and 11p15, as well as at 16q. This study suggests that LOH at 11p13 and 11p15 and WT1 mutations are early events but that LOH at 16q occurs late in the pathogenesis of Wilms’ tumor. Intralobar and perilobar nephrogenic rests are known to have different biological behaviors, and this study suggests that they are genetically different. A multistep model of Wilms’ tumor pathogenesis is supported by these findings. PMID:9736048

Laser-induced pressure-wave and barocaloric effect during flash diffusivity measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Hsin; Porter, Wallace D.; Dinwiddie, Ralph Barton

2017-01-01

We report laser-induced pressure-wave and barocaloric effect captured by an infrared detector during thermal diffusivity measurements. Very fast (< 1 ms) and negative transients during laser flash measurements were captured by the infrared detector on thin, high thermal conductivity samples. Standard thermal diffusivity analysis only focuses the longer time scale thermal transient measured from the back surface due to thermal conduction. These negative spikes are filtered out and ignored as noise or anomaly from instrument. This study confirmed that the initial negative signal was indeed a temperature drop induced by the laser pulse. The laser pulse induced instantaneous volume expansion and the associated cooling in the specimen can be explained by the barocaloric effect. The initial cooling (< 100 microsecond) is also known as thermoelastic effect in which a negative temperature change is generated when the material is elastically deformed by volume expansion. A subsequent temperature oscillation in the sample was observed and only lasted about one millisecond. The pressure-wave induced thermal signal was systematically studied and analyzed. In conclusion, the underlying physics of photon-mechanical-thermal energy conversions and the potential of using this signal to study barocaloric effects in solids are discussed.

High frequency free-electron laser results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boyer, K.; Brau, C.A.; Newman, B.E.; Stein, W.E.; Warren, R.W.; Winston, J.G.; Young, L.M.

1983-01-01

By looking at the free-electron laser as a particle accelerator working backwards, Morton realized that the techniques used to accelerate particles could be used to improve the performance of free-electron lasers. In particular, he predicted the capture of electrons in ''stable-phase'' regions, or ''buckets'' in the electron phase space, and proposed that by decelerating the buckets, the trapped electrons could be decelerated to extract significant amounts of their energy as optical radiation. In fact, since electrons not trapped in the stable regions are forever excluded from them--at least in the adiabatic approximation--displacement techniques could also be used to accelerate or decelerate electrons in a free-electron laser. This paper explains the principle behind ''phase-displacement'' acceleration and details an experiment carried out with a 20-MeV electron beam to test these predictions. Results obtained with a tapered-wiggler free-electron laser demonstrate the concepts proposed by Morton for enhanced efficiency. They show deceleration of electrons by as much as 7% and extraction of more than 3% of the total electron-beam energy as laser energy when the laser is operated as an amplifier. The experiment is presently being reconfigured to examine its performance as a laser oscillator

Foot-and-mouth disease virus persists in the light zone of germinal centres.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicholas Juleff

Full Text Available Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV is one of the most contagious viruses of animals and is recognised as the most important constraint to international trade in animals and animal products. Two fundamental problems remain to be understood before more effective control measures can be put in place. These problems are the FMDV "carrier state" and the short duration of immunity after vaccination which contrasts with prolonged immunity after natural infection. Here we show by laser capture microdissection in combination with quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemical analysis and corroborate by in situ hybridization that FMDV locates rapidly to, and is maintained in, the light zone of germinal centres following primary infection of naïve cattle. We propose that maintenance of non-replicating FMDV in these sites represents a source of persisting infectious virus and also contributes to the generation of long-lasting antibody responses against neutralising epitopes of the virus.

High grade serous ovarian carcinomas originate in the fallopian tube.

Science.gov (United States)

Labidi-Galy, S Intidhar; Papp, Eniko; Hallberg, Dorothy; Niknafs, Noushin; Adleff, Vilmos; Noe, Michael; Bhattacharya, Rohit; Novak, Marian; Jones, Siân; Phallen, Jillian; Hruban, Carolyn A; Hirsch, Michelle S; Lin, Douglas I; Schwartz, Lauren; Maire, Cecile L; Tille, Jean-Christophe; Bowden, Michaela; Ayhan, Ayse; Wood, Laura D; Scharpf, Robert B; Kurman, Robert; Wang, Tian-Li; Shih, Ie-Ming; Karchin, Rachel; Drapkin, Ronny; Velculescu, Victor E

2017-10-23

High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is the most frequent type of ovarian cancer and has a poor outcome. It has been proposed that fallopian tube cancers may be precursors of HGSOC but evolutionary evidence for this hypothesis has been limited. Here, we perform whole-exome sequence and copy number analyses of laser capture microdissected fallopian tube lesions (p53 signatures, serous tubal intraepithelial carcinomas (STICs), and fallopian tube carcinomas), ovarian cancers, and metastases from nine patients. The majority of tumor-specific alterations in ovarian cancers were present in STICs, including those affecting TP53, BRCA1, BRCA2 or PTEN. Evolutionary analyses reveal that p53 signatures and STICs are precursors of ovarian carcinoma and identify a window of 7 years between development of a STIC and initiation of ovarian carcinoma, with metastases following rapidly thereafter. Our results provide insights into the etiology of ovarian cancer and have implications for prevention, early detection and therapeutic intervention of this disease.

A bead-based western for high-throughput cellular signal transduction analyses

Science.gov (United States)

Treindl, Fridolin; Ruprecht, Benjamin; Beiter, Yvonne; Schultz, Silke; Döttinger, Anette; Staebler, Annette; Joos, Thomas O.; Kling, Simon; Poetz, Oliver; Fehm, Tanja; Neubauer, Hans; Kuster, Bernhard; Templin, Markus F.

2016-01-01

Dissecting cellular signalling requires the analysis of large number of proteins. The DigiWest approach we describe here transfers the western blot to a bead-based microarray platform. By combining gel-based protein separation with immobilization on microspheres, hundreds of replicas of the initial blot are created, thus enabling the comprehensive analysis of limited material, such as cells collected by laser capture microdissection, and extending traditional western blotting to reach proteomic scales. The combination of molecular weight resolution, sensitivity and signal linearity on an automated platform enables the rapid quantification of hundreds of specific proteins and protein modifications in complex samples. This high-throughput western blot approach allowed us to identify and characterize alterations in cellular signal transduction that occur during the development of resistance to the kinase inhibitor Lapatinib, revealing major changes in the activation state of Ephrin-mediated signalling and a central role for p53-controlled processes. PMID:27659302

Downregulation of miR-125b in metastatic cutaneous malignant melanoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Glud, Martin; Rossing, Maria; Hother, Christoffer; Holst, Line; Hastrup, Nina; Nielsen, Finn C; Gniadecki, Robert; Drzewiecki, Krzysztof T

2010-12-01

This study aimed to identify microRNA species involved in the earliest metastatic event in cutaneous malignant melanoma (MM). Samples from 28 patients with MM [stage T2 (tumor), M0 (distant metastasis)] were grouped by the presence of micrometastasis in the sentinel lymph nodes (N0/N1). Melanoma cells were harvested from primary, cutaneous MM tumors by laser-capture microdissection, and microRNA expression profiles were obtained by the microarray technique. Results were validated by quantitative reverse transcription PCR. We found that miR-125b was downregulated in the primary cutaneous melanomas that produced early metastases (T2, N1, M0) compared with the sentinel lymph node-negative (T2, N0, M0) melanomas. MiR-125b has earlier been found to be downregulated in other tumor types and in atypic naevi compared with the common acquired naevi. In conclusion, miR-125b may be involved in an early progression of cutaneous MM.

Analysis of Temporal-spatial Co-variation within Gene Expression Microarray Data in an Organogenesis Model

Science.gov (United States)

Ehler, Martin; Rajapakse, Vinodh; Zeeberg, Barry; Brooks, Brian; Brown, Jacob; Czaja, Wojciech; Bonner, Robert F.

The gene networks underlying closure of the optic fissure during vertebrate eye development are poorly understood. We used a novel clustering method based on Laplacian Eigenmaps, a nonlinear dimension reduction method, to analyze microarray data from laser capture microdissected (LCM) cells at the site and developmental stages (days 10.5 to 12.5) of optic fissure closure. Our new method provided greater biological specificity than classical clustering algorithms in terms of identifying more biological processes and functions related to eye development as defined by Gene Ontology at lower false discovery rates. This new methodology builds on the advantages of LCM to isolate pure phenotypic populations within complex tissues and allows improved ability to identify critical gene products expressed at lower copy number. The combination of LCM of embryonic organs, gene expression microarrays, and extracting spatial and temporal co-variations appear to be a powerful approach to understanding the gene regulatory networks that specify mammalian organogenesis.

Structured-Light Based 3d Laser Scanning of Semi-Submerged Structures

Science.gov (United States)

van der Lucht, J.; Bleier, M.; Leutert, F.; Schilling, K.; Nüchter, A.

2018-05-01

In this work we look at 3D acquisition of semi-submerged structures with a triangulation based underwater laser scanning system. The motivation is that we want to simultaneously capture data above and below water to create a consistent model without any gaps. The employed structured light scanner consist of a machine vision camera and a green line laser. In order to reconstruct precise surface models of the object it is necessary to model and correct for the refraction of the laser line and camera rays at the water-air boundary. We derive a geometric model for the refraction at the air-water interface and propose a method for correcting the scans. Furthermore, we show how the water surface is directly estimated from sensor data. The approach is verified using scans captured with an industrial manipulator to achieve reproducible scanner trajectories with different incident angles. We show that the proposed method is effective for refractive correction and that it can be applied directly to the raw sensor data without requiring any external markers or targets.

STRUCTURED-LIGHT BASED 3D LASER SCANNING OF SEMI-SUBMERGED STRUCTURES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. van der Lucht

2018-05-01

Full Text Available In this work we look at 3D acquisition of semi-submerged structures with a triangulation based underwater laser scanning system. The motivation is that we want to simultaneously capture data above and below water to create a consistent model without any gaps. The employed structured light scanner consist of a machine vision camera and a green line laser. In order to reconstruct precise surface models of the object it is necessary to model and correct for the refraction of the laser line and camera rays at the water-air boundary. We derive a geometric model for the refraction at the air-water interface and propose a method for correcting the scans. Furthermore, we show how the water surface is directly estimated from sensor data. The approach is verified using scans captured with an industrial manipulator to achieve reproducible scanner trajectories with different incident angles. We show that the proposed method is effective for refractive correction and that it can be applied directly to the raw sensor data without requiring any external markers or targets.

DETECTING LASER SPOT IN SHOOTING SIMULATOR USING AN EMBEDDED CAMERA

OpenAIRE

Soetedjo, Aryuanto; Mahmudi, Ali; Ibrahim Ashari, M.; Ismail Nakhoda, Yusuf

2017-01-01

This paper presents the application of an embedded camera system for detecting laser spot in the shooting simulator. The proposed shooting simulator uses a specific target box, where the circular pattern target is mounted. The embedded camera is installed inside the box to capture the circular pattern target and laser spot image. To localize the circular pattern automatically, two colored solid circles are painted on the target. This technique allows the simple and fast color tracking to trac...

ILIAS - Ion and laser beam interaction and application studies. Progress report no. 2 of the PHELIX theory group

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mulser, P.; Schlegel, T. (eds.)

2007-02-15

The following topics are dealt with:QED, nuclear and high energy processes in extremely strong laser pulses, waves with constant phase velocity in relativistic plasmas, the effective critical electron density and its relativistic increase in an intense laser field, acceleration of electrons by laser pulses in vacuum, electron capture acceleration in a slit laser beam, laser acceleration of ion beams, collisionless high-power laser beam absorption, vacuum heating vs skin layer absorption of intense fs laser pulses, timescales of laser-induced phase transitions, quasi-static electron equilibria of laser-heted clusters, correlations in multi-electronic satellite spectra, radiation transport in the CAVEAT code. (HSI)

ILIAS - Ion and laser beam interaction and application studies. Progress report no. 2 of the PHELIX theory group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mulser, P.; Schlegel, T.

2007-02-01

The following topics are dealt with:QED, nuclear and high energy processes in extremely strong laser pulses, waves with constant phase velocity in relativistic plasmas, the effective critical electron density and its relativistic increase in an intense laser field, acceleration of electrons by laser pulses in vacuum, electron capture acceleration in a slit laser beam, laser acceleration of ion beams, collisionless high-power laser beam absorption, vacuum heating vs skin layer absorption of intense fs laser pulses, timescales of laser-induced phase transitions, quasi-static electron equilibria of laser-heted clusters, correlations in multi-electronic satellite spectra, radiation transport in the CAVEAT code. (HSI)

Multivalency at Interfaces: Supramolecular Carbohydrate-Functionalized Graphene Derivatives for Bacterial Capture, Release, and Disinfection.

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Zhenhui; Bharate, Priya; Lai, Chian-Hui; Ziem, Benjamin; Böttcher, Christoph; Schulz, Andrea; Beckert, Fabian; Hatting, Benjamin; Mülhaupt, Rolf; Seeberger, Peter H; Haag, Rainer

2015-09-09

A supramolecular carbohydrate-functionalized two-dimensional (2D) surface was designed and synthesized by decorating thermally reduced graphene sheets with multivalent sugar ligands. The formation of host-guest inclusions on the carbon surface provides a versatile strategy, not only to increase the intrinsic water solubility of graphene-based materials, but more importantly to let the desired biofunctional binding groups bind to the surface. Combining the vital recognition role of carbohydrates and the unique 2D large flexible surface area of the graphene sheets, the addition of multivalent sugar ligands makes the resulting carbon material an excellent platform for selectively wrapping and agglutinating Escherichia coli (E. coli). By taking advantage of the responsive property of supramolecular interactions, the captured bacteria can then be partially released by adding a competitive guest. Compared to previously reported scaffolds, the unique thermal IR-absorption properties of graphene derivatives provide a facile method to kill the captured bacteria by IR-laser irradiation of the captured graphene-sugar-E. coli complex.

Pattern analysis of laser-tattoo interactions for picosecond- and nanosecond-domain 1,064-nm neodymium-doped yttrium-aluminum-garnet lasers in tissue-mimicking phantom.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahn, Keun Jae; Zheng, Zhenlong; Kwon, Tae Rin; Kim, Beom Joon; Lee, Hye Sun; Cho, Sung Bin

2017-05-08

During laser treatment for tattoo removal, pigment chromophores absorb laser energy, resulting in fragmentation of the ink particles via selective photothermolysis. The present study aimed to outline macroscopic laser-tattoo interactions in tissue-mimicking (TM) phantoms treated with picosecond- and nanosecond-domain lasers. Additionally, high-speed cinematographs were captured to visualize time-dependent tattoo-tissue interactions, from laser irradiation to the formation of photothermal and photoacoustic injury zones (PIZs). In all experimental settings using the nanosecond or picosecond laser, tattoo pigments fragmented into coarse particles after a single laser pulse, and further disintegrated into smaller particles that dispersed toward the boundaries of PIZs after repetitive delivery of laser energy. Particles fractured by picosecond treatment were more evenly dispersed throughout PIZs than those fractured by nanosecond treatment. Additionally, picosecond-then-picosecond laser treatment (5-pass-picosecond treatment + 5-pass-picosecond treatment) induced greater disintegration of tattoo particles within PIZs than picosecond-then-nanosecond laser treatment (5-pass-picosecond treatment + 5-pass-nanosecond treatment). High-speed cinematography recorded the formation of PIZs after repeated reflection and propagation of acoustic waves over hundreds of microseconds to a few milliseconds. The present data may be of use in predicting three-dimensional laser-tattoo interactions and associated reactions in surrounding tissue.

Nonlinear interaction of charged particles with strong laser pulses in a gaseous media

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. K. Avetissian

2007-07-01

Full Text Available The charged particles nonlinear dynamics in the field of a strong electromagnetic wave pulse of finite duration and certain form of the envelope, in the refractive medium with a constant and variable refraction indexes, is investigated by means of numerical integration of the classical relativistic equations of motion. The particle energy dependence on the pulse intensity manifests the nonlinear threshold phenomenon of a particle reflection and capture by actual laser pulses in dielectric-gaseous media that takes place for a plane electromagnetic wave in the induced Cherenkov process. Laser acceleration of the particles in the result of the reflection from the pulse envelope and in the capture regime with the variable refraction index along the pulse propagation direction is investigated.

Pulsed laser triggered high speed microfluidic switch

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Ting-Hsiang; Gao, Lanyu; Chen, Yue; Wei, Kenneth; Chiou, Pei-Yu

2008-10-01

We report a high-speed microfluidic switch capable of achieving a switching time of 10 μs. The switching mechanism is realized by exciting dynamic vapor bubbles with focused laser pulses in a microfluidic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) channel. The bubble expansion deforms the elastic PDMS channel wall and squeezes the adjacent sample channel to control its fluid and particle flows as captured by the time-resolved imaging system. A switching of polystyrene microspheres in a Y-shaped channel has also been demonstrated. This ultrafast laser triggered switching mechanism has the potential to advance the sorting speed of state-of-the-art microscale fluorescence activated cell sorting devices.

CO-REGISTRATION OF DSMs GENERATED BY UAV AND TERRESTRIAL LASER SCANNING SYSTEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. A. Persad

2016-06-01

Full Text Available An approach for the co-registration of Digital Surface Models (DSMs derived from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs and Terrestrial Laser Scanners (TLS is proposed. Specifically, a wavelet-based feature descriptor for matching surface keypoints on the 2.5D DSMs is developed. DSMs are useful in wide-scope of various applications such as 3D building modelling and reconstruction, cultural heritage, urban and environmental planning, aircraft navigation/path routing, accident and crime scene reconstruction, mining as well as, topographic map revision and change detection. For these listed applications, it is not uncommon that there will be a need for automatically aligning multi-temporal DSMs which may have been acquired from multiple sensors, with different specifications over a period of time, and may have various overlaps. Terrestrial laser scanners usually capture urban facades in an accurate manner; however this is not the case for building roof structures. On the other hand, vertical photography from UAVs can capture the roofs. Therefore, the automatic fusion of UAV and laser-scanning based DSMs is addressed here as it serves various geospatial applications.

Biochar and enhanced phosphate capture: Mapping mechanisms to functional properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Shepherd, Jessica G; Joseph, Stephen; Sohi, Saran P; Heal, Kate V

2017-07-01

A multi-technique analysis was performed on a range of biochar materials derived from secondary organic resources and aimed at sustainable recovery and re-use of wastewater phosphorus (P). Our purpose was to identify mechanisms of P capture in biochar and thereby inform its future optimisation as a sustainable P fertiliser. The biochar feedstock comprised pellets of anaerobically digested sewage sludge (PAD) or pellets of the same blended in the ratio 9:1 with ochre sourced from minewater treatment (POCAD), components which have limited alternative economic value. In the present study the feedstocks were pyrolysed at two highest treatment temperatures of 450 and 550 °C. Each of the resulting biochars were repeatedly exposed to a 20 mg l -1 PO 4 -P solution, to produce a parallel set of P-exposed biochars. Biochar exterior and/or interior surfaces were quantitatively characterised using laser-ablation (LA)-ICP-MS, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray. The results highlighted the general importance of Fe minerals in P capture. XPS analysis of POCAD550 indicated lower oxidation state Fe2p3 bonding compared to POCAD450, and LA-ICP-MS indicated stronger covariation of Fe and S, even after P exposure. This suggests that low-solubility Fe/S compounds are formed during pyrolysis, are affected by process parameters and impact on P capture. Other data suggested capture roles for aluminium, calcium and silicon. Overall, our analyses suggest that a range of mechanisms for P capture are concurrently active in biochar. We highlighted the potential to manipulate these through choice of form and composition of feedstock as well as pyrolysis processing, so that biochar may be increasingly tailored towards specific functionality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structural biologists capture detailed image of gene regulator’s fleeting form | Center for Cancer Research

Science.gov (United States)

Using an ultrafast, high-intensity radiation source called an X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL), scientists have captured an atomic-level picture of an RNA structure called a riboswitch as it reorganizes itself to regulate protein production. The structure they visualized has never before been seen, and likely exists for only milliseconds after the riboswitch first encounters its activating molecule.  Read more...  

Separation of cognitive impairments in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder into 2 familial factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuntsi, Jonna; Wood, Alexis C; Rijsdijk, Frühling; Johnson, Katherine A; Andreou, Penelope; Albrecht, Björn; Arias-Vasquez, Alejandro; Buitelaar, Jan K; McLoughlin, Gráinne; Rommelse, Nanda N J; Sergeant, Joseph A; Sonuga-Barke, Edmund J; Uebel, Henrik; van der Meere, Jaap J; Banaschewski, Tobias; Gill, Michael; Manor, Iris; Miranda, Ana; Mulas, Fernando; Oades, Robert D; Roeyers, Herbert; Rothenberger, Aribert; Steinhausen, Hans-Christoph; Faraone, Stephen V; Asherson, Philip

2010-11-01

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with widespread cognitive impairments, but it is not known whether the apparent multiple impairments share etiological roots or separate etiological pathways exist. A better understanding of the etiological pathways is important for the development of targeted interventions and for identification of suitable intermediate phenotypes for molecular genetic investigations. To determine, by using a multivariate familial factor analysis approach, whether 1 or more familial factors underlie the slow and variable reaction times, impaired response inhibition, and choice impulsivity associated with ADHD. An ADHD and control sibling-pair design. Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. A total of 1265 participants, aged 6 to 18 years: 464 probands with ADHD and 456 of their siblings (524 with combined-subtype ADHD), and 345 control participants. Performance on a 4-choice reaction time task, a go/no-go inhibition task, and a choice-delay task. The final model consisted of 2 familial factors. The larger factor, reflecting 85% of the familial variance of ADHD, captured 98% to 100% of the familial influences on mean reaction time and reaction time variability. The second, smaller factor, reflecting 13% of the familial variance of ADHD, captured 62% to 82% of the familial influences on commission and omission errors on the go/no-go task. Choice impulsivity was excluded in the final model because of poor fit. The findings suggest the existence of 2 familial pathways to cognitive impairments in ADHD and indicate promising cognitive targets for future molecular genetic investigations. The familial distinction between the 2 cognitive impairments is consistent with recent theoretical models--a developmental model and an arousal-attention model--of 2 separable underlying processes in ADHD. Future research that tests the familial model within a developmental framework may inform

Mid-infrared pulsed laser ablation of the arterial wall. Mechanical origin of "acoustic" wall damage and its effect on wall healing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Erven, L.; van Leeuwen, T. G.; Post, M. J.; van der Veen, M. J.; Velema, E.; Borst, C.

1992-01-01

Pulsed mid-infrared lasers are an alternative to excimer lasers for transluminal angioplasty. The mid-infrared lasers, however, were reported to produce "acoustic" wall damage that might impair the immediate and long-term results. To study the immediate and long-term effects on the arterial wall,

Low-cost structured-light based 3D capture system design

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Jing; Bengtson, Kurt R.; Robinson, Barrett F.; Allebach, Jan P.

2014-03-01

Most of the 3D capture products currently in the market are high-end and pricey. They are not targeted for consumers, but rather for research, medical, or industrial usage. Very few aim to provide a solution for home and small business applications. Our goal is to fill in this gap by only using low-cost components to build a 3D capture system that can satisfy the needs of this market segment. In this paper, we present a low-cost 3D capture system based on the structured-light method. The system is built around the HP TopShot LaserJet Pro M275. For our capture device, we use the 8.0 Mpixel camera that is part of the M275. We augment this hardware with two 3M MPro 150 VGA (640 × 480) pocket projectors. We also describe an analytical approach to predicting the achievable resolution of the reconstructed 3D object based on differentials and small signal theory, and an experimental procedure for validating that the system under test meets the specifications for reconstructed object resolution that are predicted by our analytical model. By comparing our experimental measurements from the camera-projector system with the simulation results based on the model for this system, we conclude that our prototype system has been correctly configured and calibrated. We also conclude that with the analytical models, we have an effective means for specifying system parameters to achieve a given target resolution for the reconstructed object.

Heat transfer modelling of pulsed laser-tissue interaction

Science.gov (United States)

Urzova, J.; Jelinek, M.

2018-03-01

Due to their attributes, the application of medical lasers is on the rise in numerous medical fields. From a biomedical point of view, the most interesting applications are the thermal interactions and the photoablative interactions, which effectively remove tissue without excessive heat damage to the remaining tissue. The objective of this work is to create a theoretical model for heat transfer in the tissue following its interaction with the laser beam to predict heat transfer during medical laser surgery procedures. The dimensions of the ablated crater (shape and ablation depth) were determined by computed tomography imaging. COMSOL Multiphysics software was used for temperature modelling. The parameters of tissue and blood, such as density, specific heat capacity, thermal conductivity and diffusivity, were calculated from the chemical ratio. The parameters of laser-tissue interaction, such as absorption and reflection coefficients, were experimentally determined. The parameters of the laser beam were power density, repetition frequency, pulse length and spot dimensions. Heat spreading after laser interaction with tissue was captured using a Fluke thermal camera. The model was verified for adipose tissue, skeletal muscle tissue and heart muscle tissue.

Phylogeny and distribution of an unknown Treponema sp. associated with porcine colitis by using in situ hybridization and laser capture microdissection (LCM)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mølbak, Lars; Schou, Kirstine Klitgaard; Jensen, Tim Kåre

Helical-shaped bacteria resembling Spirochaetes commonly are present in the gastrointestinal tract of animals and humans. Culturing of Spirochaetes is in general fastidious and not always successful. Here, a new DNA isolation approach for prokaryotic cells in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue...

Optional carbon capture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alderson, T.; Scott, S.; Griffiths, J. [Jacobs Engineering, London (United Kingdom)

2007-07-01

In the case of IGCC power plants, carbon capture can be carried out before combustion. The carbon monoxide in the syngas is catalytically shifted to carbon dioxide and then captured in a standard gas absorption system. However, the insertion of a shift converter into an existing IGCC plant with no shift would mean a near total rebuild of the gasification waste heat recovery, gas treatment system and HRSG, with only the gasifier and gas turbine retaining most of their original features. To reduce the extent, cost and time taken for the revamping, the original plant could incorporate the shift, and the plant would then be operated without capture to advantage, and converted to capture mode of operation when commercially appropriate. This paper examines this concept of placing a shift converter into an IGCC plant before capture is required, and operating the same plant first without and then later with CO{sub 2} capture in a European context. The advantages and disadvantages of this 'capture ready' option are discussed. 6 refs., 2 figs., 4 tabs.

Pedestrian Detection by Laser Scanning and Depth Imagery

Science.gov (United States)

Barsi, A.; Lovas, T.; Molnar, B.; Somogyi, A.; Igazvolgyi, Z.

2016-06-01

Pedestrian flow is much less regulated and controlled compared to vehicle traffic. Estimating flow parameters would support many safety, security or commercial applications. Current paper discusses a method that enables acquiring information on pedestrian movements without disturbing and changing their motion. Profile laser scanner and depth camera have been applied to capture the geometry of the moving people as time series. Procedures have been developed to derive complex flow parameters, such as count, volume, walking direction and velocity from laser scanned point clouds. Since no images are captured from the faces of pedestrians, no privacy issues raised. The paper includes accuracy analysis of the estimated parameters based on video footage as reference. Due to the dense point clouds, detailed geometry analysis has been conducted to obtain the height and shoulder width of pedestrians and to detect whether luggage has been carried or not. The derived parameters support safety (e.g. detecting critical pedestrian density in mass events), security (e.g. detecting prohibited baggage in endangered areas) and commercial applications (e.g. counting pedestrians at all entrances/exits of a shopping mall).

Gravitational capture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bondi, H.

1979-01-01

In spite of the strength of gravitational focres between celestial bodies, gravitational capture is not a simple concept. The principles of conservation of linear momentum and of conservation of angular momentum, always impose severe constraints, while conservation of energy and the vital distinction between dissipative and non-dissipative systems allows one to rule out capture in a wide variety of cases. In complex systems especially those without dissipation, long dwell time is a more significant concept than permanent capture. (author)

Impairment analysis of WDM-PON based on low-cost tunable lasers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wagner, Christoph; Eiselt, Michael H.; Lawin, Mirko

2016-01-01

channel must be kept below 15%. Similar values result for the upstream pilot tones. In order to limit crosstalk, such systems require reduced launch power during wavelength tuning and can cover up to 40 km differential reach. These results confirm that WDM-PON based on low-cost lasers is a technically...

Capture ready study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Minchener, A.

2007-07-15

There are a large number of ways in which the capture of carbon as carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) can be integrated into fossil fuel power stations, most being applicable for both gas and coal feedstocks. To add to the choice of technology is the question of whether an existing plant should be retrofitted for capture, or whether it is more attractive to build totally new. This miscellany of choices adds considerably to the commercial risk of investing in a large power station. An intermediate stage between the non-capture and full capture state would be advantageous in helping to determine the best way forward and hence reduce those risks. In recent years the term 'carbon capture ready' or 'capture ready' has been coined to describe such an intermediate stage plant and is now widely used. However a detailed and all-encompassing definition of this term has never been published. All fossil fuel consuming plant produce a carbon dioxide gas byproduct. There is a possibility of scrubbing it with an appropriate CO{sub 2} solvent. Hence it could be said that all fossil fuel plant is in a condition for removal of its CO{sub 2} effluent and therefore already in a 'capture ready' state. Evidently, the practical reality of solvent scrubbing could cost more than the rewards offered by such as the ETS (European Trading Scheme). In which case, it can be said that although the possibility exists of capturing CO{sub 2}, it is not a commercially viable option and therefore the plant could not be described as ready for CO{sub 2} capture. The boundary between a capture ready and a non-capture ready condition using this definition cannot be determined in an objective and therefore universally acceptable way and criteria must be found which are less onerous and less potentially contentious to assess. 16 refs., 2 annexes.

A laser-based technology for fabricating a soda-lime glass based microfluidic device for circulating tumour cell capture.

Science.gov (United States)

Nieto, Daniel; Couceiro, Ramiro; Aymerich, Maria; Lopez-Lopez, Rafael; Abal, Miguel; Flores-Arias, María Teresa

2015-10-01

We developed a laser-based technique for fabricating microfluidic microchips on soda-lime glass substrates. The proposed methodology combines a laser direct writing, as a manufacturing tool for the fabrication of the microfluidics structures, followed by a post-thermal treatment with a CO2 laser. This treatment will allow reshaping and improving the morphological (roughness) and optical qualities (transparency) of the generated microfluidics structures. The use of lasers commonly implemented for material processing makes this technique highly competitive when compared with other glass microstructuring approaches. The manufactured chips were tested with tumour cells (Hec 1A) after being functionalized with an epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) antibody coating. Cells were successfully arrested on the pillars after being flown through the device giving our technology a translational application in the field of cancer research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exploring vacuum birefringence based on a 100 PW laser and an x-ray free electron laser beam

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Baifei; Bu, Zhigang; Xu, Jiancai; Xu, Tongjun; Ji, Liangliang; Li, Ruxin; Xu, Zhizhan

2018-04-01

Exploring vacuum birefringence with the station of extreme light at Shanghai Coherent Light Facility is considered. Laser pulses of intensity beyond 1023 W cm-2 are capable of polarizing the vacuum due to the ultra-strong electro-magnetic fields. The subtle difference of the vacuum refractive indexes along electric and magnetic fields leads to a birefringence effect for lights propagating through. The vacuum birefringence effect can now be captured by colliding a hard x-ray free electron laser (XFEL) beam with a high-power laser. The initial XFEL beam of pure linear polarization is predicated to gain a very small ellipticity after passing through the laser stimulated vacuum. Various interaction geometries are considered, showing that the estimated ellipticity lies between 1.8 × 10-10 and 10-9 for a 100 PW laser interacting with a 12.9 keV XFEL beam, approaching the threshold for todays’ polarity detection technique. The detailed experimental set-up is designed, including the polarimeter, the focusing compound refractive lens and the optical path. When taking into account the efficiencies of the x-ray instruments, it is found that about 10 polarization-flipped x-ray photons can be detected for a single shot for our design. Considering the background noise level, accumulating runs are necessary to obtain high confident measurement.

Laser exposure incidents: pilot ocular health and aviation safety issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakagawara, Van B; Wood, Kathryn J; Montgomery, Ron W

2008-09-01

A database of aviation reports involving laser illumination of flight crewmembers has been established and maintained at the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute. A review of recent laser illumination reports was initiated to investigate the significance of these events. Reports that involved laser exposures of civilian aircraft in the United States were analyzed for the 13-month period (January 1, 2004, through January 31, 2005). There were 90 reported instances of laser illumination during the study period. A total of 53 reports involved laser exposure of commercial aircraft. Lasers illuminated the cockpit in 41 (46%) of the incidents. Of those, 13 (32%) incidents resulted in a visual impairment or distraction to a pilot, including 1 incident that reportedly resulted in an ocular injury. Nearly 96% of these reports occurred in the last 3 months of the study period. There were no aviation accidents in which laser light illumination was found to be a contributing factor. Operational problems have resulted from laser illumination incidents in the national airspace system. Eye care practitioners, to provide effective consultations to their pilot patients, should be familiar with the problems that can occur with laser exposure.

Visual impairment in children with congenital Zika syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Ventura, Liana O; Ventura, Camila V; Lawrence, Linda; van der Linden, Vanessa; van der Linden, Ana; Gois, Adriana L; Cavalcanti, Milena M; Barros, Eveline A; Dias, Natalia C; Berrocal, Audina M; Miller, Marilyn T

2017-08-01

To describe the visual impairment associated with ocular and neurological abnormalities in a cohort of children with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). This cross-sectional study included infants with microcephaly born in Pernambuco, Brazil, from May to December 2015. Immunoglobulin M antibody capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the Zika virus on the cerebrospinal fluid samples was positive for all infants. Clinical evaluation consisted of comprehensive ophthalmologic examination including visual acuity, visual function assessment, visual developmental milestone, neurologic examination, and neuroimaging. A total of 32 infants (18 males [56%]) were included. Mean age at examination was 5.7 ± 0.9 months (range, 4-7 months). Visual function and visual developmental milestone could not be tested in 1 child (3%). Visual impairment was detected in 32 infants (100%). Retinal and/or optic nerve findings were observed in 14 patients (44%). There was no statistical difference between the patients with ocular findings and those without (P = 0.180). All patients (100%) demonstrated neurological and neuroimaging abnormalities; 3 (9%) presented with late-onset of microcephaly. Children with CZS demonstrated visual impairment regardless of retina and/or optic nerve abnormalities. This finding suggests that cortical/cerebral visual impairment may be the most common cause of blindness identified in children with CZS. Copyright © 2017 American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prospects for direct neutron capture measurements on s-process branching point isotopes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guerrero, C.; Lerendegui-Marco, J.; Quesada, J.M. [Universidad de Sevilla, Dept. de Fisica Atomica, Molecular y Nuclear, Sevilla (Spain); Domingo-Pardo, C. [CSIC-Universidad de Valencia, Instituto de Fisica Corpuscular, Valencia (Spain); Kaeppeler, F. [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institut fuer Kernphysik, Karlsruhe (Germany); Palomo, F.R. [Universidad de Sevilla, Dept. de Ingenieria Electronica, Sevilla (Spain); Reifarth, R. [Goethe-Universitaet Frankfurt am Main, Frankfurt am Main (Germany)

2017-05-15

The neutron capture cross sections of several unstable key isotopes acting as branching points in the s-process are crucial for stellar nucleosynthesis studies, but they are very challenging to measure directly due to the difficult production of sufficient sample material, the high activity of the resulting samples, and the actual (n, γ) measurement, where high neutron fluxes and effective background rejection capabilities are required. At present there are about 21 relevant s-process branching point isotopes whose cross section could not be measured yet over the neutron energy range of interest for astrophysics. However, the situation is changing with some very recent developments and upcoming technologies. This work introduces three techniques that will change the current paradigm in the field: the use of γ-ray imaging techniques in (n, γ) experiments, the production of moderated neutron beams using high-power lasers, and double capture experiments in Maxwellian neutron beams. (orig.)

Nonlinear impairment compensation using expectation maximization for dispersion managed and unmanaged PDM 16-QAM transmission

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zibar, Darko; Winther, Ole; Franceschi, Niccolo

2012-01-01

In this paper, we show numerically and experimentally that expectation maximization (EM) algorithm is a powerful tool in combating system impairments such as fibre nonlinearities, inphase and quadrature (I/Q) modulator imperfections and laser linewidth. The EM algorithm is an iterative algorithm ...

Multistage Coupling of Laser-Wakefield Accelerators with Curved Plasma Channels

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, J.; Chen, M.; Wu, W. Y.; Weng, S. M.; Sheng, Z. M.; Schroeder, C. B.; Jaroszynski, D. A.; Esarey, E.; Leemans, W. P.; Mori, W. B.; Zhang, J.

2018-04-01

Multistage coupling of laser-wakefield accelerators is essential to overcome laser energy depletion for high-energy applications such as TeV-level electron-positron colliders. Current staging schemes feed subsequent laser pulses into stages using plasma mirrors while controlling electron beam focusing with plasma lenses. Here a more compact and efficient scheme is proposed to realize the simultaneous coupling of the electron beam and the laser pulse into a second stage. A partly curved channel, integrating a straight acceleration stage with a curved transition segment, is used to guide a fresh laser pulse into a subsequent straight channel, while the electrons continue straight. This scheme benefits from a shorter coupling distance and continuous guiding of the electrons in plasma while suppressing transverse beam dispersion. Particle-in-cell simulations demonstrate that the electron beam from a previous stage can be efficiently injected into a subsequent stage for further acceleration while maintaining high capture efficiency, stability, and beam quality.

Laser-induced fluorescence imaging of bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Hilton, Peter J.

1998-12-01

This paper outlines a method for optically detecting bacteria on various backgrounds, such as meat, by imaging their laser induced auto-fluorescence response. This method can potentially operate in real-time, which is many times faster than current bacterial detection methods, which require culturing of bacterial samples. This paper describes the imaging technique employed whereby a laser spot is scanned across an object while capturing, filtering, and digitizing the returned light. Preliminary results of the bacterial auto-fluorescence are reported and plans for future research are discussed. The results to date are encouraging with six of the eight bacterial strains investigated exhibiting auto-fluorescence when excited at 488 nm. Discrimination of these bacterial strains against red meat is shown and techniques for reducing background fluorescence discussed.

Laser-Based Strategies to Treat Diabetic Macular Edema: History and New Promising Therapies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Young Gun Park

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Diabetic macular edema (DME is the main cause of visual impairment in diabetic patients. The management of DME is complex and often various treatment approaches are needed. At the present time, despite the enthusiasm for evaluating several new treatments for DME, including the intravitreal pharmacologic therapies (e.g., corticosteroids and anti-VEGF drugs, laser photocoagulation still remains the current standard in DME. The purpose of this review is to update our knowledge on laser photocoagulation for DME and describe the developments in laser systems. And we will also discuss the new laser techniques and review the latest results including benefits of combined therapy. In this paper, we briefly summarize the major laser therapeutics for the treatment of diabetic macular edema and allude to some future promising laser therapies.

Antibacterial activity of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles synthesized by laser ablation in liquid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ismail, Raid A.; Sulaiman, Ghassan M.; Abdulrahman, Safa A.; Marzoog, Thorria R.

2015-01-01

In this study, (50–110 nm) magnetic iron oxide (α-Fe 2 O 3 ) nanoparticles were synthesized by pulsed laser ablation of iron target in dimethylformamide (DMF) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solutions. The structural properties of the synthesized nanoparticles were investigated by using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, UV–VIS absorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The effect of laser fluence on the characteristics of these nanoparticles was studied. Antibacterial activities of iron oxide nanoparticles were tested against Gram-positive; Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative; Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Serratia marcescens. The results showed a noteworthy inhibition on both bacterial strains. The preparation conditions were found to affect significantly the antibacterial activity of these nanoparticles. The synthesized magnetic nanoparticles were used to capture rapidly S. aureus bacteria under the magnetic field effect. - Highlights: • Synthesis magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles by pulsed laser ablation • Antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria • Captured magnetic nanoparticles by S. aureus bacteria under effect of magnetic field

Antibacterial activity of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles synthesized by laser ablation in liquid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ismail, Raid A., E-mail: raidismail@yahoo.com [Laser Physics Division, Applied Science Department, University of Technology, Baghdad (Iraq); Sulaiman, Ghassan M. [Biotechnology Division, Applied Science Department, University of Technology, Baghdad (Iraq); Abdulrahman, Safa A. [Laser Physics Division, Applied Science Department, University of Technology, Baghdad (Iraq); Marzoog, Thorria R. [Biotechnology Division, Applied Science Department, University of Technology, Baghdad (Iraq)

2015-08-01

In this study, (50–110 nm) magnetic iron oxide (α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}) nanoparticles were synthesized by pulsed laser ablation of iron target in dimethylformamide (DMF) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solutions. The structural properties of the synthesized nanoparticles were investigated by using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, UV–VIS absorption, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The effect of laser fluence on the characteristics of these nanoparticles was studied. Antibacterial activities of iron oxide nanoparticles were tested against Gram-positive; Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative; Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Serratia marcescens. The results showed a noteworthy inhibition on both bacterial strains. The preparation conditions were found to affect significantly the antibacterial activity of these nanoparticles. The synthesized magnetic nanoparticles were used to capture rapidly S. aureus bacteria under the magnetic field effect. - Highlights: • Synthesis magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles by pulsed laser ablation • Antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria • Captured magnetic nanoparticles by S. aureus bacteria under effect of magnetic field.

SUPPORTING UAVS IN LOW VISIBILITY CONDITIONS BY MULTIPLE-PULSE LASER SCANNING DEVICES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Djuricic

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs are nowadays promising platforms for capturing spatial information, because they are low cost solutions, which are easy to bring to the surveying field and can operate automatically. Usually these devices are equipped with visual sensors to support the navigation of the platform or to transmit observations of the environment to the operator. By collecting the data and processing the captured images even an estimation of the observed environment in form of 3D information is available. Therefore Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM algorithms are well known for processing data which is captured in the visible domain. However, situations can occur where gathering visual information is difficult due to given limitations in form of low visibility. For example if soft obstacles in form of translucent materials are given in disaster scenarios with smoke and operating has still to be ensured, active optical sensors (e.g. laser scanners are gaining interest because they can penetrate the soft obstacle and allow to acquire information behind it. A new lightweight (210 g, simplified and minimized scanning unit is now available which allows to capture multiple reflections for each transmitted laser pulse, namely the Hokuyo UTM-30LX-EW. With such a device, it is possible to overcome the above mentioned restrictions or limitations of low visibility by soft obstacles and even measure under critical circumstances. A multi-pulse system can provide accurate measurements on, within, and behind the soft obstacle. This research focuses on investigating the ability and performance of a laser scanner to penetrate the soft obstacle. Thus, investigations on a system that overcomes these limitations and provides a solution will be given. First promising experimental results considering soft obstacle are described.

Nuclear receptor CAR (NR1I3) is essential for DDC-induced liver injury and oval cell proliferation in mouse liver.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamazaki, Yuichi; Moore, Rick; Negishi, Masahiko

2011-11-01

The liver is endowed with the ability to regenerate hepatocytes in response to injury. When this regeneration ability is impaired during liver injury, oval cells, which are considered to be postnatal hepatic progenitors, proliferate and differentiate into hepatocytes. Here we have demonstrated that 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC) activates the nuclear receptor constitutive active/androstane receptor (CAR), resulting in proliferation of oval cells in mouse liver. Activation of CAR by DDC was shown by hepatic nuclear CAR accumulation and cytochrome P450 (CYP)2B10 mRNA induction after feeding a 0.1% DDC-containing diet to Car(+/+) mice. After being fed the DDC diet, Car(+/+), but not Car(-/-) mice, developed severe liver injury and an A6 antibody-stained ductular reaction in an area around the portal tract. Oval cell proliferation was confirmed by laser capture microdissection and real-time PCR; mRNAs for the two oval cell markers epithelial cell adhesion molecule and TROP2 were specifically induced in the periportal region of DDC diet-fed Car(+/+), but not Car(-/-) mice. Although rates of both hepatocyte growth and death were initially enhanced only in DDC diet-fed Car(+/+) mice, growth was attenuated when oval cells proliferated, whereas death continued unabated. DDC-induced liver injury, which differs from other CAR activators such as phenobarbital, occurred in the periportal region where cells developed hypertrophy, accumulated porphyrin crystals and inflammation developed, all in association with the proliferation of oval cells. Thus, CAR provides an excellent experimental model for further investigations into its roles in liver regeneration, as well as the development of diseases such as hepatocellular carcinoma.

Measurement of laser activated electron tunneling from semiconductor zinc oxide to adsorbed organic molecules by a matrix assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhong Hongying; Fu Jieying; Wang Xiaoli; Zheng Shi

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Irradiation of photons with energies more than the band gap generates electron–hole pairs. ► Electron tunneling probability is dependent on the electron mobility. ► Tunneling electrons are captured by charge deficient atoms. ► Unpaired electrons induce cleavages of chemical bonds. - Abstract: Measurement of light induced heterogeneous electron transfer is important for understanding of fundamental processes involved in chemistry, physics and biology, which is still challenging by current techniques. Laser activated electron tunneling (LAET) from semiconductor metal oxides was observed and characterized by a MALDI (matrix assisted laser desorption ionization) mass spectrometer in this work. Nanoparticles of ZnO were placed on a MALDI sample plate. Free fatty acids and derivatives were used as models of organic compounds and directly deposited on the surface of ZnO nanoparticles. Irradiation of UV laser (λ = 355 nm) with energy more than the band gap of ZnO produces ions that can be detected in negative mode. When TiO 2 nanoparticles with similar band gap but much lower electron mobility were used, these ions were not observed unless the voltage on the sample plate was increased. The experimental results indicate that laser induced electron tunneling is dependent on the electron mobility and the strength of the electric field. Capture of low energy electrons by charge-deficient atoms of adsorbed organic molecules causes unpaired electron-directed cleavages of chemical bonds in a nonergodic pathway. In positive detection mode, electron tunneling cannot be observed due to the reverse moving direction of electrons. It should be able to expect that laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry is a new technique capable of probing the dynamics of electron tunneling. LAET offers advantages as a new ionization dissociation method for mass spectrometry.

Radiative electron capture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biggerstaff, J.A.; Appleton, B.R.; Datz, S.; Moak, C.D.; Neelavathi, V.N.; Noggle, T.S.; Ritchie, R.H.; VerBeek, H.

1975-01-01

Some data are presented for radiative electron capture by fast moving ions. The radiative electron capture spectrum is shown for O 8+ in Ag, along with the energy dependence of the capture cross-section. A discrepancy between earlier data, theoretical prediction, and the present data is pointed out. (3 figs) (U.S.)

Piracetam Attenuates LPS-Induced Neuroinflammation and Cognitive Impairment in Rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Tripathi, Alok; Paliwal, Pankaj; Krishnamurthy, Sairam

2017-11-01

The present study was performed to investigate the effect of piracetam on neuroinflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and resulting changes in cognitive behavior. Neuroinflammation was induced by a single dose of LPS solution infused into each of the lateral cerebral ventricles in concentrations of 1 μg/μl, at a rate of 1 μl/min over a 5-min period, with a 5-min waiting period between the two infusions. Piracetam in doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg i.p. was administered 30 min before LPS infusion and continued for 9 days. On ninth day, the behavioral test for memory and anxiety was done followed by blood collection and microdissection of the hippocampus (HIP) and prefrontal cortex brain regions. Piracetam attenuated the LPS-induced decrease in coping strategy to novel environment indicating anxiolytic activity. It also reversed the LPS-induced changes in the known arm and novel arm entries in the Y-maze test indicating amelioration of spatial memory impairment. Further, piracetam moderated LPS-induced decrease in the mitochondrial complex enzyme activities (I, II, IV, and V) and mitochondrial membrane potential. It ameliorated changes in hippocampal lipid peroxidation and nitrite levels including the activity of superoxide dismutase. Piracetam region specifically ameliorated LPS-induced increase in the level of IL-6 in HIP indicating anti-neuroinflammatory effect. Further, piracetam reduced HIP Aβ (1-40) and increased blood Aβ level suggesting efflux of Aβ from HIP to blood. Therefore, the present study indicates preclinical evidence for the use of piracetam in the treatment of neuroinflammatory disorders.

Preserved suppression of salient irrelevant stimuli during visual search in Age-Associated Memory Impairment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura eLorenzo-López

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Previous studies have suggested that older adults with age-associated memory impairment (AAMI may show a significant decline in attentional resource capacity and inhibitory processes in addition to memory impairment. In the present paper, the potential attentional capture by task-irrelevant stimuli was examined in older adults with AAMI compared to healthy older adults using scalp-recorded event-related brain potentials (ERPs. ERPs were recorded during the execution of a visual search task, in which the participants had to detect the presence of a target stimulus that differed from distractors by orientation. To explore the automatic attentional capture phenomenon, an irrelevant distractor stimulus defined by a different feature (color was also presented without previous knowledge of the participants. A consistent N2pc, an electrophysiological indicator of attentional deployment, was present for target stimuli but not for task-irrelevant color stimuli, suggesting that these irrelevant distractors did not attract attention in AAMI older adults. Furthermore, the N2pc for targets was significantly delayed in AAMI patients compared to healthy older controls. Together, these findings suggest a specific impairment of the attentional selection process of relevant target stimuli in these individuals and indicate that the mechanism of top-down suppression of entirely task-irrelevant stimuli is preserved, at least when the target and the irrelevant stimuli are perceptually very different.

Plasma turbulence imaging using high-power laser Thomson scattering

Science.gov (United States)

Zweben, S. J.; Caird, J.; Davis, W.; Johnson, D. W.; Le Blanc, B. P.

2001-01-01

The two-dimensional (2D) structure of plasma density turbulence in a magnetically confined plasma can potentially be measured using a Thomson scattering system made from components of the Nova laser of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. For a plasma such as the National Spherical Torus Experiment at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, the laser would form an ≈10-cm-wide plane sheet beam passing vertically through the chamber across the magnetic field. The scattered light would be imaged by a charge coupled device camera viewing along the direction of the magnetic field. The laser energy required to make 2D images of density turbulence is in the range 1-3 kJ, which can potentially be obtained from a set of frequency-doubled Nd:glass amplifiers with diameters in the range of 208-315 mm. A laser pulse width of ⩽100 ns would be short enough to capture the highest frequency components of the expected density fluctuations.

A Study on The Development of Local Exhaust Ventilation System (LEV’s) for Installation of Laser Cutting Machine

Science.gov (United States)

Harun, S. I.; Idris, S. R. A.; Tamar Jaya, N.

2017-09-01

Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) is an engineering system frequently used in the workplace to protect operators from hazardous substances. The objective of this project is design and fabricate the ventilation system as installation for chamber room of laser cutting machine and to stimulate the air flow inside chamber room of laser cutting machine with the ventilation system that designed. LEV’s fabricated with rated voltage D.C 10.8V and 1.5 ampere. Its capacity 600 ml, continuously use limit approximately 12-15 minute, overall length LEV’s fabricated is 966 mm with net weight 0.88 kg and maximum airflow is 1.3 meter cubic per minute. Stimulate the air flow inside chamber room of laser cutting machine with the ventilation system that designed and fabricated overall result get 2 main gas vapor which air and carbon dioxide. For air gas which experimented by using anemometer, general duct velocity that produce is same with other gas produce, carbon dioxide which 5 m/s until 10 m/s. Overall result for 5 m/s and 10 m/s as minimum and maximum duct velocity produce for both air and carbon dioxide. The air gas flow velocity that captured by LEV’s fabricated, 3.998 m/s average velocity captured from 5 m/s duct velocity which it efficiency of 79.960% and 7.667 m/s average velocity captured from 10 m/s duct velocity with efficiency of 76.665%. For carbon dioxide gas flow velocity that captured by LEV’s fabricated, 3.674 m/s average velocity captured from 5 m/s duct velocity which it efficiency of 73.480% and 8.255 m/s average velocity captured from 10 m/s duct velocity with efficiency of 82.545%.

Selective laser melting of hypereutectic Al-Si40-powder using ultra-short laser pulses

Science.gov (United States)

Ullsperger, T.; Matthäus, G.; Kaden, L.; Engelhardt, H.; Rettenmayr, M.; Risse, S.; Tünnermann, A.; Nolte, S.

2017-12-01

We investigate the use of ultra-short laser pulses for the selective melting of Al-Si40-powder to fabricate complex light-weight structures with wall sizes below 100 μ {m} combined with higher tensile strength and lower thermal expansion coefficient in comparison to standard Al-Si alloys. During the cooling process using conventional techniques, large primary silicon particles are formed which impairs the mechanical and thermal properties. We demonstrate that these limitations can be overcome using ultra-short laser pulses enabling the rapid heating and cooling in a non-thermal equilibrium process. We analyze the morphology characteristics and micro-structures of single tracks and thin-walled structures depending on pulse energy, repetition rate and scanning velocity utilizing pulses with a duration of 500 {fs} at a wavelength of 1030 {nm}. The possibility to specifically change and optimize the microstructure is shown.

Anatomic renal artery branch microdissection to facilitate zero-ischemia partial nephrectomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Casey K; Gill, Inderbir S; Patil, Mukul B; Hung, Andrew J; Berger, Andre K; de Castro Abreu, Andre Luis; Nakamoto, Masahiko; Eisenberg, Manuel S; Ukimura, Osamu; Thangathurai, Duraiyah; Aron, Monish; Desai, Mihir M

2012-01-01

Robot-assisted and laparoscopic partial nephrectomies (PNs) for medial tumors are technically challenging even with the hilum clamped and, until now, were impossible to perform with the hilum unclamped. Evaluate whether targeted vascular microdissection (VMD) of renal artery branches allows zero-ischemia PN to be performed even for challenging medial tumors. A prospective cohort evaluation of 44 patients with renal masses who underwent robot-assisted or laparoscopic zero-ischemia PN either with anatomic VMD (group 1; n=22) or without anatomic VMD (group 2; n=22) performed by a single surgeon from April 2010 to January 2011. Zero-ischemia PN with VMD incorporates four maneuvers: (1) preoperative computed tomographic reconstruction of renal arterial branch anatomy, (2) anatomic dissection of targeted, tumor-specific tertiary or higher-order renal arterial branches, (3) neurosurgical aneurysm microsurgical bulldog clamp(s) for superselective tumor devascularization, and (4) transient, controlled reduction of blood pressure, if necessary. Baseline, perioperative, and postoperative data were collected prospectively. Group 1 tumors were larger (4.3 vs 2.6 cm; p=0.011), were more often hilar (41% vs 9%; p=0.09), were medial (59% and 23%; p=0.017), were closer to the hilum (1.46 vs 3.26 cm; p=0.0002), and had a lower C index score (2.1 vs 3.9; p=0.004) and higher RENAL nephrometry scores (7.7 vs 6.2; p=0.013). Despite greater complexity, no group 1 tumor required hilar clamping, and perioperative outcomes were similar to those of group 2: operating room time (4.7 and 4.1h), median blood loss (200 and 100ml), surgical margins for cancer (all negative), major complications (0% and 9%), and minor complications (18% and 14%). The median serum creatinine level was similar 2 mo postoperatively (1.2 and 1.3mg/dl). The study was limited by the relatively small sample size. Anatomic targeted dissection and superselective control of tumor-specific renal arterial branches facilitate

Capturing Thoughts, Capturing Minds?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Janni

2004-01-01

Think Aloud is cost effective, promises access to the user's mind and is the applied usability technique. But 'keep talking' is difficult, besides, the multimodal interface is visual not verbal. Eye-tracking seems to get around the verbalisation problem. It captures the visual focus of attention...

[Prevalence of postpartum impaired glucose tolerance after gestational diabetes].

Science.gov (United States)

Romero Gutiérrez, Gustavo; Macias Rocha, Ana Laura; Puente Alvarez, Erika Isela

2012-10-01

gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) affects 2 to 10% of pregnancies and it has been postulated as a variant of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) because they share a similar pathophysioiogy. Approximately in 90% the carbohydrate intolerance resolves after pregnancy, however after 5 to 16 years after delivery women will have a risk of 17 to 63% to the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. to determine the frequency of postpartum impaired glucose tolerance in women with previous GDM. 125 patients with diagnosis of GMD were included, general data were captured, type of control during pregnancy and complications occurred. The women were instructed to undergo a postpartum oral glucose tolerance test of 75 g and 2 h, 6 weeks after their delivery date and they were classified into five groups: normal patients, type 2 diabetes mellitus, impaired glucose tolerance, impaired fasting glucose and combined both. after follow up 13 women (10.4%) were diagnosed as DM2; 14 patients (11.2%) were classified as glucose intolerance; 16 (12.8%) were catalogued with impaired fasting glucose; 6 (4.8%) had both disorders; and 76 (60.8%) were diagnosed as healthy women. the detection with a postpartum oral glucose tolerance test is necessary for the identification of the various types of disorders of the carbohydrate metabolism including DM2.

PEDESTRIAN DETECTION BY LASER SCANNING AND DEPTH IMAGERY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Barsi

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Pedestrian flow is much less regulated and controlled compared to vehicle traffic. Estimating flow parameters would support many safety, security or commercial applications. Current paper discusses a method that enables acquiring information on pedestrian movements without disturbing and changing their motion. Profile laser scanner and depth camera have been applied to capture the geometry of the moving people as time series. Procedures have been developed to derive complex flow parameters, such as count, volume, walking direction and velocity from laser scanned point clouds. Since no images are captured from the faces of pedestrians, no privacy issues raised. The paper includes accuracy analysis of the estimated parameters based on video footage as reference. Due to the dense point clouds, detailed geometry analysis has been conducted to obtain the height and shoulder width of pedestrians and to detect whether luggage has been carried or not. The derived parameters support safety (e.g. detecting critical pedestrian density in mass events, security (e.g. detecting prohibited baggage in endangered areas and commercial applications (e.g. counting pedestrians at all entrances/exits of a shopping mall.

[INVITED] Computational intelligence for smart laser materials processing

Science.gov (United States)

Casalino, Giuseppe

2018-03-01

Computational intelligence (CI) involves using a computer algorithm to capture hidden knowledge from data and to use them for training ;intelligent machine; to make complex decisions without human intervention. As simulation is becoming more prevalent from design and planning to manufacturing and operations, laser material processing can also benefit from computer generating knowledge through soft computing. This work is a review of the state-of-the-art on the methodology and applications of CI in laser materials processing (LMP), which is nowadays receiving increasing interest from world class manufacturers and 4.0 industry. The focus is on the methods that have been proven effective and robust in solving several problems in welding, cutting, drilling, surface treating and additive manufacturing using the laser beam. After a basic description of the most common computational intelligences employed in manufacturing, four sections, namely, laser joining, machining, surface, and additive covered the most recent applications in the already extensive literature regarding the CI in LMP. Eventually, emerging trends and future challenges were identified and discussed.

System and method for laser assisted sample transfer to solution for chemical analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Van Berkel, Gary J; Kertesz, Vilmos

2014-01-28

A system and method for laser desorption of an analyte from a specimen and capturing of the analyte in a suspended solvent to form a testing solution are described. The method can include providing a specimen supported by a desorption region of a specimen stage and desorbing an analyte from a target site of the specimen with a laser beam centered at a radiation wavelength (.lamda.). The desorption region is transparent to the radiation wavelength (.lamda.) and the sampling probe and a laser source emitting the laser beam are on opposite sides of a primary surface of the specimen stage. The system can also be arranged where the laser source and the sampling probe are on the same side of a primary surface of the specimen stage. The testing solution can then be analyzed using an analytical instrument or undergo further processing.

Laser therapy for cutaneous sarcoidosis: A review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teo Soleymani

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Sarcoidosis is a systemic, multi-organ disease of unknown etiology characteristically defined by the development of non-caseating granulomas. The development of sarcoidosis has been associated with a number of environmental and microbacterial factors coupled with genetic susceptibility. Depending on the type, location and distribution of disease, sarcoidosis can cause functional impairment, symptomatic distress, scarring and disfigurement. The advent of lasers as precise, minimally destructive surgical tools has allowed for their development as promising alternatives that minimize the morbidity associated with current therapies.In this paper, we reviewed the role of laser therapy in the treatment of cutaneous sarcoidosis. A comprehensive search of the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE and PUBMED databases was performed to identify relevant literatures investigating the role of laser therapy in the treatment of cutaneous sarcoidosis. In our opinion, laser therapy, particularly PDL, appears to be an effective, safe and generally well-tolerated modality for the treatment of cutaneous sarcoidosis and should be considered in patients with localized cutaneous disease that is refractory to conventional treatments. Less is known about the efficacy and tolerability of ablative laser therapy for the treatment of cutaneous sarcoidosis, though the limited data appears promising as well. With that said, however, the data is limited and warrants a need for additional larger, randomized controlled studies to further investigate the utility and efficacy of laser therapy in the treatment of cutaneous sarcoidosis.

One can achieve anything with a laser: an educational initiative

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, Ray K.

2005-06-01

Laser Photonics has been highlighted by many as THE Technology of the 21st Century. However, there are few obvious opportunities for students to see a Laser in operation in circumstances beyond some simple low power Laser Interferometry demonstrations, or the use of Laser Pointer Pens. As part of an educational initiative, PION LASER SENSORS within the University of Salford has developed a series of laboratory design and construction Projects that involve both the opportunities for, and the innovative creation of, visually attractive operative applications of low power Laser Photonics. These highly functional Laser Photonics Projects range from the transmission of audio signals to a written alphabetical letter recognition and Braille converter sensor for a visually impaired person; from a Laser speckle eye-sight testing system to a prototype mobile robotic guide for a blind person.; from a novel type of Laser seismograph to an equally novel set of Laser measurement callipers; from a Laser activated pair of walking feet to an optical feedback system to maintain a horizontal surface within a vehicle traversing rough terrain. This type of low power Laser Photonics design and construction Project not only provides the opportunity for students to become involved with some highly creative and innovative laboratory opportunities, but the experience clearly enthuses the students towards many aspects of Physics, Medicine, and Engineering through a sense of personal achievement resulting from a realization of their imaginative thinking sills, combined with their acquired manual skills.

Experimental techniques for subnanosecond resolution of laser-launched plates and impact studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paisley, D.L.; Warnes, R.H.; Stahl, D.B. [Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States). Dynamic Experimentation Div.

1994-09-01

Miniature laser-launched plates have applications in shock wave physics, studying dynamic properties of materials and can be used to generate experimental data in a manner similar to a laboratory gas gun for one-dimensional impact experiments. Laser-launched plates have the advantage of small size, low kinetic energy, and can be launched with ubiquitous laboratory lasers. Because of the small size and high accelerations (10{sup 7}--10{sup 10} g`s), improved temporal resolution and optical non-contact methods to collect data are required. Traditional mechanical in-situ gauges would significantly impair the data quality and do not have the required time response.

Exome sequencing identifies highly recurrent MED12 somatic mutations in breast fibroadenoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Weng Khong; Ong, Choon Kiat; Tan, Jing; Thike, Aye Aye; Ng, Cedric Chuan Young; Rajasegaran, Vikneswari; Myint, Swe Swe; Nagarajan, Sanjanaa; Nasir, Nur Diyana Md; McPherson, John R; Cutcutache, Ioana; Poore, Gregory; Tay, Su Ting; Ooi, Wei Siong; Tan, Veronique Kiak Mien; Hartman, Mikael; Ong, Kong Wee; Tan, Benita K T; Rozen, Steven G; Tan, Puay Hoon; Tan, Patrick; Teh, Bin Tean

2014-08-01

Fibroadenomas are the most common breast tumors in women under 30 (refs. 1,2). Exome sequencing of eight fibroadenomas with matching whole-blood samples revealed recurrent somatic mutations solely in MED12, which encodes a Mediator complex subunit. Targeted sequencing of an additional 90 fibroadenomas confirmed highly frequent MED12 exon 2 mutations (58/98, 59%) that are probably somatic, with 71% of mutations occurring in codon 44. Using laser capture microdissection, we show that MED12 fibroadenoma mutations are present in stromal but not epithelial mammary cells. Expression profiling of MED12-mutated and wild-type fibroadenomas revealed that MED12 mutations are associated with dysregulated estrogen signaling and extracellular matrix organization. The fibroadenoma MED12 mutation spectrum is nearly identical to that of previously reported MED12 lesions in uterine leiomyoma but not those of other tumors. Benign tumors of the breast and uterus, both of which are key target tissues of estrogen, may thus share a common genetic basis underpinned by highly frequent and specific MED12 mutations.

Renal progenitor cells contribute to hyperplastic lesions of podocytopathies and crescentic glomerulonephritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Smeets, Bart; Angelotti, Maria Lucia; Rizzo, Paola; Dijkman, Henry; Lazzeri, Elena; Mooren, Fieke; Ballerini, Lara; Parente, Eliana; Sagrinati, Costanza; Mazzinghi, Benedetta; Ronconi, Elisa; Becherucci, Francesca; Benigni, Ariela; Steenbergen, Eric; Lasagni, Laura; Remuzzi, Giuseppe; Wetzels, Jack; Romagnani, Paola

2009-12-01

Glomerular injury can involve excessive proliferation of glomerular epithelial cells, resulting in crescent formation and obliteration of Bowman's space. The origin of these hyperplastic epithelial cells in different glomerular disorders is controversial. Renal progenitors localized to the inner surface of Bowman's capsule can regenerate podocytes, but whether dysregulated proliferation of these progenitors contributes to crescent formation is unknown. In this study, we used confocal microscopy, laser capture microdissection, and real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR to demonstrate that hypercellular lesions of different podocytopathies and crescentic glomerulonephritis consist of three distinct populations: CD133(+)CD24(+)podocalyxin (PDX)(-)nestin(-) renal progenitors, CD133(+)CD24(+)PDX(+)nestin(+) transitional cells, and CD133(-)CD24(-)PDX(+)nestin(+) differentiated podocytes. In addition, TGF-beta induced CD133(+)CD24(+) progenitors to produce extracellular matrix, and these were the only cells to express the proliferation marker Ki67. Taken together, these results suggest that glomerular hyperplastic lesions derive from the proliferation of renal progenitors at different stages of their differentiation toward mature podocytes, providing an explanation for the pathogenesis of hyperplastic lesions in podocytopathies and crescentic glomerulonephritis.

Under-reactive but easily distracted: An fMRI investigation of attentional capture in autism spectrum disorder

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brandon Keehn

2016-02-01

Full Text Available For individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD, salient behaviorally-relevant information often fails to capture attention, while subtle behaviorally-irrelevant details commonly induce a state of distraction. The present study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI to investigate the neurocognitive networks underlying attentional capture in sixteen high-functioning children and adolescents with ASD and twenty-one typically developing (TD individuals. Participants completed a rapid serial visual presentation paradigm designed to investigate activation of attentional networks to behaviorally-relevant targets and contingent attention capture by task-irrelevant distractors. In individuals with ASD, target stimuli failed to trigger bottom-up activation of the ventral attentional network and the cerebellum. Additionally, the ASD group showed no differences in behavior or occipital activation associated with contingent attentional capture. Rather, results suggest that to-be-ignored distractors that shared either task-relevant or irrelevant features captured attention in ASD. Results indicate that individuals with ASD may be under-reactive to behaviorally-relevant stimuli, unable to filter irrelevant information, and that both top-down and bottom-up attention networks function atypically in ASD. Lastly, deficits in target-related processing were associated with autism symptomatology, providing further support for the hypothesis that non-social attentional processes and their neurofunctional underpinnings may play a significant role in the development of sociocommunicative impairments in ASD.

ZY3-02 Laser Altimeter On-orbit Geometrical Calibration and Test

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

TANG Xinming

2017-06-01

Full Text Available ZY3-02 is the first satellite equipped with a laser altimeter for earth observation in China .This laser altimeter is an experimental payload for land elevation measurement experiment. The ranging and pointing bias of the laser altimeter would change due to the launch vibration, the space environment difference or other factors, and that could bring plane and elevation errors of laser altimeter. In this paper, we propose an on-orbit geometric calibration method using a ground-based electro-optical detection system based on the analysis of ZY3-02 laser altimeter characteristic, and this method constructs the rigorous geometric calibration model, which consider the pointing and ranging bias as unknown systematic errors, and the unknown parameters are calibrated with laser spot's location captured by laser detectors and the minimum ranging error principle. With the ALOS-DSM data as reference, the elevation accuracy of the laser altimeter can be improved from 100~150 meters before calibration to 2~3 meters after calibration when the terrain slope is less than 2 degree. With several ground control points obtained with RTK in laser footprint for validation, the absolute elevation precision of laser altimeter in the flat area can reach about 1 meter after the calibration. The test results demonstrated the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method.

Carbon captured from the air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keith, D.

2008-01-01

This article presented an innovative way to achieve the efficient capture of atmospheric carbon. A team of scientists from the University of Calgary's Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy have shown that it is possible to reduce carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) using a simple machine that can capture the trace amount of CO 2 present in ambient air at any place on the planet. The thermodynamics of capturing the small concentrations of CO 2 from the air is only slightly more difficult than capturing much larger concentrations of CO 2 from power plants. The research is significant because it offers a way to capture CO 2 emissions from transportation sources such as vehicles and airplanes, which represent more than half of the greenhouse gases emitted on Earth. The energy efficient and cost effective air capture technology could complement other approaches for reducing emissions from the transportation sector, such as biofuels and electric vehicles. Air capture differs from carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology used at coal-fired power plants where CO 2 is captured and pipelined for permanent storage underground. Air capture can capture the CO 2 that is present in ambient air and store it wherever it is cheapest. The team at the University of Calgary showed that CO 2 could be captured directly from the air with less than 100 kWhrs of electricity per tonne of CO 2 . A custom-built tower was able to capture the equivalent of 20 tonnes per year of CO 2 on a single square meter of scrubbing material. The team devised a way to use a chemical process from the pulp and paper industry to cut the energy cost of air capture in half. Although the technology is only in its early stage, it appears that CO 2 could be captured from the air with an energy demand comparable to that needed for CO 2 capture from conventional power plants, but costs will be higher. The simple, reliable and scalable technology offers an opportunity to build a commercial-scale plant. 1 fig

Pulsed high field magnets. An efficient way of shaping laser accelerated proton beams for application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kroll, Florian; Schramm, Ulrich [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, 01328 Dresden (Germany); Technische Universitaet Dresden, 01062 Dresden (Germany); Bagnoud, Vincent; Blazevic, Abel; Busold, Simon [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung, 64291 Darmstadt (Germany); Helmholtz Institut Jena, 07734 Jena (Germany); Brabetz, Christian; Schumacher, Dennis [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung, 64291 Darmstadt (Germany); Deppert, Oliver; Jahn, Diana; Roth, Markus [Technische Universitaet Darmstadt, 64289 Darmstadt (Germany); Karsch, Leonhard; Masood, Umar [OncoRay-National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden (Germany); Kraft, Stephan [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, 01328 Dresden (Germany)

2015-07-01

Compact laser-driven proton accelerators are a potential alternative to complex, expensive conventional accelerators, enabling unique beam properties, like ultra-high pulse dose. Nevertheless, they still require substantial development in reliable beam generation and transport. We present experimental studies on capture, shape and transport of laser and conventionally accelerated protons via pulsed high-field magnets. These magnets, common research tools in the fields of solid state physics, have been adapted to meet the demands of laser acceleration experiments.Our work distinctively shows that pulsed magnet technology makes laser acceleration more suitable for application and can facilitate compact and efficient accelerators, e.g. for material research as well as medical and biological purposes.

Capture by colour: evidence for dimension-specific singleton capture.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Anthony M; Becker, Stefanie I; Remington, Roger W

2015-10-01

Previous work on attentional capture has shown the attentional system to be quite flexible in the stimulus properties it can be set to respond to. Several different attentional "modes" have been identified. Feature search mode allows attention to be set for specific features of a target (e.g., red). Singleton detection mode sets attention to respond to any discrepant item ("singleton") in the display. Relational search sets attention for the relative properties of the target in relation to the distractors (e.g., redder, larger). Recently, a new attentional mode was proposed that sets attention to respond to any singleton within a particular feature dimension (e.g., colour; Folk & Anderson, 2010). We tested this proposal against the predictions of previously established attentional modes. In a spatial cueing paradigm, participants searched for a colour target that was randomly either red or green. The nature of the attentional control setting was probed by presenting an irrelevant singleton cue prior to the target display and assessing whether it attracted attention. In all experiments, the cues were red, green, blue, or a white stimulus rapidly rotated (motion cue). The results of three experiments support the existence of a "colour singleton set," finding that all colour cues captured attention strongly, while motion cues captured attention only weakly or not at all. Notably, we also found that capture by motion cues in search for colour targets was moderated by their frequency; rare motion cues captured attention (weakly), while frequent motion cues did not.

Materials For Gas Capture, Methods Of Making Materials For Gas Capture, And Methods Of Capturing Gas

KAUST Repository

Polshettiwar, Vivek

2013-06-20

In accordance with the purpose(s) of the present disclosure, as embodied and broadly described herein, embodiments of the present disclosure, in one aspect, relate to materials that can be used for gas (e.g., CO.sub.2) capture, methods of making materials, methods of capturing gas (e.g., CO.sub.2), and the like, and the like.

Enhancing Protein Disulfide Bond Cleavage by UV Excitation and Electron Capture Dissociation for Top-Down Mass Spectrometry

OpenAIRE

Wongkongkathep, Piriya; Li, Huilin; Zhang, Xing; Loo, Rachel R. Ogorzalek; Julian, Ryan R.; Loo, Joseph A.

2015-01-01

The application of ion pre-activation with 266 nm ultraviolet (UV) laser irradiation combined with electron capture dissociation (ECD) is demonstrated to enhance top-down mass spectrometry sequence coverage of disulfide bond containing proteins. UV-based activation can homolytically cleave a disulfide bond to yield two separated thiol radicals. Activated ECD experiments of insulin and ribonuclease A containing three and four disulfide bonds, respectively, were performed. UV-activation in comb...

Effects of environmental and clinical interferents on the host capture efficiency of immobilized bacteriophages.

Science.gov (United States)

Dixon, Daniel V; Hosseinidoust, Zeinab; Tufenkji, Nathalie

2014-03-25

Bacteriophage-functionalized surfaces are a new class of advanced functional material and have been demonstrated to be applicable for use as antimicrobial surfaces in medical applications (e.g., indwelling medical devices or wound dressings) or as biosensors for bacterial capture and detection. However, the complex composition of many real life samples (e.g., blood, natural waters, etc.) can potentially interfere with the interaction of phage and its bacterial host, leading to a decline in the efficiency of the phage-functionalized surface. In this study, the bacterial capture efficiency of two model phage-functionalized surfaces was assessed in the presence of potential environmental and biomedical interferents. The two phage-bacteria systems used in this study are PRD1 with Salmonella Typhimurium and T4 with Escherichia coli. The potential interferents tested included humic and fulvic acids, natural groundwater, colloidal latex microspheres, host extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), albumin, fibrinogen, and human serum. EPS and human serum decreased the host capture efficiency for immobilized PRD1 and T4, and also impaired the infectivity of the nonimmobilized (planktonic) phage. Interestingly, humic and fulvic acids reduced the capture efficiency of T4-functionalized surfaces, even though they did not lead to inactivation of the suspended virions. Neither humic nor fulvic acids affected the capture efficiency of PRD1. These findings demonstrate the inadequacy of traditional phage selection methods (i.e., infectivity of suspended phage toward its host in clean buffer) for designing advanced functional materials and further highlight the importance of taking into account the environmental conditions in which the immobilized phage is expected to function.

Interatomic Coulombic electron capture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gokhberg, K.; Cederbaum, L. S.

2010-01-01

In a previous publication [K. Gokhberg and L. S. Cederbaum, J. Phys. B 42, 231001 (2009)] we presented the interatomic Coulombic electron capture process--an efficient electron capture mechanism by atoms and ions in the presence of an environment. In the present work we derive and discuss the mechanism in detail. We demonstrate thereby that this mechanism belongs to a family of interatomic electron capture processes driven by electron correlation. In these processes the excess energy released in the capture event is transferred to the environment and used to ionize (or to excite) it. This family includes the processes where the capture is into the lowest or into an excited unoccupied orbital of an atom or ion and proceeds in step with the ionization (or excitation) of the environment, as well as the process where an intermediate autoionizing excited resonance state is formed in the capturing center which subsequently deexcites to a stable state transferring its excess energy to the environment. Detailed derivation of the asymptotic cross sections of these processes is presented. The derived expressions make clear that the environment assisted capture processes can be important for many systems. Illustrative examples are presented for a number of model systems for which the data needed to construct the various capture cross sections are available in the literature.

Simultaneous streak and frame interferometry for electron density measurements of laser produced plasmas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Quevedo, H. J., E-mail: hjquevedo@utexas.edu; McCormick, M.; Wisher, M.; Bengtson, Roger D.; Ditmire, T. [Center for High Energy Density Science, Department of Physics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712 (United States)

2016-01-15

A system of two collinear probe beams with different wavelengths and pulse durations was used to capture simultaneously snapshot interferograms and streaked interferograms of laser produced plasmas. The snapshots measured the two dimensional, path-integrated, electron density on a charge-coupled device while the radial temporal evolution of a one dimensional plasma slice was recorded by a streak camera. This dual-probe combination allowed us to select plasmas that were uniform and axisymmetric along the laser direction suitable for retrieving the continuous evolution of the radial electron density of homogeneous plasmas. Demonstration of this double probe system was done by measuring rapidly evolving plasmas on time scales less than 1 ns produced by the interaction of femtosecond, high intensity, laser pulses with argon gas clusters. Experiments aimed at studying homogeneous plasmas from high intensity laser-gas or laser-cluster interaction could benefit from the use of this probing scheme.

Enhancing the antibacterial performance of orthopaedic implant materials by fibre laser surface engineering

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chan, Chi-Wai; Carson, Louise; Smith, Graham C.

2017-01-01

to the effort on enhancing osseointegration, wear and corrosion resistance of implant materials. In this study, the effects of laser surface treatment on enhancing the antibacterial properties of commercially pure (CP) Ti (Grade 2), Ti6Al4V (Grade 5) and CoCrMo alloy implant materials were studied and compared...... for the first time. Laser surface treatment was performed by a continuous wave (CW) fibre laser with a near-infrared wavelength of 1064 nm in a nitrogen-containing environment. Staphylococcus aureus, commonly implicated in infection associated with orthopaedic implants, was used to investigate the antibacterial...... properties of the laser-treated surfaces. The surface roughness and topography of the laser-treated materials were analysed by a 2D roughness testing and by AFM. The surface morphologies before and after 24 h of bacterial cell culture were captured by SEM, and bacterial viability was determined using live...

Receptor Tyrosine Kinases as Targets for Treatment of Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors in NF 1 Patients

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-01

expression analysis after laser-assisted microdissection. Int. J. Mol. Med., 11, 449–453. 22.Plaat,B.E., Molenaar ,W.M., Mastik,M.F., Hoekstra,H.J., te...and erbB2 in MPNST Neuro-oNcology • D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 8 957 20. Plaat BE, Molenaar WM, Mastik MF, Hoekstra HJ, te Meerman GJ, van den Berg E

Carbon captured from the air

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Keith, D. [Calgary Univ., AB (Canada)

2008-10-15

This article presented an innovative way to achieve the efficient capture of atmospheric carbon. A team of scientists from the University of Calgary's Institute for Sustainable Energy, Environment and Economy have shown that it is possible to reduce carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) using a simple machine that can capture the trace amount of CO{sub 2} present in ambient air at any place on the planet. The thermodynamics of capturing the small concentrations of CO{sub 2} from the air is only slightly more difficult than capturing much larger concentrations of CO{sub 2} from power plants. The research is significant because it offers a way to capture CO{sub 2} emissions from transportation sources such as vehicles and airplanes, which represent more than half of the greenhouse gases emitted on Earth. The energy efficient and cost effective air capture technology could complement other approaches for reducing emissions from the transportation sector, such as biofuels and electric vehicles. Air capture differs from carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology used at coal-fired power plants where CO{sub 2} is captured and pipelined for permanent storage underground. Air capture can capture the CO{sub 2} that is present in ambient air and store it wherever it is cheapest. The team at the University of Calgary showed that CO{sub 2} could be captured directly from the air with less than 100 kWhrs of electricity per tonne of CO{sub 2}. A custom-built tower was able to capture the equivalent of 20 tonnes per year of CO{sub 2} on a single square meter of scrubbing material. The team devised a way to use a chemical process from the pulp and paper industry to cut the energy cost of air capture in half. Although the technology is only in its early stage, it appears that CO{sub 2} could be captured from the air with an energy demand comparable to that needed for CO{sub 2} capture from conventional power plants, but costs will be higher. The simple, reliable and scalable technology

The Effects of Mirroring in a Playful Virtual Environment: A Comparative Study with Children and Adults Having Impairments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Borum, Nanna; Christiansen, Line Gad; Jepsen, Henrik Wolff

2013-01-01

This study explored the effects of a projected self-image in a game situation created for people with different impairments and ages, to question life quality and social cognition. A simple video capture game utilizing the Microsoft Ki-nect enabling embodied interaction was created. Test sessions...

Medicago truncatula and Glomus intraradices gene expression in cortical cells harboring arbuscules in the arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tang Yuhong

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Most vascular flowering plants have the capacity to form symbiotic associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM fungi. The symbiosis develops in the roots where AM fungi colonize the root cortex and form arbuscules within the cortical cells. Arbuscules are enveloped in a novel plant membrane and their establishment requires the coordinated cellular activities of both symbiotic partners. The arbuscule-cortical cell interface is the primary functional interface of the symbiosis and is of central importance in nutrient exchange. To determine the molecular events the underlie arbuscule development and function, it is first necessary to identify genes that may play a role in this process. Toward this goal we used the Affymetrix GeneChip® Medicago Genome Array to document the M. truncatula transcript profiles associated with AM symbiosis, and then developed laser microdissection (LM of M. truncatula root cortical cells to enable analyses of gene expression in individual cell types by RT-PCR. Results This approach led to the identification of novel M. truncatula and G. intraradices genes expressed in colonized cortical cells and in arbuscules. Within the arbuscule, expression of genes associated with the urea cycle, amino acid biosynthesis and cellular autophagy was detected. Analysis of gene expression in the colonized cortical cell revealed up-regulation of a lysine motif (LysM-receptor like kinase, members of the GRAS transcription factor family and a symbiosis-specific ammonium transporter that is a likely candidate for mediating ammonium transport in the AM symbiosis. Conclusion Transcript profiling using the Affymetrix GeneChip® Medicago Genome Array provided new insights into gene expression in M. truncatula roots during AM symbiosis and revealed the existence of several G. intraradices genes on the M. truncatula GeneChip®. A laser microdissection protocol that incorporates low-melting temperature Steedman's wax, was

Long-term engraftment of bone marrow-derived cells in the intimal hyperplasia lesion of autologous vein grafts.

Science.gov (United States)

Diao, Yanpeng; Guthrie, Steve; Xia, Shen-Ling; Ouyang, Xiaosen; Zhang, Li; Xue, Jing; Lee, Pui; Grant, Maria; Scott, Edward; Segal, Mark S

2008-03-01

Intimal hyperplasia of autologous vein grafts is a critical problem affecting the long-term patency of many types of vascular reconstruction. Within intimal hyperplasia lesions, smooth muscle cells are a major component, playing an essential role in the pathological process. Given that bone marrow-derived cells may differentiate into smooth muscle cells in the neointima of injured arteries, we hypothesized that the bone marrow may serve as a source for some of the smooth muscle cells within intimal hyperplasia lesions of vein grafts. To test this hypothesis, we used an established mouse model for intimal hyperplasia in wild-type mice that had been transplanted with bone marrow from a green fluorescent protein (GFP+/+) transgenic mouse. High-resolution confocal microscopy analysis performed 2 and 8 weeks after grafting demonstrated expression of GFP in 5.4 +/- 0.8% and 11.9 +/- 2.3%, respectively, of smooth muscle cells within intimal hyperplasia lesions. By 16 weeks, GFP expression in smooth muscle cells was not detected by immunohistochemistry; however, real-time PCR revealed that 20.2 +/- 1.7% of the smooth muscle cells captured from the neointima lesion by laser capture microdissection at 16 weeks contained GFP DNA. Our results suggest that bone marrow-derived cells differentiated into smooth muscle cells within the intimal lesion and may provide a novel clinical approach for decreasing intimal hyperplasia in vein grafts.

A laser sheet self-calibration method for scanning PIV

Science.gov (United States)

Knutsen, Anna N.; Lawson, John M.; Dawson, James R.; Worth, Nicholas A.

2017-10-01

Knowledge of laser sheet position, orientation, and thickness is a fundamental requirement of scanning PIV and other laser-scanning methods. This paper describes the development and evaluation of a new laser sheet self-calibration method for stereoscopic scanning PIV, which allows the measurement of these properties from particle images themselves. The approach is to fit a laser sheet model by treating particles as randomly distributed probes of the laser sheet profile, whose position is obtained via a triangulation procedure enhanced by matching particle images according to their variation in brightness over a scan. Numerical simulations and tests with experimental data were used to quantify the sensitivity of the method to typical experimental error sources and validate its performance in practice. The numerical simulations demonstrate the accurate recovery of the laser sheet parameters over range of different seeding densities and sheet thicknesses. Furthermore, they show that the method is robust to significant image noise and camera misalignment. Tests with experimental data confirm that the laser sheet model can be accurately reconstructed with no impairment to PIV measurement accuracy. The new method is more efficient and robust in comparison with the standard (self-) calibration approach, which requires an involved, separate calibration step that is sensitive to experimental misalignments. The method significantly improves the practicality of making accurate scanning PIV measurements and broadens its potential applicability to scanning systems with significant vibrations.

Interaction of neutrons with the matter in the laser field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaretskij, D.F.; Lomonosov, V.V.

1980-01-01

The interactions of neutrons with the molecules, atoms and nuclei in the presence of the coherent electromagnetic radiation are considered. There are two effects which are discussed in detail: 1) the ''acceleration'' of thermal neutrons passed through the excited by the resonance laser wave molecular gas; 2) the induced by the laser field the slow neutron capture accompanied by the compound nucleus level excitation. The given effects, if they are experimentally detected, give the possibility to control the neutron flux (spectrum change, polarization, spatial modulation and etc.) and change the interaction cross sections of thermal and resonance neutrons with nuclei due to excitation of p levels of the compound nucleus [ru

Chitosan adhesive for laser tissue repair

Science.gov (United States)

Lauto, A.; Stoodley, M.; Avolio, A.; Foster, L. J. R.

2006-02-01

Background. Laser tissue repair usually relies on haemoderivate solders, based on serum albumin. These solders have intrinsic limitations that impair their widespread use, such as limited repair strength, high solubility, brittleness and viral transmission. Furthermore, the solder activation temperature (65-70 °C) can induce significant damage to tissue. In this study, a new laser-activated biomaterial for tissue repair was developed and tested in vitro and in vivo to overcome some of the shortcomings of traditional solders. Materials and Methods. Flexible and insoluble strips of chitosan adhesive (surface area ~34 mm2, thickness ~20 μm) were developed and bonded on sheep intestine with a laser fluence and irradiance of 52 +/- 2 J/cm2 and ~15 W/cm2 respectively. The temperature between tissue and adhesive was measured using small thermocouples. The strength of repaired tissue was tested by a calibrated tensiometer. The adhesive was also bonded in vivo to the sciatic nerve of rats to assess the thermal damage induced by the laser (fluence = 65 +/- 11 J/cm2, irradiance = 15 W/cm2) four days post-operatively. Results. Chitosan adhesives successfully repaired intestine tissue, achieving a repair strength of 0.50 +/- 0.15 N (shear stress = 14.7 +/- 4.7 KPa, n=30) at a temperature of 60-65 °C. The laser caused demyelination of axons at the operated site; nevertheless, the myelinated axons retained their normal morphology proximally and distally.

Surfaces Relief Profilometry of Solid Objects by Sweeping of a Laser Line

Science.gov (United States)

Salas-Peimbert, Didia P.; Trujillo-Schiaffino, Gerardo; Mendoza-Villegas, Paloma G.; Ojeda-González, Daniel; Almazán-Cuellar, Saúl; Corral-Martínez, Luis F.

2008-04-01

This paper describes the development of a laser system for the digitalization and three-dimensional reconstruction of solid objects. The first step consists of applying on the object a linear sweeping of a thin laser line using a laser diode with 635 nm and 5 mW, a motorized stage for linear displacement of 138 mm, and a controller with RS232 interface. The next step consists of capturing and transmitting the image of the deformed line on the object to a computer. For this step was used a monochrome camera CCD, and an image acquisition board. The last step consists of the three-dimensional reconstruction of the solid object. All the corresponding algorithms were implemented using the programming language LabVIEW.

A study on new method of noninvasive esophageal venous pressure measurement based on the airflow and laser detection technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Chenghuan; Huang, Feizhou; Zhang, Rui; Zhu, Shaihong; Nie, Wanpin; Liu, Xunyang; Liu, Yinglong; Li, Peng

2015-01-01

Using optics combined with automatic control and computer real-time image detection technology, a novel noninvasive method of noncontact pressure manometry was developed based on the airflow and laser detection technology in this study. The new esophageal venous pressure measurement system was tested in-vitro experiments. A stable and adjustable pulse stream was produced from a self-developed pump and a laser emitting apparatus could generate optical signals which can be captured by image acquisition and analysis system program. A synchronization system simultaneous measured the changes of air pressure and the deformation of the vein wall to capture the vascular deformation while simultaneously record the current pressure value. The results of this study indicated that the pressure values tested by the new method have good correlation with the actual pressure value in animal experiments. The new method of noninvasive pressure measurement based on the airflow and laser detection technology is accurate, feasible, repeatable and has a good application prospects.

Laser surface cleaning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freiwald, J.G.; Freiwald, D.A.

1994-01-01

The objective of this work is a laboratory demonstration that red-lead primer and two-part epoxy paints can be stripped from concrete and metal surfaces using surface cleaning systems based on pulsed-repetition CO 2 lasers. The three goals are to: (1) demonstrate coatings removal, including surface pore cleaning; (2) demonstrate that there is negligible release of ablated contaminants to the environment; and (3) demonstrate that the process will generate negligible amounts of additional waste compared to competing technologies. Phase 1 involved site visits to RMI and Fernald to assess the cleaning issues for buildings and parts. In addition, Phase 1 included detailed designs of a more powerful system for industrial cleaning rates, including laser, articulating optics, ablated-material capture suction nozzle attached to a horizontal raster scanner for floor cleaning, and filtration system. Some concept development is also being done for using robots, and for parts cleaning. In Phase 2 a transportable 6 kW system will be built and tested, with a horizontal surface scanner for cleaning paint from floors. The laboratory tests will again be instrumented. Some concept development will continue for using robots, and for parts cleaning. This report describes Phase 1 results

Capture and X-ray diffraction studies of protein microcrystals in a microfluidic trap array

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lyubimov, Artem Y. [Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Murray, Thomas D. [University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205 (United States); Koehl, Antoine [Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Araci, Ismail Emre [Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Uervirojnangkoorn, Monarin; Zeldin, Oliver B. [Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Cohen, Aina E.; Soltis, S. Michael; Baxter, Elizabeth L. [SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Brewster, Aaron S.; Sauter, Nicholas K. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Brunger, Axel T., E-mail: brunger@stanford.edu [Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States); Berger, James M., E-mail: brunger@stanford.edu [Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205 (United States); Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 (United States)

2015-04-01

A microfluidic platform has been developed for the capture and X-ray analysis of protein microcrystals, affording a means to improve the efficiency of XFEL and synchrotron experiments. X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) promise to enable the collection of interpretable diffraction data from samples that are refractory to data collection at synchrotron sources. At present, however, more efficient sample-delivery methods that minimize the consumption of microcrystalline material are needed to allow the application of XFEL sources to a wide range of challenging structural targets of biological importance. Here, a microfluidic chip is presented in which microcrystals can be captured at fixed, addressable points in a trap array from a small volume (<10 µl) of a pre-existing slurry grown off-chip. The device can be mounted on a standard goniostat for conducting diffraction experiments at room temperature without the need for flash-cooling. Proof-of-principle tests with a model system (hen egg-white lysozyme) demonstrated the high efficiency of the microfluidic approach for crystal harvesting, permitting the collection of sufficient data from only 265 single-crystal still images to permit determination and refinement of the structure of the protein. This work shows that microfluidic capture devices can be readily used to facilitate data collection from protein microcrystals grown in traditional laboratory formats, enabling analysis when cryopreservation is problematic or when only small numbers of crystals are available. Such microfluidic capture devices may also be useful for data collection at synchrotron sources.

Adaptive Pulsed Laser Line Extraction for Terrain Reconstruction using a Dynamic Vision Sensor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian eBrandli

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Mobile robots need to know the terrain in which they are moving for path planning and obstacle avoidance. This paper proposes the combination of a bio-inspired, redundancy-suppressing dynamic vision sensor with a pulsed line laser to allow fast terrain reconstruction. A stable laser stripe extraction is achieved by exploiting the sensor’s ability to capture the temporal dynamics in a scene. An adaptive temporal filter for the sensor output allows a reliable reconstruction of 3D terrain surfaces. Laser stripe extractions up to pulsing frequencies of 500Hz were achieved using a line laser of 3mW at a distance of 45cm using an event-based algorithm that exploits the sparseness of the sensor output. As a proof of concept, unstructured rapid prototype terrain samples have been successfully reconstructed with an accuracy of 2mm.

Coherent time-stretch transformation for real-time capture of wideband signals.

Science.gov (United States)

Buckley, Brandon W; Madni, Asad M; Jalali, Bahram

2013-09-09

Time stretch transformation of wideband waveforms boosts the performance of analog-to-digital converters and digital signal processors by slowing down analog electrical signals before digitization. The transform is based on dispersive Fourier transformation implemented in the optical domain. A coherent receiver would be ideal for capturing the time-stretched optical signal. Coherent receivers offer improved sensitivity, allow for digital cancellation of dispersion-induced impairments and optical nonlinearities, and enable decoding of phase-modulated optical data formats. Because time-stretch uses a chirped broadband (>1 THz) optical carrier, a new coherent detection technique is required. In this paper, we introduce and demonstrate coherent time stretch transformation; a technique that combines dispersive Fourier transform with optically broadband coherent detection.

Three-dimensional optical reconstruction of vocal fold kinematics using high-speed video with a laser projection system

Science.gov (United States)

Luegmair, Georg; Mehta, Daryush D.; Kobler, James B.; Döllinger, Michael

2015-01-01

Vocal fold kinematics and its interaction with aerodynamic characteristics play a primary role in acoustic sound production of the human voice. Investigating the temporal details of these kinematics using high-speed videoendoscopic imaging techniques has proven challenging in part due to the limitations of quantifying complex vocal fold vibratory behavior using only two spatial dimensions. Thus, we propose an optical method of reconstructing the superior vocal fold surface in three spatial dimensions using a high-speed video camera and laser projection system. Using stereo-triangulation principles, we extend the camera-laser projector method and present an efficient image processing workflow to generate the three-dimensional vocal fold surfaces during phonation captured at 4000 frames per second. Initial results are provided for airflow-driven vibration of an ex vivo vocal fold model in which at least 75% of visible laser points contributed to the reconstructed surface. The method captures the vertical motion of the vocal folds at a high accuracy to allow for the computation of three-dimensional mucosal wave features such as vibratory amplitude, velocity, and asymmetry. PMID:26087485

Synthesis and biological evaluation of boronated polyglycerol dendrimers as potential agent for neutron capture therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Gerald S.; Camillo, Maria A.P.; Higa, Olga Z.; Pugliesi, Reynaldo; Fermamdes, Edson G.R.; Queiroz, Alvaro A.A. de

2005-01-01

In this work, the polyglycerol dendrimer (PGLD) generation 5 was used to obtain a boronated macromolecule for boron neutron capture therapy. The PGLD dendrimer was synthesized by the ring opening polymerization of deprotonated glycidol using polyglycerol as core functionality in a step-growth processes denominated divergent synthesis. The PGLD dendritic structure was confirmed by gel permeation chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 H-NMR, 13 C-NMR) and matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization techniques. The synthesized dendrimer presented low dispersion in molecular weights (M w /M n = 1.05) and a degree of branching of 0.82, which characterize the polymer dendritic structure. Quantitative neutron capture radiography was used to investigate the boron-10 enrichment of the polyglycerol dendrimer. The in vitro cytotoxicity to Chinese hamster ovary cells of 10 B-PGLD dendrimer indicate lower cytotoxicity, suggesting that the macromolecule is a biocompatible material. (author)

Refractive regression after laser in situ keratomileusis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Mabel K; Chang, John Sm; Chan, Tommy Cy

2018-04-26

Uncorrected refractive errors are a leading cause of visual impairment across the world. In today's society, laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) has become the most commonly performed surgical procedure to correct refractive errors. However, regression of the initially achieved refractive correction has been a widely observed phenomenon following LASIK since its inception more than two decades ago. Despite technological advances in laser refractive surgery and various proposed management strategies, post-LASIK regression is still frequently observed and has significant implications for the long-term visual performance and quality of life of patients. This review explores the mechanism of refractive regression after both myopic and hyperopic LASIK, predisposing risk factors and its clinical course. In addition, current preventative strategies and therapies are also reviewed. © 2018 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

Age-Related Sensory Impairments and Risk of Cognitive Impairment

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, Mary E; Cruickshanks, Karen J.; Schubert, Carla R; Pinto, Alex A; Carlsson, Cynthia M; Klein, Barbara EK; Klein, Ronald; Tweed, Ted S.

2016-01-01

Background/Objectives To evaluate the associations of sensory impairments with the 10-year risk of cognitive impairment. Previous work has primarily focused on the relationship between a single sensory system and cognition. Design The Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study (EHLS) is a longitudinal, population-based study of aging in the Beaver Dam, WI community. Baseline examinations were conducted in 1993 and follow-up exams have been conducted every 5 years. Setting General community Participants EHLS members without cognitive impairment at EHLS-2 (1998–2000). There were 1,884 participants (mean age = 66.7 years) with complete EHLS-2 sensory data and follow-up information. Measurements Cognitive impairment was a Mini-Mental State Examination score of impairment was a pure-tone average of hearing thresholds (0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz) of > 25 decibel Hearing Level in either ear. Visual impairment was Pelli-Robson contrast sensitivity of impairment was a San Diego Odor Identification Test score of impairment were independently associated with cognitive impairment risk [Hearing: Hazard Ratio (HR) = 1.90, 95% Confidence Interval (C.I.) = 1.11, 3.26; Vision: HR = 2.05, 95% C.I. = 1.24, 3.38; Olfaction: HR = 3.92, 95% C.I. = 2.45, 6.26]. However, 85% with hearing impairment, 81% with visual impairment, and 76% with olfactory impairment did not develop cognitive impairment during follow-up. Conclusion The relationship between sensory impairment and cognitive impairment was not unique to one sensory system suggesting sensorineural health may be a marker of brain aging. The development of a combined sensorineurocognitive measure may be useful in uncovering mechanisms of healthy brain aging. PMID:27611845

Multi-image acquisition-based distance sensor using agile laser spot beam.

Science.gov (United States)

Riza, Nabeel A; Amin, M Junaid

2014-09-01

We present a novel laser-based distance measurement technique that uses multiple-image-based spatial processing to enable distance measurements. Compared with the first-generation distance sensor using spatial processing, the modified sensor is no longer hindered by the classic Rayleigh axial resolution limit for the propagating laser beam at its minimum beam waist location. The proposed high-resolution distance sensor design uses an electronically controlled variable focus lens (ECVFL) in combination with an optical imaging device, such as a charged-coupled device (CCD), to produce and capture different laser spot size images on a target with these beam spot sizes different from the minimal spot size possible at this target distance. By exploiting the unique relationship of the target located spot sizes with the varying ECVFL focal length for each target distance, the proposed distance sensor can compute the target distance with a distance measurement resolution better than the axial resolution via the Rayleigh resolution criterion. Using a 30 mW 633 nm He-Ne laser coupled with an electromagnetically actuated liquid ECVFL, along with a 20 cm focal length bias lens, and using five spot images captured per target position by a CCD-based Nikon camera, a proof-of-concept proposed distance sensor is successfully implemented in the laboratory over target ranges from 10 to 100 cm with a demonstrated sub-cm axial resolution, which is better than the axial Rayleigh resolution limit at these target distances. Applications for the proposed potentially cost-effective distance sensor are diverse and include industrial inspection and measurement and 3D object shape mapping and imaging.

High-speed microjet generation using laser-induced vapor bubbles

Science.gov (United States)

Oudalov, Nikolai; Tagawa, Yoshiyuki; Peters, Ivo; Visser, Claas-Willem; van der Meer, Devaraj; Prosperetti, Andrea; Sun, Chao; Lohse, Detlef

2011-11-01

The generation and evolution of microjets are studied both experimentally and numerically. The jets are generated by focusing a laser pulse into a microscopic capillary tube (~50 μm) filled with water-based red dye. A vapor bubble is created instantly after shooting the laser (<1 μs), sending out a shockwave towards the curved free surface at which the high-speed microjet forms. The process of jet formation is captured using high-speed recordings at 1.0 × 106 fps. The velocity of the microjets can reach speeds of ~850 m/s while maintaining a very sharp geometry. The high-speed recordings enable us to study the effect of several parameters on the jet velocity, e.g. the absorbed energy and the distance between the laser spot and the free surface.The results show a clear dependence on these variables, even for supersonic speeds. Comparisons with numerical simulations confirm the nature of these dependencies.

Applications of optical sensing for laser cutting and drilling.

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, Mahlen D T; French, Paul; Peters, Chris; Hand, Duncan P; Jones, Julian D C

2002-08-20

Any reliable automated production system must include process control and monitoring techniques. Two laser processing techniques potentially lending themselves to automation are percussion drilling and cutting. For drilling we investigate the performance of a modification of a nonintrusive optical focus control system we previously developed for laser welding, which exploits the chromatic aberrations of the processing optics to determine focal error. We further developed this focus control system for closed-loop control of laser cutting. We show that an extension of the technique can detect deterioration in cut quality, and we describe practical trials carried out on different materials using both oxygen and nitrogen assist gas. We base our techniques on monitoring the light generated by the process, captured nonintrusively by the effector optics and processed remotely from the workpiece. We describe the relationship between the temporal and the chromatic modulation of the detected light and process quality and show how the information can be used as the basis of a process control system.

Methods for registration laser scanner point clouds in forest stands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bienert, A.; Pech, K.; Maas, H.-G.

2011-01-01

Laser scanning is a fast and efficient 3-D measurement technique to capture surface points describing the geometry of a complex object in an accurate and reliable way. Besides airborne laser scanning, terrestrial laser scanning finds growing interest for forestry applications. These two different recording platforms show large differences in resolution, recording area and scan viewing direction. Using both datasets for a combined point cloud analysis may yield advantages because of their largely complementary information. In this paper, methods will be presented to automatically register airborne and terrestrial laser scanner point clouds of a forest stand. In a first step, tree detection is performed in both datasets in an automatic manner. In a second step, corresponding tree positions are determined using RANSAC. Finally, the geometric transformation is performed, divided in a coarse and fine registration. After a coarse registration, the fine registration is done in an iterative manner (ICP) using the point clouds itself. The methods are tested and validated with a dataset of a forest stand. The presented registration results provide accuracies which fulfill the forestry requirements [de

Loss of heterozygosity on chromosome 9q22.3 in microdissected basal cell carcinomas around the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Testing Site, Kazakhstan.

Science.gov (United States)

Iwata, Kenji; Takamura, Noboru; Nakashima, Masahiro; Alipov, Gabit; Mine, Mariko; Matsumoto, Naomichi; Yoshiura, Koichiro; Prouglo, Yuriy; Sekine, Ichiro; Katayama, Ichiro; Yamashita, Shunichi

2004-04-01

A high incidence of skin cancers has been noted around the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Testing Site (SNTS) in Kazakhstan. Recently, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) susceptibility genes, human homolog of the Drosophila pathed gene (PTCH), and the xeroderma pigmentosa group A-complementing gene (XPA), have been cloned and localized on chromosome 9q22.3. To clarify the effect of low-dose irradiation on the occurrence of BCC, we used microdissection and polymerase chain reaction to identify loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at 9q22.3 using BCC samples obtained from this region. Ten Japanese samples were analyzed as controls. LOH with at least 1 marker was identified in 5 of 14 cases from around SNTS, whereas only 1 case with 1 marker was identified among the 10 Nagasaki cases. The total number of LOH alleles from SNTS (8 of 45) was significantly higher than the number from Nagasaki (1 of 26) (P = 0.03). The higher incidence of LOH on 9q22.3 in BCC from around SNTS suggests involvement of chronic low-dose irradiation by fallout from the test site as a factor in the cancers.

Electron acceleration by longitudinal electric field of a gaussian laser beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takeuchi, Satoshi; Sugihara, Ryo; Shimoda, Koichi.

1991-11-01

It is shown that the longitudinal electric field of a transverse magnetic mode of a Gaussian laser beam accelerates an electron to an ultra-relativistic energy. The electron is captured and accelerated in a length of the order of the Rayleigh range. The ultimate energy increment of the electron with a single laser beam is given by the product of transverse field intensity and the beam waist, and can be of the order of 100MeV. This fact implies that a multi-stage acceleration enables TeV-order-acceleration in a length of a few kilometers with the present state of the art. (author)

Automatic capture of attention by conceptually generated working memory templates.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Sol Z; Shen, Jenny; Shaw, Mark; Cant, Jonathan S; Ferber, Susanne

2015-08-01

Many theories of attention propose that the contents of working memory (WM) can act as an attentional template, which biases processing in favor of perceptually similar inputs. While support has been found for this claim, it is unclear how attentional templates are generated when searching real-world environments. We hypothesized that in naturalistic settings, attentional templates are commonly generated from conceptual knowledge, an idea consistent with sensorimotor models of knowledge representation. Participants performed a visual search task in the delay period of a WM task, where the item in memory was either a colored disk or a word associated with a color concept (e.g., "Rose," associated with red). During search, we manipulated whether a singleton distractor in the array matched the contents of WM. Overall, we found that search times were impaired in the presence of a memory-matching distractor. Furthermore, the degree of impairment did not differ based on the contents of WM. Put differently, regardless of whether participants were maintaining a perceptually colored disk identical to the singleton distractor, or whether they were simply maintaining a word associated with the color of the distractor, the magnitude of attentional capture was the same. Our results suggest that attentional templates can be generated from conceptual knowledge, in the physical absence of the visual feature.

Laser driven electron-positron pair creation-kinetic theory versus analytical approximations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smolyansky, S.A.; Prozorkevich, A.V.; Bonitz, M.

2013-01-01

The dynamical Schwinger effect of vacuum pair creation driven by an intense external laser pulse is studied on the basis of quantum kinetic theory. The numerical solutions of these kinetic equations exhibit a complex time dependence which makes an analysis of the physical processes difficult. In particular, the question of secondary effects, such as creation of secondary annihilation photons from the focus spot of the colliding laser beams, remains an important open problem. In the present work we, therefore, develop a perturbation theory which is able to capture the dominant time dependence of the produced electron-positron pair density. The theory shows excellent agreement with the exact kinetic results during the laser pulse, but fails to reproduce the residual pair density remaining in the system after termination of the pulse. (copyright 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Small Particles Intact Capture Experiment (SPICE)

Science.gov (United States)

Nishioka, Ken-Ji; Carle, G. C.; Bunch, T. E.; Mendez, David J.; Ryder, J. T.

1994-01-01

The Small Particles Intact Capture Experiment (SPICE) will develop technologies and engineering techniques necessary to capture nearly intact, uncontaminated cosmic and interplanetary dust particles (IDP's). Successful capture of such particles will benefit the exobiology and planetary science communities by providing particulate samples that may have survived unaltered since the formation of the solar system. Characterization of these particles may contribute fundamental data to our knowledge of how these particles could have formed into our planet Earth and, perhaps, contributed to the beginnings of life. The term 'uncontaminated' means that captured cosmic and IDP particles are free of organic contamination from the capture process and the term 'nearly intact capture' means that their chemical and elemental components are not materially altered during capture. The key to capturing cosmic and IDP particles that are organic-contamination free and nearly intact is the capture medium. Initial screening of capture media included organic foams, multiple thin foil layers, and aerogel (a silica gel); but, with the exception of aerogel, the requirements of no contamination or nearly intact capture were not met. To ensure no contamination of particles in the capture process, high-purity aerogel was chosen. High-purity aerogel results in high clarity (visual clearness), a useful quality in detection and recovery of embedded captured particles from the aerogel. P. Tsou at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) originally described the use of aerogel for this purpose and reported laboratory test results. He has flown aerogel as a 'GAS-can Lid' payload on STS-47 and is evaluating the results. The Timeband Capture Cell Experiment (TICCE), a Eureca 1 experiment, is also flying aerogel and is scheduled for recovery in late April.

Time-resolved spectroscopy of laser-induced breakdown in water

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Robert J.; Hammer, Daniel X.; Noojin, Gary D.; Stolarski, David J.; Rockwell, Benjamin A.; Roach, William P.

1996-05-01

Laser pulses of 60-ps and 80-ps at a wavelength of 532-nm and 1064-nm respectively were used to produce laser induced breakdown in triple-distilled water. The resulting luminescent flash from the plasma was captured with an imaging spectrograph coupled to a streak camera with a 5-ps time resolution. The wavelength range was 350 to 900-nm. We present the resulting experimental data which gives plasma duration and time-resolved spectral information. Plasma temperature is also computed from the data. All parameters are presented at a pulse energy of 1-mJ and are compared with time-integrated spectra at the same pulse duration and at 5 to 7-ns pulse duration in a similar energy range.

The problem of latent attentional capture: Easy visual search conceals capture by task-irrelevant abrupt onsets.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaspelin, Nicholas; Ruthruff, Eric; Lien, Mei-Ching

2016-08-01

Researchers are sharply divided regarding whether irrelevant abrupt onsets capture spatial attention. Numerous studies report that they do and a roughly equal number report that they do not. This puzzle has inspired numerous attempts at reconciliation, none gaining general acceptance. The authors propose that abrupt onsets routinely capture attention, but the size of observed capture effects depends critically on how long attention dwells on distractor items which, in turn, depends critically on search difficulty. In a series of spatial cuing experiments, the authors show that irrelevant abrupt onsets produce robust capture effects when visual search is difficult, but not when search is easy. Critically, this effect occurs even when search difficulty varies randomly across trials, preventing any strategic adjustments of the attentional set that could modulate probability of capture by the onset cue. The authors argue that easy visual search provides an insensitive test for stimulus-driven capture by abrupt onsets: even though onsets truly capture attention, the effects of capture can be latent. This observation helps to explain previous failures to find capture by onsets, nearly all of which used an easy visual search. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Isothermal multiple displacement amplification: a methodical approach enhancing molecular routine diagnostics of microcarcinomas and small biopsies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mairinger FD

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Fabian D Mairinger,1 Robert FH Walter,2 Claudia Vollbrecht,3 Thomas Hager,1 Karl Worm,1 Saskia Ting,1 Jeremias Wohlschläger,1 Paul Zarogoulidis,4 Konstantinos Zarogoulidis,4 Kurt W Schmid1 1Institute of Pathology, 2Ruhrlandklinik, West German Lung Center, University Hospital Essen, Essen, 3Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany; 4Pulmonary Department, Oncology Unit, G Papanikolaou General Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece Background and methods: Isothermal multiple displacement amplification (IMDA can be a powerful tool in molecular routine diagnostics for homogeneous and sequence-independent whole-genome amplification of notably small tumor samples, eg, microcarcinomas and biopsies containing a small amount of tumor. Currently, this method is not well established in pathology laboratories. We designed a study to confirm the feasibility and convenience of this method for routine diagnostics with formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples prepared by laser-capture microdissection. Results: A total of 250 µg DNA (concentration 5 µg/µL was generated by amplification over a period of 8 hours with a material input of approximately 25 cells, approximately equivalent to 175 pg of genomic DNA. In the generated DNA, a representation of all chromosomes could be shown and the presence of elected genes relevant for diagnosis in clinical samples could be proven. Mutational analysis of clinical samples could be performed without any difficulty and showed concordance with earlier diagnostic findings. Conclusion: We established the feasibility and convenience of IMDA for routine diagnostics. We also showed that small amounts of DNA, which were not analyzable with current molecular methods, could be sufficient for a wide field of applications in molecular routine diagnostics when they are preamplified with IMDA. Keywords: isothermal multiple displacement amplification, isothermal, whole

Study on keV-neutron capture cross sections and capture γ-ray spectra of 117,119Sn

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishiyama, J.; Igashira, M.; Ohsaki, T.; Kim, G.N.; Chung, W.C.; Ro, T.I.

2006-01-01

The capture cross sections and capture γ-ray spectra of 117,119 Sn were measured in an incident neutron energy region from 10 to 100 keV and at 570 keV, using a 1.5-ns pulsed neutron source by the 7 Li(p,n) 7 Be reaction and a large anti-Compton NaI(Tl) γ-ray spectrometer. A pulse-height weighting technique was applied to observed capture γ-ray pulse-height spectra to derive capture yields. The capture cross sections of 117,119 Sn were obtained with the error of about 5% by using the standard capture cross sections of 197 Au. The present cross sections were compared with previous experimental data and the evaluated values in JENDL-3.3 and ENDF/B-VI. The capture γ-ray spectra of 117,119 Sn were derived by unfolding the observed capture γ-ray pulse-height spectra. The calculations of capture cross sections and capture γ-ray spectra of 117,119 Sn were performed with the EMPIRE-II code. The calculated results were compared with the present experimental ones. (author)

Study and development of a laser based alignment system for the compact linear collider

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(CDS)2083149

The first objective of the PhD thesis is to develop a new type of positioning sensor to align components at micrometre level over 200 m with respect to a laser beam as straight line reference. The second objective is to estimate the measurement accuracy of the total alignment system over 200 m. The context of the PhD thesis is the Compact Linear Collider project, which is a study for a future particle accelerator. The proposed positioning sensor is made of a camera and an open/close shutter. The sensor can measure the position of the laser beam with respect to its own coordinate system. To do a measurement, the shutter closes, a laser spot appears on it, the camera captures a picture of the laser spot and the coordinates of the laser spot centre are reconstructed in the sensor coordinate system with image processing. Such a measurement requires reference targets on the positioning sensor. To reach the rst objective of the PhD thesis, we used laser theory...

Holographic Imaging of Evolving Laser-Plasma Structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Downer, Michael [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States); Shvets, G. [Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)

2014-07-31

In the 1870s, English photographer Eadweard Muybridge captured motion pictures within one cycle of a horse’s gallop, which settled a hotly debated question of his time by showing that the horse became temporarily airborne. In the 1940s, Manhattan project photographer Berlin Brixner captured a nuclear blast at a million frames per second, and resolved a dispute about the explosion’s shape and speed. In this project, we developed methods to capture detailed motion pictures of evolving, light-velocity objects created by a laser pulse propagating through matter. These objects include electron density waves used to accelerate charged particles, laser-induced refractive index changes used for micromachining, and ionization tracks used for atmospheric chemical analysis, guide star creation and ranging. Our “movies”, like Muybridge’s and Brixner’s, are obtained in one shot, since the laser-created objects of interest are insufficiently repeatable for accurate stroboscopic imaging. Our high-speed photographs have begun to resolve controversies about how laser-created objects form and evolve, questions that previously could be addressed only by intensive computer simulations based on estimated initial conditions. Resolving such questions helps develop better tabletop particle accelerators, atmospheric ranging devices and many other applications of laser-matter interactions. Our photographic methods all begin by splitting one or more “probe” pulses from the laser pulse that creates the light-speed object. A probe illuminates the object and obtains information about its structure without altering it. We developed three single-shot visualization methods that differ in how the probes interact with the object of interest or are recorded. (1) Frequency-Domain Holography (FDH). In FDH, there are 2 probes, like “object” and “reference” beams in conventional holography. Our “object” probe surrounds the light-speed object, like a fleas swarming around a

Marker-Free Human Motion Capture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grest, Daniel

Human Motion Capture is a widely used technique to obtain motion data for animation of virtual characters. Commercial optical motion capture systems are marker-based. This book is about marker-free motion capture and its possibilities to acquire motion from a single viewing direction. The focus...

Stimulus-driven capture and contingent capture

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Theeuwes, J.; Olivers, C.N.L.; Belopolsky, A.V.

2010-01-01

Whether or not certain physical events can capture attention has been one of the most debated issues in the study of attention. This discussion is concerned with how goal-directed and stimulus-driven processes interact in perception and cognition. On one extreme of the spectrum is the idea that

Distribution of erlotinib in rash and normal skin in cancer patients receiving erlotinib visualized by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishimura, Meiko; Hayashi, Mitsuhiro; Mizutani, Yu; Takenaka, Kei; Imamura, Yoshinori; Chayahara, Naoko; Toyoda, Masanori; Kiyota, Naomi; Mukohara, Toru; Aikawa, Hiroaki; Fujiwara, Yasuhiro; Hamada, Akinobu; Minami, Hironobu

2018-04-06

The development of skin rashes is the most common adverse event observed in cancer patients treated with epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors such as erlotinib. However, the pharmacological evidence has not been fully revealed. Erlotinib distribution in the rashes was more heterogeneous than that in the normal skin, and the rashes contained statistically higher concentrations of erlotinib than adjacent normal skin in the superficial skin layer (229 ± 192 vs. 120 ± 103 ions/mm 2 ; P = 0.009 in paired t -test). LC-MS/MS confirmed that the concentration of erlotinib in the skin rashes was higher than that in normal skin in the superficial skin layer (1946 ± 1258 vs. 1174 ± 662 ng/cm 3 ; P = 0.028 in paired t -test). The results of MALDI-MSI and LC-MS/MS were well correlated (coefficient of correlation 0.879, P distribution of erlotinib in the skin tissue was visualized using non-labeled MALDI-MSI. Erlotinib concentration in the superficial layer of the skin rashes was higher than that in the adjacent normal skin. We examined patients with advanced pancreatic cancer who developed skin rashes after treatment with erlotinib and gemcitabine. We biopsied both the rash and adjacent normal skin tissues, and visualized and compared the distribution of erlotinib within the skin using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI). The tissue concentration of erlotinib was also measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) with laser microdissection.

Resource capture by single leaves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Long, S.P.

1992-05-01

Leaves show a variety of strategies for maximizing CO{sub 2} and light capture. These are more meaningfully explained if they are considered in the context of maximizing capture relative to the utilization of water, nutrients and carbohydrates reserves. There is considerable variation between crops in their efficiency of CO{sub 2} and light capture at the leaf level. Understanding of these mechanisms indicate some ways in which efficiency of resource capture could be level cannot be meaningfully considered without simultaneous understanding of implications at the canopy level. 36 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.

An improved triangulation laser rangefinder using a custom CMOS HDR linear image sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Liscombe, Michael

3-D triangulation laser rangefinders are used in many modern applications, from terrain mapping to biometric identification. Although a wide variety of designs have been proposed, laser speckle noise still provides a fundamental limitation on range accuracy. These works propose a new triangulation laser rangefinder designed specifically to mitigate the effects of laser speckle noise. The proposed rangefinder uses a precision linear translator to laterally reposition the imaging system (e.g., image sensor and imaging lens). For a given spatial location of the laser spot, capturing N spatially uncorrelated laser spot profiles is shown to improve range accuracy by a factor of N . This technique has many advantages over past speckle-reduction technologies, such as a fixed system cost and form factor, and the ability to virtually eliminate laser speckle noise. These advantages are made possible through spatial diversity and come at the cost of increased acquisition time. The rangefinder makes use of the ICFYKWG1 linear image sensor, a custom CMOS sensor developed at the Vision Sensor Laboratory (York University). Tests are performed on the image sensor's innovative high dynamic range technology to determine its effects on range accuracy. As expected, experimental results have shown that the sensor provides a trade-off between dynamic range and range accuracy.

Overgeneral autobiographical memory in healthy young and older adults: Differential age effects on components of the capture and rumination, functional avoidance, and impaired executive control (CaRFAX) model.

Science.gov (United States)

Ros, Laura; Latorre, Jose M; Serrano, Juan P; Ricarte, Jorge J

2017-08-01

The CaRFAX model (Williams et al., 2007) has been used to explain the causes of overgeneral autobiographical memory (OGM; the difficulty to retrieve specific autobiographical memories), a cognitive phenomenon generally related with different psychopathologies. This model proposes 3 different mechanisms to explain OGM: capture and rumination (CaR), functional avoidance (FA) and impaired executive functions (X). However, the complete CaRFAX model has not been tested in nonclinical populations. This study aims to assess the usefulness of the CaRFAX model to explain OGM in 2 healthy samples: a young sample and an older sample, to test for possible age-related differences in the underlying causes of OGM. A total of 175 young (age range: 19-36 years) and 175 older (age range: 53-88 years) participants completed measures of brooding rumination (CaR), functional avoidance (FA), and executive tasks (X). Using structural equation modeling, we found that memory specificity is mainly associated with lower functional avoidance and higher executive functions in the older group, but only with executive functions in young participants. We discuss the different roles of emotional regulation strategies used by young and older people and their relation to the CaRFAX model to explain OGM in healthy people. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Effects of dimensionality and laser polarization on kinetic simulations of laser-ion acceleration in the transparency regime

Science.gov (United States)

Stark, David; Yin, Lin; Albright, Brian; Guo, Fan

2017-10-01

The often cost-prohibitive nature of three-dimensional (3D) kinetic simulations of laser-plasma interactions has resulted in heavy use of two-dimensional (2D) simulations to extract physics. However, depending on whether the polarization is modeled as 2D-S or 2D-P (laser polarization in and out of the simulation plane, respectively), different results arise. In laser-ion acceleration in the transparency regime, VPIC particle-in-cell simulations show that 2D-S and 2D-P capture different physics that appears in 3D simulations. The electron momentum distribution is virtually two-dimensional in 2D-P, unlike the more isotropic distributions in 2D-S and 3D, leading to greater heating in the simulation plane. As a result, target expansion time scales and density thresholds for the onset of relativistic transparency differ dramatically between 2D-S and 2D-P. The artificial electron heating in 2D-P exaggerates the effectiveness of target-normal sheath acceleration (TNSA) into its dominant acceleration mechanism, whereas 2D-S and 3D both have populations accelerated preferentially during transparency to higher energies than those of TNSA. Funded by the LANL Directed Research and Development Program.

The Brief Introduction of Different Laser Diagnostics Methods Used in Aeroengine Combustion Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fei Xing

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Combustion test diagnosis has always been one of the most important technologies for the development of aerospace engineering. The traditional methods of measurement have been unable to meet the requirements of accurate capture of the flow field in the development process of the aeroengine combustor. Therefore, the development of high-precision measurement and diagnostic techniques to meet the needs of the aeroengine combustor design is imperative. Laser diagnostics techniques developed quickly in the past several years. They are used to measure the parameters of the combustion flow field such as velocity, temperature, and components concentration with high space and time resolution and brought no disturbance. Planar laser-induced fluorescence, coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering, tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy, and Raman scattering were introduced systemically in this paper. After analysis of their own advantages and disadvantages, the authors considered validated Raman scattering system and Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Tomography are more suitable for research activities on aeroengine combustion systems.

Measurement of keV-neutron capture cross sections and capture gamma-ray spectra of Er isotopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harun-Ar-Rashid, A.K.M.; Igashira, Masayuki; Ohsaki, Toshiro

2000-01-01

Neutron capture cross sections and capture γ-ray spectra of 166,167, 168 Er were measured in the energy region of 10 to 550 keV. The measurements were performed with a pulsed 7 Li(p,n) 7 Be neutron source and a large anti-Compton NaI(Tl) γ-ray spectrometer. A pulse-height weighting technique and the standard capture cross sections of gold were used to derive the capture cross sections. The errors of the derived cross sections were about 5%. The present results were compared with other measurements and evaluations. The observed capture γ-ray pulse-height spectra were unfolded to obtain the corresponding γ-ray spectra. An anomalous shoulder was observed around 3 MeV in each of the capture γ-ray spectra. (author)

Techniques for capturing bighorn sheep lambs

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Joshua B.; Walsh, Daniel P.; Goldstein, Elise J.; Parsons, Zachary D.; Karsch, Rebekah C.; Stiver, Julie R.; Cain, James W.; Raedeke, Kenneth J.; Jenks, Jonathan A.

2014-01-01

Low lamb recruitment is a major challenge facing managers attempting to mitigate the decline of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), and investigations into the underlying mechanisms are limited because of the inability to readily capture and monitor bighorn sheep lambs. We evaluated 4 capture techniques for bighorn sheep lambs: 1) hand-capture of lambs from radiocollared adult females fitted with vaginal implant transmitters (VITs), 2) hand-capture of lambs of intensively monitored radiocollared adult females, 3) helicopter net-gunning, and 4) hand-capture of lambs from helicopters. During 2010–2012, we successfully captured 90% of lambs from females that retained VITs to ≤1 day of parturition, although we noted differences in capture rates between an area of high road density in the Black Hills (92–100%) of South Dakota, USA, and less accessible areas of New Mexico (71%), USA. Retention of VITs was 78% with pre-partum expulsion the main cause of failure. We were less likely to capture lambs from females that expelled VITs ≥1 day of parturition (range = 80–83%) or females that were collared without VITs (range = 60–78%). We used helicopter net-gunning at several sites in 1999, 2001–2002, and 2011, and it proved a useful technique; however, at one site, attempts to capture lambs led to lamb predation by golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos). We attempted helicopter hand-captures at one site in 1999, and they also were successful in certain circumstances and avoided risk of physical trauma from net-gunning; however, application was limited. In areas of low accessibility or if personnel lack the ability to monitor females and/or VITs for extended periods, helicopter capture may provide a viable option for lamb capture.

Development of the multiple sclerosis (MS) early mobility impairment questionnaire (EMIQ).

Science.gov (United States)

Ziemssen, Tjalf; Phillips, Glenn; Shah, Ruchit; Mathias, Adam; Foley, Catherine; Coon, Cheryl; Sen, Rohini; Lee, Andrew; Agarwal, Sonalee

2016-10-01

The Early Mobility Impairment Questionnaire (EMIQ) was developed to facilitate early identification of mobility impairments in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. We describe the initial development of the EMIQ with a focus on the psychometric evaluation of the questionnaire using classical and item response theory methods. The initial 20-item EMIQ was constructed by clinical specialists and qualitatively tested among people with MS and physicians via cognitive interviews. Data from an observational study was used to make additional updates to the instrument based on exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and item response theory (IRT) analysis, and psychometric analyses were performed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the final instrument's scores and screening properties (i.e., sensitivity and specificity). Based on qualitative interview analyses, a revised 15-item EMIQ was included in the observational study. EFA, IRT and item-to-item correlation analyses revealed redundant items which were removed leading to the final nine-item EMIQ. The nine-item EMIQ performed well with respect to: test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.858); internal consistency (α = 0.893); convergent validity; and known-groups methods for construct validity. A cut-point of 41 on the 0-to-100 scale resulted in sufficient sensitivity and specificity statistics for viably identifying patients with mobility impairment. The EMIQ is a content valid and psychometrically sound instrument for capturing MS patients' experience with mobility impairments in a clinical practice setting. Additional research is suggested to further confirm the EMIQ's screening properties over time.

Attentional capture under high perceptual load.

Science.gov (United States)

Cosman, Joshua D; Vecera, Shaun P

2010-12-01

Attentional capture by abrupt onsets can be modulated by several factors, including the complexity, or perceptual load, of a scene. We have recently demonstrated that observers are less likely to be captured by abruptly appearing, task-irrelevant stimuli when they perform a search that is high, as opposed to low, in perceptual load (Cosman & Vecera, 2009), consistent with perceptual load theory. However, recent results indicate that onset frequency can influence stimulus-driven capture, with infrequent onsets capturing attention more often than did frequent onsets. Importantly, in our previous task, an abrupt onset was present on every trial, and consequently, attentional capture might have been affected by both onset frequency and perceptual load. In the present experiment, we examined whether onset frequency influences attentional capture under conditions of high perceptual load. When onsets were presented frequently, we replicated our earlier results; attentional capture by onsets was modulated under conditions of high perceptual load. Importantly, however, when onsets were presented infrequently, we observed robust capture effects. These results conflict with a strong form of load theory and, instead, suggest that exposure to the elements of a task (e.g., abrupt onsets) combines with high perceptual load to modulate attentional capture by task-irrelevant information.

Real-time monitoring of the laser hot-wire welding process

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wei; Liu, Shuang; Ma, Junjie; Kovacevic, Radovan

2014-04-01

The laser hot-wire welding process was investigated in this work. The dynamics of the molten pool during welding was visualized by using a high-speed charge-coupled device (CCD) camera assisted by a green laser as an illumination source. It was found that the molten pool is formed by the irradiation of the laser beam on the filler wire. The effect of the hot-wire voltage on the stability of the welding process was monitored by using a spectrometer that captured the emission spectrum of the laser-induced plasma plume. The spectroscopic study showed that when the hot-wire voltage is above 9 V a great deal of spatters occur, resulting in the instability of the plasma plume and the welding process. The effect of spatters on the plasma plume was shown by the identified spectral lines of the element Mn I. The correlation between the Fe I electron temperature and the weld-bead shape was studied. It was noted that the electron temperature of the plasma plume can be used to real-time monitor the variation of the weld-bead features and the formation of the weld defects.

Flying under the radar: Figurative language impairments in focal lesion patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Geena Rose Ianni

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Despite the prevalent and natural use of metaphor in everyday language, the neural basis of this powerful communication device remains poorly understood. Early studies of brain-injured patients suggested the right hemisphere plays a critical role in metaphor comprehension, but more recent patient and neuroimaging studies do not consistently support this hypothesis. One explanation for this discrepancy is the challenge in designing optimal tasks for brain-injured populations. As traditional aphasia assessments do not assess figurative language comprehension, we designed a new metaphor comprehension task to consider whether impaired metaphor processing is missed by standard clinical assessments. Stimuli consisted of 60 pairs of moderately familiar metaphors and closely matched literal sentences. Sentences were presented visually in a randomized order, followed by four adjective-noun answer choices (target + three foil types. Participants were instructed to select the phrase that best matched the meaning of the sentence. We report the performance of three focal lesion patients and a group of 12 healthy, older controls. Controls performed near ceiling in both conditions, with slightly more accurate performance on literal than metaphoric sentences. While the Western Aphasia Battery (Kertesz, 1982 and the Objects and Actions Naming Battery (Druks, 1992 indicated minimal to no language difficulty, our metaphor comprehension task indicated three different profiles of metaphor comprehension impairment in the patients’ performance. Single case statistics revealed comparable impairment on metaphoric and literal sentences, disproportionately greater impairment on metaphors than literal sentences, and selective impairment on metaphors. We conclude our task reveals that patients can have selective metaphor comprehension deficits. These deficits are not captured by traditional neuropsychological language assessments, suggesting overlooked communication

Iterative Decoding for an Optical CDMA based Laser communication System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jin Young; Kim, Eun Cheol; Cha, Jae Sang

2008-01-01

An optical CDMA(code division multiple access)based Laser communication system has attracted much attention since it requires minimal optical Laser signal processing and it is virtually delay free, while from the theoretical point of view, its performance depends on the auto and cross correlation properties of employed sequences. Various kinds of channel coding schemes for optical CDMA based Laser communication systems have been proposed and analyzed to compensate nonideal channel and receiver conditions in impaired photon channels. In this paper, we propose and analyze an iterative decoding of optical CDMA based Laser communication signals for both shot noise limited and thermal noise limited systems. It is assumed that optical channel is an intensity modulated (IM)channel and direct detection scheme is employed to detect the received optical signal. The performance is evaluated in terms of bit error probability and throughput. It is demonstrated that the BER and throughput performance is substantially improved with interleaver length for a fixed code rate and with alphabet size of PPM (pulse position modulation). Also, the BER and throughput performance is significantly enhanced with the number of iterations for decoding process. The results in this paper can be applied to the optical CDMA based Laser communication network with multiple access applications

Iterative Decoding for an Optical CDMA based Laser communication System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jin Young; Kim, Eun Cheol [Kwangwoon Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Cha, Jae Sang [Seoul National Univ. of Technology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2008-11-15

An optical CDMA(code division multiple access)based Laser communication system has attracted much attention since it requires minimal optical Laser signal processing and it is virtually delay free, while from the theoretical point of view, its performance depends on the auto and cross correlation properties of employed sequences. Various kinds of channel coding schemes for optical CDMA based Laser communication systems have been proposed and analyzed to compensate nonideal channel and receiver conditions in impaired photon channels. In this paper, we propose and analyze an iterative decoding of optical CDMA based Laser communication signals for both shot noise limited and thermal noise limited systems. It is assumed that optical channel is an intensity modulated (IM)channel and direct detection scheme is employed to detect the received optical signal. The performance is evaluated in terms of bit error probability and throughput. It is demonstrated that the BER and throughput performance is substantially improved with interleaver length for a fixed code rate and with alphabet size of PPM (pulse position modulation). Also, the BER and throughput performance is significantly enhanced with the number of iterations for decoding process. The results in this paper can be applied to the optical CDMA based Laser communication network with multiple access applications.

Neuroprotective effect of curcumin on okadaic acid induced memory impairment in mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajasekar, N; Dwivedi, Subhash; Tota, Santosh Kumar; Kamat, Pradeep Kumar; Hanif, Kashif; Nath, Chandishwar; Shukla, Rakesh

2013-09-05

Okadaic acid (OKA) has been observed to cause memory impairment in human subjects having seafood contaminated with dinoflagellate (Helicondria okadai). OKA induces tau hyperphosphorylation and oxidative stress leading to memory impairment as our previous study has shown. Curcumin a natural antioxidant has demonstrated neuroprotection in various models of neurodegeneration. However, the effect of curcumin has not been explored in OKA induced memory impairment. Therefore, present study evaluated the effect of curcumin on OKA (100ng, intracerebrally) induced memory impairment in male Swiss albino mice as evaluated in Morris water maze (MWM) and passive avoidance tests (PAT). OKA administration resulted in memory impairment with a decreased cerebral blood flow (CBF) (measured by laser doppler flowmetry), ATP level and increased mitochondrial (Ca(2+))i, neuroinflammation (increased TNF-α, IL-1β, COX-2 and GFAP), oxidative-nitrosative stress, increased Caspase-9 and cholinergic dysfunction (decreased AChE activity/expression and α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor expression) in cerebral cortex and hippocampus of mice brain. Oral administration of curcumin (50mg/kg) for 13 days significantly improved memory function in both MWM and PAT along with brain energy metabolism, CBF and cholinergic function. It decreased mitochondrial (Ca(2+))i, and ameliorated neuroinflammation and oxidative-nitrostative stress in different brain regions of OKA treated mice. Curcumin also inhibited astrocyte activation as evidenced by decreased GFAP expression. This neuroprotective effect of curcumin is due to its potent anti-oxidant action thus confirming previous studies. Therefore, use of curcumin should be encouraged in people consuming sea food (contaminated with dinoflagellates) to prevent cognitive impairment. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Perivascular delivery of Notch 1 siRNA inhibits injury-induced arterial remodeling.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eileen M Redmond

Full Text Available To determine the efficacy of perivascular delivery of Notch 1 siRNA in preventing injury-induced arterial remodeling.Carotid artery ligation was performed to induce arterial remodeling. After 14 days, morphometric analysis confirmed increased vSMC growth and subsequent media thickening and neointimal formation. Laser capture microdissection, quantitative qRT-PCR and immunoblot analysis of medial tissue revealed a significant increase in Notch1 receptor and notch target gene, Hrt 1 and 2 expression in the injured vessels. Perivascular delivery of Notch 1 siRNA by pluronic gel inhibited the injury-induced increase in Notch 1 receptor and target gene expression when compared to scrambled siRNA controls while concomitantly reducing media thickening and neointimal formation to pre-injury, sham-operated levels. Selective Notch 1 knockdown also reversed the injury-induced inhibition of pro-apoptotic Bax expression while decreasing injury-induced anti-apoptotic Bcl-XL expression to sham-operated control levels. In parallel experiments, proliferative cyclin levels, as measured by PCNA expression, were reversed to sham-operated control levels following selective Notch 1 knockdown.These results suggest that injury-induced arterial remodeling can be successfully inhibited by localized perivascular delivery of Notch 1 siRNA.

Identification of a core set of rhizobial infection genes using data from single cell-types

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Da-Song eChen

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Genome-wide expression studies on nodulation have varied in their scale from entire root systems to dissected nodules or root sections containing nodule primordia. More recently efforts have focused on developing methods for isolation of root hairs from infected plants and the application of laser-capture microdissection technology to nodules. Here we analyze two published data sets to identify a core set of infection genes that are expressed in the nodule and in root hairs during infection. Among the genes identified were those encoding phenylpropanoid biosynthesis enzymes including Chalcone-O-Methyltransferase which is required for the production of the potent Nod gene inducer 4’,4-dihydroxy-2-methoxychalcone. A promoter-GUS analysis in transgenic hairy roots for two genes encoding Chalcone-O-Methyltransferase isoforms revealed their expression in rhizobially infected root hairs and the nodule infection zone but not in the nitrogen fixation zone. We also describe a group of Rhizobially Induced Peroxidases whose expression overlaps with the production of superoxide in rhizobially infected root hairs and in nodules and roots. Finally, we identify a cohort of co-regulated transcription factors as candidate regulators of these processes.

High frequency of PTEN mutations in nevi and melanomas from xeroderma pigmentosum patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Masaki, Taro; Wang, Yun; DiGiovanna, John J; Khan, Sikandar G; Raffeld, Mark; Beltaifa, Senda; Hornyak, Thomas J; Darling, Thomas N; Lee, Chyi-Chia R; Kraemer, Kenneth H

2014-05-01

We examined nevi and melanomas in 10 xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) patients with defective DNA repair. The lesions had a lentiginous appearance with markedly increased numbers of melanocytes. Using laser capture microdissection, we performed DNA sequencing of 18 benign and atypical nevi and 75 melanomas (melanoma in situ and invasive melanomas). The nevi had a similar high frequency of PTEN mutations as melanomas [61% (11/18) versus 53% (39/73)]. Both had a very high proportion of UV-type mutations (occurring at adjacent pyrimidines) [91% (10/11) versus 92% (36/39)]. In contrast to melanomas in the general population, the frequency of BRAF mutations (11%, 7/61), NRAS mutations (21%, 13/62), and KIT mutations (21%, 6/28) in XP melanomas was lower than for PTEN. Phospho-S6 immunostaining indicated activation of the mTOR pathway in the atypical nevi and melanomas. Thus, the clinical and histological appearances and the molecular pathology of these UV-related XP nevi and melanomas were different from nevi and melanomas in the general population. © 2014 Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

A new approach to the investigation of sexual offenses-cytoskeleton analysis reveals the origin of cells found on forensic swabs.

Science.gov (United States)

Schulz, Martin M; Buschner, Maximilian G D; Leidig, Richard; Wehner, Heinz-D; Fritz, Peter; Häbig, Karina; Bonin, Michael; Schütz, Monika; Shiozawa, Thomas; Wehner, Frank

2010-03-01

There are forensic inquiries in which an identification of epithelial cell types would provide important probative evidence. In cancer diagnosis, this information is yielded by histological examination of cytokeratin (Ck). Therefore, we tested 19 antibodies against different Cks (Ck1, Ck2e, Ck4, Ck5-6, Ck7, Ck8, Ck9, CK10, Ck13, Ck14, Ck15, Ck16, Ck17, Ck18, Ck19, Ck20, Ck903, PanCkAE1_3, and CAM5-2) on histological sections of epidermis, buccal mucosa, vaginal mucosa, penis, urogenital tract, and rectum and could identify two antigens unique to buccal-cell and vaginal-cell (Ck4) and skin epithelial-cell (Ck10) cytokeratin. Subsequently, we developed an immunocytological technique for distinguishing swabbed skin and mucosal cells up to at least 1 year after sampling. By the detection of the Ck4 and Ck10 mRNAs in biopsy and laser capture microdissection collected samples via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, we were able to confirm our immunological findings. Hence, this study offers techniques to discriminate between skin and mucosal cells (buccal and vaginal) in forensic casework.

Externalization versus Internalization of Sound in Normal-hearing and Hearing-impaired Listeners

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ohl, Björn; Laugesen, Søren; Buchholz, Jörg

2010-01-01

The externalization of sound, i. e. the perception of auditory events as being located outside of the head, is a natural phenomenon for normalhearing listeners, when perceiving sound coming from a distant physical sound source. It is potentially useful for hearing in background noise......, but the relevant cues might be distorted by a hearing impairment and also by the processing of the incoming sound through hearing aids. In this project, two intuitive tests in natural real-life surroundings were developed, which capture the limits of the perception of externalization. For this purpose...

Exploratory investigations of hypervelocity intact capture spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Tsou, P.; Griffiths, D. J.

1993-01-01

The ability to capture hypervelocity projectiles intact opens a new technique available for hypervelocity research. A determination of the reactions taking place between the projectile and the capture medium during the process of intact capture is extremely important to an understanding of the intact capture phenomenon, to improving the capture technique, and to developing a theory describing the phenomenon. The intact capture of hypervelocity projectiles by underdense media generates spectra, characteristic of the material species of projectile and capture medium involved. Initial exploratory results into real-time characterization of hypervelocity intact capture techniques by spectroscopy include ultra-violet and visible spectra obtained by use of reflecting gratings, transmitting gratings, and prisms, and recorded by photographic and electronic means. Spectrometry proved to be a valuable real-time diagnostic tool for hypervelocity intact capture events, offering understanding of the interactions of the projectile and the capture medium during the initial period and providing information not obtainable by other characterizations. Preliminary results and analyses of spectra produced by the intact capture of hypervelocity aluminum spheres in polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), and polyurethane (PU) foams are presented. Included are tentative emission species identifications, as well as gray body temperatures produced in the intact capture process.

A compact broadband ion beam focusing device based on laser-driven megagauss thermoelectric magnetic fields

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Albertazzi, B., E-mail: bruno.albertazzi@polytechnique.edu [LULI, École Polytechnique, CNRS, CEA, UPMC, 91128 Palaiseau (France); INRS-EMT, Varennes, Québec J3X 1S2 (Canada); Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-087 (Japan); D' Humières, E. [CELIA, Universite de Bordeaux, Talence 33405 (France); Department of Physics, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557 (United States); Lancia, L.; Antici, P. [Dipartimento SBAI, Universita di Roma “La Sapienza,” Via A. Scarpa 16, 00161 Roma (Italy); Dervieux, V.; Nakatsutsumi, M.; Romagnani, L.; Fuchs, J., E-mail: Julien.fuchs@polytechnique.fr [LULI, École Polytechnique, CNRS, CEA, UPMC, 91128 Palaiseau (France); Böcker, J.; Swantusch, M.; Willi, O. [Institut für Laser- und Plasmaphysik, Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf D-40225 (Germany); Bonlie, J.; Cauble, B.; Shepherd, R. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94551 (United States); Breil, J.; Feugeas, J. L.; Nicolaï, P.; Tikhonchuk, V. T. [CELIA, Universite de Bordeaux, Talence 33405 (France); Chen, S. N. [LULI, École Polytechnique, CNRS, CEA, UPMC, 91128 Palaiseau (France); Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94551 (United States); Sentoku, Y. [Department of Physics, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557 (United States); and others

2015-04-15

Ultra-intense lasers can nowadays routinely accelerate kiloampere ion beams. These unique sources of particle beams could impact many societal (e.g., proton-therapy or fuel recycling) and fundamental (e.g., neutron probing) domains. However, this requires overcoming the beam angular divergence at the source. This has been attempted, either with large-scale conventional setups or with compact plasma techniques that however have the restriction of short (<1 mm) focusing distances or a chromatic behavior. Here, we show that exploiting laser-triggered, long-lasting (>50 ps), thermoelectric multi-megagauss surface magnetic (B)-fields, compact capturing, and focusing of a diverging laser-driven multi-MeV ion beam can be achieved over a wide range of ion energies in the limit of a 5° acceptance angle.

Free and Cued Recall Memory in Parkinson’s Disease Associated with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Alberto; Monaco, Marco; Zabberoni, Silvia; Peppe, Antonella; Perri, Roberta; Fadda, Lucia; Iannarelli, Francesca; Caltagirone, Carlo; Carlesimo, Giovanni A.

2014-01-01

The hypothesis has been advanced that memory disorders in individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) are related to either retrieval or consolidation failure. However, the characteristics of the memory impairments of PD patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment have not been clarified. This study was aimed at investigating whether memory deficits in PD patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (PDaMCI) are due to failure of retrieval or consolidation processes. Sixteen individuals with PDaMCI, 20 with amnestic mild cognitive impairment without PD (aMCINPD), and 20 healthy controls were recruited. Participants were administered the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test. An index of cueing was computed for each subject to capture the advantage in retrieval of cued compared to free recall. Individuals with PDaMCI performed worse than healthy controls on the free recall (pcued recall (p>0.10) task, and they performed better than aMCINPD subjects on both recall measures (p0.10) but it was significantly higher than that of the aMCINPD sample (precall trials was significantly predicted by scores on a test investigating executive functions (i.e., the Modified Card Sorting Test; p = 0.042). Findings of the study document that, in subjects with amnestic mild cognitive impairment associated to PD, episodic memory impairment is related to retrieval rather than to consolidation failure. The same data suggest that, in these individuals, memory deficits might be due to altered frontal-related executive functioning. PMID:24465977

What Determines State Capture in Poland?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stanisław Alwasiak

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Purpose: This study examines the determinants of ex-ante state capture in Poland. Methodology: In order to establish the determinants of ex-ante state capture a logistic regression is estimated. Findings: The study shows that in Poland the majority of legal acts were passed with the aim to satisfy the interest of particular groups. Furthermore, the regression analysis shows that the likelihood of state capture increases during the period of higher economic growth and local elections. The likelihood of state capture, however, declines during presidential elections. The results we attribute to different interests of political parties in the period of local and presidential elections. Finally, we fi nd that the state capture increased over the years in Poland. Additionally, we show that the EU accession did not prevent state capture in Poland. In contrast, the fi nancial crisis of 2007 resulted in a wake-up effect and the likelihood of state capture declined in Poland. Research limitations: In the study we employ proxies for state capture, yet we assume that corruption is a widespread phenomenon in Poland. However, due to its nature corruption is very diffi cult to assess and measure. Originality: The study uses a unique dataset on ex-ante state capture that was identifi ed in the legal acts that have been passed in the period 1990–2011 in Poland.

A framework for communication between visually impaired, hearing impaired and speech impaired using arduino

Science.gov (United States)

Sujatha, R.; Khandelwa, Prakhar; Gupta, Anusha; Anand, Nayan

2017-11-01

A long time ago our society accepted the notion of treating people with disabilities not as unviable and disabled but as differently-abled, recognizing their skills beyond their disabilities. The next step has to be taken by our scientific community, that is, to normalize lives of the people with disabilities and make it so as if they are no different to us. The primary step in this direction would be to normalize communication between people. People with an impaired speech or impaired vision or impaired hearing face difficulties while having a casual conversation with others. Any form of communication feels so strenuous that the impaired end up communicating just the important information and avoid a casual conversation. To normalize conversation between the impaired we need a simple and compact device which facilitates the conversation by providing the information in the desired form.

20 CFR 416.998 - If you become disabled by another impairment(s).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false If you become disabled by another impairment... Disability Or Blindness § 416.998 If you become disabled by another impairment(s). If a new severe impairment(s) begins in or before the month in which your last impairment(s) ends, we will find that your...

20 CFR 404.1598 - If you become disabled by another impairment(s).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false If you become disabled by another impairment... Disability § 404.1598 If you become disabled by another impairment(s). If a new severe impairment(s) begins in or before the month in which your last impairment(s) ends, we will find that your disability is...

Etude des erreurs d'estimation des populations par la méthode des captures successives (DeLURY, 2 captures et des captures-recaptures (PETERSEN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LAURENT M.

1978-01-01

Full Text Available L'estimation des populations naturelles par capture-recapture et par captures successives est souvent entachée d'erreur car, dans de nombreux cas, l'hypothèse fondamentale d'égalité des probabilités de captures pour tous les individus dans le temps et dans l'espace n'est pas respectée. Dans le cas des populations de poissons envisagés ici, les captures ont lieu par la pêche électrique. On a pu chiffrer l'ordre de grandeur des erreurs systématiques faites sur l'estimation des peuplements, en fonction des conditions particulières, biotiques et abiotiques, des différents milieux inventoriés.

Porous photonic crystal external cavity laser biosensor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Qinglan [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States); Peh, Jessie; Hergenrother, Paul J. [Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States); Cunningham, Brian T. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States); Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801 (United States)

2016-08-15

We report the design, fabrication, and testing of a photonic crystal (PC) biosensor structure that incorporates a porous high refractive index TiO{sub 2} dielectric film that enables immobilization of capture proteins within an enhanced surface-area volume that spatially overlaps with the regions of resonant electromagnetic fields where biomolecular binding can produce the greatest shifts in photonic crystal resonant wavelength. Despite the nanoscale porosity of the sensor structure, the PC slab exhibits narrowband and high efficiency resonant reflection, enabling the structure to serve as a wavelength-tunable element of an external cavity laser. In the context of sensing small molecule interactions with much larger immobilized proteins, we demonstrate that the porous structure provides 3.7× larger biosensor signals than an equivalent nonporous structure, while the external cavity laser (ECL) detection method provides capability for sensing picometer-scale shifts in the PC resonant wavelength caused by small molecule binding. The porous ECL achieves a record high figure of merit for label-free optical biosensors.

The influence of vibrissal somatosensory processing in rat superior colliculus on prey capture.

Science.gov (United States)

Favaro, P D N; Gouvêa, T S; de Oliveira, S R; Vautrelle, N; Redgrave, P; Comoli, E

2011-03-10

The lateral part of intermediate layer of superior colliculus (SCl) is a critical substrate for successful predation by rats. Hunting-evoked expression of the activity marker Fos is concentrated in SCl while prey capture in rats with NMDA lesions in SCl is impaired. Particularly affected are rapid orienting and stereotyped sequences of actions associated with predation of fast moving prey. Such deficits are consistent with the view that the deep layers of SC are important for sensory guidance of movement. Although much of the relevant evidence involves visual control of movement, less is known about movement guidance by somatosensory input from vibrissae. Indeed, our impression is that prey contact with whiskers is a likely stimulus to trigger predation. Moreover, SCl receives whisker and orofacial somatosensory information directly from trigeminal complex, and indirectly from zona incerta, parvicelular reticular formation and somatosensory barrel cortex. To better understand sensory guidance of predation by vibrissal information we investigated prey capture by rats after whisker removal and the role of superior colliculus (SC) by comparing Fos expression after hunting with and without whiskers. Rats were allowed to hunt cockroaches, after which their whiskers were removed. Two days later they were allowed to hunt cockroaches again. Without whiskers the rats were less able to retain the cockroaches after capture and less able to pursue them in the event of the cockroach escaping. The predatory behaviour of rats with re-grown whiskers returned to normal. In parallel, Fos expression in SCl induced by predation was significantly reduced in whiskerless animals. We conclude that whiskers contribute to the efficiency of rat prey capture and that the loss of vibrissal input to SCl, as reflected by reduced Fos expression, could play a critical role in predatory deficits of whiskerless rats. Copyright © 2011 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Free and cued recall memory in Parkinson's disease associated with amnestic mild cognitive impairment.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alberto Costa

Full Text Available The hypothesis has been advanced that memory disorders in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD are related to either retrieval or consolidation failure. However, the characteristics of the memory impairments of PD patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment have not been clarified. This study was aimed at investigating whether memory deficits in PD patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (PDaMCI are due to failure of retrieval or consolidation processes. Sixteen individuals with PDaMCI, 20 with amnestic mild cognitive impairment without PD (aMCINPD, and 20 healthy controls were recruited. Participants were administered the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test. An index of cueing was computed for each subject to capture the advantage in retrieval of cued compared to free recall. Individuals with PDaMCI performed worse than healthy controls on the free recall (p0.10 task, and they performed better than aMCINPD subjects on both recall measures (p0.10 but it was significantly higher than that of the aMCINPD sample (p<0.01. Moreover, PD patients' performance on free recall trials was significantly predicted by scores on a test investigating executive functions (i.e., the Modified Card Sorting Test; p = 0.042. Findings of the study document that, in subjects with amnestic mild cognitive impairment associated to PD, episodic memory impairment is related to retrieval rather than to consolidation failure. The same data suggest that, in these individuals, memory deficits might be due to altered frontal-related executive functioning.

Systems and methods for laser assisted sample transfer to solution for chemical analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Van Berkel, Gary J; Kertesz, Vilmos; Ovchinnikova, Olga S

2013-08-27

Systems and methods are described for laser ablation of an analyte from a specimen and capturing of the analyte in a dispensed solvent to form a testing solution. A solvent dispensing and extraction system can form a liquid microjunction with the specimen. The solvent dispensing and extraction system can include a surface sampling probe. The laser beam can be directed through the surface sampling probe. The surface sampling probe can also serve as an atomic force microscopy probe. The surface sampling probe can form a seal with the specimen. The testing solution including the analyte can then be analyzed using an analytical instrument or undergo further processing.

Large-solid-angle illuminators for extreme ultraviolet lithography with laser plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kubiak, G.D.; Tichenor, D.A.; Sweatt, W.C.; Chow, W.W.

1995-06-01

Laser Plasma Sources (LPSS) of extreme ultraviolet radiation are an attractive alternative to synchrotron radiation sources for extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) due to their modularity, brightness, and modest size and cost. To fully exploit the extreme ultraviolet power emitted by such sources, it is necessary to capture the largest possible fraction of the source emission half-sphere while simultaneously optimizing the illumination stationarity and uniformity on the object mask. In this LDRD project, laser plasma source illumination systems for EUVL have been designed and then theoretically and experimentally characterized. Ellipsoidal condensers have been found to be simple yet extremely efficient condensers for small-field EUVL imaging systems. The effects of aberrations in such condensers on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) imaging have been studied with physical optics modeling. Lastly, the design of an efficient large-solid-angle condenser has been completed. It collects 50% of the available laser plasma source power at 14 nm and delivers it properly to the object mask in a wide-arc-field camera

Donor-derived stem-cells and epithelial mesenchymal transition in squamous cell carcinoma in transplant recipients.

Science.gov (United States)

Verneuil, Laurence; Leboeuf, Christophe; Bousquet, Guilhem; Brugiere, Charlotte; Elbouchtaoui, Morad; Plassa, Louis-François; Peraldi, Marie-Noelle; Lebbé, Celeste; Ratajczak, Philippe; Janin, Anne

2015-12-08

Skin squamous-cell-carcinoma (SCC), is the main complication in long-term kidney-transplant recipients, and it can include donor-derived cells. Preclinical models demonstrated the involvement of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) in the progression of skin SCC, and the role of Snail, an EMT transcription factor, in cancer stem-cell survival and expansion.Here, we studied stem-cells and EMT expression in SCCs and concomitant actinic keratoses (AK) in kidney-transplant recipients. In SCC and AK in 3 female recipients of male kidney-transplants, donor-derived Y chromosome in epidermal stem cells was assessed using combined XY-FISH/CD133 immunostaining, and digital-droplet-PCR on laser-microdissected CD133 expressing epidermal cells.For EMT study, double immunostainings of CD133 with vimentin or snail and slug, electron microscopy and immunostainings of keratinocytes junctions were performed. Digital droplet PCR was used to check CDH1 (E-cadherin) expression level in laser-microdissected cells co-expressing CD133 and vimentin or snail and slug.The numbers of Y-chromosome were assessed using digital droplet PCR in laser-microdissected cells co-expressing CD133 and vimentin, or snail and slug, and in CD133 positive cells not expressing any EMT maker. We identified donor-derived stem-cells in basal layers and invasive areas in all skin SCCs and in concomitant AKs, but not in surrounding normal skin.The donor-derived stem-cells expressed the EMT markers, vimentin, snail and slug in SCCs but not in AKs. The expression of the EMT transcription factor, SNAI1, was higher in stem-cells when they expressed vimentin. They were located in invasive areas of SCCs. In these areas, the expressions of claudin-1 and desmoglein 1 were reduced or absent, and within the basal layer there were features of basal membrane disappearance.Donor-derived stem cells were in larger numbers in stem cells co-expressing vimentin or snail and slug than in stem cells not expressing any EMT marker

Excitation of high energy levels under laser exposure of suspensions of nanoparticles in liquids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shafeev, G.A. [Wave Research Center of A.M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute, 38, Vavilov Street, 119991 Moscow (Russian Federation)], E-mail: shafeev@kapella.gpi.ru; Simakin, A.V. [Wave Research Center of A.M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute, 38, Vavilov Street, 119991 Moscow (Russian Federation); Bozon-Verduraz, F. [ITODYS, UMR CNRS 7086, Universite Paris 7-Denis Diderot, 2, place Jussieu, 75251 Paris cedex 05 (France); Robert, M. [Laboratoire d' Electrochimie Moleculaire, UMR CNRS 7591, Universite Paris 7 Denis Diderot, 2, place Jussieu, 75251 Paris cedex 05 (France)

2007-12-15

Laser exposure of suspensions of nanoparticles in liquids leads to excitation of high energy levels in both liquid and nanoparticle material. The emission spectrum of the colloidal solution under exposure of a suspension metallic nanoparticles in water to radiation of a Nd:YAG laser of a picosecond range of pulse duration is discussed. Excitation of nuclear energy levels and neutron release is experimentally studied on the model system of transmutation of Hg into Au that occurs under exposure of Hg nanodrops suspended in D{sub 2}O. The proposed mechanism involves: (i) emission of X-ray photons by Hg nanoparticles upon laser exposure, leading to neutron release from D{sub 2}O, (ii) initiation of Hg {yields} Au transmutation by the capture of neutrons. The effect of transmutation is more pronounced using {sup 196}Hg isotope instead of Hg of natural isotope composition. The influence of laser pulse duration on the degree of transmutation (from fs through ns range) is discussed.

OMNIDIRECTIONAL PERCEPTION FOR LIGHTWEIGHT UAVS USING A CONTINUOUSLY ROTATING 3D LASER SCANNER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Droeschel

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Many popular unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV are restricted in their size and weight, making the design of sensory systems for these robots challenging. We designed a small and lightweight continuously rotating 3D laser scanner – allowing for environment perception in a range of 30 m in almost all directions. This sensor it well suited for applications such as 3D obstacle detection, 6D motion estimation, localization, and mapping. We aggregate the distance measurements in a robot-centric grid-based map. To estimate the motion of our multicopter, we register 3D laser scans towards this local map. In experiments, we compare the laser-based ego-motion estimate with ground-truth from a motion capture system. Overall, we can build an accurate 3D obstacle map and can estimate the vehicle's trajectory by 3D scan registration.

Autonomous Kinematic Calibration of the Robot Manipulator with a Linear Laser-Vision Sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Hee-Jun; Jeong, Jeong-Woo; Shin, Sung-Weon; Suh, Young-Soo; Ro, Young-Schick

This paper presents a new autonomous kinematic calibration technique by using a laser-vision sensor called "Perceptron TriCam Contour". Because the sensor measures by capturing the image of a projected laser line on the surface of the object, we set up a long, straight line of a very fine string inside the robot workspace, and then allow the sensor mounted on a robot to measure the point intersection of the line of string and the projected laser line. The data collected by changing robot configuration and measuring the intersection points are constrained to on a single straght line such that the closed-loop calibration method can be applied. The obtained calibration method is simple and accurate and also suitable for on-site calibration in an industrial environment. The method is implemented using Hyundai VORG-35 for its effectiveness.

Adiabatic capture and debunching

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ng, K.Y.

2012-01-01

In the study of beam preparation for the g-2 experiment, adiabatic debunching and adiabatic capture are revisited. The voltage programs for these adiabbatic processes are derived and their properties discussed. Comparison is made with some other form of adiabatic capture program. The muon g-2 experiment at Fermilab calls for intense proton bunches for the creation of muons. A booster batch of 84 bunches is injected into the Recycler Ring, where it is debunched and captured into 4 intense bunches with the 2.5-MHz rf. The experiment requires short bunches with total width less than 100 ns. The transport line from the Recycler to the muon-production target has a low momentum aperture of ∼ ±22 MeV. Thus each of the 4 intense proton bunches required to have an emittance less than ∼ 3.46 eVs. The incoming booster bunches have total emittance ∼ 8.4 eVs, or each one with an emittance ∼ 0.1 eVs. However, there is always emittance increase when the 84 booster bunches are debunched. There will be even larger emittance increase during adiabatic capture into the buckets of the 2.5-MHz rf. In addition, the incoming booster bunches may have emittances larger than 0.1 eVs. In this article, we will concentrate on the analysis of the adiabatic capture process with the intention of preserving the beam emittance as much as possible. At this moment, beam preparation experiment is being performed at the Main Injector. Since the Main Injector and the Recycler Ring have roughly the same lattice properties, we are referring to adiabatic capture in the Main Injector instead in our discussions.

The Generic Data Capture Facility

Science.gov (United States)

Connell, Edward B.; Barnes, William P.; Stallings, William H.

1987-01-01

The Generic Data Capture Facility, which can provide data capture support for a variety of different types of spacecraft while enabling operations costs to be carefully controlled, is discussed. The data capture functions, data protection, isolation of users from data acquisition problems, data reconstruction, and quality and accounting are addressed. The TDM and packet data formats utilized by the system are described, and the development of generic facilities is considered.

Negative meson capture in hydrogen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baird, T.J.

1977-01-01

The processes of deexcitation and capture of negative mesons and hadrons in atomic hydrogen are investigated. Only slow collisions in which the projectile-atom relative velocity is less than one atomic unit are considered, and the motion of the incident particle is treated classically. For each classical trajectory the probability of ionizing the hydrogen atom is determined, together with the energy spectrum of the emitted electron. Ionization probabilities are calculated using the time-dependent formulation of the perturbed stationary state method. Exact two-center electronic wave functions are used for both bound and continuum states. The total ionization cross section and electron energy spectrum have been calculated for negative muons, kaons and antiprotons at incident relative velocities between 0.04 and 1.0 atomic units. The electron energy spectrum has a sharp peak for electron kinetic energies on the order of 10 -3 Rydbergs. The ionization process thus favors the emission of very slow electrons. The cross section for ionization with capture of the incident particle was calculated for relative kinetic energies greater than 1.0 Rydberg. Since ionization was found to occur with the emission of electrons of nearly zero kinetic energy, the fraction of ionizing collisions which result in capture decreases very rapidly with projectile kinetic energy. The energy distributions of slowed down muons and hadrons were also computed. These distributions were used together with the capture cross section to determine the distribution of kinetic energies at which capture takes place. It was found that most captures occur for kinetic energies slightly less than 1.0 Rydbergs with relatively little capture at thermal energies. The captured particles therefore tend to go into very large and loosely found orbits with binding energies less than 0.1 Rydbergs

Laser-capture micro dissection combined with next-generation sequencing analysis of cell type-specific deafness gene expression in the mouse cochlea.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishio, Shin-Ya; Takumi, Yutaka; Usami, Shin-Ichi

2017-05-01

Cochlear implantation (CI), which directly stimulates the cochlear nerves, is the most effective and widely used medical intervention for patients with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss. The etiology of the hearing loss is speculated to have a major influence of CI outcomes, particularly in cases resulting from mutations in genes preferentially expressed in the spiral ganglion region. To elucidate precise gene expression levels in each part of the cochlea, we performed laser-capture micro dissection in combination with next-generation sequencing analysis and determined the expression levels of all known deafness-associated genes in the organ of Corti, spiral ganglion, lateral wall, and spiral limbs. The results were generally consistent with previous reports based on immunocytochemistry or in situ hybridization. As a notable result, the genes associated with many kinds of syndromic hearing loss (such as Clpp, Hars2, Hsd17b4, Lars2 for Perrault syndrome, Polr1c and Polr1d for Treacher Collins syndrome, Ndp for Norrie Disease, Kal for Kallmann syndrome, Edn3 and Snai2 for Waardenburg Syndrome, Col4a3 for Alport syndrome, Sema3e for CHARGE syndrome, Col9a1 for Sticker syndrome, Cdh23, Cib2, Clrn1, Pcdh15, Ush1c, Ush2a, Whrn for Usher syndrome and Wfs1 for Wolfram syndrome) showed higher levels of expression in the spiral ganglion than in other parts of the cochlea. This dataset will provide a base for more detailed analysis in order to clarify gene functions in the cochlea as well as predict CI outcomes based on gene expression data. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

CAPTURED India Country Evaluation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

O'Donoghue, R.; Brouwers, J.H.A.M.

2012-01-01

This report provides the findings of the India Country Evaluation and is produced as part of the overall CAPTURED End Evaluation. After five years of support by the CAPTURED project the End Evaluation has assessed that results are commendable. I-AIM was able to design an approach in which health

Carbon Capture and Storage

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Benson, S.M.; Bennaceur, K.; Cook, P.; Davison, J.; Coninck, H. de; Farhat, K.; Ramirez, C.A.; Simbeck, D.; Surles, T.; Verma, P.; Wright, I.

2012-01-01

Emissions of carbon dioxide, the most important long-lived anthropogenic greenhouse gas, can be reduced by Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). CCS involves the integration of four elements: CO 2 capture, compression of the CO2 from a gas to a liquid or a denser gas, transportation of pressurized CO 2

New solid laser: Ceramic laser. From ultra stable laser to ultra high output laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ueda, Kenichi

2006-01-01

An epoch-making solid laser is developed. It is ceramic laser, polycrystal, which is produced as same as glass and shows ultra high output. Ti 3+ :Al 2 O 3 laser crystal and the CPA (chirped pulse amplification) technique realized new ultra high output lasers. Japan has developed various kinds of ceramic lasers, from 10 -2 to 67 x 10 3 w average output, since 1995. These ceramic lasers were studied by gravitational radiation astronomy. The scattering coefficient of ceramic laser is smaller than single crystals. The new fast ignition method is proposed by Institute of Laser Engineering of Osaka University, Japan. Ultra-intense short pulse laser can inject the required energy to the high-density imploded core plasma within the core disassembling time. Ti 3+ :Al 2 O 3 crystal for laser, ceramic YAG of large caliber for 100 kW, transparent laser ceramic from nano-crystals, crystal grain and boundary layer between grains, the scattering coefficient of single crystal and ceramic, and the derived release cross section of Yb:YAG ceramic are described. (S.Y.)

20 CFR 220.184 - If the annuitant becomes disabled by another impairment(s).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... impairment(s). 220.184 Section 220.184 Employees' Benefits RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD REGULATIONS UNDER THE... Activity or Medical Improvement § 220.184 If the annuitant becomes disabled by another impairment(s). If a new severe impairment(s) begins in or before the month in which the last impairment(s) ends, the Board...

Risk Factors for Retreatment Following Myopic LASIK with Femtosecond Laser and Custom Ablation for the Treatment of Myopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Kruh, Jonathan N; Garrett, Kenneth A; Huntington, Brian; Robinson, Steve; Melki, Samir A

2017-01-01

To identify risks factors for retreatment post-laser in situ keratomeliusis (LASIK). A retrospective chart review from December 2008 to September 2012 identified 1,402 patients (2,581 eyes) that underwent LASIK treatment for myopia with the Intralase™ FS, STAR S4 IR™ Excimer Laser, and WaveScan WaveFront™ technology. In this group, 83 patients were retreated. All charts were reviewed for preoperative age, gender, initial manifest refraction spherical equivalent (MRSE), total astigmatism, and iris registration. Increased incidence rates of retreatment post-LASIK were preoperative age >40 years (p -3.0 D (p = 0.02), and astigmatism >1D (p = 0.001). Iris registration capture did not significantly reduce the retreatment rate (p = 0.12). Risk factors for retreatment included preoperative age >40 years, initial MRSE > -3.0 D, and astigmatism >1D. There was no difference in retreatment rate for patients based on gender or iris registration capture.

Giant resonance effects in radiative capture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Snover, K.A.

1979-01-01

The technique of capture reaction studies of giant resonance properties is described, and a number of examples are given. Most of the recent work of interest has been in proton capture, in part because of the great utility (and availability) of polarized beams; most of the discussion concerns this reaction. Alpha capture, which has been a useful tool for exploring isoscalar E2 strength, and neutron capture are, however, also treated. 46 references, 14 figures

Renal Amyloidosis Associated With 5 Novel Variants in the Fibrinogen A Alpha Chain Protein

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dorota Rowczenio

2017-05-01

Discussion: We report 6 novel mutations in the FGA gene: 5 were associated with renal fibrinogen A alpha chain amyloidosis and 1 was found to be incidental to light-chain amyloid deposits discovered in a patient with a plasma cell dyscrasia. Clinical awareness and suspicion of hereditary amyloidosis corroborated by genetic analysis and adequate typing using combined immunohistochemistry and laser microdissection and mass spectrometry is valuable to avoid misdiagnosis, especially when a family history of amyloidosis is absent.

Motion Capturing Emotions

OpenAIRE

Wood Karen; Cisneros Rosemary E.; Whatley Sarah

2017-01-01

The paper explores the activities conducted as part of WhoLoDancE: Whole Body Interaction Learning for Dance Education which is an EU-funded Horizon 2020 project. In particular, we discuss the motion capture sessions that took place at Motek, Amsterdam as well as the dancers’ experience of being captured and watching themselves or others as varying visual representations through the HoloLens. HoloLens is Microsoft’s first holographic computer that you wear as you would a pair of glasses. The ...

Ultra-fast movies of thin-film laser ablation

Science.gov (United States)

Domke, Matthias; Rapp, Stephan; Schmidt, Michael; Huber, Heinz P.

2012-11-01

Ultra-short-pulse laser irradiation of thin molybdenum films from the glass substrate side initiates an intact Mo disk lift off free from thermal effects. For the investigation of the underlying physical effects, ultra-fast pump-probe microscopy is used to produce stop-motion movies of the single-pulse ablation process, initiated by a 660-fs laser pulse. The ultra-fast dynamics in the femtosecond and picosecond ranges are captured by stroboscopic illumination of the sample with an optically delayed probe pulse of 510-fs duration. The nanosecond and microsecond delay ranges of the probe pulse are covered by an electronically triggered 600-ps laser. Thus, the setup enables an observation of general laser ablation processes from the femtosecond delay range up to the final state. A comparison of time- and space-resolved observations of film and glass substrate side irradiation of a 470-nm molybdenum layer reveals the driving mechanisms of the Mo disk lift off initiated by glass-side irradiation. Observations suggest that a phase explosion generates a liquid-gas mixture in the molybdenum/glass interface about 10 ps after the impact of the pump laser pulse. Then, a shock wave and gas expansion cause the molybdenum layer to bulge, while the enclosed liquid-gas mixture cools and condenses at delay times in the 100-ps range. The bulging continues for approximately 20 ns, when an intact Mo disk shears and lifts off at a velocity of above 70 m/s. As a result, the remaining hole is free from thermal effects.

Narrow bandwidth detection of vibration signature using fiber lasers

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Sean; Soh, Daniel B.S.

2018-05-08

The various technologies presented herein relate to extracting a portion of each pulse in a series of pulses reflected from a target to facilitate determination of a Doppler-shifted frequency for each pulse and, subsequently, a vibration frequency for the series of pulses. Each pulse can have a square-wave configuration, whereby each pulse can be time-gated to facilitate discarding the leading edge and the trailing edge (and associated non-linear effects) of each pulse and accordingly, capture of the central portion of the pulse from which the Doppler-shifted frequency, and ultimately, the vibration frequency of the target can be determined. Determination of the vibration velocity facilitates identification of the target being in a state of motion. The plurality of pulses can be formed from a laser beam (e.g., a continuous wave), the laser beam having a narrow bandwidth.

Market for multiaxis laser machine tools

Science.gov (United States)

Ream, Stanley L.

1991-03-01

While it's true that this is an exciting topic, it niay be more exciting than profitable, but it certainly has captured the attention of a lot of us laser folks, and it keeps growing almost because it wants to. First of all let me comment briefly with a word from our sponsor that GE Fanuc is one of the several ways the Fanuc laser product gets into the United States. We market it, GM Fanuc also markets it, and of course it shows up on Japanese machine tool built products. The information in this little presentation came from discussions with you folks wherever possible. In some cases I was unable to make contact with the horse's mouth as it were, but we got roundabout information so it's not gospel, but it's close. We've also had some updated information at the show here updated rumors maybe that suggest that some of the numbers may be high or low. I think in the aggregate it's not too far off.

A survey of the Carbon Capture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jokrllova, J.; Cik, G.; Takacova, A.; Smolinska, M.

2014-01-01

The concentration of carbon dioxide, one of the most important representatives of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere continues to rise. Fossil fuels burned in thermal power plants currently represent 80% of total energy production around the world and are the largest point sources of CO 2 , accounting for approximately 40% of total CO 2 emissions. There are several options for reducing CO 2 emissions: reducing demand, improving production efficiency and carbon capture and storage (CCS, carbon capture and storage). Capture and storage of carbon dioxide is generally a three-step process: 1 st Capture and compression of combustion products, 2 nd transport (mostly pipeline) and 3 rd utilization (eg. production of urea, beverage industry, production of dry ice, etc.). Technologies for CO 2 capturing used in power plants burning fossil fuels can be divided into four groups, each of which requires a completely different approach to CO 2 capture.

Dlx1 and Rgs5 in the ductus arteriosus: vessel-specific genes identified by transcriptional profiling of laser-capture microdissected endothelial and smooth muscle cells

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bokenkamp, R.; Brempt, R. van; Munsteren, J.C. van; Wijngaert, I. van den; Hoogt, R. de; Finos, L.; Goeman, J.J.; Groot, A.C de; Poelmann, R.E.; Blom, N.A.; DeRuiter, M.C.

2014-01-01

Closure of the ductus arteriosus (DA) is a crucial step in the transition from fetal to postnatal life. Patent DA is one of the most common cardiovascular anomalies in children with significant clinical consequences especially in premature infants. We aimed to identify genes that specify the DA in

US Spacesuit Knowledge Capture

Science.gov (United States)

Chullen, Cinda; Thomas, Ken; McMann, Joe; Dolan, Kristi; Bitterly, Rose; Lewis, Cathleen

2011-01-01

The ability to learn from both the mistakes and successes of the past is vital to assuring success in the future. Due to the close physical interaction between spacesuit systems and human beings as users, spacesuit technology and usage lends itself rather uniquely to the benefits realized from the skillful organization of historical information; its dissemination; the collection and identification of artifacts; and the education of those in the field. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), other organizations and individuals have been performing United States (U.S.) Spacesuit Knowledge Capture since the beginning of space exploration. Avenues used to capture the knowledge have included publication of reports; conference presentations; specialized seminars; and classes usually given by veterans in the field. More recently the effort has been more concentrated and formalized whereby a new avenue of spacesuit knowledge capture has been added to the archives in which videotaping occurs engaging both current and retired specialists in the field presenting technical scope specifically for education and preservation of knowledge. With video archiving, all these avenues of learning can now be brought to life with the real experts presenting their wealth of knowledge on screen for future learners to enjoy. Scope and topics of U.S. spacesuit knowledge capture have included lessons learned in spacesuit technology, experience from the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab and Shuttle programs, hardware certification, design, development and other program components, spacesuit evolution and experience, failure analysis and resolution, and aspects of program management. Concurrently, U.S. spacesuit knowledge capture activities have progressed to a level where NASA, the National Air and Space Museum (NASM), Hamilton Sundstrand (HS) and the spacesuit community are now working together to provide a comprehensive closed-looped spacesuit knowledge capture system which includes

Continuum capture in the three-body problem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sellin, I.A.

1980-01-01

The three-body problem, especially the problem of electron capture to the continuum in heavy particle collisions is reviewed. Major topics covered include: second born-induced asymmetry in electron capture to the continuum; historical context, links to other tests of atomic scattering theory; experiments characterizing the velocity distribution of ECC electrons; other atomic physics tests of high velocity Born expansions; atom capture; capture by positrons; and pion capture to the continuum

Laser-induced heating integrated with a microfluidic platform for real-time DNA replication and detection

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Min-Sheng; Ho, Chia-Chin; Chen, Chih-Pin

2016-08-01

This study developed a microfluidic platform for replicating and detecting DNA in real time by integrating a laser and a microfluidic device composed of polydimethylsiloxane. The design of the microchannels consisted of a laser-heating area and a detection area. An infrared laser was used as the heating source for DNA replication, and the laser power was adjusted to heat the solutions directly. In addition, strong biotin-avidin binding was used to capture and detect the replicated products. The biotin on one end was bound to avidin and anchored to the surface of the microchannels, whereas the biotin on the other end was bound to the quantum dots (Qdots). The results showed that the fluorescent intensity of the Qdots bound to the replicated products in the detection area increased with the number of thermal cycles created by the laser. When the number of thermal cycles was ≥10, the fluorescent intensity of the Qdots was directly detectable on the surface of the microchannels. The proposed method is more sensitive than detection methods entailing gel electrophoresis.

In-situ quality monitoring during laser brazing

Science.gov (United States)

Ungers, Michael; Fecker, Daniel; Frank, Sascha; Donst, Dmitri; Märgner, Volker; Abels, Peter; Kaierle, Stefan

Laser brazing of zinc coated steel is a widely established manufacturing process in the automotive sector, where high quality requirements must be fulfilled. The strength, impermeablitiy and surface appearance of the joint are particularly important for judging its quality. The development of an on-line quality control system is highly desired by the industry. This paper presents recent works on the development of such a system, which consists of two cameras operating in different spectral ranges. For the evaluation of the system, seam imperfections are created artificially during experiments. Finally image processing algorithms for monitoring process parameters based the captured images are presented.

Impact of mismatched and misaligned laser light sheet profiles on PIV performance

Science.gov (United States)

Grayson, K.; de Silva, C. M.; Hutchins, N.; Marusic, I.

2018-01-01

The effect of mismatched or misaligned laser light sheet profiles on the quality of particle image velocimetry (PIV) results is considered in this study. Light sheet profiles with differing widths, shapes, or alignment can reduce the correlation between PIV images and increase experimental errors. Systematic PIV simulations isolate these behaviours to assess the sensitivity and implications of light sheet mismatch on measurements. The simulations in this work use flow fields from a turbulent boundary layer; however, the behaviours and impacts of laser profile mismatch are highly relevant to any fluid flow or PIV application. Experimental measurements from a turbulent boundary layer facility are incorporated, as well as additional simulations matched to experimental image characteristics, to validate the synthetic image analysis. Experimental laser profiles are captured using a modular laser profiling camera, designed to quantify the distribution of laser light sheet intensities and inform any corrective adjustments to an experimental configuration. Results suggest that an offset of just 1.35 standard deviations in the Gaussian light sheet intensity distributions can cause a 40% reduction in the average correlation coefficient and a 45% increase in spurious vectors. Errors in measured flow statistics are also amplified when two successive laser profiles are no longer well matched in alignment or intensity distribution. Consequently, an awareness of how laser light sheet overlap influences PIV results can guide faster setup of an experiment, as well as achieve superior experimental measurements.

Capture of irregular satellites at Jupiter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nesvorný, David; Vokrouhlický, David; Deienno, Rogerio

2014-01-01

The irregular satellites of outer planets are thought to have been captured from heliocentric orbits. The exact nature of the capture process, however, remains uncertain. We examine the possibility that irregular satellites were captured from the planetesimal disk during the early solar system instability when encounters between the outer planets occurred. Nesvorný et al. already showed that the irregular satellites of Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune were plausibly captured during planetary encounters. Here we find that the current instability models present favorable conditions for capture of irregular satellites at Jupiter as well, mainly because Jupiter undergoes a phase of close encounters with an ice giant. We show that the orbital distribution of bodies captured during planetary encounters provides a good match to the observed distribution of irregular satellites at Jupiter. The capture efficiency for each particle in the original transplanetary disk is found to be (1.3-3.6) × 10 –8 . This is roughly enough to explain the observed population of jovian irregular moons. We also confirm Nesvorný et al.'s results for the irregular satellites of Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

CO2 Capture and Reuse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thambimuthu, K.; Gupta, M.; Davison, J.

2003-01-01

CO2 capture and storage including its utilization or reuse presents an opportunity to achieve deep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from fossil energy use. The development and deployment of this option could significantly assist in meeting a future goal of achieving stabilization of the presently rising atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases. CO2 capture from process streams is an established concept that has achieved industrial practice. Examples of current applications include the use of primarily, solvent based capture technologies for the recovery of pure CO2 streams for chemical synthesis, for utilization as a food additive, for use as a miscible agent in enhanced oil recovery operations and removal of CO2 as an undesired contaminant from gaseous process streams for the production of fuel gases such as hydrogen and methane. In these applications, the technologies deployed for CO2 capture have focused on gas separation from high purity, high pressure streams and in reducing (or oxygen deficient) environments, where the energy penalties and cost for capture are moderately low. However, application of the same capture technologies for large scale abatement of greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel use poses significant challenges in achieving (at comparably low energy penalty and cost) gas separation in large volume, dilute concentration and/or low pressure flue gas streams. This paper will focus on a review of existing commercial methods of CO2 capture and the technology stretch, process integration and energy system pathways needed for their large scale deployment in fossil fueled processes. The assessment of potential capture technologies for the latter purpose will also be based on published literature data that are both 'transparent' and 'systematic' in their evaluation of the overall cost and energy penalties of CO2 capture. In view of the of the fact that many of the existing commercial processes for CO2 capture have seen applications in

Novelty exposure overcomes foot shock-induced spatial-memory impairment by processes of synaptic-tagging in rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Almaguer-Melian, William; Bergado-Rosado, Jorge; Pavón-Fuentes, Nancy; Alberti-Amador, Esteban; Mercerón-Martínez, Daymara; Frey, Julietta U

2012-01-17

Novelty processing can transform short-term into long-term memory. We propose that this memory-reinforcing effect of novelty could be explained by mechanisms outlined in the "synaptic tagging hypothesis." Initial short-term memory is sustained by a transient plasticity change at activated synapses and sets synaptic tags. These tags are later able to capture and process the plasticity-related proteins (PRPs), which are required to transform a short-term synaptic change into a long-term one. Novelty is involved in inducing the synthesis of PRPs [Moncada D, et al. (2011) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 108:12937-12936], which are then captured by the tagged synapses, consolidating memory. In contrast to novelty, stress can impair learning, memory, and synaptic plasticity. Here, we address questions as to whether novelty-induced PRPs are able to prevent the loss of memory caused by stress and if the latter would not interact with the tag-setting process. We used water-maze (WM) training as a spatial learning paradigm to test our hypothesis. Stress was induced by a strong foot shock (FS; 5 × 1 mA, 2 s) applied 5 min after WM training. Our data show that FS reduced long-term but not short-term memory in the WM paradigm. This negative effect on memory consolidation was time- and training-dependent. Interestingly, novelty exposure prevented the stress-induced memory loss of the spatial task and increased BDNF and Arc expression. This rescuing effect was blocked by anisomycin, suggesting that WM-tagged synapses were not reset by FS and were thus able to capture the novelty-induced PRPs, re-establishing FS-impaired long-term memory.

Confusion noise from LISA capture sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barack, Leor; Cutler, Curt

2004-01-01

Captures of compact objects (COs) by massive black holes (MBHs) in galactic nuclei will be an important source for LISA, the proposed space-based gravitational wave (GW) detector. However, a large fraction of captures will not be individually resolvable - either because they are too distant, have unfavorable orientation, or have too many years to go before final plunge - and so will constitute a source of 'confusion noise', obscuring other types of sources. In this paper we estimate the shape and overall magnitude of the GW background energy spectrum generated by CO captures. This energy spectrum immediately translates to a spectral density S h capt (f) for the amplitude of capture-generated GWs registered by LISA. The overall magnitude of S h capt (f) is linear in the CO capture rates, which are rather uncertain; therefore we present results for a plausible range of rates. S h capt (f) includes the contributions from both resolvable and unresolvable captures, and thus represents an upper limit on the confusion noise level. We then estimate what fraction of S h capt (f) is due to unresolvable sources and hence constitutes confusion noise. We find that almost all of the contribution to S h capt (f) coming from white dwarf and neutron star captures, and at least ∼30% of the contribution from black hole captures, is from sources that cannot be individually resolved. Nevertheless, we show that the impact of capture confusion noise on the total LISA noise curve ranges from insignificant to modest, depending on the rates. Capture rates at the high end of estimated ranges would raise LISA's overall (effective) noise level [fS h eff (f)] 1/2 by at most a factor ∼2 in the frequency range 1-10 mHz, where LISA is most sensitive. While this slightly elevated noise level would somewhat decrease LISA's sensitivity to other classes of sources, we argue that, overall, this would be a pleasant problem for LISA to have: It would also imply that detection rates for CO captures

Laser tattoo removal as an ablation process monitored by acoustical and optical methods

Science.gov (United States)

Cencič, Boris; Gregorčič, Peter; Možina, Janez; Jezeršek, Matija

2013-07-01

Strength of the laser-tissue interaction varies even within a single tattoo because of the inhomogeneous distribution of the tattoo pigment embedded in the skin. A monitoring system is therefore developed for simultaneous monitoring of the laser tattoo removal process based on acoustical and optical techniques. A laser-beam-deflection probe is used for measuring the acoustical signals accompanying the breakdown, and a CCD camera captures the level and the spatial distribution of the plasma radiation. Using these methods we examine the degree of excitation-pulse absorption within the pigment and the degree of the structural changes of the skin. A Nd:YAG laser with a top-hat beam profile, designed for tattoo removal, is used as the excitation source in our experiments. Special attention is given to structural changes in the skin, which depend on the applied fluence. Tattoo removal with multiple pulses is also analyzed. Experiments are made in vitro (skin phantoms) and ex vivo (marking tattoos on the pig skin). The presented results are important for the understanding and optimization of the process used in medical therapies.

Multimodal user interfaces to improve social integration of elderly and mobility impaired.

Science.gov (United States)

Dias, Miguel Sales; Pires, Carlos Galinho; Pinto, Fernando Miguel; Teixeira, Vítor Duarte; Freitas, João

2012-01-01

Technologies for Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Communication have evolved tremendously over the past decades. However, citizens such as mobility impaired or elderly or others, still face many difficulties interacting with communication services, either due to HCI issues or intrinsic design problems with the services. In this paper we start by presenting the results of two user studies, the first one conducted with a group of mobility impaired users, comprising paraplegic and quadriplegic individuals; and the second one with elderly. The study participants carried out a set of tasks with a multimodal (speech, touch, gesture, keyboard and mouse) and multi-platform (mobile, desktop) system, offering an integrated access to communication and entertainment services, such as email, agenda, conferencing, instant messaging and social media, referred to as LHC - Living Home Center. The system was designed to take into account the requirements captured from these users, with the objective of evaluating if the adoption of multimodal interfaces for audio-visual communication and social media services, could improve the interaction with such services. Our study revealed that a multimodal prototype system, offering natural interaction modalities, especially supporting speech and touch, can in fact improve access to the presented services, contributing to the reduction of social isolation of mobility impaired, as well as elderly, and improving their digital inclusion.

Nuclear muon capture

CERN Document Server

Mukhopadhyay, N C

1977-01-01

Our present knowledge of the nuclear muon capture reactions is surveyed. Starting from the formation of the muonic atom, various phenomena, having a bearing on the nuclear capture, are reviewed. The nuclear reactions are then studied from two angles-to learn about the basic muon+nucleon weak interaction process, and to obtain new insights on the nuclear dynamics. Future experimental prospects with the newer generation muon 'factories' are critically examined. Possible modification of the muon+nucleon weak interaction in complex nuclei remains the most important open problem in this field. (380 refs).

The influence of carrier dynamics on double-state lasing in quantum dot lasers at variable temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Korenev, V. V.; Savelyev, A. V.; Zhukov, A. E.; Omelchenko, A. V.; Maximov, M. V.

2014-12-01

It is shown in analytical form that the carrier capture from the matrix as well as carrier dynamics in quantum dots plays an important role in double-state lasing phenomenon. In particular, the de-synchronization of hole and electron captures allows one to describe recently observed quenching of ground-state lasing, which takes place in quantum dot lasers operating in double-state lasing regime at high injection. From the other side, the detailed analysis of charge carrier dynamics in the single quantum dot enables one to describe the observed light-current characteristics and key temperature dependences.

The influence of carrier dynamics on double-state lasing in quantum dot lasers at variable temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korenev, V V; Savelyev, A V; Zhukov, A E; Omelchenko, A V; Maximov, M V

2014-01-01

It is shown in analytical form that the carrier capture from the matrix as well as carrier dynamics in quantum dots plays an important role in double-state lasing phenomenon. In particular, the de-synchronization of hole and electron captures allows one to describe recently observed quenching of ground-state lasing, which takes place in quantum dot lasers operating in double-state lasing regime at high injection. From the other side, the detailed analysis of charge carrier dynamics in the single quantum dot enables one to describe the observed light-current characteristics and key temperature dependences

Laser Welding Process Parameters Optimization Using Variable-Fidelity Metamodel and NSGA-II

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Chaochao

2017-01-01

Full Text Available An optimization methodology based on variable-fidelity (VF metamodels and nondominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II for laser bead-on-plate welding of stainless steel 316L is presented. The relationships between input process parameters (laser power, welding speed and laser focal position and output responses (weld width and weld depth are constructed by VF metamodels. In VF metamodels, the information from two levels fidelity models are integrated, in which the low-fidelity model (LF is finite element simulation model that is used to capture the general trend of the metamodels, and high-fidelity (HF model which from physical experiments is used to ensure the accuracy of metamodels. The accuracy of the VF metamodel is verified by actual experiments. To slove the optimization problem, NSGA-II is used to search for multi-objective Pareto optimal solutions. The results of verification experiments show that the obtained optimal parameters are effective and reliable.

All-fiber 7x1 signal combiner for incoherent laser beam combining

Science.gov (United States)

Noordegraaf, D.; Maack, M. D.; Skovgaard, P. M. W.; Johansen, J.; Becker, F.; Belke, S.; Blomqvist, M.; Laegsgaard, J.

2011-02-01

We demonstrate an all-fiber 7x1 signal combiner for incoherent laser beam combining. This is a potential key component for reaching several kW of stabile laser output power. The combiner couples the output from 7 single-mode (SM) fiber lasers into a single multi-mode (MM) fiber. The input signal fibers have a core diameter of 17 μm and the output MM fiber has a core diameter of 100 μm. In a tapered section light gradually leaks out of the SM fibers and is captured by a surrounding fluorine-doped cladding. The combiner is tested up to 2.5 kW of combined output power and only a minor increase in device temperature is observed. At an intermediate power level of 600 W a beam parameter product (BPP) of 2.22 mm x mrad is measured, corresponding to an M2 value of 6.5. These values are approaching the theoretical limit dictated by brightness conservation.

Cortical visual impairment

OpenAIRE

Koželj, Urša

2013-01-01

In this thesis we discuss cortical visual impairment, diagnosis that is in the developed world in first place, since 20 percent of children with blindness or low vision are diagnosed with it. The objectives of the thesis are to define cortical visual impairment and the definition of characters suggestive of the cortical visual impairment as well as to search for causes that affect the growing diagnosis of cortical visual impairment. There are a lot of signs of cortical visual impairment. ...

Nucleic acid hybridization assays employing dA-tailed capture probes. II. Advanced multiple capture methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunsaker, W.R.; Badri, H.; Lombardo, M.; Collins, M.L.

1989-01-01

A fourth capture is added to the reversible target capture procedure. This results in an improved radioisotopic detection limit of 7.3 x 10(-21) mol of target. In addition, the standard triple capture method is converted into a nonradioactive format with a detection limit of under 1 amol of target. The principal advantage of nonradioactive detection is that the entire assay can be performed in about 1 h. Nucleic acids are released from cells in the presence of the (capture probe) which contains a 3'-poly(dA) sequence and the (labeled probe) which contains a detectable nonradioactive moiety such as biotin. After a brief hybridization in solution, the target is captured on oligo(dT) magnetic particles. The target is further purified from sample impurities and excess labeled probe by recapture either once or twice more on fresh magnetic particles. The highly purified target is then concentrated to 200 nl by recapture onto a poly(dT) nitrocellulose filter and rapidly detected with streptavidin-alkaline phosphatase using bromochloroindolyl phosphate and nitroblue tetrazolium. Using this procedure, as little as 0.25 amol of a target plasmid has been detected nonradioactively in crude samples in just 1 h without prior purification of the DNA and RNA. Finally, a new procedure called background capture is introduced to complement the background-reducing power of RTC

The Effectiveness of Classroom Capture Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Ford, Maire B.; Burns, Colleen E.; Mitch, Nathan; Gomez, Melissa M.

2012-01-01

The use of classroom capture systems (systems that capture audio and video footage of a lecture and attempt to replicate a classroom experience) is becoming increasingly popular at the university level. However, research on the effectiveness of classroom capture systems in the university classroom has been limited due to the recent development and…

Contingent orienting or contingent capture: a size singleton matching the target-distractor size relation cannot capture attention.

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Feng; Yin, Yue; Qi, Yue; Zhang, Kan

2014-08-01

In the present study, we examined whether a peripheral size-singleton distractor that matches the target-distractor size relation can capture attention and disrupt central target identification. Three experiments consistently showed that a size singleton that matches the target-distractor size relation cannot capture attention when it appears outside of the attentional window, even though the same size singleton produces a cuing effect. In addition, a color singleton that matches the target color, instead of a size singleton that matches the target-distractor size relation, captures attention when it is outside of the attentional window. Thus, a size-relation-matched distractor is much weaker than a color-matched distractor in capturing attention and cannot capture attention when the distractor appears outside of the attentional window.

Capture cross sections on unstable nuclei

Science.gov (United States)

Tonchev, A. P.; Escher, J. E.; Scielzo, N.; Bedrossian, P.; Ilieva, R. S.; Humby, P.; Cooper, N.; Goddard, P. M.; Werner, V.; Tornow, W.; Rusev, G.; Kelley, J. H.; Pietralla, N.; Scheck, M.; Savran, D.; Löher, B.; Yates, S. W.; Crider, B. P.; Peters, E. E.; Tsoneva, N.; Goriely, S.

2017-09-01

Accurate neutron-capture cross sections on unstable nuclei near the line of beta stability are crucial for understanding the s-process nucleosynthesis. However, neutron-capture cross sections for short-lived radionuclides are difficult to measure due to the fact that the measurements require both highly radioactive samples and intense neutron sources. Essential ingredients for describing the γ decays following neutron capture are the γ-ray strength function and level densities. We will compare different indirect approaches for obtaining the most relevant observables that can constrain Hauser-Feshbach statistical-model calculations of capture cross sections. Specifically, we will consider photon scattering using monoenergetic and 100% linearly polarized photon beams. Challenges that exist on the path to obtaining neutron-capture cross sections for reactions on isotopes near and far from stability will be discussed.

Capture cross sections on unstable nuclei

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tonchev A.P.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Accurate neutron-capture cross sections on unstable nuclei near the line of beta stability are crucial for understanding the s-process nucleosynthesis. However, neutron-capture cross sections for short-lived radionuclides are difficult to measure due to the fact that the measurements require both highly radioactive samples and intense neutron sources. Essential ingredients for describing the γ decays following neutron capture are the γ-ray strength function and level densities. We will compare different indirect approaches for obtaining the most relevant observables that can constrain Hauser-Feshbach statistical-model calculations of capture cross sections. Specifically, we will consider photon scattering using monoenergetic and 100% linearly polarized photon beams. Challenges that exist on the path to obtaining neutron-capture cross sections for reactions on isotopes near and far from stability will be discussed.

Transport of laser accelerated proton beams and isochoric heating of matter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roth, M; Alber, I; Guenther, M; Harres, K; Bagnoud, V; Brown, C; Gregori, G; Clarke, R; Heathcote, R; Li, B; Daido, H; Fernandez, J; Flippo, K; Gaillard, S; Gauthier, C; Glenzer, S; Kritcher, A; Kugland, N; LePape, S; Makita, M

2010-01-01

The acceleration of intense proton and ion beams by ultra-intense lasers has matured to a point where applications in basic research and technology are being developed. Crucial for harvesting the unmatched beam parameters driven by the relativistic electron sheath is the precise control of the beam. We report on recent experiments using the PHELIX laser at GSI, the VULCAN laser at RAL and the TRIDENT laser at LANL to control and use laser accelerated proton beams for applications in high energy density research. We demonstrate efficient collimation of the proton beam using high field pulsed solenoid magnets, a prerequisite to capture and transport the beam for applications. Furthermore we report on two campaigns to use intense, short proton bunches to isochorically heat solid targets up to the warm dense matter state. The temporal profile of the proton beam allows for rapid heating of the target, much faster than the hydrodynamic response time thereby creating a strongly coupled plasma at solid density. The target parameters are then probed by X-ray Thomson scattering (XRTS) to reveal the density and temperature of the heated volume. This combination of two powerful techniques developed during the past few years allows for the generation and investigation of macroscopic samples of matter in states present in giant planets or the interior of the earth.

Transport of laser accelerated proton beams and isochoric heating of matter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roth, M; Alber, I; Guenther, M; Harres, K [Inst. fuer Kernphysik, Technische Universitaet Darmstadt, 64289 Darmstadt (Germany); Bagnoud, V [GSI Helmholtzzentrum f. Schwerionenforschung GmbH, 64291 Darmstadt (Germany); Brown, C; Gregori, G [Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PU (United Kingdom); Clarke, R; Heathcote, R; Li, B [STFC, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, OX14 OQX (United Kingdom); Daido, H [Photo Medical Research Center, JAEA, Kizugawa-City, Kyoto 619-0215 (Japan); Fernandez, J; Flippo, K; Gaillard, S; Gauthier, C [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States); Glenzer, S; Kritcher, A; Kugland, N; LePape, S [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94551 (United States); Makita, M, E-mail: markus.roth@physik.tu-darmstadt.d [School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen' s University of Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN (United Kingdom)

2010-08-01

The acceleration of intense proton and ion beams by ultra-intense lasers has matured to a point where applications in basic research and technology are being developed. Crucial for harvesting the unmatched beam parameters driven by the relativistic electron sheath is the precise control of the beam. We report on recent experiments using the PHELIX laser at GSI, the VULCAN laser at RAL and the TRIDENT laser at LANL to control and use laser accelerated proton beams for applications in high energy density research. We demonstrate efficient collimation of the proton beam using high field pulsed solenoid magnets, a prerequisite to capture and transport the beam for applications. Furthermore we report on two campaigns to use intense, short proton bunches to isochorically heat solid targets up to the warm dense matter state. The temporal profile of the proton beam allows for rapid heating of the target, much faster than the hydrodynamic response time thereby creating a strongly coupled plasma at solid density. The target parameters are then probed by X-ray Thomson scattering (XRTS) to reveal the density and temperature of the heated volume. This combination of two powerful techniques developed during the past few years allows for the generation and investigation of macroscopic samples of matter in states present in giant planets or the interior of the earth.

Sex chromosomes and associated rDNA form a heterochromatic network in the polytene nuclei of Bactrocera oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Drosopoulou, E.; Nakou, I.; Šíchová, Jindra; Kubíčková, S.; Marec, František; Mavragani-Tsipidou, P.

2012-01-01

Roč. 140, 4-6 (2012), s. 169-180 ISSN 0016-6707 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA600960925 Grant - others:Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic(CZ) MZE 0002716202; Grant Agency of the University of South Bohemia(CZ) GAJU 137/2010/P Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : chromosome painting * FISH * laser microdissection Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 1.681, year: 2012 http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10709-012-9668-3

Effect of carrier dynamics and temperature on two-state lasing in semiconductor quantum dot lasers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Korenev, V. V., E-mail: korenev@spbau.ru; Savelyev, A. V.; Zhukov, A. E.; Omelchenko, A. V.; Maximov, M. V. [Saint Petersburg Academic University-Nanotechnology Research and Education Center (Russian Federation)

2013-10-15

It is analytically shown that the both the charge carrier dynamics in quantum dots and their capture into the quantum dots from the matrix material have a significant effect on two-state lasing phenomenon in quantum dot lasers. In particular, the consideration of desynchronization in electron and hole capture into quantum dots allows one to describe the quenching of ground-state lasing observed at high injection currents both qualitatevely and quantitatively. At the same time, an analysis of the charge carrier dynamics in a single quantum dot allowed us to describe the temperature dependences of the emission power via the ground- and excited-state optical transitions of quantum dots.

Effect of carrier dynamics and temperature on two-state lasing in semiconductor quantum dot lasers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Korenev, V. V.; Savelyev, A. V.; Zhukov, A. E.; Omelchenko, A. V.; Maximov, M. V.

2013-01-01

It is analytically shown that the both the charge carrier dynamics in quantum dots and their capture into the quantum dots from the matrix material have a significant effect on two-state lasing phenomenon in quantum dot lasers. In particular, the consideration of desynchronization in electron and hole capture into quantum dots allows one to describe the quenching of ground-state lasing observed at high injection currents both qualitatevely and quantitatively. At the same time, an analysis of the charge carrier dynamics in a single quantum dot allowed us to describe the temperature dependences of the emission power via the ground- and excited-state optical transitions of quantum dots

CT-guided percutaneous laser disc decompression with Ceralas D, a diode laser with 980-nm wavelength and 200-μm fiber optics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gevargez, A.; Groenemeyer, D.W.H.; Czerwinski, F.

2000-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the compact, portable Ceralas-D diode laser (CeramOptec; 980+30 nm wavelength, 200-μm optical fiber) concerning clinical usefulness, handling, and clinical results in the CT-guided treatment of herniated lumbar discs. The positioning of the canula in intradiscal space, the placement of the laser fiber into the disc through the lying canula, and the vaporization itself were carried out under CT-guidance. Due to the thin fiber optic, it was possible to use a thin 23-gauge canula. The laser procedure was performed in 0.1- to 1-s shots with 1-s pulse pause and 4-W power output. A total of 1650-2300 J was applied on each percutaneous laser disc decompression (PLDD). Results in 26 patients were established with a visual-analogue scale (VAS). On the follow-up examinations, 46% of the patients were absolutely pain free (>85% VAS) and fully active in everyday life after 4 postoperative weeks. Thirty-one percent of patients were relieved of the leg pain but had occasional back pain without sensorimotor impairment. Fifteen percent sensed a slight alleviation (>50% VAS) of the radiate pain. Eight percent did not experience radicular or pseudo-radicular pain alleviation (<25% VAS). Cerales-D proves to be an efficient tool for CT-guided PLDD on non-sequestered herniated lumbar discs. (orig.)

DIGITAL TERRAIN MODELS FROM MOBILE LASER SCANNING DATA IN MORAVIAN KARST

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Tyagur

2016-06-01

Full Text Available During the last ten years, mobile laser scanning (MLS systems have become a very popular and efficient technology for capturing reality in 3D. A 3D laser scanner mounted on the top of a moving vehicle (e.g. car allows the high precision capturing of the environment in a fast way. Mostly this technology is used in cities for capturing roads and buildings facades to create 3D city models. In our work, we used an MLS system in Moravian Karst, which is a protected nature reserve in the Eastern Part of the Czech Republic, with a steep rocky terrain covered by forests. For the 3D data collection, the Riegl VMX 450, mounted on a car, was used with integrated IMU/GNSS equipment, which provides low noise, rich and very dense 3D point clouds. The aim of this work is to create a digital terrain model (DTM from several MLS data sets acquired in the neighbourhood of a road. The total length of two covered areas is 3.9 and 6.1 km respectively, with an average width of 100 m. For the DTM generation, a fully automatic, robust, hierarchic approach was applied. The derivation of the DTM is based on combinations of hierarchical interpolation and robust filtering for different resolution levels. For the generation of the final DTMs, different interpolation algorithms are applied to the classified terrain points. The used parameters were determined by explorative analysis. All MLS data sets were processed with one parameter set. As a result, a high precise DTM was derived with high spatial resolution of 0.25 x 0.25 m. The quality of the DTMs was checked by geodetic measurements and visual comparison with raw point clouds. The high quality of the derived DTM can be used for analysing terrain changes and morphological structures. Finally, the derived DTM was compared with the DTM of the Czech Republic (DMR 4G with a resolution of 5 x 5 m, which was created from airborne laser scanning data. The vertical accuracy of the derived DTMs is around 0.10 m.

Theory of inelastic multiphonon scattering and carrier capture by defects in semiconductors: Application to capture cross sections

Science.gov (United States)

Barmparis, Georgios D.; Puzyrev, Yevgeniy S.; Zhang, X.-G.; Pantelides, Sokrates T.

2015-12-01

Inelastic scattering and carrier capture by defects in semiconductors are the primary causes of hot-electron-mediated degradation of power devices, which holds up their commercial development. At the same time, carrier capture is a major issue in the performance of solar cells and light-emitting diodes. A theory of nonradiative (multiphonon) inelastic scattering by defects, however, is nonexistent, while the theory for carrier capture by defects has had a long and arduous history. Here we report the construction of a comprehensive theory of inelastic scattering by defects, with carrier capture being a special case. We distinguish between capture under thermal equilibrium conditions and capture under nonequilibrium conditions, e.g., in the presence of an electrical current or hot carriers where carriers undergo scattering by defects and are described by a mean free path. In the thermal-equilibrium case, capture is mediated by a nonadiabatic perturbation Hamiltonian, originally identified by Huang and Rhys and by Kubo, which is equal to linear electron-phonon coupling to first order. In the nonequilibrium case, we demonstrate that the primary capture mechanism is within the Born-Oppenheimer approximation (adiabatic transitions), with coupling to the defect potential inducing Franck-Condon electronic transitions, followed by multiphonon dissipation of the transition energy, while the nonadiabatic terms are of secondary importance (they scale with the inverse of the mass of typical atoms in the defect complex). We report first-principles density-functional-theory calculations of the capture cross section for a prototype defect using the projector-augmented wave, which allows us to employ all-electron wave functions. We adopt a Monte Carlo scheme to sample multiphonon configurations and obtain converged results. The theory and the results represent a foundation upon which to build engineering-level models for hot-electron degradation of power devices and the performance

Does imminent threat capture and hold attention?

Science.gov (United States)

Koster, Ernst H W; Crombez, Geert; Van Damme, Stefaan; Verschuere, Bruno; De Houwer, Jan

2004-09-01

According to models of attention and emotion, threat captures and holds attention. In behavioral tasks, robust evidence has been found for attentional holding but not for attentional capture by threat. An important explanation for the absence of attentional capture effects is that the visual stimuli used posed no genuine threat. The present study investigated whether visual cues that signal an aversive white noise can elicit attentional capture and holding effects. Cues presented in an attentional task were simultaneously provided with a threat value through an aversive conditioning procedure. Response latencies showed that threatening cues captured and held attention. These results support recent views on attention to threat, proposing that imminent threat captures attention in everyone. (c) 2004 APA, all rights reserved

A Novel Laser and Video-Based Displacement Transducer to Monitor Bridge Deflections.

Science.gov (United States)

Vicente, Miguel A; Gonzalez, Dorys C; Minguez, Jesus; Schumacher, Thomas

2018-03-25

The measurement of static vertical deflections on bridges continues to be a first-level technological challenge. These data are of great interest, especially for the case of long-term bridge monitoring; in fact, they are perhaps more valuable than any other measurable parameter. This is because material degradation processes and changes of the mechanical properties of the structure due to aging (for example creep and shrinkage in concrete bridges) have a direct impact on the exhibited static vertical deflections. This paper introduces and evaluates an approach to monitor displacements and rotations of structures using a novel laser and video-based displacement transducer (LVBDT). The proposed system combines the use of laser beams, LED lights, and a digital video camera, and was especially designed to capture static and slow-varying displacements. Contrary to other video-based approaches, the camera is located on the bridge, hence allowing to capture displacements at one location. Subsequently, the sensing approach and the procedure to estimate displacements and the rotations are described. Additionally, laboratory and in-service field testing carried out to validate the system are presented and discussed. The results demonstrate that the proposed sensing approach is robust, accurate, and reliable, and also inexpensive, which are essential for field implementation.

Recent development of capture of CO2

CERN Document Server

Chavez, Rosa Hilda

2014-01-01

"Recent Technologies in the capture of CO2" provides a comprehensive summary on the latest technologies available to minimize the emission of CO2 from large point sources like fossil-fuel power plants or industrial facilities. This ebook also covers various techniques that could be developed to reduce the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere. The contents of this book include chapters on oxy-fuel combustion in fluidized beds, gas separation membrane used in post-combustion capture, minimizing energy consumption in CO2 capture processes through process integration, characterization and application of structured packing for CO2 capture, calcium looping technology for CO2 capture and many more. Recent Technologies in capture of CO2 is a valuable resource for graduate students, process engineers and administrative staff looking for real-case analysis of pilot plants. This eBook brings together the research results and professional experiences of the most renowned work groups in the CO2 capture field...

Laser light interaction for texture evaluation of native woods and Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maiden

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, M.R.; Mori, F.A.; Rabelo, G.F.; Braga Junior, R.A.

2005-01-01

This work had the objective of study in patterns of the ''speckle'' as function of the wood texture of Bowdichia virgilioides check for this species in other resources (sucupira), Swietenia macrophylla check for this species in other resources (mogno), Balfourodendron riedelianum check for this species in other resources (paumarfim) and Eucalyptus grandis wood. The He-Ne laser 10 mW was used to illuminate the wood samples and a digital camera captured the result of the interaction of the wood with the laser light. The results obtained from image analysis were compared with the pattern obtained by microscopic methodology. The captured images show the intensities of each pixel, varying between 0 and 255 in the gray scale. From the images, a central area of 16x16 pixels was removed and analyzed by the application of the convolution function and its Fourier Transform, resulting in the power density spectrum. The results showed that the information obtained by the power density spectrum of the ''speckle'' space variation allow classing samples of woods with different texture [pt

Enzymes in CO2 Capture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fosbøl, Philip Loldrup; Gladis, Arne; Thomsen, Kaj

The enzyme Carbonic Anhydrase (CA) can accelerate the absorption rate of CO2 into aqueous solutions by several-fold. It exist in almost all living organisms and catalyses different important processes like CO2 transport, respiration and the acid-base balances. A new technology in the field...... of carbon capture is the application of enzymes for acceleration of typically slow ternary amines or inorganic carbonates. There is a hidden potential to revive currently infeasible amines which have an interesting low energy consumption for regeneration but too slow kinetics for viable CO2 capture. The aim...... of this work is to discuss the measurements of kinetic properties for CA promoted CO2 capture solvent systems. The development of a rate-based model for enzymes will be discussed showing the principles of implementation and the results on using a well-known ternary amine for CO2 capture. Conclusions...

Partial radiative capture of resonance neutrons; Capture radiative partielle des neutrons de resonance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samour, C [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1969-07-01

The radiative capture of resonance neutrons has been studied near the Saclay linac between 0.5 and 700 eV with time-of-flight method and a Ge(Li) detector. {sup 195}Pt + n and {sup 183}W + n allow the study of the distribution of partial radiative widths and their eventual correlation and also the variation of < {gamma}{sub {gamma}{sub i}} > with E{sub {gamma}}. The mean values of Ml and El transition intensities are compared in several tin isotopes. Interference effects, either between resonances or between direct capture and resonant capture are found in {sup 195}Pt + n, {sup 197}Au + n and {sup 59}Co + n. The excited level schemes of a great deal of nuclei are obtained and compared with theoretical predictions. This study has been completed by an analysis of thermal spectrum. (author) [French] La capture radiative des neutrons de resonance a ete etudiee pres de l'accelerateur lineaire de Saclay entre 0,5 et 700 eV a l'aide de la methode du temps-de-vol et d'un detecteur Ge(Li). Les noyaux {sup 195}Pt + n et {sup 183}W + n permettent l'analyse de la distribution de resonance en resonance des largeurs radiatives partielles {gamma}{sub {gamma}{sub i}} et de leur eventuelle correlation, ainsi que l'etude de la variation de < {gamma}{sub {gamma}{sub i}} > en fonction de E{sub {gamma}}. Les intensites moyennes des transitions Ml et El sont comparees pour quelques isotopes de l'etain. Des effets d'interference, soit entre resonances, soit entre capture directe et capture resonnante sont mis en evidence dans {sup 195}Pt + n, {sup 197}Au + n et {sup 59}Co + n. Enfin les schemas des etats excites d'un grand nombre de noyaux sont obtenus et compares avec les predictions theoriques. Cette etude a ete completee par une analyse des spectres thermiques. (auteur)

Partial radiative capture of resonance neutrons; Capture radiative partielle des neutrons de resonance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samour, C. [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1969-07-01

The radiative capture of resonance neutrons has been studied near the Saclay linac between 0.5 and 700 eV with time-of-flight method and a Ge(Li) detector. {sup 195}Pt + n and {sup 183}W + n allow the study of the distribution of partial radiative widths and their eventual correlation and also the variation of < {gamma}{sub {gamma}{sub i}} > with E{sub {gamma}}. The mean values of Ml and El transition intensities are compared in several tin isotopes. Interference effects, either between resonances or between direct capture and resonant capture are found in {sup 195}Pt + n, {sup 197}Au + n and {sup 59}Co + n. The excited level schemes of a great deal of nuclei are obtained and compared with theoretical predictions. This study has been completed by an analysis of thermal spectrum. (author) [French] La capture radiative des neutrons de resonance a ete etudiee pres de l'accelerateur lineaire de Saclay entre 0,5 et 700 eV a l'aide de la methode du temps-de-vol et d'un detecteur Ge(Li). Les noyaux {sup 195}Pt + n et {sup 183}W + n permettent l'analyse de la distribution de resonance en resonance des largeurs radiatives partielles {gamma}{sub {gamma}{sub i}} et de leur eventuelle correlation, ainsi que l'etude de la variation de < {gamma}{sub {gamma}{sub i}} > en fonction de E{sub {gamma}}. Les intensites moyennes des transitions Ml et El sont comparees pour quelques isotopes de l'etain. Des effets d'interference, soit entre resonances, soit entre capture directe et capture resonnante sont mis en evidence dans {sup 195}Pt + n, {sup 197}Au + n et {sup 59}Co + n. Enfin les schemas des etats excites d'un grand nombre de noyaux sont obtenus et compares avec les predictions theoriques. Cette etude a ete completee par une analyse des spectres thermiques. (auteur)

High-precision pose measurement method in wind tunnels based on laser-aided vision technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liu Wei

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The measurement of position and attitude parameters for the isolated target from a high-speed aircraft is a great challenge in the field of wind tunnel simulation technology. In this paper, firstly, an image acquisition method for small high-speed targets with multi-dimensional movement in wind tunnel environment is proposed based on laser-aided vision technology. Combining with the trajectory simulation of the isolated model, the reasonably distributed laser stripes and self-luminous markers are utilized to capture clear images of the object. Then, after image processing, feature extraction, stereo correspondence and reconstruction, three-dimensional information of laser stripes and self-luminous markers are calculated. Besides, a pose solution method based on projected laser stripes and self-luminous markers is proposed. Finally, simulation experiments on measuring the position and attitude of high-speed rolling targets are conducted, as well as accuracy verification experiments. Experimental results indicate that the proposed method is feasible and efficient for measuring the pose parameters of rolling targets in wind tunnels.

Electron capture and stellar collapse

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, K.C.

1979-01-01

In order, to investigate the function of electron capture in the phenomenon of pre-supernovae gravitacional collapse, an hydrodynamic caculation was carried out, coupling capture, decay and nuclear reaction equation system. A star simplified model (homogeneous model) was adopted using fermi ideal gas approximation for tthe sea of free electrons and neutrons. The non simplified treatment from quasi-static evolution to collapse is presented. The capture and beta decay rates, as wellas neutron delayed emission, were calculated by beta decay crude theory, while the other reaction rates were determined by usual theories. The preliminary results are presented. (M.C.K.) [pt

Proton capture by magnetic monopoles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olaussen, K.; Olsen, H.A.; Oeverboe, I.; Osland, P.

1983-09-01

In the Kazama-Yang approximation, the lowest monopole-proton bound states have binding energies of 938 MeV, 263 keV, 105 eV, and 0.04 eV. The cross section for radiative capture to these states is for velocities β = 10 -5 - 10 -3 found to be of the order of 10 -28 - 10 -26 cm 2 . For the state that has a binding energy of 263 keV, the capture length in water is 171 x (β/10 -4 )sup(0.48) m. Observation of photons from the capture process would indicate the presence of monopoles. (orig.)

CHAOTIC CAPTURE OF NEPTUNE TROJANS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nesvorny, David; Vokrouhlicky, David

2009-01-01

Neptune Trojans (NTs) are swarms of outer solar system objects that lead/trail planet Neptune during its revolutions around the Sun. Observations indicate that NTs form a thick cloud of objects with a population perhaps ∼10 times more numerous than that of Jupiter Trojans and orbital inclinations reaching ∼25 deg. The high inclinations of NTs are indicative of capture instead of in situ formation. Here we study a model in which NTs were captured by Neptune during planetary migration when secondary resonances associated with the mean-motion commensurabilities between Uranus and Neptune swept over Neptune's Lagrangian points. This process, known as chaotic capture, is similar to that previously proposed to explain the origin of Jupiter's Trojans. We show that chaotic capture of planetesimals from an ∼35 Earth-mass planetesimal disk can produce a population of NTs that is at least comparable in number to that inferred from current observations. The large orbital inclinations of NTs are a natural outcome of chaotic capture. To obtain the ∼4:1 ratio between high- and low-inclination populations suggested by observations, planetary migration into a dynamically excited planetesimal disk may be required. The required stirring could have been induced by Pluto-sized and larger objects that have formed in the disk.

Novel Silica Nanostructured Platforms with Engineered Surface Functionality and Spherical Morphology for Low-Cost High-Efficiency Carbon Capture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lai, Cheng-Yu [Delaware State Univ., Dover, DE (United States); Radu, Daniela [Delaware State Univ., Dover, DE (United States); Univ. of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)

2017-12-29

Carbon capture is an integral part of the CO₂ mitigation efforts, and encompasses, among other measures, the demonstration of effective and inexpensive CO₂ capture technologies. The project demonstrated a novel platform—the amine-functionalized stellate mesoporous silica nanosphere (MSN)—for effective CO₂ absorption. The reported CO₂ absorption data are superior to the performance of other reported silica matrices utilized for carbon capture, featuring an amount of over 4 milimoles CO₂/g sorbent at low temperatures (in the range of 30-45 ºC), selected for simulating the temperature of actual flue gas. The reported platform is highly resilient, showing recyclability and 85 % mass conservation of sorbent upon nine tested cycles. Importantly, the stellate MSNs show high CO₂ selectivity at room temperature, indicating that the presence of nitrogen in flue gas will not impair the CO₂ absorption performance. The results could lead to a simple and inexpensive new technology for CO₂ mitigation which could be implemented as measure of CO₂ mitigation in current fossil-fuel burning plants in the form of solid sorbent.

Laser-diode pumped Nd:YAG lasers; Laser diode reiki Nd:YAG lasear

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yuasa, H.; Akiyama, Y.; Nakayama, M. [Toshiba Corp., Tokyo (Japan)

2000-04-01

Laser-diode pumped Nd:YAG lasers are expected to be applied to laser processing fields such as welding, cutting, drilling, and marking due to their potential for high efficiency and compactness. We are designing and developing laser-diode pumped Nd:YAG lasers using numerical analysis simulation techniques such as ray tracing and thermal analysis. We have succeeded in achieving a laser power of more than 3 kW with 20% efficiency, which is the best ever obtained. In addition, we have developed a laser-diode pumped green laser by second harmonic generation, for precision machining on silicon wafers. (author)

Fish welfare in capture fisheries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veldhuizen, L.J.L.; Berentsen, P.B.M.; Boer, de I.J.M.; Vis, van de J.W.; Bokkers, E.A.M.

2018-01-01

Concerns about the welfare of production animals have extended from farm animals to fish, but an overview of the impact of especially capture fisheries on fish welfare is lacking. This review provides a synthesis of 85 articles, which demonstrates that research interest in fish welfare in capture

Pulsed Er:YAG- and 308 nm UV-excimer laser: an in vitro and in vivo study of skin-ablative effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaufmann, R.; Hibst, R.

1989-01-01

Using a pulsed XeCl excimer laser (308 nm) and a pulsed Er:YAG laser (2,940 nm), we investigated skin ablation as a function of pulse number, radiant energy, and repetition rate. In vitro analysis of lesions performed in freshly excised human skin were consistent with in vivo results obtained from experiments on pig skin. Pulsed 308 nm laser radiation caused considerable nonspecific thermal tissue injury followed by an inflammatory reaction and impaired healing of lesions in vivo. These findings were especially pronounced with higher repetition rates, which would be required for efficient destruction of larger lesions. On the other hand, the 2.94 microns Er:YAG laser radiation produced clean and precise lesions with only minimal adjacent injury. In vivo skin ablation caused intraoperative bleeding with deeper penetration. The Er:YAG laser offers a promising surgical tool for careful removal of superficial epidermal lesions, if higher repetition rates, and an appropriate laser beam delivery system are available for clinical use.

Analysis of capture-recapture data

CERN Document Server

McCrea, Rachel S

2014-01-01

An important first step in studying the demography of wild animals is to identify the animals uniquely through applying markings, such as rings, tags, and bands. Once the animals are encountered again, researchers can study different forms of capture-recapture data to estimate features, such as the mortality and size of the populations. Capture-recapture methods are also used in other areas, including epidemiology and sociology.With an emphasis on ecology, Analysis of Capture-Recapture Data covers many modern developments of capture-recapture and related models and methods and places them in the historical context of research from the past 100 years. The book presents both classical and Bayesian methods.A range of real data sets motivates and illustrates the material and many examples illustrate biometry and applied statistics at work. In particular, the authors demonstrate several of the modeling approaches using one substantial data set from a population of great cormorants. The book also discusses which co...

Final Report: Laser-Based Optical Trap for Remote Sampling of Interplanetary and Atmospheric Particulate Matter

Science.gov (United States)

Stysley, Paul

2016-01-01

Applicability to Early Stage Innovation NIAC Cutting edge and innovative technologies are needed to achieve the demanding requirements for NASA origin missions that require sample collection as laid out in the NRC Decadal Survey. This proposal focused on fully understanding the state of remote laser optical trapping techniques for capturing particles and returning them to a target site. In future missions, a laser-based optical trapping system could be deployed on a lander that would then target particles in the lower atmosphere and deliver them to the main instrument for analysis, providing remote access to otherwise inaccessible samples. Alternatively, for a planetary mission the laser could combine ablation and trapping capabilities on targets typically too far away or too hard for traditional drilling sampling systems. For an interstellar mission, a remote laser system could gather particles continuously at a safe distance; this would avoid the necessity of having a spacecraft fly through a target cloud such as a comet tail. If properly designed and implemented, a laser-based optical trapping system could fundamentally change the way scientists designand implement NASA missions that require mass spectroscopy and particle collection.

Field Testing of Cryogenic Carbon Capture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sayre, Aaron [Sustainable Energy Solutions, LLC; Frankman, Dave [Sustainable Energy Solutions, LLC; Baxter, Andrew [Sustainable Energy Solutions, LLC; Stitt, Kyler [Sustainable Energy Solutions, LLC; Baxter, Larry [Sustainable Energy Solutions, LLC; Brigham Young Univ., Provo, UT (United States)

2017-07-17

Sustainable Energy Solutions has been developing Cryogenic Carbon Capture™ (CCC) since 2008. In that time two processes have been developed, the External Cooling Loop and Compressed Flue Gas Cryogenic Carbon Capture processes (CCC ECL™ and CCC CFG™ respectively). The CCC ECL™ process has been scaled up to a 1TPD CO2 system. In this process the flue gas is cooled by an external refrigerant loop. SES has tested CCC ECL™ on real flue gas slip streams from subbituminous coal, bituminous coal, biomass, natural gas, shredded tires, and municipal waste fuels at field sites that include utility power stations, heating plants, cement kilns, and pilot-scale research reactors. The CO2 concentrations from these tests ranged from 5 to 22% on a dry basis. CO2 capture ranged from 95-99+% during these tests. Several other condensable species were also captured including NO2, SO2 and PMxx at 95+%. NO was also captured at a modest rate. The CCC CFG™ process has been scaled up to a .25 ton per day system. This system has been tested on real flue gas streams including subbituminous coal, bituminous coal and natural gas at field sites that include utility power stations, heating plants, and pilot-scale research reactors. CO2 concentrations for these tests ranged from 5 to 15% on a dry basis. CO2 capture ranged from 95-99+% during these tests. Several other condensable species were also captured including NO2, SO2 and PMxx at 95+%. NO was also captured at 90+%. Hg capture was also verified and the resulting effluent from CCC CFG™ was below a 1ppt concentration. This paper will focus on discussion of the capabilities of CCC, the results of field testing and the future steps surrounding the development of this technology.

Proton acceleration experiments and warm dense matter research using high power lasers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roth, M; Alber, I; Guenther, M; Harres, K [Institut fuer Kernphysik, Technische Universitaet Darmstadt, 64289 Darmstadt (Germany); Bagnoud, V [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH, 64291 Darmstadt (Germany); Brown, C R D [Plasma Physics Group, Imperial College London, SW7 2BZ (United Kingdom); Clarke, R; Heathcote, R; Li, B [STFC, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL), Chilton, Didcot, OX14 OQX (United Kingdom); Daido, H [Photo Medical Research Center, JAEA, Kizugawa-City, Kyoto 619-0215 (Japan); Fernandez, J; Flippo, K; Gaillard, S; Gauthier, C [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Geissel, M [Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185 (United States); Glenzer, S; Kritcher, A; Kugland, N; LePape, S [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94551 (United States); Gregori, G, E-mail: markus.roth@physik.tu-darmstadt.d [Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PU (United Kingdom)

2009-12-15

The acceleration of intense proton and ion beams by ultra-intense lasers has matured to a point where applications in basic research and technology are being developed. Crucial for harvesting the unmatched beam parameters driven by the relativistic electron sheath is the precise control of the beam. In this paper we report on recent experiments using the PHELIX laser at GSI, the VULCAN laser at RAL and the TRIDENT laser at LANL to control and use laser accelerated proton beams for applications in high energy density research. We demonstrate efficient collimation of the proton beam using high field pulsed solenoid magnets, a prerequisite to capture and transport the beam for applications. Furthermore, we report on two campaigns to use intense, short proton bunches to isochorically heat solid targets up to the warm dense matter state. The temporal profile of the proton beam allows for rapid heating of the target, much faster than the hydrodynamic response time thereby creating a strongly coupled plasma at solid density. The target parameters are then probed by x-ray Thomson scattering to reveal the density and temperature of the heated volume. This combination of two powerful techniques developed during the past few years allows for the generation and investigation of macroscopic samples of matter in states present in giant planets or the interior of the earth.

Proton acceleration experiments and warm dense matter research using high power lasers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roth, M; Alber, I; Guenther, M; Harres, K; Bagnoud, V; Brown, C R D; Clarke, R; Heathcote, R; Li, B; Daido, H; Fernandez, J; Flippo, K; Gaillard, S; Gauthier, C; Geissel, M; Glenzer, S; Kritcher, A; Kugland, N; LePape, S; Gregori, G

2009-01-01

The acceleration of intense proton and ion beams by ultra-intense lasers has matured to a point where applications in basic research and technology are being developed. Crucial for harvesting the unmatched beam parameters driven by the relativistic electron sheath is the precise control of the beam. In this paper we report on recent experiments using the PHELIX laser at GSI, the VULCAN laser at RAL and the TRIDENT laser at LANL to control and use laser accelerated proton beams for applications in high energy density research. We demonstrate efficient collimation of the proton beam using high field pulsed solenoid magnets, a prerequisite to capture and transport the beam for applications. Furthermore, we report on two campaigns to use intense, short proton bunches to isochorically heat solid targets up to the warm dense matter state. The temporal profile of the proton beam allows for rapid heating of the target, much faster than the hydrodynamic response time thereby creating a strongly coupled plasma at solid density. The target parameters are then probed by x-ray Thomson scattering to reveal the density and temperature of the heated volume. This combination of two powerful techniques developed during the past few years allows for the generation and investigation of macroscopic samples of matter in states present in giant planets or the interior of the earth.

Laser-assisted synthesis of ultra-small anatase TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amin, M. [Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 (United States); Tomko, J.; Naddeo, J.J.; Jimenez, R.; Bubb, D.M. [Department of Physics, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ 08102 (United States); Steiner, M.; Fitz-Gerald, J. [Department of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904 (United States); O’Malley, S.M., E-mail: omallese@camden.rutgers.edu [Department of Physics, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ 08102 (United States)

2015-09-01

Highlights: • Transformation of polymorphic TiO{sub 2} NPs to ultra-small particles via laser processing. • Bandgap shift explained by quantum confinement and the Brus model. • High-frequency shockwave ripples related to laser induced stress-wave reflections. • Visible light sensitization observed for LAL prepared polymorphic particles. - Abstract: Titanium dioxide is one of the most important materials today in terms of green technology. In this work, we synthesis ultra-small titanium dioxide nanoparticles (NPs) via a two step process involving infrared laser ablation of a bulk titanium target in DDI water and subsequent irradiation of the colloidal solution with visible light. The as-prepared NPs contain defect states related to oxygen vacancies which lead to visible light sensitization as observed by photodegradation of methylene blue. Irradiation of the colloidal TiO{sub 2} solution, with a 532 nm picosecond laser, lead to fragmentation and ultimate formation of ultra-small (<3 nm) anatase particles. Shadowgraph was utilized to capture shockwave and cavitation bubble propagation during both the ablation and fragmentation processes. High-frequency ripples within the primary shockwave are identified as coming from laser induced stress-wave reflections within the metal target. A blueshift of the bandgap, for the ultra-small NPs, is explained by quantum confinement effects and rationalized using the Brus model.

Angularly resolved characterization of ion beams from laser-ultrathin foil interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Scullion, C.; Doria, D.; Romagnani, L.; Ahmed, H.; Alejo, A.; Ettlinger, O. C.; Gray, R. J.; Green, J.; Hicks, G. S.; Jung, D.; Naughton, K.; Padda, H.; Poder, K.; Scott, G. G.; Symes, D. R.; Kar, S.; McKenna, P.; Najmudin, Z.; Neely, D.; Zepf, M.; Borghesi, M.

2016-09-01

Methods and techniques used to capture and analyze beam profiles produced from the interaction of intense, ultrashort laser pulses and ultrathin foil targets using stacks of Radiochromic Film (RCF) and Columbia Resin #39 (CR-39) are presented. The identification of structure in the beam is particularly important in this regime, as it may be indicative of the dominance of specific acceleration mechanisms. Additionally, RCF can be used to deconvolve proton spectra with coarse energy resolution while mantaining angular information across the whole beam.

Angularly resolved characterization of ion beams from laser-ultrathin foil interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scullion, C.; Doria, D.; Ahmed, H.; Alejo, A.; Jung, D.; Naughton, K.; Kar, S.; Zepf, M.; Romagnani, L.; Ettlinger, O.C.; Hicks, G.S.; Poder, K.; Najmudin, Z.; Gray, R.J.; Padda, H.; McKenna, P.; Green, J.; Scott, G.G.; Symes, D.R.; Neely, D.

2016-01-01

Methods and techniques used to capture and analyze beam profiles produced from the interaction of intense, ultrashort laser pulses and ultrathin foil targets using stacks of Radiochromic Film (RCF) and Columbia Resin #39 (CR-39) are presented. The identification of structure in the beam is particularly important in this regime, as it may be indicative of the dominance of specific acceleration mechanisms. Additionally, RCF can be used to deconvolve proton spectra with coarse energy resolution while mantaining angular information across the whole beam.

Memory Impairment in Children with Language Impairment

Science.gov (United States)

Baird, Gillian; Dworzynski, Katharina; Slonims, Vicky; Simonoff, Emily

2010-01-01

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess whether any memory impairment co-occurring with language impairment is global, affecting both verbal and visual domains, or domain specific. Method: Visual and verbal memory, learning, and processing speed were assessed in children aged 6 years to 16 years 11 months (mean 9y 9m, SD 2y 6mo) with current,…

Materials For Gas Capture, Methods Of Making Materials For Gas Capture, And Methods Of Capturing Gas

KAUST Repository

Polshettiwar, Vivek; Patil, Umesh

2013-01-01

In accordance with the purpose(s) of the present disclosure, as embodied and broadly described herein, embodiments of the present disclosure, in one aspect, relate to materials that can be used for gas (e.g., CO.sub.2) capture, methods of making

Ambient infrared laser ablation mass spectrometry (AIRLAB-MS) with plume capture by continuous flow solvent probe

Science.gov (United States)

O'Brien, Jeremy T.; Williams, Evan R.; Holman, Hoi-Ying N.

2017-10-31

A new experimental setup for spatially resolved ambient infrared laser ablation mass spectrometry (AIRLAB-MS) that uses an infrared microscope with an infinity-corrected reflective objective and a continuous flow solvent probe coupled to a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer is described. The efficiency of material transfer from the sample to the electrospray ionization emitter was determined using glycerol/methanol droplets containing 1 mM nicotine and is .about.50%. This transfer efficiency is significantly higher than values reported for similar techniques.

Autofluorescence of pigmented skin lesions using a pulsed UV laser with synchronized detection: clinical results

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Haynes P. H.; Svenmarker, Pontus; Xie, Haiyan; Tidemand-Lichtenberg, Peter; Jensen, Ole B.; Bendsoe, Niels; Svanberg, Katarina; Petersen, Paul Michael; Pedersen, Christian; Andersson-Engels, Stefan; Andersen, Peter E.

2010-04-01

We report preliminary clinical results of autofluorescence imaging of malignant and benign skin lesions, using pulsed 355 nm laser excitation with synchronized detection. The novel synchronized detection system allows high signal-tonoise ratio to be achieved in the resulting autofluorescence signal, which may in turn produce high contrast images that improve diagnosis, even in the presence of ambient room light. The synchronized set-up utilizes a compact, diode pumped, pulsed UV laser at 355 nm which is coupled to a CCD camera and a liquid crystal tunable filter. The excitation and image capture is sampled at 5 kHz and the resulting autofluorescence is captured with the liquid crystal filter cycling through seven wavelengths between 420 nm and 580 nm. The clinical study targets pigmented skin lesions and evaluates the prospects of using autofluorescence as a possible means in differentiating malignant and benign skin tumors. Up to now, sixteen patients have participated in the clinical study. The autofluorescence images, averaged over the exposure time of one second, will be presented along with histopathological results. Initial survey of the images show good contrast and diagnostic results show promising agreement based on the histopathological results.

Using mid-range laser scanners to digitize cultural-heritage sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Spring, Adam P; Peters, Caradoc; Minns, Tom

2010-01-01

Here, we explore new, more accessible ways of modeling 3D data sets that both professionals and amateurs can employ in areas such as architecture, forensics, geotechnics, cultural heritage, and even hobbyist modeling. To support our arguments, we present images from a recent case study in digital preservation of cultural heritage using a mid-range laser scanner. Our appreciation of the increasing variety of methods for capturing 3D spatial data inspired our research. Available methods include photogrammetry, airborne lidar, sonar, total stations (a combined electronic and optical survey instrument), and midand close-range scanning.1 They all can produce point clouds of varying density. In our case study, the point cloud produced by a mid-range scanner demonstrates how open source software can make modeling and disseminating data easier. Normally, researchers would model this data using expensive specialized software, and the data wouldn't extend beyond the laser-scanning community.

Simultaneous genomic identification and profiling of a single cell using semiconductor-based next generation sequencing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manabu Watanabe

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Combining single-cell methods and next-generation sequencing should provide a powerful means to understand single-cell biology and obviate the effects of sample heterogeneity. Here we report a single-cell identification method and seamless cancer gene profiling using semiconductor-based massively parallel sequencing. A549 cells (adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial cell line were used as a model. Single-cell capture was performed using laser capture microdissection (LCM with an Arcturus® XT system, and a captured single cell and a bulk population of A549 cells (≈106 cells were subjected to whole genome amplification (WGA. For cell identification, a multiplex PCR method (AmpliSeq™ SNP HID panel was used to enrich 136 highly discriminatory SNPs with a genotype concordance probability of 1031–35. For cancer gene profiling, we used mutation profiling that was performed in parallel using a hotspot panel for 50 cancer-related genes. Sequencing was performed using a semiconductor-based bench top sequencer. The distribution of sequence reads for both HID and Cancer panel amplicons was consistent across these samples. For the bulk population of cells, the percentages of sequence covered at coverage of more than 100× were 99.04% for the HID panel and 98.83% for the Cancer panel, while for the single cell percentages of sequence covered at coverage of more than 100× were 55.93% for the HID panel and 65.96% for the Cancer panel. Partial amplification failure or randomly distributed non-amplified regions across samples from single cells during the WGA procedures or random allele drop out probably caused these differences. However, comparative analyses showed that this method successfully discriminated a single A549 cancer cell from a bulk population of A549 cells. Thus, our approach provides a powerful means to overcome tumor sample heterogeneity when searching for somatic mutations.

Device of capturing for radioactive corrosion products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohara, Atsushi; Fukushima, Kimichika.

1984-01-01

Purpose: To increase the area of contact between the capturing materials for the radioactive corrosion products contained in the coolants and the coolants by producing stirred turbulent flows in the coolant flow channel of LMFBR type reactors. Constitution: Constituent materials for the nuclear fuel elements or the reactor core structures are activated under the neutron irradiation, corroded and transferred into the coolants. While capturing devices made of pure metal nickel are used for the elimination of the corrosion products, since the coolants form laminar flows due to the viscosity thereof near the surface of the capturing materials, the probability that the corrosion products in the coolants flowing through the middle portion of the channel contact the capturing materials is reduced. In this invention, rotating rolls and flow channels in which the balls are rotated are disposed at the upstream of the capturing device to forcively disturb the flow of the liquid sodium, whereby the radioactive corrosion products can effectively be captured. (Kamimura, M.)

Retinal response of Macaca mulatta to picosecond laser pulses of varying energy and spot size.

Science.gov (United States)

Roach, William P; Cain, Clarence P; Narayan, Drew G; Noojin, Gary D; Boppart, Stephen A; Birngruber, Reginald; Fujimoto, James G; Toth, Cynthia A

2004-01-01

We investigate the relationship between the laser beam at the retina (spot size) and the extent of retinal injury from single ultrashort laser pulses. From previous studies it is believed that the retinal effect of single 3-ps laser pulses should vary in extent and location, depending on the occurrence of laser-induced breakdown (LIB) at the site of laser delivery. Single 3-ps pulses of 580-nm laser energy are delivered over a range of spot sizes to the retina of Macaca mulatta. The retinal response is captured sequentially with optical coherence tomography (OCT). The in vivo OCT images and the extent of pathology on final microscopic sections of the laser site are compared. With delivery of a laser pulse with peak irradiance greater than that required for LIB, OCT and light micrographs demonstrate inner retinal injury with many intraretinal and/or vitreous hemorrhages. In contrast, broad outer retinal injury with minimal to no choriocapillaris effect is seen after delivery of laser pulses to a larger retinal area (60 to 300 microm diam) when peak irradiance is less than that required for LIB. The broader lesions extend into the inner retina when higher energy delivery produces intraretinal injury. Microscopic examination of stained fixed tissues provide better resolution of retinal morphology than OCT. OCT provides less resolution but could be guided over an in vivo, visible retinal lesion for repeated sampling over time during the evolution of the lesion formation. For 3-ps visible wavelength laser pulses, varying the spot size and laser energy directly affects the extent of retinal injury. This again is believed to be partly due to the onset of LIB, as seen in previous studies. Spot-size dependence should be considered when comparing studies of retinal effects or when pursuing a specific retinal effect from ultrashort laser pulses. Copyright 2004 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.

Packet Capture Solutions: PcapDB Benchmark for High-Bandwidth Capture, Storage, and Searching

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Steinfadt, Shannon Irene [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Ferrell, Paul Steven [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-03-21

PcapDB stands alone when looking at the overall field of competitors, from the cost-effective COTS hardware, to the efficient utilization of disk space that enables a longer packet history. A scalable, 100GbE-enabled system that indexes every packet and indexes flow data without complicated load-balancing requirements. The Transport Layer search and indexing approach led to patent-pending flow indexing technology, providing a specialized database system specifically optimized around providing fast flow searches. While there are a plethora of options in network packet capture, there are very few that are able to effectively manage capture rates of more than 10 Gb/s, distributed capture and querying, and a responsive user interface. By far, the primary competitor in the market place is Endace and DeepSee; in addition to meeting the technical requirements we set out in this document, they provide technical support and a fully 'appliance like' system. In terms of cost, however, our experience has been that the yearly maintenance charges alone outstrip the entire hardware cost of solutions like PcapDB. Investment in cyber security research and development is a large part of what has enabled us to build the base of knowlegable workers needed to defend government resources in the rapidly evolving cyber security landscape. We believe projects like Bro, WireCap, and Farm do more than just fill temporary gaps in our capabilities. They give allow us to build the firm foundation needed to tackle the next generation of cyber challenges. PcapDB was built with loftier ambitions than simply solving the packet capture of a single lab site, but instead to provide a robust, scaleable packet capture solution to the DOE complex and beyond.

Measurements of neutron capture cross sections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakajima, Yutaka

1984-01-01

A review of measurement techniques for the neutron capture cross sections is presented. Sell transmission method, activation method, and prompt gamma-ray detection method are described using examples of capture cross section measurements. The capture cross section of 238 U measured by three different prompt gamma-ray detection methods (large liquid scintillator, Moxon-Rae detector, and pulse height weighting method) are compared and their discrepancies are resolved. A method how to derive the covariance is described. (author)

Lasers '89

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harris, D.G.; Shay, T.M.

1990-01-01

This book covers the following topics: XUV, X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Lasers, excimer lasers, chemical lasers, nuclear pumped lasers, high power gas lasers, solid state lasers, laser spectroscopy. The paper presented include: Development of KrF lasers for fusion and Nuclear driven solid-state lasers

The Role of Relational Information in Contingent Capture

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, Stefanie I.; Folk, Charles L.; Remington, Roger W.

2010-01-01

On the contingent capture account, top-down attentional control settings restrict involuntary attentional capture to items that match the features of the search target. Attention capture is involuntary, but contingent on goals and intentions. The observation that only target-similar items can capture attention has usually been taken to show that…

Enhancing the antibacterial performance of orthopaedic implant materials by fibre laser surface engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Chi-Wai; Carson, Louise; Smith, Graham C.; Morelli, Alessio; Lee, Seunghwan

2017-05-01

Implant failure caused by bacterial infection is extremely difficult to treat and usually requires the removal of the infected components. Despite the severe consequence of bacterial infection, research into bacterial infection of orthopaedic implants is still at an early stage compared to the effort on enhancing osseointegration, wear and corrosion resistance of implant materials. In this study, the effects of laser surface treatment on enhancing the antibacterial properties of commercially pure (CP) Ti (Grade 2), Ti6Al4V (Grade 5) and CoCrMo alloy implant materials were studied and compared for the first time. Laser surface treatment was performed by a continuous wave (CW) fibre laser with a near-infrared wavelength of 1064 nm in a nitrogen-containing environment. Staphylococcus aureus, commonly implicated in infection associated with orthopaedic implants, was used to investigate the antibacterial properties of the laser-treated surfaces. The surface roughness and topography of the laser-treated materials were analysed by a 2D roughness testing and by AFM. The surface morphologies before and after 24 h of bacterial cell culture were captured by SEM, and bacterial viability was determined using live/dead staining. Surface chemistry was analysed by XPS and surface wettability was measured using the sessile drop method. The findings of this study indicated that the laser-treated CP Ti and Ti6Al4V surfaces exhibited a noticeable reduction in bacterial adhesion and possessed a bactericidal effect. Such properties were attributable to the combined effects of reduced hydrophobicity, thicker and stable oxide films and presence of laser-induced nano-features. No similar antibacterial effect was observed in the laser-treated CoCrMo.

Protective effect of basic fibroblast growth factor on retinal injury induced by argon laser photocoagulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, P; San, Q; Wang, C Z; Yang, Z F; Kang, H X; Qian, H W; Zhang, C P

2010-01-01

Laser photocoagulation treatment is often complicated by a side effect of visual impairment, which is caused by the unavoidable laser-induced retinal destruction. At present no specific is found to cure this retinopathy. The aim of this study was to observe the neuroprotective effect of bFGF on laser-induced retinal injury. Chinchilla rabbits were divided into three groups and argon laser lesions were created in the retinas. Then bFGF or dexamethasone, a widely used ophthalmic preparation, or saline was given severally by retrobulbar injection. The retinal lesions were evaluated histologically and morphometrically, and visual function was examined by ERG. The results showed that bFGF administration better preserved morphology of retinal photoreceptors and significantly diminished the area of the lesions. Furthermore, bFGF promoted the restoration of the ERG b-wave amplitude. In rabbits treated with dexamethasone, however, the lesions showed almost no ameliorative changes. This is the first study to investigate the potential role of bFGF as a remedial agent in laser photocoagulation treatment. These findings suggest that bFGF has significant neuroprotective properties in the retina and this type of neuroprotection may be of clinical significance in reducing iatrogenic laser-induced retinal injuries in humans

Laser Light-field Fusion for Wide-field Lensfree On-chip Phase Contrast Microscopy of Nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Kazemzadeh, Farnoud; Wong, Alexander

2016-12-01

Wide-field lensfree on-chip microscopy, which leverages holography principles to capture interferometric light-field encodings without lenses, is an emerging imaging modality with widespread interest given the large field-of-view compared to lens-based techniques. In this study, we introduce the idea of laser light-field fusion for lensfree on-chip phase contrast microscopy for detecting nanoparticles, where interferometric laser light-field encodings acquired using a lensfree, on-chip setup with laser pulsations at different wavelengths are fused to produce marker-free phase contrast images of particles at the nanometer scale. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate, for the first time, a wide-field lensfree on-chip instrument successfully detecting 300 nm particles across a large field-of-view of ~30 mm2 without any specialized or intricate sample preparation, or the use of synthetic aperture- or shift-based techniques.

Laser safety at high profile laser facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barat, K.

2010-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. Laser safety has been an active concern of laser users since the invention of the laser. Formal standards were developed in the early 1970's and still continue to be developed and refined. The goal of these standards is to give users guidance on the use of laser and consistent safety guidance and requirements for laser manufacturers. Laser safety in the typical research setting (government laboratory or university) is the greatest challenge to the laser user and laser safety officer. This is due to two factors. First, the very nature of research can put the user at risk; consider active manipulation of laser optics and beam paths, and user work with energized systems. Second, a laser safety culture that seems to accept laser injuries as part of the graduate student educational process. The fact is, laser safety at research settings, laboratories and universities still has long way to go. Major laser facilities have taken a more rigid and serious view of laser safety, its controls and procedures. Part of the rationale for this is that these facilities draw users from all around the world presenting the facility with a work force of users coming from a wide mix of laser safety cultures. Another factor is funding sources do not like bad publicity which can come from laser accidents and a poor safety record. The fact is that injuries, equipment damage and lost staff time slow down progress. Hence high profile/large laser projects need to adapt a higher safety regimen both from an engineering and administrative point of view. This presentation will discuss all these points and present examples. Acknowledgement. This work has been supported by the University of California, Director, Office of Science.

CAPTURE OF TROJANS BY JUMPING JUPITER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nesvorný, David; Vokrouhlický, David; Morbidelli, Alessandro

2013-01-01

Jupiter Trojans are thought to be survivors of a much larger population of planetesimals that existed in the planetary region when planets formed. They can provide important constraints on the mass and properties of the planetesimal disk, and its dispersal during planet migration. Here, we tested a possibility that the Trojans were captured during the early dynamical instability among the outer planets (aka the Nice model), when the semimajor axis of Jupiter was changing as a result of scattering encounters with an ice giant. The capture occurs in this model when Jupiter's orbit and its Lagrange points become radially displaced in a scattering event and fall into a region populated by planetesimals (that previously evolved from their natal transplanetary disk to ∼5 AU during the instability). Our numerical simulations of the new capture model, hereafter jump capture, satisfactorily reproduce the orbital distribution of the Trojans and their total mass. The jump capture is potentially capable of explaining the observed asymmetry in the number of leading and trailing Trojans. We find that the capture probability is (6-8) × 10 –7 for each particle in the original transplanetary disk, implying that the disk contained (3-4) × 10 7 planetesimals with absolute magnitude H disk ∼ 14-28 M Earth , is consistent with the mass deduced from recent dynamical simulations of the planetary instability.

Enhancing Protein Disulfide Bond Cleavage by UV Excitation and Electron Capture Dissociation for Top-Down Mass Spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Wongkongkathep, Piriya; Li, Huilin; Zhang, Xing; Loo, Rachel R Ogorzalek; Julian, Ryan R; Loo, Joseph A

2015-11-15

The application of ion pre-activation with 266 nm ultraviolet (UV) laser irradiation combined with electron capture dissociation (ECD) is demonstrated to enhance top-down mass spectrometry sequence coverage of disulfide bond containing proteins. UV-based activation can homolytically cleave a disulfide bond to yield two separated thiol radicals. Activated ECD experiments of insulin and ribonuclease A containing three and four disulfide bonds, respectively, were performed. UV-activation in combination with ECD allowed the three disulfide bonds of insulin to be cleaved and the overall sequence coverage to be increased. For the larger sized ribonuclease A with four disulfide bonds, irradiation from an infrared laser (10.6 µm) to disrupt non-covalent interactions was combined with UV-activation to facilitate the cleavage of up to three disulfide bonds. Preferences for disulfide bond cleavage are dependent on protein structure and sequence. Disulfide bonds can reform if the generated radicals remain in close proximity. By varying the time delay between the UV-activation and the ECD events, it was determined that disulfide bonds reform within 10-100 msec after their UV-homolytic cleavage.

Elucidation of Metallic Plume and Spatter Characteristics Based on SVM During High-Power Disk Laser Welding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Xiangdong; Liu Guiqian

2015-01-01

During deep penetration laser welding, there exist plume (weak plasma) and spatters, which are the results of weld material ejection due to strong laser heating. The characteristics of plume and spatters are related to welding stability and quality. Characteristics of metallic plume and spatters were investigated during high-power disk laser bead-on-plate welding of Type 304 austenitic stainless steel plates at a continuous wave laser power of 10 kW. An ultraviolet and visible sensitive high-speed camera was used to capture the metallic plume and spatter images. Plume area, laser beam path through the plume, swing angle, distance between laser beam focus and plume image centroid, abscissa of plume centroid and spatter numbers are defined as eigenvalues, and the weld bead width was used as a characteristic parameter that reflected welding stability. Welding status was distinguished by SVM (support vector machine) after data normalization and characteristic analysis. Also, PCA (principal components analysis) feature extraction was used to reduce the dimensions of feature space, and PSO (particle swarm optimization) was used to optimize the parameters of SVM. Finally a classification model based on SVM was established to estimate the weld bead width and welding stability. Experimental results show that the established algorithm based on SVM could effectively distinguish the variation of weld bead width, thus providing an experimental example of monitoring high-power disk laser welding quality. (plasma technology)

Attentional capture by masked colour singletons.

Science.gov (United States)

Ansorge, Ulrich; Horstmann, Gernot; Worschech, Franziska

2010-09-15

We tested under which conditions a colour singleton of which an observer is unaware captures attention. To prevent visual awareness of the colour singleton, we used backward masking. We find that a masked colour singleton cue captures attention if it matches the observer's goal to search for target colours but not if it is task-irrelevant. This is also reflected in event-related potentials to the visible target: the masked goal-matching cue elicits an attentional potential (N2pc) in a target search task. By contrast, a non-matching but equally strong masked colour singleton cue failed to elicit a capture effect and an N2pc. Results are discussed with regard to currently pertaining conceptions of attentional capture by colour singletons. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiation effects on the laser ablative shockwaves from aluminum under atmospheric conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sai Shiva, S.; Leela, C.H.; Prem Kiran, P.; Sijoy, C.D.; Chaturvedi, Shashank

2015-01-01

The evolution of laser ablative shockwaves (LASW) from Aluminum under atmospheric pressures is numerically modeled using a one-dimensional, three-temperature (electron, ion and thermal radiation temperatures), non-equilibrium, radiation hydrodynamic (RHD) model. The governing RHD equations in Lagrangian form are solved by using an implicit scheme. Similarly, the energy relaxation between the electrons and ions and the electrons and thermal radiation are determined implicitly. Apart from these, the energy equation takes into account the flux-limited electron thermal heat flux. The RHD equations are closed by using a two temperature QEOS model for the Al. The MULTI-fs code is modified to incorporate the nanosecond laser absorption model via the photoionization (PI) and the inverse bremsstrahlung (IB) processes. The spatio-temporal evolution of the laser ablative shockwaves generated by focusing a second harmonic (532 nm, 7ns) of Nd:YAG laser on to Aluminum target under atmospheric pressures in air is captured using a shadowgraphy technique. These measurements are made from 200 ns to 10 μs after the laser pulse with a temporal resolution of 1.5 ns. We report the details of the RHD model and compare the simulated and experimental results for input laser energies in the range of 25 - 175 mJ per pulse. The evolution of the plasma parameters like electron density, charge states and the shockwaves launched into the ambient atmosphere due to expanding plasma plume are compared. The role of thermal radiation on the evolution of LASW from Al is discussed. (author)

Understanding the exposure-time effect on speckle contrast measurements for laser displays

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Koji; Kubota, Shigeo

2018-02-01

To evaluate the influence of exposure time on speckle noise for laser displays, speckle contrast measurement method was developed observable at a human eye response time using a high-sensitivity camera which has a signal multiplying function. The nonlinearity of camera light sensitivity was calibrated to measure accurate speckle contrasts, and the measuring lower limit noise of speckle contrast was improved by applying spatial-frequency low pass filter to the captured images. Three commercially available laser displays were measured over a wide range of exposure times from tens of milliseconds to several seconds without adjusting the brightness of laser displays. The speckle contrast of raster-scanned mobile projector without any speckle-reduction device was nearly constant over various exposure times. On the contrary to this, in full-frame projection type laser displays equipped with a temporally-averaging speckle-reduction device, some of their speckle contrasts close to the lower limits noise were slightly increased at the shorter exposure time due to the noise. As a result, the exposure-time effect of speckle contrast could not be observed in our measurements, although it is more reasonable to think that the speckle contrasts of laser displays, which are equipped with the temporally-averaging speckle-reduction device, are dependent on the exposure time. This discrepancy may be attributed to the underestimation of temporal averaging factor. We expected that this method is useful for evaluating various laser displays and clarify the relationship between the speckle noise and the exposure time for a further verification of speckle reduction.

Visual Impairment

Science.gov (United States)

... site Sitio para adolescentes Body Mind Sexual Health Food & Fitness Diseases & Conditions Infections Drugs & Alcohol School & Jobs Sports Expert Answers (Q&A) Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Visual Impairment KidsHealth / For Teens / Visual Impairment What's in ...

Quantifying Post- Laser Ablation Prostate Therapy Changes on MRI via a Domain-Specific Biomechanical Model: Preliminary Findings.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert Toth

Full Text Available Focal laser ablation destroys cancerous cells via thermal destruction of tissue by a laser. Heat is absorbed, causing thermal necrosis of the target region. It combines the aggressive benefits of radiation treatment (destroying cancer cells without the harmful side effects (due to its precise localization. MRI is typically used pre-treatment to determine the targeted area, and post-treatment to determine efficacy by detecting necrotic tissue, or tumor recurrence. However, no system exists to quantitatively evaluate the post-treatment effects on the morphology and structure via MRI. To quantify these changes, the pre- and post-treatment MR images must first be spatially aligned. The goal is to quantify (a laser-induced shape-based changes, and (b changes in MRI parameters post-treatment. The shape-based changes may be correlated with treatment efficacy, and the quantitative effects of laser treatment over time is currently poorly understood. This work attempts to model changes in gland morphology following laser treatment due to (1 patient alignment, (2 changes due to surrounding organs such as the bladder and rectum, and (3 changes due to the treatment itself. To isolate the treatment-induced shape-based changes, the changes from (1 and (2 are first modeled and removed using a finite element model (FEM. A FEM models the physical properties of tissue. The use of a physical biomechanical model is important since a stated goal of this work is to determine the physical shape-based changes to the prostate from the treatment, and therefore only physical real deformations are to be allowed. A second FEM is then used to isolate the physical, shape-based, treatment-induced changes. We applied and evaluated our model in capturing the laser induced changes to the prostate morphology on eight patients with 3.0 Tesla, T2-weighted MRI, acquired approximately six months following treatment. Our results suggest the laser treatment causes a decrease in prostate

DNA fingerprinting tags novel altered chromosomal regions and identifies the involvement of SOX5 in the progression of prostate cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Stephanie; Chan, Yuen Piu; Woolcock, Bruce; Hu, Liang; Wong, Kai Yau; Ling, Ming Tat; Bainbridge, Terry; Webber, Douglas; Chan, Tim Hon Man; Guan, Xin-Yuan; Lam, Wan; Vielkind, Juergen; Chan, Kwok Wah