Geometric reconstruction methods for electron tomography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alpers, Andreas; Gardner, Richard J.; König, Stefan

2013-01-01

Electron tomography is becoming an increasingly important tool in materials science for studying the three-dimensional morphologies and chemical compositions of nanostructures. The image quality obtained by many current algorithms is seriously affected by the problems of missing wedge artefacts...... and discuss several algorithms from the mathematical fields of geometric and discrete tomography. The algorithms incorporate geometric prior knowledge (mainly convexity and homogeneity), which also in principle considerably reduces the number of tilt angles required. Results are discussed...

Geometric reconstruction methods for electron tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alpers, Andreas, E-mail: alpers@ma.tum.de [Zentrum Mathematik, Technische Universität München, D-85747 Garching bei München (Germany); Gardner, Richard J., E-mail: Richard.Gardner@wwu.edu [Department of Mathematics, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9063 (United States); König, Stefan, E-mail: koenig@ma.tum.de [Zentrum Mathematik, Technische Universität München, D-85747 Garching bei München (Germany); Pennington, Robert S., E-mail: robert.pennington@uni-ulm.de [Center for Electron Nanoscopy, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby (Denmark); Boothroyd, Chris B., E-mail: ChrisBoothroyd@cantab.net [Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons and Peter Grünberg Institute, Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich (Germany); Houben, Lothar, E-mail: l.houben@fz-juelich.de [Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons and Peter Grünberg Institute, Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich (Germany); Dunin-Borkowski, Rafal E., E-mail: rdb@fz-juelich.de [Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons and Peter Grünberg Institute, Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich (Germany); Joost Batenburg, Kees, E-mail: Joost.Batenburg@cwi.nl [Centrum Wiskunde and Informatica, NL-1098XG, Amsterdam, The Netherlands and Vision Lab, Department of Physics, University of Antwerp, B-2610 Wilrijk (Belgium)

2013-05-15

Electron tomography is becoming an increasingly important tool in materials science for studying the three-dimensional morphologies and chemical compositions of nanostructures. The image quality obtained by many current algorithms is seriously affected by the problems of missing wedge artefacts and non-linear projection intensities due to diffraction effects. The former refers to the fact that data cannot be acquired over the full 180° tilt range; the latter implies that for some orientations, crystalline structures can show strong contrast changes. To overcome these problems we introduce and discuss several algorithms from the mathematical fields of geometric and discrete tomography. The algorithms incorporate geometric prior knowledge (mainly convexity and homogeneity), which also in principle considerably reduces the number of tilt angles required. Results are discussed for the reconstruction of an InAs nanowire. - Highlights: ► Four algorithms for electron tomography are introduced that utilize prior knowledge. ► Objects are assumed to be homogeneous; convexity and regularity is also discussed. ► We are able to reconstruct slices of a nanowire from as few as four projections. ► Algorithms should be selected based on the specific reconstruction task at hand.

Geometric reconstruction methods for electron tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alpers, Andreas; Gardner, Richard J.; König, Stefan; Pennington, Robert S.; Boothroyd, Chris B.; Houben, Lothar; Dunin-Borkowski, Rafal E.; Joost Batenburg, Kees

2013-01-01

Electron tomography is becoming an increasingly important tool in materials science for studying the three-dimensional morphologies and chemical compositions of nanostructures. The image quality obtained by many current algorithms is seriously affected by the problems of missing wedge artefacts and non-linear projection intensities due to diffraction effects. The former refers to the fact that data cannot be acquired over the full 180° tilt range; the latter implies that for some orientations, crystalline structures can show strong contrast changes. To overcome these problems we introduce and discuss several algorithms from the mathematical fields of geometric and discrete tomography. The algorithms incorporate geometric prior knowledge (mainly convexity and homogeneity), which also in principle considerably reduces the number of tilt angles required. Results are discussed for the reconstruction of an InAs nanowire. - Highlights: ► Four algorithms for electron tomography are introduced that utilize prior knowledge. ► Objects are assumed to be homogeneous; convexity and regularity is also discussed. ► We are able to reconstruct slices of a nanowire from as few as four projections. ► Algorithms should be selected based on the specific reconstruction task at hand

Reconstruction and visualization of nanoparticle composites by transmission electron tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, X.Y. [National Institute for Nanotechnology, 11421 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, Canada T6H 2M9 (Canada); Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada T6G 2G7 (Canada); Lockwood, R. [National Institute for Nanotechnology, 11421 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, Canada T6H 2M9 (Canada); Malac, M., E-mail: marek.malac@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca [National Institute for Nanotechnology, 11421 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, Canada T6H 2M9 (Canada); Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada T6G 2G7 (Canada); Furukawa, H. [SYSTEM IN FRONTIER INC., 2-8-3, Shinsuzuharu bldg. 4F, Akebono-cho, Tachikawa-shi, Tokyo 190-0012 (Japan); Li, P.; Meldrum, A. [National Institute for Nanotechnology, 11421 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton, Canada T6H 2M9 (Canada)

2012-02-15

This paper examines the limits of transmission electron tomography reconstruction methods for a nanocomposite object composed of many closely packed nanoparticles. Two commonly used reconstruction methods in TEM tomography were examined and compared, and the sources of various artefacts were explored. Common visualization methods were investigated, and the resulting 'interpretation artefacts' ( i.e., deviations from 'actual' particle sizes and shapes arising from the visualization) were determined. Setting a known or estimated nanoparticle volume fraction as a criterion for thresholding does not in fact give a good visualization. Unexpected effects associated with common built-in image filtering methods were also found. Ultimately, this work set out to establish the common problems and pitfalls associated with electron beam tomographic reconstruction and visualization of samples consisting of closely spaced nanoparticles. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Electron tomography limits were explored by both experiment and simulation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Reliable quantitative volumetry using electron tomography is not presently feasible. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Volume rendering appears to be better choice for visualization of composite samples.

Compressed sensing electron tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leary, Rowan; Saghi, Zineb; Midgley, Paul A.; Holland, Daniel J.

2013-01-01

The recent mathematical concept of compressed sensing (CS) asserts that a small number of well-chosen measurements can suffice to reconstruct signals that are amenable to sparse or compressible representation. In addition to powerful theoretical results, the principles of CS are being exploited increasingly across a range of experiments to yield substantial performance gains relative to conventional approaches. In this work we describe the application of CS to electron tomography (ET) reconstruction and demonstrate the efficacy of CS–ET with several example studies. Artefacts present in conventional ET reconstructions such as streaking, blurring of object boundaries and elongation are markedly reduced, and robust reconstruction is shown to be possible from far fewer projections than are normally used. The CS–ET approach enables more reliable quantitative analysis of the reconstructions as well as novel 3D studies from extremely limited data. - Highlights: • Compressed sensing (CS) theory and its application to electron tomography (ET) is described. • The practical implementation of CS–ET is outlined and its efficacy demonstrated with examples. • High fidelity tomographic reconstruction is possible from a small number of images. • The CS–ET reconstructions can be more reliably segmented and analysed quantitatively. • CS–ET is applicable to different image content by choice of an appropriate sparsifying transform

AuTom: a novel automatic platform for electron tomography reconstruction

KAUST Repository

Han, Renmin

2017-07-26

We have developed a software package towards automatic electron tomography (ET): Automatic Tomography (AuTom). The presented package has the following characteristics: accurate alignment modules for marker-free datasets containing substantial biological structures; fully automatic alignment modules for datasets with fiducial markers; wide coverage of reconstruction methods including a new iterative method based on the compressed-sensing theory that suppresses the “missing wedge” effect; and multi-platform acceleration solutions that support faster iterative algebraic reconstruction. AuTom aims to achieve fully automatic alignment and reconstruction for electron tomography and has already been successful for a variety of datasets. AuTom also offers user-friendly interface and auxiliary designs for file management and workflow management, in which fiducial marker-based datasets and marker-free datasets are addressed with totally different subprocesses. With all of these features, AuTom can serve as a convenient and effective tool for processing in electron tomography.

Assessment of coronary artery bypass graft patency by multidetector computed tomography and electron-beam tomography

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Piers, LH; Dorgelo, J; Tio, RA; Jessurun, GAJ; Oudkerk, M; Zijlstra, F

This case report describes the use of retrospectively ECG-gated 16-slice multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) and electron-beam tomography (EBT) for assessing bypass graft patency in two patients with recurrent angina after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The results of each tomographic

In-situ straining and time-resolved electron tomography data acquisition in a transmission electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Hata, S; Miyazaki, S; Gondo, T; Kawamoto, K; Horii, N; Sato, K; Furukawa, H; Kudo, H; Miyazaki, H; Murayama, M

2017-04-01

This paper reports the preliminary results of a new in-situ three-dimensional (3D) imaging system for observing plastic deformation behavior in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) as a directly relevant development of the recently reported straining-and-tomography holder [Sato K et al. (2015) Development of a novel straining holder for transmission electron microscopy compatible with single tilt-axis electron tomography. Microsc. 64: 369-375]. We designed an integrated system using the holder and newly developed straining and image-acquisition software and then developed an experimental procedure for in-situ straining and time-resolved electron tomography (ET) data acquisition. The software for image acquisition and 3D visualization was developed based on the commercially available ET software TEMographyTM. We achieved time-resolved 3D visualization of nanometer-scale plastic deformation behavior in a Pb-Sn alloy sample, thus demonstrating the capability of this system for potential applications in materials science. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Japanese Society of Microscopy. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

An eMERGE Clinical Center at Partners Personalized Medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jordan W. Smoller

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The integration of electronic medical records (EMRs and genomic research has become a major component of efforts to advance personalized and precision medicine. The Electronic Medical Records and Genomics (eMERGE network, initiated in 2007, is an NIH-funded consortium devoted to genomic discovery and implementation research by leveraging biorepositories linked to EMRs. In its most recent phase, eMERGE III, the network is focused on facilitating implementation of genomic medicine by detecting and disclosing rare pathogenic variants in clinically relevant genes. Partners Personalized Medicine (PPM is a center dedicated to translating personalized medicine into clinical practice within Partners HealthCare. One component of the PPM is the Partners Healthcare Biobank, a biorepository comprising broadly consented DNA samples linked to the Partners longitudinal EMR. In 2015, PPM joined the eMERGE Phase III network. Here we describe the elements of the eMERGE clinical center at PPM, including plans for genomic discovery using EMR phenotypes, evaluation of rare variant penetrance and pleiotropy, and a novel randomized trial of the impact of returning genetic results to patients and clinicians.

A cylindrical specimen holder for electron cryo-tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palmer, Colin M.; Löwe, Jan

2014-01-01

The use of slab-like flat specimens for electron cryo-tomography restricts the range of viewing angles that can be used. This leads to the “missing wedge” problem, which causes artefacts and anisotropic resolution in reconstructed tomograms. Cylindrical specimens provide a way to eliminate the problem, since they allow imaging from a full range of viewing angles around the tilt axis. Such specimens have been used before for tomography of radiation-insensitive samples at room temperature, but never for frozen-hydrated specimens. Here, we demonstrate the use of thin-walled carbon tubes as specimen holders, allowing the preparation of cylindrical frozen-hydrated samples of ribosomes, liposomes and whole bacterial cells. Images acquired from these cylinders have equal quality at all viewing angles, and the accessible tilt range is restricted only by the physical limits of the microscope. Tomographic reconstructions of these specimens demonstrate that the effects of the missing wedge are substantially reduced, and could be completely eliminated if a full tilt range was used. The overall quality of these tomograms is still lower than that obtained by existing methods, but improvements are likely in future. - Highlights: • The missing wedge is a serious problem for electron cryo-tomography. • Cylindrical specimens allow the missing wedge to be eliminated. • Carbon nanopipettes can be used as cylindrical holders for tomography of frozen-hydrated specimens. • Cryo-tomography of cylindrical biological samples demonstrates a reduction of deleterious effects associated with the missing wedge

Single-electron quantum tomography in quantum Hall edge channels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grenier, Ch; Degiovanni, P; Herve, R; Bocquillon, E; Parmentier, F D; Placais, B; Berroir, J M; Feve, G

2011-01-01

We propose a quantum tomography protocol to measure single-electron coherence in quantum Hall edge channels, and therefore access for the first time the wavefunction of single-electron excitations propagating in ballistic quantum conductors. Its implementation would open the way to quantitative studies of single-electron decoherence and would provide a quantitative tool for analyzing single- to few-electron sources. We show how this protocol could be implemented using ultrahigh-sensitivity noise measurement schemes.

Three-dimensional observation of TiO2 nanostructures by electron tomography

KAUST Repository

Suh, Young Joon

2013-03-01

Three-dimensional nanostructures of TiO2 related materials including nanotubes, electron acceptor materials in hybrid polymer solar cells, and working electrodes of dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were visualized by electron tomography as well as TEM micrographs. The regions on the wall of TiO2 nanotubes where the streptavidins were attached were elucidated by electron tomogram analysis. The coverage of TiO2 nanotubes by streptavidin was also investigated. The TiO2 nanostructures in hybrid polymer solar cells made by sol-gel and atomic layer deposition (ALD) methods and the morphologies of pores between TiO2 particles in DSSCs were also observed by reconstructed three-dimensional images made by electron tomography. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

Merging Electronic Health Record Data and Genomics for Cardiovascular Research: A Science Advisory From the American Heart Association.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Jennifer L; Ryan, John J; Bray, Bruce E; Brown, Candice; Lanfear, David; Newby, L Kristin; Relling, Mary V; Risch, Neil J; Roden, Dan M; Shaw, Stanley Y; Tcheng, James E; Tenenbaum, Jessica; Wang, Thomas N; Weintraub, William S

2016-04-01

The process of scientific discovery is rapidly evolving. The funding climate has influenced a favorable shift in scientific discovery toward the use of existing resources such as the electronic health record. The electronic health record enables long-term outlooks on human health and disease, in conjunction with multidimensional phenotypes that include laboratory data, images, vital signs, and other clinical information. Initial work has confirmed the utility of the electronic health record for understanding mechanisms and patterns of variability in disease susceptibility, disease evolution, and drug responses. The addition of biobanks and genomic data to the information contained in the electronic health record has been demonstrated. The purpose of this statement is to discuss the current challenges in and the potential for merging electronic health record data and genomics for cardiovascular research. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Particle acceleration during merging-compression plasma start-up in the Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak

Science.gov (United States)

McClements, K. G.; Allen, J. O.; Chapman, S. C.; Dendy, R. O.; Irvine, S. W. A.; Marshall, O.; Robb, D.; Turnyanskiy, M.; Vann, R. G. L.

2018-02-01

Magnetic reconnection occurred during merging-compression plasma start-up in the Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak (MAST), resulting in the prompt acceleration of substantial numbers of ions and electrons to highly suprathermal energies. Accelerated field-aligned ions (deuterons and protons) were detected using a neutral particle analyser at energies up to about 20 keV during merging in early MAST pulses, while nonthermal electrons have been detected indirectly in more recent pulses through microwave bursts. However no increase in soft x-ray emission was observed until later in the merging phase, by which time strong electron heating had been detected through Thomson scattering measurements. A test-particle code CUEBIT is used to model ion acceleration in the presence of an inductive toroidal electric field with a prescribed spatial profile and temporal evolution based on Hall-MHD simulations of the merging process. The simulations yield particle distributions with properties similar to those observed experimentally, including strong field alignment of the fast ions and the acceleration of protons to higher energies than deuterons. Particle-in-cell modelling of a plasma containing a dilute field-aligned suprathermal electron component suggests that at least some of the microwave bursts can be attributed to the anomalous Doppler instability driven by anisotropic fast electrons, which do not produce measurable enhancements in soft x-ray emission either because they are insufficiently energetic or because the nonthermal bremsstrahlung emissivity during this phase of the pulse is below the detection threshold. There is no evidence of runaway electron acceleration during merging, possibly due to the presence of three-dimensional field perturbations.

Experimental evidence for collisional shock formation via two obliquely merging supersonic plasma jets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Merritt, Elizabeth C., E-mail: emerritt@lanl.gov; Adams, Colin S. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States); University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131 (United States); Moser, Auna L.; Hsu, Scott C., E-mail: scotthsu@lanl.gov; Dunn, John P.; Miguel Holgado, A. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States); Gilmore, Mark A. [University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131 (United States)

2014-05-15

We report spatially resolved measurements of the oblique merging of two supersonic laboratory plasma jets. The jets are formed and launched by pulsed-power-driven railguns using injected argon, and have electron density ∼10{sup 14} cm{sup −3}, electron temperature ≈1.4 eV, ionization fraction near unity, and velocity ≈40 km/s just prior to merging. The jet merging produces a few-cm-thick stagnation layer, as observed in both fast-framing camera images and multi-chord interferometer data, consistent with collisional shock formation [E. C. Merritt et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 085003 (2013)].

Unravelling merging behaviors and electrostatic properties of CVD-grown monolayer MoS2 domains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hao, Song; Yang, Bingchu; Gao, Yongli

2016-01-01

The presence of grain boundaries is inevitable for chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown MoS 2 domains owing to various merging behaviors, which greatly limits its potential applications in novel electronic and optoelectronic devices. It is therefore of great significance to unravel the merging behaviors of the synthesized polygon shape MoS 2 domains. Here we provide systematic investigations of merging behaviors and electrostatic properties of CVD-grown polycrystalline MoS 2 crystals by multiple means. Morphological results exhibit various polygon shape features, ascribed to polycrystalline crystals merged with triangle shape MoS 2 single crystals. The thickness of triangle and polygon shape MoS 2 crystals is identical manifested by Raman intensity and peak position mappings. Three merging behaviors are proposed to illustrate the formation mechanisms of observed various polygon shaped MoS 2 crystals. The combined photoemission electron microscopy and kelvin probe force microscopy results reveal that the surface potential of perfect merged crystals is identical, which has an important implication for fabricating MoS 2 -based devices.

Merging history of three bimodal clusters

Science.gov (United States)

Maurogordato, S.; Sauvageot, J. L.; Bourdin, H.; Cappi, A.; Benoist, C.; Ferrari, C.; Mars, G.; Houairi, K.

2011-01-01

We present a combined X-ray and optical analysis of three bimodal galaxy clusters selected as merging candidates at z ~ 0.1. These targets are part of MUSIC (MUlti-Wavelength Sample of Interacting Clusters), which is a general project designed to study the physics of merging clusters by means of multi-wavelength observations. Observations include spectro-imaging with XMM-Newton EPIC camera, multi-object spectroscopy (260 new redshifts), and wide-field imaging at the ESO 3.6 m and 2.2 m telescopes. We build a global picture of these clusters using X-ray luminosity and temperature maps together with galaxy density and velocity distributions. Idealized numerical simulations were used to constrain the merging scenario for each system. We show that A2933 is very likely an equal-mass advanced pre-merger ~200 Myr before the core collapse, while A2440 and A2384 are post-merger systems (~450 Myr and ~1.5 Gyr after core collapse, respectively). In the case of A2384, we detect a spectacular filament of galaxies and gas spreading over more than 1 h-1 Mpc, which we infer to have been stripped during the previous collision. The analysis of the MUSIC sample allows us to outline some general properties of merging clusters: a strong luminosity segregation of galaxies in recent post-mergers; the existence of preferential axes - corresponding to the merging directions - along which the BCGs and structures on various scales are aligned; the concomitance, in most major merger cases, of secondary merging or accretion events, with groups infalling onto the main cluster, and in some cases the evidence of previous merging episodes in one of the main components. These results are in good agreement with the hierarchical scenario of structure formation, in which clusters are expected to form by successive merging events, and matter is accreted along large-scale filaments. Based on data obtained with the European Southern Observatory, Chile (programs 072.A-0595, 075.A-0264, and 079.A-0425

Three-dimensional observation of TiO2 nanostructures by electron tomography

KAUST Repository

Suh, Young Joon; Lu, Ning; Park, Seong Yong; Lee, Tae Hun; Lee, Sang Hoon; Cha, Dong Kyu; Lee, Min Gun; Huang, Jie; Kim, Sung Soo; Sohn, Byeong Hyeok; Kim, Geung Ho; Ko, Min Jae; Kim, Jiyoung; Kim, Moon J.

2013-01-01

Three-dimensional nanostructures of TiO2 related materials including nanotubes, electron acceptor materials in hybrid polymer solar cells, and working electrodes of dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were visualized by electron tomography as well

Imaging of osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis by electron beam tomography

OpenAIRE

Fong, K C S; Ferrett, C G; Tandon, R; Paul, B; Herold, J; Liu, C S C

2005-01-01

Aim: To describe the experience of using electron beam tomography (EBT) in imaging of osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis (OOKP) to identify early bone and dentine loss which may threaten the viability of the eye.

Automated discrete electron tomography – Towards routine high-fidelity reconstruction of nanomaterials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhuge, Xiaodong; Jinnai, Hiroshi; Dunin-Borkowski, Rafal E.; Migunov, Vadim; Bals, Sara; Cool, Pegie; Bons, Anton-Jan; Batenburg, Kees Joost

2017-01-01

Electron tomography is an essential imaging technique for the investigation of morphology and 3D structure of nanomaterials. This method, however, suffers from well-known missing wedge artifacts due to a restricted tilt range, which limits the objectiveness, repeatability and efficiency of quantitative structural analysis. Discrete tomography represents one of the promising reconstruction techniques for materials science, potentially capable of delivering higher fidelity reconstructions by exploiting the prior knowledge of the limited number of material compositions in a specimen. However, the application of discrete tomography to practical datasets remains a difficult task due to the underlying challenging mathematical problem. In practice, it is often hard to obtain consistent reconstructions from experimental datasets. In addition, numerous parameters need to be tuned manually, which can lead to bias and non-repeatability. In this paper, we present the application of a new iterative reconstruction technique, named TVR-DART, for discrete electron tomography. The technique is capable of consistently delivering reconstructions with significantly reduced missing wedge artifacts for a variety of challenging data and imaging conditions, and can automatically estimate its key parameters. We describe the principles of the technique and apply it to datasets from three different types of samples acquired under diverse imaging modes. By further reducing the available tilt range and number of projections, we show that the proposed technique can still produce consistent reconstructions with minimized missing wedge artifacts. This new development promises to provide the electron microscopy community with an easy-to-use and robust tool for high-fidelity 3D characterization of nanomaterials. - Highlights: • Automated discrete electron tomography capable of consistently delivering reconstructions with significantly reduced missing wedge artifacts and requires significantly

Automated discrete electron tomography – Towards routine high-fidelity reconstruction of nanomaterials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhuge, Xiaodong [Computational Imaging, Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica, Science park 123, 1098XG Amsterdam (Netherlands); Jinnai, Hiroshi [Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, Katahira 2-1-1, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); Dunin-Borkowski, Rafal E.; Migunov, Vadim [Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons and Peter Grünberg Institute, Forschungszentrum Jülich, D-52425 Jülich (Germany); Bals, Sara [EMAT, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Cool, Pegie [Laboratory of Adsorption and Catalysis, Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk (Belgium); Bons, Anton-Jan [European Technology Center, ExxonMobil Chemical Europe Inc., Hermeslaan 2, B-1831 Machelen (Belgium); Batenburg, Kees Joost [Computational Imaging, Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica, Science park 123, 1098XG Amsterdam (Netherlands)

2017-04-15

Electron tomography is an essential imaging technique for the investigation of morphology and 3D structure of nanomaterials. This method, however, suffers from well-known missing wedge artifacts due to a restricted tilt range, which limits the objectiveness, repeatability and efficiency of quantitative structural analysis. Discrete tomography represents one of the promising reconstruction techniques for materials science, potentially capable of delivering higher fidelity reconstructions by exploiting the prior knowledge of the limited number of material compositions in a specimen. However, the application of discrete tomography to practical datasets remains a difficult task due to the underlying challenging mathematical problem. In practice, it is often hard to obtain consistent reconstructions from experimental datasets. In addition, numerous parameters need to be tuned manually, which can lead to bias and non-repeatability. In this paper, we present the application of a new iterative reconstruction technique, named TVR-DART, for discrete electron tomography. The technique is capable of consistently delivering reconstructions with significantly reduced missing wedge artifacts for a variety of challenging data and imaging conditions, and can automatically estimate its key parameters. We describe the principles of the technique and apply it to datasets from three different types of samples acquired under diverse imaging modes. By further reducing the available tilt range and number of projections, we show that the proposed technique can still produce consistent reconstructions with minimized missing wedge artifacts. This new development promises to provide the electron microscopy community with an easy-to-use and robust tool for high-fidelity 3D characterization of nanomaterials. - Highlights: • Automated discrete electron tomography capable of consistently delivering reconstructions with significantly reduced missing wedge artifacts and requires significantly

Advances in cryo-electron tomography for biology and medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Koning, Roman I; Koster, Abraham J; Sharp, Thomas H

2018-05-01

Cryo-electron tomography (CET) utilizes a combination of specimen cryo-fixation and multi-angle electron microscopy imaging to produce three-dimensional (3D) volume reconstructions of native-state macromolecular and subcellular biological structures with nanometer-scale resolution. In recent years, cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) has experienced a dramatic increase in the attainable resolution of 3D reconstructions, resulting from technical improvements of electron microscopes, improved detector sensitivity, the implementation of phase plates, automated data acquisition schemes, and improved image reconstruction software and hardware. These developments also greatly increased the usability and applicability of CET as a diagnostic and research tool, which is now enabling structural biologists to determine the structure of proteins in their native cellular environment to sub-nanometer resolution. These recent technical developments have stimulated us to update on our previous review (Koning, R.I., Koster, A.J., 2009. Cryo-electron tomography in biology and medicine. Ann Anat 191, 427-445) in which we described the fundamentals of CET. In this follow-up, we extend this basic description in order to explain the aforementioned recent advances, and describe related 3D techniques that can be applied to the anatomy of biological systems that are relevant for medicine. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Quantitative biological measurement in Transmission Electron Tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mantell, Judith M; Verkade, Paul; Arkill, Kenton P

2012-01-01

It has been known for some time that biological sections shrink in the transmission electron microscope from exposure to the electron beam. This phenomenon is especially important in Electron Tomography (ET). The effect on shrinkage of parameters such as embedding medium or sample type is less well understood. In addition anisotropic area shrinkage has largely been ignored. The intention of this study is to explore the shrinkage on a number of samples ranging in thickness from 200 nm to 500 nm. A protocol was developed to determine the shrinkage in area and thickness using the gold fiducials used in electron tomography. In brief: Using low dose philosophy on the section, a focus area was used prior to a separate virgin study area for a series of known exposures on a tilted sample. The shrinkage was determined by measurements on the gold beads from both sides of the section as determined by a confirmatory tomogram. It was found that the shrinkage in area (approximately to 90-95% of the original) and the thickness (approximately 65% of the original at most) agreed with pervious authors, but that a lmost all the shrinkage was in the first minute and that although the direction of the in-plane shrinkage (in x and y) was sometimes uneven the end result was consistent. It was observed, in general, that thinner samples showed more percentage shrinkage than thicker ones. In conclusion, if direct quantitative measurements are required then the protocol described should be used for all areas studied.

Quantitative biological measurement in Transmission Electron Tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Mantell, Judith M.; Verkade, Paul; Arkill, Kenton P.

2012-07-01

It has been known for some time that biological sections shrink in the transmission electron microscope from exposure to the electron beam. This phenomenon is especially important in Electron Tomography (ET). The effect on shrinkage of parameters such as embedding medium or sample type is less well understood. In addition anisotropic area shrinkage has largely been ignored. The intention of this study is to explore the shrinkage on a number of samples ranging in thickness from 200 nm to 500 nm. A protocol was developed to determine the shrinkage in area and thickness using the gold fiducials used in electron tomography. In brief: Using low dose philosophy on the section, a focus area was used prior to a separate virgin study area for a series of known exposures on a tilted sample. The shrinkage was determined by measurements on the gold beads from both sides of the section as determined by a confirmatory tomogram. It was found that the shrinkage in area (approximately to 90-95% of the original) and the thickness (approximately 65% of the original at most) agreed with pervious authors, but that a lmost all the shrinkage was in the first minute and that although the direction of the in-plane shrinkage (in x and y) was sometimes uneven the end result was consistent. It was observed, in general, that thinner samples showed more percentage shrinkage than thicker ones. In conclusion, if direct quantitative measurements are required then the protocol described should be used for all areas studied.

A new approach for 3D reconstruction from bright field TEM imaging: Beam precession assisted electron tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rebled, J.M.; Yedra, Ll.; Estrade, S.; Portillo, J.; Peiro, F.

2011-01-01

The successful combination of electron beam precession and bright field electron tomography for 3D reconstruction is reported. Beam precession is demonstrated to be a powerful technique to reduce the contrast artifacts due to diffraction and curvature in thin foils. Taking advantage of these benefits, Precession assisted electron tomography has been applied to reconstruct the morphology of Sn precipitates embedded in an Al matrix, from a tilt series acquired in a range from +49 o to -61 o at intervals of 2 o and with a precession angle of 0.6 o in bright field mode. The combination of electron tomography and beam precession in conventional TEM mode is proposed as an alternative procedure to obtain 3D reconstructions of nano-objects without a scanning system or a high angle annular dark field detector. -- Highlights: → Electron beam precession reduces spurious diffraction contrast in bright field mode. → Bend contour related contrast depends on precession angle. → Electron beam precession is combined with bright field electron tomography. → Precession assisted BF tomography allowed 3D reconstruction of a Sn precipitate.

Coordinate transformation based cryo-correlative methods for electron tomography and focused ion beam milling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukuda, Yoshiyuki; Schrod, Nikolas; Schaffer, Miroslava; Feng, Li Rebekah; Baumeister, Wolfgang; Lucic, Vladan

2014-01-01

Correlative microscopy allows imaging of the same feature over multiple length scales, combining light microscopy with high resolution information provided by electron microscopy. We demonstrate two procedures for coordinate transformation based correlative microscopy of vitrified biological samples applicable to different imaging modes. The first procedure aims at navigating cryo-electron tomography to cellular regions identified by fluorescent labels. The second procedure, allowing navigation of focused ion beam milling to fluorescently labeled molecules, is based on the introduction of an intermediate scanning electron microscopy imaging step to overcome the large difference between cryo-light microscopy and focused ion beam imaging modes. These methods make it possible to image fluorescently labeled macromolecular complexes in their natural environments by cryo-electron tomography, while minimizing exposure to the electron beam during the search for features of interest. - Highlights: • Correlative light microscopy and focused ion beam milling of vitrified samples. • Coordinate transformation based cryo-correlative method. • Improved correlative light microscopy and cryo-electron tomography

Unravelling merging behaviors and electrostatic properties of CVD-grown monolayer MoS{sub 2} domains

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hao, Song; Yang, Bingchu, E-mail: bingchuyang@csu.edu.cn [College of Physics and Electronics, Institute of Super Microstructure and Ultrafast Process in Advanced Materials, Central South University, 605 South Lushan Road, Changsha 410012 (China); Hunan Key Laboratory for Super-Microstructure and Ultrafast Process, Central South University, 932 South Lushan Road, Changsha 410012 (China); Gao, Yongli [College of Physics and Electronics, Institute of Super Microstructure and Ultrafast Process in Advanced Materials, Central South University, 605 South Lushan Road, Changsha 410012 (China); Hunan Key Laboratory for Super-Microstructure and Ultrafast Process, Central South University, 932 South Lushan Road, Changsha 410012 (China); Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14534 (United States)

2016-08-28

The presence of grain boundaries is inevitable for chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown MoS{sub 2} domains owing to various merging behaviors, which greatly limits its potential applications in novel electronic and optoelectronic devices. It is therefore of great significance to unravel the merging behaviors of the synthesized polygon shape MoS{sub 2} domains. Here we provide systematic investigations of merging behaviors and electrostatic properties of CVD-grown polycrystalline MoS{sub 2} crystals by multiple means. Morphological results exhibit various polygon shape features, ascribed to polycrystalline crystals merged with triangle shape MoS{sub 2} single crystals. The thickness of triangle and polygon shape MoS{sub 2} crystals is identical manifested by Raman intensity and peak position mappings. Three merging behaviors are proposed to illustrate the formation mechanisms of observed various polygon shaped MoS{sub 2} crystals. The combined photoemission electron microscopy and kelvin probe force microscopy results reveal that the surface potential of perfect merged crystals is identical, which has an important implication for fabricating MoS{sub 2}-based devices.

Secondary signal imaging (SSI) electron tomography (SSI-ET): A new three-dimensional metrology for mesoscale specimens in transmission electron microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Chang Wan; Ortalan, Volkan

2015-09-01

We have demonstrated a new electron tomography technique utilizing the secondary signals (secondary electrons and backscattered electrons) for ultra thick (a few μm) specimens. The Monte Carlo electron scattering simulations reveal that the amount of backscattered electrons generated by 200 and 300keV incident electrons is a monotonic function of the sample thickness and this causes the thickness contrast satisfying the projection requirement for the tomographic reconstruction. Additional contribution of the secondary electrons emitted from the edges of the specimens enhances the visibility of the surface features. The acquired SSI tilt series of the specimen having mesoscopic dimensions are successfully reconstructed verifying that this new technique, so called the secondary signal imaging electron tomography (SSI-ET), can directly be utilized for 3D structural analysis of mesoscale structures. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Time-varying mixed logit model for vehicle merging behavior in work zone merging areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Weng, Jinxian; Du, Gang; Li, Dan; Yu, Yao

2018-08-01

This study aims to develop a time-varying mixed logit model for the vehicle merging behavior in work zone merging areas during the merging implementation period from the time of starting a merging maneuver to that of completing the maneuver. From the safety perspective, vehicle crash probability and severity between the merging vehicle and its surrounding vehicles are regarded as major factors influencing vehicle merging decisions. Model results show that the model with the use of vehicle crash risk probability and severity could provide higher prediction accuracy than previous models with the use of vehicle speeds and gap sizes. It is found that lead vehicle type, through lead vehicle type, through lag vehicle type, crash probability of the merging vehicle with respect to the through lag vehicle, crash severities of the merging vehicle with respect to the through lead and lag vehicles could exhibit time-varying effects on the merging behavior. One important finding is that the merging vehicle could become more and more aggressive in order to complete the merging maneuver as quickly as possible over the elapsed time, even if it has high vehicle crash risk with respect to the through lead and lag vehicles. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A new approach for 3D reconstruction from bright field TEM imaging: Beam precession assisted electron tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rebled, J.M. [LENS-MIND-IN2UB, Departament d' Electronica, Universitat de Barcelona, Marti i Franques 1, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Institut de Ciencia de Materials de Barcelona-CSIC, Campus UAB, 08193 Bellaterra (Spain); Yedra, Ll. [LENS-MIND-IN2UB, Departament d' Electronica, Universitat de Barcelona, Marti i Franques 1, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Estrade, S.; Portillo, J. [LENS-MIND-IN2UB, Departament d' Electronica, Universitat de Barcelona, Marti i Franques 1, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); TEM-MAT, CCiT-UB, Sole i Sabaris 1, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Peiro, F., E-mail: francesca.peiro@ub.edu [LENS-MIND-IN2UB, Departament d' Electronica, Universitat de Barcelona, Marti i Franques 1, 08028 Barcelona (Spain)

2011-08-15

The successful combination of electron beam precession and bright field electron tomography for 3D reconstruction is reported. Beam precession is demonstrated to be a powerful technique to reduce the contrast artifacts due to diffraction and curvature in thin foils. Taking advantage of these benefits, Precession assisted electron tomography has been applied to reconstruct the morphology of Sn precipitates embedded in an Al matrix, from a tilt series acquired in a range from +49{sup o} to -61{sup o} at intervals of 2{sup o} and with a precession angle of 0.6{sup o} in bright field mode. The combination of electron tomography and beam precession in conventional TEM mode is proposed as an alternative procedure to obtain 3D reconstructions of nano-objects without a scanning system or a high angle annular dark field detector. -- Highlights: {yields} Electron beam precession reduces spurious diffraction contrast in bright field mode. {yields} Bend contour related contrast depends on precession angle. {yields} Electron beam precession is combined with bright field electron tomography. {yields} Precession assisted BF tomography allowed 3D reconstruction of a Sn precipitate.

Electron tomography of porous materials and magnetic nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uusimäki, T.

2015-01-01

Electron tomography, as carried out in a transmission electron microscope is a method to reveal the three dimensional structure of the sample at the nanometer scale. It is based on tilting the sample and recording subsequent images at different projections angles. Using specific reconstruction algorithms the density distribution of the sample can then be reproduced. In this thesis, electron tomography has been implemented for material science specimens and more rigorously to porous media infiltrated with magnetic nanoparticles. The volume and spatial distribution along with the knowledge of the demagnetizing factors were then used within a magnetic Monte Carlo simulation to predict the magnetic response of the nanoparticle assembly. The local curvature of nanoparticles within the template, known to be a critical geometrical parameter influencing material properties, was extracted with two distinctive methods. Furthermore, new capabilities needed for image analysis and processing of the tilt series had to be implemented for improved alignments and segmentation. A new method to align the tilt series without depending on markers was written for obtaining high quality reconstructions. Also a comparison was made between different scanning TEM acquisition modes such as incoherent bright field and high angle annular dark field imaging modes with respect to resolution and contrast changes. (author) [de

Refinement procedure for the image alignment in high-resolution electron tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Houben, L.; Bar Sadan, M.

2011-01-01

High-resolution electron tomography from a tilt series of transmission electron microscopy images requires an accurate image alignment procedure in order to maximise the resolution of the tomogram. This is the case in particular for ultra-high resolution where even very small misalignments between individual images can dramatically reduce the fidelity of the resultant reconstruction. A tomographic-reconstruction based and marker-free method is proposed, which uses an iterative optimisation of the tomogram resolution. The method utilises a search algorithm that maximises the contrast in tomogram sub-volumes. Unlike conventional cross-correlation analysis it provides the required correlation over a large tilt angle separation and guarantees a consistent alignment of images for the full range of object tilt angles. An assessment based on experimental reconstructions shows that the marker-free procedure is competitive to the reference of marker-based procedures at lower resolution and yields sub-pixel accuracy even for simulated high-resolution data. -- Highlights: → Alignment procedure for electron tomography based on iterative tomogram contrast optimisation. → Marker-free, independent of object, little user interaction. → Accuracy competitive with fiducial marker methods and suited for high-resolution tomography.

Cryo-electron tomography of bacterial viruses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guerrero-Ferreira, Ricardo C. [Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Children' s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322 (United States); Wright, Elizabeth R., E-mail: erwrigh@emory.edu [Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Children' s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322 (United States)

2013-01-05

Bacteriophage particles contain both simple and complex macromolecular assemblages and machines that enable them to regulate the infection process under diverse environmental conditions with a broad range of bacterial hosts. Recent developments in cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) make it possible to observe the interactions of bacteriophages with their host cells under native-state conditions at unprecedented resolution and in three-dimensions. This review describes the application of cryo-ET to studies of bacteriophage attachment, genome ejection, assembly and egress. Current topics of investigation and future directions in the field are also discussed.

Simulations of Bunch Merging in a Beta Beam Decay Ring

CERN Document Server

Heinrich, Daniel Christopher; Chance, Antoine

2011-01-01

To further study neutrino oscillation properties a Beta Beam facility has been proposed. Beta decaying ions with high kinetic energy are stored in a storage ring ("Decay Ring") with straight sections to create pure focused (anti) electron neutrino beams. However to reach high sensitivity to neutrino oscillation parameters in the experiment the bunched beam intensity and duty cycle in the DR have to be optimized. The first CERN-based scenario, using 6He and 18Ne as neutrino sources, has been studied using a bunch merging RF scheme. Two RF cavities at different frequencies are used to capture newly injected bunches and then merge them into the stored bunches. It was shown that this scheme could satisfy the requirements on intensity and duty cycle set by the experiment. This merging scheme has now been revised with new simulation software providing new results for 6He and 18Ne. Furthermore bunch merging has been studied for the second CERN-based scenario using 8Li and 8B.

3D structure of eukaryotic flagella/cilia by cryo-electron tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishikawa, Takashi

2013-01-01

Flagella/cilia are motile organelles with more than 400 proteins. To understand the mechanism of such complex systems, we need methods to describe molecular arrange-ments and conformations three-dimensionally in vivo. Cryo-electron tomography enabled us such a 3D structural analysis. Our group has been working on 3D structure of flagella/cilia using this method and revealed highly ordered and beautifully organized molecular arrangement. 3D structure gave us insights into the mechanism to gener-ate bending motion with well defined waveforms. In this review, I summarize our recent structural studies on fla-gella/cilia by cryo-electron tomography, mainly focusing on dynein microtubule-based ATPase motor proteins and the radial spoke, a regulatory protein complex.

Electron Tomography Reveals the Active Phase–Support Interaction in Sulfidic Hydroprocessing Catalysts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Eijsbouts, Sonja; Li, Xuang; Juan-Alcaniz, Jana; van den Oetelaar, Leon C A; Bergwerff, Jaap; Loos, Joachim; Carlsson, Anna; Vogt, E.T.C.

2017-01-01

Conventional two-dimensional (2D) transmission electron microscopy of sulfidic hydroprocessing catalysts can be deceiving and give the impression that parts of the support are overloaded with active phase. High-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy tomography reveals

Adaptive multiresolution method for MAP reconstruction in electron tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Acar, Erman, E-mail: erman.acar@tut.fi [Department of Signal Processing, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 553, FI-33101 Tampere (Finland); BioMediTech, Tampere University of Technology, Biokatu 10, 33520 Tampere (Finland); Peltonen, Sari; Ruotsalainen, Ulla [Department of Signal Processing, Tampere University of Technology, P.O. Box 553, FI-33101 Tampere (Finland); BioMediTech, Tampere University of Technology, Biokatu 10, 33520 Tampere (Finland)

2016-11-15

3D image reconstruction with electron tomography holds problems due to the severely limited range of projection angles and low signal to noise ratio of the acquired projection images. The maximum a posteriori (MAP) reconstruction methods have been successful in compensating for the missing information and suppressing noise with their intrinsic regularization techniques. There are two major problems in MAP reconstruction methods: (1) selection of the regularization parameter that controls the balance between the data fidelity and the prior information, and (2) long computation time. One aim of this study is to provide an adaptive solution to the regularization parameter selection problem without having additional knowledge about the imaging environment and the sample. The other aim is to realize the reconstruction using sequences of resolution levels to shorten the computation time. The reconstructions were analyzed in terms of accuracy and computational efficiency using a simulated biological phantom and publically available experimental datasets of electron tomography. The numerical and visual evaluations of the experiments show that the adaptive multiresolution method can provide more accurate results than the weighted back projection (WBP), simultaneous iterative reconstruction technique (SIRT), and sequential MAP expectation maximization (sMAPEM) method. The method is superior to sMAPEM also in terms of computation time and usability since it can reconstruct 3D images significantly faster without requiring any parameter to be set by the user. - Highlights: • An adaptive multiresolution reconstruction method is introduced for electron tomography. • The method provides more accurate results than the conventional reconstruction methods. • The missing wedge and noise problems can be compensated by the method efficiently.

Automatic Segmentation and Quantification of Filamentous Structures in Electron Tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Loss, Leandro A; Bebis, George; Chang, Hang; Auer, Manfred; Sarkar, Purbasha; Parvin, Bahram

2012-10-01

Electron tomography is a promising technology for imaging ultrastructures at nanoscale resolutions. However, image and quantitative analyses are often hindered by high levels of noise, staining heterogeneity, and material damage either as a result of the electron beam or sample preparation. We have developed and built a framework that allows for automatic segmentation and quantification of filamentous objects in 3D electron tomography. Our approach consists of three steps: (i) local enhancement of filaments by Hessian filtering; (ii) detection and completion (e.g., gap filling) of filamentous structures through tensor voting; and (iii) delineation of the filamentous networks. Our approach allows for quantification of filamentous networks in terms of their compositional and morphological features. We first validate our approach using a set of specifically designed synthetic data. We then apply our segmentation framework to tomograms of plant cell walls that have undergone different chemical treatments for polysaccharide extraction. The subsequent compositional and morphological analyses of the plant cell walls reveal their organizational characteristics and the effects of the different chemical protocols on specific polysaccharides.

In-depth analysis of drivers' merging behavior and rear-end crash risks in work zone merging areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Weng, Jinxian; Xue, Shan; Yang, Ying; Yan, Xuedong; Qu, Xiaobo

2015-04-01

This study investigates the drivers' merging behavior and the rear-end crash risk in work zone merging areas during the entire merging implementation period from the time of starting a merging maneuver to that of completing the maneuver. With the merging traffic data from a work zone site in Singapore, a mixed probit model is developed to describe the merging behavior, and two surrogate safety measures including the time to collision (TTC) and deceleration rate to avoid the crash (DRAC) are adopted to compute the rear-end crash risk between the merging vehicle and its neighboring vehicles. Results show that the merging vehicle has a bigger probability of completing a merging maneuver quickly under one of the following situations: (i) the merging vehicle moves relatively fast; (ii) the merging lead vehicle is a heavy vehicle; and (iii) there is a sizable gap in the adjacent through lane. Results indicate that the rear-end crash risk does not monotonically increase as the merging vehicle speed increases. The merging vehicle's rear-end crash risk is also affected by the vehicle type. There is a biggest increment of rear-end crash risk if the merging lead vehicle belongs to a heavy vehicle. Although the reduced remaining distance to work zone could urge the merging vehicle to complete a merging maneuver quickly, it might lead to an increased rear-end crash risk. Interestingly, it is found that the rear-end crash risk could be generally increased over the elapsed time after the merging maneuver being triggered. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Merging {DBMs} Efficiently

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

David, Alexandre

2005-01-01

In this paper we present different algorithms to reduce the number of DBMs in federations by merging them. Federations are unions of DBMs and are used to represent non-convex zones. Inclusion checking between DBMs is a limited technique to reduce the size of federations and how to choose some DBMs...... to merge them into a larger one is a combi-natorial problem. We present a number of simple but efficient techniques to avoid searching the combinations while still being able to merge any number of DBMs...

Beam-scanning system for determination of beam profiles and form factors in merged-beam experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keyser, C.J.; Froelich, H.R.; Mitchell, J.B.A.; McGowan, J.W.

1979-01-01

A beam-scanning system for a merged electron-ion beam experiment is described. This system is used to determine the horizontal and vertical beam profiles and the form factors at three different locations along the axis of the beams. Design details of the wedge-shaped scanners and the electronic circuit for obtaining beam profiles and form factors are described. The form factor derivation for merged beams is given and an expression in terms of measured quantities is derived. (author)

Robust membrane detection based on tensor voting for electron tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez-Sanchez, Antonio; Garcia, Inmaculada; Asano, Shoh; Lucic, Vladan; Fernandez, Jose-Jesus

2014-04-01

Electron tomography enables three-dimensional (3D) visualization and analysis of the subcellular architecture at a resolution of a few nanometers. Segmentation of structural components present in 3D images (tomograms) is often necessary for their interpretation. However, it is severely hampered by a number of factors that are inherent to electron tomography (e.g. noise, low contrast, distortion). Thus, there is a need for new and improved computational methods to facilitate this challenging task. In this work, we present a new method for membrane segmentation that is based on anisotropic propagation of the local structural information using the tensor voting algorithm. The local structure at each voxel is then refined according to the information received from other voxels. Because voxels belonging to the same membrane have coherent structural information, the underlying global structure is strengthened. In this way, local information is easily integrated at a global scale to yield segmented structures. This method performs well under low signal-to-noise ratio typically found in tomograms of vitrified samples under cryo-tomography conditions and can bridge gaps present on membranes. The performance of the method is demonstrated by applications to tomograms of different biological samples and by quantitative comparison with standard template matching procedure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Self-adapting denoising, alignment and reconstruction in electron tomography in materials science

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Printemps, Tony, E-mail: tony.printemps@cea.fr [Université Grenoble Alpes, F-38000 Grenoble (France); CEA, LETI, MINATEC Campus, F-38054 Grenoble (France); Mula, Guido [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, S.P. 8km 0.700, 09042 Monserrato (Italy); Sette, Daniele; Bleuet, Pierre; Delaye, Vincent; Bernier, Nicolas; Grenier, Adeline; Audoit, Guillaume; Gambacorti, Narciso; Hervé, Lionel [Université Grenoble Alpes, F-38000 Grenoble (France); CEA, LETI, MINATEC Campus, F-38054 Grenoble (France)

2016-01-15

An automatic procedure for electron tomography is presented. This procedure is adapted for specimens that can be fashioned into a needle-shaped sample and has been evaluated on inorganic samples. It consists of self-adapting denoising, automatic and accurate alignment including detection and correction of tilt axis, and 3D reconstruction. We propose the exploitation of a large amount of information of an electron tomography acquisition to achieve robust and automatic mixed Poisson–Gaussian noise parameter estimation and denoising using undecimated wavelet transforms. The alignment is made by mixing three techniques, namely (i) cross-correlations between neighboring projections, (ii) common line algorithm to get a precise shift correction in the direction of the tilt axis and (iii) intermediate reconstructions to precisely determine the tilt axis and shift correction in the direction perpendicular to that axis. Mixing alignment techniques turns out to be very efficient and fast. Significant improvements are highlighted in both simulations and real data reconstructions of porous silicon in high angle annular dark field mode and agglomerated silver nanoparticles in incoherent bright field mode. 3D reconstructions obtained with minimal user-intervention present fewer artefacts and less noise, which permits easier and more reliable segmentation and quantitative analysis. After careful sample preparation and data acquisition, the denoising procedure, alignment and reconstruction can be achieved within an hour for a 3D volume of about a hundred million voxels, which is a step toward a more routine use of electron tomography. - Highlights: • Goal: perform a reliable and user-independent 3D electron tomography reconstruction. • Proposed method: self-adapting denoising and alignment prior to 3D reconstruction. • Noise estimation and denoising are performed using wavelet transform. • Tilt axis determination is done automatically as well as projection alignment. �

Nano-tomography of porous geological materials using focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Liu, Yang; King, Helen E.; van Huis, Marijn A.; Drury, Martyn R.; Plümper, Oliver

2016-01-01

Tomographic analysis using focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) provides three-dimensional information about solid materials with a resolution of a few nanometres and thus bridges the gap between X-ray and transmission electron microscopic tomography techniques. This contribution

Correlative cryo-fluorescence light microscopy and cryo-electron tomography of Streptomyces.

Science.gov (United States)

Koning, Roman I; Celler, Katherine; Willemse, Joost; Bos, Erik; van Wezel, Gilles P; Koster, Abraham J

2014-01-01

Light microscopy and electron microscopy are complementary techniques that in a correlative approach enable identification and targeting of fluorescently labeled structures in situ for three-dimensional imaging at nanometer resolution. Correlative imaging allows electron microscopic images to be positioned in a broader temporal and spatial context. We employed cryo-correlative light and electron microscopy (cryo-CLEM), combining cryo-fluorescence light microscopy and cryo-electron tomography, on vitrified Streptomyces bacteria to study cell division. Streptomycetes are mycelial bacteria that grow as long hyphae and reproduce via sporulation. On solid media, Streptomyces subsequently form distinct aerial mycelia where cell division leads to the formation of unigenomic spores which separate and disperse to form new colonies. In liquid media, only vegetative hyphae are present divided by noncell separating crosswalls. Their multicellular life style makes them exciting model systems for the study of bacterial development and cell division. Complex intracellular structures have been visualized with transmission electron microscopy. Here, we describe the methods for cryo-CLEM that we applied for studying Streptomyces. These methods include cell growth, fluorescent labeling, cryo-fixation by vitrification, cryo-light microscopy using a Linkam cryo-stage, image overlay and relocation, cryo-electron tomography using a Titan Krios, and tomographic reconstruction. Additionally, methods for segmentation, volume rendering, and visualization of the correlative data are described. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Triadic split-merge sampler

Science.gov (United States)

van Rossum, Anne C.; Lin, Hai Xiang; Dubbeldam, Johan; van der Herik, H. Jaap

2018-04-01

In machine vision typical heuristic methods to extract parameterized objects out of raw data points are the Hough transform and RANSAC. Bayesian models carry the promise to optimally extract such parameterized objects given a correct definition of the model and the type of noise at hand. A category of solvers for Bayesian models are Markov chain Monte Carlo methods. Naive implementations of MCMC methods suffer from slow convergence in machine vision due to the complexity of the parameter space. Towards this blocked Gibbs and split-merge samplers have been developed that assign multiple data points to clusters at once. In this paper we introduce a new split-merge sampler, the triadic split-merge sampler, that perform steps between two and three randomly chosen clusters. This has two advantages. First, it reduces the asymmetry between the split and merge steps. Second, it is able to propose a new cluster that is composed out of data points from two different clusters. Both advantages speed up convergence which we demonstrate on a line extraction problem. We show that the triadic split-merge sampler outperforms the conventional split-merge sampler. Although this new MCMC sampler is demonstrated in this machine vision context, its application extend to the very general domain of statistical inference.

Conventional and 360 degree electron tomography of a micro-crystalline silicon solar cell

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Duchamp, Martial; Ramar, Amuthan; Kovács, András

2011-01-01

Bright-field (BF) and annular dark-field (ADF) electron tomography in the transmission electron microscope (TEM) are used to characterize elongated porous regions or cracks (simply referred to as cracks thereafter) in micro-crystalline silicon (μc-Si:H) solar cell. The limitations of inferring...

Automated discrete electron tomography - Towards routine high-fidelity reconstruction of nanomaterials.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhuge, Xiaodong; Jinnai, Hiroshi; Dunin-Borkowski, Rafal E; Migunov, Vadim; Bals, Sara; Cool, Pegie; Bons, Anton-Jan; Batenburg, Kees Joost

2017-04-01

Electron tomography is an essential imaging technique for the investigation of morphology and 3D structure of nanomaterials. This method, however, suffers from well-known missing wedge artifacts due to a restricted tilt range, which limits the objectiveness, repeatability and efficiency of quantitative structural analysis. Discrete tomography represents one of the promising reconstruction techniques for materials science, potentially capable of delivering higher fidelity reconstructions by exploiting the prior knowledge of the limited number of material compositions in a specimen. However, the application of discrete tomography to practical datasets remains a difficult task due to the underlying challenging mathematical problem. In practice, it is often hard to obtain consistent reconstructions from experimental datasets. In addition, numerous parameters need to be tuned manually, which can lead to bias and non-repeatability. In this paper, we present the application of a new iterative reconstruction technique, named TVR-DART, for discrete electron tomography. The technique is capable of consistently delivering reconstructions with significantly reduced missing wedge artifacts for a variety of challenging data and imaging conditions, and can automatically estimate its key parameters. We describe the principles of the technique and apply it to datasets from three different types of samples acquired under diverse imaging modes. By further reducing the available tilt range and number of projections, we show that the proposed technique can still produce consistent reconstructions with minimized missing wedge artifacts. This new development promises to provide the electron microscopy community with an easy-to-use and robust tool for high-fidelity 3D characterization of nanomaterials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A tangent subsolar merging line

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crooker, N.U.; Siscoe, G.L.; Toffoletto, F.R.

1990-01-01

The authors describe a global magnetospheric model with a single subsolar merging line whose position is determined neither locally by the relative orientations and strengths of the merging fields nor globally by the orientation of a separator line--the governing parameters of most previous models--but by the condition of tangential contact between the external field and the magnetopause. As in previous models, the tilt of the merging line varies with IMF orientation, but here it also depends upon the ratio of Earth's magnetic flux that leaks out of the magnetopause to IMF flux that penetrates in. In the limiting case treated by Alekseyev and Belen'kaya, with no leakage of Earth's field and total IMF penetration, the merging line forms a great circle around a spherical magnetosphere where undeviated IMF lines lie tangent to its surface. This tangent merging line lies perpendicular to the IMF. They extend their work to the case of finite leakage and partial penetration, which distort the IMF into a draped pattern, thus changing the locus of tangency to the sphere. In the special case where the penetrating IMF flux is balanced by an equal amount of Earth flux leakage, the tangent merging line bisects the angle between the IMF and Earth's northward subsolar field. This result is identical to the local merging line model result for merging fields with equal magnitude. Here a global flux balance condition replaces the local equal magnitude condition

Nano-Tomography of Porous Geological Materials Using Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Liu

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Tomographic analysis using focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM provides three-dimensional information about solid materials with a resolution of a few nanometres and thus bridges the gap between X-ray and transmission electron microscopic tomography techniques. This contribution serves as an introduction and overview of FIB-SEM tomography applied to porous materials. Using two different porous Earth materials, a diatomite specimen, and an experimentally produced amorphous silica layer on olivine, we discuss the experimental setup of FIB-SEM tomography. We then focus on image processing procedures, including image alignment, correction, and segmentation to finally result in a three-dimensional, quantified pore network representation of the two example materials. To each image processing step we consider potential issues, such as imaging the back of pore walls, and the generation of image artefacts through the application of processing algorithms. We conclude that there is no single image processing recipe; processing steps need to be decided on a case-by-case study.

Fine structure of granal thylakoid membrane organization using cryo electron tomography

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kouril, Roman; Oostergetel, Gert T.; Boekema, Egbert J.

The architecture of grana membranes from spinach chloroplasts was studied by cryo electron tomography. Tomographic reconstructions of ice-embedded isolated grana stacks enabled to resolve features of photosystem II (PSII) in the native membrane and to assign the absolute orientation of individual

Zernike phase contrast cryo-electron tomography of whole bacterial cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Guerrero-Ferreira, Ricardo C; Wright, Elizabeth R

2014-01-01

Cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) provides three-dimensional (3D) structural information of bacteria preserved in a native, frozen-hydrated state. The typical low contrast of tilt-series images, a result of both the need for a low electron dose and the use of conventional defocus phase-contrast imaging, is a challenge for high-quality tomograms. We show that Zernike phase-contrast imaging allows the electron dose to be reduced. This limits movement of gold fiducials during the tilt series, which leads to better alignment and a higher-resolution reconstruction. Contrast is also enhanced, improving visibility of weak features. The reduced electron dose also means that more images at more tilt angles could be recorded, further increasing resolution. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Merging By Decentralized Eventual Consistency Algorithms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmed-Nacer Mehdi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Merging mechanism is an essential operation for version control systems. When each member of collaborative development works on an individual copy of the project, software merging allows to reconcile modifications made concurrently as well as managing software change through branching. The collaborative system is in charge to propose a merge result that includes user’s modifications. Theusers now have to check and adapt this result. The adaptation should be as effort-less as possible, otherwise, the users may get frustrated and will quit the collaboration. This paper aims to reduce the conflicts during the collaboration and im prove the productivity. It has three objectives: study the users’ behavior during the collaboration, evaluate the quality of textual merging results produced by specific algorithms and propose a solution to improve the r esult quality produced by the default merge tool of distributed version control systems. Through a study of eight open-source repositories totaling more than 3 million lines of code, we observe the behavior of the concurrent modifications during t he merge p rocedure. We i dentified when th e ex isting merge techniques under-perform, and we propose solutions to improve the quality of the merge. We finally compare with the traditional merge tool through a large corpus of collaborative editing.

Tomography of the ionospheric electron density with geostatistical inversion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Minkwitz

2015-08-01

Full Text Available In relation to satellite applications like global navigation satellite systems (GNSS and remote sensing, the electron density distribution of the ionosphere has significant influence on trans-ionospheric radio signal propagation. In this paper, we develop a novel ionospheric tomography approach providing the estimation of the electron density's spatial covariance and based on a best linear unbiased estimator of the 3-D electron density. Therefore a non-stationary and anisotropic covariance model is set up and its parameters are determined within a maximum-likelihood approach incorporating GNSS total electron content measurements and the NeQuick model as background. As a first assessment this 3-D simple kriging approach is applied to a part of Europe. We illustrate the estimated covariance model revealing the different correlation lengths in latitude and longitude direction and its non-stationarity. Furthermore, we show promising improvements of the reconstructed electron densities compared to the background model through the validation of the ionosondes Rome, Italy (RO041, and Dourbes, Belgium (DB049, with electron density profiles for 1 day.

The Fourth Workshop on Lineshape Code Comparison: Line Merging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Spiros Alexiou

2018-03-01

Full Text Available For a given set of plasma parameters, along a single series (Lyman, Balmer, etc. the lines with higher principal quantum number (n lines get progressively wider, closer to each other, and start merging for a certain critical n. In the present work, four different codes (with further options are used to calculate the entire Balmer series for moderate and high electron densities. Particular attention is paid to the relevant physics, such as the cutoff criteria, strong and penetrating electron collisions.

Maximal thickness of the normal human pericardium assessed by electron-beam computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delille, J.P.; Hernigou, A.; Sene, V.; Chatellier, G.; Boudeville, J.C.; Challande, P.; Plainfosse, M.C.

1999-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the maximal value of normal pericardial thickness with an electron-beam computed tomography unit allowing fast scan times of 100 ms to reduce cardiac motion artifacts. Electron-beam computed tomography was performed in 260 patients with hypercholesterolemia and/or hypertension, as these pathologies have no effect on pericardial thickness. The pixel size was 0.5 mm. Measurements could be performed in front of the right ventricle, the right atrioventricular groove, the right atrium, the left ventricle, and the interventricular groove. Maximal thickness of normal pericardium was defined at the 95th percentile. Inter-observer and intra-observer reproducibility studies were assessed from additional CT scans by the Bland and Altman method [24]. The maximal thickness of the normal pericardium was 2 mm for 95 % of cases. For the reproducibility studies, there was no significant relationship between the inter-observer and intra-observer measurements, but all pericardial thickness measurements were ≤ 1.6 mm. Using electron-beam computed tomography, which assists in decreasing substantially cardiac motion artifacts, the threshold of detection of thickened pericardium is statistically established as being 2 mm for 95 % of the patients with hypercholesterolemia and/or hypertension. However, the spatial resolution available prevents a reproducible measure of the real thickness of thin pericardium. (orig.)

Electron capture in very low energy collisions of multicharged ions with H and D in merged beams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Havener, C.C.; Meyer, F.W.; Phaneuf, R.A.

1991-01-01

An ion-atom merged-beams technique is being used to measure total absolute electron-capture cross sections for multicharged ions in collisions with H (or D) in the energy range between 0.1 and 1000 eV/amu. Comparison between experiment and theory over such a large energy range constitutes a critical test for both experiment and theory. Total capture cross-section measurements for O 3+ H(D) and O 5+ + H(D) are presented and compared to state selective and differential cross section calculations. Landau-Zener calculations show that for O 5+ the sharp increase in the measured cross section below 1 eV/amu is partly due to trajectory effects arising from the ion-induced dipole interaction between the reactants. 20 refs., 8 figs

Dayside merging and cusp geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crooker, N.U.

1979-01-01

Geometrical considerations are presented to show that dayside magnetic merging when constrained to act only where the fields are antiparallel results in lines of merging that converge at the polar cusps. An important consequence of this geometry is that no accelerated flows are predicted across the dayside magnetopause. Acceleration owing to merging acts in opposition to the magnetosheath flow at the merging point and produces the variably directed, slower-than-magnetosheath flows observed in the entry layer. Another consequence of the merging geometry is that much of the time closed field lines constitute the subsolar region of the magnetopause. The manner in which the polar cap convection patterns predicted by the proposed geometry change as the interplanetary field is rotated through 360 0 provides a unifying description of how the observed single circular vortex and the crescent-shaped double vortex patterns mutually evolve under the influence of a single operating principle

Advanced reconstruction algorithms for electron tomography: From comparison to combination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goris, B. [EMAT, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Roelandts, T. [Vision Lab, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk (Belgium); Batenburg, K.J. [Vision Lab, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk (Belgium); Centrum Wiskunde and Informatica, Science Park 123, NL-1098XG Amsterdam (Netherlands); Heidari Mezerji, H. [EMAT, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Bals, S., E-mail: sara.bals@ua.ac.be [EMAT, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium)

2013-04-15

In this work, the simultaneous iterative reconstruction technique (SIRT), the total variation minimization (TVM) reconstruction technique and the discrete algebraic reconstruction technique (DART) for electron tomography are compared and the advantages and disadvantages are discussed. Furthermore, we describe how the result of a three dimensional (3D) reconstruction based on TVM can provide objective information that is needed as the input for a DART reconstruction. This approach results in a tomographic reconstruction of which the segmentation is carried out in an objective manner. - Highlights: ► A comparative study between different reconstruction algorithms for tomography is performed. ► Reconstruction algorithms that uses prior knowledge about the specimen have a superior result. ► One reconstruction algorithm can provide the prior knowledge for a second algorithm.

Morphology of magnetic merging at the magnetopause

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crooker, N.U.

1990-01-01

To illustrate the basic features of magnetospheric topology, the development of a global model is traced from the superposition of dipole and uniform fields to the effects of adding, in turn, diffusion regions, surface currents, and a magnetic field component normal to the magnetopause. The subsolar, antiparallel, tearing, and patchy merging geometries proposed in the past all emerge under various conditions, but models tht deduce merging geometry from global boundary conditions are lacking. An exception is a model in which the external field merges wherever it falls tangent to the magnetopause. The result is a subsolar merging line that has all the characteristics of early sketches based on local arguments. Magnetosheath plasma beta affects magnetospheric topology and, consequently, merging geometry. Low, high, and variable beta favor subsolar, tearing, and patchy merging, respectively. Proposed flux transfer event models of burst reconnection from a single merging line, flux ropes from multiple merging lines, and flux tube elbows from patches can also be categorized by plasma beta in the same respective order. The topological modeling reviewed here may prove to be most useful for interpreting merging results from MHD simulations. (author)

Maximal thickness of the normal human pericardium assessed by electron-beam computed tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Delille, J.P.; Hernigou, A.; Sene, V.; Chatellier, G.; Boudeville, J.C.; Challande, P.; Plainfosse, M.C. [Service de Radiologie Centrale, Hopital Broussais, Paris (France)

1999-08-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the maximal value of normal pericardial thickness with an electron-beam computed tomography unit allowing fast scan times of 100 ms to reduce cardiac motion artifacts. Electron-beam computed tomography was performed in 260 patients with hypercholesterolemia and/or hypertension, as these pathologies have no effect on pericardial thickness. The pixel size was 0.5 mm. Measurements could be performed in front of the right ventricle, the right atrioventricular groove, the right atrium, the left ventricle, and the interventricular groove. Maximal thickness of normal pericardium was defined at the 95th percentile. Inter-observer and intra-observer reproducibility studies were assessed from additional CT scans by the Bland and Altman method [24]. The maximal thickness of the normal pericardium was 2 mm for 95 % of cases. For the reproducibility studies, there was no significant relationship between the inter-observer and intra-observer measurements, but all pericardial thickness measurements were {<=} 1.6 mm. Using electron-beam computed tomography, which assists in decreasing substantially cardiac motion artifacts, the threshold of detection of thickened pericardium is statistically established as being 2 mm for 95 % of the patients with hypercholesterolemia and/or hypertension. However, the spatial resolution available prevents a reproducible measure of the real thickness of thin pericardium. (orig.) With 6 figs., 1 tab., 31 refs.

Towards automated electron holographic tomography for 3D mapping of electrostatic potentials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wolf, Daniel, E-mail: Daniel.Wolf@Triebenberg.de [Triebenberg Laboratory, Institute of Structure Physics, Technische Universitaet Dresden, 01062 Dresden (Germany); Lubk, Axel; Lichte, Hannes [Triebenberg Laboratory, Institute of Structure Physics, Technische Universitaet Dresden, 01062 Dresden (Germany); Friedrich, Heiner [Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Sorbonnelaan 16, 3584 CA, Utrecht (Netherlands)

2010-04-15

Electron-holographic tomography (EHT), that is, the combination of off-axis electron holography with electron tomography, was successfully applied for the quantitative 3D mapping of electrostatic potentials at the nanoscale. Here we present the first software package (THOMAS) for semi-automated acquisition of holographic tilt series, a prerequisite for efficient data collection. Using THOMAS, the acquisition time for a holographic tilt series, consisting of object and reference holograms, is reduced by a factor of five on average, compared to the previous, completely manual approaches. Moreover, the existing software packages for retrieving amplitude and phase information from electron holograms have been extended, now including a one-step procedure for holographic tilt series reconstruction. Furthermore, a modified SIRT algorithm (WSIRT) was implemented for the quantitative 3D reconstruction of the electrostatic potential from the aligned phase tilt series. Finally, the application of EHT to a polystyrene latex sphere test-specimen and a pn-doped Ge 'needle'-shaped specimen are presented, illustrating the quantitative character of EHT. For both specimens the mean inner potential (MIP) values were accurately determined from the reconstructed 3D potential. For the Ge specimen, additionally the 'built-in' voltage across the pn junction of 0.5 V was obtained.

Compressed sensing electron tomography of needle-shaped biological specimens – Potential for improved reconstruction fidelity with reduced dose

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saghi, Zineb, E-mail: saghizineb@gmail.com [Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS (United Kingdom); Divitini, Giorgio [Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS (United Kingdom); Winter, Benjamin [Center for Nanoanalysis and Electron Microscopy (CENEM), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstraße 6, 91058 Erlangen (Germany); Leary, Rowan [Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS (United Kingdom); Spiecker, Erdmann [Center for Nanoanalysis and Electron Microscopy (CENEM), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Cauerstraße 6, 91058 Erlangen (Germany); Ducati, Caterina [Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS (United Kingdom); Midgley, Paul A., E-mail: pam33@cam.ac.uk [Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS (United Kingdom)

2016-01-15

Electron tomography is an invaluable method for 3D cellular imaging. The technique is, however, limited by the specimen geometry, with a loss of resolution due to a restricted tilt range, an increase in specimen thickness with tilt, and a resultant need for subjective and time-consuming manual segmentation. Here we show that 3D reconstructions of needle-shaped biological samples exhibit isotropic resolution, facilitating improved automated segmentation and feature detection. By using scanning transmission electron tomography, with small probe convergence angles, high spatial resolution is maintained over large depths of field and across the tilt range. Moreover, the application of compressed sensing methods to the needle data demonstrates how high fidelity reconstructions may be achieved with far fewer images (and thus greatly reduced dose) than needed by conventional methods. These findings open the door to high fidelity electron tomography over critically relevant length-scales, filling an important gap between existing 3D cellular imaging techniques. - Highlights: • On-axis electron tomography of a needle-shaped biological sample is presented. • A reconstruction with isotropic resolution is achieved. • Compressed sensing methods are compared to conventional reconstruction algorithms. • High fidelity reconstructions are achieved with greatly undersampled datasets.

Compressed sensing electron tomography of needle-shaped biological specimens – Potential for improved reconstruction fidelity with reduced dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saghi, Zineb; Divitini, Giorgio; Winter, Benjamin; Leary, Rowan; Spiecker, Erdmann; Ducati, Caterina; Midgley, Paul A.

2016-01-01

Electron tomography is an invaluable method for 3D cellular imaging. The technique is, however, limited by the specimen geometry, with a loss of resolution due to a restricted tilt range, an increase in specimen thickness with tilt, and a resultant need for subjective and time-consuming manual segmentation. Here we show that 3D reconstructions of needle-shaped biological samples exhibit isotropic resolution, facilitating improved automated segmentation and feature detection. By using scanning transmission electron tomography, with small probe convergence angles, high spatial resolution is maintained over large depths of field and across the tilt range. Moreover, the application of compressed sensing methods to the needle data demonstrates how high fidelity reconstructions may be achieved with far fewer images (and thus greatly reduced dose) than needed by conventional methods. These findings open the door to high fidelity electron tomography over critically relevant length-scales, filling an important gap between existing 3D cellular imaging techniques. - Highlights: • On-axis electron tomography of a needle-shaped biological sample is presented. • A reconstruction with isotropic resolution is achieved. • Compressed sensing methods are compared to conventional reconstruction algorithms. • High fidelity reconstructions are achieved with greatly undersampled datasets.

Numerical Investigation of Merged and Non-merged Flame of a Twin Cavity Annular Trapped Vortex Combustor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pravendra Kumar

2016-09-01

Full Text Available : The present work is focused to characterize numerically the merged and non-merged flame emanating from the cavities in downstream of twin cavity Annular Trapped Vortex Combustor (ATVC.The isotherm corresponding to the auto-ignition temperature is used to locate the merging point of the flame in the mainstream region along the combustor length. In present study, the cavity flame is said to be merged only if this isotherm corresponding to self-ignition temperature of methane is located within 20 percentage of the combustor length from aft wall of cavities. It is interesting to note that on increasing the power loading parameter (PLP in mainstream for a constant power loading parameter ratio (outer to inner cavity, the merging point gets shifted towards the cavity aft-wall. This leads to the reduction of combustor length and subsequent reduction in overall weight of the gas turbine engine.

Merged neutral beams

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Osterwalder, Andreas [Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), Institute for Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Lausanne (Switzerland)

2015-12-15

A detailed description of a merged beam apparatus for the study of low energy molecular scattering is given. This review is intended to guide any scientist who plans to construct a similar experiment, and to provide some inspiration in describing the approach we chose to our goal. In our experiment a supersonic expansion of paramagnetic particles is merged with one of polar molecules. A magnetic and an electric multipole guide are used to bend the two beams onto the same axis. We here describe in detail how the apparatus is designed, characterised, and operated. (orig.)

Positron emission tomography imaging of gene expression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang Ganghua

2001-01-01

The merging of molecular biology and nuclear medicine is developed into molecular nuclear medicine. Positron emission tomography (PET) of gene expression in molecular nuclear medicine has become an attractive area. Positron emission tomography imaging gene expression includes the antisense PET imaging and the reporter gene PET imaging. It is likely that the antisense PET imaging will lag behind the reporter gene PET imaging because of the numerous issues that have not yet to be resolved with this approach. The reporter gene PET imaging has wide application into animal experimental research and human applications of this approach will likely be reported soon

Prospects of linear reconstruction in atomic resolution electron holographic tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krehl, Jonas; Lubk, Axel

2015-01-01

Tomography commonly requires a linear relation between the measured signal and the underlying specimen property; for Electron Holographic Tomography this is given by the Phase Grating Approximation (PGA). While largely valid at medium resolution, discrepancies arise at high resolution imaging conditions. We set out to investigate the artefacts that are produced if the reconstruction still assumes the PGA even with an atomic resolution tilt series. To forego experimental difficulties the holographic tilt series was simulated. The reconstructed electric potential clearly shows peaks at the positions of the atoms. These peaks have characterisitic deformations, which can be traced back to the defocus a particular atom has in the holograms of the tilt series. Exchanging an atom for one of a different atomic number results in a significant change in the reconstructed potential that is well contained within the atom's peak. - Highlights: • We simulate a holographic tilt series of a nanocrystal with atomic resolution. • Using PGA-based Holographic Tomography we reconstruct the atomic structure. • The reconstruction shows characteristic artefacts, chiefly caused by defocus. • Changing one atom's Z produces a well localised in the reconstruction

Prospects of linear reconstruction in atomic resolution electron holographic tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krehl, Jonas, E-mail: Jonas.Krehl@triebenberg.de; Lubk, Axel

2015-03-15

Tomography commonly requires a linear relation between the measured signal and the underlying specimen property; for Electron Holographic Tomography this is given by the Phase Grating Approximation (PGA). While largely valid at medium resolution, discrepancies arise at high resolution imaging conditions. We set out to investigate the artefacts that are produced if the reconstruction still assumes the PGA even with an atomic resolution tilt series. To forego experimental difficulties the holographic tilt series was simulated. The reconstructed electric potential clearly shows peaks at the positions of the atoms. These peaks have characterisitic deformations, which can be traced back to the defocus a particular atom has in the holograms of the tilt series. Exchanging an atom for one of a different atomic number results in a significant change in the reconstructed potential that is well contained within the atom's peak. - Highlights: • We simulate a holographic tilt series of a nanocrystal with atomic resolution. • Using PGA-based Holographic Tomography we reconstruct the atomic structure. • The reconstruction shows characteristic artefacts, chiefly caused by defocus. • Changing one atom's Z produces a well localised in the reconstruction.

Bouncing and Merging of Liquid Jets

Science.gov (United States)

Saha, Abhishek; Li, Minglei; Law, Chung K.

2014-11-01

Collision of two fluid jets is a technique that is utilized in many industrial applications, such as in rocket engines, to achieve controlled mixing, atomization and sometimes liquid phase reactions. Thus, the dynamics of colliding jets have direct impact on the performance, efficiency and reliability of such applications. In analogy with the dynamics of droplet-droplet collision, in this work we have experimentally demonstrated, for n-alkane hydrocarbons as well as water, that with increasing impact inertia obliquely colliding jets also exhibit the same nonmonotonic responses of merging, bouncing, merging again, and merging followed by disintegration; and that the continuous entrainment of the boundary layer air over the jet surface into the colliding interfacial region leads to two distinguishing features of jet collision, namely: there exists a maximum impact angle beyond which merging is always possible, and that merging is inhibited and then promoted with increasing pressure. These distinct response regimes were mapped and explained on the bases of impact inertia, deformation of the jet surface, viscous loss within the jet interior, and the thickness and pressure build-up within the interfacial region in order to activate the attractive surface van der Waals force to effect merging.

Three dimensional mapping of Fe dopants in ceria nanocrystals using direct spectroscopic electron tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goris, Bart; Meledina, Maria; Turner, Stuart [EMAT, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Zhong, Zhichao [Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica, P.O. Box 94079, 1090 GB Amsterdam (Netherlands); Batenburg, K. Joost [Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica, P.O. Box 94079, 1090 GB Amsterdam (Netherlands); Mathematical Institute, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 1, 2333CA Leiden (Netherlands); Bals, Sara [EMAT, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp (Belgium)

2016-12-15

Electron tomography is a powerful technique for the 3D characterization of the morphology of nanostructures. Nevertheless, resolving the chemical composition of complex nanostructures in 3D remains challenging and the number of studies in which electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) is combined with tomography is limited. During the last decade, dedicated reconstruction algorithms have been developed for HAADF-STEM tomography using prior knowledge about the investigated sample. Here, we will use the prior knowledge that the experimental spectrum of each reconstructed voxel is a linear combination of a well-known set of references spectra in a so-called direct spectroscopic tomography technique. Based on a simulation experiment, it is shown that this technique provides superior results in comparison to conventional reconstruction methods for spectroscopic data, especially for spectrum images containing a relatively low signal to noise ratio. Next, this technique is used to investigate the spatial distribution of Fe dopants in Fe:Ceria nanoparticles in 3D. It is shown that the presence of the Fe{sup 2+} dopants is correlated with a reduction of the Ce atoms from Ce{sup 4+} towards Ce{sup 3+}. In addition, it is demonstrated that most of the Fe dopants are located near the voids inside the nanoparticle. - Highlights: • A direct tomographic reconstruction technique is proposed for spectroscopic data. • Spectrum fitting is combined with a tomography reconstruction in a single step. • The technique yields superior results for data with a low signal to noise ratio. • The technique is applied to map Fe dopants in ceria nanoparticles.

Study of localized corrosion in AA2024 aluminium alloy using electron tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, X.; Luo, C.; Hashimoto, T.; Hughes, A.E.; Thompson, G.E.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► SEM tomography of localized corrosion has been achieved. ► Nanotomography provides evidence that links microstructure and corrosion propagation path. ► IGC stemmed from localized corrosion associated with buried clusters of intermetallics. ► IGC started beneath the alloy surface and may emerge on the alloy surface. - Abstract: SEM based tomography of localized corrosion has been achieved using selective detection of backscattered electrons. The high resolution tomography provides direct evidence that links the surface appearance of corroded alloy, the alloy microstructure and the corrosion propagation path. Stable localized corrosion of AA2024-T351 aluminium alloy was initiated at locations where large clusters of S phase particles were buried beneath the surface. Propagating away from the initiation sites, corrosion developed preferentially along the grain boundary network. The grain boundary attack started beneath the alloy surface, proceeded along preferred grain boundaries and may emerge at the alloy surface.

Automatic generation of data merging program codes.

OpenAIRE

Hyensook, Kim; Oussena, Samia; Zhang, Ying; Clark, Tony

2010-01-01

Data merging is an essential part of ETL (Extract-Transform-Load) processes to build a data warehouse system. To avoid rewheeling merging techniques, we propose a Data Merging Meta-model (DMM) and its transformation into executable program codes in the manner of model driven engineering. DMM allows defining relationships of different model entities and their merging types in conceptual level. Our formalized transformation described using ATL (ATLAS Transformation Language) enables automatic g...

Electron tomography, three-dimensional Fourier analysis and colour prediction of a three-dimensional amorphous biophotonic nanostructure

Science.gov (United States)

Shawkey, Matthew D.; Saranathan, Vinodkumar; Pálsdóttir, Hildur; Crum, John; Ellisman, Mark H.; Auer, Manfred; Prum, Richard O.

2009-01-01

Organismal colour can be created by selective absorption of light by pigments or light scattering by photonic nanostructures. Photonic nanostructures may vary in refractive index over one, two or three dimensions and may be periodic over large spatial scales or amorphous with short-range order. Theoretical optical analysis of three-dimensional amorphous nanostructures has been challenging because these structures are difficult to describe accurately from conventional two-dimensional electron microscopy alone. Intermediate voltage electron microscopy (IVEM) with tomographic reconstruction adds three-dimensional data by using a high-power electron beam to penetrate and image sections of material sufficiently thick to contain a significant portion of the structure. Here, we use IVEM tomography to characterize a non-iridescent, three-dimensional biophotonic nanostructure: the spongy medullary layer from eastern bluebird Sialia sialis feather barbs. Tomography and three-dimensional Fourier analysis reveal that it is an amorphous, interconnected bicontinuous matrix that is appropriately ordered at local spatial scales in all three dimensions to coherently scatter light. The predicted reflectance spectra from the three-dimensional Fourier analysis are more precise than those predicted by previous two-dimensional Fourier analysis of transmission electron microscopy sections. These results highlight the usefulness, and obstacles, of tomography in the description and analysis of three-dimensional photonic structures. PMID:19158016

Recent advances in the application of electron tomography to materials chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Leary, Rowan; Midgley, Paul A; Thomas, John Meurig

2012-10-16

Nowadays, tomography plays a central role in pureand applied science, in medicine, and in many branches of engineering and technology. It entails reconstructing the three-dimensional (3D) structure of an object from a tilt series of two-dimensional (2D) images. Its origin goes back to 1917, when Radon showed mathematically how a series of 2D projection images could be converted to the 3D structural one. Tomographic X-ray and positron scanning for 3D medical imaging, with a resolution of ∼1 mm, is now ubiquitous in major hospitals. Electron tomography, a relatively new chemical tool, with a resolution of ∼1 nm, has been recently adopted by materials chemists as an invaluable aid for the 3D study of the morphologies, spatially-discriminating chemical compositions, and defect properties of nanostructured materials. In this Account, we review the advances that have been made in facilitating the recording of the required series of 2D electron microscopic images and the subsequent process of 3D reconstruction of specimens that are vulnerable, to a greater or lesser degree, to electron beam damage. We describe how high-fidelity 3D tomograms may be obtained from relatively few 2D images by incorporating prior structural knowledge into the reconstruction process. In particular, we highlight the vital role of compressed sensing, a recently developed procedure well-known to information theorists that exploits ideas of image compression and "sparsity" (that the important image information can be captured in a reduced data set). We also touch upon another promising approach, "discrete" tomography, which builds into the reconstruction process a prior assumption that the object can be described in discrete terms, such as the number of constituent materials and their expected densities. Other advances made recently that we outline, such as the availability of aberration-corrected electron microscopes, electron wavelength monochromators, and sophisticated specimen goniometers

Temporal-spatial structure of magnetic merging at the magnetopause inferred from 557.7-nm all-sky images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. C. Maynard

2004-09-01

Full Text Available We demonstrate that high-resolution 557.7-nm all-sky images are useful tools for investigating the spatial and temporal evolution of merging on the dayside magnetopause. Analysis of ground and satellite measurements leads us to conclude that high-latitude merging events can occur at multiple sites simultaneously and vary asynchronously on time scales of 30s to 3min. Variations of 557.7nm emissions were observed at a 10s cadence at Ny-Ålesund on 19 December 2001, while significant changes in the IMF clock angle were reaching the magnetopause. The optical patterns are consistent with a scenario in which merging occurs around the rim of the high-latitude cusp at positions dictated by the IMF clock angle. Electrons energized at merging sites represent plausible sources for 557.7nm emissions in the cusp. Polar observations at the magnetopause have directly linked enhanced fluxes of ≥0.5keV electrons with merging. Spectra of electrons responsible for some of the emissions, measured during a DMSP F15 overflight, exhibit "inverted-V" features, indicating further acceleration above the ionosphere. SuperDARN spectral width boundaries, characteristic of open-closed field line transitions, are located at the equatorward edge of the 557.7nm emissions. Optical data suggest that with IMF BY>0, the Northern Hemisphere cusp divides into three source regions. When the IMF clock angle was ~150° structured 557.7-nm emissions came from east of the 13:00 MLT meridian. At larger clock angles the emissions appeared between 12:00 and 13:00 MLT. No significant 557.7-nm emissions were detected in the prenoon MLT sector. MHD simulations corroborate our scenario, showing that with the observed large dipole-tilt and IMF clock angles, merging sites develop near the front and eastern portions of the high-altitude cusp rim in the Northern Hemisphere and near the western part of the cusp rim in the Southern Hemisphere.

Changes in thunderstorm characteristics due to feeder cloud merging

Science.gov (United States)

Sinkevich, Andrei A.; Krauss, Terrence W.

2014-06-01

Cumulus cloud merging is a complex dynamical and microphysical process in which two convective cells merge into a single cell. Previous radar observations and numerical simulations have shown a substantial increase in the maximum area, maximum echo top and maximum reflectivity as a result of the merging process. Although the qualitative aspects of merging have been well documented, the quantitative effects on storm properties remain less defined. Therefore, a statistical assessment of changes in storm characteristics due to merging is of importance. Further investigation into the effects of cloud merging on precipitation flux (Pflux) in a statistical manner provided the motivation for this study in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia. It was confirmed that merging has a strong effect on storm development in this region. The data analysis shows that an increase in the median of the distribution of maximum reflectivity was observed just after merging and was equal to 3.9 dBZ. A detailed analysis of the individual merge cases compared the merged storm Pflux and mass to the sum of the individual Feeder and Storm portions just before merging for each case. The merged storm Pflux increased an average of 106% over the 20-min period after merging, and the mass increased on average 143%. The merged storm clearly became larger and more severe than the sum of the two parts prior to merging. One consequence of this study is that any attempts to evaluate the precipitation enhancement effects of cloud seeding must also include the issue of cloud mergers because merging can have a significant effect on the results.

Automated discrete electron tomography – Towards routine high-fidelity reconstruction of nanomaterials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

X. Zhuge (Jason); H. Jinnai (Hiroshi); R.E. Dunin-Borkowski (Rafal); V. Migunov (Vadim); S. Bals (Sara); P. Cool (Pegie); A.-J. Bons (Anton-Jan); K.J. Batenburg (Joost)

2017-01-01

textabstractElectron tomography is an essential imaging technique for the investigation of morphology and 3D structure of nanomaterials. This method, however, suffers from well-known missing wedge artifacts due to a restricted tilt range, which limits the objectiveness, repeatability and efficiency

DETECTION OF FLUX EMERGENCE, SPLITTING, MERGING, AND CANCELLATION OF NETWORK FIELD. I. SPLITTING AND MERGING

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iida, Y.; Yokoyama, T. [Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan); Hagenaar, H. J. [Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Center, Org. ADBS, Building 252, 3251 Hanover Street, Palo Alto, CA 94304 (United States)

2012-06-20

Frequencies of magnetic patch processes on the supergranule boundary, namely, flux emergence, splitting, merging, and cancellation, are investigated through automatic detection. We use a set of line-of-sight magnetograms taken by the Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) on board the Hinode satellite. We found 1636 positive patches and 1637 negative patches in the data set, whose time duration is 3.5 hr and field of view is 112'' Multiplication-Sign 112''. The total numbers of magnetic processes are as follows: 493 positive and 482 negative splittings, 536 positive and 535 negative mergings, 86 cancellations, and 3 emergences. The total numbers of emergence and cancellation are significantly smaller than those of splitting and merging. Further, the frequency dependence of the merging and splitting processes on the flux content are investigated. Merging has a weak dependence on the flux content with a power-law index of only 0.28. The timescale for splitting is found to be independent of the parent flux content before splitting, which corresponds to {approx}33 minutes. It is also found that patches split into any flux contents with the same probability. This splitting has a power-law distribution of the flux content with an index of -2 as a time-independent solution. These results support that the frequency distribution of the flux content in the analyzed flux range is rapidly maintained by merging and splitting, namely, surface processes. We suggest a model for frequency distributions of cancellation and emergence based on this idea.

The ASTRA Toolbox: A platform for advanced algorithm development in electron tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aarle, Wim van, E-mail: wim.vanaarle@uantwerpen.be [iMinds-Vision Lab, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk (Belgium); Palenstijn, Willem Jan, E-mail: willemjan.palenstijn@uantwerpen.be [iMinds-Vision Lab, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk (Belgium); Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica, Science Park 123, NL-1098 XG Amsterdam (Netherlands); De Beenhouwer, Jan, E-mail: jan.debeenhouwer@uantwerpen.be [iMinds-Vision Lab, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk (Belgium); Altantzis, Thomas, E-mail: thomas.altantzis@uantwerpen.be [Electron Microscopy for Materials Science, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Wilrijk (Belgium); Bals, Sara, E-mail: sara.bals@uantwerpen.be [Electron Microscopy for Materials Science, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Wilrijk (Belgium); Batenburg, K. Joost, E-mail: joost.batenburg@cwi.nl [iMinds-Vision Lab, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk (Belgium); Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica, Science Park 123, NL-1098 XG Amsterdam (Netherlands); Mathematical Institute, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9512, NL-2300 RA Leiden (Netherlands); Sijbers, Jan, E-mail: jan.sijbers@uantwerpen.be [iMinds-Vision Lab, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk (Belgium)

2015-10-15

We present the ASTRA Toolbox as an open platform for 3D image reconstruction in tomography. Most of the software tools that are currently used in electron tomography offer limited flexibility with respect to the geometrical parameters of the acquisition model and the algorithms used for reconstruction. The ASTRA Toolbox provides an extensive set of fast and flexible building blocks that can be used to develop advanced reconstruction algorithms, effectively removing these limitations. We demonstrate this flexibility, the resulting reconstruction quality, and the computational efficiency of this toolbox by a series of experiments, based on experimental dual-axis tilt series. - Highlights: • The ASTRA Toolbox is an open platform for 3D image reconstruction in tomography. • Advanced reconstruction algorithms can be prototyped using the fast and flexible building blocks. • This flexibility is demonstrated on a common use case: dual-axis tilt series reconstruction with prior knowledge. • The computational efficiency is validated on an experimentally measured tilt series.

The ASTRA Toolbox: A platform for advanced algorithm development in electron tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aarle, Wim van; Palenstijn, Willem Jan; De Beenhouwer, Jan; Altantzis, Thomas; Bals, Sara; Batenburg, K. Joost; Sijbers, Jan

2015-01-01

We present the ASTRA Toolbox as an open platform for 3D image reconstruction in tomography. Most of the software tools that are currently used in electron tomography offer limited flexibility with respect to the geometrical parameters of the acquisition model and the algorithms used for reconstruction. The ASTRA Toolbox provides an extensive set of fast and flexible building blocks that can be used to develop advanced reconstruction algorithms, effectively removing these limitations. We demonstrate this flexibility, the resulting reconstruction quality, and the computational efficiency of this toolbox by a series of experiments, based on experimental dual-axis tilt series. - Highlights: • The ASTRA Toolbox is an open platform for 3D image reconstruction in tomography. • Advanced reconstruction algorithms can be prototyped using the fast and flexible building blocks. • This flexibility is demonstrated on a common use case: dual-axis tilt series reconstruction with prior knowledge. • The computational efficiency is validated on an experimentally measured tilt series

A merged-beam setup at SOLEIL dedicated to photoelectron–photoion coincidence studies on ionic species

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bizau, J.M., E-mail: jean-marc.bizau@u-psud.fr [Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d’Orsay (ISMO), CNRS, Univ. Paris Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91405 Orsay (France); Synchrotron SOLEIL, L’Orme des Merisiers, Saint-Aubin, BP 48, F-91192 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex (France); Cubaynes, D. [Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d’Orsay (ISMO), CNRS, Univ. Paris Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91405 Orsay (France); Synchrotron SOLEIL, L’Orme des Merisiers, Saint-Aubin, BP 48, F-91192 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex (France); Guilbaud, S.; El Eassan, N.; Al Shorman, M.M.; Bouisset, E.; Guigand, J.; Moustier, O.; Marié, A.; Nadal, E. [Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d’Orsay (ISMO), CNRS, Univ. Paris Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91405 Orsay (France); Robert, E.; Nicolas, C. [Synchrotron SOLEIL, L’Orme des Merisiers, Saint-Aubin, BP 48, F-91192 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex (France); Miron, C. [Synchrotron SOLEIL, L’Orme des Merisiers, Saint-Aubin, BP 48, F-91192 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex (France); Extreme Light Infrastructure—Nuclear Physics, “Horia Hulubei” National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering, 30 Reactorului Street, RO-077125 Măgurele, Jud. Ilfov (Romania)

2016-07-15

Highlights: • Description of a merged-beam setup at SOLEIL synchrotron radiation facility. • Unique setup of this kind allowing photoelectron spectroscopy on ionic species. • Use of electron-ion coincidence to reduce the background. • Examples on the photoionization of Xe{sup 5+} multiply-charged ion. - Abstract: We describe the merged-beam setup permanently installed on a dedicated optical branch of the PLEIADES beamline at SOLEIL, the French synchrotron radiation facility in St-Aubin, delivering photons in the 10–1000 eV photon energy range. The setup is designed both for photoion and photoelectron spectroscopy experiments on atomic and molecular ions. Ion spectrometry is dedicated to the determination of absolute single and multiple photoionization cross sections. Electron spectroscopy brings additional information on the non-radiative decay of inner-vacancies produced in the photoionization processes and allows for the determination of partial cross sections. Efficient reduction of the background in the electron spectra is achieved by the use of the electron-ion coincidence technique. Examples of photoion and photoelectron spectra are given for the Xe{sup 5+} ion.

Merged ozone profiles from four MIPAS processors

Science.gov (United States)

Laeng, Alexandra; von Clarmann, Thomas; Stiller, Gabriele; Dinelli, Bianca Maria; Dudhia, Anu; Raspollini, Piera; Glatthor, Norbert; Grabowski, Udo; Sofieva, Viktoria; Froidevaux, Lucien; Walker, Kaley A.; Zehner, Claus

2017-04-01

The Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS) was an infrared (IR) limb emission spectrometer on the Envisat platform. Currently, there are four MIPAS ozone data products, including the operational Level-2 ozone product processed at ESA, with the scientific prototype processor being operated at IFAC Florence, and three independent research products developed by the Istituto di Fisica Applicata Nello Carrara (ISAC-CNR)/University of Bologna, Oxford University, and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology-Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research/Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (KIT-IMK/IAA). Here we present a dataset of ozone vertical profiles obtained by merging ozone retrievals from four independent Level-2 MIPAS processors. We also discuss the advantages and the shortcomings of this merged product. As the four processors retrieve ozone in different parts of the spectra (microwindows), the source measurements can be considered as nearly independent with respect to measurement noise. Hence, the information content of the merged product is greater and the precision is better than those of any parent (source) dataset. The merging is performed on a profile per profile basis. Parent ozone profiles are weighted based on the corresponding error covariance matrices; the error correlations between different profile levels are taken into account. The intercorrelations between the processors' errors are evaluated statistically and are used in the merging. The height range of the merged product is 20-55 km, and error covariance matrices are provided as diagnostics. Validation of the merged dataset is performed by comparison with ozone profiles from ACE-FTS (Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment-Fourier Transform Spectrometer) and MLS (Microwave Limb Sounder). Even though the merging is not supposed to remove the biases of the parent datasets, around the ozone volume mixing ratio peak the merged product is found to have a smaller (up to 0.1 ppmv

A methodology for finding the optimal iteration number of the SIRT algorithm for quantitative Electron Tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Okariz, Ana, E-mail: ana.okariz@ehu.es [eMERG, Fisika Aplikatua I Saila, Faculty of Engineering, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Rafael Moreno “Pitxitxi” Pasealekua 3, 48013 Bilbao (Spain); Guraya, Teresa [eMERG, Departamento de Ingeniería Minera y Metalúrgica y Ciencia de los Materiales, Faculty of Engineering, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Rafael Moreno “Pitxitxi” Pasealekua 3, 48013 Bilbao (Spain); Iturrondobeitia, Maider [eMERG, Departamento de Expresión Gráfica y Proyectos de Ingeniería, Faculty of Engineering, University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Rafael Moreno “Pitxitxi” Pasealekua 3, 48013 Bilbao (Spain); Ibarretxe, Julen [eMERG, Fisika Aplikatua I Saila, Faculty of Engineering,University of the Basque Country, UPV/EHU, Rafael Moreno “Pitxitxi” Pasealekua 2, 48013 Bilbao (Spain)

2017-02-15

The SIRT (Simultaneous Iterative Reconstruction Technique) algorithm is commonly used in Electron Tomography to calculate the original volume of the sample from noisy images, but the results provided by this iterative procedure are strongly dependent on the specific implementation of the algorithm, as well as on the number of iterations employed for the reconstruction. In this work, a methodology for selecting the iteration number of the SIRT reconstruction that provides the most accurate segmentation is proposed. The methodology is based on the statistical analysis of the intensity profiles at the edge of the objects in the reconstructed volume. A phantom which resembles a a carbon black aggregate has been created to validate the methodology and the SIRT implementations of two free software packages (TOMOJ and TOMO3D) have been used. - Highlights: • The non uniformity of the resolution in electron tomography reconstructions has been demonstrated. • An overall resolution for the evaluation of the quality of electron tomography reconstructions has been defined. • Parameters for estimating an overall resolution across the reconstructed volume have been proposed. • The overall resolution of the reconstructions of a phantom has been estimated from the probability density functions. • It has been proven that reconstructions with the best overall resolutions have provided the most accurate segmentations.

A methodology for finding the optimal iteration number of the SIRT algorithm for quantitative Electron Tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okariz, Ana; Guraya, Teresa; Iturrondobeitia, Maider; Ibarretxe, Julen

2017-01-01

The SIRT (Simultaneous Iterative Reconstruction Technique) algorithm is commonly used in Electron Tomography to calculate the original volume of the sample from noisy images, but the results provided by this iterative procedure are strongly dependent on the specific implementation of the algorithm, as well as on the number of iterations employed for the reconstruction. In this work, a methodology for selecting the iteration number of the SIRT reconstruction that provides the most accurate segmentation is proposed. The methodology is based on the statistical analysis of the intensity profiles at the edge of the objects in the reconstructed volume. A phantom which resembles a a carbon black aggregate has been created to validate the methodology and the SIRT implementations of two free software packages (TOMOJ and TOMO3D) have been used. - Highlights: • The non uniformity of the resolution in electron tomography reconstructions has been demonstrated. • An overall resolution for the evaluation of the quality of electron tomography reconstructions has been defined. • Parameters for estimating an overall resolution across the reconstructed volume have been proposed. • The overall resolution of the reconstructions of a phantom has been estimated from the probability density functions. • It has been proven that reconstructions with the best overall resolutions have provided the most accurate segmentations.

Comparing electron tomography and HRTEM slicing methods as tools to measure the thickness of nanoparticles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alloyeau, D., E-mail: alloyeau.damien@gmail.com [Laboratoire Materiaux et Phenomenes Quantiques, Universite Paris 7/CNRS, UMR 7162, 2 Place Jussieu, 75251 Paris (France); Laboratoire d' Etude des Microstructures - ONERA/CNRS, UMR 104, B.P. 72, 92322 Chatillon (France); Ricolleau, C. [Laboratoire Materiaux et Phenomenes Quantiques, Universite Paris 7/CNRS, UMR 7162, 2 Place Jussieu, 75251 Paris (France); Oikawa, T. [Laboratoire Materiaux et Phenomenes Quantiques, Universite Paris 7/CNRS, UMR 7162, 2 Place Jussieu, 75251 Paris (France); JEOL (Europe) SAS, Espace Claude Monet, 1 Allee de Giverny, 78290 Croissy-sur-Seine (France); Langlois, C. [Laboratoire Materiaux et Phenomenes Quantiques, Universite Paris 7/CNRS, UMR 7162, 2 Place Jussieu, 75251 Paris (France); Le Bouar, Y.; Loiseau, A. [Laboratoire d' Etude des Microstructures - ONERA/CNRS, UMR 104, B.P. 72, 92322 Chatillon (France)

2009-06-15

Nanoparticles' morphology is a key parameter in the understanding of their thermodynamical, optical, magnetic and catalytic properties. In general, nanoparticles, observed in transmission electron microscopy (TEM), are viewed in projection so that the determination of their thickness (along the projection direction) with respect to their projected lateral size is highly questionable. To date, the widely used methods to measure nanoparticles thickness in a transmission electron microscope are to use cross-section images or focal series in high-resolution transmission electron microscopy imaging (HRTEM 'slicing'). In this paper, we compare the focal series method with the electron tomography method to show that both techniques yield similar particle thickness in a range of size from 1 to 5 nm, but the electron tomography method provides better statistics since more particles can be analyzed at one time. For this purpose, we have compared, on the same samples, the nanoparticles thickness measurements obtained from focal series with the ones determined from cross-section profiles of tomograms (tomogram slicing) perpendicular to the plane of the substrate supporting the nanoparticles. The methodology is finally applied to the comparison of CoPt nanoparticles annealed ex situ at two different temperatures to illustrate the accuracy of the techniques in detecting small particle thickness changes.

3D Observation of GEMS by Electron Tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuno, Junya; Miyake, Akira; Tsuchiyama, Akira; Nakamura-Messenger, Keiko; Messenger, Scott

2014-01-01

Amorphous silicates in chondritic porous interplanetary dust particles (CP-IDPs) coming from comets are dominated by glass with embedded metal and sulfides (GEMS). GEMS grains are submicron-sized rounded objects (typically 100-500) nm in diameter) with anaometer-sized (10-50 nm) Fe-Ni metal and sulfide grains embedded in an amorphous silicate matrix. Several formation processes for GEMS grains have been proposed so far, but these models are still being debated [2-5]. Bradley et al. proposed that GEMS grains are interstellar silicate dust that survived various metamorphism or alteration processes in the protoplanetary disk and that they are amorphiation products of crystalline silicates in the interstellar medium by sputter-deposition of cosmic ray irradiation, similar to space weathering [2,4]. This consideration is based on the observation of nano-sized crystals (approximately 10 nm) called relict grains in GEMS grains and their shapes are pseudomorphs to the host GEMS grains. On the other hand, Keller and Messenger proposed that most GEMS formed in the protoplanetary disk as condensates from high temperature gas [3,5]. This model is based on the fact that most GEMS grains have solar isotopic compositions and have extremely heterogeneous and non-solar elemental compositions. Keller and Messenger (2011) also reported that amorphous silicates in GEMS grains are surrounded by sulfide grains, which formed as sulfidization of metallic iron grains located on the GEMS surface. The previous studies were performed with 2D observation by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) or scanning TEM (STEM). In order to understand the structure of GEMS grains described above more clearly, we observed 3D structure of GEMS grains by electron tomography using a TEM/STEM (JEM-2100F, JEOL) at Kyoto University. Electron tomography gives not only 3D structures but also gives higher spatial resolution (approximately a few nm) than that in conventional 2D image, which is restricted by

Limiting factors in single particle cryo electron tomography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mikhail Kudryashev

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Modern methods of cryo electron microscopy and tomography allow visualization of protein nanomachines in their native state at the nanometer scale. Image processing methods including sub-volume averaging applied to repeating macromolecular elements within tomograms allow exploring their structures within the native context of the cell, avoiding the need for protein isolation and purification. Today, many different data acquisition protocols and software solutions are available to researchers to determine average structures of macromolecular complexes and potentially to classify structural intermediates. Here, we list the density maps reported in the literature, and analyze each structure for the chosen instrumental settings, sample conditions, main processing steps, and obtained resolution. We present conclusions that identify factors currently limiting the resolution gained by this approach.

The 2003 Merged Model for Vietnam

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Henning Tarp; Tarp, Finn

This monograph documents the 2003 Merged Model for Vietnam. The initialization and calibration of the model is based on a financial 2003 SAM framework and an auxiliary 2002-3 data set. The recursive nature of the solution of the Merged Model is discussed with reference to the four main sectors...

Merging startup experiments on the UTST spherical tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamada, Takuma; Kamio, Shuji; Imazawa, Ryota

2010-01-01

The University of Tokyo Spherical Tokamak (UTST) was constructed to explore the formation of ultrahigh-beta spherical tokamak (ST) plasmas using double null plasma merging. The main feature of the UTST is that the poloidal field coils are located outside the vacuum vessel to demonstrate startup in a reactor-relevant situation. Initial operations used partially completed power supplies to investigate the appropriate conditions for plasma merging. The plasma current of the merged ST reached 100 kA when the central solenoid coil was used to assist plasma formation. Merging of two ST plasmas through magnetic reconnection was successfully observed using two-dimensional pickup coil arrays, which directly measure the toroidal and axial magnetic fields inside the UTST vacuum vessel. The resistivity of the current sheet was found to be anomalously high during merging. (author)

Modeling cooperative driving behavior in freeway merges.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-01

Merging locations are major sources of freeway bottlenecks and are therefore important for freeway operations analysis. Microscopic simulation tools have been successfully used to analyze merging bottlenecks and to design optimum geometric configurat...

On-the Fly Merging of Attitude Solutions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Peter Siegbjørn; Jørgensen, John Leif; Denver, Troelz

2008-01-01

Recent advances in autonomous attitude determination instrumentation enable even small satellites flying fully autonomous multi head star trackers providing full accurate and robust attitude information. Each sensor provides the full attitude information but for robustness and optimal usage...... of the available information, i.e. optimal accuracy, methods for merging such data should be investigated. The need for and desirability of attitude merging depends on the mission objective and available resources. To enable real-time attitude control and reduce requirements on download budget, on-board merging...... of attitude data will often be advantageous. This should be weighted against the need for post observation reconstruction of attitudes, especially needed when end products are sensitive to optimal attitude reconstruction. Instrument integrated merging algorithms will reduce the complexity of on-board AOCS...

3D structure of eukaryotic flagella in a quiescent state revealed by cryo-electron tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Nicastro, Daniela; McIntosh, J. Richard; Baumeister, Wolfgang

2005-01-01

We have used cryo-electron tomography to investigate the 3D structure and macromolecular organization of intact, frozen-hydrated sea urchin sperm flagella in a quiescent state. The tomographic reconstructions provide information at a resolution better than 6 nm about the in situ arrangements of macromolecules that are key for flagellar motility. We have visualized the heptameric rings of the motor domains in the outer dynein arm complex and determined that they lie parallel to the plane that contains the axes of neighboring flagellar microtubules. Both the material associated with the central pair of microtubules and the radial spokes display a plane of symmetry that helps to explain the planar beat pattern of these flagella. Cryo-electron tomography has proven to be a powerful technique for helping us understand the relationships between flagellar structure and function and the design of macromolecular machines in situ. PMID:16246999

Determination of Onramp Weaving Length for Resolving Merging Dilemma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chiu Liu

2012-03-01

Full Text Available It is physically known that onramp merging may turn out to be difficult if the onramp (weaving/merging length is too short because a driver under certain driving circumstances may find that either merging ahead or merging behind a neighboring vehicle on the adjacent highway lane cannot be completed. Various existing guidelines or design manuals provide no clear physical understanding and explanations to the design onramp weaving length but often based on evolved empirical experiences. By integrating human factors, vehicle dynamic characteristics, roadway surface condition, and the onramp weaving design into a single unified analytic framework, the onramp length required for a driver to merge into the highway traffic successfully is determined exactly with formulas and physical solutions to avoid the merging dilemma and enhance driving safety at highway interchanges. The design onramp weaving length is examined and evaluated with various foreseeable merging scenarios and physical examples. This analytic framework sheds light on the understanding of the onramp weaving the first time strictly on a physical human-vehicle-roadway interaction setting. Practitioners can easily apply these user friendly formulae and equations derived from the unified framework to calculate the onramp weaving length to resolve the merging dilemma and enhance driving safety for any highway interchanges.

Nucleocapsid-like structures of Ebola virus reconstructed using electron tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noda, T.; Aoyama, K.; Sagara, H.; Kida, H.; Kawaoka, Y.

2005-01-01

Electron tomography (ET) is a new technique for high resolution, three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of pleiomocphic mac. n)molecular complexes, such as virus components. By employing this technique, we resolved the 3D structure of Ebola virus nucleocapsid-like (NC-like) structures in the cytoplasm of cells expressing NP, VP24, and VP35: the minimum components required to form these NC-like structures. Reconstruction of these tubular NC-like structures of Ebola virus showed them to be composed of left-handed helices spaced at short intervals, which is structurally consistent with other non-segmented negative-strand RNA viruses

The half-wave rectifier response of the magnetosphere and antiparallel merging

Science.gov (United States)

Crooker, N. U.

1980-01-01

In some ways the magnetosphere behaves as if merging occurs only when the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) is southward, and in other ways it behaves as if merging occurs for all IMF orientations. An explanation of this duality is offered in terms of a geometrical antiparallel merging model which predicts merging for all IMF orientations but magnetic flux transfer to the tail only for southward IMF. This is in contrast to previous models of component merging, where merging and flux transfer occur together for nearly all IMF orientations. That the problematic duality can be explained by the model is compelling evidence that antiparallel merging should be seriously considered in constructing theories of the merging process.

The effect of vortex merging and non-merging on the transfer of modal turbulent kinetic energy content

Science.gov (United States)

Ground, Cody; Vergine, Fabrizio; Maddalena, Luca

2016-08-01

A defining feature of the turbulent free shear layer is that its growth is hindered by compressibility effects, thus limiting its potential to sufficiently mix the injected fuel and surrounding airstream at the supersonic Mach numbers intrinsic to the combustor of air-breathing hypersonic vehicles. The introduction of streamwise vorticity is often proposed in an attempt to counteract these undesired effects. This fact makes the strategy of introducing multiple streamwise vortices and imposing upon them certain modes of mutual interaction in order to potentially enhance mixing an intriguing concept. However, many underlying fundamental characteristics of the flowfields in the presence such interactions are not yet well understood; therefore, the fundamental physics of these flowfields should be independently investigated before the explicit mixing performance is characterized. In this work, experimental measurements are taken with the stereoscopic particle image velocimetry technique on two specifically targeted modes of vortex interaction—the merging and non-merging of two corotating vortices. The fluctuating velocity fields are analyzed utilizing the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) in order to identify the content, organization, and distribution of the modal turbulent kinetic energy content of the fluctuating velocity eigenmodes. The effects of the two modes of vortex interaction are revealed by the POD analysis which shows distinct differences in the modal features of the two cases. When comparing the low-order eigenmodes of the two cases, the size of the structures contained within the first ten modes is seen to increase as the flow progresses downstream for the merging case, whereas the opposite is true for the non-merging case. Additionally, the relative modal energy contribution of the first ten eigenmodes increases as the vortices evolve downstream for the merging case, whereas in the non-merging case the relative modal energy contribution decreases

Experiments on CT plasma merging in the CTCC-1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, K.; Ikegami, K.; Nishikawa, M.; Ozaki, A.; Satomi, N.; Uyama, T.

1982-01-01

A compact toroid (CT) plasma merging experiment has been tried preliminarily in the CTCC-1 experiment as a method for further-heating of CT, on producing two CT plasmas in the flux conserver successively. Two CT plasmas were observed really to merge with each other in the flux conserver. In the merging process, it is found that the field reconnection of surface magnetic field lines of CT is completed until 30 μs after the second CT injection, but magnetic field lines around the center of CT merge slowly, taking about 100 μs. Experimental results indicate that merging of CT results in doubled addition of toroidal fluxes and no-addition of poloidal fluxes

Pictorial review: Electron beam computed tomography and multislice spiral computed tomography for cardiac imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lembcke, Alexander; Hein, Patrick A.; Dohmen, Pascal M.; Klessen, Christian; Wiese, Till H.; Hoffmann, Udo; Hamm, Bernd; Enzweiler, Christian N.H.

2006-01-01

Electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) revolutionized cardiac imaging by combining a constant high temporal resolution with prospective ECG triggering. For years, EBCT was the primary technique for some non-invasive diagnostic cardiac procedures such as calcium scoring and non-invasive angiography of the coronary arteries. Multislice spiral computed tomography (MSCT) on the other hand significantly advanced cardiac imaging through high volume coverage, improved spatial resolution and retrospective ECG gating. This pictorial review will illustrate the basic differences between both modalities with special emphasis to their image quality. Several experimental and clinical examples demonstrate the strengths and limitations of both imaging modalities in an intraindividual comparison for a broad range of diagnostic applications such as coronary artery calcium scoring, coronary angiography including stent visualization as well as functional assessment of the cardiac ventricles and valves. In general, our examples indicate that EBCT suffers from a number of shortcomings such as limited spatial resolution and a low contrast-to-noise ratio. Thus, EBCT should now only be used in selected cases where a constant high temporal resolution is a crucial issue, such as dynamic (cine) imaging. Due to isotropic submillimeter spatial resolution and retrospective data selection MSCT seems to be the non-invasive method of choice for cardiac imaging in general, and for assessment of the coronary arteries in particular. However, technical developments are still needed to further improve the temporal resolution in MSCT and to reduce the substantial radiation exposure

Zernike Phase Contrast Electron Cryo-Tomography Applied to Marine Cyanobacteria Infected with Cyanophages

Science.gov (United States)

Dai, Wei; Fu, Caroline; Khant, Htet A.; Ludtke, Steven J.; Schmid, Michael F.; Chiu, Wah

2015-01-01

Advances in electron cryo-tomography have provided a new opportunity to visualize the internal 3D structures of a bacterium. An electron microscope equipped with Zernike phase contrast optics produces images with dramatically increased contrast compared to images obtained by conventional electron microscopy. Here we describe a protocol to apply Zernike phase plate technology for acquiring electron tomographic tilt series of cyanophage-infected cyanobacterial cells embedded in ice, without staining or chemical fixation. We detail the procedures for aligning and assessing phase plates for data collection, and methods to obtain 3D structures of cyanophage assembly intermediates in the host, by subtomogram alignment, classification and averaging. Acquiring three to four tomographic tilt series takes approximately 12 h on a JEM2200FS electron microscope. We expect this time requirement to decrease substantially as the technique matures. Time required for annotation and subtomogram averaging varies widely depending on the project goals and data volume. PMID:25321408

Vectorization with SIMD extensions speeds up reconstruction in electron tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Agulleiro, J I; Garzón, E M; García, I; Fernández, J J

2010-06-01

Electron tomography allows structural studies of cellular structures at molecular detail. Large 3D reconstructions are needed to meet the resolution requirements. The processing time to compute these large volumes may be considerable and so, high performance computing techniques have been used traditionally. This work presents a vector approach to tomographic reconstruction that relies on the exploitation of the SIMD extensions available in modern processors in combination to other single processor optimization techniques. This approach succeeds in producing full resolution tomograms with an important reduction in processing time, as evaluated with the most common reconstruction algorithms, namely WBP and SIRT. The main advantage stems from the fact that this approach is to be run on standard computers without the need of specialized hardware, which facilitates the development, use and management of programs. Future trends in processor design open excellent opportunities for vector processing with processor's SIMD extensions in the field of 3D electron microscopy.

Electronic diffraction tomography by Green's functions and singular values decompositions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mayer, A.

2001-01-01

An inverse scattering technique is developed to enable a three-dimensional sample reconstruction from the diffraction figures obtained for different sample orientations by electronic projection microscopy, thus performing a diffraction tomography. In its Green's-functions formulation, this technique takes account of all orders of diffraction by performing an iterative reconstruction of the wave function on the observation screen and in the sample. In a final step, these quantities enable a reconstruction of the potential-energy distribution, which is assumed real valued. The method relies on the use of singular values decomposition techniques, thus providing the best least-squares solutions and enabling a reduction of noise. The technique is applied to the analysis of a three-dimensional nanometric sample that is observed in Fresnel conditions with an electron energy of 40 eV. The algorithm turns out to provide results with a mean relative error around 3% and to be stable against random noise

Three-dimentional imaging of dentomaxillofacial region using electron beam tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Takemasa; Kanda, Shigenobu; Muranaka, Toru

1998-01-01

Authors reported their results of the 3-D imaging of dentomaxillofacial region mainly for jaw deformity with electron beam tomography (EBT). The EBT apparatus used was Imatron C-100 (Imatron Corp.), with which, using bremsstrahlung radiation generated from the electron beam, CT is possible with rapid scanning rate at <0.1 sec. Imaging was done with those conditions as tube voltage: 130 kV, current: 610 mA, scanning rate: 0.1 sec/slice whose thickness was 1.5 mm, feeding rate: 1.5 mm and number of slices: 40-170. Patients were 15 cases with jaw deformity. Data were processed for 3-D image by Scribe Imaging Workstation (Multi-dimensional Imaging Inc.) which giving surface rendering and further by Power Macintosh 8500 (Apple Computer Inc.) with VoxBlast 1.1.0 (VayTec Inc.) software which giving volume rendering or with Image 1.60 (NIH) which allowing multi-planar reconstruction and re-analog projection. These actual images were presented in the report. (K.H.)

Seamless-merging-oriented parallel inverse lithography technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Yiwei; Shi Zheng; Shen Shanhu

2009-01-01

Inverse lithography technology (ILT), a promising resolution enhancement technology (RET) used in next generations of IC manufacture, has the capability to push lithography to its limit. However, the existing methods of ILT are either time-consuming due to the large layout in a single process, or not accurate enough due to simply block merging in the parallel process. The seamless-merging-oriented parallel ILT method proposed in this paper is fast because of the parallel process; and most importantly, convergence enhancement penalty terms (CEPT) introduced in the parallel ILT optimization process take the environment into consideration as well as environmental change through target updating. This method increases the similarity of the overlapped area between guard-bands and work units, makes the merging process approach seamless and hence reduces hot-spots. The experimental results show that seamless-merging-oriented parallel ILT not only accelerates the optimization process, but also significantly improves the quality of ILT.

Determination of the volume-specific surface area by using transmission electron tomography for characterization and definition of nanomaterials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco Michel

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Transmission electron microscopy (TEM remains an important technique to investigate the size, shape and surface characteristics of particles at the nanometer scale. Resulting micrographs are two dimensional projections of objects and their interpretation can be difficult. Recently, electron tomography (ET is increasingly used to reveal the morphology of nanomaterials (NM in 3D. In this study, we examined the feasibility to visualize and measure silica and gold NM in suspension using conventional bright field electron tomography. Results The general morphology of gold and silica NM was visualized in 3D by conventional TEM in bright field mode. In orthoslices of the examined NM the surface features of a NM could be seen and measured without interference of higher or lower lying structures inherent to conventional TEM. Segmentation by isosurface rendering allowed visualizing the 3D information of an electron tomographic reconstruction in greater detail than digital slicing. From the 3D reconstructions, the surface area and the volume of the examined NM could be estimated directly and the volume-specific surface area (VSSA was calculated. The mean VSSA of all examined NM was significantly larger than the threshold of 60 m2/cm3. The high correlation between the measured values of area and volume gold nanoparticles with a known spherical morphology and the areas and volumes calculated from the equivalent circle diameter (ECD of projected nanoparticles (NP indicates that the values measured from electron tomographic reconstructions are valid for these gold particles. Conclusion The characterization and definition of the examined gold and silica NM can benefit from application of conventional bright field electron tomography: the NM can be visualized in 3D, while surface features and the VSSA can be measured.

A Numerical Study of Vortex and Precipitating Cloud Merging in Middle Latitudes

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

PING Fan; LUO Zhe-Xian; JU Jian-Hua

2006-01-01

@@ We mainly focus on the study of precipitating cloud merging associated with vortex merging. The vortex and precipitating cloud merging are simulated by the cloud resolving model from 0000 21 to 1800 23 July 2003. The results show that the model well simulates vortex circulation associated with precipitating clouds. It is also proven that the vortex merging follows the precipitating cloud merging although vortices show the spatial and temporal differences. The convection vorticity vector is introduced to describe the merging processes. Two merging cases are identified during the 42-h simulation and are studied.

Empowering genomic medicine by establishing critical sequencing result data flows: the eMERGE example.

Science.gov (United States)

Aronson, Samuel; Babb, Lawrence; Ames, Darren; Gibbs, Richard A; Venner, Eric; Connelly, John J; Marsolo, Keith; Weng, Chunhua; Williams, Marc S; Hartzler, Andrea L; Liang, Wayne H; Ralston, James D; Devine, Emily Beth; Murphy, Shawn; Chute, Christopher G; Caraballo, Pedro J; Kullo, Iftikhar J; Freimuth, Robert R; Rasmussen, Luke V; Wehbe, Firas H; Peterson, Josh F; Robinson, Jamie R; Wiley, Ken; Overby Taylor, Casey

2018-05-31

The eMERGE Network is establishing methods for electronic transmittal of patient genetic test results from laboratories to healthcare providers across organizational boundaries. We surveyed the capabilities and needs of different network participants, established a common transfer format, and implemented transfer mechanisms based on this format. The interfaces we created are examples of the connectivity that must be instantiated before electronic genetic and genomic clinical decision support can be effectively built at the point of care. This work serves as a case example for both standards bodies and other organizations working to build the infrastructure required to provide better electronic clinical decision support for clinicians.

Acceleration of Vaporization, Atomization, and Ionization Efficiencies in Inductively Coupled Plasma by Merging Laser-Ablated Particles with Hydrochloric Acid Gas.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakazawa, Takashi; Izumo, Saori; Furuta, Naoki

2016-01-01

To accelerate the vaporization, atomization, and ionization efficiencies in laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, we merged HCl gas with laser-ablated particles before introduction into the plasma, to convert their surface constituents from oxides to lower-melting chlorides. When particles were merged with HCl gas generated from a HCl solution at 200°C, the measured concentrations of elements in the particles were 135% higher on average than the concentrations in particles merged with ultrapure water vapor. Particle corrosion and surface roughness were observed by scanning electron microscopy, and oxide conversion to chlorides was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Under the optimum conditions, the recoveries of measured elements improved by 23% on average, and the recoveries of elements with high-melting oxides (Sr, Zr, and Th) improved by as much as 36%. These results indicate that vaporization, atomization, and ionization in the ICP improved when HCl gas was merged with the ablated particles.

A fast cross-validation method for alignment of electron tomography images based on Beer-Lambert law

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Rui; Edwards, Thomas J.; Pankratz, Logan M.; Kuhn, Richard J.; Lanman, Jason K.; Liu, Jun; Jiang, Wen

2015-01-01

In electron tomography, accurate alignment of tilt series is an essential step in attaining high-resolution 3D reconstructions. Nevertheless, quantitative assessment of alignment quality has remained a challenging issue, even though many alignment methods have been reported. Here, we report a fast and accurate method, tomoAlignEval, based on the Beer-Lambert law, for the evaluation of alignment quality. Our method is able to globally estimate the alignment accuracy by measuring the goodness of log-linear relationship of the beam intensity attenuations at different tilt angles. Extensive tests with experimental data demonstrated its robust performance with stained and cryo samples. Our method is not only significantly faster but also more sensitive than measurements of tomogram resolution using Fourier shell correlation method (FSCe/o). From these tests, we also conclude that while current alignment methods are sufficiently accurate for stained samples, inaccurate alignments remain a major limitation for high resolution cryo-electron tomography. PMID:26455556

A fast cross-validation method for alignment of electron tomography images based on Beer-Lambert law.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Rui; Edwards, Thomas J; Pankratz, Logan M; Kuhn, Richard J; Lanman, Jason K; Liu, Jun; Jiang, Wen

2015-11-01

In electron tomography, accurate alignment of tilt series is an essential step in attaining high-resolution 3D reconstructions. Nevertheless, quantitative assessment of alignment quality has remained a challenging issue, even though many alignment methods have been reported. Here, we report a fast and accurate method, tomoAlignEval, based on the Beer-Lambert law, for the evaluation of alignment quality. Our method is able to globally estimate the alignment accuracy by measuring the goodness of log-linear relationship of the beam intensity attenuations at different tilt angles. Extensive tests with experimental data demonstrated its robust performance with stained and cryo samples. Our method is not only significantly faster but also more sensitive than measurements of tomogram resolution using Fourier shell correlation method (FSCe/o). From these tests, we also conclude that while current alignment methods are sufficiently accurate for stained samples, inaccurate alignments remain a major limitation for high resolution cryo-electron tomography. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Filtered Rayleigh scattering mixing measurements of merging and non-merging streamwise vortex interactions in supersonic flow

Science.gov (United States)

Ground, Cody R.; Gopal, Vijay; Maddalena, Luca

2018-04-01

By introducing large-scale streamwise vortices into a supersonic flow it is possible to enhance the rate of mixing between two fluid streams. However, increased vorticity content alone does not explicitly serve as a predictor of mixing enhancement. Additional factors, particularly the mutual interactions occurring between neighboring vortical structures, affect the underlying fundamental physics that influence the rate at which the fluids mix. As part of a larger systematic study on supersonic streamwise vortex interactions, this work experimentally quantifies the average rate of mixing of helium and air in the presence of two separate modes of vortex interaction, the merging and non-merging of a pair of co-rotating vortices. In these experiments vortex-generating expansion ramps are placed on a strut injector. The freestream Mach number is set at 2.5 and helium is injected as a passive scalar. Average injectant mole fractions at selected flow planes downstream of the injector are measured utilizing the filtered Rayleigh scattering technique. The filtered Rayleigh scattering measurements reveal that, in the domain surveyed, the merging vortex interaction strongly displaces the plume from its initial horizontal orientation while the non-merging vortex interaction more rapidly mixes the helium and air. The results of the current experiments are consistent with associated knowledge derived from previous analyses of the two studied configurations which have included the detailed experimental characterization of entrainment, turbulent kinetic energy, and vorticity of both modes of vortex interaction.

Cluster Physics with Merging Galaxy Clusters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandor M. Molnar

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Collisions between galaxy clusters provide a unique opportunity to study matter in a parameter space which cannot be explored in our laboratories on Earth. In the standard LCDM model, where the total density is dominated by the cosmological constant ($Lambda$ and the matter density by cold dark matter (CDM, structure formation is hierarchical, and clusters grow mostly by merging.Mergers of two massive clusters are the most energetic events in the universe after the Big Bang,hence they provide a unique laboratory to study cluster physics.The two main mass components in clusters behave differently during collisions:the dark matter is nearly collisionless, responding only to gravity, while the gas is subject to pressure forces and dissipation, and shocks and turbulenceare developed during collisions. In the present contribution we review the different methods used to derive the physical properties of merging clusters. Different physical processes leave their signatures on different wavelengths, thusour review is based on a multifrequency analysis. In principle, the best way to analyze multifrequency observations of merging clustersis to model them using N-body/HYDRO numerical simulations. We discuss the results of such detailed analyses.New high spatial and spectral resolution ground and space based telescopeswill come online in the near future. Motivated by these new opportunities,we briefly discuss methods which will be feasible in the near future in studying merging clusters.

Linear chemically sensitive electron tomography using DualEELS and dictionary-based compressed sensing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

AlAfeef, Ala, E-mail: a.al-afeef.1@research.gla.ac.uk [SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ (United Kingdom); School of Computing Science, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ (United Kingdom); Bobynko, Joanna [SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ (United Kingdom); Cockshott, W. Paul. [School of Computing Science, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ (United Kingdom); Craven, Alan J. [SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ (United Kingdom); Zuazo, Ian; Barges, Patrick [ArcelorMittal Maizières Research, Maizières-lès-Metz 57283 (France); MacLaren, Ian, E-mail: ian.maclaren@glasgow.ac.uk [SUPA School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ (United Kingdom)

2016-11-15

We have investigated the use of DualEELS in elementally sensitive tilt series tomography in the scanning transmission electron microscope. A procedure is implemented using deconvolution to remove the effects of multiple scattering, followed by normalisation by the zero loss peak intensity. This is performed to produce a signal that is linearly dependent on the projected density of the element in each pixel. This method is compared with one that does not include deconvolution (although normalisation by the zero loss peak intensity is still performed). Additionally, we compare the 3D reconstruction using a new compressed sensing algorithm, DLET, with the well-established SIRT algorithm. VC precipitates, which are extracted from a steel on a carbon replica, are used in this study. It is found that the use of this linear signal results in a very even density throughout the precipitates. However, when deconvolution is omitted, a slight density reduction is observed in the cores of the precipitates (a so-called cupping artefact). Additionally, it is clearly demonstrated that the 3D morphology is much better reproduced using the DLET algorithm, with very little elongation in the missing wedge direction. It is therefore concluded that reliable elementally sensitive tilt tomography using EELS requires the appropriate use of DualEELS together with a suitable reconstruction algorithm, such as the compressed sensing based reconstruction algorithm used here, to make the best use of the limited data volume and signal to noise inherent in core-loss EELS. - Highlights: • DualEELS is essential for chemically sensitive electron tomography using EELS. • A new compressed sensing based algorithm (DLET) gives high fidelity reconstruction. • This combination of DualEELS and DLET will give reliable results from few projections.

Individual Subjective Initiative Merge Model Based on Cellular Automaton

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yin-Jie Xu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The merge control models proposed for work zones are classified into two types (Hard Control Merge (HCM model and Soft Control Merge (SCM model according to their own control intensity and are compared with a new model, called Individual Subjective Initiative Merge (ISIM model, which is based on the linear lane-changing probability strategy in the merging area. The attention of this paper is paid to the positive impact of the individual subjective initiative for the whole traffic system. Three models (ISIM, HCM, and SCM are established and compared with each other by two order parameters, that is, system output and average vehicle travel time. Finally, numerical results show that both ISIM and SCM perform better than HCM. Compared with SCM, the output of ISIM is 20 vehicles per hour higher under the symmetric input condition and is more stable under the asymmetric input condition. Meanwhile, the average travel time of ISIM is 2000 time steps less under the oversaturated input condition.

Satellite and gauge rainfall merging using geographically weighted regression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Q. Hu

2015-05-01

Full Text Available A residual-based rainfall merging scheme using geographically weighted regression (GWR has been proposed. This method is capable of simultaneously blending various satellite rainfall data with gauge measurements and could describe the non-stationary influences of geographical and terrain factors on rainfall spatial distribution. Using this new method, an experimental study on merging daily rainfall from the Climate Prediction Center Morphing dataset (CMOROH and gauge measurements was conducted for the Ganjiang River basin, in Southeast China. We investigated the capability of the merging scheme for daily rainfall estimation under different gauge density. Results showed that under the condition of sparse gauge density the merging rainfall scheme is remarkably superior to the interpolation using just gauge data.

Objectness Supervised Merging Algorithm for Color Image Segmentation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haifeng Sima

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Ideal color image segmentation needs both low-level cues and high-level semantic features. This paper proposes a two-hierarchy segmentation model based on merging homogeneous superpixels. First, a region growing strategy is designed for producing homogenous and compact superpixels in different partitions. Total variation smoothing features are adopted in the growing procedure for locating real boundaries. Before merging, we define a combined color-texture histogram feature for superpixels description and, meanwhile, a novel objectness feature is proposed to supervise the region merging procedure for reliable segmentation. Both color-texture histograms and objectness are computed to measure regional similarities between region pairs, and the mixed standard deviation of the union features is exploited to make stop criteria for merging process. Experimental results on the popular benchmark dataset demonstrate the better segmentation performance of the proposed model compared to other well-known segmentation algorithms.

Monte Carlo electron-trajectory simulations in bright-field and dark-field STEM: Implications for tomography of thick biological sections

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sousa, A.A.; Hohmann-Marriott, M.F.; Zhang, G. [Laboratory of Bioengineering and Physical Science, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bldg. 13, Rm. 3N17, 13 South Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-5766 (United States); Leapman, R.D. [Laboratory of Bioengineering and Physical Science, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bldg. 13, Rm. 3N17, 13 South Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892-5766 (United States)], E-mail: leapmanr@mail.nih.gov

2009-02-15

A Monte Carlo electron-trajectory calculation has been implemented to assess the optimal detector configuration for scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) tomography of thick biological sections. By modeling specimens containing 2 and 3 at% osmium in a carbon matrix, it was found that for 1-{mu}m-thick samples the bright-field (BF) and annular dark-field (ADF) signals give similar contrast and signal-to-noise ratio provided the ADF inner angle and BF outer angle are chosen optimally. Spatial resolution in STEM imaging of thick sections is compromised by multiple elastic scattering which results in a spread of scattering angles and thus a spread in lateral distances of the electrons leaving the bottom surface. However, the simulations reveal that a large fraction of these multiply scattered electrons are excluded from the BF detector, which results in higher spatial resolution in BF than in high-angle ADF images for objects situated towards the bottom of the sample. The calculations imply that STEM electron tomography of thick sections should be performed using a BF rather than an ADF detector. This advantage was verified by recording simultaneous BF and high-angle ADF STEM tomographic tilt series from a stained 600-nm-thick section of C. elegans. It was found that loss of spatial resolution occurred markedly at the bottom surface of the specimen in the ADF STEM but significantly less in the BF STEM tomographic reconstruction. Our results indicate that it might be feasible to use BF STEM tomography to determine the 3D structure of whole eukaryotic microorganisms prepared by freeze-substitution, embedding, and sectioning.

Toward electron exit wave tomography of amorphous materials at atomic resolution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Borisenko, Konstantin B., E-mail: konstantin.borisenko@materials.ox.ac.uk [Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PH (United Kingdom); Moldovan, Grigore [Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PH (United Kingdom); Kirkland, Angus I., E-mail: angus.kirkland@materials.ox.ac.uk [Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PH (United Kingdom); Van Dyck, Dirk [Department of Physics, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Tang, Hsin-Yu; Chen, Fu-Rong [Department of Engineering and System Science, National Tsing Hua University, Kuang-Fu Road, 300 Hsinchu, Taiwan (China)

2012-09-25

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We suggest a novel electron exit wave tomography approach to obtain three dimensional atomic structures of amorphous materials. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Theoretical tests using a model of amorphous Si doped with Au show that it is feasible to reconstruct both Si and Au atoms positions. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Reconstructions of the strongly scattering Au atoms positions appear to be insensitive to typical experimental errors. - Abstract: We suggest to use electron exit wave phase for tomographic reconstruction of structure of Au-doped amorphous Si with atomic resolution. In the present theoretical investigation into the approach it is found that the number of projections and the accuracy of defocus in the focal series restoration are the main factors that contribute to the final resolution. Although resolution is ultimately limited by these factors, phase shifts in the exit wave are sufficient to identify the position of Au atoms in an amorphous Si needle model, even when only 19 projections with defocus error of 4 nm are used. Electron beam damage will probably further limit the resolution of such tomographic reconstructions, however beam damage can be mitigated using lower accelerating voltages.

Refinement procedure for the image alignment in high-resolution electron tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Houben, L; Bar Sadan, M

2011-01-01

High-resolution electron tomography from a tilt series of transmission electron microscopy images requires an accurate image alignment procedure in order to maximise the resolution of the tomogram. This is the case in particular for ultra-high resolution where even very small misalignments between individual images can dramatically reduce the fidelity of the resultant reconstruction. A tomographic-reconstruction based and marker-free method is proposed, which uses an iterative optimisation of the tomogram resolution. The method utilises a search algorithm that maximises the contrast in tomogram sub-volumes. Unlike conventional cross-correlation analysis it provides the required correlation over a large tilt angle separation and guarantees a consistent alignment of images for the full range of object tilt angles. An assessment based on experimental reconstructions shows that the marker-free procedure is competitive to the reference of marker-based procedures at lower resolution and yields sub-pixel accuracy even for simulated high-resolution data. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

3D Reconstruction of the Glycocalyx Structure in Mammalian Capillaries using Electron Tomography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arkill, Kp; Neal, Cr; Mantell, Jm

2012-01-01

of the proteoglycan components of the glycocalyx layer (fundamental spacing about 20 nm), but require a large sample number. Attempts to visualise the glycocalyx face-on (i.e. in a direction perpendicular to the endothelial cell layer in the lumen and directly applicable for permeability modelling) has had limited...... success (e.g. freeze fracture). A new approach is therefore needed. Here we demonstrate the effectiveness of using the relatively novel electron microscopy technique of 3D electron tomography ontwo differently stained preparations to reveal details of the architecture of the glycocalyx just above...... the endothelial cell layer. One preparation uses the novel staining technique using Lanthanum Dysprosium Glycosamino Glycan adhesion (the LaDy GAGa method). © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd....

Modeling merging behavior at lane drops : [tech transfer summary].

Science.gov (United States)

2015-02-01

A better understanding of the merging behavior of drivers will lead : to the development of better lane-drop traffic-control plans and : strategies, which will provide better guidance to drivers for safer : merging.

Microscale reconstruction of biogeochemical substrates using multimode X-ray tomography and scanning electron microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, M.; Miller, E.; Liu, J.; Lund, R. M.; McKinley, J. P.

2012-12-01

X-ray computed tomography (CT), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron microprobe analysis (EMP), and computational image analysis are mature technologies used in many disciplines. Cross-discipline combination of these imaging and image-analysis technologies is the focus of this research, which uses laboratory and light-source resources in an iterative approach. The objective is to produce images across length scales, taking advantage of instrumentation that is optimized for each scale, and to unify them into a single compositional reconstruction. Initially, CT images will be collected using both x-ray absorption and differential phase contrast modes. The imaged sample will then be physically sectioned and the exposed surfaces imaged and characterized via SEM/EMP. The voxel slice corresponding to the physical sample surface will be isolated computationally, and the volumetric data will be combined with two-dimensional SEM images along CT image planes. This registration step will take advantage of the similarity between the X-ray absorption (CT) and backscattered electron (SEM) coefficients (both proportional to average atomic number in the interrogated volume) as well as the images' mutual information. Elemental and solid-phase distributions on the exposed surfaces, co-registered with SEM images, will be mapped using EMP. The solid-phase distribution will be propagated into three-dimensional space using computational methods relying on the estimation of compositional distributions derived from the CT data. If necessary, solid-phase and pore-space boundaries will be resolved using X-ray differential phase contrast tomography, x-ray fluorescence tomography, and absorption-edge microtomography at a light-source facility. Computational methods will be developed to register and model images collected over varying scales and data types. Image resolution, physically and dynamically, is qualitatively different for the electron microscopy and CT methodologies. Routine

Dual-Source Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography Reconstructed on Integrated Spectrum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shoude Chang

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Dual-source swept-source optical coherence tomography (DS-SSOCT has two individual sources with different central wavelengths, linewidth, and bandwidths. Because of the difference between the two sources, the individually reconstructed tomograms from each source have different aspect ratio, which makes the comparison and integration difficult. We report a method to merge two sets of DS-SSOCT raw data in a common spectrum, on which both data have the same spectrum density and a correct separation. The reconstructed tomographic image can seamlessly integrate the two bands of OCT data together. The final image has higher axial resolution and richer spectroscopic information than any of the individually reconstructed tomography image.

Characterization of intact subcellular bodies in whole bacteria by cryo-electron tomography and spectroscopic imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Comolli, L R; Kundmann, M; Downing, K H

2006-07-01

We illustrate the combined use of cryo-electron tomography and spectroscopic difference imaging in the study of subcellular structure and subcellular bodies in whole bacteria. We limited our goal and focus to bodies with a distinct elemental composition that was in a sufficiently high concentration to provide the necessary signal-to-noise level at the relatively large sample thicknesses of the intact cell. This combination proved very powerful, as demonstrated by the identification of a phosphorus-rich body in Caulobacter crescentus. We also confirmed the presence of a body rich in carbon, demonstrated that these two types of bodies are readily recognized and distinguished from each other, and provided, for the first time to our knowledge, structural information about them in their intact state. In addition, we also showed the presence of a similar type of phosphorus-rich body in Deinococcus grandis, a member of a completely unrelated bacteria genus. Cryo-electron microscopy and tomography allowed the study of the biogenesis and morphology of these bodies at resolutions better than 10 nm, whereas spectroscopic difference imaging provided a direct identification of their chemical composition.

Application studies of spherical tokamak plasma merging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ono, Yasushi; Inomoto, Michiaki

2012-01-01

The experiment of plasma merging and heating has long history in compact torus studies since Wells. The study of spherical tokamak (ST), starting from TS-3 plasma merging experiment of Tokyo University in the late 1980s, is followed by START of Culham laboratory in the 1900s, TS-4 and UTST of Tokyo University and MAST of Culham laboratory in the 2000s, and last year by VEST of Soul University. ST has the following advantages: 1) plasma heating by magnetic reconnection at a MW-GW level, 2) rapid start-up of high beta plasma, 3) current drive/flux multiplication and distribution control of ST plasma, 4) fueling and helium-ash exhaust. In the present article, we emphasize that magnetic reconnection and plasma merging phenomena are important in ST plasma study as well as in plasma physics. (author)

Can double-peaked lines indicate merging effects in AGNs?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Popović L.Č.

2000-01-01

Full Text Available The influence of merging effects in the central part of an Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN on the emission spectral line shapes are discussed. We present a model of close binary Broad Line Region. The numerical experiments show that the merging effects can explain double peaked lines. The merging effects may also be present in the center of AGNs, although they emit slightly asymmetric as well as symmetric and relatively stable (in profile shape spectral lines. Depending on the black hole masses and their orbit elements such model may explain some of the line profile shapes observed in AGNs. This work shows that if one is looking for the merging effects in the central region as well as in the wide field structure of AGNs, he should first pay attention to objects which have double peaked lines.

Diagnostic value of electron-beam computed tomography (EBT). I. cardiac applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Enzweiler, C.N.H.; Lembcke, A.; Rogalla, P.; Taupitz, M.; Wiese, T.H.; Hammm, B.; Becker, C.R.; Reiser, M.F.; Felix, R.; Knollmann, F.D.; Georgi, M.; Weisser, G.; Lehmann, K.J.

2004-01-01

Electron beam tomography (EBT) directly competes with other non-invasive imaging modalities, such as multislice computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and echocardiography, in the diagnostic assessment of cardiac diseases. EBT is the gold standard for the detection and quantification of coronary calcium as a preclinical sign of coronary artery disease (CAD). Its standardized examination protocols and the broad experience with this method favor EBT. First results with multislice CT indicate that this new technology may be equivalent to EBT for coronary calcium studies. The principal value of CT-based coronary calcium measurements continues to be an issue of controversy amongst radiologists and cardiologists due to lack of prospective randomized trials. Coronary angiography with EBT is characterized by a high negative predictive value and, in addition, may be indicated in some patients with manifest CAD. It remains to be shown whether coronary angiography with multislice CT is reliable and accurate enough to be introduced into the routine work-up, to replace some of the many strictly diagnostic coronary catheterizations in Germany and elsewhere. Assessment of coronary stent patency with EBT is associated with several problems and in our opinion cannot be advocated as a routine procedure. EBT may be recommended for the evaluation of coronary bypasses to look for bypass occlusions and significant stenoses, which, however, can be equally well achieved with multislice CT. Quantification of myocardial perfusion with EBT could not replace MRI or other modalities in this field. EBT has proven to be accurate, reliable and in some instances equivalent to MRI, which is the gold standard for the quantitative and qualitative evaluation of cardiac function. Some disadvantages not the least of which is the limited distribution of electron beam scanners, favor MRI for functional assessment of the heart. (orig.) [de

Heating properties of merging/reconnection startup of high-beta ST

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ono, Yasushi

2005-01-01

The high-power reconnection heating of spherical tokamak (ST) has been studied in the TS-3 experiment by use of axial merging of two STs. In this method, the merging/magnetic reconnection transformed a part of magnetic energy of merging STs into their thermal energy within short reconnection time. Our present low-field merging (0.3-0.5kG, R∼0.2m) attained the maximum heating power of 4-10MW and increased the beta-values of STs by factor 2-3 transiently. The ion heating energy was found to increase inversely with the q-value (B t component) of two STs. The most probable cause for this dependence is fast reconnection speed/ outflow speed due to large anomalous resistivity of current sheet in low-q state. After merging startup, decrease in beta was observed especially in low-q STs, indicating that the final beta value of ST increased with the q-value. (author)

CoCrMo cellular structures made by Electron Beam Melting studied by local tomography and finite element modelling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Petit, Clémence [INSA de Lyon, MATEIS CNRS UMR5510, Université de Lyon, 69621 Villeurbanne (France); Maire, Eric, E-mail: eric.maire@insa-lyon.fr [INSA de Lyon, MATEIS CNRS UMR5510, Université de Lyon, 69621 Villeurbanne (France); Meille, Sylvain; Adrien, Jérôme [INSA de Lyon, MATEIS CNRS UMR5510, Université de Lyon, 69621 Villeurbanne (France); Kurosu, Shingo; Chiba, Akihiko [Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-0812 (Japan)

2016-06-15

The work focuses on the structural and mechanical characterization of Co-Cr-Mo cellular samples with cubic pore structure made by Electron Beam Melting (EBM). X-ray tomography was used to characterize the architecture of the sample. High resolution images were also obtained thanks to local tomography in which the specimen is placed close to the X-ray source. These images enabled to observe some defects due to the fabrication process: small pores in the solid phase, partially melted particles attached to the surface. Then, in situ compression tests were performed in the tomograph. The images of the deformed sample show a progressive buckling of the vertical struts leading to final fracture. The deformation initiated where the defects were present in the strut i.e. in regions with reduced local thickness. The finite element modelling confirmed the high stress concentrations of these weak points leading to the fracture of the sample. - Highlights: • CoCrMo samples fabricated by Electron Beam Melting (EBM) process are considered. • X-ray Computed Tomography is used to observe the structure of the sample. • The mechanical properties are tested thanks to an in situ test in the tomograph. • A finite element model is developed to model the mechanical behaviour.

Guided access cavity preparation using cone-beam computed tomography and optical surface scans - an ex vivo study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Buchgreitz, J; Buchgreitz, M; Mortensen, D

2016-01-01

AIM: To evaluate ex vivo, the accuracy of a preparation procedure planned for teeth with pulp canal obliteration (PCO) using a guide rail concept based on a cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan merged with an optical surface scan. METHODOLOGY: A total of 48 teeth were mounted in acrylic bloc...

Cosmic ray modulation and merged interaction regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burlaga, L.F.; Goldstein, M.L.; Mcdonald, F.B.

1985-01-01

Beyond several AU, interactions among shocks and streams give rise to merged interaction regions in which the magnetic field is turbulent. The integral intensity of . 75 MeV/Nuc cosmic rays at Voyager is generally observed to decrease when a merged interaction region moves past the spacecraft and to increase during the passage of a rarefaction region. When the separation between interaction regions is relatively large, the cosmic ray intensity tends to increase on a scale of a few months. This was the case at Voyager 1 from July 1, 1983 to May 1, 1984, when the spacecraft moved from 16.7 to 19.6 AU. Changes in cosmic ray intensity were related to the magnetic field strength in a simple way. It is estimated that the diffusion coefficient in merged interaction regions at this distance is similar to 0.6 x 10 to the 22nd power sq cm/s

Reconnection and merging of positive streamers in air

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nijdam, S; Geurts, C G C; Van Veldhuizen, E M; Ebert, U, E-mail: s.nijdam@tue.n [Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven (Netherlands)

2009-02-21

Pictures show that streamer or sprite discharge channels emerging from the same electrode sometimes seem to reconnect or merge though their heads carry electric charge of the same polarity; one might therefore suspect that reconnections are an artefact of the two-dimensional projection in the pictures. Here we use stereo photography to investigate the full three-dimensional structure of such events. We analyse reconnection, possibly an electrostatic effect in which a late thin streamer reconnects to an earlier thick streamer channel, and merging, a suggested photoionization effect in which two simultaneously propagating streamer heads merge into one new streamer. We use four different anode geometries (one tip, two tips, two asymmetric protrusions in a plate and a wire), placed 40 mm above a flat cathode plate in ambient air. A positive high voltage pulse is applied to the anode, creating a positive corona discharge. This discharge is studied with a fast ICCD camera, in many cases combined with optics to enable stereoscopic imaging. We find that reconnections as defined above occur frequently. Merging on the other hand was only observed at a pressure of 25 mbar and a tip separation of 2 mm, i.e. for a reduced tip distance of p{center_dot}d = 50 {mu}m bar. In this case the full width at half maximum of the streamer channel is more than 10 times as large as the tip separation. At higher pressures or with a wire anode, merging was not observed.

Reconnection and merging of positive streamers in air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nijdam, S; Geurts, C G C; Van Veldhuizen, E M; Ebert, U

2009-01-01

Pictures show that streamer or sprite discharge channels emerging from the same electrode sometimes seem to reconnect or merge though their heads carry electric charge of the same polarity; one might therefore suspect that reconnections are an artefact of the two-dimensional projection in the pictures. Here we use stereo photography to investigate the full three-dimensional structure of such events. We analyse reconnection, possibly an electrostatic effect in which a late thin streamer reconnects to an earlier thick streamer channel, and merging, a suggested photoionization effect in which two simultaneously propagating streamer heads merge into one new streamer. We use four different anode geometries (one tip, two tips, two asymmetric protrusions in a plate and a wire), placed 40 mm above a flat cathode plate in ambient air. A positive high voltage pulse is applied to the anode, creating a positive corona discharge. This discharge is studied with a fast ICCD camera, in many cases combined with optics to enable stereoscopic imaging. We find that reconnections as defined above occur frequently. Merging on the other hand was only observed at a pressure of 25 mbar and a tip separation of 2 mm, i.e. for a reduced tip distance of p·d = 50 μm bar. In this case the full width at half maximum of the streamer channel is more than 10 times as large as the tip separation. At higher pressures or with a wire anode, merging was not observed.

Examination of chemical elements partitioning between the γ and γ′ phases in CMSX-4 superalloy using EDS microanalysis and electron tomography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kruk Adam

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In the present study, the partition of chemical elements between γ and γ′ phases in CMSX-4 was investigated using EDS microanalysis and electron tomography (FIB-SEM and STEM-EDS methods. The investigation has been performed for the superalloy after standard heat treatment and the ex-service CMSX-4 turbine blade after operation for 12 700 hours and 200 starts in industrial gas turbine. The results have shown that Co, Cr and Re partition to the γ matrix, Ni and W are present in both γ and γ′ phases, while Al, Ti and Ta strongly partition to the γ′ phase. The results show the abilities of new analytical electron microscopy and electron tomography methods to characterize the microstructure and chemical composition of single crystal superalloys at the nanoscale.

Comparison of 3D cellular imaging techniques based on scanned electron probes: Serial block face SEM vs. Axial bright-field STEM tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

McBride, E L; Rao, A; Zhang, G; Hoyne, J D; Calco, G N; Kuo, B C; He, Q; Prince, A A; Pokrovskaya, I D; Storrie, B; Sousa, A A; Aronova, M A; Leapman, R D

2018-06-01

Microscopies based on focused electron probes allow the cell biologist to image the 3D ultrastructure of eukaryotic cells and tissues extending over large volumes, thus providing new insight into the relationship between cellular architecture and function of organelles. Here we compare two such techniques: electron tomography in conjunction with axial bright-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (BF-STEM), and serial block face scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM). The advantages and limitations of each technique are illustrated by their application to determining the 3D ultrastructure of human blood platelets, by considering specimen geometry, specimen preparation, beam damage and image processing methods. Many features of the complex membranes composing the platelet organelles can be determined from both approaches, although STEM tomography offers a higher ∼3 nm isotropic pixel size, compared with ∼5 nm for SBF-SEM in the plane of the block face and ∼30 nm in the perpendicular direction. In this regard, we demonstrate that STEM tomography is advantageous for visualizing the platelet canalicular system, which consists of an interconnected network of narrow (∼50-100 nm) membranous cisternae. In contrast, SBF-SEM enables visualization of complete platelets, each of which extends ∼2 µm in minimum dimension, whereas BF-STEM tomography can typically only visualize approximately half of the platelet volume due to a rapid non-linear loss of signal in specimens of thickness greater than ∼1.5 µm. We also show that the limitations of each approach can be ameliorated by combining 3D and 2D measurements using a stereological approach. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Plan Merging : Experimental results

NARCIS (Netherlands)

De Weerdt, M.M.; Van der Krogt, R.P.J.; Zutt, J.

2003-01-01

In this paper we discuss the results of a plan merging algorithm. This algorithm coordinates the plans of multiple, autonomous agents, each able to independently find a plan. This algorithm is evaluated using realistic data from a taxi company. We show that when we allow passengers to be a few

Three-dimensional visualization of forming Hepatitis C virus-like particles by electron-tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Badia-Martinez, Daniel; Peralta, Bibiana [Structural Biology Unit, CIC bioGUNE, CIBERehd, 48160 Derio (Spain); Andres, German; Guerra, Milagros [Electron Microscopy Unit, Centro de Biologia Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC-UAM, Campus Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Gil-Carton, David [Structural Biology Unit, CIC bioGUNE, CIBERehd, 48160 Derio (Spain); Abrescia, Nicola G.A., E-mail: nabrescia@cicbiogune.es [Structural Biology Unit, CIC bioGUNE, CIBERehd, 48160 Derio (Spain); IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48011 Bilbao (Spain)

2012-09-01

Hepatitis C virus infects almost 170 million people per year but its assembly pathway, architecture and the structures of its envelope proteins are poorly understood. Using electron tomography of plastic-embedded sections of insect cells, we have visualized the morphogenesis of recombinant Hepatitis C virus-like particles. Our data provide a three-dimensional sketch of viral assembly at the endoplasmic reticulum showing different budding stages and contiguity of buds. This latter phenomenon could play an important role during the assembly of wt-HCV and explain the size-heterogeneity of its particles.

Three-dimensional visualization of forming Hepatitis C virus-like particles by electron-tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Badia-Martinez, Daniel; Peralta, Bibiana; Andrés, German; Guerra, Milagros; Gil-Carton, David; Abrescia, Nicola G.A.

2012-01-01

Hepatitis C virus infects almost 170 million people per year but its assembly pathway, architecture and the structures of its envelope proteins are poorly understood. Using electron tomography of plastic-embedded sections of insect cells, we have visualized the morphogenesis of recombinant Hepatitis C virus-like particles. Our data provide a three-dimensional sketch of viral assembly at the endoplasmic reticulum showing different budding stages and contiguity of buds. This latter phenomenon could play an important role during the assembly of wt-HCV and explain the size-heterogeneity of its particles.

An electron beam linear scanning mode for industrial limited-angle nano-computed tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chengxiang; Zeng, Li; Yu, Wei; Zhang, Lingli; Guo, Yumeng; Gong, Changcheng

2018-01-01

Nano-computed tomography (nano-CT), which utilizes X-rays to research the inner structure of some small objects and has been widely utilized in biomedical research, electronic technology, geology, material sciences, etc., is a high spatial resolution and non-destructive research technique. A traditional nano-CT scanning model with a very high mechanical precision and stability of object manipulator, which is difficult to reach when the scanned object is continuously rotated, is required for high resolution imaging. To reduce the scanning time and attain a stable and high resolution imaging in industrial non-destructive testing, we study an electron beam linear scanning mode of nano-CT system that can avoid mechanical vibration and object movement caused by the continuously rotated object. Furthermore, to further save the scanning time and study how small the scanning range could be considered with acceptable spatial resolution, an alternating iterative algorithm based on ℓ0 minimization is utilized to limited-angle nano-CT reconstruction problem with the electron beam linear scanning mode. The experimental results confirm the feasibility of the electron beam linear scanning mode of nano-CT system.

Electron tomography study of isolated human centrioles.

Science.gov (United States)

Ibrahim, Rana; Messaoudi, Cédric; Chichon, Francisco Javier; Celati, Claude; Marco, Sergio

2009-01-01

Centrioles are components of the centrosome, which is present in most eukaryotic cells (from protozoa to mammals). They organize the microtubule skeleton during interphase and the mitotic spindle during cell division. In ciliate cells, centrioles form basal bodies that are involved in cellular motility. Despite their important roles in biology, the detailed structure of centrioles remains obscure. This work contributes to a more complete model of centriole structure. The authors used electron tomography of isolated centrosomes from the human lymphoblast KE37 to explore the details of subdistal appendages and centriole lumen organization in mother centrioles. Their results reveal that each of the nine subdistal appendages is composed of two halves (20 nm diameter each) fused in a 40 nm tip that extends 100 nm from where it anchors to microtubules. The centriole lumen is filled at the distal domain by a 45 nm periodic stack of rings. Each ring has a 30 nm diameter, is 15 nm thick, and appears to be tilted at 53 degrees perpendicular to the centriole axis. The rings are anchored to microtubules by arms. Based on their results, the authors propose a model of the mother centriole distal structure. Copyright 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Three-dimensional organization of pKi-67: a comparative fluorescence and electron tomography study using FluoroNanogold.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheutin, Thierry; O'Donohue, Marie-Françoise; Beorchia, Adrien; Klein, Christophe; Kaplan, Hervé; Ploton, Dominique

2003-11-01

The monoclonal antibody (MAb) Ki-67 is routinely used in clinical studies to estimate the growth fraction of tumors. However, the role of pKi-67, the protein detected by the Ki-67 MAb, remains elusive, although some biochemical data strongly suggest that it might organize chromatin. To better understand the functional organization of pKi-67, we studied its three-dimensional distribution in interphase cells by confocal microscopy and electron tomography. FluoroNanogold, a single probe combining a dense marker with a fluorescent dye, was used to investigate pKi-67 organization at the optical and ultrastructural levels. Observation by confocal microscopy followed by 3D reconstruction showed that pKi-67 forms a shell around the nucleoli. Double labeling experiments revealed that pKi-67 co-localizes with perinucleolar heterochromatin. Electron microscopy studies confirmed this close association and demonstrated that pKi-67 is located neither in the fibrillar nor in the granular components of the nucleolus. Finally, spatial analyses by electron tomography showed that pKi-67 forms cords 250-300 nm in diameter, which are themselves composed of 30-50-nm-thick fibers. These detailed comparative in situ analyses strongly suggest the involvement of pKi-67 in the higher-order organization of perinucleolar chromatin.

Insight into mitochondrial structure and function from electron tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Frey, T G; Renken, C W; Perkins, G A

2002-09-10

In recent years, electron tomography has provided detailed three-dimensional models of mitochondria that have redefined our concept of mitochondrial structure. The models reveal an inner membrane consisting of two components, the inner boundary membrane (IBM) closely apposed to the outer membrane and the cristae membrane that projects into the matrix compartment. These two components are connected by tubular structures of relatively uniform size called crista junctions. The distribution of crista junction sizes and shapes is predicted by a thermodynamic model based upon the energy of membrane bending, but proteins likely also play a role in determining the conformation of the inner membrane. Results of structural studies of mitochondria during apoptosis demonstrate that cytochrome c is released without detectable disruption of the outer membrane or extensive swelling of the mitochondrial matrix, suggesting the formation of an outer membrane pore large enough to allow passage of holo-cytochrome c. The possible compartmentation of inner membrane function between the IBM and the cristae membrane is also discussed.

Why healthcare providers merge.

Science.gov (United States)

Postma, Jeroen; Roos, Anne-Fleur

2016-04-01

In many OECD countries, healthcare sectors have become increasingly concentrated as a result of mergers. However, detailed empirical insight into why healthcare providers merge is lacking. Also, we know little about the influence of national healthcare policies on mergers. We fill this gap in the literature by conducting a survey study on mergers among 848 Dutch healthcare executives, of which 35% responded (resulting in a study sample of 239 executives). A total of 65% of the respondents was involved in at least one merger between 2005 and 2012. During this period, Dutch healthcare providers faced a number of policy changes, including increasing competition, more pressure from purchasers, growing financial risks, de-institutionalisation of long-term care and decentralisation of healthcare services to municipalities. Our empirical study shows that healthcare providers predominantly merge to improve the provision of healthcare services and to strengthen their market position. Also efficiency and financial reasons are important drivers of merger activity in healthcare. We find that motives for merger are related to changes in health policies, in particular to the increasing pressure from competitors, insurers and municipalities.

Electron Tomography of Nanoparticle Clusters: Implications for Atmospheric Lifetimes and Radiative Forcing of Soot

Science.gov (United States)

vanPoppel, Laura H.; Friedrich, Heiner; Spinsby, Jacob; Chung, Serena H.; Seinfeld, John H.; Buseck, Peter R.

2005-01-01

Nanoparticles are ubiquitous in nature. Their large surface areas and consequent chemical reactivity typically result in their aggregation into clusters. Their chemical and physical properties depend on cluster shapes, which are commonly complex and unknown. This is the first application of electron tomography with a transmission electron microscope to quantitatively determine the three-dimensional (3D) shapes, volumes, and surface areas of nanoparticle clusters. We use soot (black carbon, BC) nanoparticles as an example because it is a major contributor to environmental degradation and global climate change. To the extent that our samples are representative, we find that quantitative measurements of soot surface areas and volumes derived from electron tomograms differ from geometrically derived values by, respectively, almost one and two orders of magnitude. Global sensitivity studies suggest that the global burden and direct radiative forcing of fractal BC are only about 60% of the value if it is assumed that BC has a spherical shape.

Merged reality for everyone

OpenAIRE

Carvalho, Fausto de; Morgado, Leonel

2017-01-01

This article addresses some interesting challenges and business opportunities within the promising merged reality ecosystem, which offers the vision of bringing together virtual, augmented and physical realities, seamlessly. The article also links the current status of this field with exploratory research and development work carried out by Altice Labs. Altice Labs info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Time-resolved electron beam phase space tomography at a soft x-ray free-electron laser

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Röhrs

2009-05-01

Full Text Available High-gain free-electron lasers (FELs in the ultraviolet and x-ray regime put stringent demands on the peak current, transverse emittance, and energy spread of the driving electron beam. At the soft x-ray FEL FLASH, a transverse deflecting microwave structure (TDS has been installed to determine these parameters for the longitudinally compressed bunches, which are characterized by a narrow leading peak of high charge density and a long tail. The rapidly varying electromagnetic field in the TDS deflects the electrons vertically and transforms the time profile into a streak on an observation screen. The bunch current profile was measured single shot with an unprecedented resolution of 27 fs under FEL operating conditions. A precise single-shot measurement of the energy distribution along a bunch was accomplished by using the TDS in combination with an energy spectrometer. Variation of quadrupole strengths allowed for a determination of the horizontal emittance as a function of the longitudinal position within a bunch, the so-called slice emittance. In the bunch tail, a normalized slice emittance of about 2  μm was found, in agreement with expectations. In the leading spike, however, surprisingly large emittance values were observed, in apparent contradiction with the low emittance deduced from the measured FEL gain. By applying three-dimensional phase space tomography, we were able to show that the bunch head contains a central core of low emittance and high local current density, which is presumably the lasing part of the bunch.

Interpreting quantum discord through quantum state merging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madhok, Vaibhav; Datta, Animesh

2011-01-01

We present an operational interpretation of quantum discord based on the quantum state merging protocol. Quantum discord is the markup in the cost of quantum communication in the process of quantum state merging, if one discards relevant prior information. Our interpretation has an intuitive explanation based on the strong subadditivity of von Neumann entropy. We use our result to provide operational interpretations of other quantities like the local purity and quantum deficit. Finally, we discuss in brief some instances where our interpretation is valid in the single-copy scenario.

Observations in the Earth's magnetotail relating to magnetic merging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hones, E.W. Jr.

1976-01-01

For more than a decade there has been growing conviction that the burst of energy from a solar flare is first stored in magnetic fields and is then released rapidly by magnetic field annihilation (magnetic merging). There has also been recognition that magnetic merging may be responsible for the energy release manifested in auroral phenomena at the Earth. The most substantial evidence that magnetic merging does indeed occur in the Earth's magnetosphere and causes the auroral phenomena is provided by recent observations, in the magnetotail, of very rapid (approximately 500 km s -1 ) tailward, then earthward, flow of plasma during magnetospheric substorms. The observations, made with the Vela and IMP satellites, reveal also that the component of the tail magnetic field perpendicular to the tail neutral sheet changes polarity at the time of the reversal of plasma flow. These features are interpreted as indicative of passage of a magnetic neutral line, at which magnetic merging is proceeding, past the observing satellite. This paper describes an example of such observations made with IMP 6. It is anticipated that such systematic measurements of the plasma, energetic particles and magnetic field in the neighborhood of the passing neutral line on many such occasions will provide a general understanding of the magnetic merging process which can be applied to studies of solar flares and other astrophysical phenomena. (Auth.)

Three-dimensional fine structure of the organization of microtubules in neurite varicosities by ultra-high voltage electron microscope tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishida, Tomoki; Yoshimura, Ryoichi; Endo, Yasuhisa

2017-09-01

Neurite varicosities are highly specialized compartments that are involved in neurotransmitter/ neuromodulator release and provide a physiological platform for neural functions. However, it remains unclear how microtubule organization contributes to the form of varicosity. Here, we examine the three-dimensional structure of microtubules in varicosities of a differentiated PC12 neural cell line using ultra-high voltage electron microscope tomography. Three-dimensional imaging showed that a part of the varicosities contained an accumulation of organelles that were separated from parallel microtubule arrays. Further detailed analysis using serial sections and whole-mount tomography revealed microtubules running in a spindle shape of swelling in some other types of varicosities. These electron tomographic results showed that the structural diversity and heterogeneity of microtubule organization supported the form of varicosities, suggesting that a different distribution pattern of microtubules in varicosities is crucial to the regulation of varicosities development.

Characteristics of merging at the magnetopause inferred from dayside 557.7-nm all-sky images: IMF drivers of poleward moving auroral forms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. C. Maynard

2006-11-01

Full Text Available We combine in situ measurements from Cluster with high-resolution 557.7 nm all-sky images from South Pole to investigate the spatial and temporal evolution of merging on the dayside magnetopause. Variations of 557.7 nm emissions were observed at a 6 s cadence at South Pole on 29 April 2003 while significant changes in the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF clock angle were reaching the magnetopause. Electrons energized at merging sites are the probable sources for 557.7 nm cusp emissions. At the same time Cluster was crossing the pre-noon cusp in the Northern Hemisphere. The combined observations confirm results of a previous study that merging events can occur at multiple sites simultaneously and vary asynchronously on time scales of 10 s to 3 min (Maynard et al., 2004. The intensity of the emissions and the merging rate appear to vary with changes in the IMF clock angle, IMF BX and the dynamic pressure of the solar wind. Most poleward moving auroral forms (PMAFs reflect responses to changes in interplanetary medium rather than to local processes. The changes in magnetopause position required by increases in dynamic pressure are mediated by merging and result in the generation of PMAFs. Small (15–20% variations in dynamic pressure of the solar wind are sufficient to launch PMAFs. Changes in IMF BX create magnetic flux compressions and rarefactions in the solar wind. Increases (decreases in IMF BX strengthens |B| near northern (southern hemisphere merging sites thereby enhancing merging rates and triggering PMAFs. When correlating responses in the two hemispheres, the presence of significant IMF BX also requires that different lag-times be applied to ACE measurements acquired ~0.1 AU upstream of Earth. Cluster observations set lag times for merging at Northern Hemisphere sites; post-noon optical emissions set times of Southern Hemisphere merging. All-sky images and magnetohydrodynamic simulations indicate that merging occurs in multiple

Controlling inclusive cross sections in parton shower + matrix element merging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Plaetzer, Simon

2012-11-15

We propose an extension of matrix element plus parton shower merging at tree level to preserve inclusive cross sections obtained from the merged and showered sample. Implementing this constraint generates approximate next-to-leading order (NLO) contributions similar to the LoopSim approach. We then show how full NLO, or in principle even higher order, corrections can be added consistently, including constraints on inclusive cross sections to account for yet missing parton shower accuracy at higher logarithmic order. We also show how NLO accuracy below the merging scale can be obtained.

Controlling inclusive cross sections in parton shower + matrix element merging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plaetzer, Simon

2012-11-01

We propose an extension of matrix element plus parton shower merging at tree level to preserve inclusive cross sections obtained from the merged and showered sample. Implementing this constraint generates approximate next-to-leading order (NLO) contributions similar to the LoopSim approach. We then show how full NLO, or in principle even higher order, corrections can be added consistently, including constraints on inclusive cross sections to account for yet missing parton shower accuracy at higher logarithmic order. We also show how NLO accuracy below the merging scale can be obtained.

Spheromak Merging Experiments on SSX

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, M. R.; Kornack, T. W.; Sollins, P. K.; Luh, W. J.

1997-11-01

Spheromak merging experiments are underway at the Swarthmore Spheromak Experiment (SSX) at Swarthmore College. The spheromaks are formed by identical magnetized plasma guns and equilibrium is established in close fitting 0.5 m diameter copper flux conservers. Partial merging is achieved through openings in the back wall. We observe the formation of a reconnection boundary layer at the interface of the two spheromaks using a linear probe array. The characteristic scale of the flux reversal is about 1 cm (consistent with the diffusion scale δ_diff, the ion Larmor radius ρi and the ion inertial length c/ω_pi). Movies of the formation and evolution of the layer will be presented. Correlations between reconnection events and pulses of soft x-rays and energetic particles will be presented if available. Plans for 2D and 3D imaging of the layer will also be discussed.

Minerals and aligned collagen fibrils in tilapia fish scales: structural analysis using dark-field and energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy and electron tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Okuda, Mitsuhiro; Ogawa, Nobuhiro; Takeguchi, Masaki; Hashimoto, Ayako; Tagaya, Motohiro; Chen, Song; Hanagata, Nobutaka; Ikoma, Toshiyuki

2011-10-01

The mineralized structure of aligned collagen fibrils in a tilapia fish scale was investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques after a thin sample was prepared using aqueous techniques. Electron diffraction and electron energy loss spectroscopy data indicated that a mineralized internal layer consisting of aligned collagen fibrils contains hydroxyapatite crystals. Bright-field imaging, dark-field imaging, and energy-filtered TEM showed that the hydroxyapatite was mainly distributed in the hole zones of the aligned collagen fibrils structure, while needle-like materials composed of calcium compounds including hydroxyapatite existed in the mineralized internal layer. Dark-field imaging and three-dimensional observation using electron tomography revealed that hydroxyapatite and needle-like materials were mainly found in the matrix between the collagen fibrils. It was observed that hydroxyapatite and needle-like materials were preferentially distributed on the surface of the hole zones in the aligned collagen fibrils structure and in the matrix between the collagen fibrils in the mineralized internal layer of the scale.

Structure-preservingness, internal merge, and the strict locality of triads

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koster, J.; Karimi, S.; Samiian, V.; Wilkins, W.

2007-01-01

This paper examines Emonds’ Structure Preserving Hypothesis, and suggests that the insight behind this hypothesis survives reformulation in terms of recent minimalist theory: each structure created by internal merge can also, independently, be created by external merge. As before, this makes

New insights into the structural organization of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cytoskeletons using cryo-electron tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuerner, Julia; Medalia, Ohad; Linaroudis, Alexandros A.; Baumeister, Wolfgang

2004-01-01

Cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) is an emerging imaging technology that combines the potential of three-dimensional (3-D) imaging at molecular resolution (<5 nm) with a close-to-life preservation of the specimen. In conjunction with pattern recognition techniques, it enables us to map the molecular landscape inside cells. The application of cryo-ET to intact cells provides novel insights into the structure and the spatial organization of the cytoskeleton in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells

Correlation order, merging and diversification

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dhaene, J.; Denuit, M.; Vanduffel, S.

2009-01-01

We investigate the influence of the dependence between random losses on the shortfall and on the diversification benefit that arises from merging these losses. We prove that increasing the dependence between losses, expressed in terms of correlation order, has an increasing effect on the shortfall,

Reproducibility of coronary calcification detection with electron-beam computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hernigou, A.; Challande, P.; Boudeville, J.C.; Sene, V.; Grataloup, C.; Plainfosse, M.

1996-01-01

If coronary calcification scores obtained with electron-beam computed tomography (EBT) were proved to be correlated to coronary atherosclerosis, the reproducibility of the technique had to be assessed before being useed for patient follow-up. A total of 150 patients, selected as a result of a cholesterol screening programme, were studied by EBT. Twelve contiguous 3-mm-thick transverse slices beginning on the proximal coronary arteries were obtained through the base of the heart. The amount of calcium was evaluated as the calcified area weighted by a coefficient depending on the density peak level. The value was expressed as a logarithmic scale. Intra-observer, inter-observer and inter-examination reproducibilities were calculated. They were 1.9, 1.3 and 7.2%, respectively. These results were good enough to allow the use of EBT for longitudinal studies. The influence of acquisition and calculation conditions on score computation were also analysed. (orig.)

OPTICAL-NEAR-INFRARED COLOR GRADIENTS AND MERGING HISTORY OF ELLIPTICAL GALAXIES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Duho; Im, Myungshin

2013-01-01

It has been suggested that merging plays an important role in the formation and the evolution of elliptical galaxies. While gas dissipation by star formation is believed to steepen metallicity and color gradients of the merger products, mixing of stars through dissipation-less merging (dry merging) is believed to flatten them. In order to understand the past merging history of elliptical galaxies, we studied the optical-near-infrared (NIR) color gradients of 204 elliptical galaxies. These galaxies are selected from the overlap region of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Stripe 82 and the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) Large Area Survey (LAS). The use of optical and NIR data (g, r, and K) provides large wavelength baselines, and breaks the age-metallicity degeneracy, allowing us to derive age and metallicity gradients. The use of the deep SDSS Stripe 82 images makes it possible for us to examine how the color/age/metallicity gradients are related to merging features. We find that the optical-NIR color and the age/metallicity gradients of elliptical galaxies with tidal features are consistent with those of relaxed ellipticals, suggesting that the two populations underwent a similar merging history on average and that mixing of stars was more or less completed before the tidal features disappeared. Elliptical galaxies with dust features have steeper color gradients than the other two types, even after masking out dust features during the analysis, which can be due to a process involving wet merging. More importantly, we find that the scatter in the color/age/metallicity gradients of the relaxed and merging feature types decreases as their luminosities (or masses) increase at M > 10 11.4 M ☉ but stays large at lower luminosities. Mean metallicity gradients appear nearly constant over the explored mass range, but a possible flattening is observed at the massive end. According to our toy model that predicts how the distribution of metallicity gradients

The Astrophysics of Merging Black Holes

Science.gov (United States)

Schnittman, Jeremy D.

2011-01-01

When two supermassive black holes (SMBHs) approach within 1-10 mpc, gravitational wave (GW) losses begin to dominate the evolution of the binary, pushing the system to merge in a relatively small time. During this final inspiral regime, the system will emit copious energy in GWs, which should be directly detectable by pulsar timing arrays and space-based interferometers. At the same time, any gas or stars in the immediate vicinity of the merging 5MBHs can get heated and produce bright electromagnetic (EM) counterparts to the GW signals. We present here a number of possible mechanisms by which simultaneous EM and GW signals will yield valuable new information about galaxy evolution, accretion disk dynamics, and fundamental physics in the most extreme gravitational fields.

Elucidating structural order and disorder phenomena in mullite-type Al4B2O9 by automated electron diffraction tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Haishuang; Krysiak, Yaşar; Hoffmann, Kristin; Barton, Bastian; Molina-Luna, Leopoldo; Neder, Reinhard B.; Kleebe, Hans-Joachim; Gesing, Thorsten M.; Schneider, Hartmut; Fischer, Reinhard X.

2017-01-01

The crystal structure and disorder phenomena of Al 4 B 2 O 9 , an aluminum borate from the mullite-type family, were studied using automated diffraction tomography (ADT), a recently established method for collection and analysis of electron diffraction data. Al 4 B 2 O 9 , prepared by sol-gel approach, crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/m. The ab initio structure determination based on three-dimensional electron diffraction data from single ordered crystals reveals that edge-connected AlO 6 octahedra expanding along the b axis constitute the backbone. The ordered structure (A) was confirmed by TEM and HAADF-STEM images. Furthermore, disordered crystals with diffuse scattering along the b axis are observed. Analysis of the modulation pattern implies a mean superstructure (AAB) with a threefold b axis, where B corresponds to an A layer shifted by ½a and ½c. Diffraction patterns simulated for the AAB sequence including additional stacking disorder are in good agreement with experimental electron diffraction patterns. - Graphical abstract: Crystal structure and disorder phenomena of B-rich Al 4 B 2 O 9 studied by automated electron diffraction tomography (ADT) and described by diffraction simulation using DISCUS. - Highlights: • Ab-initio structure solution by electron diffraction from single nanocrystals. • Detected modulation corresponding mainly to three-fold superstructure. • Diffuse diffraction streaks caused by stacking faults in disordered crystals. • Observed streaks explained by simulated electron diffraction patterns.

Introduction to printed electronics

CERN Document Server

Suganuma, Katsuaki

2014-01-01

This book describes in detail modern technologies for printed electronics, explaining how nanotechnology and modern printing technology are merging to revolutionize electronics fabrication of thin, lightweight, large, and inexpensive products. Readers will benefit from the explanations of materials, devices and circuits used to design and implement the latest applications of printed electronics, such as thin flexible OLED displays, organic solar cells, OLED lighting, smart wallpaper, sensors, logic, memory and more.

Capacity of Freeway Merge Areas with Different On-Ramp Traffic Flow

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jinxing Shen

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This paper is aimed at investigating the influence of different types of traffic flows on the capacity of freeway merge areas. Based on the classical gap-acceptance model, two calculating models were established specifically considering randomly arriving vehicles and individual difference in driving behaviours. Monte-Carlo simulation was implemented to reproduce the maximum traffic volume on the designed freeway merge area under different situations. The results demonstrated that the proposed calculating models have better performance than the conventional gap-acceptance theory on accurately predicting the capacity of freeway merge areas. The findings of research could be helpful to improve the microscopic traffic flow simulation model from a more practical perspective and support the designing of freeway merge areas as well.

Can survival prediction be improved by merging gene expression data sets?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haleh Yasrebi

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: High-throughput gene expression profiling technologies generating a wealth of data, are increasingly used for characterization of tumor biopsies for clinical trials. By applying machine learning algorithms to such clinically documented data sets, one hopes to improve tumor diagnosis, prognosis, as well as prediction of treatment response. However, the limited number of patients enrolled in a single trial study limits the power of machine learning approaches due to over-fitting. One could partially overcome this limitation by merging data from different studies. Nevertheless, such data sets differ from each other with regard to technical biases, patient selection criteria and follow-up treatment. It is therefore not clear at all whether the advantage of increased sample size outweighs the disadvantage of higher heterogeneity of merged data sets. Here, we present a systematic study to answer this question specifically for breast cancer data sets. We use survival prediction based on Cox regression as an assay to measure the added value of merged data sets. RESULTS: Using time-dependent Receiver Operating Characteristic-Area Under the Curve (ROC-AUC and hazard ratio as performance measures, we see in overall no significant improvement or deterioration of survival prediction with merged data sets as compared to individual data sets. This apparently was due to the fact that a few genes with strong prognostic power were not available on all microarray platforms and thus were not retained in the merged data sets. Surprisingly, we found that the overall best performance was achieved with a single-gene predictor consisting of CYB5D1. CONCLUSIONS: Merging did not deteriorate performance on average despite (a The diversity of microarray platforms used. (b The heterogeneity of patients cohorts. (c The heterogeneity of breast cancer disease. (d Substantial variation of time to death or relapse. (e The reduced number of genes in the merged data

FIB-SEM cathodoluminescence tomography: practical and theoretical considerations.

Science.gov (United States)

De Winter, D A M; Lebbink, M N; Wiggers De Vries, D F; Post, J A; Drury, M R

2011-09-01

Focused ion beam-scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM) tomography is a powerful application in obtaining three-dimensional (3D) information. The FIB creates a cross section and subsequently removes thin slices. The SEM takes images using secondary or backscattered electrons, or maps every slice using X-rays and/or electron backscatter diffraction patterns. The objective of this study is to assess the possibilities of combining FIB-SEM tomography with cathodoluminescence (CL) imaging. The intensity of CL emission is related to variations in defect or impurity concentrations. A potential problem with FIB-SEM CL tomography is that ion milling may change the defect state of the material and the CL emission. In addition the conventional tilted sample geometry used in FIB-SEM tomography is not compatible with conventional CL detectors. Here we examine the influence of the FIB on CL emission in natural diamond and the feasibility of FIB-SEM CL tomography. A systematic investigation establishes that the ion beam influences CL emission of diamond, with a dependency on both the ion beam and electron beam acceleration voltage. CL emission in natural diamond is enhanced particularly at low ion beam and electron beam voltages. This enhancement of the CL emission can be partly explained by an increase in surface defects induced by ion milling. CL emission enhancement could be used to improve the CL image quality. To conduct FIB-SEM CL tomography, a recently developed novel specimen geometry is adopted to enable sequential ion milling and CL imaging on an untilted sample. We show that CL imaging can be manually combined with FIB-SEM tomography with a modified protocol for 3D microstructure reconstruction. In principle, automated FIB-SEM CL tomography should be feasible, provided that dedicated CL detectors are developed that allow subsequent milling and CL imaging without manual intervention, as the current CL detector needs to be manually retracted before a slice can be milled

Intracellular trafficking of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles conjugated with TAT peptide: 3-dimensional electron tomography analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nair, Baiju G.; Fukuda, Takahiro; Mizuki, Toru; Hanajiri, Tatsuro; Maekawa, Toru

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► We study the intracellular localisation of TAT-SPIONs using 3-D electron tomography. ► 3-D images of TAT-SPIONs in a cell are clearly shown. ► Release of TAT-SPIONs from endocytic vesicles into the cytoplasm is clearly shown. -- Abstract: Internalisation of nanoparticles conjugated with cell penetrating peptides is a promising approach to various drug delivery applications. Cell penetrating peptides such as transactivating transcriptional activator (TAT) peptides derived from HIV-1 proteins are effective intracellular delivery vectors for a wide range of nanoparticles and pharmaceutical agents thanks to their amicable ability to enter cells and minimum cytotoxicity. Although different mechanisms of intracellular uptake and localisation have been proposed for TAT conjugated nanoparticles, it is necessary to visualise the particles on a 3-D plane in order to investigate the actual intracellular uptake and localisation. Here, we study the intracellular localisation and trafficking of TAT peptide conjugated superparamagnetic ion oxide nanoparticles (TAT-SPIONs) using 3-D electron tomography. 3-D tomograms clearly show the location of TAT-SPIONs in a cell and their slow release from the endocytic vesicles into the cytoplasm. The present methodology may well be utilised for further investigations of the behaviours of nanoparticles in cells and eventually for the development of nano drug delivery systems.

Modelling of lane-changing behaviour integrating with merging effect before a city road bottleneck

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Wei; Song, Wei-guo; Fang, Zhi-ming; Ma, Jian

2013-10-01

Merging behaviour is a compulsive action in a discretionary lane-changing traffic system, especially in a system with a bottleneck. This paper aims to investigate the generic lane-changing behaviour considering the merging effect before a city road bottleneck. Thus firstly the merging behaviour is distinguished from other generic lane-changing behaviour. Combining discretionary lane-changing and compulsive merging, we developed an integrative traffic model, in which a method to calculate the lane-changing probability and the merging probability was proposed. A simulation scenario derived from real life was conducted to validate the proposed programming algorithm. Finally, a discussion on the simulation findings shows that the merging influence can be expanded and the merging behaviour can increase the probability of local traffic jamming in its affected area of the adjacent lane. The distribution of the merging distance provides fundamental insights for actual traffic management. The result of the clearance time implies the position of the incident point has a significant effect on the clearing time and it is important to ensure the end (exit) of the road is unimpeded in traffic evacuation.

Prospective randomized comparison of rotational angiography with three-dimensional reconstruction and computed tomography merged with electro-anatomical mapping: a two center atrial fibrillation ablation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Anand, Rishi; Gorev, Maxim V; Poghosyan, Hermine; Pothier, Lindsay; Matkins, John; Kotler, Gregory; Moroz, Sarah; Armstrong, James; Nemtsov, Sergei V; Orlov, Michael V

2016-08-01

To compare the efficacy and accuracy of rotational angiography with three-dimensional reconstruction (3DATG) image merged with electro-anatomical mapping (EAM) vs. CT-EAM. A prospective, randomized, parallel, two-center study conducted in 36 patients (25 men, age 65 ± 10 years) undergoing AF ablation (33 % paroxysmal, 67 % persistent) guided by 3DATG (group 1) vs. CT (group 2) image fusion with EAM. 3DATG was performed on the Philips Allura Xper FD 10 system. Procedural characteristics including time, radiation exposure, outcome, and navigation accuracy were compared between two groups. There was no significant difference between the groups in total procedure duration or time spent for various procedural steps. Minor differences in procedural characteristics were present between two centers. Segmentation and fusion time for 3DATG or CT-EAM was short and similar between both centers. Accuracy of navigation guided by either method was high and did not depend on left atrial size. Maintenance of sinus rhythm between the two groups was no different up to 24 months of follow-up. This study did not find superiority of 3DATG-EAM image merge to guide AF ablation when compared to CT-EAM fusion. Both merging techniques result in similar navigation accuracy.

Spatial Localization of the Ebola Virus Glycoprotein Mucin-Like Domain Determined by Cryo-Electron Tomography

OpenAIRE

Tran, Erin E. H.; Simmons, James A.; Bartesaghi, Alberto; Shoemaker, Charles J.; Nelson, Elizabeth; White, Judith M.; Subramaniam, Sriram

2014-01-01

The Ebola virus glycoprotein mucin-like domain (MLD) is implicated in Ebola virus cell entry and immune evasion. Using cryo-electron tomography of Ebola virus-like particles, we determined a three-dimensional structure for the full-length glycoprotein in a near-native state and compared it to that of a glycoprotein lacking the MLD. Our results, which show that the MLD is located at the apex and the sides of each glycoprotein monomer, provide a structural template for analysis of MLD function.

Optimization approaches to mpi and area merging-based parallel buffer algorithm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Junfu Fan

Full Text Available On buffer zone construction, the rasterization-based dilation method inevitably introduces errors, and the double-sided parallel line method involves a series of complex operations. In this paper, we proposed a parallel buffer algorithm based on area merging and MPI (Message Passing Interface to improve the performances of buffer analyses on processing large datasets. Experimental results reveal that there are three major performance bottlenecks which significantly impact the serial and parallel buffer construction efficiencies, including the area merging strategy, the task load balance method and the MPI inter-process results merging strategy. Corresponding optimization approaches involving tree-like area merging strategy, the vertex number oriented parallel task partition method and the inter-process results merging strategy were suggested to overcome these bottlenecks. Experiments were carried out to examine the performance efficiency of the optimized parallel algorithm. The estimation results suggested that the optimization approaches could provide high performance and processing ability for buffer construction in a cluster parallel environment. Our method could provide insights into the parallelization of spatial analysis algorithm.

Learning to merge search results for efficient Distributed Information Retrieval

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tjin-Kam-Jet, Kien; Hiemstra, Djoerd

2010-01-01

Merging search results from different servers is a major problem in Distributed Information Retrieval. We used Regression-SVM and Ranking-SVM which would learn a function that merges results based on information that is readily available: i.e. the ranks, titles, summaries and URLs contained in the

Merging Mixture Components for Cell Population Identification in Flow Cytometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Greg Finak

2009-01-01

Full Text Available We present a framework for the identification of cell subpopulations in flow cytometry data based on merging mixture components using the flowClust methodology. We show that the cluster merging algorithm under our framework improves model fit and provides a better estimate of the number of distinct cell subpopulations than either Gaussian mixture models or flowClust, especially for complicated flow cytometry data distributions. Our framework allows the automated selection of the number of distinct cell subpopulations and we are able to identify cases where the algorithm fails, thus making it suitable for application in a high throughput FCM analysis pipeline. Furthermore, we demonstrate a method for summarizing complex merged cell subpopulations in a simple manner that integrates with the existing flowClust framework and enables downstream data analysis. We demonstrate the performance of our framework on simulated and real FCM data. The software is available in the flowMerge package through the Bioconductor project.

Merging Digital Surface Models Implementing Bayesian Approaches

Science.gov (United States)

Sadeq, H.; Drummond, J.; Li, Z.

2016-06-01

In this research different DSMs from different sources have been merged. The merging is based on a probabilistic model using a Bayesian Approach. The implemented data have been sourced from very high resolution satellite imagery sensors (e.g. WorldView-1 and Pleiades). It is deemed preferable to use a Bayesian Approach when the data obtained from the sensors are limited and it is difficult to obtain many measurements or it would be very costly, thus the problem of the lack of data can be solved by introducing a priori estimations of data. To infer the prior data, it is assumed that the roofs of the buildings are specified as smooth, and for that purpose local entropy has been implemented. In addition to the a priori estimations, GNSS RTK measurements have been collected in the field which are used as check points to assess the quality of the DSMs and to validate the merging result. The model has been applied in the West-End of Glasgow containing different kinds of buildings, such as flat roofed and hipped roofed buildings. Both quantitative and qualitative methods have been employed to validate the merged DSM. The validation results have shown that the model was successfully able to improve the quality of the DSMs and improving some characteristics such as the roof surfaces, which consequently led to better representations. In addition to that, the developed model has been compared with the well established Maximum Likelihood model and showed similar quantitative statistical results and better qualitative results. Although the proposed model has been applied on DSMs that were derived from satellite imagery, it can be applied to any other sourced DSMs.

MERGING DIGITAL SURFACE MODELS IMPLEMENTING BAYESIAN APPROACHES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Sadeq

2016-06-01

Full Text Available In this research different DSMs from different sources have been merged. The merging is based on a probabilistic model using a Bayesian Approach. The implemented data have been sourced from very high resolution satellite imagery sensors (e.g. WorldView-1 and Pleiades. It is deemed preferable to use a Bayesian Approach when the data obtained from the sensors are limited and it is difficult to obtain many measurements or it would be very costly, thus the problem of the lack of data can be solved by introducing a priori estimations of data. To infer the prior data, it is assumed that the roofs of the buildings are specified as smooth, and for that purpose local entropy has been implemented. In addition to the a priori estimations, GNSS RTK measurements have been collected in the field which are used as check points to assess the quality of the DSMs and to validate the merging result. The model has been applied in the West-End of Glasgow containing different kinds of buildings, such as flat roofed and hipped roofed buildings. Both quantitative and qualitative methods have been employed to validate the merged DSM. The validation results have shown that the model was successfully able to improve the quality of the DSMs and improving some characteristics such as the roof surfaces, which consequently led to better representations. In addition to that, the developed model has been compared with the well established Maximum Likelihood model and showed similar quantitative statistical results and better qualitative results. Although the proposed model has been applied on DSMs that were derived from satellite imagery, it can be applied to any other sourced DSMs.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2015-12-01

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

Scaled beam merging experiment for heavy ion inertial fusion

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. A. Seidl

2003-09-01

Full Text Available Transverse beam combining is a cost-saving option employed in many designs for heavy ion fusion drivers. However, the resultant transverse phase space dilution must be minimized so as not to sacrifice focusability at the target. A prototype combining experiment has been completed employing four 3-mA Cs^{+} beams injected at 160 keV. The focusing elements upstream of the merge consist of four quadrupoles and a final combined-function element (quadrupole and dipole. Following the merge, the resultant single beam is transported in a single alternating gradient channel where the subsequent evolution of the distribution function is diagnosed. The results are in fair agreement with particle-in-cell simulations. They indicate that for some heavy ion fusion driver designs, the phase space dilution from merging is acceptable.

Advances in imaging and electron physics time resolved electron diffraction for chemistry, biology and material science

CERN Document Server

Hawkes, Peter W

2014-01-01

Advances in Imaging & Electron Physics merges two long-running serials-Advances in Electronics & Electron Physics and Advances in Optical & Electron Microscopy. The series features extended articles on the physics of electron devices (especially semiconductor devices), particle optics at high and low energies, microlithography, image science and digital image processing, electromagnetic wave propagation, electron microscopy, and the computing methods used in all these domains. Contributions from leading authorities Informs and updates on all the latest developments in the field.

Thiazoloisoindigo: a Building Block that Merges the Merits of Thienoisoindigo and Diazaisoindigo for Conjugated Polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Xiaobo; Li, Chenchen; Wang, Xiao; Hio-Ieng, Un; Peng, Jiawei; Lan, Zhenggang; Cai, Mian; Pei, Jian; Wang, Jieyu

2018-04-24

Thiazoloisoindigo, a novel structural variation of isoindigo, is for the first time utilized to synthesize conjugated polymers. Polymer based on thiazoloisoindigo merges the advantages of the one based on thienoisoindigo and diazaisoindigo: It not only exhibits a greatly red shifted UV-vis absorption to the near-infrared region due to its strong tendency to form quinoidal structures, similar to that based on thienoisoindigo, but also shows excellent ambipolar mobility (hole 3.93 and electron 1.07 cm2 V-1 s-1, respectively) in organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), superior than that based on diazaisoindigo, showing the strong electron-withdrawing capability of thiazoloisoindigo. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Geographically weighted regression based methods for merging satellite and gauge precipitation

Science.gov (United States)

Chao, Lijun; Zhang, Ke; Li, Zhijia; Zhu, Yuelong; Wang, Jingfeng; Yu, Zhongbo

2018-03-01

Real-time precipitation data with high spatiotemporal resolutions are crucial for accurate hydrological forecasting. To improve the spatial resolution and quality of satellite precipitation, a three-step satellite and gauge precipitation merging method was formulated in this study: (1) bilinear interpolation is first applied to downscale coarser satellite precipitation to a finer resolution (PS); (2) the (mixed) geographically weighted regression methods coupled with a weighting function are then used to estimate biases of PS as functions of gauge observations (PO) and PS; and (3) biases of PS are finally corrected to produce a merged precipitation product. Based on the above framework, eight algorithms, a combination of two geographically weighted regression methods and four weighting functions, are developed to merge CMORPH (CPC MORPHing technique) precipitation with station observations on a daily scale in the Ziwuhe Basin of China. The geographical variables (elevation, slope, aspect, surface roughness, and distance to the coastline) and a meteorological variable (wind speed) were used for merging precipitation to avoid the artificial spatial autocorrelation resulting from traditional interpolation methods. The results show that the combination of the MGWR and BI-square function (MGWR-BI) has the best performance (R = 0.863 and RMSE = 7.273 mm/day) among the eight algorithms. The MGWR-BI algorithm was then applied to produce hourly merged precipitation product. Compared to the original CMORPH product (R = 0.208 and RMSE = 1.208 mm/hr), the quality of the merged data is significantly higher (R = 0.724 and RMSE = 0.706 mm/hr). The developed merging method not only improves the spatial resolution and quality of the satellite product but also is easy to implement, which is valuable for hydrological modeling and other applications.

Characterization of electronics devices for computed tomography dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paschoal, Cinthia Marques Magalhaes

2012-01-01

Computed tomography (CT) is an examination of high diagnostic capability that delivers high doses of radiation compared with other diagnostic radiological examinations. The current CT dosimetry is mainly made by using a 100 mm long ionization chamber. However, it was verified that this extension, which is intended to collect ali scattered radiation of the single slice dose profile in CT, is not enough. An alternative dosimetry has been suggested by translating smaller detectors. In this work, commercial electronics devices of small dimensions were characterized for CT dosimetry. The project can be divided in five parts: a) pre-selection of devices; b) electrical characterization of selected devices; e) dosimetric characterization in Iaboratory, using radiation qualities specific to CT, and in a tomograph; d) evaluation of the dose profile in CT scanner (free in air and in head and body dosimetric phantom); e) evaluation of the new MSAD detector in a tomograph. The selected devices were OP520 and OP521 phototransistors and BPW34FS photodiode. Before the dosimetric characterization, three configurations of detectors, with 4, 2 and 1 OP520 phototransistor working as a single detector, were evaluated and the configuration with only one device was the most adequate. Hence, the following tests, for all devices, were made using the configuration with only one device. The tests of dosimetric characterization in laboratory and in a tomograph were: energy dependence, response as a function of air kerma (laboratory) and CTDI 100 (scanner), sensitivity variation and angular dependence. In both characterizations, the devices showed some energy dependence, indicating the need of correction factors depending on the beam energy; their response was linear with the air kerma and the CTDI 100 ; the OP520 phototransistor showed the largest variation in sensitivity with the irradiation and the photodiode was the most stable; the angular dependence was significant in the laboratory and

Modeling merging behavior at lane drops.

Science.gov (United States)

2015-02-01

In work-zone configurations where lane drops are present, merging of traffic at the taper presents an operational concern. In : addition, as flow through the work zone is reduced, the relative traffic safety of the work zone is also reduced. Improvin...

Studies on Plasmoid Merging using Compact Toroid Injectors

Science.gov (United States)

Allfrey, Ian; Matsumoto, Tadafumi; Roche, Thomas; Gota, Hiroshi; Edo, Takahiro; Asai, Tomohiko; Sheftman, Daniel; Osin Team; Dima Team

2017-10-01

C-2 and C-2U experiments have used magnetized coaxial plasma guns (MCPG) to inject compact toroids (CTs) for refueling the long-lived advanced beam-driven field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasma. This refueling method will also be used for the C-2W experiment. To minimize momentum transfer from the CT to the FRC two CTs are injected radially, diametrically opposed and coincident in time. To improve understanding of the CT characteristics TAE has a dedicated test bed for the development of CT injectors (CTI), where plasmoid merging experiments are performed. The test bed has two CTIs on axis with both axial and transverse magnetic fields. The 1 kG magnetic fields, intended to approximate the magnetic field strength and injection angle on C-2W, allow studies of cross-field transport and merging. Both CTIs are capable of injecting multiple CTs at up to 1 kHz. The resulting merged CT lives >100 μs with a radius of 25 cm. More detailed results of CT parameters will be presented.

Spatial localization of the Ebola virus glycoprotein mucin-like domain determined by cryo-electron tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, Erin E H; Simmons, James A; Bartesaghi, Alberto; Shoemaker, Charles J; Nelson, Elizabeth; White, Judith M; Subramaniam, Sriram

2014-09-01

The Ebola virus glycoprotein mucin-like domain (MLD) is implicated in Ebola virus cell entry and immune evasion. Using cryo-electron tomography of Ebola virus-like particles, we determined a three-dimensional structure for the full-length glycoprotein in a near-native state and compared it to that of a glycoprotein lacking the MLD. Our results, which show that the MLD is located at the apex and the sides of each glycoprotein monomer, provide a structural template for analysis of MLD function. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Comparison of online and offline based merging methods for high resolution rainfall intensities

Science.gov (United States)

Shehu, Bora; Haberlandt, Uwe

2016-04-01

Accurate rainfall intensities with high spatial and temporal resolution are crucial for urban flow prediction. Commonly, raw or bias corrected radar fields are used for forecasting, while different merging products are employed for simulation. The merging products are proven to be adequate for rainfall intensities estimation, however their application in forecasting is limited as they are developed for offline mode. This study aims at adapting and refining the offline merging techniques for the online implementation, and at comparing the performance of these methods for high resolution rainfall data. Radar bias correction based on mean fields and quantile mapping are analyzed individually and also are implemented in conditional merging. Special attention is given to the impact of different spatial and temporal filters on the predictive skill of all methods. Raw radar data and kriging interpolation of station data are considered as a reference to check the benefit of the merged products. The methods are applied for several extreme events in the time period 2006-2012 caused by different meteorological conditions, and their performance is evaluated by split sampling. The study area is located within the 112 km radius of Hannover radar in Lower Saxony, Germany and the data set constitutes of 80 recording stations in 5 min time steps. The results of this study reveal how the performance of the methods is affected by the adjustment of radar data, choice of merging method and selected event. Merging techniques can be used to improve the performance of online rainfall estimation, which gives way to the application of merging products in forecasting.

Intracellular trafficking of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles conjugated with TAT peptide: 3-dimensional electron tomography analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nair, Baiju G.; Fukuda, Takahiro; Mizuki, Toru; Hanajiri, Tatsuro [Bio-Nano Electronics Research Centre, Toyo University, Saitama 350-8585 (Japan); Maekawa, Toru, E-mail: maekawa@toyo.jp [Bio-Nano Electronics Research Centre, Toyo University, Saitama 350-8585 (Japan)

2012-05-18

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We study the intracellular localisation of TAT-SPIONs using 3-D electron tomography. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer 3-D images of TAT-SPIONs in a cell are clearly shown. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Release of TAT-SPIONs from endocytic vesicles into the cytoplasm is clearly shown. -- Abstract: Internalisation of nanoparticles conjugated with cell penetrating peptides is a promising approach to various drug delivery applications. Cell penetrating peptides such as transactivating transcriptional activator (TAT) peptides derived from HIV-1 proteins are effective intracellular delivery vectors for a wide range of nanoparticles and pharmaceutical agents thanks to their amicable ability to enter cells and minimum cytotoxicity. Although different mechanisms of intracellular uptake and localisation have been proposed for TAT conjugated nanoparticles, it is necessary to visualise the particles on a 3-D plane in order to investigate the actual intracellular uptake and localisation. Here, we study the intracellular localisation and trafficking of TAT peptide conjugated superparamagnetic ion oxide nanoparticles (TAT-SPIONs) using 3-D electron tomography. 3-D tomograms clearly show the location of TAT-SPIONs in a cell and their slow release from the endocytic vesicles into the cytoplasm. The present methodology may well be utilised for further investigations of the behaviours of nanoparticles in cells and eventually for the development of nano drug delivery systems.

Advances in imaging and electron physics the scanning transmission electron microscope

CERN Document Server

Hawkes, Peter W

2009-01-01

Advances in Imaging and Electron Physics merges two long-running serials--Advances in Electronics and Electron Physics and Advances in Optical and Electron Microscopy. This series features extended articles on the physics of electron devices (especially semiconductor devices), particle optics at high and low energies, microlithography, image science and digital image processing, electromagnetic wave propagation, electron microscopy, and the computing methods used in all these domains.  This particular volume presents several timely articles on the scanning transmission electron microscope. Updated with contributions from leading international scholars and industry experts Discusses hot topic areas and presents current and future research trends Provides an invaluable reference and guide for physicists, engineers and mathematicians.

Organization of organelles within hyphae of Ashbya gossypii revealed by electron tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibeaux, Romain; Hoepfner, Dominic; Schlatter, Ivan; Antony, Claude; Philippsen, Peter

2013-11-01

Ashbya gossypii grows as multinucleated and constantly elongating hyphae. Nuclei are in continuous forward and backward motion, also move during mitosis, and frequently bypass each other. Whereas these nuclear movements are well documented, comparatively little is known about the density and morphology of organelles which very likely influence these movements. To understand the three-dimensional subcellular organization of hyphae at high resolution, we performed large-scale electron tomography of the tip regions in A. gossypii. Here, we present a comprehensive space-filling model in which most membrane-limited organelles including nuclei, mitochondria, endosomes, multivesicular bodies, vacuoles, autophagosomes, peroxisomes, and vesicles are modeled. Nuclei revealed different morphologies and protrusions filled by the nucleolus. Mitochondria are very abundant and form a tubular network with a polarized spherical fraction. The organelles of the degradative pathways show a clustered organization. By analyzing vesicle-like bodies, we identified three size classes of electron-dense vesicles (∼200, ∼150, and ∼100 nm) homogeneously distributed in the cytoplasm which most likely represent peroxisomes. Finally, coated and uncoated vesicles with approximately 40-nm diameters show a polarized distribution toward the hyphal tip with the coated vesicles preferentially localizing at the hyphal periphery.

Value of electron beam tomography (EBT). II. non-cardiac applications and radiation exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Enzweiler, C.N.H.; Lembcke, A.; Rogalla, P.; Taupitz, M.; Wiese, T.H.; Hamm, B.; Becker, C.R.; Bruening, R.; Reiser, M.F.; Schoepf, U.J.; Felix, R.; Knollmann, F.D.; Georgi, M.; Weisser, G.; Lehmann, K.J.

2004-01-01

Electron beam tomography (EBT) has been scientifically evaluated to a much lesser degree for non-cardiac indications than for cardiac purposes. Therefore, four groups of investigators in Berlin (2), Mannheim and Muenchen, which were supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), included applications outside the heart in their evaluation of EBT technology. EBT has proven useful to look for pulmonary embolism and to assess other vessels (aorta, aortic branches, and intracranial arteries). Imaging of the lung parenchyma benefits from its intrinsic high contrast and from the fast data acquisition of EBT. Limited photon efficiency, higher radiation exposure, increased noise levels and other artifacts, however markedly reduce the value of EBT for imaging of low contrast objects compared to conventional spiral CT and multislice CT (MSCT), compromising, in particular, the morphologic depiction of parenchymal abdominal organs and the brain. Consequently, scientific studies to further evaluate EBT for scanning of the brain and parenchymal abdominal organs were not pursued. Radiation exposure for non-cardiac EBT studies is up to three times higher than that for respective spiral CT studies, and in children EBT can only be advocated in select cases. Radiation exposure for the various prospectively triggered cardiac examination protocols of EBT is lower than that for conventional coronary angiography. Radiation exposure in cardiac multislice CT exceeds severalfold that of EBT, but the dose efficiency of EBT and MSCT are similar due to higher spatial resolution and less image noise of MSCT. In addition, modifications of MSCT (ECG pulsing) can further reduce radiation exposure to the level of EBT. Technical improvements of the EBT successor scanner 'e-Speed' enable faster data acquisiton at higher spatial resolution. Within comparative studies, the 'e-Speed' will have to prove its value and competitiveness, particularly in comparison with multislice CT. After profound

Computing and visualizing time-varying merge trees for high-dimensional data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oesterling, Patrick [Univ. of Leipzig (Germany); Heine, Christian [Univ. of Kaiserslautern (Germany); Weber, Gunther H. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Morozov, Dmitry [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Scheuermann, Gerik [Univ. of Leipzig (Germany)

2017-06-03

We introduce a new method that identifies and tracks features in arbitrary dimensions using the merge tree -- a structure for identifying topological features based on thresholding in scalar fields. This method analyzes the evolution of features of the function by tracking changes in the merge tree and relates features by matching subtrees between consecutive time steps. Using the time-varying merge tree, we present a structural visualization of the changing function that illustrates both features and their temporal evolution. We demonstrate the utility of our approach by applying it to temporal cluster analysis of high-dimensional point clouds.

Nanoroses of nickel oxides: Synthesis, electron tomography study, and application in CO oxidation and energy storage

KAUST Repository

Fihri, Aziz

2012-04-11

Nickel oxide and mixed-metal oxide structures were fabricated by using microwave irradiation in pure water. The nickel oxide self-assembled into unique rose-shaped nanostructures. These nickel oxide roses were studied by performing electron tomography with virtual cross-sections through the particles to understand their morphology from their interior to their surface. These materials exhibited promising performance as nanocatalysts for CO oxidation and in energy storage devices. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Program Merges SAR Data on Terrain and Vegetation Heights

Science.gov (United States)

Siqueira, Paul; Hensley, Scott; Rodriguez, Ernesto; Simard, Marc

2007-01-01

X/P Merge is a computer program that estimates ground-surface elevations and vegetation heights from multiple sets of data acquired by the GeoSAR instrument [a terrain-mapping synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) system that operates in the X and bands]. X/P Merge software combines data from X- and P-band digital elevation models, SAR backscatter magnitudes, and interferometric correlation magnitudes into a simplified set of output topographical maps of ground-surface elevation and tree height.

Scanning transmission proton microscopy tomography of reconstruction cells from simulated data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Conghua; Li Min; Hou Qing

2011-01-01

For scanning transmission proton microscopy tomography, to compare cell images of the proton stopping power and relative electron density, two cell phantoms are designed and simulated by code FLUKA. The cell images are reconstructed by the filtered back projection algorithm, and compared with their tomography imaging. The images of stopping power and relative electron density slightly vary with proton energies, but the internal images are of clear with high resolution. The organic glass image of relative electron density reveals the resolution power of proton tomography. Also, the simulation results reflect effects of the boundary enhancement, the weak artifacts, and the internal structure border extension by multiple scattering. So using proton tomography to analyze internal structure of a cell is a superior. (authors)

Electron microscopy of Drosophila garland cell nephrocytes: Optimal preparation, immunostaining and STEM tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Hochapfel, Florian; Denk, Lucia; Maaßen, Christine; Zaytseva, Yulia; Rachel, Reinhard; Witzgall, Ralph; Krahn, Michael P

2018-01-29

Due to its structural and molecular similarities to mammalian podocytes, the Drosophila nephrocyte emerged as a model system to study podocyte development and associated diseases. Similar to podocytes, nephrocytes establish a slit diaphragm between foot process-like structures in order to filter the hemolymph. One major obstacle in nephrocyte research is the distinct visualization of this subcellular structure to assess its integrity. Therefore, we developed a specialized dissection and fixation protocol, including high pressure freezing and freeze substitution techniques, to improve the preservation of the intricate ultrastructural details necessary for electron microscopic assessment. By means of scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) tomography, a three-dimensional dataset was generated to further understand the complex architecture of the nephrocyte channel system. Moreover, a staining protocol for immunolabeling of ultrathin sections of Epon-embedded nephrocytes is discussed, which allows the reliable detection of GFP-tagged fusion proteins combined with superior sample preservation. Due to the growing number of available GFP-trap fly lines, this approach is widely applicable for high resolution localization studies in wild type and mutant nephrocytes. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Simulations of Merging Helion Bunches on the AGS Injection Porch

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gardner, C. J. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). Collider-Accelerator Dept.

2014-08-29

During the setup of helions for the FY2014 RHIC run it was discovered that the standard scheme for merging bunches on the AGS injection porch required an injection kicker pulse shorter than what was available. To overcome this difficulty, K. Zeno proposed and developed an interesting and unusual alternative which uses RF harmonic numbers 12, 4, 2 (rather than the standard 8, 4, 2) to merge 8 helion bunches into 2. In this note we carry out simulations that illustrate how the alternative scheme works and how it compares with the standard scheme. This is done in Sections 13 and 14. A scheme in which 6 bunches are merged into 1 is simulated in Section 15. This may be useful if more helions per merged bunch are needed in future runs. General formulae for the simulations are given in Sections 9 through 12. For completeness, Sections 1 through 8 give a derivation of the turn-by-turn equations of longitudinal motion at constant magnetic field. The derivation is based on the work of MacLachlan. The reader may wish to skip over these Sections and start with Section 9.

Simulations of Merging Helion Bunches on the AGS Injection Porch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gardner, C. J.

2014-01-01

During the setup of helions for the FY2014 RHIC run it was discovered that the standard scheme for merging bunches on the AGS injection porch required an injection kicker pulse shorter than what was available. To overcome this difficulty, K. Zeno proposed and developed an interesting and unusual alternative which uses RF harmonic numbers 12, 4, 2 (rather than the standard 8, 4, 2) to merge 8 helion bunches into 2. In this note we carry out simulations that illustrate how the alternative scheme works and how it compares with the standard scheme. This is done in Sections 13 and 14. A scheme in which 6 bunches are merged into 1 is simulated in Section 15. This may be useful if more helions per merged bunch are needed in future runs. General formulae for the simulations are given in Sections 9 through 12. For completeness, Sections 1 through 8 give a derivation of the turn-by-turn equations of longitudinal motion at constant magnetic field. The derivation is based on the work of MacLachlan. The reader may wish to skip over these Sections and start with Section 9.

High resolution IVEM tomography of biological specimens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sedat, J.W.; Agard, D.A. [Univ. of California, San Francisco, CA (United States)

1997-02-01

Electron tomography is a powerful tool for elucidating the three-dimensional architecture of large biological complexes and subcellular organelles. The introduction of intermediate voltage electron microscopes further extended the technique by providing the means to examine very large and non-symmetrical subcellular organelles, at resolutions beyond what would be possible using light microscopy. Recent studies using electron tomography on a variety of cellular organelles and assemblies such as centrosomes, kinetochores, and chromatin have clearly demonstrated the power of this technique for obtaining 3D structural information on non-symmetric cell components. When combined with biochemical and molecular observations, these 3D reconstructions have provided significant new insights into biological function.

Molecular architecture of axonemal microtubule doublets revealedby cryo-electron tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sui, Haixin; Downing, Kenneth H.

2006-05-22

The axoneme, which forms the core of eukaryotic flagella and cilia, is one of the largest macromolecular machines with a structure that is largely conserved from protists to mammals. Microtubule doublets are structural components of axonemes containing a number of proteins besides tubulin, and are usually found in arrays of nine doublets arranged around two singlet microtubules. Coordinated sliding of adjacent doublets, which involves a host of other proteins in the axoneme, produces periodic beating movements of the axoneme. We have obtained a 3D density map of intact microtubule doublets using cryo-electron tomography and image averaging. Our map, with a resolution of about 3 nm, provides insights into locations of particular proteins within the doublets and the structural features of the doublets that define their mechanical properties. We identify likely candidates for several of these non-tubulin components of the doublets. This work offers novel insight on how tubulin protofilaments and accessory proteins attach together to form the doublets and provides a structural basis for understanding doublet function in axonemes.

MERGE-ETL: An Optimisation Equilibrium Model with Two Different Endogeneous Technological Learning Formulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bahn, O.; Kypreos, S.

2002-07-01

In MERGE-ETL, endogenous technological progress is applied to eight energy technologies: six power plants (integrated coal gasification with combined cycle, gas turbine with combined cycle, gas fuel cell, new nuclear designs, wind turbine and solar photovoltaic) and two plants producing hydrogen (from biomass and solar photovoltaic). Furthermore, compared to the original MERGE model, we have introduced two new power plants (using coal and gas) with CO{sub 2} capture and disposal into depleted oil and gas reservoirs. The difficulty with incorporating endogenous technological progress in MERGE comes from the resulting formulation of the MERGE-ETL model. Indeed, technological learning is related to increasing returns to adoption, and the mathematical formulation of MERGE-ETL corresponds then to a (non-linear and) non-convex optimisation problem. To solve MERGE-ETL, we have devised a three-step heuristic approach, where we search for the global optimum in an iterative way. We use in particular for this a linearisation, following mixed integer programming techniques, of the bottom-up part of MERGE-ETL. To study the impacts of modelling endogenous technological change in MERGE, we have considered several scenarios related to technological learning and carbon control. The latter corresponds to a 'soft landing' of world energy related CO{sub 2} emissions to a level of 10 Gt C by 2050, and takes into account the recent (2001) Marrakech Agreements for CO{sub 2} emission limits by 2010. Notice that our baseline scenario (without emission control and endogenous technological change) is consistent, in particular in terms of population and CO{sub 2} emissions, with the IPCC B2 scenario. Our numerical application with MERGE-ETL shows that technological learning yields an increase of primary energy use and of electricity generation. Indeed, energy production, and in particular electricity generation, become less expensive over-time. Energy (electricity, but also non

Droplets formation and merging in two-phase flow microfluidics.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Hao; Duits, Michel H G; Mugele, Frieder

2011-01-01

Two-phase flow microfluidics is emerging as a popular technology for a wide range of applications involving high throughput such as encapsulation, chemical synthesis and biochemical assays. Within this platform, the formation and merging of droplets inside an immiscible carrier fluid are two key procedures: (i) the emulsification step should lead to a very well controlled drop size (distribution); and (ii) the use of droplet as micro-reactors requires a reliable merging. A novel trend within this field is the use of additional active means of control besides the commonly used hydrodynamic manipulation. Electric fields are especially suitable for this, due to quantitative control over the amplitude and time dependence of the signals, and the flexibility in designing micro-electrode geometries. With this, the formation and merging of droplets can be achieved on-demand and with high precision. In this review on two-phase flow microfluidics, particular emphasis is given on these aspects. Also recent innovations in microfabrication technologies used for this purpose will be discussed.

The collaborative effect of ram pressure and merging on star formation and stripping fraction

Science.gov (United States)

Bischko, J. C.; Steinhauser, D.; Schindler, S.

2015-04-01

Aims: We investigate the effect of ram pressure stripping (RPS) on several simulations of merging pairs of gas-rich spiral galaxies. We are concerned with the changes in stripping efficiency and the time evolution of the star formation rate. Our goal is to provide an estimate of the combined effect of merging and RPS compared to the influence of the individual processes. Methods: We make use of the combined N-body/hydrodynamic code GADGET-2. The code features a threshold-based statistical recipe for star formation, as well as radiative cooling and modeling of galactic winds. In our simulations, we vary mass ratios between 1:4 and 1:8 in a binary merger. We sample different geometric configurations of the merging systems (edge-on and face-on mergers, different impact parameters). Furthermore, we vary the properties of the intracluster medium (ICM) in rough steps: the speed of the merging system relative to the ICM between 500 and 1000 km s-1, the ICM density between 10-29 and 10-27 g cm-3, and the ICM direction relative to the mergers' orbital plane. Ram pressure is kept constant within a simulation time period, as is the ICM temperature of 107 K. Each simulation in the ICM is compared to simulations of the merger in vacuum and the non-merging galaxies with acting ram pressure. Results: Averaged over the simulation time (1 Gyr) the merging pairs show a negligible 5% enhancement in SFR, when compared to single galaxies under the same environmental conditions. The SFRs peak at the time of the galaxies first fly-through. There, our simulations show SFRs of up to 20 M⊙ yr-1 (compared to 3 M⊙ yr-1 of the non-merging galaxies in vacuum). In the most extreme case, this constitutes a short-term (<50 Myr) SFR increase of 50 % over the non-merging galaxies experiencing ram pressure. The wake of merging galaxies in the ICM typically has a third to half the star mass seen in the non-merging galaxies and 5% to 10% less gas mass. The joint effect of RPS and merging, according

PEAR: a fast and accurate Illumina Paired-End reAd mergeR.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jiajie; Kobert, Kassian; Flouri, Tomáš; Stamatakis, Alexandros

2014-03-01

The Illumina paired-end sequencing technology can generate reads from both ends of target DNA fragments, which can subsequently be merged to increase the overall read length. There already exist tools for merging these paired-end reads when the target fragments are equally long. However, when fragment lengths vary and, in particular, when either the fragment size is shorter than a single-end read, or longer than twice the size of a single-end read, most state-of-the-art mergers fail to generate reliable results. Therefore, a robust tool is needed to merge paired-end reads that exhibit varying overlap lengths because of varying target fragment lengths. We present the PEAR software for merging raw Illumina paired-end reads from target fragments of varying length. The program evaluates all possible paired-end read overlaps and does not require the target fragment size as input. It also implements a statistical test for minimizing false-positive results. Tests on simulated and empirical data show that PEAR consistently generates highly accurate merged paired-end reads. A highly optimized implementation allows for merging millions of paired-end reads within a few minutes on a standard desktop computer. On multi-core architectures, the parallel version of PEAR shows linear speedups compared with the sequential version of PEAR. PEAR is implemented in C and uses POSIX threads. It is freely available at http://www.exelixis-lab.org/web/software/pear.

Optimization of a Solid-State Electron Spin Qubit Using Gate Set Tomography (Open Access, Publisher’s Version)

Science.gov (United States)

2016-10-13

and addressedwhen the qubit is usedwithin a fault-tolerant quantum computation scheme. 1. Introduction One of themain challenges in the physical...supplied in the supplementarymaterial. Additionally, we have supplied the datafiles constructed from the experiments, alongwith the Python notebook used to...New J. Phys. 18 (2016) 103018 doi:10.1088/1367-2630/18/10/103018 PAPER Optimization of a solid-state electron spin qubit using gate set tomography

Photons-based medical imaging - Radiology, X-ray tomography, gamma and positrons tomography, optical imaging; Imagerie medicale a base de photons - Radiologie, tomographie X, tomographie gamma et positons, imagerie optique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fanet, H.; Dinten, J.M.; Moy, J.P.; Rinkel, J. [CEA Leti, Grenoble (France); Buvat, I. [IMNC - CNRS, Orsay (France); Da Silva, A. [Institut Fresnel, Marseille (France); Douek, P.; Peyrin, F. [INSA Lyon, Lyon Univ. (France); Frija, G. [Hopital Europeen George Pompidou, Paris (France); Trebossen, R. [CEA-Service hospitalier Frederic Joliot, Orsay (France)

2010-07-01

This book describes the different principles used in medical imaging. The detection aspects, the processing electronics and algorithms are detailed for the different techniques. This first tome analyses the photons-based techniques (X-rays, gamma rays and visible light). Content: 1 - physical background: radiation-matter interaction, consequences on detection and medical imaging; 2 - detectors for medical imaging; 3 - processing of numerical radiography images for quantization; 4 - X-ray tomography; 5 - positrons emission tomography: principles and applications; 6 - mono-photonic imaging; 7 - optical imaging; Index. (J.S.)

Team Climate Inventory with a merged organization.

Science.gov (United States)

Dackert, Ingrid; Brenner, Sten-Olof; Johansson, Curt R

2002-10-01

The present study examines the team climate for innovation in work teams within a newly merged organization. Four teams working at a regional head office of a Social Insurance organization answered the Team Climate Inventory. The results were compared to those of a study by Agrell and Gustafson of more stable teams. The comparison showed that participative safety and support for innovation were rated lower and that vision was rated higher in the newly merged teams. The 38-item original inventory was used and based on the results, a 1999 proposed shortened version of 14 items by Kivimäki and Elovainio was compared with the original one. Analysis indicated that the short version can be a valid alternative to the original version but that further testing of the short version is needed.

Three-dimensional architecture of hair-cell linkages as revealedby electron-microscopic tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Auer, Manfred; Koster, Bram; Ziese, Ulrike; Bajaj, Chandrajit; Volkmann, Niels; Wang, Da Neng; Hudspeth, A. James

2006-07-28

The senses of hearing and balance rest upon mechanoelectrical transduction by the hair bundles of hair cells in the inner ear. Located at the apical cellular surface, each hair bundle comprises several tens of stereocilia and a single kinocilium that are interconnected by extracellular proteinaceous links. Using electron-microscopic tomography of bullfrog saccular sensory epithelia, we examined the three-dimensional structures of ankle or basal links, kinociliary links, and tip links. We observed clear differences in the dimensions and appearances of the three links. We found two distinct populations of tip links suggestive of the involvement of two proteins or splice variants. We noted auxiliary links connecting the upper portions of tip links to the taller stereocilia. Tip links and auxiliary links show a tendency to adopt a globular conformation when disconnected from the membrane surface.

New trend in electron holography

Science.gov (United States)

Tanigaki, Toshiaki; Harada, Ken; Murakami, Yasukazu; Niitsu, Kodai; Akashi, Tetsuya; Takahashi, Yoshio; Sugawara, Akira; Shindo, Daisuke

2016-06-01

Electron holography using a coherent electron wave is a promising technique for high-resolution visualization of electromagnetic fields in and around objects. The capability of electron holography has been enhanced by the development of new technologies and has thus become an even more powerful tool for exploring scientific frontiers. This review introduces these technologies including split-illumination electron holography and vector-field electron tomography. Split-illumination electron holography, which uses separated coherent waves, overcomes the limits imposed by the lateral coherence requirement for electron waves in electron holography. Areas that are difficult to observe using conventional electron holography are now observable. Exemplified applications include observing a singular magnetic domain wall in electrical steel sheets, local magnetizations at anti-phase boundaries, and electrostatic potentials in metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors. Vector-field electron tomography can be used to visualize magnetic vectors in three dimensions. Two components of the vectors are reconstructed using dual-axis tomography, and the remaining one is calculated using div B   =  0. A high-voltage electron microscope can be used to achieve precise magnetic reconstruction. For example, magnetic vortices have been visualized using a 1 MV holography electron microscope.

New trend in electron holography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanigaki, Toshiaki; Akashi, Tetsuya; Takahashi, Yoshio; Sugawara, Akira; Harada, Ken; Niitsu, Kodai; Shindo, Daisuke; Murakami, Yasukazu

2016-01-01

Electron holography using a coherent electron wave is a promising technique for high-resolution visualization of electromagnetic fields in and around objects. The capability of electron holography has been enhanced by the development of new technologies and has thus become an even more powerful tool for exploring scientific frontiers. This review introduces these technologies including split-illumination electron holography and vector-field electron tomography. Split-illumination electron holography, which uses separated coherent waves, overcomes the limits imposed by the lateral coherence requirement for electron waves in electron holography. Areas that are difficult to observe using conventional electron holography are now observable. Exemplified applications include observing a singular magnetic domain wall in electrical steel sheets, local magnetizations at anti-phase boundaries, and electrostatic potentials in metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors. Vector-field electron tomography can be used to visualize magnetic vectors in three dimensions. Two components of the vectors are reconstructed using dual-axis tomography, and the remaining one is calculated using div B   =  0. A high-voltage electron microscope can be used to achieve precise magnetic reconstruction. For example, magnetic vortices have been visualized using a 1 MV holography electron microscope. (paper)

Imaging of osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis by electron beam tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Fong, K C S; Ferrett, C G; Tandon, R; Paul, B; Herold, J; Liu, C S C

2005-08-01

To describe the experience of using electron beam tomography (EBT) in imaging of osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis (OOKP) to identify early bone and dentine loss which may threaten the viability of the eye. Seven patients with an OOKP in one eye underwent EBT. The OOKP lamina dimensions were measured on EBT and compared to the manual measurements at the time of surgery. There was a high degree of resolution of the OOKP lamina noted with EBT. In particular, it identified three patients with a marked degree of thinning of the lamina edges. Two of these patients had OOKP that were allografts. The mean time from surgery to examination was 3.6 years (range 1.2-5 years) while the mean age of the patients was 56 years (range 31-79 years). It is important to monitor regularly the dimensions and stability of the OOKP lamina as it will help detect cases that are at risk of extrusion of the optical cylinder and consequent endophthalmitis. Prophylactic measures can then be taken to prevent such serious complications from occurring. In this series, the authors found EBT to have excellent resolution and speed and they would support regular scanning of the OOKP lamina in all patients.

ESO's Two Observatories Merge

Science.gov (United States)

2005-02-01

On February 1, 2005, the European Southern Observatory (ESO) has merged its two observatories, La Silla and Paranal, into one. This move will help Europe's prime organisation for astronomy to better manage its many and diverse projects by deploying available resources more efficiently where and when they are needed. The merged observatory will be known as the La Silla Paranal Observatory. Catherine Cesarsky, ESO's Director General, comments the new development: "The merging, which was planned during the past year with the deep involvement of all the staff, has created unified maintenance and engineering (including software, mechanics, electronics and optics) departments across the two sites, further increasing the already very high efficiency of our telescopes. It is my great pleasure to commend the excellent work of Jorge Melnick, former director of the La Silla Observatory, and of Roberto Gilmozzi, the director of Paranal." ESO's headquarters are located in Garching, in the vicinity of Munich (Bavaria, Germany), and this intergovernmental organisation has established itself as a world-leader in astronomy. Created in 1962, ESO is now supported by eleven member states (Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom). It operates major telescopes on two remote sites, all located in Chile: La Silla, about 600 km north of Santiago and at an altitude of 2400m; Paranal, a 2600m high mountain in the Atacama Desert 120 km south of the coastal city of Antofagasta. Most recently, ESO has started the construction of an observatory at Chajnantor, a 5000m high site, also in the Atacama Desert. La Silla, north of the town of La Serena, has been the bastion of the organization's facilities since 1964. It is the site of two of the most productive 4-m class telescopes in the world, the New Technology Telescope (NTT) - the first major telescope equipped with active optics - and the 3.6-m, which hosts HARPS

Elucidating structural order and disorder phenomena in mullite-type Al{sub 4}B{sub 2}O{sub 9} by automated electron diffraction tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Haishuang; Krysiak, Yaşar [Institute of Inorganic Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Jakob-Welder-Weg 11, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55128 Mainz (Germany); Hoffmann, Kristin [Crystallography, Department of Geosciences, Klagenfurter Str. 2, GEO, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen (Germany); Institute of Inorganic Chemistry and Crystallography, Leobener Str. NW2, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen (Germany); Barton, Bastian [Institute of Inorganic Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry, Jakob-Welder-Weg 11, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55128 Mainz (Germany); Molina-Luna, Leopoldo [Department of Materials and Geoscience, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Petersenstr. 23, 64287 Darmstadt (Germany); Neder, Reinhard B. [Department of Physics, Lehrstuhl für Kristallographie und Strukturphysik, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Staudtstr.3, 91058 Erlangen (Germany); Kleebe, Hans-Joachim [Department of Materials and Geoscience, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Petersenstr. 23, 64287 Darmstadt (Germany); Gesing, Thorsten M. [Institute of Inorganic Chemistry and Crystallography, Leobener Str. NW2, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen (Germany); MAPEX Center for Materials and Processes, Bibliothekstr.1, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen (Germany); Schneider, Hartmut [Crystallography, Department of Geosciences, Klagenfurter Str. 2, GEO, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen (Germany); Fischer, Reinhard X. [Crystallography, Department of Geosciences, Klagenfurter Str. 2, GEO, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen (Germany); MAPEX Center for Materials and Processes, Bibliothekstr.1, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen (Germany); and others

2017-05-15

The crystal structure and disorder phenomena of Al{sub 4}B{sub 2}O{sub 9}, an aluminum borate from the mullite-type family, were studied using automated diffraction tomography (ADT), a recently established method for collection and analysis of electron diffraction data. Al{sub 4}B{sub 2}O{sub 9}, prepared by sol-gel approach, crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/m. The ab initio structure determination based on three-dimensional electron diffraction data from single ordered crystals reveals that edge-connected AlO{sub 6} octahedra expanding along the b axis constitute the backbone. The ordered structure (A) was confirmed by TEM and HAADF-STEM images. Furthermore, disordered crystals with diffuse scattering along the b axis are observed. Analysis of the modulation pattern implies a mean superstructure (AAB) with a threefold b axis, where B corresponds to an A layer shifted by ½a and ½c. Diffraction patterns simulated for the AAB sequence including additional stacking disorder are in good agreement with experimental electron diffraction patterns. - Graphical abstract: Crystal structure and disorder phenomena of B-rich Al{sub 4}B{sub 2}O{sub 9} studied by automated electron diffraction tomography (ADT) and described by diffraction simulation using DISCUS. - Highlights: • Ab-initio structure solution by electron diffraction from single nanocrystals. • Detected modulation corresponding mainly to three-fold superstructure. • Diffuse diffraction streaks caused by stacking faults in disordered crystals. • Observed streaks explained by simulated electron diffraction patterns.

Droplets Formation and Merging in Two-Phase Flow Microfluidics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hao Gu

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Two-phase flow microfluidics is emerging as a popular technology for a wide range of applications involving high throughput such as encapsulation, chemical synthesis and biochemical assays. Within this platform, the formation and merging of droplets inside an immiscible carrier fluid are two key procedures: (i the emulsification step should lead to a very well controlled drop size (distribution; and (ii the use of droplet as micro-reactors requires a reliable merging. A novel trend within this field is the use of additional active means of control besides the commonly used hydrodynamic manipulation. Electric fields are especially suitable for this, due to quantitative control over the amplitude and time dependence of the signals, and the flexibility in designing micro-electrode geometries. With this, the formation and merging of droplets can be achieved on-demand and with high precision. In this review on two-phase flow microfluidics, particular emphasis is given on these aspects. Also recent innovations in microfabrication technologies used for this purpose will be discussed.

Optimized distributed systems achieve significant performance improvement on sorted merging of massive VCF files.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Xiaobo; Gao, Jingjing; Jin, Peng; Eng, Celeste; Burchard, Esteban G; Beaty, Terri H; Ruczinski, Ingo; Mathias, Rasika A; Barnes, Kathleen; Wang, Fusheng; Qin, Zhaohui S

2018-06-01

Sorted merging of genomic data is a common data operation necessary in many sequencing-based studies. It involves sorting and merging genomic data from different subjects by their genomic locations. In particular, merging a large number of variant call format (VCF) files is frequently required in large-scale whole-genome sequencing or whole-exome sequencing projects. Traditional single-machine based methods become increasingly inefficient when processing large numbers of files due to the excessive computation time and Input/Output bottleneck. Distributed systems and more recent cloud-based systems offer an attractive solution. However, carefully designed and optimized workflow patterns and execution plans (schemas) are required to take full advantage of the increased computing power while overcoming bottlenecks to achieve high performance. In this study, we custom-design optimized schemas for three Apache big data platforms, Hadoop (MapReduce), HBase, and Spark, to perform sorted merging of a large number of VCF files. These schemas all adopt the divide-and-conquer strategy to split the merging job into sequential phases/stages consisting of subtasks that are conquered in an ordered, parallel, and bottleneck-free way. In two illustrating examples, we test the performance of our schemas on merging multiple VCF files into either a single TPED or a single VCF file, which are benchmarked with the traditional single/parallel multiway-merge methods, message passing interface (MPI)-based high-performance computing (HPC) implementation, and the popular VCFTools. Our experiments suggest all three schemas either deliver a significant improvement in efficiency or render much better strong and weak scalabilities over traditional methods. Our findings provide generalized scalable schemas for performing sorted merging on genetics and genomics data using these Apache distributed systems.

Holography and tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Howells, M. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., CA (United States)

1997-02-01

This session includes a collection of outlines of pertinent information, diagrams, graphs, electron micrographs, and color photographs pertaining to historical aspects and recent advances in the development of X-ray Gabor Holography. Many of the photographs feature or pertain to instrumentation used in holography, tomography, and cryo-holography.

Holography and tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Howells, M.

1997-01-01

This session includes a collection of outlines of pertinent information, diagrams, graphs, electron micrographs, and color photographs pertaining to historical aspects and recent advances in the development of X-ray Gabor Holography. Many of the photographs feature or pertain to instrumentation used in holography, tomography, and cryo-holography

X-ray Tomography Characterisation of Lattice Structures Processed by Selective Electron Beam Melting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Everth Hernández-Nava

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Metallic lattice structures intentionally contain open porosity; however, they can also contain unwanted closed porosity within the structural members. The entrained porosity and defects within three different geometries of Ti-6Al-4V lattices, fabricated by Selective Electron Beam Melting (SEBM, is assessed from X-ray computed tomography (CT scans. The results suggest that horizontal struts that are built upon loose powder show particularly high (~20 × 10−3 vol % levels of pores, as do nodes at which many (in our case 24 struts meet. On the other hand, for struts more closely aligned (0° to 54° to the build direction, the fraction of porosity appears to be much lower (~0.17 × 10−3% arising mainly from pores contained within the original atomised powder particles.

An incommensurately modulated structure of eta '-phase of Cu.sub.3+x./sub.Si determined by quantitative electron diffraction tomography

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Palatinus, Lukáš; Klementová, Mariana; Dřínek, Vladislav; Jarošová, Markéta; Petříček, Václav

2011-01-01

Roč. 50, č. 8 (2011), s. 3743-3751 ISSN 0020-1669 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA203/09/1088 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10100521; CEZ:AV0Z40720504 Keywords : copper silicide * incommensurate structure * electron diffraction tomography * ab inition structure solution * superspace Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 4.601, year: 2011

2013 NOAA Coastal California TopoBathy Merge Project

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This project merged recently collected topographic, bathymetric, and acoustic elevation data along the entire California coastline from approximately the 10 meter...

A Prospect for Evolutionary Adequacy: Merge and the Evolution and Development of Human Language

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koji Fujita

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Biolinguistic minimalism seeks a deeper explanation of the design, development and evolution of human language by reducing its core domain to the bare minimum including the set-formation operation Merge. In an attempt to open an avenue of research that may lead to an evolutionarily adequate theory of language, this article makes the following proposals: (i Merge is the elementary combinatorial device that requires no more decomposition; (ii the precursor to Merge may be found in the uniquely human capacity for hierarchical object manipulation; (iii the uniqueness of the human lexicon may also be captured in terms of Merge. Empirical validations of these proposals should constitute one major topic for the biolinguistic program.

Transient and intermittent magnetic reconnections in TS-3/UTST merging startup experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ono, Y.; Imazawa, R.; Imanaka, H.; Hayamizu, T.; Inomoto, M.; Sato, M.; Kawamori, E.; Ejiri, A.; Takase, Y.; Asai, T.; Takahashi, T.

2007-01-01

The high-power reconnection heating has been developed in the TS-3 merging experiments, leading us to a new pulsed high-beta spherical tokamak (ST) formation. Two ST plasmas were produced inductively by two or four PF coils without using any central solenoid (CS) coil and were merged together for MW-GW reconnection heating. The magnetic reconnection transformed the magnetic energy of reconnecting magnetic field through the outflow kinetic energy finally to the ion thermal energy, increasing the plasma beta of ST up to 0.5. A new finding is that ejection of current sheet (or plasmoid) causes high-speed merging/ reconnection as well as high-power heating. In the high-q ST merging, the sheet resistivity was almost classical due to the sheet thickness much longer than ion gyroradius. Large inflow flux and low current-sheet dissipation resulted in flux pileup followed by rapid growth of the current sheet. When the flux pileup exceeded a critical limit, the sheet was ejected mechanically from the squeezed X-point area. The reconnection (outflow) speed was slow during the flux pileup and was fast during the ejection, indicating that intermittent reconnection similar to the solar flare increased the averaged reconnection speed. These transient effects enable us to have the fast reconnection as well as the high-power reconnection heating, even if the merging high-q tokamaks have low current-sheet resistivity. (author)

Three-dimensional distributions of elements in biological samples by energy-filtered electron tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leapman, R.D.; Kocsis, E.; Zhang, G.; Talbot, T.L.; Laquerriere, P

2004-07-15

By combining electron tomography with energy-filtered electron microscopy, we have shown the feasibility of determining the three-dimensional distributions of phosphorus in biological specimens. Thin sections of the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans were prepared by high-pressure freezing, freeze-substitution and plastic embedding. Images were recorded at energy losses above and below the phosphorus L{sub 2,3} edge using a post-column imaging filter operating at a beam energy of 120 keV. The unstained specimens exhibited minimal contrast in bright-field images. After it was determined that the specimen was sufficiently thin to allow two-window ratio imaging of phosphorus, pairs of pre-edge and post-edge images were acquired in series over a tilt range of {+-}55 deg. at 5 deg. increments for two orthogonal tilt axes. The projected phosphorus distributions were aligned using the pre-edge images that contained inelastic contrast from colloidal gold particles deposited on the specimen surface. A reconstruction and surface rendering of the phosphorus distribution clearly revealed features 15-20 nm in diameter, which were identified as ribosomes distributed along the stacked membranes of endoplasmic reticulum and in the cytoplasm. The sensitivity of the technique was estimated at <35 phosphorus atoms per voxel based on the known total ribosomal phosphorus content of approximately 7000 atoms. Although a high electron dose of approximately 10{sup 7} e/nm{sup 2} was required to record two-axis tilt series, specimens were sufficiently stable to allow image alignment and tomographic reconstruction.

Automated cloud screening of AVHRR imagery using split-and-merge clustering

Science.gov (United States)

Gallaudet, Timothy C.; Simpson, James J.

1991-01-01

Previous methods to segment clouds from ocean in AVHRR imagery have shown varying degrees of success, with nighttime approaches being the most limited. An improved method of automatic image segmentation, the principal component transformation split-and-merge clustering (PCTSMC) algorithm, is presented and applied to cloud screening of both nighttime and daytime AVHRR data. The method combines spectral differencing, the principal component transformation, and split-and-merge clustering to sample objectively the natural classes in the data. This segmentation method is then augmented by supervised classification techniques to screen clouds from the imagery. Comparisons with other nighttime methods demonstrate its improved capability in this application. The sensitivity of the method to clustering parameters is presented; the results show that the method is insensitive to the split-and-merge thresholds.

Practical improvements and merging of POWHEG simulations for vector boson production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aliolo, Simone; Hamilton, Keith; Re, Emanuele

2011-10-01

In this article we generalise POWHEG next-to-leading order parton shower (NLOPS) simulations of vector boson production and vector boson production in association with a single jet, to give matrix element corrected MENLOPS simulations. In so doing we extend and provide, for the first time, an exact and faithful implementation of the MENLOPS formalism in hadronic collisions. We also consider merging the resulting event samples according to a phase space partition defined in terms of an effective jet clustering scale. The merging scale is restricted such that the component generated by the associated production simulation does not impact on the NLO accuracy of inclusive vector boson production observables. The dependence of the predictions on the unphysical merging scale is demonstrated. Comparisons with Tevatron and LHC data are presented. (orig.)

Practical improvements and merging of POWHEG simulations for vector boson production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aliolo, Simone [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Zeuthen (Germany); Hamilton, Keith [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Milan (Italy); Re, Emanuele [Durham Univ. (United Kingdom). Dept. of Physics

2011-10-15

In this article we generalise POWHEG next-to-leading order parton shower (NLOPS) simulations of vector boson production and vector boson production in association with a single jet, to give matrix element corrected MENLOPS simulations. In so doing we extend and provide, for the first time, an exact and faithful implementation of the MENLOPS formalism in hadronic collisions. We also consider merging the resulting event samples according to a phase space partition defined in terms of an effective jet clustering scale. The merging scale is restricted such that the component generated by the associated production simulation does not impact on the NLO accuracy of inclusive vector boson production observables. The dependence of the predictions on the unphysical merging scale is demonstrated. Comparisons with Tevatron and LHC data are presented. (orig.)

single photon emission tomography and positron emission tomography - Part 1 (October 2012), Part 2 (October 2010)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buvat, Irene

2010-10-01

The objective of this lecture is to present the single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and the positron emission tomography (PET) imaging techniques. Part 1 Content: 1 - Introduction: anatomic, functional and molecular imaging; 2 - Radiotracers: chemical and physical constraints, gamma photon emitters, positon emitters, radioisotopes production, emitters type and imaging techniques; 3 - Gamma cameras; 4 - Quantification in emission tomography: attenuation, scattering, un-stationary spatial resolution; 5 - Synthesis and conclusion. Part 2 content: 1 - Positon emitters; 2 - Positons detection: Coincidence detection (electronic collimation, PET detectors with gamma cameras, dedicated PET detectors, spectrometry); PET detectors type; time-of-flight PET; 2D PET; 3D PET; 3 - Quantification in emission tomography: detected events, attenuation, scattering, fortuitous coincidences, standardisation; 4 - Common SPECT and PET problems: partial volume effect, movement, tomographic reconstruction, calibration, dead time; 5 - Synthesis and conclusion

Merging symmetry projection methods with coupled cluster theory: Lessons from the Lipkin model Hamiltonian

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wahlen-Strothman, J. M. [Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States); Henderson, T. H. [Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States); Hermes, M. R. [Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States); Degroote, M. [Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States); Qiu, Y. [Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States); Zhao, J. [Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States); Dukelsky, J. [Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC), Madrid (Spain). Inst. de Estructura de la Materia; Scuseria, G. E. [Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States)

2018-01-03

Coupled cluster and symmetry projected Hartree-Fock are two central paradigms in electronic structure theory. However, they are very different. Single reference coupled cluster is highly successful for treating weakly correlated systems, but fails under strong correlation unless one sacrifices good quantum numbers and works with broken-symmetry wave functions, which is unphysical for finite systems. Symmetry projection is effective for the treatment of strong correlation at the mean-field level through multireference non-orthogonal configuration interaction wavefunctions, but unlike coupled cluster, it is neither size extensive nor ideal for treating dynamic correlation. We here examine different scenarios for merging these two dissimilar theories. We carry out this exercise over the integrable Lipkin model Hamiltonian, which despite its simplicity, encompasses non-trivial physics for degenerate systems and can be solved via diagonalization for a very large number of particles. We show how symmetry projection and coupled cluster doubles individually fail in different correlation limits, whereas models that merge these two theories are highly successful over the entire phase diagram. Despite the simplicity of the Lipkin Hamiltonian, the lessons learned in this work will be useful for building an ab initio symmetry projected coupled cluster theory that we expect to be accurate in the weakly and strongly correlated limits, as well as the recoupling regime.

Creating an Excellence Oriented Post-merged Organisational ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This article specifically focuses on the importance of a structured approach to the implementation of employee engagement strategies in creating a post-merged organisational culture of excellent work performance. Theoretical insights from existing literature illustrate how a structured approach to the implementation of ...

LP MOON MERGED TELEMETRY DATA V1.0

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Lunar Prospector merged telemetry data set is a result of comparing the two Lunar Prospector telemetry data streams and selecting one of them. The Lunar...

Examination of Scanning Electron Microscope and Computed Tomography Images of PICA

Science.gov (United States)

Lawson, John W.; Stackpoole, Margaret M.; Shklover, Valery

2010-01-01

Micrographs of PICA (Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator) taken using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and 3D images taken with a Computed Tomography (CT) system are examined. PICA is a carbon fiber based composite (Fiberform ) with a phenolic polymer matrix. The micrographs are taken at different surface depths and at different magnifications in a sample after arc jet testing and show different levels of oxidative removal of the charred matrix (Figs 1 though 13). CT scans, courtesy of Xradia, Inc. of Concord CA, were captured for samples of virgin PICA, charred PICA and raw Fiberform (Fig. 14). We use these images to calculate the thermal conductivity (TC) of these materials using correlation function (CF) methods. CF methods give a mathematical description of how one material is embedded in another and is thus ideally suited for modeling composites like PICA. We will evaluate how the TC of the materials changes as a function of surface depth. This work is in collaboration with ETH-Zurich, which has expertise in high temperature materials and TC modeling (including CF methods).

Toolsets for Airborne Data (TAD): Customized Data Merging Function

Science.gov (United States)

Benson, A.; Peeters, M. C.; Perez, J.; Parker, L.; Chen, G.

2013-12-01

NASA has conducted airborne tropospheric chemistry studies for about three decades. These field campaigns have generated a great wealth of observations, including a wide range of the trace gases and aerosol properties. The ASDC Toolset for Airborne Data (TAD) is being designed to meet the user community needs for manipulating aircraft data for scientific research on climate change and air quality relevant issues. Prior to the actual toolset development, a comprehensive metadata database was created to compensate for the absence of standardization of the ICARTT data format in which the data is stored. This database tracks the Principal Investigator-provided metadata, and links the measurement variables to a common naming system that was developed as a part of this project. This database is used by the data merging module. Most aircraft data reported during a single flight is not on a consistent time base and is difficult to intercompare. This module provides the user with the ability to merge original data measurements from multiple data providers into a specified time interval or common time base. The database development, common naming scheme and data merge module development will be presented.

Incorporating Edge Information into Best Merge Region-Growing Segmentation

Science.gov (United States)

Tilton, James C.; Pasolli, Edoardo

2014-01-01

We have previously developed a best merge region-growing approach that integrates nonadjacent region object aggregation with the neighboring region merge process usually employed in region growing segmentation approaches. This approach has been named HSeg, because it provides a hierarchical set of image segmentation results. Up to this point, HSeg considered only global region feature information in the region growing decision process. We present here three new versions of HSeg that include local edge information into the region growing decision process at different levels of rigor. We then compare the effectiveness and processing times of these new versions HSeg with each other and with the original version of HSeg.

Algorithm 426 : Merge sort algorithm [M1

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bron, C.

1972-01-01

Sorting by means of a two-way merge has a reputation of requiring a clerically complicated and cumbersome program. This ALGOL 60 procedure demonstrates that, using recursion, an elegant and efficient algorithm can be designed, the correctness of which is easily proved [2]. Sorting n objects gives

Inclusive cross sections in ME+PS merging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plaetzer, Simon

2013-07-01

We discuss an extension of matrix element plus parton shower merging at leading and next-to-leading order. The algorithm does preserve inclusive cross sections at the respective input order. This constraint avoids potentially large logarithmic contributions, which would require approximate (N)NLO contributions to cancel against.

Merging Satellite Precipitation Products for Improved Streamflow Simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Maggioni, V.; Massari, C.; Barbetta, S.; Camici, S.; Brocca, L.

2017-12-01

Accurate quantitative precipitation estimation is of great importance for water resources management, agricultural planning and forecasting and monitoring of natural hazards such as flash floods and landslides. In situ observations are limited around the Earth, especially in remote areas (e.g., complex terrain, dense vegetation), but currently available satellite precipitation products are able to provide global precipitation estimates with an accuracy that depends upon many factors (e.g., type of storms, temporal sampling, season, etc.). The recent SM2RAIN approach proposes to estimate rainfall by using satellite soil moisture observations. As opposed to traditional satellite precipitation methods, which sense cloud properties to retrieve instantaneous estimates, this new bottom-up approach makes use of two consecutive soil moisture measurements for obtaining an estimate of the fallen precipitation within the interval between two satellite overpasses. As a result, the nature of the measurement is different and complementary to the one of classical precipitation products and could provide a different valid perspective to substitute or improve current rainfall estimates. Therefore, we propose to merge SM2RAIN and the widely used TMPA 3B42RT product across Italy for a 6-year period (2010-2015) at daily/0.25deg temporal/spatial scale. Two conceptually different merging techniques are compared to each other and evaluated in terms of different statistical metrics, including hit bias, threat score, false alarm rates, and missed rainfall volumes. The first is based on the maximization of the temporal correlation with a reference dataset, while the second is based on a Bayesian approach, which provides a probabilistic satellite precipitation estimate derived from the joint probability distribution of observations and satellite estimates. The merged precipitation products show a better performance with respect to the parental satellite-based products in terms of categorical

Merging of gamma radiographic and ultrasonic inspection data: bibliographical survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gautier, S.

1995-01-01

This paper presents a number of experimental data processing notions with the aim of developing an NDT method based on merging ultrasonic and gamma radiographic data. We first review the industrial context concerned and, before moving on to specific data merging problems, we discuss the difficulties of reconstruction using only one type of data (radiographic or ultrasonic). The main part of the report begins with a brief reminder of gamma radiation and ultrasonic wave propagation principles. Certain imaging and reconstruction methods conventionally used for each type of measurement are also presented. Reconstruction problems are then directly approached in algebraic form. For the type of problem studied, the inspection data alone cannot lead to satisfactory reconstructions and we evidence the need to regulate the problem by introducing deductive information on the object to be reconstructed. The Bayes' approach provides a self-consistent means of integrating both the data information and the deductive information. It is based on probabilistic models of the variables involved, notably those of the object sought. We discuss at some length certain models of images used in gamma radiography (independent variable fields, variables having a Markov-type structure) and the Bernoulli-Gauss-type models used for ultrasonic trace deconvolution. Finally, we outline data merging paths. A formal Bayes' framework is used to present two merging approaches, after which we briefly describe our projects for the processing of already available experimental data. (author)

Drivers' Visual Characteristics when Merging onto or Exiting an Urban Expressway.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ying Cheng

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to examine drivers' visual and driving behavior while merging onto or exiting an urban expressway with low and high traffic densities. The analysis was conducted according to three periods (approaching, merging or exiting, and accelerating or decelerating. A total of 10 subjects (8 males and 2 females with ages ranging from 25 to 52 years old (M = 30.0 years old participated in the study. The research was conducted in a natural driving situation, and the drivers' eye movements were monitored and recorded using an eye tracking system. The results show that the influence of traffic density on the glance duration and scan duration is more significant when merging than when exiting. The results also demonstrate that the number of glances and the mean glance duration are mainly related to the driving task (e.g., the merging period. Therefore, drivers' visual search strategies mainly depend on the current driving task. With regard to driving behavior, the variation tendencies of the duration and the velocity of each period are similar. These results support building an automated driving assistant system that can automatically identify gaps and accelerate or decelerate the car accordingly or provide suggestions to the driver to do so.

Study of flow behaviors of droplet merging and splitting in microchannels using Micro-PIV measurement

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yi; Liu, Zhaomiao

2017-01-01

Droplet merging and splitting are important droplet manipulations in droplet-based microfluidics. However, the fundamental flow behaviors of droplets were not systematically studied. Hence, we designed two different microstructures to achieve droplet merging and splitting respectively, and quantitatively compared different flow dynamics in different microstructures for droplet merging and splitting via micro-particle image velocimetry (micro-PIV) experiments. Some flow phenomena of droplets different from previous studies were observed during merging and splitting using a high-speed microscope. It was also found the obtained instantaneous velocity vector fields of droplets have significant influence on the droplets merging and splitting. For droplet merging, the probability of droplets coalescence (η) in a microgroove is higher (50% T-junction microchannel (15% < η < 50%), and the highest coalescence efficiency (η = 92%) comes at the two-phase flow ratio e of 0.42 in the microgroove. Moreover, compared with a cylinder obstacle, Y-junction bifurcation can split droplets more effectively and the droplet flow during splitting is steadier. The results can provide better understanding of droplet behaviors and are useful for the design and applications of droplet-based microfluidics. PMID:28890680

Study of flow behaviors of droplet merging and splitting in microchannels using Micro-PIV measurement.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Feng; Li, Yi; Liu, Zhaomiao; Li, XiuJun

2017-04-01

Droplet merging and splitting are important droplet manipulations in droplet-based microfluidics. However, the fundamental flow behaviors of droplets were not systematically studied. Hence, we designed two different microstructures to achieve droplet merging and splitting respectively, and quantitatively compared different flow dynamics in different microstructures for droplet merging and splitting via micro-particle image velocimetry (micro-PIV) experiments. Some flow phenomena of droplets different from previous studies were observed during merging and splitting using a high-speed microscope. It was also found the obtained instantaneous velocity vector fields of droplets have significant influence on the droplets merging and splitting. For droplet merging, the probability of droplets coalescence ( η ) in a microgroove is higher (50% < η < 92%) than that in a T-junction microchannel (15% < η < 50%), and the highest coalescence efficiency ( η = 92%) comes at the two-phase flow ratio e of 0.42 in the microgroove. Moreover, compared with a cylinder obstacle, Y-junction bifurcation can split droplets more effectively and the droplet flow during splitting is steadier. The results can provide better understanding of droplet behaviors and are useful for the design and applications of droplet-based microfluidics.

Clinical application of electron beam computed tomography in intravenous three-dimensional coronary angiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo Chufan; Du Zhimin; Hu Chengheng; Li Yi; Zeng Wutao; Ma Hong; Li Xiangmin; Zhou Xuhui

2002-01-01

Objective: To investigate the clinical application of intravenous three-dimensional coronary angiography using electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) as compared with selective coronary angiography. Methods: Intravenous EBCT and selective coronary angiography were performed during the same period in 38 patients. The value of EBCT angiography for diagnosing coronary artery disease was evaluated. Results: The number of coronary arteries adequately evaluated by EBCT angiography was 134 out of 152 vessels (88.2%), including 100% of the left main coronary arteries, 94.7% of the left anterior descending arteries, 81.6% of the left circumflex arteries and 76.3 % of the right coronary arteries. Significantly more left main and heft anterior descending coronary arteries were adequately visualized than the left circumflex and right coronary arteries (P < 0.05). The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive value of EBCT angiography for diagnosing coronary artery disease were 88.0%, 84.6%, 86.8%, 91.7% and 78.6%, respectively. Of the 38 arteries with ≥ 50% stenosis, EBCT underestimated 8, for a sensitivity of 78.9%. Of the 96 arteries without significant stenosis, EBCT overestimated 7 stenosis, for a specificity of 92.7%. Conclusion: Intravenous electron beam computed tomographic coronary angiography is a promising noninvasive method for diagnosing coronary artery disease

3D imaging of nanomaterials by discrete tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Batenburg, K J; Bals, S; Sijbers, J; Kübel, C; Midgley, P A; Hernandez, J C; Kaiser, U; Encina, E R; Coronado, E A; Van Tendeloo, G

2009-05-01

The field of discrete tomography focuses on the reconstruction of samples that consist of only a few different materials. Ideally, a three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of such a sample should contain only one grey level for each of the compositions in the sample. By exploiting this property in the reconstruction algorithm, either the quality of the reconstruction can be improved significantly, or the number of required projection images can be reduced. The discrete reconstruction typically contains fewer artifacts and does not have to be segmented, as it already contains one grey level for each composition. Recently, a new algorithm, called discrete algebraic reconstruction technique (DART), has been proposed that can be used effectively on experimental electron tomography datasets. In this paper, we propose discrete tomography as a general reconstruction method for electron tomography in materials science. We describe the basic principles of DART and show that it can be applied successfully to three different types of samples, consisting of embedded ErSi(2) nanocrystals, a carbon nanotube grown from a catalyst particle and a single gold nanoparticle, respectively.

3D imaging of nanomaterials by discrete tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Batenburg, K.J.; Bals, S.; Sijbers, J.; Kuebel, C.; Midgley, P.A.; Hernandez, J.C.; Kaiser, U.; Encina, E.R.; Coronado, E.A.; Van Tendeloo, G.

2009-01-01

The field of discrete tomography focuses on the reconstruction of samples that consist of only a few different materials. Ideally, a three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of such a sample should contain only one grey level for each of the compositions in the sample. By exploiting this property in the reconstruction algorithm, either the quality of the reconstruction can be improved significantly, or the number of required projection images can be reduced. The discrete reconstruction typically contains fewer artifacts and does not have to be segmented, as it already contains one grey level for each composition. Recently, a new algorithm, called discrete algebraic reconstruction technique (DART), has been proposed that can be used effectively on experimental electron tomography datasets. In this paper, we propose discrete tomography as a general reconstruction method for electron tomography in materials science. We describe the basic principles of DART and show that it can be applied successfully to three different types of samples, consisting of embedded ErSi 2 nanocrystals, a carbon nanotube grown from a catalyst particle and a single gold nanoparticle, respectively.

Modeling the Compression of Merged Compact Toroids by Multiple Plasma Jets

Science.gov (United States)

Thio, Y. C. Francis; Knapp, Charles E.; Kirkpatrick, Ron; Rodgers, Stephen L. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

A fusion propulsion scheme has been proposed that makes use of the merging of a spherical distribution of plasma jets to dynamically form a gaseous liner. The gaseous liner is used to implode a magnetized target to produce the fusion reaction in a standoff manner. In this paper, the merging of the plasma jets to form the gaseous liner is investigated numerically. The Los Alamos SPHINX code, based on the smoothed particle hydrodynamics method is used to model the interaction of the jets. 2-D and 3-D simulations have been performed to study the characteristics of the resulting flow when these jets collide. The results show that the jets merge to form a plasma liner that converge radially which may be used to compress the central plasma to fusion conditions. Details of the computational model and the SPH numerical methods will be presented together with the numerical results.

Attractor merging crisis in chaotic business cycles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chian, Abraham C.-L.; Borotto, Felix A.; Rempel, Erico L.; Rogers, Colin

2005-01-01

A numerical study is performed on a forced-oscillator model of nonlinear business cycles. An attractor merging crisis due to a global bifurcation is analyzed using the unstable periodic orbits and their associated stable and unstable manifolds. Characterization of crisis can improve our ability to forecast sudden major changes in economic systems

Electron-ion recombination at low energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersen, L.H.

1993-01-01

The work is based on results obtained with a merged-beams experiment. A beam of electronics with a well characterized density and energy distribution was merged with a fast, monoenergetic ion beam. Results have been obtained for radiative recombination and dielectronic recombination at low relative energies (0 to ∼70eV). The obtained energy resolution was improved by about a factor of 30. High vacuum technology was used to suppress interactions with electrons from the environments. The velocity distribution of the electron beam was determined. State-selective dielectronic-recombination measurements were performable. Recombination processes were studied. The theoretical background for radiative recombination and Kramers' theory are reviewed. The quantum mechanical result and its relation to the semiclassical theory is discussed. Radiative recombination was also measured with several different non-bare ions, and the applicability of the semiclassical theory to non-bare ions was investigated. The use of an effective charge is discussed. For dielectronic recombination, the standard theoretical approach in the isolated resonance and independent-processes approximation is debated. The applicability of this method was tested. The theory was able to reproduce most of the experimental data except when the recombination process was sensitive to couplings between different electronic configurations. The influence of external perturbing electrostatic fields is discussed. (AB) (31 refs.)

2-D Low Energy Electron Beam Profile Measurement Based on Computer Tomography Algorithm with Multi-Wire Scanner

CERN Document Server

Yu, Nengjie; Li Qing Feng; Tang, Chuan-Xiang; Zheng, Shuxin

2005-01-01

A new method for low energy electron beam profile measurement is advanced, which presents a full 2-D beam profile distribution other than the traditional 2-D beam profile distribution given by 1-D vertical and horizontal beam profiles. The method is based on the CT (Computer Tomography) algorithm. Multi-sets of data about the 1-D beam profile projections are attained by rotating the multi-wire scanner. Then a 2-D beam profile is reconstructed from these projections with CT algorithm. The principle of this method is presented. The simulation and the experiment results are compared and analyzed in detail.

An improved method for pancreas segmentation using SLIC and interactive region merging

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Liyuan; Yang, Huamin; Shi, Weili; Miao, Yu; Li, Qingliang; He, Fei; He, Wei; Li, Yanfang; Zhang, Huimao; Mori, Kensaku; Jiang, Zhengang

2017-03-01

Considering the weak edges in pancreas segmentation, this paper proposes a new solution which integrates more features of CT images by combining SLIC superpixels and interactive region merging. In the proposed method, Mahalanobis distance is first utilized in SLIC method to generate better superpixel images. By extracting five texture features and one gray feature, the similarity measure between two superpixels becomes more reliable in interactive region merging. Furthermore, object edge blocks are accurately addressed by re-segmentation merging process. Applying the proposed method to four cases of abdominal CT images, we segment pancreatic tissues to verify the feasibility and effectiveness. The experimental results show that the proposed method can make segmentation accuracy increase to 92% on average. This study will boost the application process of pancreas segmentation for computer-aided diagnosis system.

'Ab initio' structure solution from electron diffraction data obtained by a combination of automated diffraction tomography and precession technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mugnaioli, E.; Gorelik, T.; Kolb, U.

2009-01-01

Using a combination of our recently developed automated diffraction tomography (ADT) module with precession electron technique (PED), quasi-kinematical 3D diffraction data sets of an inorganic salt (BaSO 4 ) were collected. The lattice cell parameters and their orientation within the data sets were found automatically. The extracted intensities were used for 'ab initio' structure analysis by direct methods. The data set covered almost the complete set of possible symmetrically equivalent reflections for an orthorhombic structure. The structure solution in one step delivered all heavy (Ba, S) as well as light atoms (O). Results of the structure solution using direct methods, charge flipping and maximum entropy algorithms as well as structure refinement for three different 3D electron diffraction data sets were presented.

The ionospheric footprint of antiparallel merging regions on the dayside magnetopause

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. J. Coleman

2000-05-01

Full Text Available The antiparallel merging hypothesis states that reconnection takes place on the dayside magnetopause where the solar and geomagnetic fields are oppositely directed. With this criterion, we have mapped the predicted merging regions to the ionosphere using the Tsyganenko 96 magnetic field model, distinguishing between regions of sub-Alfvénic and super-Alfvénic magnetosheath flow, and identifying the day-night terminator. We present the resulting shape, width and latitude of the ionospheric dayside merging regions in both hemispheres, showing their dependence on the Earth's dipole tilt. The resulting seasonal variation of the longitudinal width is consistent with the conjugate electric fields in the northern and southern cusps, as measured by the SuperDARN HF radars, for example. We also find a seasonal shift in latitude similar to that observed in satellite cusp data.Key words: Ionosphere (ionosphere-magnetosphere interactions · Magnetospheric physics (magnetopause · cusp and boundary layers; magnetosphere-ionosphere interactions

Tomography of the electron beam transverse phase space at PITZ

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Asova, Galina

2013-09-15

The operation of a Free Elector Laser, FEL, requires high energy, high peak current electron beams with small transverse emittance. In the contemporary FELs, the electron beam is passed through a periodic magnetic structure - an undulator - which modifies the straight beam trajectory into a sinusoidal one, where FEL light is generated at each bend. According to the energy, the transverse emittance and the peak current of the beam and the parameters of the undulator, FEL radiation with wavelength in the range of nano- to micrometers can be generated. Studies and development of FELs are done all over the world. The Free electron LASer in Hamburg, FLASH, and the international European X-ray FEL, XFEL, in Hamburg, Germany, are two leading projects of the Deutsches Elektronen SYnchrotron, DESY. Part of the research program on FELs in DESY is realized in Zeuthen within the project Photo-Injector Test Facility at DESY in Zeuthen, PITZ. PITZ is an international collaboration including Germany, Russia, Italy, France, Bulgaria, Thailand, United Kingdom. The Institute of Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, INRNE, at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences participates from bulgarian side. PITZ studies and optimizes the photo-injectors for FLASH and the XFEL. The research program emphasizes on detailed measurements of the transverse phase-space density distribution. Until 2010 the single slit scan technique has been used to measure the beam transverse distributions. At the end of 2010 a module for tomographic diagnostics has been installed which extends the possibilities of PITZ to measure simultaneously the two transverse planes of a single micropulse with improved signal-to-noise ratio. The difficult conditions of low emittance for high bunch charge and low energy make the operation of the module challenging. This thesis presents the design considerations for the tomography module, a number of reconstruction algorithms and their applicability to limited data sets, the influence

Tomography of the electron beam transverse phase space at PITZ

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asova, Galina

2013-09-01

The operation of a Free Elector Laser, FEL, requires high energy, high peak current electron beams with small transverse emittance. In the contemporary FELs, the electron beam is passed through a periodic magnetic structure - an undulator - which modifies the straight beam trajectory into a sinusoidal one, where FEL light is generated at each bend. According to the energy, the transverse emittance and the peak current of the beam and the parameters of the undulator, FEL radiation with wavelength in the range of nano- to micrometers can be generated. Studies and development of FELs are done all over the world. The Free electron LASer in Hamburg, FLASH, and the international European X-ray FEL, XFEL, in Hamburg, Germany, are two leading projects of the Deutsches Elektronen SYnchrotron, DESY. Part of the research program on FELs in DESY is realized in Zeuthen within the project Photo-Injector Test Facility at DESY in Zeuthen, PITZ. PITZ is an international collaboration including Germany, Russia, Italy, France, Bulgaria, Thailand, United Kingdom. The Institute of Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, INRNE, at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences participates from bulgarian side. PITZ studies and optimizes the photo-injectors for FLASH and the XFEL. The research program emphasizes on detailed measurements of the transverse phase-space density distribution. Until 2010 the single slit scan technique has been used to measure the beam transverse distributions. At the end of 2010 a module for tomographic diagnostics has been installed which extends the possibilities of PITZ to measure simultaneously the two transverse planes of a single micropulse with improved signal-to-noise ratio. The difficult conditions of low emittance for high bunch charge and low energy make the operation of the module challenging. This thesis presents the design considerations for the tomography module, a number of reconstruction algorithms and their applicability to limited data sets, the influence

Ab initio structure determination and quantitative disorder analysis on nanoparticles by electron diffraction tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Krysiak, Yaşar; Barton, Bastian; Marler, Bernd; Neder, Reinhard B; Kolb, Ute

2018-03-01

Nanoscaled porous materials such as zeolites have attracted substantial attention in industry due to their catalytic activity, and their performance in sorption and separation processes. In order to understand the properties of such materials, current research focuses increasingly on the determination of structural features beyond the averaged crystal structure. Small particle sizes, various types of disorder and intergrown structures render the description of structures at atomic level by standard crystallographic methods difficult. This paper reports the characterization of a strongly disordered zeolite structure, using a combination of electron exit-wave reconstruction, automated diffraction tomography (ADT), crystal disorder modelling and electron diffraction simulations. Zeolite beta was chosen for a proof-of-principle study of the techniques, because it consists of two different intergrown polymorphs that are built from identical layer types but with different stacking sequences. Imaging of the projected inner Coulomb potential of zeolite beta crystals shows the intergrowth of the polymorphs BEA and BEB. The structures of BEA as well as BEB could be extracted from one single ADT data set using direct methods. A ratio for BEA/BEB = 48:52 was determined by comparison of the reconstructed reciprocal space based on ADT data with simulated electron diffraction data for virtual nanocrystals, built with different ratios of BEA/BEB. In this way, it is demonstrated that this smart interplay of the above-mentioned techniques allows the elaboration of the real structures of functional materials in detail - even if they possess a severely disordered structure.

Cold pool organization and the merging of convective updrafts in a Large Eddy Simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Glenn, I. B.; Krueger, S. K.

2016-12-01

Cold pool organization is a process that accelerates the transition from shallow to deep cumulus convection, and leads to higher deep convective cloud top heights. The mechanism by which cold pool organization enhances convection remains not well understood, but the basic idea is that since precipitation evaporation and a low equivalent potential temperature in the mid-troposphere lead to strong cold pools, the net cold pool effect can be accounted for in a cumulus parameterization as a relationship involving those factors. Understanding the actual physical mechanism at work will help quantify the strength of the relationship between cold pools and enhanced deep convection. One proposed mechanism of enhancement is that cold pool organization leads to reduced distances between updrafts, creating a local environment more conducive to convection as updrafts entrain parcels of air recently detrained by their neighbors. We take this hypothesis one step further and propose that convective updrafts actually merge, not just exchange recently processed air. Because entrainment and detrainment around an updraft draws nearby air in or pushes it out, respectively, they act like dynamic flow sources and sinks, drawing each other in or pushing each other away. The acceleration is proportional to the inverse square of the distance between two updrafts, so a small reduction in distance can make a big difference in the rate of merging. We have shown in previous research how merging can be seen as collisions between different updraft air parcels using Lagrangian Parcel Trajectories (LPTs) released in a Large Eddy Simulation (LES) during a period with organized deep convection. Now we use a Eulerian frame of reference to examine the updraft merging process during the transition from shallow to organized deep convection. We use a case based on the Large-Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia (LBA) for our LES. We directly measure the rate of entrainment and the properties

Microscopic tomography with ultra-HVEM and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takaoka, Akio; Hasegawa, Toshiaki; Yoshida, Kiyokazu; Mori, Hirotaro

2008-01-01

The ultra-HVEM with an accelerating voltage of 3 MV at Osaka University is capable of achieving excellent penetration and resolution for thick specimens. We obtained images of 5-μm-thick slices tilted at angles of up to 70 o for biological samples and observed stick-shaped samples of Si devices free from missing zone. These features make the ultra-HVEM an invaluable extension of 3D observation by electron tomography. In this paper, we introduce aspects of ultra-HVEM tomography; specifically, the magnification, the amount of image blurring for thick samples and the electron staining method. Finally, we give some typical applications in the fields of cell biology, pathology and electrical engineering

Merged Land and Ocean Surface Temperature, Version 3.5

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The historical Merged Land-Ocean Surface Temperature Analysis (MLOST) is derived from two independent analyses, an Extended Reconstructed Sea Surface Temperature...

Pathogen–host reorganization during Chlamydia invasion revealed by cryo-electron tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Nans, Andrea; Saibil, Helen R; Hayward, Richard D

2014-01-01

Invasion of host cells is a key early event during bacterial infection, but the underlying pathogen–host interactions are yet to be fully visualized in three-dimensional detail. We have captured snapshots of the early stages of bacterial-mediated endocytosis in situ by exploiting the small size of chlamydial elementary bodies (EBs) for whole-cell cryo-electron tomography. Chlamydiae are obligate intracellular bacteria that infect eukaryotic cells and cause sexually transmitted infections and trachoma, the leading cause of preventable blindness. We demonstrate that Chlamydia trachomatis LGV2 EBs are intrinsically polarized. One pole is characterized by a tubular inner membrane invagination, while the other exhibits asymmetric periplasmic expansion to accommodate an array of type III secretion systems (T3SSs). Strikingly, EBs orient with their T3SS-containing pole facing target cells, enabling the T3SSs to directly contact the cellular plasma membrane. This contact induces enveloping macropinosomes, actin-rich filopodia and phagocytic cups to zipper tightly around the internalizing bacteria. Once encapsulated into tight early vacuoles, EB polarity and the T3SSs are lost. Our findings reveal previously undescribed structural transitions in both pathogen and host during the initial steps of chlamydial invasion. PMID:24809274

Calcium score of small coronary calcifications on multidetector computed tomography

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Groen, J M; Kofoed, K F; Zacho, M

2013-01-01

Multi detector computed tomography (MDCT) underestimates the coronary calcium score as compared to electron beam tomography (EBT). Therefore clinical risk stratification based on MDCT calcium scoring may be inaccurate. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of a new phantom which...

Developing merged CDIO based curricula for diploma (B.Eng.) IT study programs at DTU

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nyborg, Mads; Probst, Christian W.; Stassen, Flemming

2015-01-01

innovation strategy. In this paper we describe the process of developing new, merged B.Eng curricula in the IT field (Diploma IT), as part of the merger between DTU Lyngby and IHK. Particular attention will be given to the following subjects: • The design process used to develop the new merged study programs......) merged with the Technical University of Denmark (DTU Lyngby). The goal of the merger was to educate ever more innovative diploma engineers to fulfill the needs by Danish industry through combining a practice-oriented development environment and a research-oriented environment. Merging a university...... institutions represented before the merger well 3500 B.Eng. students. The goal of the merger was to combine the best of the existing educations rooted in a practice-oriented development environment and a research-oriented environment. At the same time, the merger was supposed to contribute to the national...

Aeroacoustics of T-junction merging flow.

Science.gov (United States)

Lam, G C Y; Leung, R C K; Tang, S K

2013-02-01

This paper reports a numerical study of the aeroacoustics of merging flow at T-junction. The primary focus is to elucidate the acoustic generation by the flow unsteadiness. The study is conducted by performing direct aeroacoustic simulation approach, which solves the unsteady compressible Navier-Stokes equations and the perfect gas equation of state simultaneously using the conservation element and solution element method. For practical flows, the Reynolds number based on duct width is usually quite high (>10(5)). In order to properly account for the effects of flow turbulence, a large eddy simulation methodology together with a wall modeling derived from the classical logarithm wall law is adopted. The numerical simulations are performed in two dimensions and the acoustic generation physics at different ratios of side-branch to main duct flow velocities VR (=0.5,0.67,1.0,2.0) are studied. Both the levels of unsteady interactions of merging flow structures and the efficiency of acoustic generation are observed to increase with VR. Based on Curle's analogy, the major acoustic source is found to be the fluctuating wall pressure induced by the flow unsteadiness occurred in the downstream branch. A scaling between the wall fluctuating force and the efficiency of the acoustic generation is also derived.

Sampling, Splitting and Merging in Coinductive Stream Calculus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M. Niqui (Milad); J.J.M.M. Rutten (Jan); C. Bolduc; J. Desharnais; B. Ktari

2010-01-01

textabstractWe study various operations for partitioning, projecting and merging streams of data. These operations are motivated by their use in dataflow programming and the stream processing languages. We use the framework of \\emph{stream calculus} and \\emph{stream circuits} for defining and

Sampling, splitting and merging in coinductive stream calculus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M. Niqui (Milad); J.J.M.M. Rutten (Jan)

2009-01-01

htmlabstractWe study various operations for partitioning, projecting and merging streams of data. These operations are motivated by their use in dataflow programming and the stream processing languages. We use the framework of stream calculus and stream circuits for defining and proving properties

Intermittent magnetic reconnection in TS-3 merging experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ono, Y.; Hayashi, Y.; Ii, T.; Tanabe, H.; Ito, S.; Kuwahata, A.; Ito, T.; Kamino, Y.; Yamada, T.; Inomoto, M.

2011-01-01

Ejection of current sheet with plasma mass causes impulsive and intermittent magnetic reconnection in the TS-3 spherical tokamak (ST) merging experiment. Under high guide toroidal field, the sheet resistivity is almost classical due to the sheet thickness much longer than the ion gyroradius. Large inflow flux and low current-sheet resistivity result in flux and plasma pileup followed by rapid growth of the current sheet. When the pileup exceeds a critical limit, the sheet is ejected mechanically from the squeezed X-point area. The reconnection (outflow) speed is slow during the flux/plasma pileup and is fast during the ejection, suggesting that intermittent reconnection similar to the solar flare increases the averaged reconnection speed. These transient effects enable the merging tokamaks to have the fast reconnection as well as the high-power reconnection heating, even when their current-sheet resistivity is low under high guide field.

Molecular Electronics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jennum, Karsten Stein

This thesis includes the synthesis and characterisation of organic compounds designed for molecular electronics. The synthesised organic molecules are mainly based on two motifs, the obigo(phenyleneethynylenes) (OPE)s and tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) as shown below. These two scaffolds (OPE and TTF......) are chemically merged together to form cruciform-like structures that are an essential part of the thesis. The cruciform molecules were subjected to molecular conductance measurements to explore their capability towards single-crystal field-effect transistors (Part 1), molecular wires, and single electron......, however, was obtained by a study of a single molecular transistor. The investigated OPE5-TTF compound was captured in a three-terminal experiment, whereby manipulation of the molecule’s electronic spin was possible in different charge states. Thus, we demonstrated how the cruciform molecules could...

Enhanced automation of ECCS at Temelin: the merging of Eastern and Western philosophies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burnett, T.; Sykora, M.

1997-01-01

After years of separate development, the Eastern and Western concept of safety is now being merged. A significant issue in this process is the philosophy of automation versus operator action for control of safety systems. The paper discusses some aspects of this issue and presents enhancements made at Temelin which merge the Eastern and Western philosophies. (author)

Vertical vs. Horizontal Integration: Pre-emptive Merging.

OpenAIRE

Colangelo, Giuseppe

1995-01-01

Preemption plays a crucial role in arms merger decisions. The author studies whether and under which circumstances preemptive merging occurs in vertically related industries. He finds that vertical mergers often preempt horizontal mergers and are dominant outcomes. Preempting the threat of a detrimental horizontal integration may be the main reason for vertically integrating. Copyright 1995 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Observations and Simulations of Formation of Broad Plasma Depletions Through Merging Process

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Chao-Song; Retterer, J. M.; Beaujardiere, O. De La; Roddy, P. A.; Hunton, D.E.; Ballenthin, J. O.; Pfaff, Robert F.

2012-01-01

Broad plasma depletions in the equatorial ionosphere near dawn are region in which the plasma density is reduced by 1-3 orders of magnitude over thousands of kilometers in longitude. This phenomenon is observed repeatedly by the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) satellite during deep solar minimum. The plasma flow inside the depletion region can be strongly upward. The possible causal mechanism for the formation of broad plasma depletions is that the broad depletions result from merging of multiple equatorial plasma bubbles. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility of the merging mechanism with new observations and simulations. We present C/NOFS observations for two cases. A series of plasma bubbles is first detected by C/NOFS over a longitudinal range of 3300-3800 km around midnight. Each of the individual bubbles has a typical width of approx 100 km in longitude, and the upward ion drift velocity inside the bubbles is 200-400 m/s. The plasma bubbles rotate with the Earth to the dawn sector and become broad plasma depletions. The observations clearly show the evolution from multiple plasma bubbles to broad depletions. Large upward plasma flow occurs inside the depletion region over 3800 km in longitude and exists for approx 5 h. We also present the numerical simulations of bubble merging with the physics-based low-latitude ionospheric model. It is found that two separate plasma bubbles join together and form a single, wider bubble. The simulations show that the merging process of plasma bubbles can indeed occur in incompressible ionospheric plasma. The simulation results support the merging mechanism for the formation of broad plasma depletions.

Microbiological and ecological responses to global environmental changes in polar regions (MERGE): An IPY core coordinating project

Science.gov (United States)

Naganuma, Takeshi; Wilmotte, Annick

2009-11-01

An integrated program, “Microbiological and ecological responses to global environmental changes in polar regions” (MERGE), was proposed in the International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008 and endorsed by the IPY committee as a coordinating proposal. MERGE hosts original proposals to the IPY and facilitates their funding. MERGE selected three key questions to produce scientific achievements. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms in terrestrial, lacustrine, and supraglacial habitats were targeted according to diversity and biogeography; food webs and ecosystem evolution; and linkages between biological, chemical, and physical processes in the supraglacial biome. MERGE hosted 13 original and seven additional proposals, with two full proposals. It respected the priorities and achievements of the individual proposals and aimed to unify their significant results. Ideas and projects followed a bottom-up rather than a top-down approach. We intend to inform the MERGE community of the initial results and encourage ongoing collaboration. Scientists from non-polar regions have also participated and are encouraged to remain involved in MERGE. MERGE is formed by scientists from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Spain, UK, Uruguay, USA, and Vietnam, and associates from Chile, Denmark, Netherlands, and Norway.

Clinical application of electron beam computed tomography in diagnosis of truncus arteriosus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Gejun; Dai Ruping; Cao Cheng; Qi Xiaoou; Bai Hua; Ma Zhanhong; Chen Yao; Mu Feng; Ren Li

2005-01-01

Objective: To evaluate value of electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) in diagnosis of truncus arteriosus (TA). Methods: Ten cases of TA with age ranging from 2-month to 24 years were studied. All cases were examined and diagnosed with Imatron C-150 scanner using contrastmedia. The results of EBCT were analyzed and compared with the results of echocardiography (in 10 cases), cardiovascular angiography (in 3 cases) and surgery findings (in 1 case ). Results: EBCT yielded qualitative diagnosis and classification in all 10 cases. Echocardiography revealed qualitative diagnosis in 9 cases, however its classification was accordant to EBCT just in 5 cases. The concomitant abnormalities of TA were found more with EBCT than that with echocardiography. Cardiovascular angiography was performed in 3 cases, yielding inaccurate classification 2 cases. One case of TA was operated just based on the results of echocardiography, EBCT and catheterization. Conclusion: As a noninvasive method, EBCT could yield qualitative diagnosis of TA as well as classification. The results of EBCT examination combining echocardiography and catheterization could guide the operations. (authors)

Cryo-electron tomography investigation of serum albumin-camouflaged tobacco mosaic virus nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Gulati, Neetu M; Pitek, Andrzej S; Steinmetz, Nicole F; Stewart, Phoebe L

2017-03-09

Nanoparticles offer great potential in drug delivery and imaging, but shielding strategies are necessary to increase circulation time and performance. Structure-function studies are required to define the design rules to achieve effective shielding. With several formulations reaching clinical testing and approval, the ability to assess and detail nanoparticle formulations at the single particle level is becoming increasingly important. To address this need, we use cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) to investigate stealth-coated nanoparticles. As a model system, we studied the soft matter nanotubes formed by tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) coated with human serum albumin (SA) stealth proteins. Cryo-ET and subtomogram averaging allow for visualization of individual SA molecules and determination of their orientations relative to the TMV surface, and also for measurement of the surface coverage provided by added stealth proteins. This information fills a critical gap in the understanding of the structural morphology of stealth-coated nanoparticles, and therefore cryo-ET may play an important role in guiding the development of future nanoparticle-based therapeutics.

Electronic plants

Science.gov (United States)

Stavrinidou, Eleni; Gabrielsson, Roger; Gomez, Eliot; Crispin, Xavier; Nilsson, Ove; Simon, Daniel T.; Berggren, Magnus

2015-01-01

The roots, stems, leaves, and vascular circuitry of higher plants are responsible for conveying the chemical signals that regulate growth and functions. From a certain perspective, these features are analogous to the contacts, interconnections, devices, and wires of discrete and integrated electronic circuits. Although many attempts have been made to augment plant function with electroactive materials, plants’ “circuitry” has never been directly merged with electronics. We report analog and digital organic electronic circuits and devices manufactured in living plants. The four key components of a circuit have been achieved using the xylem, leaves, veins, and signals of the plant as the template and integral part of the circuit elements and functions. With integrated and distributed electronics in plants, one can envisage a range of applications including precision recording and regulation of physiology, energy harvesting from photosynthesis, and alternatives to genetic modification for plant optimization. PMID:26702448

THE FORNAX DWARF GALAXY AS A REMNANT OF RECENT DWARF-DWARF MERGING IN THE LOCAL GROUP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yozin, C.; Bekki, K.

2012-01-01

We present results from the first numerical analysis to support the hypothesis, first proposed in Coleman et al., that the Fornax dwarf galaxy was formed from the minor merging of two dwarfs about 2 Gyr ago. Using orbits for the Fornax dwarf that are consistent with the latest proper motion measurements, our dynamical evolution models show that the observed asymmetric shell-like substructures can be formed from the remnant of a smaller dwarf during minor merging. These models also predict the formation of diffuse stellar streams. We discuss how these stellar substructures depend on model parameters of dwarf-dwarf merging, and how the intermediate-age subpopulations found in the vicinity of these substructures may be formed from gas accretion in past merger events. We also suggest that one of Fornax's globular clusters originates from a merged dwarf companion, and demonstrate where as yet undetected tidal streams or H I gas formed from the dwarf merging may be found in the outer halo of the Galaxy.

The importance of executive leadership in creating a post-merged organisational culture conducive to effective performance management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gary W. Paul

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Orientation: Focus was placed on the important role of executive management in creating a post-merged organisational culture conducive to effective performance management.Research purpose: To develop a theoretical model from the insights gleaned from the literature study, interviews with senior human resource (HR practitioners at participating institutions and the empirical study. Based on the empirical findings, this model was refined and resulted in the eight-step integrated post-merged organisational culture creation model.Motivation for the study: The negligible attention given to the design of mechanisms supportive of post-merged organisational culture creation emphasised the need for this study. The high percentage of merger failures attributable to ineffective post-merged organisational culture integration further contributed.Research design, approach and method: A quantitative study was conducted at three merged South African higher education institutions, namely Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Cape Peninsula University of Technology and Durban University of Technology. Respondents occupied the following functional categories: executive management, senior and line management, HR practitioners and non-HR or non-management.Main findings: Respondents perceived the role of executive management to be the most important step of the theoretical model which formed the basis for the empirical survey questionnaire. This step, which obtained the highest summated mean score in all three institutions and across all functional categories, was depicted as Step 5 of the model.Practical/managerial implications: The refined eight-step integrated post-merged organisational culture creation model will significantly enhance the creation of a post-merged organisational culture conducive to effective performance management.Contribution/value-add: This study addressed the void regarding a model to guide the creation of a post-merged organisational

Estimation of Airline Benefits from Avionics Upgrade under Preferential Merge Re-sequence Scheduling

Science.gov (United States)

Kotegawa, Tatsuya; Cayabyab, Charlene Anne; Almog, Noam

2013-01-01

Modernization of the airline fleet avionics is essential to fully enable future technologies and procedures for increasing national airspace system capacity. However in the current national airspace system, system-wide benefits gained by avionics upgrade are not fully directed to aircraft/airlines that upgrade, resulting in slow fleet modernization rate. Preferential merge re-sequence scheduling is a best-equipped-best-served concept designed to incentivize avionics upgrade among airlines by allowing aircraft with new avionics (high-equipped) to be re-sequenced ahead of aircraft without the upgrades (low-equipped) at enroute merge waypoints. The goal of this study is to investigate the potential benefits gained or lost by airlines under a high or low-equipped fleet scenario if preferential merge resequence scheduling is implemented.

Mining CANDELS for Tidal Features to Constrain Major Merging During Cosmic Noon

Science.gov (United States)

McIntosh, Daniel H.; Mantha, Kameswara; Ciaschi, Cody; Evan, Rubyet A.; Fries, Logan B.; Landry, Luther; Thompson, Scott E.; Snyder, Gregory; Guo, Yicheng; Ceverino, Daniel; Häuβler, Boris; Primack, Joel; Simons, Raymond C.; Zheng, Xianzhong; Cosmic Assembly Near-Infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey (CANDELS) Team

2018-01-01

The role of major merging in the rapid buildup and development of massive galaxies at z>1 remains an open question. New theories and observations suggest that non-merging processes like violent disk instabilities may be more vital than previously thought at assembling bulges, producing clumps, and inducing morphological disturbances that may be misinterpreted as the product of major merging. We will present initial results on a systematic search for hallmark tidal indicators of major merging in a complete sample of nearly 6000 massive z>1 galaxies from CANDELS (Cosmic Assembly Near-infrared Deep Extragalactic Legacy Survey), the premiere HST/WFC3 Treasury program. We have visually inspected published GALFIT F160W residual (image-model) maps and produced a comprehensive new catalog of Sersic residual characteristics based on a variety of natural features and poor-fit artifacts. Using this catalog, we find the frequency of galaxies with tidal signatures is very small in CANDELS data. Accounting for the brief time scale associated with faint transient tidal features, our preliminary finding indicates that merger fractions derived from the CANDELS morphological classification efforts are substantially overestimated. We are using the database of residual classifications as a baseline to (1) produce improved multi-component residual maps using GALFIT_M, (2) automatically extract and quantify plausible tidal indicators and substructures (clumps vs. multiple nuclei), (3) develop a new deep-learning classification pipeline to robustly identify merger indicators in imaging data, and (4) inform the systematic analyses of synthetic mock (CANDELized) images from zoom-in hydrodynamic simulations to thoroughly quantify the impacts of cosmological dimming, and calibrate the observability timescale of tidal feature detections. Our study will ultimately yield novel constraints on merger rates at z>1 and a definitive census of massive high-noon galaxies with tidal and double

Apical Root Canal Morphology of Mesial Roots of Mandibular First Molar Teeth with Vertucci Type II Configuration by Means of Micro-Computed Tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Keleş, Ali; Keskin, Cangül

2017-03-01

The aim of this study was to assess the features of the apical root canal anatomy and its relation to the level at which 2 separate root canals merge in the mesial roots of the mandibular first molars with Vertucci type II canal configuration by using micro-computed tomography analysis. The anatomic features of the apical 3 mm of root canals in 83 mesial roots of mandibular first molar teeth were investigated by micro-computed tomography and software imaging according to the level at which 2 separate root canals merge. The most apical slice where a visible root canal was detectable was recorded as 0 level. The specimens from where 2 root canals rejoin at within 3 mm from the 0 level were then assigned to group 1 (n = 37), whereas the specimens from where root canals rejoin 3-9 mm from the 0 level were assigned to group 2 (n = 46). Data were presented by using descriptive statistics and Mann-Whitney U tests, with the significance level set at 5%. In all specimens the long oval type of cross-sectional shape increased from 50.9% at 1 mm to 80.5% at 3 mm. Group 1 presented significantly higher major diameter values compared with group 2 (P  .05) between groups. Group 2 displayed significantly higher roundness values than group 1 (P < .05). A long oval root cross section of apical root canal anatomy is more prevalent in roots for which 2 root canals merge within apical 3 mm of root canals. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ISOON + SOLIS: Merging the Data Products

Science.gov (United States)

Radick, R.; Dalrymple, N.; Mozer, J.; Wiborg, P.; Harvey, J.; Henney, C.; Neidig, D.

2005-05-01

The combination of AFRL's ISOON and NSO's SOLIS offers significantly greater capability than the individual instruments. We are working toward merging the SOLIS and ISOON data products in a single central facility. The ISOON system currently includes both an observation facility and a remote analysis center (AC). The AC is capable of receiving data from both the ISOON observation facility as well as external sources. It archives the data and displays corrected images and time-lapse animations. The AC has a large number of digital tools that can be applied to solar images to provide quantitative information quickly and easily. Because of its convenient tools and ready archival capability, the ISOON AC is a natural place to merge products from SOLIS and ISOON. We have completed a preliminary integration of the ISOON and SOLIS data products. Eventually, we intend to distribute viewing stations to various users and academic institutions, install the AC software tools at a number of user locations, and publish ISOON/SOLIS data products jointly on a common web page. In addition, SOLIS data products, separately, are and will continue to be fully available on the NSO,s Digital Library and SOLIS web pages, and via the Virtual Solar Observatory. This work is being supported by the National Science Foundation and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

Multimodal optical coherence tomography and fluorescence lifetime imaging with interleaved excitation sources for simultaneous endogenous and exogenous fluorescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Shrestha, Sebina; Serafino, Michael J; Rico-Jimenez, Jesus; Park, Jesung; Chen, Xi; Zhaorigetu, Siqin; Walton, Brian L; Jo, Javier A; Applegate, Brian E

2016-09-01

Multimodal imaging probes a variety of tissue properties in a single image acquisition by merging complimentary imaging technologies. Exploiting synergies amongst the data, algorithms can be developed that lead to better tissue characterization than could be accomplished by the constituent imaging modalities taken alone. The combination of optical coherence tomography (OCT) with fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) provides access to detailed tissue morphology and local biochemistry. The optical system described here merges 1310 nm swept-source OCT with time-domain FLIM having excitation at 355 and 532 nm. The pulses from 355 and 532 nm lasers have been interleaved to enable simultaneous acquisition of endogenous and exogenous fluorescence signals, respectively. The multimodal imaging system was validated using tissue phantoms. Nonspecific tagging with Alexa Flour 532 in a Watanbe rabbit aorta and active tagging of the LOX-1 receptor in human coronary artery, demonstrate the capacity of the system for simultaneous acquisition of OCT, endogenous FLIM, and exogenous FLIM in tissues.

The importance of executive leadership in creating a post-merged organisational culture conducive to effective performance management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gary W. Paul

2013-01-01

Research purpose: To develop a theoretical model from the insights gleaned from the literature study, interviews with senior human resource (HR practitioners at participating institutions and the empirical study. Based on the empirical findings, this model was refined and resulted in the eight-step integrated post-merged organisational culture creation model. Motivation for the study: The negligible attention given to the design of mechanisms supportive of post-merged organisational culture creation emphasised the need for this study. The high percentage of merger failures attributable to ineffective post-merged organisational culture integration further contributed. Research design, approach and method: A quantitative study was conducted at three merged South African higher education institutions, namely Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Cape Peninsula University of Technology and Durban University of Technology. Respondents occupied the following functional categories: executive management, senior and line management, HR practitioners and non-HR or non-management. Main findings: Respondents perceived the role of executive management to be the most important step of the theoretical model which formed the basis for the empirical survey questionnaire. This step, which obtained the highest summated mean score in all three institutions and across all functional categories, was depicted as Step 5 of the model. Practical/managerial implications: The refined eight-step integrated post-merged organisational culture creation model will significantly enhance the creation of a post-merged organisational culture conducive to effective performance management. Contribution/value-add: This study addressed the void regarding a model to guide the creation of a post-merged organisational culture conducive to effective performance management in higher education institutions as well as merged corporate organisations.

Merging formation of FRC and its application to high-beta ST formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ono, Y.; Inomoto, M.; Ueda, Y.; Matsuyama, T.; Ohshima, Y.; Katsurai, M.

2001-01-01

Merging formation of field-reversed configuration (FRC) explored not only a new scenario of highly-efficient FRC formation/amplification experiment but also a new boundary research between FRC, spheromak and spherical tokamak (ST). A new finding is that the produced FRC is transformed stably into an ultra-high-β ST by applying external toroidal field B t,ext . The toroidal field was observed to vanish around magnetic axis after the B t,ext application to the FRC, indicating formation of diamagnetic ST. The hollow current profile of FRC was maintained during the equilibrium transition, eliminating a need for the difficult hollow-current-formation process of start-up discharge of high-β ST. The energy-conversion effect of merging transformed the force-free merging spheromaks with paramagnetic current into the FRC with diamagnetic current and the further application of B t,ext did the FRC into the ultra-high-β (>60%)/diamagnetic ST, indicating the close relationship between FRC and ST in second stability. (author)

Rapid low dose electron tomography using a direct electron detection camera

NARCIS (Netherlands)

V. Migunov (Vadim); H. Ryll; X. Zhuge (Jason); M. Simson; L. Strüder; K.J. Batenburg (Joost); L. Houben; R.E. Dunin-Borkowski (Rafal)

2015-01-01

htmlabstractWe demonstrate the ability to record a tomographic tilt series containing 3487 images in only 3.5 s by using a direct electron detector in a transmission electron microscope. The electron dose is lower by at least one order of magnitude when compared with that used to record a

CT angiography using electron-beam computed tomography (EBCT). A phantom study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uchino, Akira; Kato, Akira; Kudo, Sho

1997-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of CT angiography in small vessels using electron-beam computed tomography (EBCT). Vessel phantoms with inner diameters of 8 mm, 6 mm, and 4 mm were prepared with segments of 75%, 50%, and 25% stenosis in each vessel. The vessels were filled with contrast medium (Iopamidol 300 at 1/24 dilution, approximately 380 HU). The EBCT apparatus used was an Imatron C-150. The step volume scan mode was used with slice thicknesses of 1.5 mm and 3.0 mm, scan time of 0.3 sec, and 210 mm field of view. Images with a slice thickness of 1.5 mm were definitely better than those with a slice thickness of 3.0 mm. The quality of maximum intensity projection (MIP) images was quite similar to that of three-dimensional (3D) images. Using the 8 mm vessel phantom, all stenotic segments were accurately visualized on CT angiography. The 50% stenotic segments were accurately estimated in all vessels. However, the 75% stenotic segments were slightly overestimated in smaller vessels, and the 25% stenotic segments were slightly underestimated in smaller vessels. We consider CT angiography using EBCT to be a useful, less invasive diagnostic modality for stenoocclusive lesions. (author)

Computed tomography as a source of electron density information for radiation treatment planning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skrzynski, Witold; Slusarczyk-Kacprzyk, Wioletta; Bulski, Wojciech; Zielinska-Dabrowska, Sylwia; Wachowicz, Marta; Kukolowicz, Pawel F.

2010-01-01

Purpose: to evaluate the performance of computed tomography (CT) systems of various designs as a source of electron density (ρ el ) data for treatment planning of radiation therapy. Material and methods: dependence of CT numbers on relative electron density of tissue-equivalent materials (HU-ρ el relationship) was measured for several general-purpose CT systems (single-slice, multislice, wide-bore multislice), for radiotherapy simulators with a single-slice CT and kV CBCT (cone-beam CT) options, as well as for linear accelerators with kV and MV CBCT systems. Electron density phantoms of four sizes were used. Measurement data were compared with the standard HU-ρ el relationships predefined in two commercial treatment-planning systems (TPS). Results: the HU-ρ el relationships obtained with all of the general-purpose CT scanners operating at voltages close to 120 kV were very similar to each other and close to those predefined in TPS. Some dependency of HU values on tube voltage was observed for bone-equivalent materials. For a given tube voltage, differences in results obtained for different phantoms were larger than those obtained for different CT scanners. For radiotherapy simulators and for kV CBCT systems, the information on ρ el was much less precise because of poor uniformity of images. For MV CBCT, the results were significantly different than for kV systems due to the differing energy spectrum of the beam. Conclusion: the HU-ρ el relationships predefined in TPS can be used for general-purpose CT systems operating at voltages close to 120 kV. For nontypical imaging systems (e.g., CBCT), the relationship can be significantly different and, therefore, it should always be measured and carefully analyzed before using CT data for treatment planning. (orig.)

Laser-induced electron--ion recombination used to study enhanced spontaneous recombination during electron cooling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schramm, U.; Wolf, A.; Schuess ler, T.; Habs, D.; Schwalm, D.; Uwira, O.; Linkemann, J.; Mueller, A.

1997-01-01

Spontaneous recombination of highly charged ions with free electrons in merged velocity matched electron and ion beams has been observed in earlier experiments to occur at rates significantly higher than predicted by theoretical estimates. To study this enhanced spontaneous recombination, laser induced recombination spectra were measured both in velocity matched beams and in beams with well defined relative velocities, corresponding to relative electron-ion detuning energies ranging from 1 meV up to 6.5 meV where the spontaneous recombination enhancement was found to be strongly reduced. Based on a comparison with simplified calculations, the development of the recombination spectra for decreasing detuning energies indicates additional contributions at matched velocities which could be related to the energy distribution of electrons causing the spontaneous recombination rate enhancement

On the merging rates of envelope-deprived components of binary systems which can give rise to supernova events

Science.gov (United States)

Tornambe, Amedeo

1989-08-01

Theoretical rates of mergings of envelope-deprived components of binary systems, which can give rise to supernova events are described. The effects of the various assumptions on the physical properties of the progenitor system and of its evolutionary behavior through common envelope phases are discussed. Four cases have been analyzed: CO-CO, He-CO, He-He double degenerate mergings and He star-CO dwarf merging. It is found that, above a critical efficiency of the common envelope action in system shrinkage, the rate of CO-CO mergings is not strongly sensitive to the efficiency. Below this critical value, no CO-CO systems will survive for times larger than a few Gyr. In contrast, He-CO dwarf systems will continue to merge at a reasonable rate up to 20 Gyr, and more, also under extreme conditions.

EEL spectroscopic tomography: towards a new dimension in nanomaterials analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yedra, Lluís; Eljarrat, Alberto; Arenal, Raúl; Pellicer, Eva; Cabo, Moisés; López-Ortega, Alberto; Estrader, Marta; Sort, Jordi; Baró, Maria Dolors; Estradé, Sònia; Peiró, Francesca

2012-11-01

Electron tomography is a widely spread technique for recovering the three dimensional (3D) shape of nanostructured materials. Using a spectroscopic signal to achieve a reconstruction adds a fourth chemical dimension to the 3D structure. Up to date, energy filtering of the images in the transmission electron microscope (EFTEM) is the usual spectroscopic method even if most of the information in the spectrum is lost. Unlike EFTEM tomography, the use of electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) spectrum images (SI) for tomographic reconstruction retains all chemical information, and the possibilities of this new approach still remain to be fully exploited. In this article we prove the feasibility of EEL spectroscopic tomography at low voltages (80 kV) and short acquisition times from data acquired using an aberration corrected instrument and data treatment by Multivariate Analysis (MVA), applied to Fe(x)Co((3-x))O(4)@Co(3)O(4) mesoporous materials. This approach provides a new scope into materials; the recovery of full EELS signal in 3D. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

“ABBA” REVISITED: MERGING THE HORIZONS OF HISTORY AND ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ture of metaphors in terms of their rhetorical functions. The New Rhetoric pro- ... between literal and metaphorical in favour of the merging of another two ho- .... cently in The Dictionary of Classical Hebrew of the Hebrew Bible and the Dead.

Merging Children's Oncology Group Data with an External Administrative Database Using Indirect Patient Identifiers: A Report from the Children's Oncology Group.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yimei Li

Full Text Available Clinical trials data from National Cancer Institute (NCI-funded cooperative oncology group trials could be enhanced by merging with external data sources. Merging without direct patient identifiers would provide additional patient privacy protections. We sought to develop and validate a matching algorithm that uses only indirect patient identifiers.We merged the data from two Phase III Children's Oncology Group (COG trials for de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML with the Pediatric Health Information Systems (PHIS. We developed a stepwise matching algorithm that used indirect identifiers including treatment site, gender, birth year, birth month, enrollment year and enrollment month. Results from the stepwise algorithm were compared against the direct merge method that used date of birth, treatment site, and gender. The indirect merge algorithm was developed on AAML0531 and validated on AAML1031.Of 415 patients enrolled on the AAML0531 trial at PHIS centers, we successfully matched 378 (91.1% patients using the indirect stepwise algorithm. Comparison to the direct merge result suggested that 362 (95.7% matches identified by the indirect merge algorithm were concordant with the direct merge result. When validating the indirect stepwise algorithm using the AAML1031 trial, we successfully matched 157 out of 165 patients (95.2% and 150 (95.5% of the indirectly merged matches were concordant with the directly merged matches.These data demonstrate that patients enrolled on COG clinical trials can be successfully merged with PHIS administrative data using a stepwise algorithm based on indirect patient identifiers. The merged data sets can be used as a platform for comparative effectiveness and cost effectiveness studies.

ENHANCED OFF-CENTER STELLAR TIDAL DISRUPTIONS BY SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLES IN MERGING GALAXIES

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, F. K.; Chen, Xian

2013-01-01

Off-center stellar tidal disruption flares have been suggested to be a powerful probe of recoiling supermassive black holes (SMBHs) out of galactic centers due to anisotropic gravitational wave radiations. However, off-center tidal flares can also be produced by SMBHs in merging galaxies. In this paper, we computed the tidal flare rates by dual SMBHs in two merging galaxies before the SMBHs become self-gravitationally bounded. We employ an analytical model to calculate the tidal loss-cone feeding rates for both SMBHs, taking into account two-body relaxation of stars, tidal perturbations by the companion galaxy, and chaotic stellar orbits in triaxial gravitational potential. We show that for typical SMBHs with masses 10 7 M ☉ , the loss-cone feeding rates are enhanced by mergers up to Γ ∼ 10 –2 yr –1 , about two orders of magnitude higher than those by single SMBHs in isolated galaxies and about four orders of magnitude higher than those by recoiling SMBHs. The enhancements are mainly due to tidal perturbations by the companion galaxy. We suggest that off-center tidal flares are overwhelmed by those from merging galaxies, making the identification of recoiling SMBHs challenging. Based on the calculated rates, we estimate the relative contributions of tidal flare events by single, binary, and dual SMBH systems during cosmic time. Our calculations show that the off-center tidal disruption flares by un-bound SMBHs in merging galaxies contribute a fraction comparable to that by single SMBHs in isolated galaxies. We conclude that off-center tidal disruptions are powerful tracers of the merging history of galaxies and SMBHs.

A cluster merging method for time series microarray with production values.

Science.gov (United States)

Chira, Camelia; Sedano, Javier; Camara, Monica; Prieto, Carlos; Villar, Jose R; Corchado, Emilio

2014-09-01

A challenging task in time-course microarray data analysis is to cluster genes meaningfully combining the information provided by multiple replicates covering the same key time points. This paper proposes a novel cluster merging method to accomplish this goal obtaining groups with highly correlated genes. The main idea behind the proposed method is to generate a clustering starting from groups created based on individual temporal series (representing different biological replicates measured in the same time points) and merging them by taking into account the frequency by which two genes are assembled together in each clustering. The gene groups at the level of individual time series are generated using several shape-based clustering methods. This study is focused on a real-world time series microarray task with the aim to find co-expressed genes related to the production and growth of a certain bacteria. The shape-based clustering methods used at the level of individual time series rely on identifying similar gene expression patterns over time which, in some models, are further matched to the pattern of production/growth. The proposed cluster merging method is able to produce meaningful gene groups which can be naturally ranked by the level of agreement on the clustering among individual time series. The list of clusters and genes is further sorted based on the information correlation coefficient and new problem-specific relevant measures. Computational experiments and results of the cluster merging method are analyzed from a biological perspective and further compared with the clustering generated based on the mean value of time series and the same shape-based algorithm.

Merged Real Time GNSS Solutions for the READI System

Science.gov (United States)

Santillan, V. M.; Geng, J.

2014-12-01

Real-time measurements from increasingly dense Global Navigational Satellite Systems (GNSS) networks located throughout the western US offer a substantial, albeit largely untapped, contribution towards the mitigation of seismic and other natural hazards. Analyzed continuously in real-time, currently over 600 instruments blanket the San Andreas and Cascadia fault systems of the North American plate boundary and can provide on-the-fly characterization of transient ground displacements highly complementary to traditional seismic strong-motion monitoring. However, the utility of GNSS systems depends on their resolution, and merged solutions of two or more independent estimation strategies have been shown to offer lower scatter and higher resolution. Towards this end, independent real time GNSS solutions produced by Scripps Inst. of Oceanography and Central Washington University (PANGA) are now being formally combined in pursuit of NASA's Real-Time Earthquake Analysis for Disaster Mitigation (READI) positioning goals. CWU produces precise point positioning (PPP) solutions while SIO produces ambiguity resolved PPP solutions (PPP-AR). The PPP-AR solutions have a ~5 mm RMS scatter in the horizontal and ~10mm in the vertical, however PPP-AR solutions can take tens of minutes to re-converge in case of data gaps. The PPP solutions produced by CWU use pre-cleaned data in which biases are estimated as non-integer ambiguities prior to formal positioning with GIPSY 6.2 using a real time stream editor developed at CWU. These solutions show ~20mm RMS scatter in the horizontal and ~50mm RMS scatter in the vertical but re-converge within 2 min. or less following cycle-slips or data outages. We have implemented the formal combination of the CWU and SCRIPPS ENU displacements using the independent solutions as input measurements to a simple 3-element state Kalman filter plus white noise. We are now merging solutions from 90 stations, including 30 in Cascadia, 39 in the Bay Area, and 21

EEL spectroscopic tomography: Towards a new dimension in nanomaterials analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yedra, Lluis, E-mail: llyedra@el.ub.es [Laboratory of Electron Nanoscopies (LENS)-MIND/IN2UB, Dept. d' Electronica, Universitat de Barcelona, c/ Marti Franques 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain); CCiT, Scientific and Technological Centers, Universitat de Barcelona, C/Lluis Sole i Sabaris 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain); Eljarrat, Alberto [Laboratory of Electron Nanoscopies (LENS)-MIND/IN2UB, Dept. d' Electronica, Universitat de Barcelona, c/ Marti Franques 1, E-08028 Barcelona (Spain); Arenal, Raul [Laboratorio de Microscopias Avanzadas (LMA), Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragon (INA), Universidad de Zaragoza, E-50018 Zaragoza (Spain); Fundacion ARAID, E-50004 Zaragoza (Spain); Pellicer, Eva; Cabo, Moises [Departament de Fisica, Facultat de Ciencies, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra (Spain); Lopez-Ortega, Alberto; Estrader, Marta [CIN2(CIN-CSIC) and Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Catalan Institute of Nanotechnology, Campus de la UAB, E-08193 Bellaterra (Spain); Sort, Jordi [Institucio Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avancats (ICREA), Departament de Fisica, Facultat de Ciencies, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra (Spain); Baro, Maria Dolors [Departament de Fisica, Facultat de Ciencies, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra (Spain); and others

2012-11-15

Electron tomography is a widely spread technique for recovering the three dimensional (3D) shape of nanostructured materials. Using a spectroscopic signal to achieve a reconstruction adds a fourth chemical dimension to the 3D structure. Up to date, energy filtering of the images in the transmission electron microscope (EFTEM) is the usual spectroscopic method even if most of the information in the spectrum is lost. Unlike EFTEM tomography, the use of electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) spectrum images (SI) for tomographic reconstruction retains all chemical information, and the possibilities of this new approach still remain to be fully exploited. In this article we prove the feasibility of EEL spectroscopic tomography at low voltages (80 kV) and short acquisition times from data acquired using an aberration corrected instrument and data treatment by Multivariate Analysis (MVA), applied to Fe{sub x}Co{sub (3-x)}O{sub 4}@Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} mesoporous materials. This approach provides a new scope into materials; the recovery of full EELS signal in 3D. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer EELS-SI tomography was performed at low voltage and low acquisition times. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer MVA has been applied for noise reduction and information extraction. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Tomographic reconstruction has been achieved for chemical information. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Elemental distribution extraction in 3D has been proved.

HR competencies at a merged Higher Education Institution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cecile M. Schultz

2010-06-01

Research purposes: The aim of this study was to determine the HR competencies at a merged higher education institution. Other objectives were to establish the satisfaction of academics, administrative staff and management regarding the HR competencies and the importance thereof. Motivation for the study: Human resource professionals require assistance by providing HR competencies necessary to add value at a merged higher education institution. Research designs, approaches and methods: A quantitative research design was employed as the research strategy. The questionnaire was based on the literature, the business plan and the HR balanced scorecard report. The target population was 1363 permanent staff on one campus and the response rate was 28%. A principal factor analysis, spider charts and box plots were utilised for data analysis. The results indicated business knowledge, HR practices, personal skills and management skills as the vital HR competencies. Practical implications: Staff were not satisfied with the current HR competencies and consequently this necessitated attention to improve the deficient areas. Contribution: This study shows that limited research was done with regard to HR competencies in the South African higher education backdrop.

Experimental study of two-fluid effect during magnetic reconnection in the UTST merging experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamasaki, Kotaro; Takemura, Koichiro; Cao, Qinghong; Watanabe, Takenori G.; Itagaki, Hirotomo; Inomoto, Michiaki; Ono, Yasushi; Kamio, Shuji; Yamada, Takuma

2013-01-01

Radial profile of floating potential inside the current sheet was measured for the purpose of investigating the two-fluid (Hall) effect during magnetic reconnection in the UTST merging experiment. During magnetic reconnection, the floating potential drop was formed spontaneously inside the current sheet, forming a steep electric potential gradient on its both downstream areas. Magnetic probe array measurement indicates that this potential drop appears spontaneously when the reconnection rate rapidly increase due to change in current sheet structure. The IDS probe measurement observed outflow almost equal to poloidal Alfvén speed in radial direction from the X-point, where steep gradient of floating potential is formed. This fact suggests that ion acceleration/heating is caused by the steep potential gradient formed in the downstream by magnetized electrons. (author)

Dynamic evaluation of swallowing disorders with electron-beam tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raith, J.; Lindbichler, F.; Kern, R.; Groell, R.; Rienmueller, R.

1996-01-01

Three cases preselected by videofluorography were studied to evaluate whether electron beam tomography (EBT) permits more detailed dynamic imaging of swallowing disorders focusing on the mesonasopharyngeal segment, the hypopharynx and the upper esophageal sphincter (UES). Immediately after videofluorographic examination of the oropharyngeal deglutition, EBT is performed. The patient is in a supine position and while the patient swallows a 20 ml bolus of water or diluted iodine containing contrast agent, a sequence of 20 images per level is scanned. The levels, which are determined by using the scout view, are oriented parallel to the hard palate either at the level of the hard palate to image the mesonasopharyngel segment or just above the hyoid bone to focus on the hypopharynx or at the location of the USE. The scan technique is a single-slice cinemode with a slice thickness of 3 mm (exposure time 100 ms, interscan delay 16 ms, 130 kV, 620 mA). The following structural interactions that we have so far been unable to image can be clearly demonstrated with EBT: During normal swallowing, the mesonasopharyngeal segment is completely and symmetrically closed by the soft palate and Passavant's cushion; lateral hypopharyngeal pouches can be located more precisely; and disorders of the UES can be differentiated into functional or morphologically caused disorders (e.g., goiter or cervical osteophytes). Videofluorography and cinematography are still the gold standard in functional evaluation of swallowing disorders. However, EBT permits dynamic imaging of pharyngeal deglutition in a preselected transverse plane and can give useful additional information concerning functional anatomical changes in the pharynx during swallowing. Further clinical evaluation is needed. (orig.) [de

Music and social bonding: "self-other" merging and neurohormonal mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Tarr, Bronwyn; Launay, Jacques; Dunbar, Robin I M

2014-01-01

It has been suggested that a key function of music during its development and spread amongst human populations was its capacity to create and strengthen social bonds amongst interacting group members. However, the mechanisms by which this occurs have not been fully discussed. In this paper we review evidence supporting two thus far independently investigated mechanisms for this social bonding effect: self-other merging as a consequence of inter-personal synchrony, and the release of endorphins during exertive rhythmic activities including musical interaction. In general, self-other merging has been experimentally investigated using dyads, which provide limited insight into large-scale musical activities. Given that music can provide an external rhythmic framework that facilitates synchrony, explanations of social bonding during group musical activities should include reference to endorphins, which are released during synchronized exertive movements. Endorphins (and the endogenous opioid system (EOS) in general) are involved in social bonding across primate species, and are associated with a number of human social behaviors (e.g., laughter, synchronized sports), as well as musical activities (e.g., singing and dancing). Furthermore, passively listening to music engages the EOS, so here we suggest that both self-other merging and the EOS are important in the social bonding effects of music. In order to investigate possible interactions between these two mechanisms, future experiments should recreate ecologically valid examples of musical activities.

Inspection of a Medieval Wood Sculpture Using Computer Tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Kapitany, K.; Somogyi, A.; Barsi, A.

2016-06-01

Computer tomography (CT) is an excellent technique for obtaining accurate 3D information about the human body. It allows to visualize the organs, bones and blood vessels, furthermore it enables to diagnose anomalies and diseases. Its spatial reconstruction capability supports other interesting applications, such as inspecting different, even valuable objects like ancient sculptures. Current paper presents a methodology of evaluating CT and video imagery through the example of investigating a wood Madonna with infant Jesus sculpture from the 14th century. The developed techniques extract the outer boundary of the statue, which has been triangulated to derive the surface model. The interior of the sculpture has also been revealed: the iron bolts and rivets as well as the woodworm holes can be mapped. By merging the interior and outer data (geometry and texture) interesting visualizations (perspective views, sections etc.) have been created.

Cascading Constrained 2-D Arrays using Periodic Merging Arrays

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Forchhammer, Søren; Laursen, Torben Vaarby

2003-01-01

We consider a method for designing 2-D constrained codes by cascading finite width arrays using predefined finite width periodic merging arrays. This provides a constructive lower bound on the capacity of the 2-D constrained code. Examples include symmetric RLL and density constrained codes...

Interaction protocols for cooperative merging and lane reduction scenarios

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Semsar-Kazerooni, E.; Ploeg, J.

2015-01-01

This paper presents the interaction protocols developed for execution of two common scenarios in daily traffic using cooperative automated vehicles. The first proposed scenario addresses merging of a (semi-)automated car on a highway within a platoon of (semi-)automated vehicles. The second scenario

Resource Based Multi Agent Plan Merging : Framework and application

NARCIS (Netherlands)

De Weerdt, M.M.; Van der Krogt, R.P.J.; Witteveen, C.

2003-01-01

We discuss a resource-based planning framework where agents are able to merge plans by exchanging resources. In this framework, plans are specified as structured objects composed of resource consuming and resource producing processes (actions). A plan itself can also be conceived as a process

Advances in imaging and electron physics optics of charged particle analyzers

CERN Document Server

Hawkes, Peter W

2011-01-01

Advances in Imaging and Electron Physics merges two long-running serials--Advances in Electronics and Electron Physics and Advances in Optical and Electron Microscopy. This series features extended articles on the physics of electron devices (especially semiconductor devices), particle optics at high and low energies, microlithography, image science and digital image processing, electromagnetic wave propagation, electron microscopy, and the computing methods used in all these domains. * Contributions from leading international scholars and industry experts * Discusses hot topic areas and presents current and future research trends * Invaluable reference and guide for physicists, engineers and mathematicians.

Advances in imaging and electron physics optics of charged particle analyzers

CERN Document Server

Hawkes, Peter W

2011-01-01

Advances in Imaging and Electron Physics merges two long-running serials--Advances in Electronics and Electron Physics and Advances in Optical and Electron Microscopy. This series features extended articles on the physics of electron devices (especially semiconductor devices), particle optics at high and low energies, microlithography, image science and digital image processing, electromagnetic wave propagation, electron microscopy, and the computing methods used in all these domains. Contributions from leading international scholars and industry experts Discusses hot topic areas and presents current and future research trends Invaluable reference and guide for physicists, engineers and mathematicians.

Plasma shape reconstruction of merging spherical tokamak based on modified CCS method

Science.gov (United States)

Ushiki, Tomohiko; Inomoto, Michiaki; Itagaki, Masafumi; McNamara, Steven

2017-10-01

The merging start-up method is the one of the CS-free start-up schemes that has the advantage of high plasma temperature and density because it involves reconnection heating and compression processes. In order to achieve optimal merging operations, the initial two STs should have identical plasma currents and shapes, and then move symmetrically toward the center of the device with appropriate velocity. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of the compression effect, controlling the plasma major radius is also important. To realize the active feedback control of the plasma currents, the positions, and the shapes of the two initial STs and to optimize the plasma parameters described above, accurate estimation of the plasma boundary shape is highly important. In the present work, the Modified-CCS method is demonstrated to reconstruct the plasma boundary shapes as well as the eddy current profiles in the UTST (The University of Tokyo) and ST40 device (Tokamak Energy Ltd). The present research results demonstrate the effectiveness of the M-CCS method in the reconstruction analyses of ST merging.

Development of a proton Computed Tomography Detector System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naimuddin, Md. [Delhi U.; Coutrakon, G. [Northern Illinois U.; Blazey, G. [Northern Illinois U.; Boi, S. [Northern Illinois U.; Dyshkant, A. [Northern Illinois U.; Erdelyi, B. [Northern Illinois U.; Hedin, D. [Northern Illinois U.; Johnson, E. [Northern Illinois U.; Krider, J. [Northern Illinois U.; Rukalin, V. [Northern Illinois U.; Uzunyan, S. A. [Northern Illinois U.; Zutshi, V. [Northern Illinois U.; Fordt, R. [Fermilab; Sellberg, G. [Fermilab; Rauch, J. E. [Fermilab; Roman, M. [Fermilab; Rubinov, P. [Fermilab; Wilson, P. [Fermilab

2016-02-04

Computer tomography is one of the most promising new methods to image abnormal tissues inside the human body. Tomography is also used to position the patient accurately before radiation therapy. Hadron therapy for treating cancer has become one of the most advantegeous and safe options. In order to fully utilize the advantages of hadron therapy, there is a necessity of performing radiography with hadrons as well. In this paper we present the development of a proton computed tomography system. Our second-generation proton tomography system consists of two upstream and two downstream trackers made up of fibers as active material and a range detector consisting of plastic scintillators. We present details of the detector system, readout electronics, and data acquisition system as well as the commissioning of the entire system. We also present preliminary results from the test beam of the range detector.

Degradation of metallic materials studied by correlative tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Burnett, T. L.; Holroyd, N. J. H.; Lewandowski, J. J.; Ogurreck, M.; Rau, C.; Kelley, R.; Pickering, E. J.; Daly, M.; Sherry, A. H.; Pawar, S.; Slater, T. J. A.; Withers, P. J.

2017-07-01

There are a huge array of characterization techniques available today and increasingly powerful computing resources allowing for the effective analysis and modelling of large datasets. However, each experimental and modelling tool only spans limited time and length scales. Correlative tomography can be thought of as the extension of correlative microscopy into three dimensions connecting different techniques, each providing different types of information, or covering different time or length scales. Here the focus is on the linking of time lapse X-ray computed tomography (CT) and serial section electron tomography using the focussed ion beam (FIB)-scanning electron microscope to study the degradation of metals. Correlative tomography can provide new levels of detail by delivering a multiscale 3D picture of key regions of interest. Specifically, the Xe+ Plasma FIB is used as an enabling tool for large-volume high-resolution serial sectioning of materials, and also as a tool for preparation of microscale test samples and samples for nanoscale X-ray CT imaging. The exemplars presented illustrate general aspects relating to correlative workflows, as well as to the time-lapse characterisation of metal microstructures during various failure mechanisms, including ductile fracture of steel and the corrosion of aluminium and magnesium alloys. Correlative tomography is already providing significant insights into materials behaviour, linking together information from different instruments across different scales. Multiscale and multifaceted work flows will become increasingly routine, providing a feed into multiscale materials models as well as illuminating other areas, particularly where hierarchical structures are of interest.

Merging research orientation with professional apprenticeship training through PBL

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Willert, Søren

2012-01-01

The paper discusses an ongoing process of merging two university-based teaching traditions. The two traditions are alike in that both share a basic commitment to PBL-related values. Differences refer (as stated in the paper’s title) to one tradition being relatively more research oriented, whereas...

High resolution radar-rain gauge data merging for urban hydrology: current practice and beyond

Science.gov (United States)

Ochoa Rodriguez, Susana; Wang, Li-Pen; Bailey, Andy; Willems, Patrick; Onof, Christian

2017-04-01

In this work a thorough test is conducted of radar-rain gauge merging techniques at urban scales, under different climatological conditions and rain gauge density scenarios. The aim is to provide guidance regarding the suitability and application of merging methods at urban scales, which is lacking at present. The test is conducted based upon two pilot locations, i.e. the cities of Edinburgh (254 km^2) and Birmingham (431 km^2), for which a total of 96 and 84 tipping bucket rain gauges were respectively available, alongside radar QPEs, dense runoff records and urban drainage models. Three merging techniques, namely Mean Field Bias (MFB) adjustment, kriging with external (KED) and Bayesian (BAY) combination, were selected for testing on grounds of performance and common use. They were initially tested as they were originally formulated and as they are reportedly commonly applied using typically available radar and rain gauge data. Afterwards, they were tested in combination with two special treatments which were identified as having the potential to improve merging applicability for urban hydrology: (1) reduction of temporal sampling errors in radar QPEs through temporal interpolation and (2) singularity-based decomposition of radar QPEs prior to merging. These treatments ultimately aim at improving the consistency between radar and rain gauge records, which has been identified as the chief factor affecting merging performance and is particularly challenging at the fine spatial-temporal resolutions required for urban applications. The main findings of this study are the following: - All merging methods were found to improve the applicability of radar QPEs for urban hydrological applications, but the degree of improvement they provide and the added value of radar information vary for each merging method and are also a function of climatological conditions and rain gauge density scenarios. - Overall, KED displayed the best performance, with BAY being a close second

Simulating merging binary black holes with nearly extremal spins

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lovelace, Geoffrey; Scheel, Mark A.; Szilagyi, Bela

2011-01-01

Astrophysically realistic black holes may have spins that are nearly extremal (i.e., close to 1 in dimensionless units). Numerical simulations of binary black holes are important tools both for calibrating analytical templates for gravitational-wave detection and for exploring the nonlinear dynamics of curved spacetime. However, all previous simulations of binary-black-hole inspiral, merger, and ringdown have been limited by an apparently insurmountable barrier: the merging holes' spins could not exceed 0.93, which is still a long way from the maximum possible value in terms of the physical effects of the spin. In this paper, we surpass this limit for the first time, opening the way to explore numerically the behavior of merging, nearly extremal black holes. Specifically, using an improved initial-data method suitable for binary black holes with nearly extremal spins, we simulate the inspiral (through 12.5 orbits), merger and ringdown of two equal-mass black holes with equal spins of magnitude 0.95 antialigned with the orbital angular momentum.

Quantitative tomography simulations and reconstruction algorithms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martz, H.E.; Aufderheide, M.B.; Goodman, D.; Schach von Wittenau, A.; Logan, C.; Hall, J.; Jackson, J.; Slone, D.

2000-01-01

X-ray, neutron and proton transmission radiography and computed tomography (CT) are important diagnostic tools that are at the heart of LLNL's effort to meet the goals of the DOE's Advanced Radiography Campaign. This campaign seeks to improve radiographic simulation and analysis so that radiography can be a useful quantitative diagnostic tool for stockpile stewardship. Current radiographic accuracy does not allow satisfactory separation of experimental effects from the true features of an object's tomographically reconstructed image. This can lead to difficult and sometimes incorrect interpretation of the results. By improving our ability to simulate the whole radiographic and CT system, it will be possible to examine the contribution of system components to various experimental effects, with the goal of removing or reducing them. In this project, we are merging this simulation capability with a maximum-likelihood (constrained-conjugate-gradient-CCG) reconstruction technique yielding a physics-based, forward-model image-reconstruction code. In addition, we seek to improve the accuracy of computed tomography from transmission radiographs by studying what physics is needed in the forward model. During FY 2000, an improved version of the LLNL ray-tracing code called HADES has been coupled with a recently developed LLNL CT algorithm known as CCG. The problem of image reconstruction is expressed as a large matrix equation relating a model for the object being reconstructed to its projections (radiographs). Using a constrained-conjugate-gradient search algorithm, a maximum likelihood solution is sought. This search continues until the difference between the input measured radiographs or projections and the simulated or calculated projections is satisfactorily small

On the merging rates of envelope-deprived components of binary systems which can give rise to supernova events

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tornambe, Amedo

1989-01-01

We derive theoretical rates of mergings of envelope-deprived components of binary systems, which can give rise to supernova events. The effects of the various assumptions one is forced to make on the physical properties of the progenitor system and of its evolutionary behaviour through common envelope phases are discussed. Four cases have been analysed: CO-CO, He-CO, He-He double degenerate mergings and He star-CO dwarf merging. (author)

High-power heating experiment of spherical tokamaks by use of plasma merging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ueda, Yoshinobu; Ono, Yasushi

1999-01-01

High-power heating of spherical tokamaks (STs) has been investigated experimentally by use of plasma merging effect. When two STs were coaxially collided, thermal energy of a colliding ST was injected into a target ST during short reconnection time (Alfven time). Though the thermal energy increment increased with decreasing plasma q value, thermal energy loss during the following relaxation, tended to be smaller with increasing q. The produced high-β STs had hallower current profiles and weaker paramagnetic toroidal field than those of single STs. Those heating properties indicate the plasma merging to be a promising initial heating method of ST plasmas. (author)

FIB-SEM tomography in biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Kizilyaprak, Caroline; Bittermann, Anne Greet; Daraspe, Jean; Humbel, Bruno M

2014-01-01

Three-dimensional information is much easier to understand than a set of two-dimensional images. Therefore a layman is thrilled by the pseudo-3D image taken in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) while, when seeing a transmission electron micrograph, his imagination is challenged. First approaches to gain insight in the third dimension were to make serial microtome sections of a region of interest (ROI) and then building a model of the object. Serial microtome sectioning is a tedious and skill-demanding work and therefore seldom done. In the last two decades with the increase of computer power, sophisticated display options, and the development of new instruments, an SEM with a built-in microtome as well as a focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM), serial sectioning, and 3D analysis has become far easier and faster.Due to the relief like topology of the microtome trimmed block face of resin-embedded tissue, the ROI can be searched in the secondary electron mode, and at the selected spot, the ROI is prepared with the ion beam for 3D analysis. For FIB-SEM tomography, a thin slice is removed with the ion beam and the newly exposed face is imaged with the electron beam, usually by recording the backscattered electrons. The process, also called "slice and view," is repeated until the desired volume is imaged.As FIB-SEM allows 3D imaging of biological fine structure at high resolution of only small volumes, it is crucial to perform slice and view at carefully selected spots. Finding the region of interest is therefore a prerequisite for meaningful imaging. Thin layer plastification of biofilms offers direct access to the original sample surface and allows the selection of an ROI for site-specific FIB-SEM tomography just by its pronounced topographic features.

Conference: Seeing two black holes merge (with gravitational waves!) | 14 September | Uni Dufour

CERN Multimedia

2016-01-01

GW150914: the first direct observation of gravitational waves from the inspiral and merger of two black holes - Conference by Prof. Bruce Allen, Albert Einstein Institute Hannover.   "Seeing two black holes merge (with gravitational waves!)" Uni Dufour - Auditorium U300 Wednesday, 14 September at 7 p.m.   Bruce Allen. (Photo: ©F. Vinken/MPG) Abstract: On 14 September 2015, the advanced LIGO gravitational wave instruments detected the gravitational wave signal emitted as two black holes, about one billion light years away from Earth, made a final few orbits around each other then merged together. This was big news around the world, because scientists have tried to make such observations for more than half a century. Before they merged, the two black holes were about 29 and 36 times as massive as the sun; after the merger was complete, a single black hole about 62 times the sun's mass was left behind. I'll describe what black holes are, how they (...

Simulation on a limited angle beam gamma ray tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jong Bum; Jung, Sung Hee; Moon, Jin Ho [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2010-10-15

Limited angle beam tomography was introduced in the medical field more than two decades ago, where it was mainly used for cardiovascular diagnostics. Later, it was also used to trace multiphase flows. In these studies, the detection systems were fixed and a scanning electron beam was rapidly swept across an xray target using deflection coils. Thus very fast scanning was possible in these studies, but their geometry resulted in a heavy and bulky system because of a complex control system and vacuum tube. Because of its heavy hardware, limited angle beam tomography has remained as indoor equipment. If the source section is replaced by a gamma ray source, limited angle beam tomography will have a very light source device. In addition, limited angle beam tomography with a gamma ray source can be designed using an open type portable gantry because it does not need a vacuum guide for an electron beam. There is a lot of need for a portable tomographic system but so far no definitive solution has been created. The inspection of industrial on-line pipes, wood telephone poles, and cultural assets are some application areas. This study introduces limited angle beam gamma ray tomography, its simulation, and image reconstruction results. Image reconstruction was performed on the virtual experimental data from a Monte Carlo simulation. Image reconstruction algorithms that are known to be useful for limited angle data were applied and their results compared

Estimate-Merge-Technique-based algorithms to track an underwater ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

D V A N Ravi Kumar

2017-07-04

Jul 4, 2017 ... In this paper, two novel methods based on the Estimate Merge Technique ... mentioned advantages of the proposed novel methods is shown by carrying out Monte Carlo simulation in .... equations are converted to sequential equations to make ... estimation error and low convergence time) at feasibly high.

Telocytes and putative stem cells in the lungs: electron microscopy, electron tomography and laser scanning microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Popescu, Laurentiu M; Gherghiceanu, Mihaela; Suciu, Laura C; Manole, Catalin G; Hinescu, Mihail E

2011-09-01

This study describes a novel type of interstitial (stromal) cell - telocytes (TCs) - in the human and mouse respiratory tree (terminal and respiratory bronchioles, as well as alveolar ducts). TCs have recently been described in pleura, epicardium, myocardium, endocardium, intestine, uterus, pancreas, mammary gland, etc. (see www.telocytes.com ). TCs are cells with specific prolongations called telopodes (Tp), frequently two to three per cell. Tp are very long prolongations (tens up to hundreds of μm) built of alternating thin segments known as podomers (≤ 200 nm, below the resolving power of light microscope) and dilated segments called podoms, which accommodate mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum and caveolae. Tp ramify dichotomously, making a 3-dimensional network with complex homo- and heterocellular junctions. Confocal microscopy reveals that TCs are c-kit- and CD34-positive. Tp release shed vesicles or exosomes, sending macromolecular signals to neighboring cells and eventually modifying their transcriptional activity. At bronchoalveolar junctions, TCs have been observed in close association with putative stem cells (SCs) in the subepithelial stroma. SCs are recognized by their ultrastructure and Sca-1 positivity. Tp surround SCs, forming complex TC-SC niches (TC-SCNs). Electron tomography allows the identification of bridging nanostructures, which connect Tp with SCs. In conclusion, this study shows the presence of TCs in lungs and identifies a TC-SC tandem in subepithelial niches of the bronchiolar tree. In TC-SCNs, the synergy of TCs and SCs may be based on nanocontacts and shed vesicles.

Advanced prior modeling for 3D bright field electron tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Sreehari, Suhas; Venkatakrishnan, S. V.; Drummy, Lawrence F.; Simmons, Jeffrey P.; Bouman, Charles A.

2015-03-01

Many important imaging problems in material science involve reconstruction of images containing repetitive non-local structures. Model-based iterative reconstruction (MBIR) could in principle exploit such redundancies through the selection of a log prior probability term. However, in practice, determining such a log prior term that accounts for the similarity between distant structures in the image is quite challenging. Much progress has been made in the development of denoising algorithms like non-local means and BM3D, and these are known to successfully capture non-local redundancies in images. But the fact that these denoising operations are not explicitly formulated as cost functions makes it unclear as to how to incorporate them in the MBIR framework. In this paper, we formulate a solution to bright field electron tomography by augmenting the existing bright field MBIR method to incorporate any non-local denoising operator as a prior model. We accomplish this using a framework we call plug-and-play priors that decouples the log likelihood and the log prior probability terms in the MBIR cost function. We specifically use 3D non-local means (NLM) as the prior model in the plug-and-play framework, and showcase high quality tomographic reconstructions of a simulated aluminum spheres dataset, and two real datasets of aluminum spheres and ferritin structures. We observe that streak and smear artifacts are visibly suppressed, and that edges are preserved. Also, we report lower RMSE values compared to the conventional MBIR reconstruction using qGGMRF as the prior model.

Particles and waves in electron optics and microscopy

CERN Document Server

Pozzi, Giulio

2016-01-01

Advances in Imaging and Electron Physics merges two long-running serials, Advances in Electronics and Electron Physics and Advances in Optical and Electron Microscopy. The series features extended articles on the physics of electron devices (especially semiconductor devices), particle optics at high and low energies, microlithography, image science, digital image processing, electromagnetic wave propagation, electron microscopy, and the computing methods used in all these domains. * Contains contributions from leading authorities on the subject matter* Informs and updates all the latest developments in the field of imaging and electron physics* Provides practitioners interested in microscopy, optics, image processing, mathematical morphology, electromagnetic fields, electron, and ion emission with a valuable resource* Features extended articles on the physics of electron devices (especially semiconductor devices), particle optics at high and low energies, microlithography, image science, and digital image pro...

Electron tomography of HIV-1 infection in gut-associated lymphoid tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Ladinsky, Mark S; Kieffer, Collin; Olson, Gregory; Deruaz, Maud; Vrbanac, Vladimir; Tager, Andrew M; Kwon, Douglas S; Bjorkman, Pamela J

2014-01-01

Critical aspects of HIV-1 infection occur in mucosal tissues, particularly in the gut, which contains large numbers of HIV-1 target cells that are depleted early in infection. We used electron tomography (ET) to image HIV-1 in gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) of HIV-1-infected humanized mice, the first three-dimensional ultrastructural examination of HIV-1 infection in vivo. Human immune cells were successfully engrafted in the mice, and following infection with HIV-1, human T cells were reduced in GALT. Virions were found by ET at all stages of egress, including budding immature virions and free mature and immature viruses. Immuno-electron microscopy verified the virions were HIV-1 and showed CD4 sequestration in the endoplasmic reticulum of infected cells. Observation of HIV-1 in infected GALT tissue revealed that most HIV-1-infected cells, identified by immunolabeling and/or the presence of budding virions, were localized to intestinal crypts with pools of free virions concentrated in spaces between cells. Fewer infected cells were found in mucosal regions and the lamina propria. The preservation quality of reconstructed tissue volumes allowed details of budding virions, including structures interpreted as host-encoded scission machinery, to be resolved. Although HIV-1 virions released from infected cultured cells have been described as exclusively mature, we found pools of both immature and mature free virions within infected tissue. The pools could be classified as containing either mostly mature or mostly immature particles, and analyses of their proximities to the cell of origin supported a model of semi-synchronous waves of virion release. In addition to HIV-1 transmission by pools of free virus, we found evidence of transmission via virological synapses. Three-dimensional EM imaging of an active infection within tissue revealed important differences between cultured cell and tissue infection models and furthered the ultrastructural understanding of

Electron tomography of HIV-1 infection in gut-associated lymphoid tissue.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mark S Ladinsky

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Critical aspects of HIV-1 infection occur in mucosal tissues, particularly in the gut, which contains large numbers of HIV-1 target cells that are depleted early in infection. We used electron tomography (ET to image HIV-1 in gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT of HIV-1-infected humanized mice, the first three-dimensional ultrastructural examination of HIV-1 infection in vivo. Human immune cells were successfully engrafted in the mice, and following infection with HIV-1, human T cells were reduced in GALT. Virions were found by ET at all stages of egress, including budding immature virions and free mature and immature viruses. Immuno-electron microscopy verified the virions were HIV-1 and showed CD4 sequestration in the endoplasmic reticulum of infected cells. Observation of HIV-1 in infected GALT tissue revealed that most HIV-1-infected cells, identified by immunolabeling and/or the presence of budding virions, were localized to intestinal crypts with pools of free virions concentrated in spaces between cells. Fewer infected cells were found in mucosal regions and the lamina propria. The preservation quality of reconstructed tissue volumes allowed details of budding virions, including structures interpreted as host-encoded scission machinery, to be resolved. Although HIV-1 virions released from infected cultured cells have been described as exclusively mature, we found pools of both immature and mature free virions within infected tissue. The pools could be classified as containing either mostly mature or mostly immature particles, and analyses of their proximities to the cell of origin supported a model of semi-synchronous waves of virion release. In addition to HIV-1 transmission by pools of free virus, we found evidence of transmission via virological synapses. Three-dimensional EM imaging of an active infection within tissue revealed important differences between cultured cell and tissue infection models and furthered the ultrastructural

Electron tomography and cryo-SEM characterization reveals novel ultrastructural features of host-parasite interaction during Chlamydia abortus infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkat, M; Herdoiza, E; Forsbach-Birk, V; Walther, P; Essig, A

2014-08-01

Chlamydia (C.) abortus is a widely spread pathogen among ruminants that can be transmitted to women during pregnancy leading to severe systemic infection with consecutive abortion. As a member of the Chlamydiaceae, C. abortus shares the characteristic feature of an obligate intracellular biphasic developmental cycle with two morphological forms including elementary bodies (EBs) and reticulate bodies (RBs). In contrast to other chlamydial species, C. abortus ultrastructure has not been investigated yet. To do so, samples were fixed by high-pressure freezing and processed by different electron microscopic methods. Freeze-substituted samples were analysed by transmission electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopical tomography and immuno-electron microscopy, and freeze-fractured samples were analysed by cryo-scanning electron microscopy. Here, we present three ultrastructural features of C. abortus that have not been reported up to now. Firstly, the morphological evidence that C. abortus is equipped with the type three secretion system. Secondly, the accumulation and even coating of whole inclusion bodies by membrane complexes consisting of multiple closely adjacent membranes which seems to be a C. abortus specific feature. Thirdly, the formation of small vesicles in the periplasmic space of RBs in the second half of the developmental cycle. Concerning the time point of their formation and the fact that they harbour chlamydial components, these vesicles might be morphological correlates of an intermediate step during the process of redifferentiation of RBs into EBs. As this feature has also been shown for C. trachomatis and C. pneumoniae, it might be a common characteristic of the family of Chlamydiaceae.

Multi-Instrument Manager Tool for Data Acquisition and Merging of Optical and Electrical Mobility Size Distributions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tritscher, Torsten; Kykal, Carsten; Bischof, Oliver F; Koched, Amine; Filimundi, Eric; Han, Hee-Siew; Johnson, Tim; Elzey, Sherrie; Avenido, Aaron

2015-01-01

Electrical mobility classification (EC) followed by Condensation Particle Counter (CPC) detection is the technique combined in Scanning Mobility Particle Sizers(SMPS) to retrieve nanoparticle size distributions in the range from 2.5 nm to 1 μm. The detectable size range of SMPS systems can be extended by the addition of an Optical Particle Sizer(OPS) that covers larger sizes from 300 nm to 10 μm. This optical sizing method reports an optical equivalent diameter, which is often different from the electrical mobility diameter measured by the standard SMPS technique. Multi-Instrument Manager (MIM TM ) software developed by TSI incorporates algorithms that facilitate merging SMPS data sets with data based on optical equivalent diameter to compile single, wide-range size distributions. Here we present MIM 2.0, the next-generation of the data merging tool that offers many advanced features for data merging and post-processing. MIM 2.0 allows direct data acquisition with OPS and NanoScan SMPS instruments to retrieve real-time particle size distributions from 10 nm to 10 μm, which we show in a case study at a fireplace. The merged data can be adjusted using one of the merging options, which automatically determines an overall aerosol effective refractive index. As a result an indirect and average characterization of aerosol optical and shape properties is possible. The merging tool allows several pre-settings, data averaging and adjustments, as well as the export of data sets and fitted graphs. MIM 2.0 also features several post-processing options for SMPS data and differences can be visualized in a multi-peak sample over a narrow size range. (paper)

Is merging and acquisition profitable?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skjeret, Frode; Soergard, Lars

2002-01-01

This report deals with mergers and acquisitions in the electricity sector in Norway. The background is the fact that the profitability of these activities proves to be low. In buying, it is typically the selling shareholder who profits from the transaction, while the buying company does not really earn much. This result appears to be a robust result both in different countries, between sectors and independent of methodology. The report provides theoretical justification for merging and buying up and empirical evaluations of the effects of company integration. It is asserted that what can be learned in general from the literature may also occur in the European power sector. Furthermore, the report discusses the challenges faced by the companies if they want to expand through mergers and acquisitions

Tracker Readout ASIC for Proton Computed Tomography Data Acquisition.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Robert P; Dewitt, Joel; Holcomb, Cole; Macafee, Scott; Sadrozinski, Hartmut F-W; Steinberg, David

2013-10-01

A unique CMOS chip has been designed to serve as the front-end of the tracking detector data acquisition system of a pre-clinical prototype scanner for proton computed tomography (pCT). The scanner is to be capable of measuring one to two million proton tracks per second, so the chip must be able to digitize the data and send it out rapidly while keeping the front-end amplifiers active at all times. One chip handles 64 consecutive channels, including logic for control, calibration, triggering, buffering, and zero suppression. It outputs a formatted cluster list for each trigger, and a set of field programmable gate arrays merges those lists from many chips to build the events to be sent to the data acquisition computer. The chip design has been fabricated, and subsequent tests have demonstrated that it meets all of its performance requirements, including excellent low-noise performance.

INSPECTION OF A MEDIEVAL WOOD SCULPTURE USING COMPUTER TOMOGRAPHY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Kapitany

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Computer tomography (CT is an excellent technique for obtaining accurate 3D information about the human body. It allows to visualize the organs, bones and blood vessels, furthermore it enables to diagnose anomalies and diseases. Its spatial reconstruction capability supports other interesting applications, such as inspecting different, even valuable objects like ancient sculptures. Current paper presents a methodology of evaluating CT and video imagery through the example of investigating a wood Madonna with infant Jesus sculpture from the 14th century. The developed techniques extract the outer boundary of the statue, which has been triangulated to derive the surface model. The interior of the sculpture has also been revealed: the iron bolts and rivets as well as the woodworm holes can be mapped. By merging the interior and outer data (geometry and texture interesting visualizations (perspective views, sections etc. have been created.

Resource cost results for one-way entanglement distillation and state merging of compound and arbitrarily varying quantum sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boche, H.; Janßen, G.

2014-01-01

We consider one-way quantum state merging and entanglement distillation under compound and arbitrarily varying source models. Regarding quantum compound sources, where the source is memoryless, but the source state an unknown member of a certain set of density matrices, we continue investigations begun in the work of Bjelaković et al. [“Universal quantum state merging,” J. Math. Phys. 54, 032204 (2013)] and determine the classical as well as entanglement cost of state merging. We further investigate quantum state merging and entanglement distillation protocols for arbitrarily varying quantum sources (AVQS). In the AVQS model, the source state is assumed to vary in an arbitrary manner for each source output due to environmental fluctuations or adversarial manipulation. We determine the one-way entanglement distillation capacity for AVQS, where we invoke the famous robustification and elimination techniques introduced by Ahlswede. Regarding quantum state merging for AVQS we show by example that the robustification and elimination based approach generally leads to suboptimal entanglement as well as classical communication rates

Distributed Merge Trees

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morozov, Dmitriy; Weber, Gunther

2013-01-08

Improved simulations and sensors are producing datasets whose increasing complexity exhausts our ability to visualize and comprehend them directly. To cope with this problem, we can detect and extract significant features in the data and use them as the basis for subsequent analysis. Topological methods are valuable in this context because they provide robust and general feature definitions. As the growth of serial computational power has stalled, data analysis is becoming increasingly dependent on massively parallel machines. To satisfy the computational demand created by complex datasets, algorithms need to effectively utilize these computer architectures. The main strength of topological methods, their emphasis on global information, turns into an obstacle during parallelization. We present two approaches to alleviate this problem. We develop a distributed representation of the merge tree that avoids computing the global tree on a single processor and lets us parallelize subsequent queries. To account for the increasing number of cores per processor, we develop a new data structure that lets us take advantage of multiple shared-memory cores to parallelize the work on a single node. Finally, we present experiments that illustrate the strengths of our approach as well as help identify future challenges.

Online monitoring of printed electronics by Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography

KAUST Repository

Alarousu, Erkki; Alsaggaf, Ahmed; Jabbour, Ghassan E.

2013-01-01

Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT) is an optical method capable of 3D imaging of object's internal structure with micron-scale resolution. Modern SD-OCT tools offer the speed capable of online monitoring of printed devices

Music and social bonding: ‘self-other’ merging and neurohormonal mechanisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bronwyn eTarr

2014-09-01

Full Text Available It has been suggested that a key function of music during its development and spread amongst human populations was its capacity to create and strengthen social bonds amongst interacting group members. However, the mechanisms by which this occurs have not been fully discussed. In this paper we review evidence supporting two thus far independently investigated mechanisms for this social bonding effect: self-other merging as a consequence of inter-personal synchrony, and the release of endorphins during exertive rhythmic activities including musical interaction. In general, self-other merging has been experimentally investigated using dyads, which provide limited insight into large-scale musical activities. Given that music can provide an external rhythmic framework that facilitates synchrony, explanations of social bonding during group musical activities should include reference to endorphins, which are released during synchronised exertive movements. Endorphins (and the Endogenous Opioid System (EOS in general are involved in social bonding across primate species, and are associated with a number of human social behaviours (e.g. laughter, synchronised sports, as well as musical activities (e.g. singing and dancing. Furthermore, passively listening to music engages the EOS, so here we suggest that both self-other merging and the EOS are important in the social bonding effects of music. In order to investigate possible interactions between these two mechanisms, future experiments should recreate ecologically valid examples of musical activities.

Merging for Particle-Mesh Complex Particle Kinetic Modeling of the Multiple Plasma Beams

Science.gov (United States)

Lipatov, Alexander S.

2011-01-01

We suggest a merging procedure for the Particle-Mesh Complex Particle Kinetic (PMCPK) method in case of inter-penetrating flow (multiple plasma beams). We examine the standard particle-in-cell (PIC) and the PMCPK methods in the case of particle acceleration by shock surfing for a wide range of the control numerical parameters. The plasma dynamics is described by a hybrid (particle-ion-fluid-electron) model. Note that one may need a mesh if modeling with the computation of an electromagnetic field. Our calculations use specified, time-independent electromagnetic fields for the shock, rather than self-consistently generated fields. While a particle-mesh method is a well-verified approach, the CPK method seems to be a good approach for multiscale modeling that includes multiple regions with various particle/fluid plasma behavior. However, the CPK method is still in need of a verification for studying the basic plasma phenomena: particle heating and acceleration by collisionless shocks, magnetic field reconnection, beam dynamics, etc.

Improved specimen reconstruction by Hilbert phase contrast tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Barton, Bastian; Joos, Friederike; Schröder, Rasmus R

2008-11-01

The low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in images of unstained specimens recorded with conventional defocus phase contrast makes it difficult to interpret 3D volumes obtained by electron tomography (ET). The high defocus applied for conventional tilt series generates some phase contrast but leads to an incomplete transfer of object information. For tomography of biological weak-phase objects, optimal image contrast and subsequently an optimized SNR are essential for the reconstruction of details such as macromolecular assemblies at molecular resolution. The problem of low contrast can be partially solved by applying a Hilbert phase plate positioned in the back focal plane (BFP) of the objective lens while recording images in Gaussian focus. Images recorded with the Hilbert phase plate provide optimized positive phase contrast at low spatial frequencies, and the contrast transfer in principle extends to the information limit of the microscope. The antisymmetric Hilbert phase contrast (HPC) can be numerically converted into isotropic contrast, which is equivalent to the contrast obtained by a Zernike phase plate. Thus, in-focus HPC provides optimal structure factor information without limiting effects of the transfer function. In this article, we present the first electron tomograms of biological specimens reconstructed from Hilbert phase plate image series. We outline the technical implementation of the phase plate and demonstrate that the technique is routinely applicable for tomography. A comparison between conventional defocus tomograms and in-focus HPC volumes shows an enhanced SNR and an improved specimen visibility for in-focus Hilbert tomography.

Merging the Internet and Hypermedia in the English Language Arts.

Science.gov (United States)

Reed, W. Michael; Wells, John G.

1997-01-01

Discussion of hypermedia and computer-mediated communication focuses on a project that merges a language arts Internet resource with a hypermedia-based knowledge construction approach to learning. Highlights include constructing a HyperCard-based program on Shakespeare's "Hamlet," gophers and search engines, downloading, collaborative…

Tetragonal fcc-Fe induced by κ -carbide precipitates: Atomic scale insights from correlative electron microscopy, atom probe tomography, and density functional theory

Science.gov (United States)

Liebscher, Christian H.; Yao, Mengji; Dey, Poulumi; Lipińska-Chwalek, Marta; Berkels, Benjamin; Gault, Baptiste; Hickel, Tilmann; Herbig, Michael; Mayer, Joachim; Neugebauer, Jörg; Raabe, Dierk; Dehm, Gerhard; Scheu, Christina

2018-02-01

Correlative scanning transmission electron microscopy, atom probe tomography, and density functional theory calculations resolve the correlation between elastic strain fields and local impurity concentrations on the atomic scale. The correlative approach is applied to coherent interfaces in a κ -carbide strengthened low-density steel and establishes a tetragonal distortion of fcc-Fe. An interfacial roughness of ˜1 nm and a localized carbon concentration gradient extending over ˜2 -3 nm is revealed, which originates from the mechano-chemical coupling between local strain and composition.

Laser-Assisted Atom Probe Tomography of Deformed Minerals: A Zircon Case Study.

Science.gov (United States)

La Fontaine, Alexandre; Piazolo, Sandra; Trimby, Patrick; Yang, Limei; Cairney, Julie M

2017-04-01

The application of atom probe tomography to the study of minerals is a rapidly growing area. Picosecond-pulsed, ultraviolet laser (UV-355 nm) assisted atom probe tomography has been used to analyze trace element mobility within dislocations and low-angle boundaries in plastically deformed specimens of the nonconductive mineral zircon (ZrSiO4), a key material to date the earth's geological events. Here we discuss important experimental aspects inherent in the atom probe tomography investigation of this important mineral, providing insights into the challenges in atom probe tomography characterization of minerals as a whole. We studied the influence of atom probe tomography analysis parameters on features of the mass spectra, such as the thermal tail, as well as the overall data quality. Three zircon samples with different uranium and lead content were analyzed, and particular attention was paid to ion identification in the mass spectra and detection limits of the key trace elements, lead and uranium. We also discuss the correlative use of electron backscattered diffraction in a scanning electron microscope to map the deformation in the zircon grains, and the combined use of transmission Kikuchi diffraction and focused ion beam sample preparation to assist preparation of the final atom probe tip.

Star Formation in Merging Galaxies Using FIRE

Science.gov (United States)

Perez, Adrianna; Hung, Chao-Ling; Naiman, Jill; Moreno, Jorge; Hopkins, Philip

2018-01-01

Galaxy interactions and mergers are efficient mechanisms to birth stars at rates that are significantly higher than found in our Milky Way galaxy. The Kennicut-Schmidt (KS) relation is an empirical relationship between the star-forming rate and gas surface densities of galaxies (Schmidt 1959; Kennicutt 1998). Although most galaxies follow the KS relation, the high levels of star formation in galaxy mergers places them outside of this otherwise tight relationship. The goal of this research is to analyze the gas content and star formation of simulated merging galaxies. Our work utilizes the Feedback In Realistic Environments (FIRE) model (Hopkins et al., 2014). The FIRE project is a high-resolution cosmological simulation that resolves star-forming regions and incorporates stellar feedback in a physically realistic way. In this work, we have noticed a significant increase in the star formation rate at first and second passage, when the two black holes of each galaxy approach one other. Next, we will analyze spatially resolved star-forming regions over the course of the interacting system. Then, we can study when and how the rates that gas converts into stars deviate from the standard KS. These analyses will provide important insights into the physical mechanisms that regulate star formation of normal and merging galaxies and valuable theoretical predictions that can be used to compare with current and future observations from ALMA or the James Webb Space Telescope.

An electron tomography algorithm for reconstructing 3D morphology using surface tangents of projected scattering interfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Petersen, T. C.; Ringer, S. P.

2010-03-01

Upon discerning the mere shape of an imaged object, as portrayed by projected perimeters, the full three-dimensional scattering density may not be of particular interest. In this situation considerable simplifications to the reconstruction problem are possible, allowing calculations based upon geometric principles. Here we describe and provide an algorithm which reconstructs the three-dimensional morphology of specimens from tilt series of images for application to electron tomography. Our algorithm uses a differential approach to infer the intersection of projected tangent lines with surfaces which define boundaries between regions of different scattering densities within and around the perimeters of specimens. Details of the algorithm implementation are given and explained using reconstruction calculations from simulations, which are built into the code. An experimental application of the algorithm to a nano-sized Aluminium tip is also presented to demonstrate practical analysis for a real specimen. Program summaryProgram title: STOMO version 1.0 Catalogue identifier: AEFS_v1_0 Program summary URL:http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEFS_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: Standard CPC licence, http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/licence/licence.html No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 2988 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 191 605 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: C/C++ Computer: PC Operating system: Windows XP RAM: Depends upon the size of experimental data as input, ranging from 200 Mb to 1.5 Gb Supplementary material: Sample output files, for the test run provided, are available. Classification: 7.4, 14 External routines: Dev-C++ ( http://www.bloodshed.net/devcpp.html) Nature of problem: Electron tomography of specimens for which conventional back projection may fail and/or data for which there is a limited angular

Neutron Tomography Application for Aircraft-parts and Root of Ginseng

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Yi Kyung; Lee, Seung Wook; Sim, Chul Mu; Jeon, Jin Su; Kim, Tae Ju [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

2005-07-01

The neutron computerized tomography is considered to be a complementary tool to X-ray tomography in the sense that neutron interacts with atomic nucleus, otherwise X-ray interacts with an orbital electron of atom. The neutron tomography compared with X-ray tomography has a relatively short history. It is employed in stationary, as neutron sources are produced by the nuclear reactor. The full potential of the neutron tomography has yet to be investigated. Since, HANARO NRF was installed in 1995, the neutron radiography research group of KAERI has been developed the non-destructive testing methods by the computer tomography served for aerospace industry and agricultural industry. Concerning to NDT for aerospace, research was cooperated with Korean Air force. At the first stage, research was focused to find the micro-cracks based on internal passages inside aircraft parts and residual core of turbine blade. Concerning to NDT for agriculture, research was cooperated with the Agricultural Development and Technology Center. Research was focused to find the alive roots of Korean ginseng.

A Merging Algorithm for Aerosol Size Distribution from Multiple Instruments

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Ondráček, Jakub; Ždímal, Vladimír; Smolík, Jiří; Lazaridis, M.

2009-01-01

Roč. 199, 1-4 (2009), s. 219-233 ISSN 0049-6979 Grant - others:MTKD(XE) CT-2004-513849 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40720504 Keywords : aerosols * merging particle size distribution * multilognormal model Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 1.676, year: 2009

Three dimensional rock microstructures: insights from FIB-SEM tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Drury, Martyn; Pennock, Gill; de Winter, Matthijs

2016-04-01

Most studies of rock microstructures investigate two-dimensional sections or thin slices of three dimensional grain structures. With advances of X-ray and electron tomography methods the 3-D microstructure can be(relatively) routinely investigated on scales from a few microns to cm. 3D studies are needed to investigate the connectivity of microstructures and to test the assumptions we use to calculate 3D properties from 2D sections. We have used FIB-SEM tomography to study the topology of melts in synthetic olivine rocks, 3D crystal growth microstructures, pore networks and subgrain structures. The technique uses a focused ion beam to make serial sections with a spacing of tens to hundreds of nanometers. Each section is then imaged or mapped using the electron beam. The 3D geometry of grains and subgrains can be investigated using orientation contrast or EBSD mapping. FIB-SEM tomography of rocks and minerals can be limited by charging of the uncoated surfaces exposed by the ion beam. The newest generation of FIB-SEMs have much improved low voltage imaging capability allowing high resolution charge free imaging. Low kV FIB-SEM tomography is now widely used to study the connectivity of pore networks. In-situ fluids can also be studied using cryo-FIB-SEM on frozen samples, although special freezing techniques are needed to avoid artifacts produced by ice crystallization. FIB-SEM tomography is complementary, in terms of spatial resolution and sampled volume, to TEM tomography and X-ray tomography, and the combination of these methods can cover a wide range of scales. Our studies on melt topology in synthetic olivine rocks with a high melt content show that many grain boundaries are wetted by nanometre scale melt layers that are too thin to resolve by X-ray tomography. A variety of melt layer geometries occur consistent with several mechanisms of melt layer formation. The nature of melt geometries along triple line junctions and quadruple points can be resolved

Data merging of infrared and ultrasonic images for plasma facing components inspection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richou, M.; Durocher, A.; Medrano, M.; Martinez-Ona, R.; Moysan, J.; Riccardi, B.

2009-01-01

For steady-state magnetic thermonuclear fusion devices which need large power exhaust capability, actively cooled plasma facing components have been developed. In order to guarantee the integrity of these components during the required lifetime, their thermal and mechanical behaviour must be assessed. Before the procurement of the ITER Divertor, the examination of the heat sink to armour joints with non-destructive techniques is an essential topic to be addressed. Defects may be localised at different bonding interfaces. In order to improve the defect detection capability of the SATIR technique, the possibility of merging the infrared thermography test data coming from SATIR results with the ultrasonic test data has been identified. The data merging of SATIR and ultrasonic results has been performed on Carbon Fiber Composite (CFC) monoblocks with calibrated defects, identified by their position and extension. These calibrated defects were realised with machining, with 'stop-off' or by a lack of CFC activation techniques, these last two representing more accurately a real defect. A batch of 56 samples was produced to simulate each possibility of combination with regards to interface location, position and extension and way of realising the defect. The use of a data merging method based on Dempster-Shafer theory improves significantly the detection sensibility and reliability of defect location and size.

High-Resolution Imaging of Colliding and Merging Galaxies

Science.gov (United States)

Whitmore, Brad

1991-07-01

We propose to obtain high-resolution images, using the WF/PC, of two colliding and merging galaxies (i.e., NGC 4038/4039 = "The Antennae" and NGC 7252 ="Atoms-for-Peace Galaxy". Our goal is to use HST to make critical observations of each object in order to gain a better understanding of the various phases of the merger process. Our primary objective is to determine whether globular clusters are formed during mergers\\?

Evolution and merging of binaries with compact objects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bethe, Hans A.; Brown, Gerald E.; Lee, Chang-Hwan

2007-01-01

In the light of recent observations in which short γ-ray bursts are interpreted as arising from black-hole(BH), neutron-star(NS) or NS-NS mergings we would like to review our research on the evolution of compact binaries, especially those containing NS's. These were carried out with predictions for LIGO in mind, but are directly applicable to short γ-ray bursts in the interpretation above. Most important in our review is that we show that the standard scenario for evolving NS-NS binaries always ends up with a low-mass BH (LMBH), NS binary. Bethe and Brown [1998, Astrophys. J. 506, 780] showed that this fate could be avoided if the two giants in the progenitor binary burned He at the same time, and that in this way the binary could avoid the common envelope evolution of the NS with red giant companion which sends the first born NS into a BH in the standard scenario. The burning of He at the same time requires, for the more massive giants such as the progenitors of the Hulse-Taylor binary NS that the two giants be within 4% of each other in zero age main sequence (ZAMS) mass. Applying this criterion to all binaries results in a factor ∼5 of LMBH-NS binaries as compared with NS-NS binaries. Although this factor is substantially less than the originally claimed factor of 20 which Bethe and Brown (1998) estimated, largely because a careful evolution has been carried through here, our factor 5 is augmented by a factor of ∼8 arising from the higher rate of star formation in the earlier Galaxy from which the BH-NS binaries came from. Furthermore, here we calculate the mergers for short-hard gamma-ray bursts, whereas Bethe and Brown's factor 20 included a factor of 2 for the higher chirp masses in a BH-NS binary as compared with NS-NS one. In short, we end up with an estimate of factor ∼40 over that calculated with NS-NS binary mergers in our Galaxy alone. Our total rate is estimated to be about one merging of compact objects per year. Our scenario of NS-NS binaries

Enhanced electroabsorption in strained-layer InxGa1-xAs-InP quantum wells via absorption edge merging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomatam, B.N.; Anderson, N.G.

1990-01-01

Optoelectronic modulators are useful for optical communications, optical computing and other applications which require the electronic control of guided light. Considerable research has recently been devoted to multiple quantum well (MQW) modulators which use an electroabsorption effect unique to quantum wells: the quantum confined Stark effect (QCSE). Voltage controlled optical modulation can be achieved by Stark-shifting the absorption edge above and below the incident photon energy. This paper reports that, to obtain increased optical on-off ratios at decreased drive voltages, the authors are investigating a novel approach which exploits characteristics of MQWs under biaxial tension. The light hole band edge lies at a higher energy than the heavy hole band edge in these structures, which is opposite the case for unstrained or biaxially compressed structures. Since the absorption edge associated with the heavy holes decreases more rapidly with applied field than that for the light holes, merging of the two edges can be expected at some value of the applied field. This effect here called absorption edge merging (AEM), can be expected to give rise to a significant improvement in modulator design. We have theoretically investigated the AEM effect in In x Ga 1-x As/InP quantum well structures with x x Ga 1-x As quantum wells are under tension in such structures, hence the required light hole up band configuration can be achieved

Human cardiac telocytes: 3D imaging by FIB-SEM tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Cretoiu, D; Hummel, E; Zimmermann, H; Gherghiceanu, M; Popescu, L M

2014-11-01

Telocyte (TC) is a newly identified type of cell in the cardiac interstitium (www.telocytes.com). TCs are described by classical transmission electron microscopy as cells with very thin and long telopodes (Tps; cellular prolongations) having podoms (dilations) and podomers (very thin segments). TCs' three-dimensional (3D) morphology is still unknown. Cardiac TCs seem to be particularly involved in long and short distance intercellular signalling and, therefore, their 3D architecture is important for understanding their spatial connections. Using focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) we show, for the first time, the whole ultrastructural anatomy of cardiac TCs. 3D reconstruction of cardiac TCs by FIB-SEM tomography confirms that they have long, narrow but flattened (ribbon-like) telopodes, with humps generated by the podoms. FIB-SEM tomography also confirms the network made by TCs in the cardiac interstitium through adherens junctions. This study provides the first FIB-SEM tomography of a human cell type. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

Discrete Tomography and Imaging of Polycrystalline Structures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alpers, Andreas

High resolution transmission electron microscopy is commonly considered as the standard application for discrete tomography. While this has yet to be technically realized, new applications with a similar flavor have emerged in materials science. In our group at Ris� DTU (Denmark's National...... Laboratory for Sustainable Energy), for instance, we study polycrystalline materials via synchrotron X-ray diffraction. Several reconstruction problems arise, most of them exhibit inherently discrete aspects. In this talk I want to give a concise mathematical introduction to some of these reconstruction...... problems. Special focus is on their relationship to classical discrete tomography. Several open mathematical questions will be mentioned along the way....

The history of computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bull, J.

1980-01-01

New scientific discoveries are often made by the synthetising of other discoveries. Computed tomography is such an example. The three necessary elements were: 1/ the fact that certain simple crystals scintillate when exposed to X-rays, 2/ the advent of electronics and 3/ that of computers. The fact that X-rays cause crystals to scintillate was learnt very shortly after Roentgen's discovery, electronics and computers coming very much later. To put all these together and apply them to diagnostic radiology, and at the same time dismiss the concept so firmly ingrained in everyone's mind that an X-ray picture must be produced on photographic film, required a genius. (orig./VJ) [de

Preparation of Phased and Merged Safety Analysis Reports for New DOE Nuclear Facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

BISHOP, G.E.

2000-01-01

The Spent Nuclear Fuels Project (SNFP) is charged with moving to storage 2,100 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel elements left over from plutonium production at DOE'S Hanford site in Washington state. Two new facilities, the Cold Vacuum Drying Facility (CVDF) and the Canister Storage Building (CSB) are in final construction. In order to meet aggressive schedule commitments, the SNFP chose to prepare the safety analysis reports (SAR's) in phases that covered only specific portions of each facility's design as it was built. Each SAR also merged the preliminary and final safety analysis reports into a single SAR, thereby covering all aspects of design, construction, and operation for that portion (phase) of the facility. A policy of ''NRC equivalency'' was also implemented in parallel with this effort, with the goal of achieving a rigor of safety analysis equivalent to that of NRC-licensed fuel processing facilities. DOE Order 5480.23. ''Nuclear Safety Analysis Reports'' allows preparation of both a phased and a merged SAR to accelerate construction schedules. However, project managers must be aware that such acceleration is not guaranteed. Managers considering this approach for their project should be cognizant of numerous obstacles that will be encountered. Merging and phasing SAR's will create new, unique, and unanticipated difficulties which may actually slow construction unless expeditiously and correctly managed. Pitfalls to be avoided and good practices to be implemented in preparing phased and merged SAR's are presented. The value of applying NRC requirements to the DOE safety analysis process is also discussed. As of December, 1999, the SNFP has completed and approved a SAR for the CVDF. Approval of the SAR for the CSB is pending

Writing an Electronic Astronomy Book with Interactive Curricular Material

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Kristen L.; Belloni, Mario; Christian, Wolfgang

2015-01-01

With the rise of tablets, the past few years have seen an increase in the demand for quality electronic textbooks. Unfortunately, most of the current offerings do not exploit the accessibility and interactivity that electronic books can deliver. In this poster, we discuss how we are merging our curriculum development projects (Physlets, Easy Java/JavaScript Simulations, and Open Source Physics) with the EPUB electronic book format to develop an interactive textbook for use in a one-semester introductory astronomy course. The book, Astronomy: An Interactive Introduction, combines the narrative, equations, and images of a traditional astronomy text with new JavaScript simulations.

Merged SAGE II, Ozone_cci and OMPS ozone profile dataset and evaluation of ozone trends in the stratosphere

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. F. Sofieva

2017-10-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we present a merged dataset of ozone profiles from several satellite instruments: SAGE II on ERBS, GOMOS, SCIAMACHY and MIPAS on Envisat, OSIRIS on Odin, ACE-FTS on SCISAT, and OMPS on Suomi-NPP. The merged dataset is created in the framework of the European Space Agency Climate Change Initiative (Ozone_cci with the aim of analyzing stratospheric ozone trends. For the merged dataset, we used the latest versions of the original ozone datasets. The datasets from the individual instruments have been extensively validated and intercompared; only those datasets which are in good agreement, and do not exhibit significant drifts with respect to collocated ground-based observations and with respect to each other, are used for merging. The long-term SAGE–CCI–OMPS dataset is created by computation and merging of deseasonalized anomalies from individual instruments. The merged SAGE–CCI–OMPS dataset consists of deseasonalized anomalies of ozone in 10° latitude bands from 90° S to 90° N and from 10 to 50 km in steps of 1 km covering the period from October 1984 to July 2016. This newly created dataset is used for evaluating ozone trends in the stratosphere through multiple linear regression. Negative ozone trends in the upper stratosphere are observed before 1997 and positive trends are found after 1997. The upper stratospheric trends are statistically significant at midlatitudes and indicate ozone recovery, as expected from the decrease of stratospheric halogens that started in the middle of the 1990s and stratospheric cooling.

2013 NOAA Coastal California TopoBathy Merge Project Digital Elevation Model (DEM)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This project merged recently collected topographic, bathymetric, and acoustic elevation data along the entire California coastline from approximately the 10 meter...

Unique thylakoid membrane architecture of a unicellular N2-fixing cyanobacterium revealed by electron tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liberton, Michelle; Austin II, Jotham R; Berg, R. Howard; Pakrasi, Himadri B

2011-04-01

Cyanobacteria, descendants of the endosymbiont that gave rise to modern-day chloroplasts, are vital contributors to global biological energy conversion processes. A thorough understanding of the physiology of cyanobacteria requires detailed knowledge of these organisms at the level of cellular architecture and organization. In these prokaryotes, the large membrane protein complexes of the photosynthetic and respiratory electron transport chains function in the intracellular thylakoid membranes. Like plants, the architecture of the thylakoid membranes in cyanobacteria has direct impact on cellular bioenergetics, protein transport, and molecular trafficking. However, whole-cell thylakoid organization in cyanobacteria is not well understood. Here we present, by using electron tomography, an in-depth analysis of the architecture of the thylakoid membranes in a unicellular cyanobacterium, Cyanothece sp. ATCC 51142. Based on the results of three-dimensional tomographic reconstructions of near-entire cells, we determined that the thylakoids in Cyanothece 51142 form a dense and complex network that extends throughout the entire cell. This thylakoid membrane network is formed from the branching and splitting of membranes and encloses a single lumenal space. The entire thylakoid network spirals as a peripheral ring of membranes around the cell, an organization that has not previously been described in a cyanobacterium. Within the thylakoid membrane network are areas of quasi-helical arrangement with similarities to the thylakoid membrane system in chloroplasts. This cyanobacterial thylakoid arrangement is an efficient means of packing a large volume of membranes in the cell while optimizing intracellular transport and trafficking.

Unique Thylakoid Membrane Architecture of a Unicellular N2-Fixing Cyanobacterium Revealed by Electron Tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liberton, Michelle L.; Austin, Jotham R.; Berg, R. H.; Pakrasi, Himadri B.

2011-04-01

Cyanobacteria, descendants of the endosymbiont that gave rise to modern-day chloroplasts, are vital contributors to global biological energy conversion processes. A thorough understanding of the physiology of cyanobacteria requires detailed knowledge of these organisms at the level of cellular architecture and organization. In these prokaryotes, the large membrane protein complexes of the photosynthetic and respiratory electron transport chains function in the intracellular thylakoid membranes. Like plants, the architecture of the thylakoid membranes in cyanobacteria has direct impact on cellular bioenergetics, protein transport, and molecular trafficking. However, whole-cell thylakoid organization in cyanobacteria is not well understood. Here we present, by using electron tomography, an in-depth analysis of the architecture of the thylakoid membranes in a unicellular cyanobacterium, Cyanothece sp. ATCC 51142. Based on the results of three-dimensional tomographic reconstructions of near-entire cells, we determined that the thylakoids in Cyanothece 51142 form a dense and complex network that extends throughout the entire cell. This thylakoid membrane network is formed from the branching and splitting of membranes and encloses a single lumenal space. The entire thylakoid network spirals as a peripheral ring of membranes around the cell, an organization that has not previously been described in a cyanobacterium. Within the thylakoid membrane network are areas of quasi-helical arrangement with similarities to the thylakoid membrane system in chloroplasts. This cyanobacterial thylakoid arrangement is an efficient means of packing a large volume of membranes in the cell while optimizing intracellular transport and trafficking.

Will the urge to merge continue?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gobert, W.A.

2001-01-01

A review of oil and gas markets was presented along with mergers and acquisitions activity. The objective of the exercise was to determine if the current trend of mergers within the oil industry will continue. The review of oil and gas markets included a historical look at crude oil and natural gas prices as well as on industry activity as a whole. A series of economic indicator graphs demonstrate that buyers wallets are full, oil and gas prices have beat the estimates, purchase prices have inflated and shareholders continue to sell at a discount. This information has led the author to conclude that the trend to merge will definitely continue. 2 tabs., 18 figs

Muon tomography: Plans for observations in the Lesser Antilles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gibert, Dominique; Beauducel, Francois; Lesparre, Nolwenn; Tarantola, Albert; Declais, Yves; Marteau, Jacques; Nicollin, Florence

2010-01-01

The application of muon tomography to monitor and image the internal structure of volcanoes in the Lesser Antilles is discussed. Particular focus is directed towards the three volcanoes that fall under the responsibility of the Institut de Physique du Globe of Paris, namely La Montagne Pelee in Martinique, La Soufriere in Guadeloupe, and the Soufriere Hills in Montserrat. The technological criteria for the design of portable muon telescopes are presented in detail for both their mechanical and electronic aspects. The detector matrices are constructed with scintillator strips, and their detection characteristics are discussed. The tomography inversion is presented, and its distinctive characteristics are briefly discussed. Details are given on the implementation of muon tomography experiments on La Soufriere in Guadeloupe. (author)

Merging of independent condensates: disentangling the Kibble-Zurek mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

Ville, Jean-Loup; Aidelsburger, Monika; Saint-Jalm, Raphael; Nascimbene, Sylvain; Beugnon, Jerome; Dalibard, Jean

2017-04-01

An important step in the study of out-of-equilibrium physics is the Kibble-Zurek theory which describes a system after a quench through a second-order phase transition. This was studied in our group with a temperature quench across the normal-to-superfluid phase transition in an annular trap geometry, inducing the formation of supercurrents. Their magnitude and direction were detected by measuring spiral patterns resulting from the interference of the ring-shaped condensate with a central reference disk. According to the KZ mechanism domains of phase are created during the quench, with a characteristic size depending of its duration. In our case this results in a stochastic formation of supercurrents depending on the relative phases of the domains. As a next step of this study, we now design ourselves the patches thanks to our tunable trapping potential. We control both the number of condensates to be merged (from one to twelve) and their merging time. We report an increase of the vorticity in the ring for an increased number of patches compatible with a random phase model. We further investigate the time required by the phase to homogenize between two condensates.

Large volume serial section tomography by Xe Plasma FIB dual beam microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burnett, T.L.; Kelley, R.; Winiarski, B.; Contreras, L.; Daly, M.; Gholinia, A.; Burke, M.G.; Withers, P.J.

2016-01-01

Ga + Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscopes (FIB-SEM) have revolutionised the level of microstructural information that can be recovered in 3D by block face serial section tomography (SST), as well as enabling the site-specific removal of smaller regions for subsequent transmission electron microscope (TEM) examination. However, Ga + FIB material removal rates limit the volumes and depths that can be probed to dimensions in the tens of microns range. Emerging Xe + Plasma Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscope (PFIB-SEM) systems promise faster removal rates. Here we examine the potential of the method for large volume serial section tomography as applied to bainitic steel and WC–Co hard metals. Our studies demonstrate that with careful control of milling parameters precise automated serial sectioning can be achieved with low levels of milling artefacts at removal rates some 60× faster. Volumes that are hundreds of microns in dimension have been collected using fully automated SST routines in feasible timescales (<24 h) showing good grain orientation contrast and capturing microstructural features at the tens of nanometres to the tens of microns scale. Accompanying electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD) maps show high indexing rates suggesting low levels of surface damage. Further, under high current Ga + FIB milling WC–Co is prone to amorphisation of WC surface layers and phase transformation of the Co phase, neither of which have been observed at PFIB currents as high as 60 nA at 30 kV. Xe + PFIB dual beam microscopes promise to radically extend our capability for 3D tomography, 3D EDX, 3D EBSD as well as correlative tomography. - Highlights: • The uptake of dual beam FIBs has been rapid but long milling times have limited imaged volumes to tens of micron dimensions. • Emerging plasma Xe + PFIB-SEM technology offers materials removal rates at least 60× greater than conventional Ga + FIB systems with comparable or less damage. • The

Multi-phase flow monitoring with electrical impedance tomography using level set based method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Dong; Khambampati, Anil Kumar; Kim, Sin; Kim, Kyung Youn

2015-01-01

Highlights: • LSM has been used for shape reconstruction to monitor multi-phase flow using EIT. • Multi-phase level set model for conductivity is represented by two level set functions. • LSM handles topological merging and breaking naturally during evolution process. • To reduce the computational time, a narrowband technique was applied. • Use of narrowband and optimization approach results in efficient and fast method. - Abstract: In this paper, a level set-based reconstruction scheme is applied to multi-phase flow monitoring using electrical impedance tomography (EIT). The proposed scheme involves applying a narrowband level set method to solve the inverse problem of finding the interface between the regions having different conductivity values. The multi-phase level set model for the conductivity distribution inside the domain is represented by two level set functions. The key principle of the level set-based method is to implicitly represent the shape of interface as the zero level set of higher dimensional function and then solve a set of partial differential equations. The level set-based scheme handles topological merging and breaking naturally during the evolution process. It also offers several advantages compared to traditional pixel-based approach. Level set-based method for multi-phase flow is tested with numerical and experimental data. It is found that level set-based method has better reconstruction performance when compared to pixel-based method

Neutron tomography: A survey and some recent applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rhodes, E.A.; Morman, J.A.; McClellan, G.C.

1990-01-01

A survey is given of recent developments in selected areas of neutron tomography, within the context of several applications Argonne is involved in, including high penetration of reactor-fuel bundles in thick containers (involving Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT) and NRAD facilities), dual-energy hydrogen imaging (performed at Intense Pulsed Neutron Source), dynamic coarse-resolution emission tomography of reactor fuel under test (a proposed modification to the TREAT hodoscope), and an associated-particle system that uses neutron flight-time to electronically collimate transmitted neutrons and to tomographically image nuclides identified by reaction gamma-rays. 23 refs., 12 figs

BNFL/Siemens to merge?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1997-01-01

Negotiations are being conducted on the creation of a joint venture between British Nuclear Fuels Limited (BNFL) and the German company Siemens. The venture would merge Siemens' nuclear fuel, engineering and construction services businesses with BNFL's Magnox and AGR fuel fabrication business which is based at Springfields in Lancashire. It would incorporate Siemens' share of Nuclear Power International, a joint venture with the French company Framatone which is developing the European Pressurised Water Reactor project, and its US subsidiary Siemens' Power Corp. BNFL's mixed oxide (MOX) fuel fabrication business, its stake in the Dutch-German-UK uranium enrichment company Urenco and its nuclear waste reprocessing business would not be involved. There is already speculation that Siemens' greater input will lead to it taking a majority stake in what will be the world's second largest nuclear fuel manufacturer. Reaction to the news is reported. This has been muted in the United Kingdom, mixed in Germany and adverse in France because of the implications for the Siemens' Framatone collaboration. (UK)

Mining MaNGA for Merging Galaxies: A New Imaging and Kinematic Technique from Hydrodynamical Simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Nevin, Becky; Comerford, Julia M.; Blecha, Laura

2018-06-01

Merging galaxies play a key role in galaxy evolution, and progress in our understanding of galaxy evolution is slowed by the difficulty of making accurate galaxy merger identifications. Mergers are typically identified using imaging alone, which has its limitations and biases. With the growing popularity of integral field spectroscopy (IFS), it is now possible to use kinematic signatures to improve galaxy merger identifications. I use GADGET-3 hydrodynamical simulations of merging galaxies with the radiative transfer code SUNRISE, the later of which enables me to apply the same analysis to simulations and observations. From the simulated galaxies, I have developed the first merging galaxy classification scheme that is based on kinematics and imaging. Utilizing a Linear Discriminant Analysis tool, I have determined which kinematic and imaging predictors are most useful for identifying mergers of various merger parameters (such as orientation, mass ratio, gas fraction, and merger stage). I will discuss the strengths and limitations of the classification technique and then my initial results for applying the classification to the >10,000 observed galaxies in the MaNGA (Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point) IFS survey. Through accurate identification of merging galaxies in the MaNGA survey, I will advance our understanding of supermassive black hole growth in galaxy mergers and other open questions related to galaxy evolution.

Detection and Imaging of High-Z Materials with a Muon Tomography Station Using GEM Detectors

CERN Document Server

Gnanvo, K; Bittner, W; Costa, F; Grasso, L; Hohlmann, M; Locke, J B; Martoiu, S; Muller, H; Staib, M; Tarazona, A; Toledo, J

2010-01-01

Muon tomography based on the measurement of multiple scattering of atmospheric cosmic ray muons is a promising technique for detecting and imaging heavily shielded high-Z nuclear materials such as enriched uranium. This technique could complement standard radiation detection portals currently deployed at international borders and ports, which are not very sensitive to heavily shielded nuclear materials. We image small targets in 3D using $2\\times 2 \\times 2$ mm^3 voxels with a minimal muon tomography station prototype that tracks muons with Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) detectors read out in 2D with x-y microstrips of 400 micron pitch. With preliminary electronics, the GEM detectors achieve a spatial resolution of 130 microns in both dimensions. With the next GEM-based prototype station we plan to probe an active volume of ~27 liters. We present first results on reading out all 1536 microstrips of a $30 \\times 30$ cm^2 GEM detector for the next muon tomography prototype with final frontend electronics and DAQ...

Data merging of infrared and ultrasonic images for plasma facing components inspection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Richou, M. [CEA, IRFM, F-13108 Saint Paul-lez-Durance (France)], E-mail: marianne.richou@cea.fr; Durocher, A. [CEA, IRFM, F-13108 Saint Paul-lez-Durance (France); Medrano, M. [Association EURATOM - CIEMAT, Avda. Complutense 22, 28040 Madrid (Spain); Martinez-Ona, R. [Tecnatom, 28703 S. Sebastian de los Reyes, Madrid (Spain); Moysan, J. [LCND, Universite de la Mediterranee, F-13625 Aix-en-Provence (France); Riccardi, B. [Fusion For Energy, 08019 Barcelona (Spain)

2009-06-15

For steady-state magnetic thermonuclear fusion devices which need large power exhaust capability, actively cooled plasma facing components have been developed. In order to guarantee the integrity of these components during the required lifetime, their thermal and mechanical behaviour must be assessed. Before the procurement of the ITER Divertor, the examination of the heat sink to armour joints with non-destructive techniques is an essential topic to be addressed. Defects may be localised at different bonding interfaces. In order to improve the defect detection capability of the SATIR technique, the possibility of merging the infrared thermography test data coming from SATIR results with the ultrasonic test data has been identified. The data merging of SATIR and ultrasonic results has been performed on Carbon Fiber Composite (CFC) monoblocks with calibrated defects, identified by their position and extension. These calibrated defects were realised with machining, with 'stop-off' or by a lack of CFC activation techniques, these last two representing more accurately a real defect. A batch of 56 samples was produced to simulate each possibility of combination with regards to interface location, position and extension and way of realising the defect. The use of a data merging method based on Dempster-Shafer theory improves significantly the detection sensibility and reliability of defect location and size.

External cervical resorption: an analysis using cone beam and microfocus computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Gunst, V; Mavridou, A; Huybrechts, B; Van Gorp, G; Bergmans, L; Lambrechts, P

2013-09-01

To provide a three-dimensional representation of external cervical resorption (ECR) with microscopy, stereo microscopy, cone beam computed tomography (CT), microfocus CT and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). External cervical resorption is an aggressive form of root resorption, leading to a loss of dental hard tissues. This is due to clastic action, activated by a damage of the covering cementum and stimulated probably by infection. Clinically, it is a challenging situation as it is characterized by a late symptomatology. This is due to the pericanalar protection from a resorption-resistant sheet, composed of pre-dentine and surrounding dentine. The clastic activity is often associated with an attempt to repair, seen by the formation of osteoid tissue. Cone beam CT is extremely useful in the diagnoses and treatment planning of ECR. SEM analyses provide a better insight into the activity of osteoclasts. The root canal is surrounded by a layer of dentine that is resistant to resorption. © 2013 International Endodontic Journal. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Merging Library and Computing Services at Kenyon College: A Progress Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Oden, Robert A., Jr.; Temple, Daniel B.; Cottrell, Janet R.; Griggs, Ronald K.; Turney, Glen W.; Wojcik, Frank M.

2001-01-01

Describes the evolution and progress toward a uniquely integrated library and computer services unit at Kenyon College. Discusses its focus on constituencies; merging of the divisions; benefits for students, faculty, administrative units, and the institution; meeting challenges; and generalizing from the model. (EV)

Instrumentation for positron emission tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Budinger, T.F.; Derenzo, S.E.; Huesman, R.H.

1984-01-01

Positron emission tomography with a spatial resolution of 2 mm full width at half maximum for quantitation in regions of interest 4 mm in diameter will become possible with the development of detectors that achieve ultrahigh resolution. Improved resolution will be possible using solid-state photodetectors for crystal identification or photomultiplier tubes with many small electron multipliers. Temporal resolution of 2 seconds and gating of cyclic events can be accomplished if statistical requirements are met. The major physical considerations in achieving high-resolution positron emission tomography are the degradation in resolution resulting from positron range, emission angle, parallax error, detector sampling density, the sensitivity of various detector materials and packing schemes, and the tradeoff between temporal resolution and statistical accuracy. The accuracy of data required for physiological models depends primarily on the fidelity of spatial sampling independent of statistical constraints

Feasibility of electron beam tomography in diagnosis of congenital heart disease: comparison with echocardiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jongmin J.; Kang, Duk-Sik

2001-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of electron beam tomography (EBT) for morphological assessment of congenital heart disease. Materials and methods: Sixteen subjects were examined by EBT, transthoracic echocardiography, cardiac cine angiography and surgery. EBT scan was performed using single slice continuous volume mode to acquire high-resolution static image. Double dose contrast medium was injected by bolus technique after measuring scan delay time and calculation of proper injection rate. The results of EBT and echocardiography were compared based on the results of cardiac cine angiography and surgical findings. All anomalous components were evaluated in all subjects and grouped according to major cardiac structures. Statistical analysis was performed to compare two modalities' ability to evaluate the anomalies of major structures. Results: EBT was more sensitive to evaluate the anomalies of systemic vessels, pulmonary vessels and small systemic arteries such as coronary artery. EBT was less sensitive to identify the abnormality of cardiac valves such as valvular regurgitation. There was no difference of sensitivity in evaluation of cardiac chambers and septa between the two modalities. Conclusion: EBT assisted by transthoracic echocardiography is excellent noninvasive modality to diagnose congenital heart disease

Advanced Instrumentation for Positron Emission Tomography [PET

Science.gov (United States)

Derenzo, S. E.; Budinger, T. F.

1985-04-01

This paper summarizes the physical processes and medical science goals that underlay modern instrumentation design for Positron Emission Tomography. The paper discusses design factors such as detector material, crystalphototube coupling, shielding geometry, sampling motion, electronics design, time-of-flight, and the interrelationships with quantitative accuracy, spatial resolution, temporal resolution, maximum data rates, and cost.

Detection of drugs and plastic explosives using neutron tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferreira, F.J.O. [Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear (IEN), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)], E-mail: fferreira@ien.gov.br; Crispim, V.R; Silva, A.X. [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), RJ (Brazil). Coordenacao dos Programas de Pos-graduacao de Engenharia (COPPE). Programa de Engenharia Nuclear], E-mail: ademir@con.ufrj.br, E-mail: verginia@com.ufrj.br

2007-07-01

The unique ability of neutrons to image certain elements and isotopes that are either completely undetectable or poorly detected by other Non-Destructive-Assay (NDA) methods makes neutron radiography an important tool for the NDA community. Neutron radiography, like other imaging techniques takes a number of different forms (i.e. / that is film, radioscopic, transfer methods, tomography, etc.) In this work report the Neutron Tomography System developed, which will allow inspections NDA of samples with high efficiency, in terms of minors measure time and the result analysis, and the application for detection of drugs and plastic explosives, which is very important for the combat to the terrorism and drug trafficking. The neutron tomography system developed is third generation. Therefore a rotary table driven by a step motor connected to a computerized motion control system has been installed at the sample position. In parallel to this a suitable electronic imaging device has been designed and can be controlled by a computer in order to synchronize the software the detector and of the rotary table with the aim of an automation of measurements. To obtain 2D tomography image, a system with an electronic imaging system for producing real time neutron radiography. Images are processing digital for cancel random noise effects and to optimize spatial resolution. Finally, using a (ARIEN) algorithm reconstruction of tomography images by finite element maximum entropy. The system was installed adjacent to the exit of the J-9 irradiation channel of the Argonauta Reactor in the Nuclear Engineering Institute (IEN) - which is an organ of the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN - Brazil).The Argonauta reactor operates at 340 watts, being that the characteristics of the neutron beam on the plane of the image: thermal neutron flux 4,46 x10{sup 5} n/cm{sup 2}s. In the tomography assays, several encapsulated samples of paste, rock and cocaine powder and plastic explosives devices

Detection of drugs and plastic explosives using neutron tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferreira, F.J.O.; Crispim, V.R; Silva, A.X.

2007-01-01

The unique ability of neutrons to image certain elements and isotopes that are either completely undetectable or poorly detected by other Non-Destructive-Assay (NDA) methods makes neutron radiography an important tool for the NDA community. Neutron radiography, like other imaging techniques takes a number of different forms (i.e. / that is film, radioscopic, transfer methods, tomography, etc.) In this work report the Neutron Tomography System developed, which will allow inspections NDA of samples with high efficiency, in terms of minors measure time and the result analysis, and the application for detection of drugs and plastic explosives, which is very important for the combat to the terrorism and drug trafficking. The neutron tomography system developed is third generation. Therefore a rotary table driven by a step motor connected to a computerized motion control system has been installed at the sample position. In parallel to this a suitable electronic imaging device has been designed and can be controlled by a computer in order to synchronize the software the detector and of the rotary table with the aim of an automation of measurements. To obtain 2D tomography image, a system with an electronic imaging system for producing real time neutron radiography. Images are processing digital for cancel random noise effects and to optimize spatial resolution. Finally, using a (ARIEN) algorithm reconstruction of tomography images by finite element maximum entropy. The system was installed adjacent to the exit of the J-9 irradiation channel of the Argonauta Reactor in the Nuclear Engineering Institute (IEN) - which is an organ of the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN - Brazil).The Argonauta reactor operates at 340 watts, being that the characteristics of the neutron beam on the plane of the image: thermal neutron flux 4,46 x10 5 n/cm 2 s. In the tomography assays, several encapsulated samples of paste, rock and cocaine powder and plastic explosives devices. (author)

Observations and Modeling of Merging Galaxy Clusters

Science.gov (United States)

Golovich, Nathan Ryan

Context: Galaxy clusters grow hierarchically with continuous accretion bookended by major merging events that release immense gravitational potential energy (as much as ˜1065 erg). This energy creates an environment for rich astrophysics. Precise measurements of the dark matter halo, intracluster medium, and galaxy population have resulted in a number of important results including dark matter constraints and explanations of the generation of cosmic rays. However, since the timescale of major mergers (˜several Gyr) relegates observations of individual systems to mere snapshots, these results are difficult to understand under a consistent dynamical framework. While computationally expensive simulations are vital in this regard, the vastness of parameter space has necessitated simulations of idealized mergers that are unlikely to capture the full richness. Merger speeds, geometries, and timescales each have a profound consequential effect, but even these simple dynamical properties of the mergers are often poorly understood. A method to identify and constrain the best systems for probing the rich astrophysics of merging clusters is needed. Such a method could then be utilized to prioritize observational follow up and best inform proper exploration of dynamical phase space. Task: In order to identify and model a large number of systems, in this dissertation, we compile an ensemble of major mergers each containing radio relics. We then complete a pan-chromatic study of these 29 systems including wide field optical photometry, targeted optical spectroscopy of member galaxies, radio, and X-ray observations. We use the optical observations to model the galaxy substructure and estimate line of sight motion. In conjunction with the radio and X-ray data, these substructure models helped elucidate the most likely merger scenario for each system and further constrain the dynamical properties of each system. We demonstrate the power of this technique through detailed analyses

The challenge of merging : Merger patterns, premerger status, and merger support

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Giessner, [No Value; Täuber, Susanne; Viki, GT; Otten, S; Terry, DJ; Giessner, S.R

Employees of merging organizations often show resistance to the merger. The employees' support depends on the companies' premerger status and on the merger pattern. Based on an inter-group perspective, three studies were conducted to investigate the influence of premerger status (high, low) and

Integrating multisensor satellite data merging and image reconstruction in support of machine learning for better water quality management.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Ni-Bin; Bai, Kaixu; Chen, Chi-Farn

2017-10-01

Monitoring water quality changes in lakes, reservoirs, estuaries, and coastal waters is critical in response to the needs for sustainable development. This study develops a remote sensing-based multiscale modeling system by integrating multi-sensor satellite data merging and image reconstruction algorithms in support of feature extraction with machine learning leading to automate continuous water quality monitoring in environmentally sensitive regions. This new Earth observation platform, termed "cross-mission data merging and image reconstruction with machine learning" (CDMIM), is capable of merging multiple satellite imageries to provide daily water quality monitoring through a series of image processing, enhancement, reconstruction, and data mining/machine learning techniques. Two existing key algorithms, including Spectral Information Adaptation and Synthesis Scheme (SIASS) and SMart Information Reconstruction (SMIR), are highlighted to support feature extraction and content-based mapping. Whereas SIASS can support various data merging efforts to merge images collected from cross-mission satellite sensors, SMIR can overcome data gaps by reconstructing the information of value-missing pixels due to impacts such as cloud obstruction. Practical implementation of CDMIM was assessed by predicting the water quality over seasons in terms of the concentrations of nutrients and chlorophyll-a, as well as water clarity in Lake Nicaragua, providing synergistic efforts to better monitor the aquatic environment and offer insightful lake watershed management strategies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Small scale imaging using ultrasonic tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zakaria, Z.; Abdul Rahim, R.; Megat Ali, M.S.A.; Baharuddin, M.Y.; Jahidin, A.H.

2009-01-01

Ultrasound technology progressed through the 1960 from simple A-mode and B-mode scans to today M-mode and Doppler two dimensional (2-D) and even three dimensional (3-D) systems. Modern ultrasound imaging has its roots in sonar technology after it was first described by Lord John Rayleigh over 100 years ago on the interaction of acoustic waves with media. Tomography technique was developed as a diagnostic tool in the medical area since the early of 1970s. This research initially focused on how to retrieve a cross sectional images from living and non-living things. After a decade, the application of tomography systems span into the industrial area. However, the long exposure time of medical radiation-based method cannot tolerate the dynamic changes in industrial process two phase liquid/ gas flow system. An alternative system such as a process tomography systems, can give information on the nature of the flow regime characteristic. The overall aim of this paper is to investigate the use of a small scale ultrasonic tomography method based on ultrasonic transmission mode tomography for online monitoring of liquid/ gas flow in pipe/ vessel system through ultrasonic transceivers application. This non-invasive technique applied sixteen transceivers as the sensing elements to cover the pipe/ vessel cross section. The paper also details the transceivers selection criteria, hardware setup, the electronic measurement circuit and also the image reconstruction algorithm applied. The system was found capable of visualizing the internal characteristics and provides the concentration profile for the corresponding liquid and gas phases. (author)

GPS-based ionospheric tomography with a constrained adaptive ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

According to the continuous smoothness of the variations of ionospheric electron density (IED) among neighbouring voxels, Gauss weighted function is introduced to constrain the tomography system in the new method. It can resolve the dependence on the initial values for those voxels without any GPS rays traversing them ...

Large volume serial section tomography by Xe Plasma FIB dual beam microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Burnett, T L; Kelley, R; Winiarski, B; Contreras, L; Daly, M; Gholinia, A; Burke, M G; Withers, P J

2016-02-01

Ga(+) Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscopes (FIB-SEM) have revolutionised the level of microstructural information that can be recovered in 3D by block face serial section tomography (SST), as well as enabling the site-specific removal of smaller regions for subsequent transmission electron microscope (TEM) examination. However, Ga(+) FIB material removal rates limit the volumes and depths that can be probed to dimensions in the tens of microns range. Emerging Xe(+) Plasma Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscope (PFIB-SEM) systems promise faster removal rates. Here we examine the potential of the method for large volume serial section tomography as applied to bainitic steel and WC-Co hard metals. Our studies demonstrate that with careful control of milling parameters precise automated serial sectioning can be achieved with low levels of milling artefacts at removal rates some 60× faster. Volumes that are hundreds of microns in dimension have been collected using fully automated SST routines in feasible timescales (<24h) showing good grain orientation contrast and capturing microstructural features at the tens of nanometres to the tens of microns scale. Accompanying electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD) maps show high indexing rates suggesting low levels of surface damage. Further, under high current Ga(+) FIB milling WC-Co is prone to amorphisation of WC surface layers and phase transformation of the Co phase, neither of which have been observed at PFIB currents as high as 60nA at 30kV. Xe(+) PFIB dual beam microscopes promise to radically extend our capability for 3D tomography, 3D EDX, 3D EBSD as well as correlative tomography. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Merging paradigms: Decision Making, Management, and Cognitive Control

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Jens

1996-01-01

The paper discusses the trend in paradigms within decision research, drifting from concepts of decision making in terms of normative models of 'rational decision making, through behavioral models in terms of 'biases' - deviations from rational models, toward models of actual decision making...... behavior, such as the SRK concept, naturalistic decision making, and dynamic decision making.In this evolution, concepts such as decision making, management, and behavioral control merge and a concurrent change in concepts underlying design of systems aiming at control of behavior is visible, from...

Investigating the incidence of youth mental health problem by merging person register and school level class room survey data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marko Merikukka

2017-04-01

It is possible to merge datasets from school level to an individual level register data. The merged big data offers new possibilities to study questions related to the prevalence of mental health problems. The new linked data can be further analyzed to hierarchical model.

International Conference on Emerging Research in Electronics, Computer Science and Technology

CERN Document Server

Sheshadri, Holalu; Padma, M

2014-01-01

PES College of Engineering is organizing an International Conference on Emerging Research in Electronics, Computer Science and Technology (ICERECT-12) in Mandya and merging the event with Golden Jubilee of the Institute. The Proceedings of the Conference presents high quality, peer reviewed articles from the field of Electronics, Computer Science and Technology. The book is a compilation of research papers from the cutting-edge technologies and it is targeted towards the scientific community actively involved in research activities.

Wavelength-Adaptive Dehazing Using Histogram Merging-Based Classification for UAV Images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Inhye Yoon

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Since incoming light to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV platform can be scattered by haze and dust in the atmosphere, the acquired image loses the original color and brightness of the subject. Enhancement of hazy images is an important task in improving the visibility of various UAV images. This paper presents a spatially-adaptive dehazing algorithm that merges color histograms with consideration of the wavelength-dependent atmospheric turbidity. Based on the wavelength-adaptive hazy image acquisition model, the proposed dehazing algorithm consists of three steps: (i image segmentation based on geometric classes; (ii generation of the context-adaptive transmission map; and (iii intensity transformation for enhancing a hazy UAV image. The major contribution of the research is a novel hazy UAV image degradation model by considering the wavelength of light sources. In addition, the proposed transmission map provides a theoretical basis to differentiate visually important regions from others based on the turbidity and merged classification results.

Wavelength-adaptive dehazing using histogram merging-based classification for UAV images.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Inhye; Jeong, Seokhwa; Jeong, Jaeheon; Seo, Doochun; Paik, Joonki

2015-03-19

Since incoming light to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platform can be scattered by haze and dust in the atmosphere, the acquired image loses the original color and brightness of the subject. Enhancement of hazy images is an important task in improving the visibility of various UAV images. This paper presents a spatially-adaptive dehazing algorithm that merges color histograms with consideration of the wavelength-dependent atmospheric turbidity. Based on the wavelength-adaptive hazy image acquisition model, the proposed dehazing algorithm consists of three steps: (i) image segmentation based on geometric classes; (ii) generation of the context-adaptive transmission map; and (iii) intensity transformation for enhancing a hazy UAV image. The major contribution of the research is a novel hazy UAV image degradation model by considering the wavelength of light sources. In addition, the proposed transmission map provides a theoretical basis to differentiate visually important regions from others based on the turbidity and merged classification results.

AUTOMATIC LUNG NODULE DETECTION BASED ON STATISTICAL REGION MERGING AND SUPPORT VECTOR MACHINES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elaheh Aghabalaei Khordehchi

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Lung cancer is one of the most common diseases in the world that can be treated if the lung nodules are detected in their early stages of growth. This study develops a new framework for computer-aided detection of pulmonary nodules thorough a fully-automatic analysis of Computed Tomography (CT images. In the present work, the multi-layer CT data is fed into a pre-processing step that exploits an adaptive diffusion-based smoothing algorithm in which the parameters are automatically tuned using an adaptation technique. After multiple levels of morphological filtering, the Regions of Interest (ROIs are extracted from the smoothed images. The Statistical Region Merging (SRM algorithm is applied to the ROIs in order to segment each layer of the CT data. Extracted segments in consecutive layers are then analyzed in such a way that if they intersect at more than a predefined number of pixels, they are labeled with a similar index. The boundaries of the segments in adjacent layers which have the same indices are then connected together to form three-dimensional objects as the nodule candidates. After extracting four spectral, one morphological, and one textural feature from all candidates, they are finally classified into nodules and non-nodules using the Support Vector Machine (SVM classifier. The proposed framework has been applied to two sets of lung CT images and its performance has been compared to that of nine other competing state-of-the-art methods. The considerable efficiency of the proposed approach has been proved quantitatively and validated by clinical experts as well.

A procedure for merging land cover/use data from Landsat, aerial photography, and map sources - Compatibility, accuracy and cost

Science.gov (United States)

Enslin, W. R.; Tilmann, S. E.; Hill-Rowley, R.; Rogers, R. H.

1977-01-01

A method is developed to merge land cover/use data from Landsat, aerial photography and map sources into a grid-based geographic information system. The method basically involves computer-assisted categorization of Landsat data to provide certain user-specified land cover categories; manual interpretation of aerial photography to identify other selected land cover/use categories that cannot be obtained from Landsat data; identification of special features from aerial photography or map sources; merging of the interpreted data from all the sources into a computer compatible file under a standardized coding structure; and the production of land cover/use maps, thematic maps, and tabular data. The specific tasks accomplished in producing the merged land cover/use data file and subsequent output products are identified and discussed. It is shown that effective implementation of the merging method is critically dependent on selecting the 'best' data source for each user-specified category in terms of accuracy and time/cost tradeoffs.

Axial tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brueckner, K.A.; Lewis, J.H.

1979-01-01

The invention relates to axial tomography, sometimes referred to as cross-sectional x-ray. The apparatus described may utilize the conventional x-ray or ultrasonic source and detector and scanning mechanism for producing the plurality of sets of radiation detector output signals. It has the means for storing the detector output signals in analog form with the signals of one set overlying the signals of another set so that signals resulting from radiation through a zone of the object being examined are summed at a corresponding zone in the storage device, typically an electronic storage tube. The summed signals are read from the storage device with a radially inversely proportional reader producing a second signal for storage, again typically in an electronic storage tube. These signals stored in the second storage device are read with Laplacian relation, with the resultant sigal being a video signal that may be connected to a TV monitor for display of the sectional image. In alternative embodiments, optical film systems and electrostatic systems are utilized. (JTA)

Ionic current devices-Recent progress in the merging of electronic, microfluidic, and biomimetic structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Koo, Hyung-Jun; Velev, Orlin D

2013-05-09

We review the recent progress in the emerging area of devices and circuits operating on the basis of ionic currents. These devices operate at the intersection of electrochemistry, electronics, and microfluidics, and their potential applications are inspired by essential biological processes such as neural transmission. Ionic current rectification has been demonstrated in diode-like devices containing electrolyte solutions, hydrogel, or hydrated nanofilms. More complex functions have been realized in ionic current based transistors, solar cells, and switching memory devices. Microfluidic channels and networks-an intrinsic component of the ionic devices-could play the role of wires and circuits in conventional electronics.

Monolithic nanoscale photonics-electronics integration in silicon and other group IV elements

CERN Document Server

Radamson, Henry

2014-01-01

Silicon technology is evolving rapidly, particularly in board-to-board or chip-to chip applications. Increasingly, the electronic parts of silicon technology will carry out the data processing, while the photonic parts take care of the data communication. For the first time, this book describes the merging of photonics and electronics in silicon and other group IV elements. It presents the challenges, the limitations, and the upcoming possibilities of these developments. The book describes the evolution of CMOS integrated electronics, status and development, and the fundamentals of silicon p

2009-2011 CA Coastal California TopoBathy Merged Project Digital Elevation Model (DEM)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This project merged recently collected topographic, bathymetric, and acoustic elevation data along the entire California coastline from approximately the 10 meter...

Comparing the effect on the AGS longitudinal emittance of gold ions from the BtA stripping foil with and without a Booster Bunch Merge

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zeno, K. [Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)

2017-12-18

The aim of this note to better understand the effect of merging the Gold bunches in the Booster into one on the resulting AGS longitudinal emittance as compared to not merging them. The reason it matters whether they are merged or not is because they pass through a stripping foil in the BtA line. Data was taken last run (Run 17) for the case where the bunches are not merged, and it will be compared with data from cases where the bunches are merged. Previous data from Tandem operation will also be considered. There are two main pieces to this puzzle. The first is the ε growth associated with the energy spread due to ‘energy straggling’ in the BtA stripping foil and the second is the effective ε growth associated with the energy loss that occurs while passing through the foil. Both of these effects depend on whether or not the Booster bunches have been merged into one.

INFORMATIVITY OF SPECTRAL OPTICAL COHERENT TOMOGRAPHY IN AGGRESSIVE POSTERIOR RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. V. Tereshchenko

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose: to evaluate the informativity of optical coherence tomography in patients with aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity. Patients and methods. spectral optical coherence tomography using portable device iVue-100 with a removable camera (Optovue, USA was held in 32 children (64 eyes with aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity with a gestational period 26–31 week. Results. Children with aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity at the stage of early clinical manifestations, in addition to the indication that the immaturity of the retina, according to the spectral optical coherence tomography revealed only a few areas of epiretinal proliferation, which are not visualized with a digital retinoscopy and binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy. When the process is more pronounced in children with retinopathy of prematurity aggressive rear stage manifestation already determined multiple zones epiretinal proliferation as a "mushroom" and "flake" conglomerates with rear zone hyaloid membrane had an uneven seal. Coarser structural disorders of the retina and the vitreoretinal interface have been identified in patients with advancedstage aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity. We determined the shaft extraretinal proliferation as a "comb", as well as portions of epiretinal proliferation on the border of vascularized and avascular retina, which tended to merge, and the formation of massive hyperreflection complexes, lifted back hyaloid membrane, which was not only uneven sealed, but in some places is stratified. Conclusion. Despite the complexity of the procedure and the complexity of its implementation, the data obtained are particularly valuable and informative because they allow to complement the clinical picture and objectify it. It helps to choose the optimal tactics and improvement of a differentiated approach to the treatment of aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity.

Merging Platform Ecosystems in Technology Acquisitions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dowie, Jamie; Henningsson, Stefan; Kude, Thomas

2017-01-01

of the merging companies. Given the increasing importance of platforms and value co-creation with third-party providers for companies making technology acquisitions, we complement existing literature by reframing the analysis of technology acquisitions to include the merger of the broader partner ecosystems....... Specifically, we draw on theories of ecosystem governance to analyze how ecosystem tensions unfolded during the ecosystem merger and how the acquirer governed these tensions in SAP SE’s acquisition of the e-commerce provider Hybris AG. Our findings suggest that the governance of ecosystem tensions...... is an important aspect of managing technology acquisitions. We identify the pre-acquisition relation between the acquired company’s ecosystem partners and the acquirer as an important context factor for explaining how a partner company is exposed to the ecosystem tensions during the merger....

Large volume serial section tomography by Xe Plasma FIB dual beam microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burnett, T.L. [School of Materials, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom); FEI Company, Achtseweg Noord 5, Bldg, 5651 GG, Eindhoven (Netherlands); Kelley, R. [FEI Company, 5350 NE Dawson Creek Drive, Hillsboro, OR 97124 (United States); Winiarski, B. [School of Materials, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom); FEI Company, Achtseweg Noord 5, Bldg, 5651 GG, Eindhoven (Netherlands); Contreras, L. [FEI Company, 5350 NE Dawson Creek Drive, Hillsboro, OR 97124 (United States); Daly, M.; Gholinia, A.; Burke, M.G. [School of Materials, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom); Withers, P.J., E-mail: P.J.Withers@manchester.ac.uk [School of Materials, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom); BP International Centre for Advanced Materials, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom)

2016-02-15

Ga{sup +} Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscopes (FIB-SEM) have revolutionised the level of microstructural information that can be recovered in 3D by block face serial section tomography (SST), as well as enabling the site-specific removal of smaller regions for subsequent transmission electron microscope (TEM) examination. However, Ga{sup +} FIB material removal rates limit the volumes and depths that can be probed to dimensions in the tens of microns range. Emerging Xe{sup +} Plasma Focused Ion Beam-Scanning Electron Microscope (PFIB-SEM) systems promise faster removal rates. Here we examine the potential of the method for large volume serial section tomography as applied to bainitic steel and WC–Co hard metals. Our studies demonstrate that with careful control of milling parameters precise automated serial sectioning can be achieved with low levels of milling artefacts at removal rates some 60× faster. Volumes that are hundreds of microns in dimension have been collected using fully automated SST routines in feasible timescales (<24 h) showing good grain orientation contrast and capturing microstructural features at the tens of nanometres to the tens of microns scale. Accompanying electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD) maps show high indexing rates suggesting low levels of surface damage. Further, under high current Ga{sup +} FIB milling WC–Co is prone to amorphisation of WC surface layers and phase transformation of the Co phase, neither of which have been observed at PFIB currents as high as 60 nA at 30 kV. Xe{sup +} PFIB dual beam microscopes promise to radically extend our capability for 3D tomography, 3D EDX, 3D EBSD as well as correlative tomography. - Highlights: • The uptake of dual beam FIBs has been rapid but long milling times have limited imaged volumes to tens of micron dimensions. • Emerging plasma Xe{sup +} PFIB-SEM technology offers materials removal rates at least 60× greater than conventional Ga{sup +} FIB systems with

Algorithmic fundamentals of computerized tomography and of transverse analogue tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heckmann, K.

1981-01-01

Computerized tomography and transverse analogue tomography are two different approaches to the same goal, namely, transverse tomography. The algorithm is discussed and compared. Transverse tomography appears capable of further development, judging by this comparison. (orig.) [de

ELECTRON ACCELERATION BY MULTI-ISLAND COALESCENCE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oka, M.; Phan, T.-D.; Krucker, S.; Fujimoto, M.; Shinohara, I.

2010-01-01

Energetic electrons of up to tens of MeV are created during explosive phenomena in the solar corona. While many theoretical models consider magnetic reconnection as a possible way of generating energetic electrons, the precise roles of magnetic reconnection during acceleration and heating of electrons still remain unclear. Here, we show from two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations that coalescence of magnetic islands that naturally form as a consequence of tearing mode instability and associated magnetic reconnection leads to efficient energization of electrons. The key process is the secondary magnetic reconnection at the merging points, or the 'anti-reconnection', which is, in a sense, driven by the converging outflows from the initial magnetic reconnection regions. By following the trajectories of the most energetic electrons, we found a variety of different acceleration mechanisms but the energization at the anti-reconnection is found to be the most important process. We discuss possible applications to the energetic electrons observed in the solar flares. We anticipate our results to be a starting point for more sophisticated models of particle acceleration during the explosive energy release phenomena.

Comparison of electron beam computed tomography and exercise electrocardiography in detecting coronary artery disease in the elderly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inoue, Shinji; Mitsunami, Kenichi; Kinoshita, Masahiko

1998-01-01

Although exercise electrocardiography (ECG) is a useful noninvasive screening test for coronary artery disease (CAD), one prerequisite for ECG screening is that patient be able to exercise enough to evoke myocardial ischemia. Thus, exercise ECG may not be suitable for, some elderly people with CAD who cannot exercise enough. We compared electron beam Computed Tomography (EBCT) with exercise ECG for detecting CAD in 196 patients (mean age, 58.4±12.5 (standard deviation)) who had undergone coronary angiography. Using the angiographic findings as the ''gold standard'', we found that the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 88%, 77%, 89%, and 77%, respectively, for EBCT, and 66%, 72%, 83%, and 52%, respectively, for exercise ECG. Although the results were similar when the subjects were divided into different age groups, the negative predictive value for exercise ECG, among older patients was very low. These findings suggest that EBCT is superior to exercise ECG in detecting CAD in the elderly. (author)

Comparative study of a low-Z cone-beam computed tomography system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roberts, D A; Hansen, V N; Poludniowski, G; Evans, P M; Thompson, M G; Niven, A; Seco, J

2011-01-01

Computed tomography images have been acquired using an experimental (low atomic number (Z) insert) megavoltage cone-beam imaging system. These images have been compared with standard megavoltage and kilovoltage imaging systems. The experimental system requires a simple modification to the 4 MeV electron beam from an Elekta Precise linac. Low-energy photons are produced in the standard medium-Z electron window and a low-Z carbon electron absorber located after the window. The carbon electron absorber produces photons as well as ensuring that all remaining electrons from the source are removed. A detector sensitive to diagnostic x-ray energies is also employed. Quantitative assessment of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) contrast shows that the low-Z imaging system is an order of magnitude or more superior to a standard 6 MV imaging system. CBCT data with the same contrast-to-noise ratio as a kilovoltage imaging system (0.15 cGy) can be obtained in doses of 11 and 244 cGy for the experimental and standard 6 MV systems, respectively. Whilst these doses are high for everyday imaging, qualitative images indicate that kilovoltage like images suitable for patient positioning can be acquired in radiation doses of 1-8 cGy with the experimental low-Z system.

Merging of airborne gravity and gravity derived from satellite altimetry: Test cases along the coast of greenland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olesen, Arne Vestergaard; Andersen, Ole Baltazar; Tscherning, C.C.

2002-01-01

for the use of gravity data especially, when computing geoid models in coastal regions. The presence of reliable marine gravity data for independent control offers an opportunity to study procedures for the merging of airborne and satellite data around Greenland. Two different merging techniques, both based......The National Survey and Cadastre - Denmark (KMS) has for several years produced gravity anomaly maps over the oceans derived from satellite altimetry. During the last four years, KMS has also conducted airborne gravity surveys along the coast of Greenland dedicated to complement the existing...... onshore gravity coverage and fill in new data in the very-near coastal area, where altimetry data may contain gross errors. The airborne surveys extend from the coastline to approximately 100 km offshore, along 6000 km of coastline. An adequate merging of these different data sources is important...

'Big Bang' tomography as a new route to atomic-resolution electron tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Dyck, Dirk; Jinschek, Joerg R; Chen, Fu-Rong

2012-06-13

Until now it has not been possible to image at atomic resolution using classical electron tomographic methods, except when the target is a perfectly crystalline nano-object imaged along a few zone axes. The main reasons are that mechanical tilting in an electron microscope with sub-ångström precision over a very large angular range is difficult, that many real-life objects such as dielectric layers in microelectronic devices impose geometrical constraints and that many radiation-sensitive objects such as proteins limit the total electron dose. Hence, there is a need for a new tomographic scheme that is able to deduce three-dimensional information from only one or a few projections. Here we present an electron tomographic method that can be used to determine, from only one viewing direction and with sub-ångström precision, both the position of individual atoms in the plane of observation and their vertical position. The concept is based on the fact that an experimentally reconstructed exit wave consists of the superposition of the spherical waves that have been scattered by the individual atoms of the object. Furthermore, the phase of a Fourier component of a spherical wave increases with the distance of propagation at a known 'phase speed'. If we assume that an atom is a point-like object, the relationship between the phase and the phase speed of each Fourier component is linear, and the distance between the atom and the plane of observation can therefore be determined by linear fitting. This picture has similarities with Big Bang cosmology, in which the Universe expands from a point-like origin such that the distance of any galaxy from the origin is linearly proportional to the speed at which it moves away from the origin (Hubble expansion). The proof of concept of the method has been demonstrated experimentally for graphene with a two-layer structure and it will work optimally for similar layered materials, such as boron nitride and molybdenum disulphide.

High-performance blob-based iterative three-dimensional reconstruction in electron tomography using multi-GPUs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wan Xiaohua

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Three-dimensional (3D reconstruction in electron tomography (ET has emerged as a leading technique to elucidate the molecular structures of complex biological specimens. Blob-based iterative methods are advantageous reconstruction methods for 3D reconstruction in ET, but demand huge computational costs. Multiple graphic processing units (multi-GPUs offer an affordable platform to meet these demands. However, a synchronous communication scheme between multi-GPUs leads to idle GPU time, and a weighted matrix involved in iterative methods cannot be loaded into GPUs especially for large images due to the limited available memory of GPUs. Results In this paper we propose a multilevel parallel strategy combined with an asynchronous communication scheme and a blob-ELLR data structure to efficiently perform blob-based iterative reconstructions on multi-GPUs. The asynchronous communication scheme is used to minimize the idle GPU time so as to asynchronously overlap communications with computations. The blob-ELLR data structure only needs nearly 1/16 of the storage space in comparison with ELLPACK-R (ELLR data structure and yields significant acceleration. Conclusions Experimental results indicate that the multilevel parallel scheme combined with the asynchronous communication scheme and the blob-ELLR data structure allows efficient implementations of 3D reconstruction in ET on multi-GPUs.

75 FR 51825 - Quality and Compliance in Merging and Emerging Cultures; Public Conference

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-23

... announcing a public conference entitled ``The New Paradigm: Quality and Compliance in Merging and Emerging... accommodations because of a disability, please contact Wanda Neal, at least 7 days in advance of the conference...

Zernike phase contrast cryo-electron tomography of sodium-driven flagellar hook-basal bodies from Vibrio alginolyticus.

Science.gov (United States)

Hosogi, Naoki; Shigematsu, Hideki; Terashima, Hiroyuki; Homma, Michio; Nagayama, Kuniaki

2011-01-01

Vibrio alginolyticus use flagella to swim. A flagellum consists of a filament, hook and basal body. The basal body is made up of a rod and several ring structures. This study investigates the structure of the T ring which is a unique component of the V. alginolyticus sodium ion-driven flagellar basal body. Using Zernike phase contrast (ZPC) cryo-electron tomography, we compared the 3D structures of purified hook-basal bodies (HBB) from a wild-type strain (KK148) and a deletion mutant lacking MotX and MotY (TH3), which are thought to form the T ring. ZPC images of HBBs had highly improved signal-to-noise ratio compared to conventional phase contrast images. We observed the outline of the HBBs from strains KK148 and TH3, and the TH3 mutant was missing its T ring. In the wild-type strain, the T ring was beneath the LP ring and seemed to form a ring shape with diameter of 32 nm. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Illustrated computer tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, S.

1983-01-01

This book provides the following information: basic aspects of computed tomography; atlas of computed tomography of the normal adult; clinical application of computed tomography; and radiotherapy planning and computed tomography

Merging airborne and carborne radiometric data for surveying the Deir Az-Zor area, Syria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jubeli, Y.M.; Aissa, M.; Al-Hent, R.

1997-01-01

To complete the radiometric map of Syria, and to estimate the natural background radiation levels for environmental monitoring, a carborne survey was undertaken over the Deir Az-Zor area. This area was not covered by a previous airborne survey, except for peripheral regions in the south and west. To complete the radiometric map, results of the carborne and airborne surveys had to be merged. This paper presents the merging procedure which was used after normalizing the two data sets to match each other. No anomalies suitable for radioelement exploration were found. However, the overall radiometric maps resulting from the present work were consistent with the maps of the areas covered by the airborne survey. (author)

Merging and energy exchange between optical filaments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Georgieva, D. A., E-mail: dgeorgieva@tu-sofia.bg [Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Sofia, 8 Kliment Ohridski Blvd., 1000 Sofia (Bulgaria); Kovachev, L. M. [Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tzarigradcko Chaussee Blvd., 1784 Sofia (Bulgaria)

2015-10-28

We investigate nonlinear interaction between collinear femtosecond laser pulses with power slightly above the critical for self-focusing P{sub cr} trough the processes of cross-phase modulation (CPM) and degenerate four-photon parametric mixing (FPPM). When there is no initial phase difference between the pulses we observe attraction between pulses due to CPM. The final result is merging between the pulses in a single filament with higher power. By method of moments it is found that the attraction depends on the distance between the pulses and has potential character. In the second case we study energy exchange between filaments. This process is described through FPPM scheme and requests initial phase difference between the waves.

Experimental studies of collisional plasma shocks and plasma interpenetration via merging supersonic plasma jets

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, S. C.; Moser, A. L.; Merritt, E. C.; Adams, C. S.

2015-11-01

Over the past 4 years on the Plasma Liner Experiment (PLX) at LANL, we have studied obliquely and head-on-merging supersonic plasma jets of an argon/impurity or hydrogen/impurity mixture. The jets are formed/launched by pulsed-power-driven railguns. In successive experimental campaigns, we characterized the (a) evolution of plasma parameters of a single plasma jet as it propagated up to ~ 1 m away from the railgun nozzle, (b) density profiles and 2D morphology of the stagnation layer and oblique shocks that formed between obliquely merging jets, and (c) collisionless interpenetration transitioning to collisional stagnation between head-on-merging jets. Key plasma diagnostics included a fast-framing CCD camera, an 8-chord visible interferometer, a survey spectrometer, and a photodiode array. This talk summarizes the primary results mentioned above, and highlights analyses of inferred post-shock temperatures based on observations of density gradients that we attribute to shock-layer thickness. We also briefly describe more recent PLX experiments on Rayleigh-Taylor-instability evolution with magnetic and viscous effects, and potential future collisionless shock experiments enabled by low-impurity, higher-velocity plasma jets formed by contoured-gap coaxial guns. Supported by DOE Fusion Energy Sciences and LANL LDRD.

Aeromagnetic map compilation: procedures for merging and an example from Washington

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Finn

2000-06-01

Full Text Available Rocks in Antarctica and offshore have widely diverse magnetic properties. Consequently, aeromagnetic data collected there can improve knowledge of the geologic, tectonic and geothermal characteristics of the region. Aeromagnetic data can map concealed structures such as faults, folds and dikes, ascertain basin thickness and locate buried volcanic, as well as some intrusive and metamorphic rocks. Gridded, composite data sets allow a view of continental-scale trends that individual data sets do not provide and link widely-separated areas of outcrop and disparate geologic studies. Individual magnetic surveys must be processed so that they match adjacent surveys prior to merging. A consistent representation of the Earth's magnetic field (International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF must be removed from each data set. All data sets need to be analytically continued to the same flight elevation with their datums shifted to match adjacent data. I advocate minimal processing to best represent the individual surveys in the merged compilation. An example of a compilation of aeromagnetic surveys from Washington illustrates the utility of aeromagnetic maps for providing synoptic views of regional tectonic features.

Electron tomography of fusiform vesicles and their organization in urothelial cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samo Hudoklin

Full Text Available The formation of fusiform vesicles (FVs is one of the most distinctive features in the urothelium of the urinary bladder. FVs represent compartments for intracellular transport of urothelial plaques, which modulate the surface area of the superficial urothelial (umbrella cells during the distension-contraction cycle. We have analysed the three-dimensional (3D structure of FVs and their organization in umbrella cells of mouse urinary bladders. Compared to chemical fixation, high pressure freezing gave a new insight into the ultrastructure of urothelial cells. Electron tomography on serial sections revealed that mature FVs had a shape of flattened discs, with a diameter of up to 1.2 µm. The lumen between the two opposing asymmetrically thickened membranes was very narrow, ranging from 5 nm to 10 nm. Freeze-fracturing and immunolabelling confirmed that FVs contain two opposing urothelial plaques connected by a hinge region that made an omega shaped curvature. In the central cytoplasm, 4-15 FVs were often organized into stacks. In the subapical cytoplasm, FVs were mainly organized as individual vesicles. Distension-contraction cycles did not affect the shape of mature FVs; however, their orientation changed from parallel in distended to perpendicular in contracted bladder with respect to the apical plasma membrane. In the intermediate cells, shorter and more dilated immature FVs were present. The salient outcome from this research is the first comprehensive, high resolution 3D view of the ultrastructure of FVs and how they are organized differently depending on their location in the cytoplasm of umbrella cells. The shape of mature FVs and their organization into tightly packed stacks makes them a perfect storage compartment, which transports large amounts of urothelial plaques while occupying a small volume of umbrella cell cytoplasm.

Understanding the fate of merging supermassive black holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campanelli, Manuela

2005-01-01

Understanding the fate of merging supermassive black holes in galactic mergers, and the gravitational wave emission from this process, are important LISA science goals. To this end, we present results from numerical relativity simulations of binary black hole mergers using the so-called Lazarus approach to model gravitational radiation from these events. In particular, we focus here on some recent calculations of the final spin and recoil velocity of the remnant hole formed at the end of a binary black hole merger process, which may constrain the growth history of massive black holes at the core of galaxies and globular clusters

New detector developments for high resolution positron emission tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ziegler, S.I.; Pichler, B.; Lorenz, E.

1998-01-01

The strength of quantitative, functional imaging using positron emission tomography, specially in small animals, is limited due to the spatial resolution. Therefore, various tomograph designs employing new scintillators, light sensors, or coincidence electronic are investigated to improve resolution without losses in sensitivity. Luminous scintillators with short light decay time in combination with novel readout schemes using photomultipliers or semiconductor detectors are currently tested by several groups and are implemented in tomographs for small animals. This review summarises the state of development in high resolution positron emission tomography with a detailed description of a system incorporating avalanche photodiode arrays and small scintillation crystals. (orig.) [de

Digital Signal Processor for Data Transfer and Processing in MR Tomography

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Smékal, Z.; Gescheidtová, E.; Bartušek, Karel; Dokoupil, Zdeněk

2005-01-01

Roč. 13, č. 1 (2005), s. 39-48 ISSN 1738-6438 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR(CZ) IAA2065201 Keywords : MR tomography * DSP96002 * preemphasis filter * communication interface Subject RIV: JA - Electronics ; Optoelectronics, Electrical Engineering

Turbocharging Quantum Tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Blume-Kohout, Robin J. [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Gamble, John King [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Nielsen, Erik [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Maunz, Peter Lukas Wilhelm [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Scholten, Travis L. [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Rudinger, Kenneth Michael [Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2015-01-01

Quantum tomography is used to characterize quantum operations implemented in quantum information processing (QIP) hardware. Traditionally, state tomography has been used to characterize the quantum state prepared in an initialization procedure, while quantum process tomography is used to characterize dynamical operations on a QIP system. As such, tomography is critical to the development of QIP hardware (since it is necessary both for debugging and validating as-built devices, and its results are used to influence the next generation of devices). But tomography suffers from several critical drawbacks. In this report, we present new research that resolves several of these flaws. We describe a new form of tomography called gate set tomography (GST), which unifies state and process tomography, avoids prior methods critical reliance on precalibrated operations that are not generally available, and can achieve unprecedented accuracies. We report on theory and experimental development of adaptive tomography protocols that achieve far higher fidelity in state reconstruction than non-adaptive methods. Finally, we present a new theoretical and experimental analysis of process tomography on multispin systems, and demonstrate how to more effectively detect and characterize quantum noise using carefully tailored ensembles of input states.

X-ray analysis of electron Bernstein wave heating in MST

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seltzman, A. H., E-mail: seltzman@wisc.edu; Anderson, J. K.; DuBois, A. M.; Almagri, A.; Forest, C. B. [Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States)

2016-11-15

A pulse height analyzing x-ray tomography system has been developed to detect x-rays from electron Bernstein wave heated electrons in the Madison symmetric torus reversed field pinch (RFP). Cadmium zinc telluride detectors are arranged in a parallel beam array with two orthogonal multi-chord detectors that may be used for tomography. In addition a repositionable 16 channel fan beam camera with a 55° field of view is used to augment data collected with the Hard X-ray array. The chord integrated signals identify target emission from RF heated electrons striking a limiter located 12° toroidally away from the RF injection port. This provides information on heated electron spectrum, transport, and diffusion. RF induced x-ray emission from absorption on harmonic electron cyclotron resonances in low current (<250 kA) RFP discharges has been observed.

Field-reversing electron and ion rings for the confinement and heating of plasmas. Annual progress report, October 1, 1985-September 30, 1986

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fleischmann, H.H.

1986-10-01

During the present, second period of our contract, the effort of our RECE-group was focussed mainly in four areas: (1) the design and construction of our new main experimental device, the megavolt ion coil experiment (MICE, aimed at generating 1-MeV ion rings) was continued. The device construction was completed and injection experiments recently have started using a half-cusp arrangement. (2) Using our smaller MERGE device (500 keV electrons, cusp injection), we investigated as expected the precessional stabilization of strong electron rings by a resistive wall. As expected, the experiments are completed. The results show excellent agreement with the basic theoretical expectations of our earlier analytic calculations and also with a more detailed computer code recently compiled. (3) Also, our MERGE device was completed as expected; experiments showed successful generation of electron and plasma rings; first experiments on the merging of these rings show a rapid attraction between the rings, which is to be properly slowed down by the introduction of a resistive wall. (4) Our pilot model calculations on mixed-CT configurations were nearly completed; including a survey of relevant plasma ring equilibria with a strong large-orbit particle components. Rough stability limits were obtained by studying the magnetic interaction between the two components

Retrocausation acting in the single-electron double-slit interference experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Hokkyo, Noboru

The single electron double-slit interference experiment is given a time-symmetric interpretation and visualization in terms of the intermediate amplitude of transition between the particle source and the detection point. It is seen that the retarded (causal) amplitude of the electron wave expanding from the source shows an advanced (retrocausal) bifurcation and merging in passing through the double-slit and converges towards the detection point as if guided by the advanced (retrocausal) wave from the detected electron. An experiment is proposed to confirm the causation-retrocausation symmetry of the electron behavior by observing the insensitivity of the interference pattern to non-magnetic obstacles placed in the shadows of the retarded and advanced waves appearing on the rear and front sides of the double-slit.

Electron beam diagnostic system using computed tomography and an annular sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Elmer, John W.; Teruya, Alan T.

2014-07-29

A system for analyzing an electron beam including a circular electron beam diagnostic sensor adapted to receive the electron beam, the circular electron beam diagnostic sensor having a central axis; an annular sensor structure operatively connected to the circular electron beam diagnostic sensor, wherein the sensor structure receives the electron beam; a system for sweeping the electron beam radially outward from the central axis of the circular electron beam diagnostic sensor to the annular sensor structure wherein the electron beam is intercepted by the annular sensor structure; and a device for measuring the electron beam that is intercepted by the annular sensor structure.

Optical tomography of tissues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zimnyakov, D A; Tuchin, Valerii V

2002-01-01

Methods of optical tomography of biological tissues are considered, which include pulse-modulation and frequency-modulation tomography, diffusion tomography with the use of cw radiation sources, optical coherent tomography, speckle-correlation tomography of nonstationary media, and optoacoustic tomography. The method for controlling the optical properties of tissues is studied from the point of view of increasing a probing depth in optical coherent tomography. The modern state and prospects of the development of optical tomography are discussed. (review)

2005 Mississippi Merged LiDAR Data (2005 LiDAR data merged with 2005 Post-Katrina LiDAR data to create a bare-earth product for flood plain mapping in coastal Mississippi).

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Pre- and post-hurricane Katrina LiDAR datasets of Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson Counties, MS, were merged into a seamless coverage by URS. The pre-Katrina LiDAR...

Structural dissection of Ebola virus and its assembly determinants using cryo-electron tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Bharat, Tanmay A M; Noda, Takeshi; Riches, James D; Kraehling, Verena; Kolesnikova, Larissa; Becker, Stephan; Kawaoka, Yoshihiro; Briggs, John A G

2012-03-13

Ebola virus is a highly pathogenic filovirus causing severe hemorrhagic fever with high mortality rates. It assembles heterogenous, filamentous, enveloped virus particles containing a negative-sense, single-stranded RNA genome packaged within a helical nucleocapsid (NC). We have used cryo-electron microscopy and tomography to visualize Ebola virus particles, as well as Ebola virus-like particles, in three dimensions in a near-native state. The NC within the virion forms a left-handed helix with an inner nucleoprotein layer decorated with protruding arms composed of VP24 and VP35. A comparison with the closely related Marburg virus shows that the N-terminal region of nucleoprotein defines the inner diameter of the Ebola virus NC, whereas the RNA genome defines its length. Binding of the nucleoprotein to RNA can assemble a loosely coiled NC-like structure; the loose coil can be condensed by binding of the viral matrix protein VP40 to the C terminus of the nucleoprotein, and rigidified by binding of VP24 and VP35 to alternate copies of the nucleoprotein. Four proteins (NP, VP24, VP35, and VP40) are necessary and sufficient to mediate assembly of an NC with structure, symmetry, variability, and flexibility indistinguishable from that in Ebola virus particles released from infected cells. Together these data provide a structural and architectural description of Ebola virus and define the roles of viral proteins in its structure and assembly.

Electron tomography of cryo-immobilized plant tissue: a novel approach to studying 3D macromolecular architecture of mature plant cell walls in situ.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Purbasha Sarkar

Full Text Available Cost-effective production of lignocellulosic biofuel requires efficient breakdown of cell walls present in plant biomass to retrieve the wall polysaccharides for fermentation. In-depth knowledge of plant cell wall composition is therefore essential for improving the fuel production process. The precise spatial three-dimensional (3D organization of cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin and lignin within plant cell walls remains unclear to date since the microscopy techniques used so far have been limited to two-dimensional, topographic or low-resolution imaging, or required isolation or chemical extraction of the cell walls. In this paper we demonstrate that by cryo-immobilizing fresh tissue, then either cryo-sectioning or freeze-substituting and resin embedding, followed by cryo- or room temperature (RT electron tomography, respectively, we can visualize previously unseen details of plant cell wall architecture in 3D, at macromolecular resolution (∼ 2 nm, and in near-native state. Qualitative and quantitative analyses showed that wall organization of cryo-immobilized samples were preserved remarkably better than conventionally prepared samples that suffer substantial extraction. Lignin-less primary cell walls were well preserved in both self-pressurized rapidly frozen (SPRF, cryo-sectioned samples as well as high-pressure frozen, freeze-substituted and resin embedded (HPF-FS-resin samples. Lignin-rich secondary cell walls appeared featureless in HPF-FS-resin sections presumably due to poor stain penetration, but their macromolecular features could be visualized in unprecedented details in our cryo-sections. While cryo-tomography of vitreous tissue sections is currently proving to be instrumental in developing 3D models of lignin-rich secondary cell walls, here we confirm that the technically easier method of RT-tomography of HPF-FS-resin sections could be used immediately for routine study of low-lignin cell walls. As a proof of principle, we

Merging WW and WW+jet with MINLO

CERN Document Server

Hamilton, Keith; Monni, Pier Francesco; Re, Emanuele; Zanderighi, Giulia

2016-09-12

We present a simulation program for the production of a pair of W bosons in association with a jet, that can be used in conjunction with general-purpose shower Monte Carlo generators, according to the POWHEG method. We have further adapted and implemented the MINLO' method on top of the NLO calculation underlying our WW+jet generator. Thus, the resulting simulation achieves NLO accuracy not only for inclusive distributions in WW+jet production but also WW production, i.e. when the associated jet is not resolved, without the introduction of any unphysical merging scale. This work represents the first extension of the MINLO' method, in its original form, to the case of a genuine underlying 2->2 process, with non-trivial virtual corrections.

Variational nonadiabatic dynamics in the moving crude adiabatic representation: Further merging of nuclear dynamics and electronic structure

Science.gov (United States)

Joubert-Doriol, Loïc; Izmaylov, Artur F.

2018-03-01

A new methodology of simulating nonadiabatic dynamics using frozen-width Gaussian wavepackets within the moving crude adiabatic representation with the on-the-fly evaluation of electronic structure is presented. The main feature of the new approach is the elimination of any global or local model representation of electronic potential energy surfaces; instead, the electron-nuclear interaction is treated explicitly using the Gaussian integration. As a result, the new scheme does not introduce any uncontrolled approximations. The employed variational principle ensures the energy conservation and leaves the number of electronic and nuclear basis functions as the only parameter determining the accuracy. To assess performance of the approach, a model with two electronic and two nuclear spacial degrees of freedom containing conical intersections between potential energy surfaces has been considered. Dynamical features associated with nonadiabatic transitions and nontrivial geometric (or Berry) phases were successfully reproduced within a limited basis expansion.

Optical tomography of the aurora and EISCAT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. U. Frey

1998-10-01

Full Text Available Tomographic reconstruction of the three-dimensional auroral arc emission is used to obtain vertical and horizontal distributions of the optical auroral emission. Under the given experimental conditions with a very limited angular range and a small number of observers, algebraic reconstruction methods generally yield better results than transform techniques. Different algebraic reconstruction methods are tested with an auroral arc model and the best results are obtained with an iterative least-square method adapted from emission-computed tomography. The observation geometry used during a campaign in Norway in 1995 is tested with the arc model and root-mean-square errors, to be expected under the given geometrical conditions, are calculated. Although optimum geometry was not used, root-mean-square errors of less than 2% for the images and of the order of 30% for the distribution could be obtained. The method is applied to images from real observations. The correspondence of original pictures and projections of the reconstructed volume is discussed, and emission profiles along magnetic field lines through the three-dimensionally reconstructed arc are calibrated into electron density profiles with additional EISCAT measurements. Including a background profile and the temporal changes of the electron density due to recombination, good agreement can be obtained between measured profiles and the time-sequence of calculated profiles. These profiles are used to estimate the conductivity distribution in the vicinity of the EISCAT site. While the radar can only probe the ionosphere along the radar beam, the three-dimensional tomography enables conductivity estimates in a large area around the radar site.Key words. Tomography · Aurora · EISCAT · Ionosphere · Conductivity

Optical tomography of the aurora and EISCAT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. U. Frey

Full Text Available Tomographic reconstruction of the three-dimensional auroral arc emission is used to obtain vertical and horizontal distributions of the optical auroral emission. Under the given experimental conditions with a very limited angular range and a small number of observers, algebraic reconstruction methods generally yield better results than transform techniques. Different algebraic reconstruction methods are tested with an auroral arc model and the best results are obtained with an iterative least-square method adapted from emission-computed tomography. The observation geometry used during a campaign in Norway in 1995 is tested with the arc model and root-mean-square errors, to be expected under the given geometrical conditions, are calculated. Although optimum geometry was not used, root-mean-square errors of less than 2% for the images and of the order of 30% for the distribution could be obtained. The method is applied to images from real observations. The correspondence of original pictures and projections of the reconstructed volume is discussed, and emission profiles along magnetic field lines through the three-dimensionally reconstructed arc are calibrated into electron density profiles with additional EISCAT measurements. Including a background profile and the temporal changes of the electron density due to recombination, good agreement can be obtained between measured profiles and the time-sequence of calculated profiles. These profiles are used to estimate the conductivity distribution in the vicinity of the EISCAT site. While the radar can only probe the ionosphere along the radar beam, the three-dimensional tomography enables conductivity estimates in a large area around the radar site.

Key words. Tomography · Aurora · EISCAT · Ionosphere · Conductivity

Quantitative transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography study of Ag-dependent precipitation of Ω phase in Al-Cu-Mg alloys

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bai, Song; Ying, Puyou [Key Laboratory of Nonferrous Metal Materials Science and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); School of Material Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Liu, Zhiyi, E-mail: liuzhiyi@csu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Nonferrous Metal Materials Science and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); School of Material Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); Wang, Jian; Li, Junlin [Key Laboratory of Nonferrous Metal Materials Science and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China); School of Material Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083 (China)

2017-02-27

The close association between the Ω precipitation and various Ag additions is systematically investigated by quantitative transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography analysis. Our results suggest that the precipitation of Ω phase is strongly dependent on Ag variations. Increasing the bulk Ag content favors a denser Ω precipitation and hence leads to a greater age-hardening response of Al-Cu-Mg-Ag alloy. This phenomenon, as proposed by proximity histograms, is directly related to the greater abundance of Ag solutes within Ω precursors. This feature lowers its nucleation barrier and increases the nucleation rate of Ω phase, finally contributes to the enhanced Ω precipitation. Also, it is noted that increasing Ag remarkably restricts the precipitation of θ' phase.

Merging of long-term memories in an insect.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunt, Kathryn L; Chittka, Lars

2015-03-16

Research on comparative cognition has largely focused on successes and failures of animals to solve certain cognitive tasks, but in humans, memory errors can be more complex than simple failures to retrieve information [1, 2]. The existence of various types of "false memories," in which individuals remember events that they have never actually encountered, are now well established in humans [3, 4]. We hypothesize that such systematic memory errors may be widespread in animals whose natural lifestyle involves the processing and recollection of memories for multiple stimuli [5]. We predict that memory traces for various stimuli may "merge," such that features acquired in distinct bouts of training are combined in an animal's mind, so that stimuli that have never been viewed before, but are a combination of the features presented in training, may be chosen during recall. We tested this using bumblebees, Bombus terrestris. When individuals were first trained to a solid single-colored stimulus followed by a black and white (b/w)-patterned stimulus, a subsequent preference for the last entrained stimulus was found in both short-term- and long-term-memory tests. However, when bees were first trained to b/w-patterned stimuli followed by solid single-colored stimuli and were tested in long-term-memory tests 1 or 3 days later, they only initially preferred the most recently rewarded stimulus, and then switched their preference to stimuli that combined features from the previous color and pattern stimuli. The observed merging of long-term memories is thus similar to the memory conjunction error found in humans [6]. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Patterns of magnetic field merging sites on the magnetopause

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luhmann, J.G.; Walker, R.J.; Russell, C.T.; Crooker, N.U.; Spreiter, J.R.; Stahara, S.S.

1984-01-01

Several years ago, Crooker presented a qualitative picture of the merging sites on the magnetopause defined as the points where the magnetospheric and magnetosheath field are antiparallel. However, Cowley pointed out that merging can also occur where these fields are not exactly antiparallel, but merely have antiparallel components. Using realistic models of the magnetosphere and magnetosheath magnetic fields, the angles between the fields at the magnetopause boundary were determined for different interplanetary field orientations, including radial field and Parker spiral field. The results are summarized in Figure 1, which displays contours on the dayside magnetopause (viewed from the sun, i.e., the GSE Y-Z plane projection) of equal value of the cosine of the angle between the magnetospheric and magnetosheath model fields. Only contours with negative values, implying some antiparallel component, are shown. Values at the contours, starting with the contour filled with shading, are -.98, -.95, -.9, -.8, -.7, -.6, -.5, -.4, -.3, -.2, -.1, -.0. The interplanetary field orientations are indicated in vector notation in the lower right corners. In particular, the pattern for a 45 0 cone angle is shown in the fourth diagram in the right hand column and patterns for northward and southward fields occupy the first position in the first column and the second position in the right hand column. These results can be used for comparisons with observed distribution of flux transfer events and for studies of magnetospheric particle leakage

Cardiovascular measurement and cardiac function analysis with electron beam computed tomography in health Chinese people (50 cases report)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Bin; Dai Ruping; Zhang Shaoxiong; Bai Hua; Jing Baolian; Cao Cheng; He Sha; Ren Li

1998-01-01

Purpose: To quantitatively measure cardiovascular diameters and function parameters by using electron beam computed tomography, EBCT. Methods: Men 50 health Chinese people accepted EBCT common transverse and short-axis enhanced movie scan (27 men, 23 women, average age 47.7 years.). The transverse scan was used to measure the diameters of the ascending aorta, descending aorta, pulmonary artery and left atrium. The movie study was used to measure the left ventricular myocardium thickness and analysis global, sectional and segmental function of the right and left ventricles. Results: The cardiovascular diameters and cardiac functional parameters were calculated. The diameters and most functional parameters (end syspoble volume, syspole volume, ejection fraction, cardiac-output, cardiac index) of normal Chinese men were greater than those of women (P>0.05). However, the EDV and MyM(myocardium mass) of both ventricles were significant (p<0.01). Conclusion: EBCT is a minimally invasive method for cardiovascular measurement and cardiac function evaluation

Computerized tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rubashov, I.B.

1985-01-01

Operating principle is described for the devices of computerized tomography used in medicine for diagnosis of brain diseases. Computerized tomography is considered as a part of computerized diagnosis, as a part of information science. It is shown that computerized tomography is a real existed field of investigations in medicine and industrial production

Reduction of Driver Stress Using AmI Technology while Driving in Motorway Merging Sections

Science.gov (United States)

Zia, Kashif; Riener, Andreas; Ferscha, Alois

High average intensity of traffic and problems like traffic congestions, road safety, etc. are challenging problems striking highway operators in these days. With the broad application of intelligent transport systems (ITS), particularly for the most dense street sections, some of these problems can be minimized or even solved; supplementary great potential is attributed to applications based on state-of-the art technology like car-to-x communication, for instance by extending an individuals "field of vision" by observations taken from all the vehicles in front. In this work we present a simulation based approach for improving driving experience and increasing road safety in merging sections by redirecting vehicles in advance according to a negotiation of requirements and desires of the flowing traffic on the main road and cars merging from the entrance lane. The simulation experiments performed in a cellular automaton based environment were data driven and on real scale, using traffic flow data on a minute-by-minute basis from a large urban motorway in a main city of the European Union. Our results have shown that the application of AmI technology has potential to influence driver's behavior (seamlessly invoking for a lane change well before an abrupt merging point) resulting in a reduction of panic, particularly for sections with limited range of view.

Phase-Space Tomography of Giant Pulses in Storage Ring FEL Theory and Experiment

CERN Document Server

Chalut, K

2005-01-01

The use of giant pulses in storage ring FEL provides for high peak power at the fundamental wavelength and for effective generating of high VUV harmonics. This process is accompanied by a complex nonlinear dynamics of electron beam, which cannot be described by simple models. In this paper we compare the results of numerical simulations, performed by self-consistent #uvfel code, with experimental observations of electron beam evolution in the longitudinal phase space. The evolution of the electron beam distribution was obtained from the images recorded by dual-sweep streak-camera. The giant pulse process occurs on a short fast time scale compared with synchrotron oscillation period, which make standard methods of tomography inapplicable. We had developed a novel method of reconstruction, an SVD-Based Phase-Space Tomography, which allows to reconstruct phase space distribution from as few as two e-bunch profiles separated by about 3 degrees of rotation in the phase space. This technique played critical role in...

Electron tomography of the microtubule cytoskeleton in multinucleated hyphae of Ashbya gossypii.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibeaux, Romain; Lang, Claudia; Politi, Antonio Z; Jaspersen, Sue L; Philippsen, Peter; Antony, Claude

2012-12-01

We report the mechanistic basis guiding the migration pattern of multiple nuclei in hyphae of Ashbya gossypii. Using electron tomography, we reconstructed the cytoplasmic microtubule (cMT) cytoskeleton in three tip regions with a total of 13 nuclei and also the spindle microtubules of four mitotic nuclei. Each spindle pole body (SPB) nucleates three cMTs and most cMTs above a certain length grow according to their plus-end structure. Long cMTs closely align for several microns along the cortex, presumably marking regions where dynein generates pulling forces on nuclei. Close proximity between cMTs emanating from adjacent nuclei was not observed. The majority of nuclei carry duplicated side-by-side SPBs, which together emanate an average of six cMTs, in most cases in opposite orientation with respect to the hyphal growth axis. Such cMT arrays explain why many nuclei undergo short-range back and forth movements. Only occasionally do all six cMTs orient in one direction, a precondition for long-range nuclear bypassing. Following mitosis, daughter nuclei carry a single SPB with three cMTs. The increased probability that all three cMTs orient in one direction explains the high rate of nuclear bypassing observed in these nuclei. The A. gossypii mitotic spindle was found to be structurally similar to that of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in terms of nuclear microtubule (nMT) number, length distribution and three-dimensional organization even though the two organisms differ significantly in chromosome number. Our results suggest that two nMTs attach to each kinetochore in A. gossypii and not only one nMT like in S. cerevisiae.

Concordance of coronary artery calcium estimates between MDCT and electron beam tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Daniell, Anthony L; Wong, Nathan D; Friedman, John D; Ben-Yosef, Nachum; Miranda-Peats, Romalisa; Hayes, Sean W; Kang, Xingping; Sciammarella, Maria G; de Yang, Ling; Germano, Guido; Berman, Daniel S

2005-12-01

The objective of our study was to compare MDCT with electron beam tomography (EBT) for the quantification of coronary artery calcification (CAC). Sixty-eight patients underwent both MDCT and EBT within 2 months for the quantification of CAC. The images were scored in a blinded fashion and independently by two observers with a minimum of 7 days between the interpretations of images obtained from one scanner type to the other. Presence versus absence of CAC was discordant by EBT versus MDCT in 6% (n = 4) of the cases by observer 1, with one of these cases also discordant by observer 2. All cases except one (aortic calcium misidentified as CAC) were among those with a mean Agatston score of less than 5 present on EBT but absent on MDCT. EBT and MDCT scores correlated well (r = 0.98-0.99). The relative median variability between EBT and MDCT for the Agatston score was 24% for observer 1 and 27% for observer 2 and was 18% and 14%, respectively, for volume score (average for both observers: 27% for Agatston score and 16% for volume score). Scores were higher for EBT than MDCT in approximately half of the cases, with little systematic difference between the two (median EBT-MDCT difference: Agatston score, -0.55; volume score, 3.4 mm3). The absolute median difference averaged for the two observers was 28.75 for the Agatston score and 15.4 mm3 for the volume score. Differences in CAC measurements using EBT and MDCT are similar to interscan differences in CAC measurements previously reported for EBT or for other MDCT scanners individually.

Solid-state nanopores of controlled geometry fabricated in a transmission electron microscope

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Hui; Egerton, Ray F.

2017-11-01

Energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy and electron tomography were applied to in situ studies of the formation, shape, and diameter of nanopores formed in a silicon nitride membrane in a transmission electron microscope. The nanopore geometry was observed in three dimensions by electron tomography. Drilling conditions, such as probe current, beam convergence angle, and probe position, affect the formation rate and the geometry of the pores. With a beam convergence semi-angle of α = 22 mrad, a conical shaped nanopore is formed but at α = 45 mrad, double-cone (hourglass-shaped) nanopores were produced. Nanopores with an effective diameter between 10 nm and 1.8 nm were fabricated by controlling the drilling time.

Complete Tem-Tomography: 3D Structure of Gems Cluster

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuno, J.; Miyake, A.; Tsuchiyama, A.; Messenger, S.; Nakamura-Messenger, K.

2015-01-01

GEMS (glass with embedded metal and sulfide) grains in interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) are considered to be one of the ubiquitous and fundamental building blocks of solids in the Solar System. They have been considered to be interstellar silicate dust that survived various metamorphism or alteration processes in the protoplanetary disk but the elemental and isotopic composition measurements suggest that most of them have been formed in the protoplanetary disk as condensates from high temperature gas. This formation model is also supported by the formation of GEMS-like grains with respect to the size, mineral assemblage, texture and infrared spectrum by condensation experiments from mean GEMS composition materials. Previous GEMS studies were performed only with 2D observation by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) or scanning TEM (STEM). However, the 3D shape and structure of GEMS grains and the spatial distribution of Fe/FeS's has critical information about their formation and origin. Recently, the 3D structure of GEMS grains in ultrathin sections of cluster IDPs was revealed by electron tomography using a TEM/STEM (JEM-2100F, JEOL). However, CT images of thin sections mounted on Cu grids acquired by conventional TEM-tomography are limited to low tilt angles (e. g., less than absolute value of 75 deg. In fact, previous 3D TEM observations of GEMS were affected by some artifacts related to the limited tilt range in the TEM used. Complete tomographic images should be acquired by rotating the sample tilt angle over a range of more than absolute value of 80 deg otherwise the CT images lose their correct structures. In order to constrain the origin and formation process of GEMS grains more clearly, we performed complete electron tomography for GEMS grains. Here we report the sample preparation method we have developed for this study, and the preliminary results.

Merged Search Algorithms for Radio Frequency Identification Anticollision

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bih-Yaw Shih

2012-01-01

The arbitration algorithm for RFID system is used to arbitrate all the tags to avoid the collision problem with the existence of multiple tags in the interrogation field of a transponder. A splitting algorithm which is called Binary Search Tree (BST is well known for multitags arbitration. In the current study, a splitting-based schema called Merged Search Tree is proposed to capture identification codes correctly for anticollision. Performance of the proposed algorithm is compared with the original BST according to time and power consumed during the arbitration process. The results show that the proposed model can reduce searching time and power consumed to achieve a better performance arbitration.

Evaluation and correction of uncertainty due to Gaussian approximation in radar - rain gauge merging using kriging with external drift

Science.gov (United States)

Cecinati, F.; Wani, O.; Rico-Ramirez, M. A.

2016-12-01

It is widely recognised that merging radar rainfall estimates (RRE) with rain gauge data can improve the RRE and provide areal and temporal coverage that rain gauges cannot offer. Many methods to merge radar and rain gauge data are based on kriging and require an assumption of Gaussianity on the variable of interest. In particular, this work looks at kriging with external drift (KED), because it is an efficient, widely used, and well performing merging method. Rainfall, especially at finer temporal scale, does not have a normal distribution and presents a bi-modal skewed distribution. In some applications a Gaussianity assumption is made, without any correction. In other cases, variables are transformed in order to obtain a distribution closer to Gaussian. This work has two objectives: 1) compare different transformation methods in merging applications; 2) evaluate the uncertainty arising when untransformed rainfall data is used in KED. The comparison of transformation methods is addressed under two points of view. On the one hand, the ability to reproduce the original probability distribution after back-transformation of merged products is evaluated with qq-plots, on the other hand the rainfall estimates are compared with an independent set of rain gauge measurements. The tested methods are 1) no transformation, 2) Box-Cox transformations with parameter equal to λ=0.5 (square root), 3) λ=0.25 (square root - square root), and 4) λ=0.1 (almost logarithmic), 5) normal quantile transformation, and 6) singularity analysis. The uncertainty associated with the use of non-transformed data in KED is evaluated in comparison with the best performing product. The methods are tested on a case study in Northern England, using hourly data from 211 tipping bucket rain gauges from the Environment Agency and radar rainfall data at 1 km/5-min resolutions from the UK Met Office. In addition, 25 independent rain gauges from the UK Met Office were used to assess the merged products.

Common Principles of Molecular Electronics and Nanoscale Electrochemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Bueno, Paulo Roberto

2018-05-24

The merging of nanoscale electronics and electrochemistry can potentially modernize the way electronic devices are currently engineered or constructed. It is well known that the greatest challenges will involve not only miniaturizing and improving the performance of mobile devices, but also manufacturing reliable electrical vehicles, and engineering more efficient solar panels and energy storage systems. These are just a few examples of how technological innovation is dependent on both electrochemical and electronic elements. This paper offers a conceptual discussion of this central topic, with particular focus on the impact that uniting physical and chemical concepts at a nanoscale could have on the future development of electroanalytical devices. The specific example to which this article refers pertains to molecular diagnostics, i.e., devices that employ physical and electrochemical concepts to diagnose diseases.

Dose fractionation theorem in 3-D reconstruction (tomography)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Glaeser, R.M. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., CA (United States)

1997-02-01

It is commonly assumed that the large number of projections for single-axis tomography precludes its application to most beam-labile specimens. However, Hegerl and Hoppe have pointed out that the total dose required to achieve statistical significance for each voxel of a computed 3-D reconstruction is the same as that required to obtain a single 2-D image of that isolated voxel, at the same level of statistical significance. Thus a statistically significant 3-D image can be computed from statistically insignificant projections, as along as the total dosage that is distributed among these projections is high enough that it would have resulted in a statistically significant projection, if applied to only one image. We have tested this critical theorem by simulating the tomographic reconstruction of a realistic 3-D model created from an electron micrograph. The simulations verify the basic conclusions of high absorption, signal-dependent noise, varying specimen contrast and missing angular range. Furthermore, the simulations demonstrate that individual projections in the series of fractionated-dose images can be aligned by cross-correlation because they contain significant information derived from the summation of features from different depths in the structure. This latter information is generally not useful for structural interpretation prior to 3-D reconstruction, owing to the complexity of most specimens investigated by single-axis tomography. These results, in combination with dose estimates for imaging single voxels and measurements of radiation damage in the electron microscope, demonstrate that it is feasible to use single-axis tomography with soft X-ray microscopy of frozen-hydrated specimens.

Dose fractionation theorem in 3-D reconstruction (tomography)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glaeser, R.M.

1997-01-01

It is commonly assumed that the large number of projections for single-axis tomography precludes its application to most beam-labile specimens. However, Hegerl and Hoppe have pointed out that the total dose required to achieve statistical significance for each voxel of a computed 3-D reconstruction is the same as that required to obtain a single 2-D image of that isolated voxel, at the same level of statistical significance. Thus a statistically significant 3-D image can be computed from statistically insignificant projections, as along as the total dosage that is distributed among these projections is high enough that it would have resulted in a statistically significant projection, if applied to only one image. We have tested this critical theorem by simulating the tomographic reconstruction of a realistic 3-D model created from an electron micrograph. The simulations verify the basic conclusions of high absorption, signal-dependent noise, varying specimen contrast and missing angular range. Furthermore, the simulations demonstrate that individual projections in the series of fractionated-dose images can be aligned by cross-correlation because they contain significant information derived from the summation of features from different depths in the structure. This latter information is generally not useful for structural interpretation prior to 3-D reconstruction, owing to the complexity of most specimens investigated by single-axis tomography. These results, in combination with dose estimates for imaging single voxels and measurements of radiation damage in the electron microscope, demonstrate that it is feasible to use single-axis tomography with soft X-ray microscopy of frozen-hydrated specimens

Nanodiamond composite as a material for cold electron emitters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arkhipov, A V; Sominski, G G; Uvarov, A A; Gordeev, S K; Korchagina, S B

2008-01-01

Characteristics of field-induced electron emission were investigated for one of newly designed all-carbon materials - nanodiamond composite (NDC). The composite is comprised by 4-6 nm diamond grains covered with 0.2-1 nm-thick graphite-like shells that merge at grain junctions and determine such properties as mechanical strength and high electric conductivity. Large number of uniformly distributed sp 3 -sp 2 interfaces allowed to expect enhanced electron emission in electric field. Combination of these features makes NDC a promising material for cold electron emitters in various applications. Experimental testing confirmed high efficiency of electron emission from NDC. In comparison with previousely tested forms of nanocarbon, NDC emitters demonstrated better stabily and tolerance to performance conditions. Unusual activation scenarios and thermal dependencies of emission characteristics observed in experiments with NDC can add new background for explanation of facilitated electron emission from nanocarbons with relatively 'smooth' surface morphology

Sound amplification at a rectangular T-junction with merging mean flows

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Lin; Holmberg, Andreas; Karlsson, Mikael; Åbom, Mats

2016-04-01

This paper reports a numerical study on the aeroacoustic response of a rectangular T-junction with merging mean flows. The primary motivation of the work is to explain the high sound amplification, recently seen experimentally, when introducing a small merging bias flow. The acoustic results are found solving the compressible Linearized Navier-Stokes Equations (LNSEs) in the frequency domain, where the base flow is first obtained using RANS with a k-ε turbulence model. The model predicts the measured scattering data well, including the amplitude and Strouhal number for the peak amplification, if the effect of eddy viscosity damping is included. It is found that the base flow changes significantly with the presence of a small bias flow. Compared to pure grazing flow a strong unstable shear layer is created in the downstream main duct starting from the T-junction trailing edge. This means that the main region of vortex-sound interaction is moved away from the junction to a downstream region much larger than the junction width. To analyze the sound amplification in this region Howe's energy corollary and the growth of acoustic density are used.

Merging of the USGS Atlas of Mercury 1:5,000,000 Geologic Series

Science.gov (United States)

Frigeri, A.; Federico, C.; Pauselli, C.; Coradini, A.

2008-01-01

After 30 years, the planet Mercury is going to give us new information. The NASA MESSENGER [1] already made its first successful flyby on December 2007 while the European Space Agency and the Japanese Space Agency ISAS/JAXA are preparing the upcoming mission BepiColombo [2]. In order to contribute to current and future analyses on the geology of Mercury, we have started to work on the production of a single digital geologic map of Mercury derived from the merging process of the geologic maps of the Atlas of Mercury, produced by the United States Geological Survey, based on Mariner 10 data. The aim of this work is to merge the nine maps so that the final product reflects as much as possible the original work. Herein we describe the data we used, the working environment and the steps made for producing the final map.

Formation of Compact Ellipticals in the merging star cluster scenario

Science.gov (United States)

Urrutia Zapata, Fernanda Cecilia; Theory and star formation group

2018-01-01

In the last years, extended old stellar clusters have been observed. They are like globular clusters (GCs) but with larger sizes(a limit of Re=10 pc is currently seen as reasonable). These extended objects (EOs) cover a huge range of mass. Objects at the low mass end with masses comparable to normal globular clusters are called extended clusters or faint fuzzies Larsen & Brodie (2000) and objects at the high-mass end are called ultra compact dwarf galaxies (UCDs). Ultra compact dwarf galaxies are compact object with luminositys above the brigtest known GCs. UCDs are more compact than typical dwarf galaxies but with comparable luminosities. Usually, a lower mass limit of 2 × 10^6 Solar masses is applied.Fellhauer & Kroupa (2002a,b) demostrated that object like ECs, FFs and UCDs can be the remnants of the merger of star clusters complexes, this scenario is called the Merging Star Cluster Scenario. Amore concise study was performed by Bruens et al. (2009, 2011).Our work tries to explain the formation of compact elliptical(cE). These objects are a comparatively rare class of spheroidal galaxies, possessing very small Re and high central surface brightnesses (Faber 1973). cEs have the same parameters as extended objects but they are slightly larger than 100 pc and the luminosities are in the range of -11 to -12 Mag.The standard formation sceanrio of these systems proposes a galaxy origin. CEs are the result of tidal stripping and truncation of nucleated larger systems. Or they could be a natural extension of the class of elliptical galaxies to lower luminosities and smaller sizes.We want to propose a completely new formation scenario for cEs. In our project we try to model cEs in a similar way that UCDs using the merging star cluster scenario extended to much higher masses and sizes. We think that in the early Universe we might have produced sufficiently strong star bursts to form cluster complexes which merge into cEs. So far it is observationally unknown if cEs are

Comprehensive evaluation of anomalous pulmonary venous connection by electron beam computed tomography as compared with ultrasound

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Shaoxiong; Dai Ruping; Bai Hua; He Sha; Jing Baolian

1999-01-01

Objective: To investigate the clinical value of electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) in diagnosis of anomalous pulmonary venous connection. Methods: Retrospective analysis on 14 cases with anomalous pulmonary venous connection was performed using EBCT volume scan. The slice thickness and scan time were 3 mm and 100 ms respectively. Non-ionic contrast medium was applied. Three dimensional reconstruction of EBCT images were carried out on all cases. Meanwhile, ultrasound echocardiography was performed on all patients. Conventional cardiovascular angiography was performed on 8 patients and 2 cases received operation. Results: Ten patients with total anomalous pulmonary venous connection, including 6 cases of supra-cardiac type and 4 cases of cardiac type, were proved by EBCT examination. Among them, 3 cases of abnormal pulmonary venous drainage were not revealed by conventional cardiovascular angiography. Among four patients with partial pulmonary venous connection, including cardiac type in 2 cases, supra-cardiac type and infra-cardiac type in 1 case respectively, only one of them was demonstrated by echocardiography. Conclusion: EBCT has significant value in diagnosis of anomalous pulmonary venous connection which may not be detectable with echocardiography or even cardiovascular angiography

Merging Educational Finance Reform and Desegregation Goals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deborah M. Kazal-Thresher

1993-06-01

Full Text Available Educational finance reforms and desegregation have both sought to address inequities in educational opportunities for minorities and low income families. The recent methods of addressing desegregation issues have tended to focus on attaining racial balance rather than educational quality, however. This paper explores how desegregation goals can be merged with educational finance reform to more systematically address educational quality in schools serving low income and minority populations. By moving toward centralized control over school financing, the inequity of school outcomes that are based on unequal school resources can be reduced. In addition, state determined expenditures when combined with desegregation monies, would meet the original intention of desegregation funds by clearly providing add-on monies for additional services for minority children, while at the same time, creating a better monitoring mechanism.

The European Large-Area ISO Survey (ELAIS): the final band-merged catalogue

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rowan-Robinson, M.; Lari, C.; Perez-Fournon, I.

2004-01-01

We present the final band-merged European Large-Area ISO Survey (ELAIS) Catalogue at 6.7, 15, 90 and 175 mum, and the associated data at U, g', r', i', Z, J, H, K and 20 cm. The origin of the survey, infrared and radio observations, data-reduction and optical identifications are briefly reviewed...

Area efficient decimation filter based on merged delay transformation for wireless applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rashid, U.; Siddiq, F.; Muhammad, T.; Jamal, H.

2013-01-01

Expected by 2014 is the 4G standard for cellular wireless communications, which will improve bandwidth, connectivity and roaming for mobile and stationary devices, 4G and other wireless systems are currently hot topics of research and development in the communication field. In wireless technologies like Global System for Mobile (GSM), Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) and Wi-Fi, decimation filters are essential part of transceivers being used. This paper describes a decimation filter which is efficient in terms of both the power consumption and the area used. The architecture is based upon Merged Delay Transformation (MDT). The existing Merged Delay Transformed Infinite Impulse Response (IIR) architecture is power efficient but requires larger area. The proposed and existing filters were implemented on Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The computational cost of the proposed filter is reduced to (3N/2 + 1) and M-1 times reduction in the number of multipliers in comparison to the existing FIR filter is achieved. The power consumption and speed remain nearly the same. (author)

Towards a merged satellite and in situ fluorescence ocean chlorophyll product

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Lavigne

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Understanding the ocean carbon cycle requires a precise assessment of phytoplankton biomass in the oceans. In terms of numbers of observations, satellite data represent the largest available data set. However, as they are limited to surface waters, they have to be merged with in situ observations. Amongst the in situ data, fluorescence profiles constitute the greatest data set available, because fluorometers have operated routinely on oceanographic cruises since the 1970s. Nevertheless, fluorescence is only a proxy of the total chlorophyll a concentration and a data calibration is required. Calibration issues are, however, sources of uncertainty, and they have prevented a systematic and wide range exploitation of the fluorescence data set. In particular, very few attempts to standardize the fluorescence databases have been made. Consequently, merged estimations with other data sources (e.g. satellite are lacking.

We propose a merging method to fill this gap. It consists firstly in adjusting the fluorescence profile to impose a zero chlorophyll a concentration at depth. Secondly, each point of the fluorescence profile is then multiplied by a correction coefficient, which forces the chlorophyll a integrated content measured on the fluorescence profile to be consistent with the concomitant ocean colour observation. The method is close to the approach proposed by Boss et al. (2008 to correct fluorescence data of a profiling float, although important differences do exist. To develop and test our approach, in situ data from three open ocean stations (BATS, HOT and DYFAMED were used. Comparison of the so-called "satellite-corrected" fluorescence profiles with concomitant bottle-derived estimations of chlorophyll a concentration was performed to evaluate the final error (estimated at 31%. Comparison with the Boss et al. (2008 method, using a subset of the DYFAMED data set, demonstrated that the methods have similar

Inertia-gravity wave radiation from the merging of two co-rotating vortices in the f-plane shallow water system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugimoto, Norihiko

2015-01-01

Inertia-gravity wave radiation from the merging of two co-rotating vortices is investigated numerically in a rotating shallow water system in order to focus on cyclone–anticyclone asymmetry at different values of the Rossby number (Ro). A numerical study is conducted on a model using a spectral method in an unbounded domain to estimate the gravity wave flux with high accuracy. Continuous gravity wave radiation is observed in three stages of vortical flows: co-rotating of the vortices, merging of the vortices, and unsteady motion of the merged vortex. A cyclone–anticyclone asymmetry appears at all stages at smaller Ro (≤20). Gravity waves from anticyclones are always larger than those from cyclones and have a local maximum at smaller Ro (∼2) compared with that for an idealized case of a co-rotating vortex pair with a constant rotation rate. The source originating in the Coriolis acceleration has a key role in cyclone–anticyclone asymmetry in gravity waves. An additional important factor is that at later stages, the merged axisymmetric anticyclone rotates faster than the elliptical cyclone due to the effect of the Rossby deformation radius, since a rotation rate higher than the inertial cutoff frequency is required to radiate gravity waves

Inertia-gravity wave radiation from the merging of two co-rotating vortices in the f-plane shallow water system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sugimoto, Norihiko, E-mail: nori@phys-h.keio.ac.jp [Department of Physics, Research and Education Center for Natural Sciences, Keio University, 4-1-1 Hiyoshi, Kouhoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 223-8521 (Japan)

2015-12-15

Inertia-gravity wave radiation from the merging of two co-rotating vortices is investigated numerically in a rotating shallow water system in order to focus on cyclone–anticyclone asymmetry at different values of the Rossby number (Ro). A numerical study is conducted on a model using a spectral method in an unbounded domain to estimate the gravity wave flux with high accuracy. Continuous gravity wave radiation is observed in three stages of vortical flows: co-rotating of the vortices, merging of the vortices, and unsteady motion of the merged vortex. A cyclone–anticyclone asymmetry appears at all stages at smaller Ro (≤20). Gravity waves from anticyclones are always larger than those from cyclones and have a local maximum at smaller Ro (∼2) compared with that for an idealized case of a co-rotating vortex pair with a constant rotation rate. The source originating in the Coriolis acceleration has a key role in cyclone–anticyclone asymmetry in gravity waves. An additional important factor is that at later stages, the merged axisymmetric anticyclone rotates faster than the elliptical cyclone due to the effect of the Rossby deformation radius, since a rotation rate higher than the inertial cutoff frequency is required to radiate gravity waves.

Merging of magnetic fields with field-aligned plasma flow components

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitchell, H.G. Jr.; Kan, J.R.

1978-01-01

The Sonnerup merging model for an incompressible plasma is extended to allow a flow component along the field lines in the inflow regions. Solutions are found to exist as long as the difference between the quantities B. V for the two inflow regions does not exceed a critical magnitude dependent on the inflow field magnitudes and plasma densities. All such solutions satisfy Vasyliunas' definition of merging, but some classes of solution have radically altered geometries, i.e. geometries in which the inflow regions are much smaller than the outflow regions. The necessary but not sufficient condition for these unusual geometries is that the field-aligned flow component in at least one inflow region be super-Alfvenic. A solution for the case of a vacuum field in one inflow region is obtained in which any flow velocity is allowed in the non-vacuum inflow region, although super-Alfvenic flow can still result in an unusual geometry. For symmetric configurations, the usual geometry, that of Petschek and Sonnerup, is retained as long as both field-aligned flow components in the inflow regions are less than twice the inflow Alfven speed. For the case of a vacuum field on one side and fields approximating the boundary between the solar wind and the earth's dayside magnetosphere, the usual geometry is retained for flow less than about 2.5 times the local Alfven speed. (author)

Microaspiration for high-pressure freezing: a new method for ultrastructural preservation of fragile and sparse tissues for TEM and electron tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Auer, Manfred; Triffo, W.J.; Palsdottir, H.; McDonald, K.L.; Inman, J.L.; Bissell, M.J.; Raphael, R.M.; Auer, M.; Lee, J.K.

2008-02-13

High-pressure freezing is the preferred method to prepare thick biological specimens for ultrastructural studies. However, the advantages obtained by this method often prove unattainable for samples that are difficult to handle during the freezing and substitution protocols. Delicate and sparse samples are difficult to manipulate and maintain intact throughout the sequence of freezing, infiltration, embedding, and final orientation for sectioning and subsequent TEM imaging. An established approach to surmount these difficulties is the use of cellulose microdialysis tubing to transport the sample. With an inner diameter of 200 micrometers, the tubing protects small and fragile samples within the thickness constraints of high-pressure freezing, and the tube ends can be sealed to avoid loss of sample. Importantly, the transparency of the tubing allows optical study of the specimen at different steps in the process. Here, we describe the use of a micromanipulator and microinjection apparatus to handle and position delicate specimens within the tubing. We report two biologically significant examples that benefit from this approach, 3D cultures of mammary epithelial cells and cochlear outer hair cells. We illustrate the potential for correlative light and electron microscopy as well as electron tomography.

RELIABILITY OF POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY-COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY IN EVALUATION OF TESTICULAR CARCINOMA PATIENTS.

Science.gov (United States)

Nikoletić, Katarina; Mihailović, Jasna; Matovina, Emil; Žeravica, Radmila; Srbovan, Dolores

2015-01-01

The study was aimed at assessing the reliability of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography scan in evaluation of testicular carcinoma patients. The study sample consisted of 26 scans performed in 23 patients with testicular carcinoma. According to the pathohistological finding, 14 patients had seminomas, 7 had nonseminomas and 2 patients had a mixed histological type. In 17 patients, the initial treatment was orchiectomy+chemotherapy, 2 patients had orchiectomy+chemotherapy+retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, 3 patients had orchiectomy only and one patient was treated with chemotherapy only. Abnormal computed tomography was the main cause for the oncologist to refer the patient to positron emission tomography-computed tomography scan (in 19 scans), magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities in 1 scan, high level oftumor markers in 3 and 3 scans were perforned for follow-up. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography imaging results were compared with histological results, other imaging modalities or the clinical follow-up of the patients. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography scans were positive in 6 and negative in 20 patients. In two patients, positron emission tomography-computed tomography was false positive. There were 20 negative positron emission omography-computed tomography scans perforned in 18 patients, one patient was lost for data analysis. Clinically stable disease was confirmed in 18 follow-up scans performed in 16 patients. The values of sensitivty, specificity, accuracy, and positive- and negative predictive value were 60%, 95%, 75%, 88% and 90.5%, respectively. A hgh negative predictive value obtained in our study (90.5%) suggests that there is a small possibility for a patient to have future relapse after normal positron emission tomography-computed tomography study. However, since the sensitivity and positive predictive value of the study ire rather low, there are limitations of positive

In Depth Analyses of LEDs by a Combination of X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) and Light Microscopy (LM) Correlated with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, Jörg; Thomas, Christian; Tappe, Frank; Ogbazghi, Tekie

2016-06-16

In failure analysis, device characterization and reverse engineering of light emitting diodes (LEDs), and similar electronic components of micro-characterization, plays an important role. Commonly, different techniques like X-ray computed tomography (CT), light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are used separately. Similarly, the results have to be treated for each technique independently. Here a comprehensive study is shown which demonstrates the potentials leveraged by linking CT, LM and SEM. In depth characterization is performed on a white emitting LED, which can be operated throughout all characterization steps. Major advantages are: planned preparation of defined cross sections, correlation of optical properties to structural and compositional information, as well as reliable identification of different functional regions. This results from the breadth of information available from identical regions of interest (ROIs): polarization contrast, bright and dark-field LM images, as well as optical images of the LED cross section in operation. This is supplemented by SEM imaging techniques and micro-analysis using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.

Trends in the electronic X-ray image formation and processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyer-Ebrecht, D.; Spiesberger, W.

1976-01-01

A report is given on the technological progress in components for the electronic imaging and reproduction in X-ray diagnostics which could enable the partial replacement of radiophotography. Furthermore, electronic post processing methods, in particular in tomography, are reviewed. (ORU) [de

Sparse Reconstruction of the Merging A520 Cluster System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peel, Austin [Département d’Astrophysique, IRFU, CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette (France); Lanusse, François [McWilliams Center for Cosmology, Department of Physics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (United States); Starck, Jean-Luc, E-mail: austin.peel@cea.fr [Université Paris Diderot, AIM, Sorbonne Paris Cité, CEA, CNRS, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette (France)

2017-09-20

Merging galaxy clusters present a unique opportunity to study the properties of dark matter in an astrophysical context. These are rare and extreme cosmic events in which the bulk of the baryonic matter becomes displaced from the dark matter halos of the colliding subclusters. Since all mass bends light, weak gravitational lensing is a primary tool to study the total mass distribution in such systems. Combined with X-ray and optical analyses, mass maps of cluster mergers reconstructed from weak-lensing observations have been used to constrain the self-interaction cross-section of dark matter. The dynamically complex Abell 520 (A520) cluster is an exceptional case, even among merging systems: multi-wavelength observations have revealed a surprising high mass-to-light concentration of dark mass, the interpretation of which is difficult under the standard assumption of effectively collisionless dark matter. We revisit A520 using a new sparsity-based mass-mapping algorithm to independently assess the presence of the puzzling dark core. We obtain high-resolution mass reconstructions from two separate galaxy shape catalogs derived from Hubble Space Telescope observations of the system. Our mass maps agree well overall with the results of previous studies, but we find important differences. In particular, although we are able to identify the dark core at a certain level in both data sets, it is at much lower significance than has been reported before using the same data. As we cannot confirm the detection in our analysis, we do not consider A520 as posing a significant challenge to the collisionless dark matter scenario.

FPGA-based RF spectrum merging and adaptive hopset selection

Science.gov (United States)

McLean, R. K.; Flatley, B. N.; Silvius, M. D.; Hopkinson, K. M.

The radio frequency (RF) spectrum is a limited resource. Spectrum allotment disputes stem from this scarcity as many radio devices are confined to a fixed frequency or frequency sequence. One alternative is to incorporate cognition within a reconfigurable radio platform, therefore enabling the radio to adapt to dynamic RF spectrum environments. In this way, the radio is able to actively sense the RF spectrum, decide, and act accordingly, thereby sharing the spectrum and operating in more flexible manner. In this paper, we present a novel solution for merging many distributed RF spectrum maps into one map and for subsequently creating an adaptive hopset. We also provide an example of our system in operation, the result of which is a pseudorandom adaptive hopset. The paper then presents a novel hardware design for the frequency merger and adaptive hopset selector, both of which are written in VHDL and implemented as a custom IP core on an FPGA-based embedded system using the Xilinx Embedded Development Kit (EDK) software tool. The design of the custom IP core is optimized for area, and it can process a high-volume digital input via a low-latency circuit architecture. The complete embedded system includes the Xilinx PowerPC microprocessor, UART serial connection, and compact flash memory card IP cores, and our custom map merging/hopset selection IP core, all of which are targeted to the Virtex IV FPGA. This system is then incorporated into a cognitive radio prototype on a Rice University Wireless Open Access Research Platform (WARP) reconfigurable radio.

Tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-01-01

Already widely accepted in medicine, tomography can also be useful in industry. The theory behind tomography and a demonstration of the technique to inspect a motorcycle carburetor is presented. To demonstrate the potential of computer assisted tomography (CAT) to accurately locate defects in three dimensions, a sectioned 5 cm gate valve with a shrink cavity made visible by the sectioning was tomographically imaged using a Co-60 source. The tomographic images revealed a larger cavity below the sectioned surface. The position of this cavity was located with an in-plane and axial precision of approximately +-1 mm. The volume of the cavity was estimated to be approximately 40 mm 3

The merging of Suez and 'Gaz de France'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2008-01-01

The merging of 'Gaz de France' and Suez has been approved by the shareholders on the 16 july 2008, and the decree for the privatization of 'Gaz de France' has been published to the 'Journal Officiel'. The French state will hold 35.6% of the capital of the new group GDF-Suez. The board of directors will be composed of 24 members: 7 officials from the state, 1 representative of the share-holding staff, 3 representatives of the elected employees and 13 members named by the general assembly of the shareholders. This group, which is officially born on the 22. of july 2008, is the fourth bigger group worldwide in the domain of energy. (A.C.)

Cleveland, Toledo utilities merge to aid N-projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Utroska, D.

1985-01-01

A decision by the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co. and Toledo Edison to merge was spurred by the need to strengthen their access to capital markets in order to complete several nuclear power plants now under construction and to possibly mitigate the impact of large rate increases on Ohio ratepayers. The two utilities will continue as local companies. If they obtain approval from the Securities and Exchange, the Ohio Public Utilities, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commissions for the $8 million affiliation, the new holding company will be among the 20 largest electric utilities in terms of the market value of its common stock. Some industry observers see this as a harbinger of more utility mergers. 1 figure

Towards a merged satellite and in situ fluorescence ocean chlorophyll product

OpenAIRE

Lavigne, H.; D'Ortenzio, F.; Claustre, H.; Poteau, A.

2012-01-01

Understanding the ocean carbon cycle requires a precise assessment of phytoplankton biomass in the oceans. In terms of numbers of observations, satellite data represents the largest available data set. However, as they are limited to surface waters, they have to be merged with in situ observations. Amongst the in situ data, fluorescence profiles constitute the greatest data set available, because fluorometers operate routinely on oceanographic cruise since the seventies. Nevertheless,...

High-resolution short-exposure small-animal laboratory x-ray phase-contrast tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Larsson, Daniel H.; Vågberg, William; Yaroshenko, Andre; Yildirim, Ali Önder; Hertz, Hans M.

2016-12-01

X-ray computed tomography of small animals and their organs is an essential tool in basic and preclinical biomedical research. In both phase-contrast and absorption tomography high spatial resolution and short exposure times are of key importance. However, the observable spatial resolutions and achievable exposure times are presently limited by system parameters rather than more fundamental constraints like, e.g., dose. Here we demonstrate laboratory tomography with few-ten μm spatial resolution and few-minute exposure time at an acceptable dose for small-animal imaging, both with absorption contrast and phase contrast. The method relies on a magnifying imaging scheme in combination with a high-power small-spot liquid-metal-jet electron-impact source. The tomographic imaging is demonstrated on intact mouse, phantoms and excised lungs, both healthy and with pulmonary emphysema.

A study of incisive canal using a cone beam computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Gyu Tae; Hwang, Eui Hwan; Lee, Sang Rae

2004-01-01

To investigate the anatomical structure of the incisive canal radiographically by a cone beam computed tomography. 38 persons (male 26, female 12) were chosen to take images of maxillary anterior region in dental CT mode using a cone beam computed tomography. The tube voltage were 65, 67, and 70 kVp, the tube current was 7 mA, and the exposure time was 13.3 seconds. The FH plane of each person was parallel to the floor. The images were analysed on the CRT display. The mean length of incisive canal was 15.87 mm ± 2.92. The mean diameter at the side of palate and nasal fossa were 3.49 mm ± 0.76 and 3.89 mm ± 1.06, respectively. In the cross-sectional shape of incisive canal, 50% were round, 34.2% were ovoid, and 15.8% were lobulated. 87% of incisive canal at the side of nasal fossa have one canal, 10.4% have two canals, and 2.6% have three canals, but these canals were merged into one canal in the middle portion of palate. The mean angles of the long axis of incisive canal and central incisor to the FH plane were 110.3 ± 6.96 and 117.45 ± 7.41, respectively. The angles of the long axis of incisive canal and central incisor to the FH plane were least correlated (r 0.258). This experiment suggests that a cone beam computed radiography will be helpful in surgery or implantation on the maxillary incisive area.

A study of incisive canal using a cone beam computed tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Gyu Tae; Hwang, Eui Hwan; Lee, Sang Rae [Kyunghee University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2004-03-15

To investigate the anatomical structure of the incisive canal radiographically by a cone beam computed tomography. 38 persons (male 26, female 12) were chosen to take images of maxillary anterior region in dental CT mode using a cone beam computed tomography. The tube voltage were 65, 67, and 70 kVp, the tube current was 7 mA, and the exposure time was 13.3 seconds. The FH plane of each person was parallel to the floor. The images were analysed on the CRT display. The mean length of incisive canal was 15.87 mm {+-} 2.92. The mean diameter at the side of palate and nasal fossa were 3.49 mm {+-} 0.76 and 3.89 mm {+-} 1.06, respectively. In the cross-sectional shape of incisive canal, 50% were round, 34.2% were ovoid, and 15.8% were lobulated. 87% of incisive canal at the side of nasal fossa have one canal, 10.4% have two canals, and 2.6% have three canals, but these canals were merged into one canal in the middle portion of palate. The mean angles of the long axis of incisive canal and central incisor to the FH plane were 110.3 {+-} 6.96 and 117.45 {+-} 7.41, respectively. The angles of the long axis of incisive canal and central incisor to the FH plane were least correlated (r 0.258). This experiment suggests that a cone beam computed radiography will be helpful in surgery or implantation on the maxillary incisive area.

Flow Merging and Hub Route Optimization in Collaborative Transportation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kerui Weng