Atomic-resolution single-spin magnetic resonance detection concept based on tunneling force microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Payne, A.; Ambal, K.; Boehme, C.; Williams, C. C.

2015-05-01

A study of a force detected single-spin magnetic resonance measurement concept with atomic spatial resolution is presented. The method is based upon electrostatic force detection of spin-selection rule controlled single-electron tunneling between two electrically isolated paramagnetic states. Single-spin magnetic resonance detection is possible by measuring the force detected tunneling charge noise on and off spin resonance. Simulation results of this charge noise, based upon physical models of the tunneling and spin physics, are directly compared to measured atomic force microscopy system noise. The results show that the approach could provide single-spin measurement of electrically isolated qubit states with atomic spatial resolution at room temperature.

Analysis of residual stress state in sheet metal parts processed by single point incremental forming

Science.gov (United States)

Maaß, F.; Gies, S.; Dobecki, M.; Brömmelhoff, K.; Tekkaya, A. E.; Reimers, W.

2018-05-01

The mechanical properties of formed metal components are highly affected by the prevailing residual stress state. A selective induction of residual compressive stresses in the component, can improve the product properties such as the fatigue strength. By means of single point incremental forming (SPIF), the residual stress state can be influenced by adjusting the process parameters during the manufacturing process. To achieve a fundamental understanding of the residual stress formation caused by the SPIF process, a valid numerical process model is essential. Within the scope of this paper the significance of kinematic hardening effects on the determined residual stress state is presented based on numerical simulations. The effect of the unclamping step after the manufacturing process is also analyzed. An average deviation of the residual stress amplitudes in the clamped and unclamped condition of 18 % reveals, that the unclamping step needs to be considered to reach a high numerical prediction quality.

DNA template strand sequencing of single-cells maps genomic rearrangements at high resolution

OpenAIRE

Falconer, Ester; Hills, Mark; Naumann, Ulrike; Poon, Steven S. S.; Chavez, Elizabeth A.; Sanders, Ashley D.; Zhao, Yongjun; Hirst, Martin; Lansdorp, Peter M.

2012-01-01

DNA rearrangements such as sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) are sensitive indicators of genomic stress and instability, but they are typically masked by single-cell sequencing techniques. We developed Strand-seq to independently sequence parental DNA template strands from single cells, making it possible to map SCEs at orders-of-magnitude greater resolution than was previously possible. On average, murine embryonic stem (mES) cells exhibit eight SCEs, which are detected at a resolution of up...

Study on the Spatial Resolution of Single and Multiple Coincidences Compton Camera

Science.gov (United States)

Andreyev, Andriy; Sitek, Arkadiusz; Celler, Anna

2012-10-01

In this paper we study the image resolution that can be obtained from the Multiple Coincidences Compton Camera (MCCC). The principle of MCCC is based on a simultaneous acquisition of several gamma-rays emitted in cascade from a single nucleus. Contrary to a standard Compton camera, MCCC can theoretically provide the exact location of a radioactive source (based only on the identification of the intersection point of three cones created by a single decay), without complicated tomographic reconstruction. However, practical implementation of the MCCC approach encounters several problems, such as low detection sensitivities result in very low probability of coincident triple gamma-ray detection, which is necessary for the source localization. It is also important to evaluate how the detection uncertainties (finite energy and spatial resolution) influence identification of the intersection of three cones, thus the resulting image quality. In this study we investigate how the spatial resolution of the reconstructed images using the triple-cone reconstruction (TCR) approach compares to images reconstructed from the same data using standard iterative method based on single-cone. Results show, that FWHM for the point source reconstructed with TCR was 20-30% higher than the one obtained from the standard iterative reconstruction based on expectation maximization (EM) algorithm and conventional single-cone Compton imaging. Finite energy and spatial resolutions of the MCCC detectors lead to errors in conical surfaces definitions (“thick” conical surfaces) which only amplify in image reconstruction when intersection of three cones is being sought. Our investigations show that, in spite of being conceptually appealing, the identification of triple cone intersection constitutes yet another restriction of the multiple coincidence approach which limits the image resolution that can be obtained with MCCC and TCR algorithm.

Quantitative high-resolution genomic analysis of single cancer cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Hannemann, Juliane; Meyer-Staeckling, Sönke; Kemming, Dirk; Alpers, Iris; Joosse, Simon A; Pospisil, Heike; Kurtz, Stefan; Görndt, Jennifer; Püschel, Klaus; Riethdorf, Sabine; Pantel, Klaus; Brandt, Burkhard

2011-01-01

During cancer progression, specific genomic aberrations arise that can determine the scope of the disease and can be used as predictive or prognostic markers. The detection of specific gene amplifications or deletions in single blood-borne or disseminated tumour cells that may give rise to the development of metastases is of great clinical interest but technically challenging. In this study, we present a method for quantitative high-resolution genomic analysis of single cells. Cells were isolated under permanent microscopic control followed by high-fidelity whole genome amplification and subsequent analyses by fine tiling array-CGH and qPCR. The assay was applied to single breast cancer cells to analyze the chromosomal region centred by the therapeutical relevant EGFR gene. This method allows precise quantitative analysis of copy number variations in single cell diagnostics.

Angstrom-Resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Single Molecules via Wave-Function Fingerprints of Nuclear Spins

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Wen-Long; Liu, Ren-Bao

2016-08-01

Single-molecule sensitivity of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and angstrom resolution of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the highest challenges in magnetic microscopy. Recent development in dynamical-decoupling- (DD) enhanced diamond quantum sensing has enabled single-nucleus NMR and nanoscale NMR. Similar to conventional NMR and MRI, current DD-based quantum sensing utilizes the "frequency fingerprints" of target nuclear spins. The frequency fingerprints by their nature cannot resolve different nuclear spins that have the same noise frequency or differentiate different types of correlations in nuclear-spin clusters, which limit the resolution of single-molecule MRI. Here we show that this limitation can be overcome by using "wave-function fingerprints" of target nuclear spins, which is much more sensitive than the frequency fingerprints to the weak hyperfine interaction between the targets and a sensor under resonant DD control. We demonstrate a scheme of angstrom-resolution MRI that is capable of counting and individually localizing single nuclear spins of the same frequency and characterizing the correlations in nuclear-spin clusters. A nitrogen-vacancy-center spin sensor near a diamond surface, provided that the coherence time is improved by surface engineering in the near future, may be employed to determine with angstrom resolution the positions and conformation of single molecules that are isotope labeled. The scheme in this work offers an approach to breaking the resolution limit set by the "frequency gradients" in conventional MRI and to reaching the angstrom-scale resolution.

Functional magnetic resonance microscopy at single-cell resolution in Aplysia californica

Science.gov (United States)

Radecki, Guillaume; Nargeot, Romuald; Jelescu, Ileana Ozana; Le Bihan, Denis; Ciobanu, Luisa

2014-01-01

In this work, we show the feasibility of performing functional MRI studies with single-cell resolution. At ultrahigh magnetic field, manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance microscopy allows the identification of most motor neurons in the buccal network of Aplysia at low, nontoxic Mn2+ concentrations. We establish that Mn2+ accumulates intracellularly on injection into the living Aplysia and that its concentration increases when the animals are presented with a sensory stimulus. We also show that we can distinguish between neuronal activities elicited by different types of stimuli. This method opens up a new avenue into probing the functional organization and plasticity of neuronal networks involved in goal-directed behaviors with single-cell resolution. PMID:24872449

Quantitative high-resolution genomic analysis of single cancer cells.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliane Hannemann

Full Text Available During cancer progression, specific genomic aberrations arise that can determine the scope of the disease and can be used as predictive or prognostic markers. The detection of specific gene amplifications or deletions in single blood-borne or disseminated tumour cells that may give rise to the development of metastases is of great clinical interest but technically challenging. In this study, we present a method for quantitative high-resolution genomic analysis of single cells. Cells were isolated under permanent microscopic control followed by high-fidelity whole genome amplification and subsequent analyses by fine tiling array-CGH and qPCR. The assay was applied to single breast cancer cells to analyze the chromosomal region centred by the therapeutical relevant EGFR gene. This method allows precise quantitative analysis of copy number variations in single cell diagnostics.

A 30 ps Timing Resolution for Single Photons with Multi-pixel Burle MCP-PMT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Va' vra, J.; Benitez, J.; Coleman, J.; Leith, D.W.G.S.; Mazaheri, G.; Ratcliff, B.; Schwiening, J.; /SLAC

2006-07-05

We have achieved {approx}30 psec single-photoelectron and {approx}12ps for multi-photoelectron timing resolution with a new 64 pixel Burle MCP-PMT with 10 micron microchannel holes. We have also demonstrated that this detector works in a magnetic field of 15kG, and achieved a single-photoelectron timing resolution of better than 60 psec. The study is relevant for a new focusing DIRC RICH detector for particle identification at future Colliders such as the super B-factory or ILC, and for future TOF techniques. This study shows that a highly pixilated MCP-PMT can deliver excellent timing resolution.

Active disease and residual damage in treated Wegener's granulomatosis: an observational study using pulmonary high-resolution computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komocsi, Andras; Reuter, Michael; Heller, Martin; Murakoezi, Henriette; Gross, Wolfgang L.; Schnabel, Armin

2003-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of the lungs can distinguish active inflammatory disease from inactive cicatricial disease in patients treated for Wegener's granulomatosis (WG). Twenty-eight WG patients with active pulmonary disease underwent a first HRCT examination immediately before standard immunosuppressive treatment and a second examination after clinical remission had been achieved. Lesions remaining after treatment were categorized as residual damage and were compared with findings during active disease to see by what features active and cicatricial disease can be distinguished. During active disease 17 patients had nodules/masses, 12 had ground-glass opacities, 6 had septal lines and 6 had non-septal lines. After treatment, ground-glass opacities had resolved completely. Nodules/masses had resolved in 8 patients and had diminished in 7 patients. Residual nodules were distinguished from nodules/masses in active disease by lack of cavitation and a diameter of mostly <15 mm. In one-third of patients lines resolved, but in 8 instances new lines evolved during immunosuppression. During a follow-up period of a median 26.5 months (range 20.0-33.8), patients with residual nodules or lines had no more relapses than patients with completely cleared lungs. Treated pulmonary WG leaves substantial residual damage. High-resolution CT does assist in the distinction between active and inactive lesions. Ground-glass opacities, cavitating nodules/masses and masses measuring more than 3 cm represent active disease ordinarily. Non-cavitary small nodules and septal or non-septal lines can be either active or cicatricial lesions. The nature of these lesions needs to be clarified by longitudinal observation. (orig.)

Super-resolution from single photon emission: toward biological application

Science.gov (United States)

Moreva, E.; Traina, P.; Forneris, J.; Ditalia Tchernij, S.; Guarina, L.; Franchino, C.; Picollo, F.; Ruo Berchera, I.; Brida, G.; Degiovanni, I. P.; Carabelli, V.; Olivero, P.; Genovese, M.

2017-08-01

Properties of quantum light represent a tool for overcoming limits of classical optics. Several experiments have demonstrated this advantage ranging from quantum enhanced imaging to quantum illumination. In this work, experimental demonstration of quantum-enhanced resolution in confocal fluorescence microscopy will be presented. This is achieved by exploiting the non-classical photon statistics of fluorescence emission of single nitrogen-vacancy (NV) color centers in diamond. By developing a general model of super-resolution based on the direct sampling of the kth-order autocorrelation function of the photoluminescence signal, we show the possibility to resolve, in principle, arbitrarily close emitting centers. Finally, possible applications of NV-based fluorescent nanodiamonds in biosensing and future developments will be presented.

Single-well experimental design for studying residual trapping of superciritcal carbon dioxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Y.; Freifeld, B.; Finsterle, S.; Leahy, M.; Ennis-King, J.; Paterson, L.; Dance, T.

2010-06-15

The objective of our research is to design a single-well injection-withdrawal test to evaluate residual phase trapping at potential CO{sub 2} geological storage sites. Given the significant depths targeted for CO{sub 2} storage and the resulting high costs associated with drilling to those depths, it is attractive to develop a single-well test that can provide data to assess reservoir properties and reduce uncertainties in the appraisal phase of site investigation. The main challenges in a single-well test design include (1) difficulty in quantifying the amount of CO{sub 2} that has dissolved into brine or migrated away from the borehole; (2) non-uniqueness and uncertainty in the estimate of the residual gas saturation (S{sub gr}) due to correlations among various parameters; and (3) the potential biased S{sub gr} estimate due to unaccounted heterogeneity of the geological medium. To address each of these challenges, we propose (1) to use a physical-based model to simulation test sequence and inverse modeling to analyze data information content and to quantify uncertainty; (2) to jointly use multiple data types generated from different kinds of tests to constrain the Sgr estimate; and (3) to reduce the sensitivity of the designed tests to geological heterogeneity by conducting the same test sequence in both a water-saturated system and a system with residual gas saturation. To perform the design calculation, we build a synthetic model and conduct a formal analysis for sensitivity and uncertain quantification. Both parametric uncertainty and geological uncertainty are considered in the analysis. Results show (1) uncertainty in the estimation of Sgr can be reduced by jointly using multiple data types and repeated tests; and (2) geological uncertainty is essential and needs to be accounted for in the estimation of S{sub gr} and its uncertainty. The proposed methodology is applied to the design of a CO{sub 2} injection test at CO2CRC's Otway Project Site, Victoria

Effect of increased exposure times on amount of residual monomer released from single-step self-etch adhesives.

Science.gov (United States)

Altunsoy, Mustafa; Botsali, Murat Selim; Tosun, Gonca; Yasar, Ahmet

2015-10-16

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of increased exposure times on the amount of residual Bis-GMA, TEGDMA, HEMA and UDMA released from single-step self-etch adhesive systems. Two adhesive systems were used. The adhesives were applied to bovine dentin surface according to the manufacturer's instructions and were polymerized using an LED curing unit for 10, 20 and 40 seconds (n = 5). After polymerization, the specimens were stored in 75% ethanol-water solution (6 mL). Residual monomers (Bis-GMA, TEGDMA, UDMA and HEMA) that were eluted from the adhesives (after 10 minutes, 1 hour, 1 day, 7 days and 30 days) were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The data were analyzed using 1-way analysis of variance and Tukey HSD tests. Among the time periods, the highest amount of released residual monomers from adhesives was observed in the 10th minute. There were statistically significant differences regarding released Bis-GMA, UDMA, HEMA and TEGDMA between the adhesive systems (p<0.05). There were no significant differences among the 10, 20 and 40 second polymerization times according to their effect on residual monomer release from adhesives (p>0.05). Increasing the polymerization time did not have an effect on residual monomer release from single-step self-etch adhesives.

Controlling residual dipolar couplings in high-resolution NMR of proteins by strain induced alignment in a gel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishii, Yoshitaka; Markus, Michelle A.; Tycko, Robert

2001-01-01

Water-soluble biological macromolecules can be weakly aligned by dissolution in a strained, hydrated gel such as cross-linked polyacrylamide, an effect termed 'strain-induced alignment in a gel' (SAG). SAG induces nonzero nuclear magnetic dipole-dipole couplings that can be measured in high-resolution NMR spectra and used as structural constraints. The dependence of experimental 15 N- 1 H dipolar couplings extracted from two-dimensional heteronuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC) spectra on several properties of compressed polyacrylamide, including the extent of compression, the polyacrylamide concentration, and the cross-link density, is reported for the B1 immunoglobulin binding domain of streptococcal protein G (protein G/B1, 57 residues). It is shown that the magnitude of macromolecular alignment can be widely varied by adjusting these properties, although the orientation and asymmetry of the alignment tensor are not affected significantly. The dependence of the 15 N relaxation times T 1 and T 2 of protein G/B1 on polyacrylamide concentration are also reported. In addition, the results of 15 N relaxation and HSQC experiments on the RNA binding domain of prokaryotic protein S4 from Bacillus stearothermophilus (S4 Δ41, residues 43-200) in a compressed polyacrylamide gel are presented. These results demonstrate the applicability of SAG to proteins of higher molecular weight and greater complexity. A modified in-phase/anti-phase (IPAP) HSQC technique is described that suppresses natural-abundance 15 N background signals from amide groups in polyacrylamide, resulting in cleaner HSQC spectra in SAG experiments. The mechanism of protein alignment in strained polyacrylamide gels is contrasted with that in liquid crystalline media

High-Resolution Phenotypic Landscape of the RNA Polymerase II Trigger Loop.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chenxi Qiu

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The active sites of multisubunit RNA polymerases have a "trigger loop" (TL that multitasks in substrate selection, catalysis, and translocation. To dissect the Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNA polymerase II TL at individual-residue resolution, we quantitatively phenotyped nearly all TL single variants en masse. Three mutant classes, revealed by phenotypes linked to transcription defects or various stresses, have distinct distributions among TL residues. We find that mutations disrupting an intra-TL hydrophobic pocket, proposed to provide a mechanism for substrate-triggered TL folding through destabilization of a catalytically inactive TL state, confer phenotypes consistent with pocket disruption and increased catalysis. Furthermore, allele-specific genetic interactions among TL and TL-proximal domain residues support the contribution of the funnel and bridge helices (BH to TL dynamics. Our structural genetics approach incorporates structural and phenotypic data for high-resolution dissection of transcription mechanisms and their evolution, and is readily applicable to other essential yeast proteins.

"Ico-Alone" single nocturnal exchange to initiate peritoneal dialysis in patients with residual renal function-Five year, single centre experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T Jeloka

2013-01-01

Full Text Available We analyzed the outcome of incremental dialysis with single nocturnal icodextrin exchange peritoneal dialysis (PD as the initial treatment for end-stage kidney failure in patients who have significant residual renal function. All adult patients opting for PD as renal replacement therapy, having residual renal function, and urinary KT/V of 1.0 were offered incremental dialysis with single nocturnal icodextrin exchange as initial treatment. Adequacy of dialysis was calculated at 1, 3, and 6 months and then 6 monthly. Patients were shifted to conventional PD if short of adequacy or if clinically indicated. Median period on "Ico-alone," peritonitis, exit site infection rates, and patient survival, while on this protocol, were calculated. These outcomes were compared with the cohort of contemporary patients on conventional PD. Thirteen patients were initiated on "Ico-alone" dialysis between October 2006 and October 2011. The baseline characteristics were similar when compared with cohort of conventional PD patients, except urine volume, which was more in "Ico-alone" group (1265 ± 316 vs. 551 ± 504, P = 0.000. Total KT/V at 3 months (1.63 ± 0.6 vs. 1.7 ± 0.2, P = 0.6 and at 1 year (1.64 ± 0.5 vs. 1.53 ± 0.3, P = 0.6 was similar to the cohort of conventional PD patients. Median period on "Ico-alone" was 9.6 months. Peritonitis rate was 1 episode in 56.22 vs 25.29 patient-months and exit site infection was 1 episode in 56.2 vs 189.71 patient-months in "Ico-alone" and conventional group, respectively. Patient survival was 42.84 months in "Ico-alone′ vs 25.29 months in conventional dialysis ( P = 0.01. In conclusion, single icodextrin exchange offers adequate dialysis in patients with residual renal function (KT/V = 1 for a median period of 9 months.

Single image super resolution algorithm based on edge interpolation in NSCT domain

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Mengqun; Zhang, Wei; He, Xinyu

2017-11-01

In order to preserve the texture and edge information and to improve the space resolution of single frame, a superresolution algorithm based on Contourlet (NSCT) is proposed. The original low resolution image is transformed by NSCT, and the directional sub-band coefficients of the transform domain are obtained. According to the scale factor, the high frequency sub-band coefficients are amplified by the interpolation method based on the edge direction to the desired resolution. For high frequency sub-band coefficients with noise and weak targets, Bayesian shrinkage is used to calculate the threshold value. The coefficients below the threshold are determined by the correlation among the sub-bands of the same scale to determine whether it is noise and de-noising. The anisotropic diffusion filter is used to effectively enhance the weak target in the low contrast region of the target and background. Finally, the high-frequency sub-band is amplified by the bilinear interpolation method to the desired resolution, and then combined with the high-frequency subband coefficients after de-noising and small target enhancement, the NSCT inverse transform is used to obtain the desired resolution image. In order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, the proposed algorithm and several common image reconstruction methods are used to test the synthetic image, motion blurred image and hyperspectral image, the experimental results show that compared with the traditional single resolution algorithm, the proposed algorithm can obtain smooth edges and good texture features, and the reconstructed image structure is well preserved and the noise is suppressed to some extent.

Detecting single-abasic residues within a DNA strand immobilized in a biological nanopore using an integrated CMOS sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jungsuk; Maitra, Raj D; Pedrotti, Ken; Dunbar, William B

2013-02-01

In this paper, we demonstrate the application of a novel current-measuring sensor (CMS) customized for nanopore applications. The low-noise CMS is fabricated in a 0.35μm CMOS process and is implemented in experiments involving DNA captured in an α-hemolysin (α-HL) nanopore. Specifically, the CMS is used to build a current amplitude map as a function of varying positions of a single-abasic residue within a homopolymer cytosine single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) that is captured and held in the pore. Each ssDNA is immobilized using a biotin-streptavidin linkage. Five different DNA templates are measured and compared: one all-cytosine ssDNA, and four with a single-abasic residue substitution that resides in or near the ~1.5nm aperture of the α-HL channel when the strand is immobilized. The CMOS CMS is shown to resolves the ~5Å displacements of the abasic residue within the varying templates. The demonstration represents an advance in application-specific circuitry that is optimized for small-footprint nanopore applications, including genomic sequencing.

Residual Stress State in Single-Edge Notched Tension Specimen Caused by the Local Compression Technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huang Yifan

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Three-dimensional (3D finite element analyses (FEA are performed to simulate the local compression (LC technique on the clamped single-edge notched tension (SE(T specimens. The analysis includes three types of indenters, which are single pair of cylinder indenters (SPCI, double pairs of cylinder indenters (DPCI and single pair of ring indenters (SPRI. The distribution of the residual stress in the crack opening direction in the uncracked ligament of the specimen is evaluated. The outcome of this study can facilitate the use of LC technique on SE(T specimens.

Effect of the Protection of the Residual Aminopropyl Groups of a Chiral Stationary Phase Based on (+)-(18-Crown-6)-2,3,11,12-tetracarboxylic Acid on the Chiral Resolution Behaviors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hyun, Myung Ho; Kim, Young Hwa; Cho, Yoon Jae

2004-01-01

The protection of the unreacted residual aminopropyl groups of CSP 2 was found to improve the retention and the resolution factors for the resolution of racemic compounds containing a primary amino group. However, the size of the protecting acyl group should not be too bulky. As a protecting acyl group, acetyl or butyryl group seems to be good enough for the improved retention and the improved resolution. However, the separation factors were found to decrease slightly when the unreacted residual aminopropyl groups of the CSP are protected by an acyl group.

Effect of the Protection of the Residual Aminopropyl Groups of a Chiral Stationary Phase Based on (+)-(18-Crown-6)-2,3,11,12-tetracarboxylic Acid on the Chiral Resolution Behaviors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hyun, Myung Ho; Kim, Young Hwa; Cho, Yoon Jae [Pusan National University, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

2004-03-15

The protection of the unreacted residual aminopropyl groups of CSP 2 was found to improve the retention and the resolution factors for the resolution of racemic compounds containing a primary amino group. However, the size of the protecting acyl group should not be too bulky. As a protecting acyl group, acetyl or butyryl group seems to be good enough for the improved retention and the improved resolution. However, the separation factors were found to decrease slightly when the unreacted residual aminopropyl groups of the CSP are protected by an acyl group.

The effects of machine parameters on residual stress determined using micro-Raman spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sparks, R.G.; Enloe, W.S.; Paesler, M.A.

1988-12-01

The effects of machine parameters on residual stresses in single point diamond turned silicon and germanium have been investigated using micro-Raman spectroscopy. Residual stresses were sampled across ductile feed cuts in < 100 > silicon and germanium which were single point diamond turned using a variety of feed rates, rake angles and clearance angles. High spatial resolution micro-Raman spectra (1{mu}m spot) were obtained in regions of ductile cutting where no visible surface damage was present. The use of both 514-5nm and 488.0nm excitation wavelengths, by virtue of their differing characteristic penetration depths in the materials, allowed determinations of stress profiles as a function of depth into the sample. Previous discussions have demonstrated that such Raman spectra will exhibit asymmetrically broadened peaks which are characteristic of the superposition of a continuum of Raman scatterers from the various depths probed. Depth profiles of residual stress were obtained using computer deconvolution of the resulting asymmetrically broadened raman spectra.

Spectrally Resolved and Functional Super-resolution Microscopy via Ultrahigh-Throughput Single-Molecule Spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Rui; Moon, Seonah; Kenny, Samuel J; Xu, Ke

2018-03-20

As an elegant integration of the spatial and temporal dimensions of single-molecule fluorescence, single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) overcomes the diffraction-limited resolution barrier of optical microscopy by localizing single molecules that stochastically switch between fluorescent and dark states over time. While this type of super-resolution microscopy (SRM) technique readily achieves remarkable spatial resolutions of ∼10 nm, it typically provides no spectral information. Meanwhile, current scanning-based single-location approaches for mapping the positions and spectra of single molecules are limited by low throughput and are difficult to apply to densely labeled (bio)samples. In this Account, we summarize the rationale, design, and results of our recent efforts toward the integration of the spectral dimension of single-molecule fluorescence with SMLM to achieve spectrally resolved SMLM (SR-SMLM) and functional SRM ( f-SRM). By developing a wide-field scheme for spectral measurement and implementing single-molecule fluorescence on-off switching typical of SMLM, we first showed that in densely labeled (bio)samples it is possible to record the fluorescence spectra and positions of millions of single molecules synchronously within minutes, giving rise to ultrahigh-throughput single-molecule spectroscopy and SR-SMLM. This allowed us to first show statistically that for many dyes, single molecules of the same species exhibit near identical emission in fixed cells. This narrow distribution of emission wavelengths, which contrasts markedly with previous results at solid surfaces, allowed us to unambiguously identify single molecules of spectrally similar dyes. Crosstalk-free, multiplexed SRM was thus achieved for four dyes that were merely 10 nm apart in emission spectrum, with the three-dimensional SRM images of all four dyes being automatically aligned within one image channel. The ability to incorporate single-molecule fluorescence measurement with

3D high- and super-resolution imaging using single-objective SPIM.

Science.gov (United States)

Galland, Remi; Grenci, Gianluca; Aravind, Ajay; Viasnoff, Virgile; Studer, Vincent; Sibarita, Jean-Baptiste

2015-07-01

Single-objective selective-plane illumination microscopy (soSPIM) is achieved with micromirrored cavities combined with a laser beam-steering unit installed on a standard inverted microscope. The illumination and detection are done through the same objective. soSPIM can be used with standard sample preparations and features high background rejection and efficient photon collection, allowing for 3D single-molecule-based super-resolution imaging of whole cells or cell aggregates. Using larger mirrors enabled us to broaden the capabilities of our system to image Drosophila embryos.

Single-shot 35 fs temporal resolution electron shadowgraphy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scoby, C. M.; Li, R. K.; Threlkeld, E.; To, H.; Musumeci, P. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095 (United States)

2013-01-14

We obtain single-shot time-resolved shadowgraph images of the electromagnetic fields resulting from the interaction of a high intensity ultrashort laser pulse with a metal surface. Using a high brightness relativistic electron beam and a high streaking speed radiofrequency deflector, we report <35 fs temporal resolution enabling a direct visualization of the retarded-time dominated field evolution which follows the laser-induced charge emission. A model including the finite signal propagation speed well reproduces the data and yields measurements of fundamental parameters in short pulse laser-matter interaction such as the amount of emitted charge and the emission time scale.

Single-shot 35 fs temporal resolution electron shadowgraphy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scoby, C. M.; Li, R. K.; Threlkeld, E.; To, H.; Musumeci, P.

2013-01-01

We obtain single-shot time-resolved shadowgraph images of the electromagnetic fields resulting from the interaction of a high intensity ultrashort laser pulse with a metal surface. Using a high brightness relativistic electron beam and a high streaking speed radiofrequency deflector, we report <35 fs temporal resolution enabling a direct visualization of the retarded-time dominated field evolution which follows the laser-induced charge emission. A model including the finite signal propagation speed well reproduces the data and yields measurements of fundamental parameters in short pulse laser-matter interaction such as the amount of emitted charge and the emission time scale.

A Development of Advanced Rigorous 2 Step System for the High Resolution Residual Dose Evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Do Hyun; Kim, Jong Woo; Kim, Jea Hyun; Lee, Jae Yong; Shin, Chang Ho [Hanyang Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Song Hyun [Kyoto University, Sennan (Japan)

2016-10-15

In these days, an activation problem such as residual radiation is one of the important issues. The activated devices and structures can emit the residual radiation. Therefore, the activation should be properly analyzed to make a plan for design, operation, and decontamination of nuclear facilities. For activation calculation, Rigorous 2 Step (R2S) method is introduced as following strategy: (1) the particle transport calculation is performed for an object geometry to get particle spectra and total fluxes; (2) inventories of each cell are calculated by using flux information according to irradiation and decay history; (3) the residual gamma distribution was evaluated by transport code, if needed. This scheme is based on cell calculation of used geometry. In this method, the particle spectra and total fluxes are obtained by mesh tally for activation calculation. It is useful to reduce the effects of gradient flux information. Nevertheless, several limitations are known as follows: Firstly, high relative error of spectra, when lots of meshes were used; secondly, different flux information from spectrum of void in mesh-tally. To calculate high resolution residual dose, several method are developed such as R2Smesh and MCR2S unstructured mesh. The R2Smesh method products better efficiency for obtaining neutron spectra by using fine/coarse mesh. Also, the MCR2S unstructured mesh can effectively separate void spectrum. In this study, the AR2S system was developed to combine the features of those mesh based R2S method. To confirm the AR2S system, the simple activation problem was evaluated and compared with R2S method using same division. Those results have good agreement within 0.83 %. Therefore, it is expected that the AR2S system can properly estimate an activation problem.

Genetic interaction analysis of point mutations enables interrogation of gene function at a residue-level resolution

Science.gov (United States)

Braberg, Hannes; Moehle, Erica A.; Shales, Michael; Guthrie, Christine; Krogan, Nevan J.

2014-01-01

We have achieved a residue-level resolution of genetic interaction mapping – a technique that measures how the function of one gene is affected by the alteration of a second gene – by analyzing point mutations. Here, we describe how to interpret point mutant genetic interactions, and outline key applications for the approach, including interrogation of protein interaction interfaces and active sites, and examination of post-translational modifications. Genetic interaction analysis has proven effective for characterizing cellular processes; however, to date, systematic high-throughput genetic interaction screens have relied on gene deletions or knockdowns, which limits the resolution of gene function analysis and poses problems for multifunctional genes. Our point mutant approach addresses these issues, and further provides a tool for in vivo structure-function analysis that complements traditional biophysical methods. We also discuss the potential for genetic interaction mapping of point mutations in human cells and its application to personalized medicine. PMID:24842270

Characterization of Solids in Residual Wastes from Single-Shell Tanks at the Hanford Site, Washington, USA - 9277

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krupka, Kenneth M.; Cantrell, Kirk J.; Schaef, Herbert T.; Arey, Bruce W.; Heald, Steve M.; Deutsch, William J.; Lindberg, Michael J.

2009-01-01

Solid-phase characterization methods have been used in an ongoing study of residual wastes (i.e., waste remaining after final retrieval operations) from the underground single-shell storage tanks 241-C-103, 241-C-106, 241-C-202, 241-C-203, and 241-S-112 at the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Site in Washington State. The results of studies completed to date show significant variability in the compositions of those residual wastes and the compositions, morphologies, and crystallinities of the individual phases that make up these wastes. These differences undoubtedly result from the various waste types stored and transferred in and out each tank and the sluicing and retrieval operations used for waste retrieval. Our studies indicate that these residual wastes are chemically-complex assemblages of crystalline and amorphous solids that contain contaminants as discrete phases and/or co-precipitated within oxide phases. Depending on the specific tank, various solids (e.g., gibbsite; boehmite; dawsonite; cancrinite; Fe oxides such as hematite, goethite, and maghemite; rhodochrosite; lindbergite; whewellite; nitratine; and numerous amorphous or poorly crystalline phases) have been identified by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy in residual wastes studied to date. Our studies also show that contact of residual wastes with Ca(OH)2- and CaCO3-saturated aqueous solutions, which were used as surrogates for the compositions of pore-fluid leachants derived from young and aged cements respectively, may alter the compositions of solid phases present in the contacted wastes. Fe oxides/hydroxides have been identified in all residual wastes studied to date. They occur in these wastes as discrete particles, particles intergrown within a matrix of other phases, and surface coatings on other particles or particle aggregates. These Fe oxides/hydroxides typically contain trace concentrations of other transition metals, such Cr, Mn

A simple and rapid method for high-resolution visualization of single-ion tracks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masaaki Omichi

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Prompt determination of spatial points of single-ion tracks plays a key role in high-energy particle induced-cancer therapy and gene/plant mutations. In this study, a simple method for the high-resolution visualization of single-ion tracks without etching was developed through the use of polyacrylic acid (PAA-N, N’-methylene bisacrylamide (MBAAm blend films. One of the steps of the proposed method includes exposure of the irradiated films to water vapor for several minutes. Water vapor was found to promote the cross-linking reaction of PAA and MBAAm to form a bulky cross-linked structure; the ion-track scars were detectable at a nanometer scale by atomic force microscopy. This study demonstrated that each scar is easily distinguishable, and the amount of generated radicals of the ion tracks can be estimated by measuring the height of the scars, even in highly dense ion tracks. This method is suitable for the visualization of the penumbra region in a single-ion track with a high spatial resolution of 50 nm, which is sufficiently small to confirm that a single ion hits a cell nucleus with a size ranging between 5 and 20 μm.

A simple and rapid method for high-resolution visualization of single-ion tracks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Omichi, Masaaki [Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan); Center for Collaborative Research, Anan National College of Technology, Anan, Tokushima 774-0017 (Japan); Choi, Wookjin; Sakamaki, Daisuke; Seki, Shu, E-mail: seki@chem.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp [Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan); Tsukuda, Satoshi [Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8577 (Japan); Sugimoto, Masaki [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Takasaki Advanced Radiation Research Institute, Gunma, Gunma 370-1292 (Japan)

2014-11-15

Prompt determination of spatial points of single-ion tracks plays a key role in high-energy particle induced-cancer therapy and gene/plant mutations. In this study, a simple method for the high-resolution visualization of single-ion tracks without etching was developed through the use of polyacrylic acid (PAA)-N, N’-methylene bisacrylamide (MBAAm) blend films. One of the steps of the proposed method includes exposure of the irradiated films to water vapor for several minutes. Water vapor was found to promote the cross-linking reaction of PAA and MBAAm to form a bulky cross-linked structure; the ion-track scars were detectable at a nanometer scale by atomic force microscopy. This study demonstrated that each scar is easily distinguishable, and the amount of generated radicals of the ion tracks can be estimated by measuring the height of the scars, even in highly dense ion tracks. This method is suitable for the visualization of the penumbra region in a single-ion track with a high spatial resolution of 50 nm, which is sufficiently small to confirm that a single ion hits a cell nucleus with a size ranging between 5 and 20 μm.

Determination of C10-chloroalkane residues in fish matrices by short column gas chromatography/electron capture negative ion low resolution mass spectrometry applying single pure and representative synthesised chlorodecanes as standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beaume, Florence; Coelhan, Mehmet; Parlar, Harun

2006-01-01

A new chlorodecane (CD) standard was developed consisting of five single compounds with 5-9 Cl-atoms, with which it was possible to determine chlorodecane residues in fish matrices from different countries using short column gas chromatography/electron capture negative ion low resolution mass spectrometry (SCGC/ECNI-LRMS). The concentrations found were between 4.8 and 30.2 ng/g fat. Pentachlorodecanes could not be detected in all samples. For an evaluation of the new CD-standard, the fish matrices were also quantified by several other polychlorinated decane (CP10) standards with different chlorine grade: 50, 55, 63.5, 65, and 70%. The concentrations found differed unsurprisingly considerable among the applied standards. Considering only these CP10:50-70% standards that showed the highest similarity in peak patterns with the fish samples, the differences in observed chlorodecane concentrations between these standards and the new CD-standard were low, varying only 1-16%. The CP10:50-70% standards were further quantified with the new CD-standard (chlorine content, 58.2%) with neglectable observed differences to the CP10:60, 63.5, and 65% standards. Highest differences were observed to the CP10:50, 55, and 70% standards. By this work, the quantification of eco-toxicologically relevant C10-chloroparaffins using the new CD-standard has led to reproducible and reliable results, which indicates further that these compounds are still a concerning class of substances in environmental fish samples

Single base-resolution methylome of the silkworm reveals a sparse epigenomic map

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xiang, Hui; Zhu, Jingde; Chen, Quan

2010-01-01

Epigenetic regulation in insects may have effects on diverse biological processes. Here we survey the methylome of a model insect, the silkworm Bombyx mori, at single-base resolution using Illumina high-throughput bisulfite sequencing (MethylC-Seq). We conservatively estimate that 0.11% of genomi...

Residual stress characterization of steel TIG welds by neutron diffraction and by residual magnetic stray field mappings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stegemann, Robert, E-mail: Robert.Stegemann@bam.de [Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), Unter den Eichen 87, 12200 Berlin (Germany); Cabeza, Sandra; Lyamkin, Viktor; Bruno, Giovanni; Pittner, Andreas [Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), Unter den Eichen 87, 12200 Berlin (Germany); Wimpory, Robert; Boin, Mirko [HZB Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin (Germany); Kreutzbruck, Marc [Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), Unter den Eichen 87, 12200 Berlin (Germany); IKT, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 32, 70569 Stuttgart (Germany)

2017-03-15

The residual stress distribution of tungsten inert gas welded S235JRC+C plates was determined by means of neutron diffraction (ND). Large longitudinal residual stresses with maxima around 600 MPa were found. With these results as reference, the evaluation of residual stress with high spatial resolution GMR (giant magneto resistance) sensors was discussed. The experiments performed indicate a correlation between changes in residual stresses (ND) and the normal component of local residual magnetic stray fields (GMR). Spatial variations in the magnetic field strength perpendicular to the welds are in the order of the magnetic field of the earth. - Highlights: • Comparison of magnetic microstructure with neutron diffraction stress analysis. • High spatial resolution magnetic stray field images of hypereutectoid TIG welds. • Spatial variations of the stray fields are below the magnetic field of the earth. • GMR spin valve gradiometer arrays adapted for the evaluation of magnetic microstructures. • Magnetic stray fields are closely linked to microstructure of the material.

Optimized multiple linear mappings for single image super-resolution

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Kaibing; Li, Jie; Xiong, Zenggang; Liu, Xiuping; Gao, Xinbo

2017-12-01

Learning piecewise linear regression has been recognized as an effective way for example learning-based single image super-resolution (SR) in literature. In this paper, we employ an expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm to further improve the SR performance of our previous multiple linear mappings (MLM) based SR method. In the training stage, the proposed method starts with a set of linear regressors obtained by the MLM-based method, and then jointly optimizes the clustering results and the low- and high-resolution subdictionary pairs for regression functions by using the metric of the reconstruction errors. In the test stage, we select the optimal regressor for SR reconstruction by accumulating the reconstruction errors of m-nearest neighbors in the training set. Thorough experimental results carried on six publicly available datasets demonstrate that the proposed SR method can yield high-quality images with finer details and sharper edges in terms of both quantitative and perceptual image quality assessments.

Residual toxicity in hematopoietic cells following a single dose of methylnitrosourea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inoue, T.; Cronkite, E.P.; Commerford, S.L.; Carsten, A.L.

1984-01-01

The residual injury to the proliferation capability of hemopoietic stem cells (CFU-S) which results from their exposure to leukemogenic agents was evaluated in mice given a single leukemogenic dose of methol nitrosourea. Bone marrow cellularity, splenic weight, number of CFU-S and the proportion of cycling to noncycling CFU-S were measured in an effort to detect acute and residual injury to the CFU-S from mice given MNU 21 and 3 days earlier. Marrow cells were also transferred into lethally irradiated mice to observe the self-renewal capability of the CFU-S in the recipient spleen and bone marrow. The results of these measurements show that the CFU-S in marrow from mice given 50 mg/kg of MNU 21 days earlier still have a defective ability for self-renewal, although the total cellularity, number of CFU-S and proportion of cycling and noncycling CFU-S in the donor have returned to the normal range. The relationship of this self-renewal defect to the development of leukemia after this leukemogenic dose of MNU is not known. 21 references, 9 figures, 3 tables.

Residual strain evolution during the deformation of single fiber metal matrix composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hanan, J.C.; Uestuendag, E.; Clausen, B. [Dept. of Materials Science, California Inst. of Tech., Pasadena, CA (United States); Sivasambu, M.; Beyerlein, I.J. [Theoretical Div., Los Alamos National Lab., Los Alamos, NM (United States); Brown, D.W.; Bourke, M.A.M. [Materials Science and Technology Div., Los Alamos National Lab., Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2002-07-01

Successful application of metal matrix composites often requires strength and lifetime predictions that account for the deformation of each phase. Yet, the deformation of individual phases in composites usually differs significantly from their respective monolithic behaviors. An approach is presented that quantifies the deformation parameters of each phase using neutron diffraction measurements before, during, and after failure under tensile loading in model composites consisting of a single alumina fiber embedded in an aluminum matrix. The evolution of residual strains after loading was examined including the effects of fiber failure. (orig.)

Single Image Super-Resolution Based on Multi-Scale Competitive Convolutional Neural Network.

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Xiaofeng; Qu, Xiaobo; He, Yifan; Guo, Di

2018-03-06

Deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are successful in single-image super-resolution. Traditional CNNs are limited to exploit multi-scale contextual information for image reconstruction due to the fixed convolutional kernel in their building modules. To restore various scales of image details, we enhance the multi-scale inference capability of CNNs by introducing competition among multi-scale convolutional filters, and build up a shallow network under limited computational resources. The proposed network has the following two advantages: (1) the multi-scale convolutional kernel provides the multi-context for image super-resolution, and (2) the maximum competitive strategy adaptively chooses the optimal scale of information for image reconstruction. Our experimental results on image super-resolution show that the performance of the proposed network outperforms the state-of-the-art methods.

A Three-Dimensional Target Depth-Resolution Method with a Single-Vector Sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Anbang; Bi, Xuejie; Hui, Juan; Zeng, Caigao; Ma, Lin

2018-04-12

This paper mainly studies and verifies the target number category-resolution method in multi-target cases and the target depth-resolution method of aerial targets. Firstly, target depth resolution is performed by using the sign distribution of the reactive component of the vertical complex acoustic intensity; the target category and the number resolution in multi-target cases is realized with a combination of the bearing-time recording information; and the corresponding simulation verification is carried out. The algorithm proposed in this paper can distinguish between the single-target multi-line spectrum case and the multi-target multi-line spectrum case. This paper presents an improved azimuth-estimation method for multi-target cases, which makes the estimation results more accurate. Using the Monte Carlo simulation, the feasibility of the proposed target number and category-resolution algorithm in multi-target cases is verified. In addition, by studying the field characteristics of the aerial and surface targets, the simulation results verify that there is only amplitude difference between the aerial target field and the surface target field under the same environmental parameters, and an aerial target can be treated as a special case of a surface target; the aerial target category resolution can then be realized based on the sign distribution of the reactive component of the vertical acoustic intensity so as to realize three-dimensional target depth resolution. By processing data from a sea experiment, the feasibility of the proposed aerial target three-dimensional depth-resolution algorithm is verified.

Single Image Super Resolution via Sparse Reconstruction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kruithof, M.C.; Eekeren, A.W.M. van; Dijk, J.; Schutte, K.

2012-01-01

High resolution sensors are required for recognition purposes. Low resolution sensors, however, are still widely used. Software can be used to increase the resolution of such sensors. One way of increasing the resolution of the images produced is using multi-frame super resolution algorithms.

Wide-Scope Screening Method for Multiclass Veterinary Drug Residues in Fish, Shrimp, and Eel Using Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Turnipseed, Sherri B; Storey, Joseph M; Lohne, Jack J; Andersen, Wendy C; Burger, Robert; Johnson, Aaron S; Madson, Mark R

2017-08-30

A screening method for veterinary drug residues in fish, shrimp, and eel using LC with a high-resolution MS instrument has been developed and validated. The method was optimized for over 70 test compounds representing a variety of veterinary drug classes. Tissues were extracted by vortex mixing with acetonitrile acidified with 2% acetic acid and 0.2% p-toluenesulfonic acid. A centrifuged portion of the extract was passed through a novel solid phase extraction cartridge designed to remove interfering matrix components from tissue extracts. The eluent was then evaporated and reconstituted for analysis. Data were collected with a quadrupole-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometer using both nontargeted and targeted acquisition methods. Residues were detected on the basis of the exact mass of the precursor and a product ion along with isotope pattern and retention time matching. Semiquantitative data analysis compared MS 1 signal to a one-point extracted matrix standard at a target testing level. The test compounds were detected and identified in salmon, tilapia, catfish, shrimp, and eel extracts fortified at the target testing levels. Fish dosed with selected analytes and aquaculture samples previously found to contain residues were also analyzed. The screening method can be expanded to monitor for an additional >260 veterinary drugs on the basis of exact mass measurements and retention times.

Machine Learning Based Single-Frame Super-Resolution Processing for Lensless Blood Cell Counting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiwei Huang

2016-11-01

Full Text Available A lensless blood cell counting system integrating microfluidic channel and a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS image sensor is a promising technique to miniaturize the conventional optical lens based imaging system for point-of-care testing (POCT. However, such a system has limited resolution, making it imperative to improve resolution from the system-level using super-resolution (SR processing. Yet, how to improve resolution towards better cell detection and recognition with low cost of processing resources and without degrading system throughput is still a challenge. In this article, two machine learning based single-frame SR processing types are proposed and compared for lensless blood cell counting, namely the Extreme Learning Machine based SR (ELMSR and Convolutional Neural Network based SR (CNNSR. Moreover, lensless blood cell counting prototypes using commercial CMOS image sensors and custom designed backside-illuminated CMOS image sensors are demonstrated with ELMSR and CNNSR. When one captured low-resolution lensless cell image is input, an improved high-resolution cell image will be output. The experimental results show that the cell resolution is improved by 4×, and CNNSR has 9.5% improvement over the ELMSR on resolution enhancing performance. The cell counting results also match well with a commercial flow cytometer. Such ELMSR and CNNSR therefore have the potential for efficient resolution improvement in lensless blood cell counting systems towards POCT applications.

Tilted Light Sheet Microscopy with 3D Point Spread Functions for Single-Molecule Super-Resolution Imaging in Mammalian Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Gustavsson, Anna-Karin; Petrov, Petar N; Lee, Maurice Y; Shechtman, Yoav; Moerner, W E

2018-02-01

To obtain a complete picture of subcellular nanostructures, cells must be imaged with high resolution in all three dimensions (3D). Here, we present tilted light sheet microscopy with 3D point spread functions (TILT3D), an imaging platform that combines a novel, tilted light sheet illumination strategy with engineered long axial range point spread functions (PSFs) for low-background, 3D super localization of single molecules as well as 3D super-resolution imaging in thick cells. TILT3D is built upon a standard inverted microscope and has minimal custom parts. The axial positions of the single molecules are encoded in the shape of the PSF rather than in the position or thickness of the light sheet, and the light sheet can therefore be formed using simple optics. The result is flexible and user-friendly 3D super-resolution imaging with tens of nm localization precision throughout thick mammalian cells. We validated TILT3D for 3D super-resolution imaging in mammalian cells by imaging mitochondria and the full nuclear lamina using the double-helix PSF for single-molecule detection and the recently developed Tetrapod PSF for fiducial bead tracking and live axial drift correction. We envision TILT3D to become an important tool not only for 3D super-resolution imaging, but also for live whole-cell single-particle and single-molecule tracking.

Correlation Between the Microstructural Defects and Residual Stress in a Single Crystal Nickel-Based Superalloy During Different Creep Stages

Science.gov (United States)

Mo, Fangjie; Wu, Erdong; Zhang, Changsheng; Wang, Hong; Zhong, Zhengye; Zhang, Jian; Chen, Bo; Hofmann, Michael; Gan, Weimin; Sun, Guangai

2018-03-01

The present work attempts to reveal the correlation between the microstructural defects and residual stress in the single crystal nickel-based superalloy, both of which play the significant role on properties and performance. Neutron diffraction was employed to investigate the microstructural defects and residual stresses in a single crystal (SC) nickel-based superalloy, which was subjected to creeping under 220 MPa and 1000 °C for different times. The measured superlattice and fundamental lattice reflections confirm that the mismatch and tetragonal distortions with c/a > 1 exist in the SC superalloy. At the initially unstrained state, there exists the angular distortion between γ and γ' phases with small triaxial compressive stresses, ensuring the structural stability of the superalloy. After creeping, the tetragonal distortion for the γ phase is larger than that for the γ' phase. With increasing the creeping time, the mismatch between γ and γ' phases increases to the maximum, then decreases gradually and finally remains unchanged. The macroscopic residual stress shows a similar behavior with the mismatch, indicating the correlation between them. Based on the model of shear and dislocations, the evolution of microstructural defects and residual stress are reasonably explained. The effect of shear is dominant at the primary creep stage, which greatly enlarges the mismatch and the residual stress. The dislocations weaken the effect of shear for the further creep stage, resulting in the decrease of the mismatch and relaxation of the residual stress. Those findings add some helpful understanding into the microstructure-performance relationship in the SC nickel-based superalloy, which might provide the insight to materials design and applications.

Contaminant Release from Residual Waste in Single Shell Tanks at the Hanford Site, Washington, USA - 9276

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cantrell, Kirk J.; Krupka, Kenneth M.; Deutsch, William J.; Lindberg, Michael J.

2009-01-01

Determinations of elemental and solid-phase compositions, and contaminant release studies have been applied in an ongoing study of residual tank wastes (i.e., waste remaining after final retrieval operations) from five of 149 underground single-shell storage tanks (241-C-103, 241-C-106, 241-C-202, 241-C-203, and 241-S-112) at the U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford Site in Washington State. This work is being conducted to support performance assessments that will be required to evaluate long-term health and safety risks associated with tank site closure. The results of studies completed to date show significant variability in the compositions, solid phase properties, and contaminant release characteristics from these residual tank wastes. This variability is the result of differences in waste chemistry/composition of wastes produced from several different spent fuel reprocessing schemes, subsequent waste reprocessing to remove certain target constituents, tank farm operations that concentrated wastes and mixed wastes between tanks, and differences in retrieval processes used to remove the wastes from the tanks. Release models were developed based upon results of chemical characterization of the bulk residual waste, solid-phase characterization (see companion paper 9277 by Krupka et al.), leaching and extraction experiments, and geochemical modeling. In most cases empirical release models were required to describe contaminant release from these wastes. Release of contaminants from residual waste was frequently found to be controlled by the solubility of phases that could not be identified and/or for which thermodynamic data and/or dissolution rates have not been measured. For example, significant fractions of Tc-99, I-129, and Cr appear to be coprecipitated at trace concentrations in metal oxide phases that could not be identified unambiguously. In the case of U release from tank 241-C-103 residual waste, geochemical calculations indicated that leachate

High-resolution noise substitution to measure overfitting and validate resolution in 3D structure determination by single particle electron cryomicroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Shaoxia; McMullan, Greg; Faruqi, Abdul R.; Murshudov, Garib N.; Short, Judith M.; Scheres, Sjors H.W.; Henderson, Richard

2013-01-01

Three-dimensional (3D) structure determination by single particle electron cryomicroscopy (cryoEM) involves the calculation of an initial 3D model, followed by extensive iterative improvement of the orientation determination of the individual particle images and the resulting 3D map. Because there is much more noise than signal at high resolution in the images, this creates the possibility of noise reinforcement in the 3D map, which can give a false impression of the resolution attained. The balance between signal and noise in the final map at its limiting resolution depends on the image processing procedure and is not easily predicted. There is a growing awareness in the cryoEM community of how to avoid such over-fitting and over-estimation of resolution. Equally, there has been a reluctance to use the two principal methods of avoidance because they give lower resolution estimates, which some people believe are too pessimistic. Here we describe a simple test that is compatible with any image processing protocol. The test allows measurement of the amount of signal and the amount of noise from overfitting that is present in the final 3D map. We have applied the method to two different sets of cryoEM images of the enzyme beta-galactosidase using several image processing packages. Our procedure involves substituting the Fourier components of the initial particle image stack beyond a chosen resolution by either the Fourier components from an adjacent area of background, or by simple randomisation of the phases of the particle structure factors. This substituted noise thus has the same spectral power distribution as the original data. Comparison of the Fourier Shell Correlation (FSC) plots from the 3D map obtained using the experimental data with that from the same data with high-resolution noise (HR-noise) substituted allows an unambiguous measurement of the amount of overfitting and an accompanying resolution assessment. A simple formula can be used to calculate an

High-resolution noise substitution to measure overfitting and validate resolution in 3D structure determination by single particle electron cryomicroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Shaoxia; McMullan, Greg; Faruqi, Abdul R.; Murshudov, Garib N.; Short, Judith M.; Scheres, Sjors H.W.; Henderson, Richard, E-mail: rh15@mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk

2013-12-15

Three-dimensional (3D) structure determination by single particle electron cryomicroscopy (cryoEM) involves the calculation of an initial 3D model, followed by extensive iterative improvement of the orientation determination of the individual particle images and the resulting 3D map. Because there is much more noise than signal at high resolution in the images, this creates the possibility of noise reinforcement in the 3D map, which can give a false impression of the resolution attained. The balance between signal and noise in the final map at its limiting resolution depends on the image processing procedure and is not easily predicted. There is a growing awareness in the cryoEM community of how to avoid such over-fitting and over-estimation of resolution. Equally, there has been a reluctance to use the two principal methods of avoidance because they give lower resolution estimates, which some people believe are too pessimistic. Here we describe a simple test that is compatible with any image processing protocol. The test allows measurement of the amount of signal and the amount of noise from overfitting that is present in the final 3D map. We have applied the method to two different sets of cryoEM images of the enzyme beta-galactosidase using several image processing packages. Our procedure involves substituting the Fourier components of the initial particle image stack beyond a chosen resolution by either the Fourier components from an adjacent area of background, or by simple randomisation of the phases of the particle structure factors. This substituted noise thus has the same spectral power distribution as the original data. Comparison of the Fourier Shell Correlation (FSC) plots from the 3D map obtained using the experimental data with that from the same data with high-resolution noise (HR-noise) substituted allows an unambiguous measurement of the amount of overfitting and an accompanying resolution assessment. A simple formula can be used to calculate an

Single-acquisition method for simultaneous determination of extrinsic gamma-camera sensitivity and spatial resolution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santos, J.A.M. [Servico de Fisica Medica, Instituto Portugues de Oncologia Francisco Gentil do Porto, E.P.E., Rua Dr. Antonio Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072 Porto (Portugal)], E-mail: a.miranda@portugalmail.pt; Sarmento, S. [Servico de Fisica Medica, Instituto Portugues de Oncologia Francisco Gentil do Porto, E.P.E., Rua Dr. Antonio Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072 Porto (Portugal); Alves, P.; Torres, M.C. [Departamento de Fisica da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal); Bastos, A.L. [Servico de Medicina Nuclear, Instituto Portugues de Oncologia Francisco Gentil do Porto, E.P.E., Rua Dr. Antonio Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072 Porto (Portugal); Ponte, F. [Servico de Fisica Medica, Instituto Portugues de Oncologia Francisco Gentil do Porto, E.P.E., Rua Dr. Antonio Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072 Porto (Portugal)

2008-01-15

A new method for measuring simultaneously both the extrinsic sensitivity and spatial resolution of a gamma-camera in a single planar acquisition was implemented. A dual-purpose phantom (SR phantom; sensitivity/resolution) was developed, tested and the results compared with other conventional methods used for separate determination of these two important image quality parameters. The SR phantom yielded reproducible and accurate results, allowing an immediate visual inspection of the spatial resolution as well as the quantitative determination of the contrast for six different spatial frequencies. It also proved to be useful in the estimation of the modulation transfer function (MTF) of the image formation collimator/detector system at six different frequencies and can be used to estimate the spatial resolution as function of the direction relative to the digital matrix of the detector.

Single-acquisition method for simultaneous determination of extrinsic gamma-camera sensitivity and spatial resolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos, J.A.M.; Sarmento, S.; Alves, P.; Torres, M.C.; Bastos, A.L.; Ponte, F.

2008-01-01

A new method for measuring simultaneously both the extrinsic sensitivity and spatial resolution of a gamma-camera in a single planar acquisition was implemented. A dual-purpose phantom (SR phantom; sensitivity/resolution) was developed, tested and the results compared with other conventional methods used for separate determination of these two important image quality parameters. The SR phantom yielded reproducible and accurate results, allowing an immediate visual inspection of the spatial resolution as well as the quantitative determination of the contrast for six different spatial frequencies. It also proved to be useful in the estimation of the modulation transfer function (MTF) of the image formation collimator/detector system at six different frequencies and can be used to estimate the spatial resolution as function of the direction relative to the digital matrix of the detector

Single image super-resolution via regularized extreme learning regression for imagery from microgrid polarimeters

Science.gov (United States)

Sargent, Garrett C.; Ratliff, Bradley M.; Asari, Vijayan K.

2017-08-01

The advantage of division of focal plane imaging polarimeters is their ability to obtain temporally synchronized intensity measurements across a scene; however, they sacrifice spatial resolution in doing so due to their spatially modulated arrangement of the pixel-to-pixel polarizers and often result in aliased imagery. Here, we propose a super-resolution method based upon two previously trained extreme learning machines (ELM) that attempt to recover missing high frequency and low frequency content beyond the spatial resolution of the sensor. This method yields a computationally fast and simple way of recovering lost high and low frequency content from demosaicing raw microgrid polarimetric imagery. The proposed method outperforms other state-of-the-art single-image super-resolution algorithms in terms of structural similarity and peak signal-to-noise ratio.

Residual stress characterization of steel TIG welds by neutron diffraction and by residual magnetic stray field mappings

Science.gov (United States)

Stegemann, Robert; Cabeza, Sandra; Lyamkin, Viktor; Bruno, Giovanni; Pittner, Andreas; Wimpory, Robert; Boin, Mirko; Kreutzbruck, Marc

2017-03-01

The residual stress distribution of tungsten inert gas welded S235JRC+C plates was determined by means of neutron diffraction (ND). Large longitudinal residual stresses with maxima around 600 MPa were found. With these results as reference, the evaluation of residual stress with high spatial resolution GMR (giant magneto resistance) sensors was discussed. The experiments performed indicate a correlation between changes in residual stresses (ND) and the normal component of local residual magnetic stray fields (GMR). Spatial variations in the magnetic field strength perpendicular to the welds are in the order of the magnetic field of the earth.

A single-cell resolution map of mouse hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell differentiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Nestorowa, Sonia; Hamey, Fiona K; Pijuan Sala, Blanca; Diamanti, Evangelia; Shepherd, Mairi; Laurenti, Elisa; Wilson, Nicola K; Kent, David G; Göttgens, Berthold

2016-08-25

Maintenance of the blood system requires balanced cell fate decisions by hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Because cell fate choices are executed at the individual cell level, new single-cell profiling technologies offer exciting possibilities for mapping the dynamic molecular changes underlying HSPC differentiation. Here, we have used single-cell RNA sequencing to profile more than 1600 single HSPCs, and deep sequencing has enabled detection of an average of 6558 protein-coding genes per cell. Index sorting, in combination with broad sorting gates, allowed us to retrospectively assign cells to 12 commonly sorted HSPC phenotypes while also capturing intermediate cells typically excluded by conventional gating. We further show that independently generated single-cell data sets can be projected onto the single-cell resolution expression map to directly compare data from multiple groups and to build and refine new hypotheses. Reconstruction of differentiation trajectories reveals dynamic expression changes associated with early lymphoid, erythroid, and granulocyte-macrophage differentiation. The latter two trajectories were characterized by common upregulation of cell cycle and oxidative phosphorylation transcriptional programs. By using external spike-in controls, we estimate absolute messenger RNA (mRNA) levels per cell, showing for the first time that despite a general reduction in total mRNA, a subset of genes shows higher expression levels in immature stem cells consistent with active maintenance of the stem-cell state. Finally, we report the development of an intuitive Web interface as a new community resource to permit visualization of gene expression in HSPCs at single-cell resolution for any gene of choice. © 2016 by The American Society of Hematology.

Calibration of high-resolution electronic autocollimators with demanded low uncertainties using single reading head angle encoders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yandayan, Tanfer; Akgoz, S Asli; Asar, Muharrem

2014-01-01

Calibration of high-resolution electronic autocollimators is carried out in TUBITAK UME using an angle comparator to ensure direct traceability to the SI unit of plane angle, radian (rad). The device is a specially designed air-bearing rotary table fitted with a commercially available angular encoder utilizing a single reading head. It is shown that high-resolution electronic autocollimators in the large measurement range (e.g. ±1000 arcsec) can be calibrated with an expanded uncertainty of 0.035 arcsec (k = 2) in conventional dimensional laboratory conditions, applying good measurement strategy for single reading head angle encoders and taking simple but smart precautions. Description of the angle comparator is presented with various test results derived using different high-precision autocollimators, and a detailed uncertainty budget is given for the calibration of a high-resolution electronic autocollimator. (paper)

ST-segment resolution with bivalirudin versus heparin and routine glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors started in the ambulance in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients transported for primary percutaneous coronary intervention: The EUROMAX ST-segment resolution substudy.

Science.gov (United States)

Van't Hof, Arnoud; Giannini, Francesco; Ten Berg, Jurrien; Tolsma, Rudolf; Clemmensen, Peter; Bernstein, Debra; Coste, Pierre; Goldstein, Patrick; Zeymer, Uwe; Hamm, Christian; Deliargyris, Efthymios; Steg, Philippe G

2017-08-01

Myocardial reperfusion after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) can be assessed by the extent of post-procedural ST-segment resolution. The European Ambulance Acute Coronary Syndrome Angiography (EUROMAX) trial compared pre-hospital bivalirudin and pre-hospital heparin or enoxaparin with or without GPIIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPIs) in primary PCI. This nested substudy was performed in centres routinely using pre-hospital GPI in order to compare the impact of randomized treatments on ST-resolution after primary PCI. Residual cumulative ST-segment deviation on the single one hour post-procedure electrocardiogram (ECG) was assessed by an independent core laboratory and was the primary endpoint. It was calculated that 762 evaluable patients were needed to show non-inferiority (85% power, alpha 2.5%) between randomized treatments. A total of 871 participated with electrocardiographic data available in 824 patients (95%). Residual ST-segment deviation one hour after PCI was 3.8±4.9 mm versus 3.9±5.2 mm for bivalirudin and heparin+GPI, respectively ( p=0.0019 for non-inferiority). Overall, there were no differences between randomized treatments in any measures of ST-segment resolution either before or after the index procedure. Pre-hospital treatment with bivalirudin is non-inferior to pre-hospital heparin + GPI with regard to residual ST-segment deviation or ST-segment resolution, reflecting comparable myocardial reperfusion with the two strategies.

Investigations of Residual Stresses and Mechanical Properties of Single Crystal Niobium for SRF Cavities

Science.gov (United States)

Gnäupel-Herold, Thomas; Myneni, Ganapati Rao; Ricker, Richard E.

2007-08-01

This work investigates properties of large grained, high purity niobium with respect to the forming of superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities from such large grained sheets. The yield stresses were examined using tensile specimens that were essentially single crystals in orientations evenly distributed in the standard projection triangle. No distinct yield anisotropy was found, however, vacuum annealing increased the yield strength by a factor 2…3. The deep drawing forming operation of the half cells raises the issues of elastic shape changes after the release of the forming tool (springback) and residual stresses, both of which are indicated to be negligible. This is a consequence of the low yield stress (sheet metal forming). However, the significant anisotropy of the transversal plastic strains after uniaxial deformation points to potentially critical thickness variations for large grained / single crystal half cells, thus raising the issue of controlling grain orientation or using single crystal sheet material.

Investigations of Residual Stresses and Mechanical Properties of Single Crystal Niobium for SRF Cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gnaeupel-Herold, Thomas; Myneni, Ganapati Rao; Ricker, Richard E.

2007-01-01

This work investigates properties of large grained, high purity niobium with respect to the forming of superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities from such large grained sheets. The yield stresses were examined using tensile specimens that were essentially single crystals in orientations evenly distributed in the standard projection triangle. No distinct yield anisotropy was found, however, vacuum annealing increased the yield strength by a factor 2...3. The deep drawing forming operation of the half cells raises the issues of elastic shape changes after the release of the forming tool (springback) and residual stresses, both of which are indicated to be negligible. This is a consequence of the low yield stress (< 100 MPa) and the large thickness (compared to typical thicknesses in sheet metal forming). However, the significant anisotropy of the transversal plastic strains after uniaxial deformation points to potentially critical thickness variations for large grained / single crystal half cells, thus raising the issue of controlling grain orientation or using single crystal sheet material

Vesícula residual

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Júlio C. U. Coelho

Full Text Available Our objective is to report three patients with recurrent severe upper abdominal pain secondary to residual gallbladder. All patients had been subjected to cholecystectomy from 1 to 20 years before. The diagnosis was established after several episodes of severe upper abdominal pain by imaging exams: ultrasonography, tomography, or endoscopic retrograde cholangiography. Removal of the residual gallbladder led to complete resolution of symptoms. Partial removal of the gallbladder is a very rare cause of postcholecystectomy symptoms.

Tilted light sheet microscopy with 3D point spread functions for single-molecule super-resolution imaging in mammalian cells

Science.gov (United States)

Gustavsson, Anna-Karin; Petrov, Petar N.; Lee, Maurice Y.; Shechtman, Yoav; Moerner, W. E.

2018-02-01

To obtain a complete picture of subcellular nanostructures, cells must be imaged with high resolution in all three dimensions (3D). Here, we present tilted light sheet microscopy with 3D point spread functions (TILT3D), an imaging platform that combines a novel, tilted light sheet illumination strategy with engineered long axial range point spread functions (PSFs) for low-background, 3D super localization of single molecules as well as 3D super-resolution imaging in thick cells. TILT3D is built upon a standard inverted microscope and has minimal custom parts. The axial positions of the single molecules are encoded in the shape of the PSF rather than in the position or thickness of the light sheet, and the light sheet can therefore be formed using simple optics. The result is flexible and user-friendly 3D super-resolution imaging with tens of nm localization precision throughout thick mammalian cells. We validated TILT3D for 3D superresolution imaging in mammalian cells by imaging mitochondria and the full nuclear lamina using the double-helix PSF for single-molecule detection and the recently developed Tetrapod PSF for fiducial bead tracking and live axial drift correction. We envision TILT3D to become an important tool not only for 3D super-resolution imaging, but also for live whole-cell single-particle and single-molecule tracking.

Detecting Single-Nucleotides by Tunneling Current Measurements at Sub-MHz Temporal Resolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Morikawa, Takanori; Yokota, Kazumichi; Tanimoto, Sachie; Tsutsui, Makusu; Taniguchi, Masateru

2017-04-18

Label-free detection of single-nucleotides was performed by fast tunneling current measurements in a polar solvent at 1 MHz sampling rate using SiO₂-protected Au nanoprobes. Short current spikes were observed, suggestive of trapping/detrapping of individual nucleotides between the nanoelectrodes. The fall and rise features of the electrical signatures indicated signal retardation by capacitance effects with a time constant of about 10 microseconds. The high temporal resolution revealed current fluctuations, reflecting the molecular conformation degrees of freedom in the electrode gap. The method presented in this work may enable direct characterizations of dynamic changes in single-molecule conformations in an electrode gap in liquid.

Bone-marrow densitometry: Assessment of marrow space of human vertebrae by single energy high resolution-quantitative computed tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peña, Jaime A.; Damm, Timo; Bastgen, Jan; Barkmann, Reinhard; Glüer, Claus C.; Thomsen, Felix; Campbell, Graeme M.

2016-01-01

Purpose: Accurate noninvasive assessment of vertebral bone marrow fat fraction is important for diagnostic assessment of a variety of disorders and therapies known to affect marrow composition. Moreover, it provides a means to correct fat-induced bias of single energy quantitative computed tomography (QCT) based bone mineral density (BMD) measurements. The authors developed new segmentation and calibration methods to obtain quantitative surrogate measures of marrow-fat density in the axial skeleton. Methods: The authors developed and tested two high resolution-QCT (HR-QCT) based methods which permit segmentation of bone voids in between trabeculae hypothesizing that they are representative of bone marrow space. The methods permit calculation of marrow content in units of mineral equivalent marrow density (MeMD). The first method is based on global thresholding and peeling (GTP) to define a volume of interest away from the transition between trabecular bone and marrow. The second method, morphological filtering (MF), uses spherical elements of different radii (0.1–1.2 mm) and automatically places them in between trabeculae to identify regions with large trabecular interspace, the bone-void space. To determine their performance, data were compared ex vivo to high-resolution peripheral CT (HR-pQCT) images as the gold-standard. The performance of the methods was tested on a set of excised human vertebrae with intact bone marrow tissue representative of an elderly population with low BMD. Results: 86% (GTP) and 87% (MF) of the voxels identified as true marrow space on HR-pQCT images were correctly identified on HR-QCT images and thus these volumes of interest can be considered to be representative of true marrow space. Within this volume, MeMD was estimated with residual errors of 4.8 mg/cm 3 corresponding to accuracy errors in fat fraction on the order of 5% both for GTP and MF methods. Conclusions: The GTP and MF methods on HR-QCT images permit noninvasive

Residual strains and microstructure development in single and sequential double sided friction stir welds in RQT-701 steel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barnes, S.J. [School of Materials, University of Manchester, Grosvenor Street, Manchester M1 7HS (United Kingdom)], E-mail: simon.barnes-2@manchester.ac.uk; Steuwer, A. [FaME38, ILL ESRF, 6 rue J.Horowitz, 38042 Grenoble, Cedex (France); University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA (United Kingdom); Mahawish, S. [School of Materials, University of Manchester, Grosvenor Street, Manchester M1 7HS (United Kingdom); Johnson, R. [TWI Yorkshire, Wallis Way, Catcliffe, Rotherham S60 5TZ (United Kingdom); Withers, P.J. [School of Materials, University of Manchester, Grosvenor Street, Manchester M1 7HS (United Kingdom)

2008-09-25

Single and double sided partial penetration friction stir butt welds, in a rolled, quenched and tempered steel (RQT-701), were produced at The Welding Institute (TWI) under controlled process conditions. The residual strain distributions in the longitudinal and transverse directions have been measured using energy dispersive synchrotron X-ray diffraction. The measured strains were indicative of longitudinal tensile residual stresses at levels greater than the 0.2% yield stress of the parent metal in both the single and double pass welds. In both cases, the maximum tensile strain was found in the parent metal at the boundary of the heat affected zone (HAZ). Microstructural analysis of the welds was carried out using optical microscopy and hardness variations were also mapped across the weld-plate cross-section. The maximum hardness was observed in the mixed bainite/martensite structure of the weld nugget on the advancing side of the stir zone. The minimum hardness was observed in the HAZ.

Residual strains and microstructure development in single and sequential double sided friction stir welds in RQT-701 steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnes, S.J.; Steuwer, A.; Mahawish, S.; Johnson, R.; Withers, P.J.

2008-01-01

Single and double sided partial penetration friction stir butt welds, in a rolled, quenched and tempered steel (RQT-701), were produced at The Welding Institute (TWI) under controlled process conditions. The residual strain distributions in the longitudinal and transverse directions have been measured using energy dispersive synchrotron X-ray diffraction. The measured strains were indicative of longitudinal tensile residual stresses at levels greater than the 0.2% yield stress of the parent metal in both the single and double pass welds. In both cases, the maximum tensile strain was found in the parent metal at the boundary of the heat affected zone (HAZ). Microstructural analysis of the welds was carried out using optical microscopy and hardness variations were also mapped across the weld-plate cross-section. The maximum hardness was observed in the mixed bainite/martensite structure of the weld nugget on the advancing side of the stir zone. The minimum hardness was observed in the HAZ

Temporal resolution and motion artifacts in single-source and dual-source cardiac CT.

Science.gov (United States)

Schöndube, Harald; Allmendinger, Thomas; Stierstorfer, Karl; Bruder, Herbert; Flohr, Thomas

2013-03-01

The temporal resolution of a given image in cardiac computed tomography (CT) has so far mostly been determined from the amount of CT data employed for the reconstruction of that image. The purpose of this paper is to examine the applicability of such measures to the newly introduced modality of dual-source CT as well as to methods aiming to provide improved temporal resolution by means of an advanced image reconstruction algorithm. To provide a solid base for the examinations described in this paper, an extensive review of temporal resolution in conventional single-source CT is given first. Two different measures for assessing temporal resolution with respect to the amount of data involved are introduced, namely, either taking the full width at half maximum of the respective data weighting function (FWHM-TR) or the total width of the weighting function (total TR) as a base of the assessment. Image reconstruction using both a direct fan-beam filtered backprojection with Parker weighting as well as using a parallel-beam rebinning step are considered. The theory of assessing temporal resolution by means of the data involved is then extended to dual-source CT. Finally, three different advanced iterative reconstruction methods that all use the same input data are compared with respect to the resulting motion artifact level. For brevity and simplicity, the examinations are limited to two-dimensional data acquisition and reconstruction. However, all results and conclusions presented in this paper are also directly applicable to both circular and helical cone-beam CT. While the concept of total TR can directly be applied to dual-source CT, the definition of the FWHM of a weighting function needs to be slightly extended to be applicable to this modality. The three different advanced iterative reconstruction methods examined in this paper result in significantly different images with respect to their motion artifact level, despite exactly the same amount of data being used

Temporal resolution and motion artifacts in single-source and dual-source cardiac CT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schöndube, Harald; Allmendinger, Thomas; Stierstorfer, Karl; Bruder, Herbert; Flohr, Thomas

2013-01-01

Purpose: The temporal resolution of a given image in cardiac computed tomography (CT) has so far mostly been determined from the amount of CT data employed for the reconstruction of that image. The purpose of this paper is to examine the applicability of such measures to the newly introduced modality of dual-source CT as well as to methods aiming to provide improved temporal resolution by means of an advanced image reconstruction algorithm. Methods: To provide a solid base for the examinations described in this paper, an extensive review of temporal resolution in conventional single-source CT is given first. Two different measures for assessing temporal resolution with respect to the amount of data involved are introduced, namely, either taking the full width at half maximum of the respective data weighting function (FWHM-TR) or the total width of the weighting function (total TR) as a base of the assessment. Image reconstruction using both a direct fan-beam filtered backprojection with Parker weighting as well as using a parallel-beam rebinning step are considered. The theory of assessing temporal resolution by means of the data involved is then extended to dual-source CT. Finally, three different advanced iterative reconstruction methods that all use the same input data are compared with respect to the resulting motion artifact level. For brevity and simplicity, the examinations are limited to two-dimensional data acquisition and reconstruction. However, all results and conclusions presented in this paper are also directly applicable to both circular and helical cone-beam CT. Results: While the concept of total TR can directly be applied to dual-source CT, the definition of the FWHM of a weighting function needs to be slightly extended to be applicable to this modality. The three different advanced iterative reconstruction methods examined in this paper result in significantly different images with respect to their motion artifact level, despite exactly the same

High resolution imaging of surface patterns of single bacterial cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greif, Dominik; Wesner, Daniel; Regtmeier, Jan; Anselmetti, Dario

2010-01-01

We systematically studied the origin of surface patterns observed on single Sinorhizobium meliloti bacterial cells by comparing the complementary techniques atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Conditions ranged from living bacteria in liquid to fixed bacteria in high vacuum. Stepwise, we applied different sample modifications (fixation, drying, metal coating, etc.) and characterized the observed surface patterns. A detailed analysis revealed that the surface structure with wrinkled protrusions in SEM images were not generated de novo but most likely evolved from similar and naturally present structures on the surface of living bacteria. The influence of osmotic stress to the surface structure of living cells was evaluated and also the contribution of exopolysaccharide and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) by imaging two mutant strains of the bacterium under native conditions. AFM images of living bacteria in culture medium exhibited surface structures of the size of single proteins emphasizing the usefulness of AFM for high resolution cell imaging.

A primary simulation for residual stress neutron diffractometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Shuying; Liu Lijuan; Sun Liangwei

2012-01-01

At present, neutron diffraction method is the unique and nondestructive method that can directly measure the residual stress distribution in deep materials and engineering components. It has an important application in engineering. A simulation of the flux at the position of the sample table was reported, and the resolution of the residual stress instrument was computed at the same time. The effect of the parameters of the second collimator on the flux at the sample position and the resolution of the instrument have been analyzed. The result indicated that the second collimator empress much on the neutron flux and the instrument resolution is well when the sample's diffraction angle is less than 120°. (authors)

Radio frequency phototube and optical clock: High resolution, high rate and highly stable single photon timing technique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Margaryan, Amur

2011-10-01

A new timing technique for single photons based on the radio frequency phototube and optical clock or femtosecond optical frequency comb generator is proposed. The technique has a 20 ps resolution for single photons, is capable of operating with MHz frequencies and achieving 10 fs instability level.

Residual Stress Studies Using the Cairo Fourier Diffractometer Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maayouf, R.M.A.; El-Shaer, Y.H.

2002-01-01

The present paper deals with residual stress studies using the Cairo Fourier diffractometer facility CFDF. The CFDF is a reverse - time of -flight (RTOF) diffractometer; applies a Fourier chopper. The measurements were performed for copper samples in order to study the residual stress after welding. The maximum modulation of the Fourier chopper during the measurements was 136 khz; leading to a time resolution half-width of about 7 μ s. It has been found from the present measurements that, the resulting diffraction spectra could be successfully used for studying the residual stress; in the wavelength range between 0.7-2.9 A degree at ∼ 0.45 % relative resolution

Systematic measurements of the gain and the energy resolution of single and double mask GEM detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Biswas, S.; Schmidt, D.J.; Abuhoza, A.; Frankenfeld, U.; Garabatos, C.; Hehner, J.; Kleipa, V.; Morhardt, T.; Schmidt, C.J.; Schmidt, H.R.; Wiechula, J.

2016-01-01

Systematic studies on the gain and the energy resolution have been carried out by varying the voltage across the GEM foils for both single mask and double mask triple GEM detector prototypes. Variation of the gain and the energy resolution has also been measured by varying either the drift voltage, transfer voltage and induction voltage keeping other voltages constant. The results of the systematic measurements have been presented.

Robust Single Image Super-Resolution via Deep Networks With Sparse Prior.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Ding; Wang, Zhaowen; Wen, Bihan; Yang, Jianchao; Han, Wei; Huang, Thomas S

2016-07-01

Single image super-resolution (SR) is an ill-posed problem, which tries to recover a high-resolution image from its low-resolution observation. To regularize the solution of the problem, previous methods have focused on designing good priors for natural images, such as sparse representation, or directly learning the priors from a large data set with models, such as deep neural networks. In this paper, we argue that domain expertise from the conventional sparse coding model can be combined with the key ingredients of deep learning to achieve further improved results. We demonstrate that a sparse coding model particularly designed for SR can be incarnated as a neural network with the merit of end-to-end optimization over training data. The network has a cascaded structure, which boosts the SR performance for both fixed and incremental scaling factors. The proposed training and testing schemes can be extended for robust handling of images with additional degradation, such as noise and blurring. A subjective assessment is conducted and analyzed in order to thoroughly evaluate various SR techniques. Our proposed model is tested on a wide range of images, and it significantly outperforms the existing state-of-the-art methods for various scaling factors both quantitatively and perceptually.

J-Spectroscopy in the presence of residual dipolar couplings: determination of one-bond coupling constants and scalable resolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furrer, Julien; John, Michael; Kessler, Horst; Luy, Burkhard

2007-01-01

The access to weak alignment media has fuelled the development of methods for efficiently and accurately measuring residual dipolar couplings (RDCs) in NMR-spectroscopy. Among the wealth of approaches for determining one-bond scalar and RDC constants only J-modulated and J-evolved techniques retain maximum resolution in the presence of differential relaxation. In this article, a number of J-evolved experiments are examined with respect to the achievable minimum linewidth in the J-dimension, using the peptide PA 4 and the 80-amino-acid-protein Saposin C as model systems. With the JE-N-BIRD d,X -HSQC experiment, the average full-width at half height could be reduced to approximately 5 Hz for the protein, which allows the additional resolution of otherwise unresolved peaks by the active (J+D)-coupling. Since RDCs generally can be scaled by the choice of alignment medium and alignment strength, the technique introduced here provides an effective resort in cases when chemical shift differences alone are insufficient for discriminating signals. In favorable cases even secondary structure elements can be distinguished

Residual stress measurement with focused acoustic waves and direct comparison with X-ray diffraction stress measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sathish, Shamachary; Moran, Thomas J.; Martin, Richard W.; Reibel, Richard

2005-01-01

The technique of measuring small changes in acoustic wave velocity due to external or internal stress has been used for quantitative determination of residual stress in materials during the last decade. Application of similar methodology with focused acoustic waves leads to residual stress measurement with spatial resolution of a few millimeters to a few microns. The high spatial resolution residual stress measurement required development of new methodologies in both the design of acoustic lenses and the instrumentation for acoustic wave velocity determination. This paper presents two new methodologies developed for the measurement of residual stress with spatial resolution of a few millimeters. The design of new type of acoustic lens for achieving higher spatial resolution in residual stress measurement is introduced. Development of instrumentation for high precision local surface wave velocity measurement will be presented. Residual stresses measured around a crack tip in a sample of Ti-6A1-4V using a focused beam will be compared with X-ray diffraction measurements performed on the same region of the sample. Results of residual stress measurements along a direction perpendicular to the electron beam weld in a sample of Ti-6A1-4V, determined using focused acoustic waves and X-ray diffraction technique, are also presented. The spatial resolution and penetration depth of X-rays and focused acoustic beams with reference to residual stress measurements are discussed

Modification of a single tryptophan residue in human Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase by peroxynitrite in the presence of bicarbonate.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamakura, F; Matsumoto, T; Fujimura, T; Taka, H; Murayama, K; Imai, T; Uchida, K

2001-07-09

Human recombinant Cu,Zn-SOD was reacted with peroxynitrite in a reaction mixture containing 150 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) 25 mM sodium bicarbonate, and 0.1 mM diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid. Disappearance of fluorescence emission at 350 nm, which could be attributed to modification of a single tryptophan residue, was observed in the modified enzyme with a pH optimum of around 8.4. A fluorescence decrease with the same pH optimum was also observed without sodium bicarbonate, but with less efficiency. Amino acid contents of the modified enzyme showed no significant difference in all amino acids except the loss of a single tryptophan residue of the enzyme. The peroxynitrite-modified enzyme showed an increase in optical absorption around 350 nm and 30% reduced enzyme activity based on the copper contents. The modified enzyme showed the same electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum as that of the control enzyme. The modified Cu,Zn-SOD showed a single protein band in sodium dodecyl sulfate--polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS--PAGE) and five protein bands in non-denaturing PAGE. From this evidence, we conclude that nitration and/or oxidation of the single tryptophan 32 and partial inactivation of the enzyme activity of Cu,Zn-SOD is caused by a peroxynitrite-carbon dioxide adduct without perturbation of the active site copper integrity.

High resolution surface scanning of Thick-GEM for single photo-electron detection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamar, G.; Varga, D.

2012-01-01

An optical system for high resolution scanning of TGEM UV photon detection systems is introduced. The structure exploits the combination of a single Au-coated TGEM under study, and an asymmetric MWPC (Close Cathode Chamber) as post-amplification stage. A pulsed UV LED source with emission down to 240 nm has been focused to a spot of 0.07 mm on the TGEM surface, and single photo-electron charge spectra has been recorded over selected two dimensional regions. This way, the TGEM gain (order of 10–100) and TGEM photo-electron detection efficiency is clearly separated, unlike in case of continuous illumination. The surface structure connected to the TGEM photon detection is well observable, including inefficiencies in the holes and at the symmetry points between holes. The detection efficiency as well as the gas gain are fluctuating from hole to hole. The gain is constant in the hexagon around any hole, pointing to the fact that the gain depends on hole geometry, and less on the position where the electron enters. The detection probability map strongly changes with the field strength above the TGEM surface, in relation to the change of the actual surface field configuration. The results can be confronted with position-dependent simulations of TGEM electron transfer and gas multiplication. -- Highlights: ► First demonstration of Thick GEM surface scanning with single photo-electrons. ► Resolution of 0.1 mm is sufficient to identify structures connected to TGEM surface field structure. ► Gain and detection efficiency and separately measurable. ► Detection efficiency is high in a ring around the holes, and gain is constant in the hexagonal collection regions.

Low-cost, portable, robust and high-resolution single-camera stereo-DIC system and its application in high-temperature deformation measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Chi, Yuxi; Yu, Liping; Pan, Bing

2018-05-01

A low-cost, portable, robust and high-resolution single-camera stereo-digital image correlation (stereo-DIC) system for accurate surface three-dimensional (3D) shape and deformation measurements is described. This system adopts a single consumer-grade high-resolution digital Single Lens Reflex (SLR) camera and a four-mirror adaptor, rather than two synchronized industrial digital cameras, for stereo image acquisition. In addition, monochromatic blue light illumination and coupled bandpass filter imaging are integrated to ensure the robustness of the system against ambient light variations. In contrast to conventional binocular stereo-DIC systems, the developed pseudo-stereo-DIC system offers the advantages of low cost, portability, robustness against ambient light variations, and high resolution. The accuracy and precision of the developed single SLR camera-based stereo-DIC system were validated by measuring the 3D shape of a stationary sphere along with in-plane and out-of-plane displacements of a translated planar plate. Application of the established system to thermal deformation measurement of an alumina ceramic plate and a stainless-steel plate subjected to radiation heating was also demonstrated.

Imaging of dopamine transporters in rats using high-resolution pinhole single-photon emission tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Booij, Jan; Bruin, Kora de; Habraken, Jan B.A. [Department of Nuclear Medicine, F2N, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam (Netherlands); Voorn, Pieter [Department of Anatomy, Vrije Universiteit Medical Center, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

2002-09-01

To date, the vast majority of investigations on the dopaminergic system in small animals have been in vitro studies. In comparison with in vitro studies, single-photon emission tomography (SPET) or positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of the dopaminergic system in small animals has the advantage of permitting repeated studies within the same group of animals. Dopamine transporter imaging is a valuable non-invasive tool with which to investigate the integrity of dopaminergic neurons. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of assessing dopamine transporter density semi-quantitatively in rats using a recently developed high-resolution pinhole SPET system. This system was built exclusively for imaging of small animals. In this unique single-pinhole system, the animal rotates instead of the collimated detector. The system has proven to have a high spatial resolution. We performed SPET imaging with [{sup 123}I]FP-CIT to quantify striatal dopamine transporters in rat brain. In all seven studied control rats, symmetrical striatal binding to dopamine transporters was seen 2 h after injection of the radiotracer, with striatal-to-cerebellar binding ratios of approximately 3.5. In addition, test/retest variability of the striatal-to-cerebellar binding ratios was studied and found to be 14.5%. Finally, in unilaterally 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats, striatal binding was only visible on the non-lesioned side. Quantitative analysis revealed that striatal-to-cerebellar SPET ratios were significantly lower on the lesioned (mean binding ratio 2.2{+-}0.2) than on the non-lesioned (mean ratio 3.1{+-}0.4) side. The preliminary results of this study indicate that semi-quantitative assessment of striatal dopamine transporter density using our recently developed high-resolution single-pinhole SPET system is feasible in living rat brain. (orig.)

Analysis of cosmetic residues on a single human hair by ATR FT-IR microspectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Pienpinijtham, Prompong; Thammacharoen, Chuchaat; Naranitad, Suwimol; Ekgasit, Sanong

2018-05-15

In this work, ATR FT-IR spectra of single human hair and cosmetic residues on hair surface are successfully collected using a homemade dome-shaped Ge μIRE accessary installed on an infrared microscope. By collecting ATR spectra of hairs from the same person, the spectral patterns are identical and superimposed while different spectral features are observed from ATR spectra of hairs collected from different persons. The spectral differences depend on individual hair characteristics, chemical treatments, and cosmetics on hair surface. The "Contact-and-Collect" technique that transfers remarkable materials on the hair surface to the tip of the Ge μIRE enables an identification of cosmetics on a single hair. Moreover, the differences between un-split and split hairs are also studied in this report. These highly specific spectral features can be employed for unique identification or for differentiation of hairs based on the molecular structures of hairs and cosmetics on hairs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of cosmetic residues on a single human hair by ATR FT-IR microspectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Pienpinijtham, Prompong; Thammacharoen, Chuchaat; Naranitad, Suwimol; Ekgasit, Sanong

2018-05-01

In this work, ATR FT-IR spectra of single human hair and cosmetic residues on hair surface are successfully collected using a homemade dome-shaped Ge μIRE accessary installed on an infrared microscope. By collecting ATR spectra of hairs from the same person, the spectral patterns are identical and superimposed while different spectral features are observed from ATR spectra of hairs collected from different persons. The spectral differences depend on individual hair characteristics, chemical treatments, and cosmetics on hair surface. The "Contact-and-Collect" technique that transfers remarkable materials on the hair surface to the tip of the Ge μIRE enables an identification of cosmetics on a single hair. Moreover, the differences between un-split and split hairs are also studied in this report. These highly specific spectral features can be employed for unique identification or for differentiation of hairs based on the molecular structures of hairs and cosmetics on hairs.

In-depth study of single photon time resolution for the Philips digital silicon photomultiplier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Z.; Pizzichemi, M.; Ghezzi, A.; Paganoni, M.; Gundacker, S.; Auffray, E.; Lecoq, P.

2016-01-01

The digital silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) has been commercialised by Philips as an innovative technology compared to analog silicon photomultiplier devices. The Philips digital SiPM, has a pair of time to digital converters (TDCs) connected to 12800 single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs). Detailed measurements were performed to understand the low photon time response of the Philips digital SiPM. The single photon time resolution (SPTR) of every single SPAD in a pixel consisting of 3200 SPADs was measured and an average value of 85 ps full width at half maximum (FWHM) was observed. Each SPAD sends the signal to the TDC with different signal propagation time, resulting in a so called trigger network skew. This distribution of the trigger network skew for a pixel (3200 SPADs) has been measured and a variation of 50 ps FWHM was extracted. The SPTR of the whole pixel is the combination of SPAD jitter, trigger network skew, and the SPAD non-uniformity. The SPTR of a complete pixel was 103 ps FWHM at 3.3 V above breakdown voltage. Further, the effect of the crosstalk at a low photon level has been studied, with the two photon time resolution degrading if the events are a combination of detected (true) photons and crosstalk events. Finally, the time response to multiple photons was investigated.

Study on the ratio of signal to noise for single photon resolution time spectrometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Zhaomin; Huang Shengli; Xu Zizong; Wu Chong

2001-01-01

The ratio of signal to noise for single photon resolution time spectrometer and their influence factors were studied. A method to depress the background, to shorten the measurement time and to increase the ratio of signal to noise was discussed. Results show that ratio of signal to noise is proportional to solid angle of detector to source and detection efficiency, and inverse proportional to electronics noise. Choose the activity of the source was important for decreasing of random coincidence counting. To use a coincidence gate and a discriminator of single photon were an effective way of increasing measurement accuracy and detection efficiency

Bone-marrow densitometry: Assessment of marrow space of human vertebrae by single energy high resolution-quantitative computed tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peña, Jaime A.; Damm, Timo; Bastgen, Jan; Barkmann, Reinhard; Glüer, Claus C., E-mail: glueer@rad.uni-kiel.de [Sektion Biomedizinische Bildgebung, Klinik für Radiologie und Neuroradiologie, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Campus Kiel, Kiel 24118 (Germany); Thomsen, Felix [Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional del Sur, Bahía Blanca 8000 (Argentina); Campbell, Graeme M. [Sektion Biomedizinische Bildgebung, Klinik für Radiologie und Neuroradiologie, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Campus Kiel, Kiel 24118, Germany and Institut für Biomechanik, Technische Universität Hamburg-Harburg (TUHH), Hamburg 21073 (Germany)

2016-07-15

Purpose: Accurate noninvasive assessment of vertebral bone marrow fat fraction is important for diagnostic assessment of a variety of disorders and therapies known to affect marrow composition. Moreover, it provides a means to correct fat-induced bias of single energy quantitative computed tomography (QCT) based bone mineral density (BMD) measurements. The authors developed new segmentation and calibration methods to obtain quantitative surrogate measures of marrow-fat density in the axial skeleton. Methods: The authors developed and tested two high resolution-QCT (HR-QCT) based methods which permit segmentation of bone voids in between trabeculae hypothesizing that they are representative of bone marrow space. The methods permit calculation of marrow content in units of mineral equivalent marrow density (MeMD). The first method is based on global thresholding and peeling (GTP) to define a volume of interest away from the transition between trabecular bone and marrow. The second method, morphological filtering (MF), uses spherical elements of different radii (0.1–1.2 mm) and automatically places them in between trabeculae to identify regions with large trabecular interspace, the bone-void space. To determine their performance, data were compared ex vivo to high-resolution peripheral CT (HR-pQCT) images as the gold-standard. The performance of the methods was tested on a set of excised human vertebrae with intact bone marrow tissue representative of an elderly population with low BMD. Results: 86% (GTP) and 87% (MF) of the voxels identified as true marrow space on HR-pQCT images were correctly identified on HR-QCT images and thus these volumes of interest can be considered to be representative of true marrow space. Within this volume, MeMD was estimated with residual errors of 4.8 mg/cm{sup 3} corresponding to accuracy errors in fat fraction on the order of 5% both for GTP and MF methods. Conclusions: The GTP and MF methods on HR-QCT images permit noninvasive

High resolution surface scanning of Thick-GEM for single photo-electron detection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamar, G., E-mail: hamar.gergo@wigner.mta.hu [Wigner Research Centre for Physics, Budapest (Hungary); Varga, D., E-mail: vdezso@mail.cern.ch [Eoetvoes Lorand University, Budapest (Hungary)

2012-12-01

An optical system for high resolution scanning of TGEM UV photon detection systems is introduced. The structure exploits the combination of a single Au-coated TGEM under study, and an asymmetric MWPC (Close Cathode Chamber) as post-amplification stage. A pulsed UV LED source with emission down to 240 nm has been focused to a spot of 0.07 mm on the TGEM surface, and single photo-electron charge spectra has been recorded over selected two dimensional regions. This way, the TGEM gain (order of 10-100) and TGEM photo-electron detection efficiency is clearly separated, unlike in case of continuous illumination. The surface structure connected to the TGEM photon detection is well observable, including inefficiencies in the holes and at the symmetry points between holes. The detection efficiency as well as the gas gain are fluctuating from hole to hole. The gain is constant in the hexagon around any hole, pointing to the fact that the gain depends on hole geometry, and less on the position where the electron enters. The detection probability map strongly changes with the field strength above the TGEM surface, in relation to the change of the actual surface field configuration. The results can be confronted with position-dependent simulations of TGEM electron transfer and gas multiplication. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer First demonstration of Thick GEM surface scanning with single photo-electrons. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Resolution of 0.1 mm is sufficient to identify structures connected to TGEM surface field structure. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Gain and detection efficiency and separately measurable. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Detection efficiency is high in a ring around the holes, and gain is constant in the hexagonal collection regions.

Single breath-hold real-time cine MR imaging: improved temporal resolution using generalized autocalibrating partially parallel acquisition (GRAPPA) algorithm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wintersperger, Bernd J.; Nikolaou, Konstantin; Dietrich, Olaf; Reiser, Maximilian F.; Schoenberg, Stefan O.; Rieber, Johannes; Nittka, Matthias

2003-01-01

The purpose of this study was to test parallel imaging techniques for improvement of temporal resolution in multislice single breath-hold real-time cine steady-state free precession (SSFP) in comparison with standard segmented single-slice SSFP techniques. Eighteen subjects were examined on a 1.5-T scanner using a multislice real-time cine SSFP technique using the GRAPPA algorithm. Global left ventricular parameters (EDV, ESV, SV, EF) were evaluated and results compared with a standard segmented single-slice SSFP technique. Results for EDV (r=0.93), ESV (r=0.99), SV (r=0.83), and EF (r=0.99) of real-time multislice SSFP imaging showed a high correlation with results of segmented SSFP acquisitions. Systematic differences between both techniques were statistically non-significant. Single breath-hold multislice techniques using GRAPPA allow for improvement of temporal resolution and for accurate assessment of global left ventricular functional parameters. (orig.)

Regulatory analysis for the resolution of Generic Issue 99: Loss of RHR [residual heat removal] capability in PWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spano, A.H.

1989-02-01

Generic Issue 99 is concerned with the loss of residual heat removal (RHR) capability in pressurized water reactors during cold-plant outage operations. The issue focuses on two risk-significant common-cause failure modes of the RHR system: (1) air binding of the RHR pumps during reduced-inventory operations and (2) spurious closure of the RHR suction valves due to misapplication of the autoclosure interlocks. Resolution of this issue involves consideration of the adequacy of plant capabilities for (1) preventing losses of RHR, (2) responding promptly and effectively to such challenges in order to prevent core damage, and (3) ensuring timely containment protection against the release of radioactivity to the environment in the unlikely event of core damage due to loss of shutdown cooling. This entails examination of (1) relevant operational and accident response procedures, (2) the instrumentation available to the operator for accident diagnosis and mitigation, and (3) the administrative controls available for ensuring control room cognizance of ongoing maintenance activities that could potentially affect the stability of the reactor coolant system. This regulatory analysis provides quantitative assessments of the costs and benefits associated with several alternatives considered for the resolution of Generic Issue 99. 24 refs

4D super-resolution microscopy with conventional fluorophores and single wavelength excitation in optically thick cells and tissues.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Baddeley

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Optical super-resolution imaging of fluorescently stained biological samples is rapidly becoming an important tool to investigate protein distribution at the molecular scale. It is therefore important to develop practical super-resolution methods that allow capturing the full three-dimensional nature of biological systems and also can visualize multiple protein species in the same sample. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We show that the use of a combination of conventional near-infrared dyes, such as Alexa 647, Alexa 680 and Alexa 750, all excited with a 671 nm diode laser, enables 3D multi-colour super-resolution imaging of complex biological samples. Optically thick samples, including human tissue sections, cardiac rat myocytes and densely grown neuronal cultures were imaged with lateral resolutions of ∼15 nm (std. dev. while reducing marker cross-talk to <1%. Using astigmatism an axial resolution of ∼65 nm (std. dev. was routinely achieved. The number of marker species that can be distinguished depends on the mean photon number of single molecule events. With the typical photon yields from Alexa 680 of ∼2000 up to 5 markers may in principle be resolved with <2% crosstalk. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our approach is based entirely on the use of conventional, commercially available markers and requires only a single laser. It provides a very straightforward way to investigate biological samples at the nanometre scale and should help establish practical 4D super-resolution microscopy as a routine research tool in many laboratories.

Under the Microscope: Single-Domain Antibodies for Live-Cell Imaging and Super-Resolution Microscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bjoern Traenkle

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Single-domain antibodies (sdAbs have substantially expanded the possibilities of advanced cellular imaging such as live-cell or super-resolution microscopy to visualize cellular antigens and their dynamics. In addition to their unique properties including small size, high stability, and solubility in many environments, sdAbs can be efficiently functionalized according to the needs of the respective imaging approach. Genetically encoded intrabodies fused to fluorescent proteins (chromobodies have become versatile tools to study dynamics of endogenous proteins in living cells. Additionally, sdAbs conjugated to organic dyes were shown to label cellular structures with high density and minimal fluorophore displacement making them highly attractive probes for super-resolution microscopy. Here, we review recent advances of the chromobody technology to visualize localization and dynamics of cellular targets and the application of chromobody-based cell models for compound screening. Acknowledging the emerging importance of super-resolution microscopy in cell biology, we further discuss advantages and challenges of sdAbs for this technology.

Under the Microscope: Single-Domain Antibodies for Live-Cell Imaging and Super-Resolution Microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Traenkle, Bjoern; Rothbauer, Ulrich

2017-01-01

Single-domain antibodies (sdAbs) have substantially expanded the possibilities of advanced cellular imaging such as live-cell or super-resolution microscopy to visualize cellular antigens and their dynamics. In addition to their unique properties including small size, high stability, and solubility in many environments, sdAbs can be efficiently functionalized according to the needs of the respective imaging approach. Genetically encoded intrabodies fused to fluorescent proteins (chromobodies) have become versatile tools to study dynamics of endogenous proteins in living cells. Additionally, sdAbs conjugated to organic dyes were shown to label cellular structures with high density and minimal fluorophore displacement making them highly attractive probes for super-resolution microscopy. Here, we review recent advances of the chromobody technology to visualize localization and dynamics of cellular targets and the application of chromobody-based cell models for compound screening. Acknowledging the emerging importance of super-resolution microscopy in cell biology, we further discuss advantages and challenges of sdAbs for this technology.

Development Of A Permanent Magnet Residual Gas Profile Monitor With Fast Readout

CERN Document Server

Barabin, S; Giacomini, T; Liakin, D; Orlov, A; Skachkov, V S

2004-01-01

The beam profile measurements at modern ion synchrotrons and storage rings require high timing performances on a turn-by-turn basis. On the other hand, high spatial resolutions are very desirable for cooled beams. We are developing a residual gas monitor to cover the wide range of beam intensities and dimensions. It supplies the needed high-resolution and high-speed tools for beam profiling. The new residual gas monitor will operate on scattered residual gas electrons whose trajectories are localized within 0.1 mm filaments by using appropriate magnetic field. The required magnetic field of 100 mT will be excited by either a permanent or an electromagnet. The high resolution mode of 0.1 mm is provided by a CCD camera with upstream MCP-phosphor screen assembly. In the fast turn-by-turn mode the beam profile will be read out with a resolution of 1 mm by a 100-channel photodiode-amplifier-digitizer, which will be explained in detail.

Development of computer program ENMASK for prediction of residual environmental masking-noise spectra, from any three independent environmental parameters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chang, Y.-S.; Liebich, R. E.; Chun, K. C.

2000-03-31

Residual environmental sound can mask intrusive4 (unwanted) sound. It is a factor that can affect noise impacts and must be considered both in noise-impact studies and in noise-mitigation designs. Models for quantitative prediction of sensation level (audibility) and psychological effects of intrusive noise require an input with 1/3 octave-band spectral resolution of environmental masking noise. However, the majority of published residual environmental masking-noise data are given with either octave-band frequency resolution or only single A-weighted decibel values. A model has been developed that enables estimation of 1/3 octave-band residual environmental masking-noise spectra and relates certain environmental parameters to A-weighted sound level. This model provides a correlation among three environmental conditions: measured residual A-weighted sound-pressure level, proximity to a major roadway, and population density. Cited field-study data were used to compute the most probable 1/3 octave-band sound-pressure spectrum corresponding to any selected one of these three inputs. In turn, such spectra can be used as an input to models for prediction of noise impacts. This paper discusses specific algorithms included in the newly developed computer program ENMASK. In addition, the relative audibility of the environmental masking-noise spectra at different A-weighted sound levels is discussed, which is determined by using the methodology of program ENAUDIBL.

On Banks, Courts and International Law: The Intergovernmental Agreement on the Single Resolution Fund in Context

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fabbrini, Federico

2014-01-01

In May 2014, 26 Member States of the EU concluded an intergovernmental agreement on the transfer and mutualization of contribution to the Single Resolution Fund (SRF). This international treaty constitutes a core component of the second pillar of the European Banking Union – the Single Resolution...... Mechanism, to wind down failing banks in the Euro-zone – and complements an EU regulation adopted by the European Parliament and the Council creating the SRF. This article critically analyses the choice to use international law to adopt the rules on transfer and mutualization of contributions to the SRF....... Moreover, as the article explains, resort to international law is unsound from a policy point of view. The use of an international treaty to regulate the transfer and mutualization of contributions to the SRF opens the door for national courts’ review of the agreement – a prospect which contrasts...

Evaluation of gas chromatography – electron ionization – full scan high resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometry for pesticide residue analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mol, Hans G.J.; Tienstra, Marc; Zomer, Paul

2016-01-01

Gas chromatography with electron ionization and full scan high resolution mass spectrometry with an Orbitrap mass analyzer (GC-EI-full scan Orbitrap HRMS) was evaluated for residue analysis. Pesticides in fruit and vegetables were taken as an example application. The relevant aspects for GC-MS based residue analysis, including the resolving power (15,000 to 120,000 FWHM at m/z 200), scan rate, dynamic range, selectivity, sensitivity, analyte identification, and utility of existing EI-libraries, are assessed and discussed in detail. The optimum acquisition conditions in full scan mode (m/z 50–500) were a resolving power of 60,000 and an automatic-gain-control target value of 3E6. These conditions provided (i) an optimum mass accuracy: within 2 ppm over a wide concentration range, with/without matrix, enabling the use of ±5 ppm mass extraction windows (ii) adequate scan speed: minimum 12 scans/peak, (iii) an intra-scan dynamic range sufficient to achieve LOD/LOQs ≤0.5 pg in fruit/vegetable matrices (corresponding to ≤0.5 μg kg"−"1) for most pesticides. EI-Orbitrap spectra were consistent over a very wide concentration range (5 orders) with good match values against NIST (EI-quadrupole) spectra. The applicability for quantitative residue analysis was verified by validation of 54 pesticides in three matrices (tomato, leek, orange) at 10 and 50 μg/kg. The method involved a QuEChERS-based extraction with a solvent switch into iso-octane, and 1 μL hot splitless injection into the GC-HRMS system. A recovery between 70 and 120% and a repeatability RSD <10% was obtained in most cases. Linearity was demonstrated for the range ≤5–250 μg kg"−"1. The pesticides could be identified according to the applicable EU criteria for GC-HRMS (SANTE/11945/2015). GC-EI-full scan Orbitrap HRMS was found to be highly suited for quantitative pesticide residue analysis. The potential of qualitative screening to extend the scope makes it an attractive alternative to

Evaluation of gas chromatography – electron ionization – full scan high resolution Orbitrap mass spectrometry for pesticide residue analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mol, Hans G.J., E-mail: hans.mol@wur.nl; Tienstra, Marc; Zomer, Paul

2016-09-07

Gas chromatography with electron ionization and full scan high resolution mass spectrometry with an Orbitrap mass analyzer (GC-EI-full scan Orbitrap HRMS) was evaluated for residue analysis. Pesticides in fruit and vegetables were taken as an example application. The relevant aspects for GC-MS based residue analysis, including the resolving power (15,000 to 120,000 FWHM at m/z 200), scan rate, dynamic range, selectivity, sensitivity, analyte identification, and utility of existing EI-libraries, are assessed and discussed in detail. The optimum acquisition conditions in full scan mode (m/z 50–500) were a resolving power of 60,000 and an automatic-gain-control target value of 3E6. These conditions provided (i) an optimum mass accuracy: within 2 ppm over a wide concentration range, with/without matrix, enabling the use of ±5 ppm mass extraction windows (ii) adequate scan speed: minimum 12 scans/peak, (iii) an intra-scan dynamic range sufficient to achieve LOD/LOQs ≤0.5 pg in fruit/vegetable matrices (corresponding to ≤0.5 μg kg{sup −1}) for most pesticides. EI-Orbitrap spectra were consistent over a very wide concentration range (5 orders) with good match values against NIST (EI-quadrupole) spectra. The applicability for quantitative residue analysis was verified by validation of 54 pesticides in three matrices (tomato, leek, orange) at 10 and 50 μg/kg. The method involved a QuEChERS-based extraction with a solvent switch into iso-octane, and 1 μL hot splitless injection into the GC-HRMS system. A recovery between 70 and 120% and a repeatability RSD <10% was obtained in most cases. Linearity was demonstrated for the range ≤5–250 μg kg{sup −1}. The pesticides could be identified according to the applicable EU criteria for GC-HRMS (SANTE/11945/2015). GC-EI-full scan Orbitrap HRMS was found to be highly suited for quantitative pesticide residue analysis. The potential of qualitative screening to extend the scope makes it an attractive

Development of Residual Gas Profile Monitors at GSI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giacomini, T.; Forck, P.; Barabin, S.; Liakin, D.; Skachkov, V.

2004-01-01

Beam profile measurements at modern ion synchrotrons and storage rings require high timing performances on a turn-by-turn basis. High spatial resolutions are essential for cold beams and beamwidth measurings. The currently used RGM supported very interesting measurements and applications. Due to the readout technology the spatial and time resolution is limited. To meet the expanded demands a more comprehensive device is under development. It will be an all-purpose residual gas monitor to cover the wide range of beam currents and transversal particle distributions. Due to the fast profile detection it will operate on primary electrons after residual gas ionization. A magnetic field of 100 mT binds them to the ionization point inside 0.1-mm orbits. The high-resolution mode will be read out by a digital CCD camera with an upstream MCP-phosphor screen assembly. It is planned to read out the fast turn-by-turn mode by an array of 100 photodiodes with a resolution of 1 mm. Every photodiode is equipped with an amplifier-digitizer device providing a frame rate of ∼ 10 MSamples/s

Development of Residual Gas Profile Monitors at GSI

Science.gov (United States)

Giacomini, T.; Barabin, S.; Forck, P.; Liakin, D.; Skachkov, V.

2004-11-01

Beam profile measurements at modern ion synchrotrons and storage rings require high timing performances on a turn-by-turn basis. High spatial resolutions are essential for cold beams and beamwidth measurings. The currently used RGM supported very interesting measurements and applications. Due to the readout technology the spatial and time resolution is limited. To meet the expanded demands a more comprehensive device is under development. It will be an all-purpose residual gas monitor to cover the wide range of beam currents and transversal particle distributions. Due to the fast profile detection it will operate on primary electrons after residual gas ionization. A magnetic field of 100 mT binds them to the ionization point inside 0.1-mm orbits. The high-resolution mode will be read out by a digital CCD camera with an upstream MCP-phosphor screen assembly. It is planned to read out the fast turn-by-turn mode by an array of 100 photodiodes with a resolution of 1 mm. Every photodiode is equipped with an amplifier-digitizer device providing a frame rate of ˜ 10 MSamples/s.

A single arginine residue is required for the interaction of the electron transferring flavoprotein (ETF) with three of its dehydrogenase partners.

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Antony R

2003-12-01

The interaction of several dehydrogenases with the electron transferring flavoprotein (ETF) is a crucial step required for the successful transfer of electrons into the electron transport chain. The exact determinants regarding the interaction of ETF with its dehydrogenase partners are still unknown. Chemical modification of ETF with arginine-specific reagents resulted in the loss, to varying degrees, of activity with medium chain acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase (MCAD). The kinetic profiles showed the inactivations followed pseudo-first-order kinetics for all reagents used. For activity with MCAD, maximum inactivation of ETF was accomplished by 2,3-butanedione (4% residual activity after 120 min) and it was shown that modification of one arginine residue was responsible for the inactivation. Almost 100% restoration of this ETF activity was achieved upon incubation with free arginine. However, the same 2,3-butanedione modified ETF only possessed decreased activity with dimethylglycine-(DMGDH, 44%) and sarcosine- (SDH, 27%) dehydrogenases unlike the abolition with MCAD. Full protection of ETF from arginine modification by 2,3-butanedione was achieved using substrate-protected DMGDH, MCAD and SDH respectively. Cross-protection studies of ETF with the three dehydrogenases implied use of the same single arginine residue in the binding of all three dehydrogenases. These results lead us to conclude that this single arginine residue is essential in the binding of the ETF to MCAD, but only contributes partially to the binding of ETF to SDH and DMGDH and thus, the determinants of the dehydrogenase binding sites overlap but are not identical.

High-resolution noise substitution to measure overfitting and validate resolution in 3D structure determination by single particle electron cryomicroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Shaoxia; McMullan, Greg; Faruqi, Abdul R; Murshudov, Garib N; Short, Judith M; Scheres, Sjors H W; Henderson, Richard

2013-12-01

Three-dimensional (3D) structure determination by single particle electron cryomicroscopy (cryoEM) involves the calculation of an initial 3D model, followed by extensive iterative improvement of the orientation determination of the individual particle images and the resulting 3D map. Because there is much more noise than signal at high resolution in the images, this creates the possibility of noise reinforcement in the 3D map, which can give a false impression of the resolution attained. The balance between signal and noise in the final map at its limiting resolution depends on the image processing procedure and is not easily predicted. There is a growing awareness in the cryoEM community of how to avoid such over-fitting and over-estimation of resolution. Equally, there has been a reluctance to use the two principal methods of avoidance because they give lower resolution estimates, which some people believe are too pessimistic. Here we describe a simple test that is compatible with any image processing protocol. The test allows measurement of the amount of signal and the amount of noise from overfitting that is present in the final 3D map. We have applied the method to two different sets of cryoEM images of the enzyme beta-galactosidase using several image processing packages. Our procedure involves substituting the Fourier components of the initial particle image stack beyond a chosen resolution by either the Fourier components from an adjacent area of background, or by simple randomisation of the phases of the particle structure factors. This substituted noise thus has the same spectral power distribution as the original data. Comparison of the Fourier Shell Correlation (FSC) plots from the 3D map obtained using the experimental data with that from the same data with high-resolution noise (HR-noise) substituted allows an unambiguous measurement of the amount of overfitting and an accompanying resolution assessment. A simple formula can be used to calculate an

Single-Residue Sensitivity in Neutron Reflectivity and Resonant X-ray Reflectivity from Langmuir Monolayers of Synthetic Peptides

Science.gov (United States)

Strzalka, Joseph; Satija, Sushil; Dimasi, Elaine; Kuzmenko, Ivan; Gog, Thomas; Blasie, J. Kent

2004-03-01

Labeling groups with ^2H to distinguish them in the scattering length density (SLD) profile constitutes the chief advantage of neutron reflectivity (NR) in studying Langmuir monolayers (LM) of lipids and proteins. Solid phase synthesis (SPPS) permits the labeling of a single residue in a peptide. Recent work demonstrates the sensitivity of NR to single ^2H-labeled residues in LM of vectorially oriented α -helical bundle peptides. NR requires comparison of isomorphic samples of all-^1H and ^2H-labeled peptides. Alternately, resonant x-ray reflectivity (RXR) uses only one sample. RXR exploits energy-dependent changes in the scattering factor from heavy atoms to distinguish them within the SLD profile. Peptides may be labeled by SPPS (e.g. Br-Phe), or may have inherent labels (e.g. Fe in heme proteins). As test cases, we studied LM of Br-labeled lipids and peptides with RXR. Both approaches require a model-independent means of obtaining SLD profiles from the reflectivity data. We have applied box-refinement to obtain the gradient SLD profile. This is fit uniquely with a sum of Gaussians and integrated analytically [Blasie et al., PRB 67 224201 (2003)] to provide the SLD profile. Label positions can then be determined to sub-Ångstrom accuracy. This work supported by the NIH (GM55876).

[Development of residual voltage testing equipment].

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Xiaohui; Wu, Mingjun; Cao, Li; He, Jinyi; Deng, Zhensheng

2014-07-01

For the existing measurement methods of residual voltage which can't turn the power off at peak voltage exactly and simultaneously display waveforms, a new residual voltage detection method is put forward in this paper. First, the zero point of the power supply is detected with zero cross detection circuit and is inputted to a single-chip microcomputer in the form of pulse signal. Secend, when the zero point delays to the peak voltage, the single-chip microcomputer sends control signal to power off the relay. At last, the waveform of the residual voltage is displayed on a principal computer or oscilloscope. The experimental results show that the device designed in this paper can turn the power off at peak voltage and is able to accurately display the voltage waveform immediately after power off and the standard deviation of the residual voltage is less than 0.2 V at exactly one second and later.

Under the Microscope: Single-Domain Antibodies for Live-Cell Imaging and Super-Resolution Microscopy

OpenAIRE

Traenkle, Bjoern; Rothbauer, Ulrich

2017-01-01

Single-domain antibodies (sdAbs) have substantially expanded the possibilities of advanced cellular imaging such as live-cell or super-resolution microscopy to visualize cellular antigens and their dynamics. In addition to their unique properties including small size, high stability, and solubility in many environments, sdAbs can be efficiently functionalized according to the needs of the respective imaging approach. Genetically encoded intrabodies fused to fluorescent proteins (chromobodies)...

SINGLE FRAME SUPER RESOLUTION OF NONCOOPERATIVE IRIS IMAGES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anand Deshpande

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Image super-resolution, a process to enhance image resolution, has important applications in biometrics, satellite imaging, high definition television, medical imaging, etc. The long range captured iris identification systems often suffer from low resolution and meager focus of the captured iris images. These degrade the iris recognition performance. This paper proposes enhanced iterated back projection (EIBP method to super resolute the long range captured iris polar images. The performance of proposed method is tested and analyzed on CASIA long range iris database by comparing peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR and structural similarity index (SSIM with state-of-the-art super resolution (SR algorithms. It is further analyzed by increasing the up-sampling factor. Performance analysis shows that the proposed method is superior to state-of-the-art algorithms, the peak signal-to-noise ratio improved about 0.1-1.5 dB. The results demonstrate that the proposed method is well suited to super resolve the iris polar images captured at a long distance

High-throughput untargeted screening of veterinary drug residues and metabolites in tilapia using high resolution orbitrap mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Wei; Chu, Xiaogang; Chang, James; Wang, Perry G; Chen, Ying; Zhang, Feng

2017-03-08

An analytical method was developed and validated for simultaneous analysis of one hundred and thirty-seven veterinary drug residues and metabolites from sixteen different classes in tilapia utilizing an improved fully non-targeted way of data acquisition with fragmentation. The automated on-line extraction procedure was achieved in a simple disposable pipet extraction. Ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization quadrupole Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC Q-Orbitrap) was used for the separation and detection of all the analytes. The methodology was validated by taking into consideration the guidelines specified in European SANCO/12571/2013 Guideline 2013 and Commission Decision 2002/657/EC. The extraction recoveries ranged from 81% to 111%. The limits of decision ranged from 0.01 to 2.73 μg kg -1 and the detection capabilities ranged from 0.01 to 4.73 μg kg -1 . The one hundred and thirty-seven compounds behave dynamic 0.1-500 μg kg -1 , with correlation coefficient >0.99. The fully non-targeted data acquisition way improves both sensitivity and selectivity for the fragments, which is beneficial for screening performance and identification capability. This validated method has been successfully applied on screening of veterinary drug residues and metabolites in muscle of tilapia, an important and intensively produced fish in aquaculture. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ion-atom collisions with laser-prepared target: High resolution study of single charge exchange process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leredde, Arnaud

2012-01-01

Single charge transfer in low-energy Na"++"8"7Rb(5s,5p) collisions is investigated using magneto-optically trapped Rb atoms and high-resolution recoil-ion momentum spectroscopy. The three-dimensional reconstruction of the recoil-ion momentum provides accurate relative cross-sections for the active channels and the projectile scattering angle distributions. Thanks to the high experimental resolution, scattering structures such as diffraction-like oscillations in angular distributions are clearly observed. The measurements are compared with molecular close-coupling calculations and an excellent agreement is found. To go further in the test of the theory, the target is prepared in an oriented state. It is the first time that such collision experiments with oriented target is performed with such a high resolution. The right-left asymmetry expected for the scattering angle distribution is evidenced. The agreement between MOCC calculations and experiments is very good. Simple models developed for collisions with oriented target are also discussed. (author) [fr

Quantitative Multiclass Pesticide Residue Analysis in Apple, Pear, and Grape by Modified QuEChERS and Liquid Chromatography Coupled to High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Munaretto, Juliana S; Viera, Mariela de S; Martins, Manoel L; Adaime, Martha B; Zanella, Renato

2016-11-01

Most of the analytical methods currently applied in food control laboratories are focused on the determination of target compounds using LC coupled to tandem MS, which is an effective technique, but low-resolution MS is limited. Thus, a method for determination of pesticide multiresidues in fruits (pear, apple, and grape) using a modified quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe method and LC coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight (Q-TOF) MS was developed and validated. The proposed method showed good linearity (r2 > 0.99) from 1 to 100 μg/L. Recoveries for blank samples spiked at 0.01, 0.04, and 0.10 mg/kg were between 66 and 122%, with RSDs apple, pear, and grape matrixes were 0.01 mg/kg for 112, 120, and 118 compounds, and 0.04 mg/kg for 22, 12, and 17 compounds, and average mass accuracy error was 3.2 ppm. LC with Q-TOF MS detection using protonated molecular ion and/or adducts and mass accuracy provided reliability for the method. The proposed method is effective for pesticide residue determination in apple, pear, and grape samples, proving that high-resolution MS using full scan mode can be a powerful and reliable technique for quantification purposes, being adequate for application in the surveillance of maximum residue limits set by different legislations.

Fourier Transform Near Infrared Microspectroscopy, Infrared Chemical Imaging, High-Resolution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Fluorescence Microspectroscopy Detection of Single Cancer Cells and Single Viral Particles

CERN Document Server

Baianu,I C; Hofmann, N E; Korban, S S; Lozano, P; You, T

2004-01-01

Single Cancer Cells from Human tumors are being detected and imaged by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR), Fourier Transform Near Infrared (FT-NIR)Hyperspectral Imaging and Fluorescence Correlation Microspectroscopy. The first FT-NIR chemical, microscopic images of biological systems approaching one micron resolution are here reported. Chemical images obtained by FT-NIR and FT-IR Microspectroscopy are also presented for oil in soybean seeds and somatic embryos under physiological conditions. FT-NIR spectra of oil and proteins were obtained for volumes as small as two cubic microns. Related, HR-NMR analyses of oil contents in somatic embryos as well as 99% accurate calibrations are also presented here with nanoliter precision. Such high-resolution, 400 MHz H-1 NMR analyses allowed the selection of mutagenized embryos with higher oil content (e.g. >~20%) compared to the average levels in non-mutagenized control embryos. Moreover, developmental changes in single soybean seeds and/or somatic embryos may be monito...

Residual strains in girth-welded linepipe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacEwen, S.R.; Holden, T.M.; Powell, B.M.; Lazor, R.B.

1987-07-01

High resolution neutron diffraction has been used to measure the axial residual strains in and adjacent to a multipass girth weld in a complete section of 914 mm (36 inches) diameter, 16 mm (5/8 inch) wall, linepipe. The experiments were carried out at the NRU reactor, Chalk River using the L3 triple-axis spectrometer. The through-wall distribution of axial residual strain was measured at 0, 4, 8, 20 and 50 mm from the weld centerline; the axial variation was determined 1, 5, 8, and 13 mm from the inside surface of the pipe wall. The results have been compared with strain gauge measurements on the weld surface and with through-wall residual stress distributions determined using the block-layering and removal technique

Mobility and height detection of particle labels in an optical evanescent wave biosensor with single-label resolution

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Ommering, K.; Somers, P.A.; Koets, M.; Schleipen, J.J.H.B.; IJzendoorn, van L.J.; Prins, M.W.J.

2010-01-01

Particle labels are used in biosensors to detect the presence and concentration of analyte molecules. In this paper we demonstrate an optical technique to measure the mobility and height of bound particle labels on a biosensor surface with single-label resolution. The technique is based on the

Single image super-resolution based on compressive sensing and improved TV minimization sparse recovery

Science.gov (United States)

Vishnukumar, S.; Wilscy, M.

2017-12-01

In this paper, we propose a single image Super-Resolution (SR) method based on Compressive Sensing (CS) and Improved Total Variation (TV) Minimization Sparse Recovery. In the CS framework, low-resolution (LR) image is treated as the compressed version of high-resolution (HR) image. Dictionary Training and Sparse Recovery are the two phases of the method. K-Singular Value Decomposition (K-SVD) method is used for dictionary training and the dictionary represents HR image patches in a sparse manner. Here, only the interpolated version of the LR image is used for training purpose and thereby the structural self similarity inherent in the LR image is exploited. In the sparse recovery phase the sparse representation coefficients with respect to the trained dictionary for LR image patches are derived using Improved TV Minimization method. HR image can be reconstructed by the linear combination of the dictionary and the sparse coefficients. The experimental results show that the proposed method gives better results quantitatively as well as qualitatively on both natural and remote sensing images. The reconstructed images have better visual quality since edges and other sharp details are preserved.

Cellular automata modeling depicts degradation of cellulosic material by a cellulase system with single-molecule resolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Eibinger, Manuel; Zahel, Thomas; Ganner, Thomas; Plank, Harald; Nidetzky, Bernd

2016-01-01

Enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose involves the spatiotemporally correlated action of distinct polysaccharide chain cleaving activities confined to the surface of an insoluble substrate. Because cellulases differ in preference for attacking crystalline compared to amorphous cellulose, the spatial distribution of structural order across the cellulose surface imposes additional constraints on the dynamic interplay between the enzymes. Reconstruction of total system behavior from single-molecule activity parameters is a longstanding key goal in the field. We have developed a stochastic, cellular automata-based modeling approach to describe degradation of cellulosic material by a cellulase system at single-molecule resolution. Substrate morphology was modeled to represent the amorphous and crystalline phases as well as the different spatial orientations of the polysaccharide chains. The enzyme system model consisted of an internally chain-cleaving endoglucanase (EG) as well as two processively acting, reducing and non-reducing chain end-cleaving cellobiohydrolases (CBHs). Substrate preference (amorphous: EG, CBH II; crystalline: CBH I) and characteristic frequencies for chain cleavage, processive movement, and dissociation were assigned from biochemical data. Once adsorbed, enzymes were allowed to reach surface-exposed substrate sites through "random-walk" lateral diffusion or processive motion. Simulations revealed that slow dissociation of processive enzymes at obstacles obstructing further movement resulted in local jamming of the cellulases, with consequent delay in the degradation of the surface area affected. Exploiting validation against evidence from atomic force microscopy imaging as a unique opportunity opened up by the modeling approach, we show that spatiotemporal characteristics of cellulose surface degradation by the system of synergizing cellulases were reproduced quantitatively at the nanometer resolution of the experimental data. This in turn gave

Development of a new screening method for the detection of antibiotic residues in muscle tissues using liquid chromatography and high resolution mass spectrometry with a LC-LTQ-Orbitrap instrument.

Science.gov (United States)

Hurtaud-Pessel, D; Jagadeshwar-Reddy, T; Verdon, E

2011-10-01

A liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) method was developed for screening meat for a wide range of antibiotics used in veterinary medicine. Full-scan mode under high resolution mass spectral conditions using an LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometer with resolving power 60,000 full width at half maximum (FWHM) was applied for analysis of the samples. Samples were prepared using two extraction protocols prior to LC-HRMS analysis. The scope of the method focuses on screening the following main families of antibacterial veterinary drugs: penicillins, cephalosporins, sulfonamides, macrolides, tetracyclines, aminoglucosides and quinolones. Compounds were successfully identified in spiked samples from their accurate mass and LC retention times from the acquired full-scan chromatogram. Automated data processing using ToxId software allowed rapid treatment of the data. Analyses of muscle tissues from real samples collected from antibiotic-treated animals was carried out using the above methodology and antibiotic residues were identified unambiguously. Further analysis of the data for real samples allowed the identification of the targeted antibiotic residues but also non-targeted compounds, such as some of their metabolites.

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic studies of the single-chain variable fragment of antibody chA21 in complex with an N-terminal fragment of ErbB2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Yang; Zhou, Huihao; Zhu, Juanjuan; Gao, Yongxiang; Niu, Liwen; Liu, Jing; Teng, Maikun

2009-01-01

An antibody–antigen complex consisting of a single-chain variable fragment of the potential therapeutic antibody chA21 and an N-terminal fragment (residues 1–192) of the human ErbB2 extracellular domain was expressed, purified and crystallized. X-ray diffraction data were collected to 2.45 Å resolution. ErbB2 is a transmembrane tyrosine kinase, the overexpression of which causes abnormality and disorder in cell signalling and leads to cell transformation. Previously, an anti-ErbB2 single-chain chimeric antibody chA21 that specifically inhibits the growth of ErbB2-overexpressing cancer cells in vitro and in vivo was developed. Here, an antibody–antigen complex consisting of the single-chain variable fragment (scFv) of chA21 and an N-terminal fragment (residues 1–192, named EP I) of the ErbB2 extracellular domain was crystallized using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method. An X-ray diffraction data set was collected to 2.45 Å resolution from a single flash-cooled crystal; the crystal belonged to space group P2 1 2 1 2 1

Multi-resolution simulation of focused ultrasound propagation through ovine skull from a single-element transducer

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Kyungho; Lee, Wonhye; Croce, Phillip; Cammalleri, Amanda; Yoo, Seung-Schik

2018-05-01

Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) is emerging as a non-invasive brain stimulation modality. Complicated interactions between acoustic pressure waves and osseous tissue introduce many challenges in the accurate targeting of an acoustic focus through the cranium. Image-guidance accompanied by a numerical simulation is desired to predict the intracranial acoustic propagation through the skull; however, such simulations typically demand heavy computation, which warrants an expedited processing method to provide on-site feedback for the user in guiding the acoustic focus to a particular brain region. In this paper, we present a multi-resolution simulation method based on the finite-difference time-domain formulation to model the transcranial propagation of acoustic waves from a single-element transducer (250 kHz). The multi-resolution approach improved computational efficiency by providing the flexibility in adjusting the spatial resolution. The simulation was also accelerated by utilizing parallelized computation through the graphic processing unit. To evaluate the accuracy of the method, we measured the actual acoustic fields through ex vivo sheep skulls with different sonication incident angles. The measured acoustic fields were compared to the simulation results in terms of focal location, dimensions, and pressure levels. The computational efficiency of the presented method was also assessed by comparing simulation speeds at various combinations of resolution grid settings. The multi-resolution grids consisting of 0.5 and 1.0 mm resolutions gave acceptable accuracy (under 3 mm in terms of focal position and dimension, less than 5% difference in peak pressure ratio) with a speed compatible with semi real-time user feedback (within 30 s). The proposed multi-resolution approach may serve as a novel tool for simulation-based guidance for tFUS applications.

Effective deep learning training for single-image super-resolution in endomicroscopy exploiting video-registration-based reconstruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Ravì, Daniele; Szczotka, Agnieszka Barbara; Shakir, Dzhoshkun Ismail; Pereira, Stephen P; Vercauteren, Tom

2018-06-01

Probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE) is a recent imaging modality that allows performing in vivo optical biopsies. The design of pCLE hardware, and its reliance on an optical fibre bundle, fundamentally limits the image quality with a few tens of thousands fibres, each acting as the equivalent of a single-pixel detector, assembled into a single fibre bundle. Video registration techniques can be used to estimate high-resolution (HR) images by exploiting the temporal information contained in a sequence of low-resolution (LR) images. However, the alignment of LR frames, required for the fusion, is computationally demanding and prone to artefacts. In this work, we propose a novel synthetic data generation approach to train exemplar-based Deep Neural Networks (DNNs). HR pCLE images with enhanced quality are recovered by the models trained on pairs of estimated HR images (generated by the video registration algorithm) and realistic synthetic LR images. Performance of three different state-of-the-art DNNs techniques were analysed on a Smart Atlas database of 8806 images from 238 pCLE video sequences. The results were validated through an extensive image quality assessment that takes into account different quality scores, including a Mean Opinion Score (MOS). Results indicate that the proposed solution produces an effective improvement in the quality of the obtained reconstructed image. The proposed training strategy and associated DNNs allows us to perform convincing super-resolution of pCLE images.

PCA determination of the radiometric noise of high spectral resolution infrared observations from spectral residuals: Application to IASI

Science.gov (United States)

Serio, C.; Masiello, G.; Camy-Peyret, C.; Jacquette, E.; Vandermarcq, O.; Bermudo, F.; Coppens, D.; Tobin, D.

2018-02-01

The problem of characterizing and estimating the instrumental or radiometric noise of satellite high spectral resolution infrared spectrometers directly from Earth observations is addressed in this paper. An approach has been developed, which relies on the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) with a suitable criterion to select the optimal number of PC scores. Different selection criteria have been set up and analysed, which is based on the estimation theory of Least Squares and/or Maximum Likelihood Principle. The approach is independent of any forward model and/or radiative transfer calculations. The PCA is used to define an orthogonal basis, which, in turn, is used to derive an optimal linear reconstruction of the observations. The residual vector that is the observation vector minus the calculated or reconstructed one is then used to estimate the instrumental noise. It will be shown that the use of the spectral residuals to assess the radiometric instrumental noise leads to efficient estimators, which are largely independent of possible departures of the true noise from that assumed a priori to model the observational covariance matrix. Application to the Infrared Atmospheric Sounder Interferometer (IASI) has been considered. A series of case studies has been set up, which make use of IASI observations. As a major result, the analysis confirms the high stability and radiometric performance of IASI. The approach also proved to be efficient in characterizing noise features due to mechanical micro-vibrations of the beam splitter of the IASI instrument.

Leptogenesis and residual CP symmetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Peng; Ding, Gui-Jun; King, Stephen F.

2016-01-01

We discuss flavour dependent leptogenesis in the framework of lepton flavour models based on discrete flavour and CP symmetries applied to the type-I seesaw model. Working in the flavour basis, we analyse the case of two general residual CP symmetries in the neutrino sector, which corresponds to all possible semi-direct models based on a preserved Z 2 in the neutrino sector, together with a CP symmetry, which constrains the PMNS matrix up to a single free parameter which may be fixed by the reactor angle. We systematically study and classify this case for all possible residual CP symmetries, and show that the R-matrix is tightly constrained up to a single free parameter, with only certain forms being consistent with successful leptogenesis, leading to possible connections between leptogenesis and PMNS parameters. The formalism is completely general in the sense that the two residual CP symmetries could result from any high energy discrete flavour theory which respects any CP symmetry. As a simple example, we apply the formalism to a high energy S 4 flavour symmetry with a generalized CP symmetry, broken to two residual CP symmetries in the neutrino sector, recovering familiar results for PMNS predictions, together with new results for flavour dependent leptogenesis.

Near-Atomic Resolution Structure of a Highly Neutralizing Fab Bound to Canine Parvovirus.

Science.gov (United States)

Organtini, Lindsey J; Lee, Hyunwook; Iketani, Sho; Huang, Kai; Ashley, Robert E; Makhov, Alexander M; Conway, James F; Parrish, Colin R; Hafenstein, Susan

2016-11-01

Canine parvovirus (CPV) is a highly contagious pathogen that causes severe disease in dogs and wildlife. Previously, a panel of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAb) raised against CPV was characterized. An antibody fragment (Fab) of MAb E was found to neutralize the virus at low molar ratios. Using recent advances in cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), we determined the structure of CPV in complex with Fab E to 4.1 Å resolution, which allowed de novo building of the Fab structure. The footprint identified was significantly different from the footprint obtained previously from models fitted into lower-resolution maps. Using single-chain variable fragments, we tested antibody residues that control capsid binding. The near-atomic structure also revealed that Fab binding had caused capsid destabilization in regions containing key residues conferring receptor binding and tropism, which suggests a mechanism for efficient virus neutralization by antibody. Furthermore, a general technical approach to solving the structures of small molecules is demonstrated, as binding the Fab to the capsid allowed us to determine the 50-kDa Fab structure by cryo-EM. Using cryo-electron microscopy and new direct electron detector technology, we have solved the 4 Å resolution structure of a Fab molecule bound to a picornavirus capsid. The Fab induced conformational changes in regions of the virus capsid that control receptor binding. The antibody footprint is markedly different from the previous one identified by using a 12 Å structure. This work emphasizes the need for a high-resolution structure to guide mutational analysis and cautions against relying on older low-resolution structures even though they were interpreted with the best methodology available at the time. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Measurement of residual stress in plasma-sprayed metallic, ceramic and composite coatings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kesler, O.; Suresh, S. [Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge, MA (United States); Matejicek, J.; Sampath, S. [State Univ. of New York, Stony Brook, NY (United States). Inst. for Mathematical Sciences; Gnaeupel-Herold, T.; Brand, P.C.; Prask, H.J. [National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD (United States)

1998-12-15

Residual stresses in plasma-sprayed coatings were studied by three experimental techniques: curvature measurements, neutron diffraction and X-ray diffraction. Two distinct material classes were investigated: (1) single-material coatings (molybdenum) and (2) bi-material composites (nickel+alumina and NiCrAlY+yttria-stabilized zirconia), with and without graded layers. This paper deals with the effects of coating thickness and material properties on the evolution of residual stresses as a function of composition and thickness in both homogeneous and graded coatings. Mathematical analysis of the results allowed in some cases the separation of the quenching stress and thermal stress contributions to the final residual stress, as well as the determination of the through-thickness stress profile from measurements of different thickness specimens. In the ceramic-metal composites, it was found that the quenching stress plays a dominant role in the metallic phase, whereas the stress in the ceramic phase is mostly dominated by thermal mismatch. The respective thermal expansion coefficients and mechanical properties are the most important factors determining the stress sign and magnitude. The three residual stress measurement methods employed here were found to be complementary, in that each can provide unique information about the stress state. The most noteworthy outcomes are the determination of the through-thickness stress profile in graded coatings with high spatial resolution (curvature method) and determination of stress in each phase of a composite separately (neutron diffraction). (orig.) 25 refs.

Minimal free resolutions over complete intersections

CERN Document Server

Eisenbud, David

2016-01-01

This book introduces a theory of higher matrix factorizations for regular sequences and uses it to describe the minimal free resolutions of high syzygy modules over complete intersections. Such resolutions have attracted attention ever since the elegant construction of the minimal free resolution of the residue field by Tate in 1957. The theory extends the theory of matrix factorizations of a non-zero divisor, initiated by Eisenbud in 1980, which yields a description of the eventual structure of minimal free resolutions over a hypersurface ring. Matrix factorizations have had many other uses in a wide range of mathematical fields, from singularity theory to mathematical physics.

Lightweight and High-Resolution Single Crystal Silicon Optics for X-ray Astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, William W.; Biskach, Michael P.; Chan, Kai-Wing; Mazzarella, James R.; McClelland, Ryan S.; Riveros, Raul E.; Saha, Timo T.; Solly, Peter M.

2016-01-01

We describe an approach to building mirror assemblies for next generation X-ray telescopes. It incorporates knowledge and lessons learned from building existing telescopes, including Chandra, XMM-Newton, Suzaku, and NuSTAR, as well as from our direct experience of the last 15 years developing mirror technology for the Constellation-X and International X-ray Observatory mission concepts. This approach combines single crystal silicon and precision polishing, thus has the potential of achieving the highest possible angular resolution with the least possible mass. Moreover, it is simple, consisting of several technical elements that can be developed independently in parallel. Lastly, it is highly amenable to mass production, therefore enabling the making of telescopes of very large photon collecting areas.

Residues and duality for singularity categories of isolated Gorenstein singularities

OpenAIRE

Murfet, Daniel

2009-01-01

We study Serre duality in the singularity category of an isolated Gorenstein singularity and find an explicit formula for the duality pairing in terms of generalised fractions and residues. For hypersurfaces we recover the residue formula of the string theorists Kapustin and Li. These results are obtained from an explicit construction of complete injective resolutions of maximal Cohen-Macaulay modules.

High-resolution phylogenetic analysis of residual bacterial species of fouled membranes after NaOCl cleaning.

Science.gov (United States)

Navarro, Ronald R; Hori, Tomoyuki; Inaba, Tomohiro; Matsuo, Kazuyuki; Habe, Hiroshi; Ogata, Atsushi

2016-05-01

Biofouling is one of the major problems during wastewater treatment using membrane bioreactors (MBRs). In this regard, sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) has been widely used to wash fouled membranes for maintenance and recovery purposes. Advanced chemical and biological characterization was conducted in this work to evaluate the performance of aqueous NaOCl solutions during washing of polyacrylonitrile membranes. Fouled membranes from MBR operations supplemented with artificial wastewater were washed with 0.1% and 0.5% aqueous NaOCl solutions for 5, 10 and 30 min. The changes in organics composition on the membrane surface were directly monitored by an attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FT-IR) spectrometer. In addition, high-throughput Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA genes was applied to detect any residual microorganisms. Results from ATR-FT-IR analysis indicated the complete disappearance of functional groups representing different fouling compounds after at least 30 min of treatment with 0.1% NaOCl. However, the biomolecular survey revealed the presence of residual bacteria even after 30 min of treatment with 0.5% NaOCl solution. Evaluation of microbial diversity of treated samples using Chao1, Shannon and Simpson reciprocal indices showed an increase in evenness while no significant decline in richness was observed. These implied that only the population of dominant species was mainly affected. The high-resolution phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of numerous operational taxonomic units (OTUs) whose close relatives exhibit halotolerance. Some OTUs related to thermophilic and acid-resistant strains were also identified. Finally, the taxonomic analysis of recycled membranes that were previously washed with NaOCl also showed the presence of numerous halotolerant-related OTUs in the early stage of fouling. This further suggested the possible contribution of such chemical tolerance on their survival against NaOCl washing, which in turn

High-resolution photoluminescence spectroscopy of Sn-doped ZnO single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, E. Senthil; Mohammadbeigi, F.; Boatner, L.A.; Watkins, S.P.

2016-01-01

Group IV donors in ZnO are poorly understood, despite evidence that they are effective n-type dopants. Here we present high-resolution photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy studies of unintentionally doped and Sn-doped ZnO single crystals grown by the chemical vapor transport method. Doped samples showed greatly increased emission from the I 10 bound exciton transition that was recently proven to be related to the incorporation of Sn impurities based on radio-isotope studies. The PL linewidths are exceptionally sharp for these samples, enabling a clear identification of several donor species. Temperature-dependent PL measurements of the I 10 line emission energy and intensity dependence reveal a behavior that is similar to other shallow donors in ZnO. Ionized donor bound-exciton and two-electron satellite transitions of the I 10 transition are unambiguously identified and yield a donor binding energy of 71 meV. In contrast to recent reports of Ge-related donors in ZnO, the spectroscopic binding energy for the Sn-related donor bound exciton follows a linear relationship with donor binding energy (Haynes rule) similar to recently observed carbon related donors, and confirming the shallow nature of this defect center, which was recently attributed to a Sn Zn double donor compensated by an unknown single acceptor.

Single-resolution and multiresolution extended-Kalman-filter-based reconstruction approaches to optical refraction tomography.

Science.gov (United States)

Naik, Naren; Vasu, R M; Ananthasayanam, M R

2010-02-20

The problem of reconstruction of a refractive-index distribution (RID) in optical refraction tomography (ORT) with optical path-length difference (OPD) data is solved using two adaptive-estimation-based extended-Kalman-filter (EKF) approaches. First, a basic single-resolution EKF (SR-EKF) is applied to a state variable model describing the tomographic process, to estimate the RID of an optically transparent refracting object from noisy OPD data. The initialization of the biases and covariances corresponding to the state and measurement noise is discussed. The state and measurement noise biases and covariances are adaptively estimated. An EKF is then applied to the wavelet-transformed state variable model to yield a wavelet-based multiresolution EKF (MR-EKF) solution approach. To numerically validate the adaptive EKF approaches, we evaluate them with benchmark studies of standard stationary cases, where comparative results with commonly used efficient deterministic approaches can be obtained. Detailed reconstruction studies for the SR-EKF and two versions of the MR-EKF (with Haar and Daubechies-4 wavelets) compare well with those obtained from a typically used variant of the (deterministic) algebraic reconstruction technique, the average correction per projection method, thus establishing the capability of the EKF for ORT. To the best of our knowledge, the present work contains unique reconstruction studies encompassing the use of EKF for ORT in single-resolution and multiresolution formulations, and also in the use of adaptive estimation of the EKF's noise covariances.

Localization microscopy of DNA in situ using Vybrant{sup ®} DyeCycle™ Violet fluorescent probe: A new approach to study nuclear nanostructure at single molecule resolution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Żurek-Biesiada, Dominika [Laboratory of Cell Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków (Poland); Szczurek, Aleksander T. [Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz (Germany); Prakash, Kirti [Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz (Germany); Institute for Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology (IPMB), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, D-69120 Heidelberg (Germany); Mohana, Giriram K. [Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz (Germany); Lee, Hyun-Keun [Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz (Germany); Department of Physics, University of Mainz (JGU), Staudingerweg 7, 55128 Mainz (Germany); Roignant, Jean-Yves [Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz (Germany); Birk, Udo J. [Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz (Germany); Department of Physics, University of Mainz (JGU), Staudingerweg 7, 55128 Mainz (Germany); Dobrucki, Jurek W., E-mail: jerzy.dobrucki@uj.edu.pl [Laboratory of Cell Biophysics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków (Poland); Cremer, Christoph, E-mail: c.cremer@imb-mainz.de [Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz (Germany); Institute for Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology (IPMB), University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, D-69120 Heidelberg (Germany); Department of Physics, University of Mainz (JGU), Staudingerweg 7, 55128 Mainz (Germany)

2016-05-01

Higher order chromatin structure is not only required to compact and spatially arrange long chromatids within a nucleus, but have also important functional roles, including control of gene expression and DNA processing. However, studies of chromatin nanostructures cannot be performed using conventional widefield and confocal microscopy because of the limited optical resolution. Various methods of superresolution microscopy have been described to overcome this difficulty, like structured illumination and single molecule localization microscopy. We report here that the standard DNA dye Vybrant{sup ®} DyeCycle™ Violet can be used to provide single molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) images of DNA in nuclei of fixed mammalian cells. This SMLM method enabled optical isolation and localization of large numbers of DNA-bound molecules, usually in excess of 10{sup 6} signals in one cell nucleus. The technique yielded high-quality images of nuclear DNA density, revealing subdiffraction chromatin structures of the size in the order of 100 nm; the interchromatin compartment was visualized at unprecedented optical resolution. The approach offers several advantages over previously described high resolution DNA imaging methods, including high specificity, an ability to record images using a single wavelength excitation, and a higher density of single molecule signals than reported in previous SMLM studies. The method is compatible with DNA/multicolor SMLM imaging which employs simple staining methods suited also for conventional optical microscopy. - Highlights: • Super-resolution imaging of nuclear DNA with Vybrant Violet and blue excitation. • 90nm resolution images of DNA structures in optically thick eukaryotic nuclei. • Enhanced resolution confirms the existence of DNA-free regions inside the nucleus. • Optimized imaging conditions enable multicolor super-resolution imaging.

Single-shot full resolution region-of-interest (ROI) reconstruction in image plane digital holographic microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Mandeep; Khare, Kedar

2018-05-01

We describe a numerical processing technique that allows single-shot region-of-interest (ROI) reconstruction in image plane digital holographic microscopy with full pixel resolution. The ROI reconstruction is modelled as an optimization problem where the cost function to be minimized consists of an L2-norm squared data fitting term and a modified Huber penalty term that are minimized alternately in an adaptive fashion. The technique can provide full pixel resolution complex-valued images of the selected ROI which is not possible to achieve with the commonly used Fourier transform method. The technique can facilitate holographic reconstruction of individual cells of interest from a large field-of-view digital holographic microscopy data. The complementary phase information in addition to the usual absorption information already available in the form of bright field microscopy can make the methodology attractive to the biomedical user community.

High-resolution 13C nuclear magnetic resonance evidence of phase transition of Rb,Cs-intercalated single-walled nanotubes

KAUST Repository

Bouhrara, M.

2011-09-06

We present 13 C high-resolution magic-angle-turning (MAT) and magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance data of Cs and Rb intercalated single walled carbon nanotubes. We find two distinct phases at different intercalation levels. A simple charge transfer is applicable at low intercalation level. The new phase at high intercalation level is accompanied by a hybridization of alkali (s) orbitals with the carbon (sp2) orbitals of the single walled nanotubes, which indicate bundle surface sites is the most probable alkali site.

Numerical correction of anti-symmetric aberrations in single HRTEM images of weakly scattering 2D-objects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lehtinen, Ossi; Geiger, Dorin; Lee, Zhongbo; Whitwick, Michael Brian; Chen, Ming-Wei; Kis, Andras; Kaiser, Ute

2015-01-01

Here, we present a numerical post-processing method for removing the effect of anti-symmetric residual aberrations in high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images of weakly scattering 2D-objects. The method is based on applying the same aberrations with the opposite phase to the Fourier transform of the recorded image intensity and subsequently inverting the Fourier transform. We present the theoretical justification of the method, and its verification based on simulated images in the case of low-order anti-symmetric aberrations. Ultimately the method is applied to experimental hardware aberration-corrected HRTEM images of single-layer graphene and MoSe 2 resulting in images with strongly reduced residual low-order aberrations, and consequently improved interpretability. Alternatively, this method can be used to estimate by trial and error the residual anti-symmetric aberrations in HRTEM images of weakly scattering objects

Notice of Violation of IEEE Publication PrinciplesJoint Redundant Residue Number Systems and Module Isolation for Mitigating Single Event Multiple Bit Upsets in Datapath

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lei; Hu, Jianhao

2010-12-01

Notice of Violation of IEEE Publication Principles"Joint Redundant Residue Number Systems and Module Isolation for Mitigating Single Event Multiple Bit Upsets in Datapath"by Lei Li and Jianhao Hu,in the IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, vol.57, no.6, Dec. 2010, pp. 3779-3786After careful and considered review of the content and authorship of this paper by a duly constituted expert committee, this paper has been found to be in violation of IEEE's Publication Principles.This paper contains substantial duplication of original text from the paper cited below. The original text was copied without attribution (including appropriate references to the original author(s) and/or paper title) and without permission.Due to the nature of this violation, reasonable effort should be made to remove all past references to this paper, and future references should be made to the following articles:"Multiple Error Detection and Correction Based on Redundant Residue Number Systems"by Vik Tor Goh and M.U. Siddiqi,in the IEEE Transactions on Communications, vol.56, no.3, March 2008, pp.325-330"A Coding Theory Approach to Error Control in Redundant Residue Number Systems. I: Theory and Single Error Correction"by H. Krishna, K-Y. Lin, and J-D. Sun, in the IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems II: Analog and Digital Signal Processing, vol.39, no.1, Jan 1992, pp.8-17In this paper, we propose a joint scheme which combines redundant residue number systems (RRNS) with module isolation (MI) for mitigating single event multiple bit upsets (SEMBUs) in datapath. The proposed hardening scheme employs redundant residues to improve the fault tolerance for datapath and module spacings to guarantee that SEMBUs caused by charge sharing do not propagate among the operation channels of different moduli. The features of RRNS, such as independence, parallel and error correction, are exploited to establish the radiation hardening architecture for the datapath in radiation environments. In the proposed

Performance assessment of the single photon emission microscope: high spatial resolution SPECT imaging of small animal organs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mejia, J.; Reis, M.A.; Miranda, A.C.C.; Batista, I.R.; Barboza, M.R.F.; Shih, M.C.; Fu, G.; Chen, C.T.; Meng, L.J.; Bressan, R.A.; Amaro, E. Jr

2013-01-01

The single photon emission microscope (SPEM) is an instrument developed to obtain high spatial resolution single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images of small structures inside the mouse brain. SPEM consists of two independent imaging devices, which combine a multipinhole collimator, a high-resolution, thallium-doped cesium iodide [CsI(Tl)] columnar scintillator, a demagnifying/intensifier tube, and an electron-multiplying charge-coupling device (CCD). Collimators have 300- and 450-µm diameter pinholes on tungsten slabs, in hexagonal arrays of 19 and 7 holes. Projection data are acquired in a photon-counting strategy, where CCD frames are stored at 50 frames per second, with a radius of rotation of 35 mm and magnification factor of one. The image reconstruction software tool is based on the maximum likelihood algorithm. Our aim was to evaluate the spatial resolution and sensitivity attainable with the seven-pinhole imaging device, together with the linearity for quantification on the tomographic images, and to test the instrument in obtaining tomographic images of different mouse organs. A spatial resolution better than 500 µm and a sensitivity of 21.6 counts·s -1 ·MBq -1 were reached, as well as a correlation coefficient between activity and intensity better than 0.99, when imaging 99m Tc sources. Images of the thyroid, heart, lungs, and bones of mice were registered using 99m Tc-labeled radiopharmaceuticals in times appropriate for routine preclinical experimentation of <1 h per projection data set. Detailed experimental protocols and images of the aforementioned organs are shown. We plan to extend the instrument's field of view to fix larger animals and to combine data from both detectors to reduce the acquisition time or applied activity

Performance assessment of the single photon emission microscope: high spatial resolution SPECT imaging of small animal organs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mejia, J. [Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Instituto do Cérebro, São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Reis, M.A. [Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Instituto do Cérebro, São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas, Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Miranda, A.C.C. [Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Instituto do Cérebro, São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Batista, I.R. [Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Instituto do Cérebro, São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas, Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Barboza, M.R.F.; Shih, M.C. [Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Instituto do Cérebro, São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Fu, G. [GE Global Research, Schenectady, NY (United States); Chen, C.T. [Department of Radiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL (United States); Meng, L.J. [Department of Nuclear, Plasma and Radiological Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL (United States); Bressan, R.A. [Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Instituto do Cérebro, São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Neurociências Clínicas, Departamento de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Amaro, E. Jr [Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Instituto do Cérebro, São Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2013-11-06

The single photon emission microscope (SPEM) is an instrument developed to obtain high spatial resolution single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images of small structures inside the mouse brain. SPEM consists of two independent imaging devices, which combine a multipinhole collimator, a high-resolution, thallium-doped cesium iodide [CsI(Tl)] columnar scintillator, a demagnifying/intensifier tube, and an electron-multiplying charge-coupling device (CCD). Collimators have 300- and 450-µm diameter pinholes on tungsten slabs, in hexagonal arrays of 19 and 7 holes. Projection data are acquired in a photon-counting strategy, where CCD frames are stored at 50 frames per second, with a radius of rotation of 35 mm and magnification factor of one. The image reconstruction software tool is based on the maximum likelihood algorithm. Our aim was to evaluate the spatial resolution and sensitivity attainable with the seven-pinhole imaging device, together with the linearity for quantification on the tomographic images, and to test the instrument in obtaining tomographic images of different mouse organs. A spatial resolution better than 500 µm and a sensitivity of 21.6 counts·s{sup -1}·MBq{sup -1} were reached, as well as a correlation coefficient between activity and intensity better than 0.99, when imaging {sup 99m}Tc sources. Images of the thyroid, heart, lungs, and bones of mice were registered using {sup 99m}Tc-labeled radiopharmaceuticals in times appropriate for routine preclinical experimentation of <1 h per projection data set. Detailed experimental protocols and images of the aforementioned organs are shown. We plan to extend the instrument's field of view to fix larger animals and to combine data from both detectors to reduce the acquisition time or applied activity.

Performance assessment of the single photon emission microscope: high spatial resolution SPECT imaging of small animal organs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Mejia

2013-11-01

Full Text Available The single photon emission microscope (SPEM is an instrument developed to obtain high spatial resolution single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT images of small structures inside the mouse brain. SPEM consists of two independent imaging devices, which combine a multipinhole collimator, a high-resolution, thallium-doped cesium iodide [CsI(Tl] columnar scintillator, a demagnifying/intensifier tube, and an electron-multiplying charge-coupling device (CCD. Collimators have 300- and 450-µm diameter pinholes on tungsten slabs, in hexagonal arrays of 19 and 7 holes. Projection data are acquired in a photon-counting strategy, where CCD frames are stored at 50 frames per second, with a radius of rotation of 35 mm and magnification factor of one. The image reconstruction software tool is based on the maximum likelihood algorithm. Our aim was to evaluate the spatial resolution and sensitivity attainable with the seven-pinhole imaging device, together with the linearity for quantification on the tomographic images, and to test the instrument in obtaining tomographic images of different mouse organs. A spatial resolution better than 500 µm and a sensitivity of 21.6 counts·s-1·MBq-1 were reached, as well as a correlation coefficient between activity and intensity better than 0.99, when imaging 99mTc sources. Images of the thyroid, heart, lungs, and bones of mice were registered using 99mTc-labeled radiopharmaceuticals in times appropriate for routine preclinical experimentation of <1 h per projection data set. Detailed experimental protocols and images of the aforementioned organs are shown. We plan to extend the instrument's field of view to fix larger animals and to combine data from both detectors to reduce the acquisition time or applied activity.

Toward single electron resolution phonon mediated ionization detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mirabolfathi, Nader, E-mail: mirabolfathi@physics.tamu.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A& M University (United States); Harris, H. Rusty; Mahapatra, Rupak; Sundqvist, Kyle; Jastram, Andrew [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A& M University (United States); Serfass, Bruno; Faiez, Dana; Sadoulet, Bernard [Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley (United States)

2017-05-21

Experiments seeking to detect rare event interactions such as dark matter or coherent elastic neutrino nucleus scattering are striving for large mass detectors with very low detection threshold. Using Neganov-Luke phonon amplification effect, the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS) experiment is reaching unprecedented RMS resolutions of ∼14 eV{sub ee}. CDMSlite is currently the most sensitive experiment to WIMPs of mass ∼5 GeV/c{sup 2} but is limited in achieving higher phonon gains due to an early onset of leakage current into Ge crystals. The contact interface geometry is particularly weak for blocking hole injection from the metal, and thus a new design is demonstrated that allows high voltage bias via vacuum separated electrode. With an increased bias voltage and a×2 Luke phonon gain, world best RMS resolution of sigma ∼7 eV{sub ee} for 0.25 kg (d=75 mm, h=1 cm) Ge detectors was achieved. Since the leakage current is a function of the field and the phonon gain is a function of the applied voltage, appropriately robust interface blocking material combined with thicker substrate (25 mm) will reach a resolution of ∼2.8 eV{sub ee}. In order to achieve better resolution of ∼ eV, we are investigating a layer of insulator between the phonon readout surface and the semiconductor crystals.

A new method for weakening the combined effect of residual errors on multibeam bathymetric data

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Jianhu; Yan, Jun; Zhang, Hongmei; Zhang, Yuqing; Wang, Aixue

2014-12-01

Multibeam bathymetric system (MBS) has been widely applied in the marine surveying for providing high-resolution seabed topography. However, some factors degrade the precision of bathymetry, including the sound velocity, the vessel attitude, the misalignment angle of the transducer and so on. Although these factors have been corrected strictly in bathymetric data processing, the final bathymetric result is still affected by their residual errors. In deep water, the result usually cannot meet the requirements of high-precision seabed topography. The combined effect of these residual errors is systematic, and it's difficult to separate and weaken the effect using traditional single-error correction methods. Therefore, the paper puts forward a new method for weakening the effect of residual errors based on the frequency-spectrum characteristics of seabed topography and multibeam bathymetric data. Four steps, namely the separation of the low-frequency and the high-frequency part of bathymetric data, the reconstruction of the trend of actual seabed topography, the merging of the actual trend and the extracted microtopography, and the accuracy evaluation, are involved in the method. Experiment results prove that the proposed method could weaken the combined effect of residual errors on multibeam bathymetric data and efficiently improve the accuracy of the final post-processing results. We suggest that the method should be widely applied to MBS data processing in deep water.

Characterization of an endoprotease from rat small intestinal mucosal secretory granules which generates somatostatin-28 from prosomatostatin by cleavage after a single arginine residue

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beinfeld, M. C.; Bourdais, J.; Kuks, P.; Morel, A.; Cohen, P.

1989-01-01

We have extracted, characterized, and partially purified an enzyme from secretory granules from rat small intestinal mucosa which cleaves a synthetic prosomatostatin substrate on the carboxyl side of a single arginine residue. This substrate Leu-Gln-Arg-Ser-Ala-Asn-Ser-NH2 contains the monobasic

Horizontal Residual Mean Circulation: Evaluation of Spatial Correlations in Coarse Resolution Ocean Models

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Y.; McDougall, T. J.

2016-02-01

Coarse resolution ocean models lack knowledge of spatial correlations between variables on scales smaller than the grid scale. Some researchers have shown that these spatial correlations play a role in the poleward heat flux. In order to evaluate the poleward transport induced by the spatial correlations at a fixed horizontal position, an equation is obtained to calculate the approximate transport from velocity gradients. The equation involves two terms that can be added to the quasi-Stokes streamfunction (based on temporal correlations) to incorporate the contribution of spatial correlations. Moreover, these new terms do not need to be parameterized and is ready to be evaluated by using model data directly. In this study, data from a high resolution ocean model have been used to estimate the accuracy of this HRM approach for improving the horizontal property fluxes in coarse-resolution ocean models. A coarse grid is formed by sub-sampling and box-car averaging the fine grid scale. The transport calculated on the coarse grid is then compared to the transport on original high resolution grid scale accumulated over a corresponding number of grid boxes. The preliminary results have shown that the estimate on coarse resolution grids roughly match the corresponding transports on high resolution grids.

Allergy medication in Japanese volunteers: treatment effect of single doses on nocturnal sleep architecture and next day residual effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyle, Julia; Eriksson, Malin; Stanley, Neil; Fujita, Tomoe; Kumagi, Yuji

2006-07-01

To evaluate the acute effects of two histamine H(1)-receptor antagonists on nocturnal sleep architecture and on next day cognitive function and psychomotor performance. This was a single-site, randomized, double-blind, 3-way crossover study, comparing the effects of a single dose of chlorpheniramine (6 mg), fexofenadine (120 mg) and placebo in 18 healthy (male and female) Japanese volunteers aged 20-55 years. Volunteers were resident for 3 days and each period was separated by a minimum 5-day washout period. The three treatments were administered at 23.00 h. Overnight sleep was measured from 23.00 h to 07.00 h using polysomnography. Residual effects were studied at 07.00 h and 9.00 h the next morning, with the latency to sleep (sleep latency test) measured at 09.30 h. Compared with placebo, chlorpheniramine increased the latencies to sleep onset and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep (p < or = 0.05 for both), and reduced the duration of REM sleep (p residual effects the next morning were concerned there were decrements in performance with chlorpheniramine, but not with fexofenadine. Chlorpheniramine 6 mg impaired divided attention (p < 0.001), vigilance (p < 0.05), working memory (p < 0.0001) and sensori-motor performance (p < 0.01), and the latency to daytime sleep was reduced (p < 0.0001). Six adverse events possibly related to study medication were reported during the study, three of which were related to placebo, two to fexofenadine and one to chlorpheniramine. These findings suggest that a single nocturnal dose of fexofenadine has advantages over the first-generation antihistamine chlorpheniramine, being free of disruption of night-time sleep and detrimental effects on cognitive performance the next day. It is likely that this advantage will remain with chronic ingestion, but this would need to be confirmed.

Detecting organic gunpowder residues from handgun use

Science.gov (United States)

MacCrehan, William A.; Ricketts, K. Michelle; Baltzersen, Richard A.; Rowe, Walter F.

1999-02-01

The gunpowder residues that remain after the use of handguns or improvised explosive devices pose a challenge for the forensic investigator. Can these residues be reliably linked to a specific gunpowder or ammunition? We investigated the possibility by recovering and measuring the composition of organic additives in smokeless powder and its post-firing residues. By determining gunpowder additives such as nitroglycerin, dinitrotoluene, ethyl- and methylcentralite, and diphenylamine, we hope to identify the type of gunpowder in the residues and perhaps to provide evidence of a match to a sample of unfired powder. The gunpowder additives were extracted using an automated technique, pressurized fluid extraction (PFE). The conditions for the quantitative extraction of the additives using neat and solvent-modified supercritical carbon dioxide were investigated. All of the major gunpowder additives can be determined with baseline resolution using capillary electrophoresis (CE) with a micellar agent and UV absorbance detection. A study of candidate internal standards for use in the CE method is also presented. The PFE/CE technique is used to evaluate a new residue sampling protocol--asking shooters to blow their noses. In addition, an initial investigation of the compositional differences among unfired and post-fired .22 handgun residues is presented.

Technical note: Equivalent genomic models with a residual polygenic effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Z; Goddard, M E; Hayes, B J; Reinhardt, F; Reents, R

2016-03-01

Routine genomic evaluations in animal breeding are usually based on either a BLUP with genomic relationship matrix (GBLUP) or single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) BLUP model. For a multi-step genomic evaluation, these 2 alternative genomic models were proven to give equivalent predictions for genomic reference animals. The model equivalence was verified also for young genotyped animals without phenotypes. Due to incomplete linkage disequilibrium of SNP markers to genes or causal mutations responsible for genetic inheritance of quantitative traits, SNP markers cannot explain all the genetic variance. A residual polygenic effect is normally fitted in the genomic model to account for the incomplete linkage disequilibrium. In this study, we start by showing the proof that the multi-step GBLUP and SNP BLUP models are equivalent for the reference animals, when they have a residual polygenic effect included. Second, the equivalence of both multi-step genomic models with a residual polygenic effect was also verified for young genotyped animals without phenotypes. Additionally, we derived formulas to convert genomic estimated breeding values of the GBLUP model to its components, direct genomic values and residual polygenic effect. Third, we made a proof that the equivalence of these 2 genomic models with a residual polygenic effect holds also for single-step genomic evaluation. Both the single-step GBLUP and SNP BLUP models lead to equal prediction for genotyped animals with phenotypes (e.g., reference animals), as well as for (young) genotyped animals without phenotypes. Finally, these 2 single-step genomic models with a residual polygenic effect were proven to be equivalent for estimation of SNP effects, too. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A comparison of single knock-on and complete bubble destruction models of the fission induced re-solution of gas atoms from bubbles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wood, M.H.

1978-03-01

In previous theoretical studies of the behaviour of the fission gases in nuclear fuel, the Nelson single knock-on model of the fission induced re-solution of gas atoms from fission gas bubbles has been employed. In the present investigation, predictions from this model are compared with those from a complete bubble destruction model of the re-solution process. The main conclusions of the study are that the complete bubble destruction model predicts more gas release after a particular irradiation time than the single knock-on model, for the same choice of the model parameters, and that parameter sets chosen to give the same gas release predict significantly different bubble size distribution functions. (author)

Mapping of Agricultural Crops from Single High-Resolution Multispectral Images—Data-Driven Smoothing vs. Parcel-Based Smoothing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Asli Ozdarici-Ok

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Mapping agricultural crops is an important application of remote sensing. However, in many cases it is based either on hyperspectral imagery or on multitemporal coverage, both of which are difficult to scale up to large-scale deployment at high spatial resolution. In the present paper, we evaluate the possibility of crop classification based on single images from very high-resolution (VHR satellite sensors. The main objective of this work is to expose performance difference between state-of-the-art parcel-based smoothing and purely data-driven conditional random field (CRF smoothing, which is yet unknown. To fulfill this objective, we perform extensive tests with four different classification methods (Support Vector Machines, Random Forest, Gaussian Mixtures, and Maximum Likelihood to compute the pixel-wise data term; and we also test two different definitions of the pairwise smoothness term. We have performed a detailed evaluation on different multispectral VHR images (Ikonos, QuickBird, Kompsat-2. The main finding of this study is that pairwise CRF smoothing comes close to the state-of-the-art parcel-based method that requires parcel boundaries (average difference ≈ 2.5%. Our results indicate that a single multispectral (R, G, B, NIR image is enough to reach satisfactory classification accuracy for six crop classes (corn, pasture, rice, sugar beet, wheat, and tomato in Mediterranean climate. Overall, it appears that crop mapping using only one-shot VHR imagery taken at the right time may be a viable alternative, especially since high-resolution multitemporal or hyperspectral coverage as well as parcel boundaries are in practice often not available.

Energetic frustrations in protein folding at residue resolution: a homologous simulation study of Im9 proteins.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yunxiang Sun

Full Text Available Energetic frustration is becoming an important topic for understanding the mechanisms of protein folding, which is a long-standing big biological problem usually investigated by the free energy landscape theory. Despite the significant advances in probing the effects of folding frustrations on the overall features of protein folding pathways and folding intermediates, detailed characterizations of folding frustrations at an atomic or residue level are still lacking. In addition, how and to what extent folding frustrations interact with protein topology in determining folding mechanisms remains unclear. In this paper, we tried to understand energetic frustrations in the context of protein topology structures or native-contact networks by comparing the energetic frustrations of five homologous Im9 alpha-helix proteins that share very similar topology structures but have a single hydrophilic-to-hydrophobic mutual mutation. The folding simulations were performed using a coarse-grained Gō-like model, while non-native hydrophobic interactions were introduced as energetic frustrations using a Lennard-Jones potential function. Energetic frustrations were then examined at residue level based on φ-value analyses of the transition state ensemble structures and mapped back to native-contact networks. Our calculations show that energetic frustrations have highly heterogeneous influences on the folding of the four helices of the examined structures depending on the local environment of the frustration centers. Also, the closer the introduced frustration is to the center of the native-contact network, the larger the changes in the protein folding. Our findings add a new dimension to the understanding of protein folding the topology determination in that energetic frustrations works closely with native-contact networks to affect the protein folding.

Quantification of Drive-Response Relationships Between Residues During Protein Folding.

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Yifei; Im, Wonpil

2013-08-13

Mutual correlation and cooperativity are commonly used to describe residue-residue interactions in protein folding/function. However, these metrics do not provide any information on the causality relationships between residues. Such drive-response relationships are poorly studied in protein folding/function and difficult to measure experimentally due to technical limitations. In this study, using the information theory transfer entropy (TE) that provides a direct measurement of causality between two times series, we have quantified the drive-response relationships between residues in the folding/unfolding processes of four small proteins generated by molecular dynamics simulations. Instead of using a time-averaged single TE value, the time-dependent TE is measured with the Q-scores based on residue-residue contacts and with the statistical significance analysis along the folding/unfolding processes. The TE analysis is able to identify the driving and responding residues that are different from the highly correlated residues revealed by the mutual information analysis. In general, the driving residues have more regular secondary structures, are more buried, and show greater effects on the protein stability as well as folding and unfolding rates. In addition, the dominant driving and responding residues from the TE analysis on the whole trajectory agree with those on a single folding event, demonstrating that the drive-response relationships are preserved in the non-equilibrium process. Our study provides detailed insights into the protein folding process and has potential applications in protein engineering and interpretation of time-dependent residue-based experimental observables for protein function.

Single-base resolution maps of cultivated and wild rice methylomes and regulatory roles of DNA methylation in plant gene expression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Li, Xin; Zhu, Jingde; Hu, Fengyi

2012-01-01

DNA methylation plays important biological roles in plants and animals. To examine the rice genomic methylation landscape and assess its functional significance, we generated single-base resolution DNA methylome maps for Asian cultivated rice Oryza sativa ssp. japonica, indica and their wild rela...

Uncertainty in relative energy resolution measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volkovitsky, P.; Yen, J.; Cumberland, L.

2007-01-01

We suggest a new method for the determination of the detector relative energy resolution and its uncertainty based on spline approximation of experimental spectra and a statistical bootstrapping procedure. The proposed method is applied to the spectra obtained with NaI(Tl) scintillating detectors and 137 Cs sources. The spectrum histogram with background subtracted channel-by-channel is modeled by cubic spline approximation. The relative energy resolution (which is also known as pulse height resolution and energy resolution), defined as the full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) divided by the value of peak centroid, is calculated using the intercepts of the spline curve with the line of the half peak height. The value of the peak height is determined as the point where the value of the derivative goes to zero. The residuals, which are normalized over the square root of counts in a given bin (y-coordinate), obey the standard Gaussian distribution. The values of these residuals are randomly re-assigned to a different set of y-coordinates where a new 'pseudo-experimental' data set is obtained after 'de-normalization' of the old values. For this new data set a new spline approximation is found and the whole procedure is repeated several hundred times, until the standard deviation of relative energy resolution becomes stabilized. The standard deviation of relative energy resolutions calculated for each 'pseudo-experimental' data set (bootstrap uncertainty) is considered to be an estimate for relative energy resolution uncertainty. It is also shown that the relative bootstrap uncertainty is proportional to, and generally only two to three times bigger than, 1/√(N tot ), which is the relative statistical count uncertainty (N tot is the total number of counts under the peak). The newly suggested method is also applicable to other radiation and particle detectors, not only for relative energy resolution, but also for any of the other parameters in a measured spectrum, like

Pain Resolution After Hallux Valgus Surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jerry Yongqiang; Ang, Benjamin Fu Hong; Jiang, Lei; Yeo, Nicholas Eng Meng; Koo, Kevin; Singh Rikhraj, Inderjeet

2016-10-01

Although more than 1500 publications on hallux valgus can be found in the current literature, none of them have reported on the course of pain resolution after hallux valgus surgery. Thus, this study aimed to investigate pain resolution after hallux valgus surgery and to identify predictive factors associated with residual pain at 6 months after surgery. We prospectively followed up 308 patients who underwent hallux valgus surgery at a tertiary hospital at 6 months and 2 years after surgery. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the risk factors associated with residual pain after surgery. Ninety-four patients (31%) had some degree of residual pain at 6 months after surgery. After excluding 4 patients who developed osteoarthritis of the first metatarsophalangeal joint over the next 18 months, 73 of the remaining 90 (81%) experienced improvement in visual analog scale (VAS) by the 2-years follow-up. Their median VAS improved from 4 (interquartile range [IQR] 3, 5) at 6 months to 0 (IQR 0, 3) at 2 years (P < .001). A higher preoperative VAS increased the risk of having persistent pain at 6 months after sugery (odds ratio [OR] 1.388, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.092, 1.764, P = .007), whereas a higher preoperative Mental Component Score of SF-36 (MCS) reduced this risk (OR 0.952, 95% CI 0.919, 0.987, P = .007). As much as 31% of patients will have residual pain at 6 months after surgery. Preoperative VAS and MCS are predictors for residual pain. However, these patients will continue to improve over the next 18 months, with 71% of them being pain free at 2 years after surgery. Level II, prospective comparative study. © The Author(s) 2016.

The Israeli EA-FEL Upgrade Towards Long Pulse Operation for Ultra-High Resolution Single Pulse Coherent Spectroscopy

CERN Document Server

Gover, A; Kanter, M; Kapilevich, B; Litvak, B; Peleg, S; Socol, Y; Volshonok, M

2005-01-01

The Israeli Electrostatic Accelerator FEL (EA-FEL) is now being upgraded towards long pulse (1005s) operation and ultra-high resolution (10(-6)) single pulse coherent spectroscopy. We present quantitative estimations regarding the applications of controlled radiation chirp for spectroscopic applications with pulse-time Fourier Transform limited spectral resolution. Additionally, we describe a novel extraction-efficiency-improving scheme based on increase of accelerating voltage (boosting) after saturation is achieved. The efficiency of the proposed scheme is confirmed by theoretical and numerical calculations. The latter are performed using software, based on 3D space-frequency domain model. The presentation provides an overview of the upgrade status: the high-voltage terminal is being reconfigured to accept the accelerating voltage boost system; a new broad band low-loss resonator is being manufactured; multi-stage depressed collector is assembled.

A Multi-Resolution Mode CMOS Image Sensor with a Novel Two-Step Single-Slope ADC for Intelligent Surveillance Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daehyeok Kim

2017-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we present a multi-resolution mode CMOS image sensor (CIS for intelligent surveillance system (ISS applications. A low column fixed-pattern noise (CFPN comparator is proposed in 8-bit two-step single-slope analog-to-digital converter (TSSS ADC for the CIS that supports normal, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, and 1/64 mode of pixel resolution. We show that the scaled-resolution images enable CIS to reduce total power consumption while images hold steady without events. A prototype sensor of 176 × 144 pixels has been fabricated with a 0.18 μm 1-poly 4-metal CMOS process. The area of 4-shared 4T-active pixel sensor (APS is 4.4 μm × 4.4 μm and the total chip size is 2.35 mm × 2.35 mm. The maximum power consumption is 10 mW (with full resolution with supply voltages of 3.3 V (analog and 1.8 V (digital and 14 frame/s of frame rates.

A Multi-Resolution Mode CMOS Image Sensor with a Novel Two-Step Single-Slope ADC for Intelligent Surveillance Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Daehyeok; Song, Minkyu; Choe, Byeongseong; Kim, Soo Youn

2017-06-25

In this paper, we present a multi-resolution mode CMOS image sensor (CIS) for intelligent surveillance system (ISS) applications. A low column fixed-pattern noise (CFPN) comparator is proposed in 8-bit two-step single-slope analog-to-digital converter (TSSS ADC) for the CIS that supports normal, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, and 1/64 mode of pixel resolution. We show that the scaled-resolution images enable CIS to reduce total power consumption while images hold steady without events. A prototype sensor of 176 × 144 pixels has been fabricated with a 0.18 μm 1-poly 4-metal CMOS process. The area of 4-shared 4T-active pixel sensor (APS) is 4.4 μm × 4.4 μm and the total chip size is 2.35 mm × 2.35 mm. The maximum power consumption is 10 mW (with full resolution) with supply voltages of 3.3 V (analog) and 1.8 V (digital) and 14 frame/s of frame rates.

Extending the scope of diagnostic chromosome analysis: detection of single gene defects using high-resolution SNP microarrays.

Science.gov (United States)

Bruno, Damien L; Stark, Zornitza; Amor, David J; Burgess, Trent; Butler, Kathy; Corrie, Sylvea; Francis, David; Ganesamoorthy, Devika; Hills, Louise; James, Paul A; O'Rielly, Darren; Oertel, Ralph; Savarirayan, Ravi; Prabhakara, Krishnamurthy; Salce, Nicholas; Slater, Howard R

2011-12-01

Microarray analysis has provided significant advances in the diagnosis of conditions resulting from submicroscopic chromosome abnormalities. It has been recommended that array testing should be a "first tier" test in the evaluation of individuals with intellectual disability, developmental delay, congenital anomalies, and autism. The availability of arrays with increasingly high probe coverage and resolution has increased the detection of decreasingly small copy number changes (CNCs) down to the intragenic or even exon level. Importantly, arrays that genotype SNPs also detect extended regions of homozygosity. We describe 14 examples of single gene disorders caused by intragenic changes from a consecutive set of 6,500 tests using high-resolution SNP microarrays. These cases illustrate the increased scope of cytogenetic testing beyond dominant chromosome rearrangements that typically contain many genes. Nine of the cases confirmed the clinical diagnosis, that is, followed a "phenotype to genotype" approach. Five were diagnosed by the laboratory analysis in the absence of a specific clinical diagnosis, that is, followed a "genotype to phenotype" approach. Two were clinically significant, incidental findings. The importance of astute clinical assessment and laboratory-clinician consultation is emphasized to optimize the value of microarrays in the diagnosis of disorders caused by single gene copy number and sequence mutations. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A conformation-dependent stereochemical library improves crystallographic refinement even at atomic resolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tronrud, Dale E.; Karplus, P. Andrew

2011-01-01

A script was created to allow SHELXL to use the new CDL v.1.2 stereochemical library which defines the target values for main-chain bond lengths and angles as a function of the residue’s ϕ/ψ angles. Test refinements using this script show that the refinement behavior of structures at resolutions even better than 1 Å is substantially enhanced by the use of the new conformation-dependent ideal geometry paradigm. To utilize a new conformation-dependent backbone-geometry library (CDL) in protein refinements at atomic resolution, a script was written that creates a restraint file for the SHELXL refinement program. It was found that the use of this library allows models to be created that have a substantially better fit to main-chain bond angles and lengths without degrading their fit to the X-ray data even at resolutions near 1 Å. For models at much higher resolution (∼0.7 Å), the refined model for parts adopting single well occupied positions is largely independent of the restraints used, but these structures still showed much smaller r.m.s.d. residuals when assessed with the CDL. Examination of the refinement tests across a wide resolution range from 2.4 to 0.65 Å revealed consistent behavior supporting the use of the CDL as a next-generation restraint library to improve refinement. CDL restraints can be generated using the service at http://pgd.science.oregonstate.edu/cdl_shelxl/

Resolution of Single Spin-Flips of a Single Proton

CERN Document Server

Mooser, A.; Blaum, K.; Bräuninger, S.A.; Franke, K.; Leiteritz, C.; Quint, W.; Rodegheri, C.C.; Ulmer, S.; Walz, J.

2013-04-04

The spin magnetic moment of a single proton in a cryogenic Penning trap was coupled to the particle's axial motion with a superimposed magnetic bottle. Jumps in the oscillation frequency indicate spin-flips and were identified using a Bayesian analysis.

A novel super-resolution camera model

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Xiaopeng; Wang, Yi; Xu, Jie; Wang, Lin; Liu, Fei; Luo, Qiuhua; Chen, Xiaodong; Bi, Xiangli

2015-05-01

Aiming to realize super resolution(SR) to single image and video reconstruction, a super resolution camera model is proposed for the problem that the resolution of the images obtained by traditional cameras behave comparatively low. To achieve this function we put a certain driving device such as piezoelectric ceramics in the camera. By controlling the driving device, a set of continuous low resolution(LR) images can be obtained and stored instantaneity, which reflect the randomness of the displacements and the real-time performance of the storage very well. The low resolution image sequences have different redundant information and some particular priori information, thus it is possible to restore super resolution image factually and effectively. The sample method is used to derive the reconstruction principle of super resolution, which analyzes the possible improvement degree of the resolution in theory. The super resolution algorithm based on learning is used to reconstruct single image and the variational Bayesian algorithm is simulated to reconstruct the low resolution images with random displacements, which models the unknown high resolution image, motion parameters and unknown model parameters in one hierarchical Bayesian framework. Utilizing sub-pixel registration method, a super resolution image of the scene can be reconstructed. The results of 16 images reconstruction show that this camera model can increase the image resolution to 2 times, obtaining images with higher resolution in currently available hardware levels.

Measuring depth profiles of residual stress with Raman spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Enloe, W.S.; Sparks, R.G.; Paesler, M.A.

1988-12-01

Knowledge of the variation of residual stress is a very important factor in understanding the properties of machined surfaces. The nature of the residual stress can determine a part`s susceptibility to wear deformation, and cracking. Raman spectroscopy is known to be a very useful technique for measuring residual stress in many materials. These measurements are routinely made with a lateral resolution of 1{mu}m and an accuracy of 0.1 kbar. The variation of stress with depth; however, has not received much attention in the past. A novel technique has been developed that allows quantitative measurement of the variation of the residual stress with depth with an accuracy of 10nm in the z direction. Qualitative techniques for determining whether the stress is varying with depth are presented. It is also demonstrated that when the stress is changing over the volume sampled, errors can be introduced if the variation of the stress with depth is ignored. Computer aided data analysis is used to determine the depth dependence of the residual stress.

Research Progress on Pesticide Residue Analysis Techniques in Agro-products

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

HE Ze-ying

2016-07-01

Full Text Available There are constant occurrences of acute pesticide poisoning among consumers and pesticide residue violations in agro-products import/export trading. Pesticide residue analysis is the important way to protect the food safety and the interest of import/export enterprises. There has been a rapid development in pesticide residue analysis techniques in recent years. In this review, the research progress in the past five years were discussed in the respects of samples preparation and instrument determination. The application, modification and development of the QuEChERS method in samples preparation and the application of tandem mass spectrometry and high resolution mass spectrometry were reviewed. And the implications for the future of the field were discussed.

A residual-based a posteriori error estimator for single-phase Darcy flow in fractured porous media

KAUST Repository

Chen, Huangxin

2016-12-09

In this paper we develop an a posteriori error estimator for a mixed finite element method for single-phase Darcy flow in a two-dimensional fractured porous media. The discrete fracture model is applied to model the fractures by one-dimensional fractures in a two-dimensional domain. We consider Raviart–Thomas mixed finite element method for the approximation of the coupled Darcy flows in the fractures and the surrounding porous media. We derive a robust residual-based a posteriori error estimator for the problem with non-intersecting fractures. The reliability and efficiency of the a posteriori error estimator are established for the error measured in an energy norm. Numerical results verifying the robustness of the proposed a posteriori error estimator are given. Moreover, our numerical results indicate that the a posteriori error estimator also works well for the problem with intersecting fractures.

Ultrashort and coherent single-electron pulses for diffraction at ultimate resolutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirchner, Friedrich Oscar

2013-01-01

Ultrafast electron diffraction is a powerful tool for studying structural dynamics with femtosecond temporal and sub-aangstroem spatial resolutions. It benefits from the high scattering cross-sections of electrons compared X-rays and allows the examination of thin samples, surfaces and gases. One of the main challenges in ultrafast electron diffraction is the generation of electron pulses with a short duration and a large transverse coherence. The former limits the temporal resolution of the experiment while the latter determines the maximum size of the scattering structures that can be studied. In this work, we strive to push the limits of electron diffraction towards higher temporal and spatial resolutions. The decisive step in our approach is to eliminate all detrimental effects caused by Coulomb repulsion between the electrons by reducing the number of electrons per pulse to one. In this situation, the electrons' longitudinal and transverse velocity distributions are determined solely by the photoemission process. By reducing the electron source size on the photocathode, we make use of the small transverse velocity spread to produce electron pulses with a transverse coherence length of 20 nm, which is about an order of magnitude larger than the reported values for comparable experiments. The energy distribution of an ensemble of single-electron pulses from a photoemission source is directly linked to the mismatch between the photon energy and the cathode's work function. This excess energy can be reduced by using a photon energy close to the material's work function. Using a tunable source of ultraviolet pulses, we demonstrate the reduction of the velocity spread of the electrons, resulting in a shorter duration of the electron pulses. The reduced electron pulse durations achieved by a tunable excitation or by other approaches require new characterization techniques for electron pulses. We developed a novel method for the characterization of electron pulses at

Angularly-resolved elastic scatter from single particles collected over a large solid angle and with high resolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aptowicz, Kevin B; Chang, Richard K

2005-01-01

Elastic light scattering from a single non-spherical particle of various morphologies has been measured simultaneously with a large angular range (90 deg. < θ < 165 deg. and 0 deg. < φ < 360 deg.) and with high angular resolution (1024 pixels in θ and 512 pixels in φ). Because the single-shot laser pulse is short (pulse duration of 70 ns), the tumbling and flowing particle can be treated as frozen in space. The large angle two-dimensional angular optical scattering (hereafter referred to as LA TAOS) intensity pattern, I(θ,φ), has been measured for a variety of particle morphology, such as the following: (1) single polystyrene latex (PSL) sphere; (2) cluster of PSL spheres; (3) single Bacillus subtilis (BG) spore; (4) cluster of BG spores; (5) dried aggregates of bio-aerosols as well as background clutter aerosols. All these measurements were made using the second harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser (0.532 μm). Islands structures in the LA TAOS patterns seem to be the prominent feature. Efforts are being made to extract metrics from these islands and compare them to theoretical results based on the T-matrix method

A Residual Approach for Balanced Truncation Model Reduction (BTMR of Compartmental Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William La Cruz

2014-05-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a residual approach of the square root balanced truncation algorithm for model order reduction of continuous, linear and time-invariante compartmental systems. Specifically, the new approach uses a residual method to approximate the controllability and observability gramians, whose resolution is an essential step of the square root balanced truncation algorithm, that requires a great computational cost. Numerical experiences are included to highlight the efficacy of the proposed approach.

Noise bias in the refinement of structures derived from single particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stewart, Alex; Grigorieff, Nikolaus

2004-01-01

One of the main goals in the determination of three-dimensional macromolecular structures from electron microscope images of individual molecules and complexes (single particles) is a sufficiently high spatial resolution, about 4 A, at which the interpretation with an atomic model becomes possible. To reach high resolution, an iterative refinement procedure using an expectation maximization algorithm is often used that leads to a more accurate alignment of the positional and orientational parameters for each particle. We show here the results of refinement algorithms that use a phase residual, a linear correlation coefficient, or a weighted correlation coefficient to align individual particles. The algorithms were applied to computer-generated data sets that contained projections from model structures, as well as noise. The algorithms show different degrees of over-fitting, especially at high resolution where the signal is weak. We demonstrate that the degree of over-fitting is reduced with a weighting scheme that depends on the signal-to-noise ratio in the data. The weighting also improves the accuracy of resolution measurement by the commonly used Fourier shell correlation. The performance of the refinement algorithms is compared to that using a maximum likelihood approach. The weighted correlation coefficient was implemented in the computer program FREALIGN

Numerical and Experimental Study on the Residual Stresses in the Nitrided Steel

Science.gov (United States)

Song, X.; Zhang, Zhi-Qian; Narayanaswamy, S.; Huang, Y. Z.; Zarinejad, M.

2016-09-01

In the present work, residual stresses distribution in the gas nitrided AISI 4140 sample has been studied using finite element (FE) simulation. The nitrogen concentration profile is obtained from the diffusion-controlled compound layer growth model, and nitrogen concentration controls the material volume change through phase transformation and lattice interstitials which results in residual stresses. Such model is validated through residual stress measurement technique—micro-ring-core method, which is applied to the nitriding process to obtain the residual stresses profiles in both the compound and diffusion layer. The numerical and experimental results are in good agreement with each other; they both indicate significant stress variation in the compound layer, which was not captured in previous research works due to the resolution limit of the traditional methods.

A New Method for Single-Epoch Ambiguity Resolution with Indoor Pseudolite Positioning.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xin; Zhang, Peng; Guo, Jiming; Wang, Jinling; Qiu, Weining

2017-04-21

Ambiguity resolution (AR) is crucial for high-precision indoor pseudolite positioning. Due to the existing characteristics of the pseudolite positioning system, such as the geometry structure of the stationary pseudolite which is consistently invariant, the indoor signal is easy to interrupt and the first order linear truncation error cannot be ignored, and a new AR method based on the idea of the ambiguity function method (AFM) is proposed in this paper. The proposed method is a single-epoch and nonlinear method that is especially well-suited for indoor pseudolite positioning. Considering the very low computational efficiency of conventional AFM, we adopt an improved particle swarm optimization (IPSO) algorithm to search for the best solution in the coordinate domain, and variances of a least squares adjustment is conducted to ensure the reliability of the solving ambiguity. Several experiments, including static and kinematic tests, are conducted to verify the validity of the proposed AR method. Numerical results show that the IPSO significantly improved the computational efficiency of AFM and has a more elaborate search ability compared to the conventional grid searching method. For the indoor pseudolite system, which had an initial approximate coordinate precision better than 0.2 m, the AFM exhibited good performances in both static and kinematic tests. With the corrected ambiguity gained from our proposed method, indoor pseudolite positioning can achieve centimeter-level precision using a low-cost single-frequency software receiver.

Neutron measurement of residual stresses in a used railway rail

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Webster, P.J.; Low, K.S.; Mills, G.; Webster, G.A.

1990-01-01

The high resolution neutron diffraction technique has been applied to determine, non-destructively, the residual stress distribution developed in the head of a railway rail after normal service. Measurements were made, using the neutron strain scanner at the Institute Laue Langevin, Grenoble, on a transverse slice of rail 12mm thick taken from a section of straight track. The rail head was scanned in the three principal orientations in a series of parallel traverses sufficiently close to enable a two-dimensional matrix of data to be accumulated and vertical, transverse and longitudinal residual stress contours to be drawn. The results demonstrate the effectiveness and unique characteristics of the neutron technique to determine nondestructively and continuously the residual stresses inside engineering components

Functional diversity of Csk, Chk, and Src SH2 domains due to a single residue variation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ayrapetov, Marina K; Nam, Nguyen Hai; Ye, Guofeng; Kumar, Anil; Parang, Keykavous; Sun, Gongqin

2005-07-08

The C-terminal Src kinase (Csk) family of protein tyrosine kinases contains two members: Csk and Csk homologous kinase (Chk). Both phosphorylate and inactivate Src family kinases. Recent reports suggest that the Src homology (SH) 2 domains of Csk and Chk may bind to different phosphoproteins, which provides a basis for different cellular functions for Csk and Chk. To verify and characterize such a functional divergence, we compared the binding properties of the Csk, Chk, and Src SH2 domains and investigated the structural basis for the functional divergence. First, the study demonstrated striking functional differences between the Csk and Chk SH2 domains and revealed functional similarities between the Chk and Src SH2 domains. Second, structural analysis and mutagenic studies revealed that the functional differences among the three SH2 domains were largely controlled by one residue, Glu127 in Csk, Ile167 in Chk, and Lys200 in Src. Mutating these residues in the Csk or Chk SH2 domain to the Src counterpart resulted in dramatic gain of function similar to Src SH2 domain, whereas mutating Lys200 in Src SH2 domain to Glu (the Csk counterpart) resulted in loss of Src SH2 function. Third, a single point mutation of E127K rendered Csk responsive to activation by a Src SH2 domain ligand. Finally, the optimal phosphopeptide sequence for the Chk SH2 domain was determined. These results provide a compelling explanation for the functional differences between two homologous protein tyrosine kinases and reveal a new structure-function relationship for the SH2 domains.

Optimizing 1-μs-Resolution Single-Molecule Force Spectroscopy on a Commercial Atomic Force Microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Devin T; Faulk, Jaevyn K; Sanders, Aric W; Bull, Matthew S; Walder, Robert; LeBlanc, Marc-Andre; Sousa, Marcelo C; Perkins, Thomas T

2015-10-14

Atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) is widely used to mechanically measure the folding and unfolding of proteins. However, the temporal resolution of a standard commercial cantilever is 50-1000 μs, masking rapid transitions and short-lived intermediates. Recently, SMFS with 0.7-μs temporal resolution was achieved using an ultrashort (L = 9 μm) cantilever on a custom-built, high-speed AFM. By micromachining such cantilevers with a focused ion beam, we optimized them for SMFS rather than tapping-mode imaging. To enhance usability and throughput, we detected the modified cantilevers on a commercial AFM retrofitted with a detection laser system featuring a 3-μm circular spot size. Moreover, individual cantilevers were reused over multiple days. The improved capabilities of the modified cantilevers for SMFS were showcased by unfolding a polyprotein, a popular biophysical assay. Specifically, these cantilevers maintained a 1-μs response time while eliminating cantilever ringing (Q ≅ 0.5). We therefore expect such cantilevers, along with the instrumentational improvements to detect them on a commercial AFM, to accelerate high-precision AFM-based SMFS studies.

Structure of the SH3 domain of human osteoclast-stimulating factor at atomic resolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Liqing; Wang, Yujun; Wells, David; Toh, Diana; Harold, Hunt; Zhou, Jing; DiGiammarino, Enrico; Meehan, Edward J.

2006-01-01

The crystal structure of the SH3 domain of human osteoclast-stimulating factor has been determined and refined to the ultrahigh resolution of 1.07 Å. The structure at atomic resolution provides an accurate framework for structure-based design of its inhibitors. Osteoclast-stimulating factor (OSF) is an intracellular signaling protein, produced by osteoclasts themselves, that enhances osteoclast formation and bone resorption. It is thought to act via an Src-related signaling pathway and contains SH3 and ankyrin-repeat domains which are involved in protein–protein interactions. As part of a structure-based anti-bone-loss drug-design program, the atomic resolution X-ray structure of the recombinant human OSF SH3 domain (hOSF-SH3) has been determined. The domain, residues 12–72, yielded crystals that diffracted to the ultrahigh resolution of 1.07 Å. The overall structure shows a characteristic SH3 fold consisting of two perpendicular β-sheets that form a β-barrel. Structure-based sequence alignment reveals that the putative proline-rich peptide-binding site of hOSF-SH3 consists of (i) residues that are highly conserved in the SH3-domain family, including residues Tyr21, Phe23, Trp49, Pro62, Asn64 and Tyr65, and (ii) residues that are less conserved and/or even specific to hOSF, including Thr22, Arg26, Thr27, Glu30, Asp46, Thr47, Asn48 and Leu60, which might be key to designing specific inhibitors for hOSF to fight osteoporosis and related bone-loss diseases. There are a total of 13 well defined water molecules forming hydrogen bonds with the above residues in and around the peptide-binding pocket. Some of those water molecules might be important for drug-design approaches. The hOSF-SH3 structure at atomic resolution provides an accurate framework for structure-based design of its inhibitors

Contaminant Release from Residual Waste in Closed Single-Shell Tanks and Other Waste Forms Associated with the Tanks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deutsch, William J.

2008-01-01

This chapter describes the release of contaminants from the various waste forms that are anticipated to be associated with closure of the single-shell tanks. These waste forms include residual sludge or saltcake that will remain in the tanks after waste retrieval. Other waste forms include engineered glass and cementitious materials as well as contaminated soil impacted by previous tank leaks. This chapter also describes laboratory testing to quantify contaminant release and how the release data are used in performance/risk assessments for the tank waste management units and the onsite waste disposal facilities. The chapter ends with a discussion of the surprises and lessons learned to date from the testing of waste materials and the development of contaminant release models

Improving the singles rate method for modeling accidental coincidences in high-resolution PET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oliver, Josep F; Rafecas, Magdalena

2010-01-01

Random coincidences ('randoms') are one of the main sources of image degradation in PET imaging. In order to correct for this effect, an accurate method to estimate the contribution of random events is necessary. This aspect becomes especially relevant for high-resolution PET scanners where the highest image quality is sought and accurate quantitative analysis is undertaken. One common approach to estimate randoms is the so-called singles rate method (SR) widely used because of its good statistical properties. SR is based on the measurement of the singles rate in each detector element. However, recent studies suggest that SR systematically overestimates the correct random rate. This overestimation can be particularly marked for low energy thresholds, below 250 keV used in some applications and could entail a significant image degradation. In this work, we investigate the performance of SR as a function of the activity, geometry of the source and energy acceptance window used. We also investigate the performance of an alternative method, which we call 'singles trues' (ST) that improves SR by properly modeling the presence of true coincidences in the sample. Nevertheless, in any real data acquisition the knowledge of which singles are members of a true coincidence is lost. Therefore, we propose an iterative method, STi, that provides an estimation based on ST but which only requires the knowledge of measurable quantities: prompts and singles. Due to inter-crystal scatter, for wide energy windows ST only partially corrects SR overestimations. While SR deviations are in the range 86-300% (depending on the source geometry), the ST deviations are systematically smaller and contained in the range 4-60%. STi fails to reproduce the ST results, although for not too high activities the deviation with respect to ST is only a few percent. For conventional energy windows, i.e. those without inter-crystal scatter, the ST method corrects the SR overestimations, and deviations from

Errors in Computing the Normalized Protein Catabolic Rate due to Use of Single-pool Urea Kinetic Modeling or to Omission of the Residual Kidney Urea Clearance.

Science.gov (United States)

Daugirdas, John T

2017-07-01

The protein catabolic rate normalized to body size (PCRn) often is computed in dialysis units to obtain information about protein ingestion. However, errors can manifest when inappropriate modeling methods are used. We used a variable volume 2-pool urea kinetic model to examine the percent errors in PCRn due to use of a 1-pool urea kinetic model or after omission of residual urea clearance (Kru). When a single-pool model was used, 2 sources of errors were identified. The first, dependent on the ratio of dialyzer urea clearance to urea distribution volume (K/V), resulted in a 7% inflation of the PCRn when K/V was in the range of 6 mL/min per L. A second, larger error appeared when Kt/V values were below 1.0 and was related to underestimation of urea distribution volume (due to overestimation of effective clearance) by the single-pool model. A previously reported prediction equation for PCRn was valid, but data suggest that it should be modified using 2-pool eKt/V and V coefficients instead of single-pool values. A third source of error, this one unrelated to use of a single-pool model, namely omission of Kru, was shown to result in an underestimation of PCRn, such that each ml/minute Kru per 35 L of V caused a 5.6% underestimate in PCRn. Marked overestimation of PCRn can result due to inappropriate use of a single-pool urea kinetic model, particularly when Kt/V <1.0 (as in short daily dialysis), or after omission of residual native kidney clearance. Copyright © 2017 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Localization-based super-resolution imaging of cellular structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Kanchanawong, Pakorn; Waterman, Clare M

2013-01-01

Fluorescence microscopy allows direct visualization of fluorescently tagged proteins within cells. However, the spatial resolution of conventional fluorescence microscopes is limited by diffraction to ~250 nm, prompting the development of super-resolution microscopy which offers resolution approaching the scale of single proteins, i.e., ~20 nm. Here, we describe protocols for single molecule localization-based super-resolution imaging, using focal adhesion proteins as an example and employing either photoswitchable fluorophores or photoactivatable fluorescent proteins. These protocols should also be easily adaptable to imaging a broad array of macromolecular assemblies in cells whose components can be fluorescently tagged and assemble into high density structures.

Scanning, Multibeam, Single Photon Lidars for Rapid, Large Scale, High Resolution, Topographic and Bathymetric Mapping

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John J. Degnan

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Several scanning, single photon sensitive, 3D imaging lidars are herein described that operate at aircraft above ground levels (AGLs between 1 and 11 km, and speeds in excess of 200 knots. With 100 beamlets and laser fire rates up to 60 kHz, we, at the Sigma Space Corporation (Lanham, MD, USA, have interrogated up to 6 million ground pixels per second, all of which can record multiple returns from volumetric scatterers such as tree canopies. High range resolution has been achieved through the use of subnanosecond laser pulsewidths, detectors and timing receivers. The systems are presently being deployed on a variety of aircraft to demonstrate their utility in multiple applications including large scale surveying, bathymetry, forestry, etc. Efficient noise filters, suitable for near realtime imaging, have been shown to effectively eliminate the solar background during daytime operations. Geolocation elevation errors measured to date are at the subdecimeter level. Key differences between our Single Photon Lidars, and competing Geiger Mode lidars are also discussed.

High resolution transmission electron microscopic study of nanoporous carbon consisting of curved single graphite sheets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourgeois, L.N.; Bursill, L.A.

1997-01-01

A high resolution transmission electron microscopic study of a nanoporous carbon rich in curved graphite monolayers is presented. Observations of very thin regions. including the effect of tilting the specimen with respect to the electron beam, are reported. The initiation of single sheet material on an oriented graphite substrate is also observed. When combined with image simulations and independent measurements of the density (1.37g cm -3 ) and sp 3 /sp 2 +sp 2 bonding fraction (0.16), these observations suggest that this material is a two phase mixture containing a relatively low density aggregation of essentially capped single shells like squat nanotubes and polyhedra, plus a relatively dense 'amorphous' carbon structure which may be described using a random-Schwarzite model. Some negatively-curved sheets were also identified in the low density phase. Finally, some discussion is offered regarding the growth mechanisms responsible for this nanoporous carbon and its relationship with the structures of amorphous carbons across a broad range of densities, porosities and sp 3 /sp 2 +sp 3 bonding fractions

AUTOMATIC INTERPRETATION OF HIGH RESOLUTION SAR IMAGES: FIRST RESULTS OF SAR IMAGE SIMULATION FOR SINGLE BUILDINGS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Tao

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Due to the all-weather data acquisition capabilities, high resolution space borne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR plays an important role in remote sensing applications like change detection. However, because of the complex geometric mapping of buildings in urban areas, SAR images are often hard to interpret. SAR simulation techniques ease the visual interpretation of SAR images, while fully automatic interpretation is still a challenge. This paper presents a method for supporting the interpretation of high resolution SAR images with simulated radar images using a LiDAR digital surface model (DSM. Line features are extracted from the simulated and real SAR images and used for matching. A single building model is generated from the DSM and used for building recognition in the SAR image. An application for the concept is presented for the city centre of Munich where the comparison of the simulation to the TerraSAR-X data shows a good similarity. Based on the result of simulation and matching, special features (e.g. like double bounce lines, shadow areas etc. can be automatically indicated in SAR image.

Dry cleaning of fluorocarbon residues by low-power electron cyclotron resonance hydrogen plasma

CERN Document Server

Lim, S H; Yuh, H K; Yoon Eui Joon; Lee, S I

1988-01-01

A low-power ( 50 W) electron cyclotron resonance hydrogen plasma cleaning process was demonstrated for the removal of fluorocarbon residue layers formed by reactive ion etching of silicon dioxide. The absence of residue layers was confirmed by in-situ reflection high energy electron diffraction and cross-sectional high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The ECR hydrogen plasma cleaning was applied to contact cleaning of a contact string structure, resulting in comparable contact resistance arising during by a conventional contact cleaning procedure. Ion-assisted chemical reaction involving reactive atomic hydrogen species generated in the plasma is attributed for the removal of fluorocarbon residue layers.

Visualising reacting single atoms under controlled conditions: Advances in atomic resolution in situ Environmental (Scanning) Transmission Electron Microscopy (E(S)TEM)

Science.gov (United States)

Boyes, Edward D.; Gai, Pratibha L.

2014-02-01

Advances in atomic resolution Environmental (Scanning) Transmission Electron Microscopy (E(S)TEM) for probing gas-solid catalyst reactions in situ at the atomic level under controlled reaction conditions of gas environment and temperature are described. The recent development of the ESTEM extends the capability of the ETEM by providing the direct visualisation of single atoms and the atomic structure of selected solid state heterogeneous catalysts in their working states in real-time. Atomic resolution E(S)TEM provides a deeper understanding of the dynamic atomic processes at the surface of solids and their mechanisms of operation. The benefits of atomic resolution-E(S)TEM to science and technology include new knowledge leading to improved technological processes with substantial economic benefits, improved healthcare, reductions in energy needs and the management of environmental waste generation. xml:lang="fr"

WE-AB-202-08: Feasibility of Single-Inhalation/Single-Energy Xenon CT for High-Resolution Imaging of Regional Lung Ventilation in Humans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinkham, D; Schueler, E; Diehn, M; Mittra, E; Loo, B; Maxim, P; Negahdar, M; Yamamoto, T

2016-01-01

Purpose: To demonstrate the efficacy of a novel functional lung imaging method that utilizes single-inhalation, single-energy xenon CT (Xe-CT) lung ventilation scans, and to compare it against the current clinical standard, ventilation single-photon emission CT (V-SPECT). Methods: In an IRB-approved clinical study, 14 patients undergoing thoracic radiotherapy received two successive single inhalation, single energy (80keV) CT images of the entire lung using 100% oxygen and a 70%/30% xenon-oxygen mixture. A subset of ten patients also received concurrent SPECT ventilation scans. Anatomic reproducibility between the two scans was achieved using a custom video biofeedback apparatus. The CT images were registered to each other by deformable registration, and a calculated difference image served as surrogate xenon ventilation map. Both lungs were partitioned into twelve sectors, and a sector-wise correlation was performed between the xenon and V-SPECT scans. A linear regression model was developed with forced expiratory volume (FEV) as a predictor and the coefficient of variation (CoV) as the outcome. Results: The ventilation comparison for five of the patients had either moderate to strong Pearson correlation coefficients (0.47 to 0.69, p<0.05). Of these, four also had moderate to strong Spearman correlation coefficients (0.46 to 0.80, p<0.03). The patients with the strongest correlation had clear regional ventilation deficits. The patient comparisons with the weakest correlations had more homogeneous ventilation distributions, and those patients also had diminished lung function as assessed by spirometry. Analysis of the relationship between CoV and FEV yielded a non-significant trend toward negative correlation (Pearson coefficient −0.60, p<0.15). Conclusion: Significant correlations were found between the Xe-CT and V-SPECT ventilation imagery. The results from this small cohort of patients indicate that single inhalation, single energy Xe-CT has the potential to

WE-AB-202-08: Feasibility of Single-Inhalation/Single-Energy Xenon CT for High-Resolution Imaging of Regional Lung Ventilation in Humans

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pinkham, D; Schueler, E; Diehn, M; Mittra, E; Loo, B; Maxim, P [Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California (United States); Negahdar, M [IBM Research Center, San Jose, California (United States); Yamamoto, T [University of California Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: To demonstrate the efficacy of a novel functional lung imaging method that utilizes single-inhalation, single-energy xenon CT (Xe-CT) lung ventilation scans, and to compare it against the current clinical standard, ventilation single-photon emission CT (V-SPECT). Methods: In an IRB-approved clinical study, 14 patients undergoing thoracic radiotherapy received two successive single inhalation, single energy (80keV) CT images of the entire lung using 100% oxygen and a 70%/30% xenon-oxygen mixture. A subset of ten patients also received concurrent SPECT ventilation scans. Anatomic reproducibility between the two scans was achieved using a custom video biofeedback apparatus. The CT images were registered to each other by deformable registration, and a calculated difference image served as surrogate xenon ventilation map. Both lungs were partitioned into twelve sectors, and a sector-wise correlation was performed between the xenon and V-SPECT scans. A linear regression model was developed with forced expiratory volume (FEV) as a predictor and the coefficient of variation (CoV) as the outcome. Results: The ventilation comparison for five of the patients had either moderate to strong Pearson correlation coefficients (0.47 to 0.69, p<0.05). Of these, four also had moderate to strong Spearman correlation coefficients (0.46 to 0.80, p<0.03). The patients with the strongest correlation had clear regional ventilation deficits. The patient comparisons with the weakest correlations had more homogeneous ventilation distributions, and those patients also had diminished lung function as assessed by spirometry. Analysis of the relationship between CoV and FEV yielded a non-significant trend toward negative correlation (Pearson coefficient −0.60, p<0.15). Conclusion: Significant correlations were found between the Xe-CT and V-SPECT ventilation imagery. The results from this small cohort of patients indicate that single inhalation, single energy Xe-CT has the potential to

Residual nilpotence and residual solubility of groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikhailov, R V

2005-01-01

The properties of the residual nilpotence and the residual solubility of groups are studied. The main objects under investigation are the class of residually nilpotent groups such that each central extension of these groups is also residually nilpotent and the class of residually soluble groups such that each Abelian extension of these groups is residually soluble. Various examples of groups not belonging to these classes are constructed by homological methods and methods of the theory of modules over group rings. Several applications of the theory under consideration are presented and problems concerning the residual nilpotence of one-relator groups are considered.

Bank Resolution in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

N. Gordon, Jeffery; Ringe, Georg

2015-01-01

Bank resolution is a key pillar of the European Banking Union. This column argues that the current structure of large EU banks is not conducive to an effective and unbiased resolution procedure. The authors would require systemically important banks to reorganise into a ‘holding company’ structure......, where the parent company holds unsecured term debt sufficient to cover losses at its operating financial subsidiaries. This would facilitate a ‘single point of entry’ resolution procedure, minimising the risk of creditor runs and destructive ring-fencing by national regulators....

Conformation-specific spectroscopy of capped glutamine-containing peptides: role of a single glutamine residue on peptide backbone preferences.

Science.gov (United States)

Walsh, Patrick S; Dean, Jacob C; McBurney, Carl; Kang, Hyuk; Gellman, Samuel H; Zwier, Timothy S

2016-04-28

The conformational preferences of a series of short, aromatic-capped, glutamine-containing peptides have been studied under jet-cooled conditions in the gas phase. This work seeks a bottom-up understanding of the role played by glutamine residues in directing peptide structures that lead to neurodegenerative diseases. Resonant ion-dip infrared (RIDIR) spectroscopy is used to record single-conformation infrared spectra in the NH stretch, amide I and amide II regions. Comparison of the experimental spectra with the predictions of calculations carried out at the DFT M05-2X/6-31+G(d) level of theory lead to firm assignments for the H-bonding architectures of a total of eight conformers of four molecules, including three in Z-Gln-OH, one in Z-Gln-NHMe, three in Ac-Gln-NHBn, and one in Ac-Ala-Gln-NHBn. The Gln side chain engages actively in forming H-bonds with nearest-neighbor amide groups, forming C8 H-bonds to the C-terminal side, C9 H-bonds to the N-terminal side, and an amide-stacked geometry, all with an extended (C5) peptide backbone about the Gln residue. The Gln side chain also stabilizes an inverse γ-turn in the peptide backbone by forming a pair of H-bonds that bridge the γ-turn and stabilize it. Finally, the entire conformer population of Ac-Ala-Gln-NHBn is funneled into a single structure that incorporates the peptide backbone in a type I β-turn, stabilized by the Gln side chain forming a C7 H-bond to the central amide group in the β-turn not otherwise involved in a hydrogen bond. This β-turn backbone structure is nearly identical to that observed in a series of X-(AQ)-Y β-turns in the protein data bank, demonstrating that the gas-phase structure is robust to perturbations imposed by the crystalline protein environment.

Development of Compton X-ray spectrometer for high energy resolution single-shot high-flux hard X-ray spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kojima, Sadaoki, E-mail: kojima-s@ile.osaka-u.ac.jp, E-mail: sfujioka@ile.osaka-u.ac.jp; Ikenouchi, Takahito; Arikawa, Yasunobu; Sakata, Shohei; Zhang, Zhe; Abe, Yuki; Nakai, Mitsuo; Nishimura, Hiroaki; Shiraga, Hiroyuki; Fujioka, Shinsuke, E-mail: kojima-s@ile.osaka-u.ac.jp, E-mail: sfujioka@ile.osaka-u.ac.jp; Azechi, Hiroshi [Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan); Ozaki, Tetsuo [National Institute for Fusion Science, 322-6 Oroshi, Toki, Gifu 509-5292 (Japan); Miyamoto, Shuji; Yamaguchi, Masashi; Takemoto, Akinori [Laboratory of Advanced Science and Technology for Industry, University of Hyogo, 3-1-2 Kouto, Kamigori-cho, Ako-gun, Hyogo 678-1205 (Japan)

2016-04-15

Hard X-ray spectroscopy is an essential diagnostics used to understand physical processes that take place in high energy density plasmas produced by intense laser-plasma interactions. A bundle of hard X-ray detectors, of which the responses have different energy thresholds, is used as a conventional single-shot spectrometer for high-flux (>10{sup 13} photons/shot) hard X-rays. However, high energy resolution (Δhv/hv < 0.1) is not achievable with a differential energy threshold (DET) X-ray spectrometer because its energy resolution is limited by energy differences between the response thresholds. Experimental demonstration of a Compton X-ray spectrometer has already been performed for obtaining higher energy resolution than that of DET spectrometers. In this paper, we describe design details of the Compton X-ray spectrometer, especially dependence of energy resolution and absolute response on photon-electron converter design and its background reduction scheme, and also its application to the laser-plasma interaction experiment. The developed spectrometer was used for spectroscopy of bremsstrahlung X-rays generated by intense laser-plasma interactions using a 200 μm thickness SiO{sub 2} converter. The X-ray spectrum obtained with the Compton X-ray spectrometer is consistent with that obtained with a DET X-ray spectrometer, furthermore higher certainly of a spectral intensity is obtained with the Compton X-ray spectrometer than that with the DET X-ray spectrometer in the photon energy range above 5 MeV.

Single molecule TPM analysis of the catalytic pentad mutants of Cre and Flp site-specific recombinases: contributions of the pentad residues to the pre-chemical steps of recombination

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Hsiu-Fang; Cheng, Yong-Song; Ma, Chien-Hui; Jayaram, Makkuni

2015-01-01

Cre and Flp site-specific recombinase variants harboring point mutations at their conserved catalytic pentad positions were characterized using single molecule tethered particle motion (TPM) analysis. The findings reveal contributions of these amino acids to the pre-chemical steps of recombination. They suggest functional differences between positionally conserved residues in how they influence recombinase-target site association and formation of ‘non-productive’, ‘pre-synaptic’ and ‘synaptic’ complexes. The most striking difference between the two systems is noted for the single conserved lysine. The pentad residues in Cre enhance commitment to recombination by kinetically favoring the formation of pre-synaptic complexes. These residues in Flp serve a similar function by promoting Flp binding to target sites, reducing non-productive binding and/or enhancing the rate of assembly of synaptic complexes. Kinetic comparisons between Cre and Flp, and between their derivatives lacking the tyrosine nucleophile, are consistent with a stronger commitment to recombination in the Flp system. The effect of target site orientation (head-to-head or head-to-tail) on the TPM behavior of synapsed DNA molecules supports the selection of anti-parallel target site alignment prior to the chemical steps. The integrity of the synapse, whose establishment/stability is fostered by strand cleavage in the case of Flp but not Cre, appears to be compromised by the pentad mutations. PMID:25765648

High resolution wind measurements for offshore wind energy development

Science.gov (United States)

Nghiem, Son Van (Inventor); Neumann, Gregory (Inventor)

2013-01-01

A method, apparatus, system, article of manufacture, and computer readable storage medium provide the ability to measure wind. Data at a first resolution (i.e., low resolution data) is collected by a satellite scatterometer. Thin slices of the data are determined. A collocation of the data slices are determined at each grid cell center to obtain ensembles of collocated data slices. Each ensemble of collocated data slices is decomposed into a mean part and a fluctuating part. The data is reconstructed at a second resolution from the mean part and a residue of the fluctuating part. A wind measurement is determined from the data at the second resolution using a wind model function. A description of the wind measurement is output.

Feasibility of Residual Stress Nondestructive Estimation Using the Nonlinear Property of Critical Refraction Longitudinal Wave

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu-Hua Zhang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Residual stress has significant influence on the performance of mechanical components, and the nondestructive estimation of residual stress is always a difficult problem. This study applies the relative nonlinear coefficient of critical refraction longitudinal (LCR wave to nondestructively characterize the stress state of materials; the feasibility of residual stress estimation using the nonlinear property of LCR wave is verified. The nonlinear ultrasonic measurements based on LCR wave are conducted on components with known stress state to calculate the relative nonlinear coefficient. Experimental results indicate that the relative nonlinear coefficient monotonically increases with prestress and the increment of relative nonlinear coefficient is about 80%, while the wave velocity only decreases about 0.2%. The sensitivity of the relative nonlinear coefficient for stress is much higher than wave velocity. Furthermore, the dependence between the relative nonlinear coefficient and deformation state of components is found. The stress detection resolution based on the nonlinear property of LCR wave is 10 MPa, which has higher resolution than wave velocity. These results demonstrate that the nonlinear property of LCR wave is more suitable for stress characterization than wave velocity, and this quantitative information could be used for residual stress estimation.

Identification of chemical signatures of gunshot residues in different fabrics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freitas, Joao Carlos Dias de

2010-01-01

The modern forensic science goes hand in hand with scientific research. The forensic scientists are faced every day with many cases requiring the analysis of residues from firing gun (gunshot residues). This works describes the development of a methodology to determine chemical signatures of shots from a firearm, by measuring the concentrations of Pb, Ba e Sb in the residues from these shots deposited near the entrance hole of bullets, based on the technique with high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HRICP-MS). Shots were performed on five types of target-fabrics and collected testimonies from regions close to the entrance hole of projectiles. The results showed that the method enabled us to identify and distinguish the residues of the .38 caliber revolver and pistols .40 and 9mm caliber. The use of ternary graphs as a tool for data analysis helped to identify specific patterns of distribution of blank samples and gunshot residues deposited after firing revolvers and pistols. The methodology enabled the assignment of the origin of the shot through the confirmation of the residues collected also from the hands of shooters. As a result the methodology in police procedures and aims to add a valuable contribution to forensic investigations. (author)

Stochastic modelling of a single ion channel: an alternating renewal approach with application to limited time resolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Milne, R K; Yeo, G F; Edeson, R O; Madsen, B W

1988-04-22

Stochastic models of ion channels have been based largely on Markov theory where individual states and transition rates must be specified, and sojourn-time densities for each state are constrained to be exponential. This study presents an approach based on random-sum methods and alternating-renewal theory, allowing individual states to be grouped into classes provided the successive sojourn times in a given class are independent and identically distributed. Under these conditions Markov models form a special case. The utility of the approach is illustrated by considering the effects of limited time resolution (modelled by using a discrete detection limit, xi) on the properties of observable events, with emphasis on the observed open-time (xi-open-time). The cumulants and Laplace transform for a xi-open-time are derived for a range of Markov and non-Markov models; several useful approximations to the xi-open-time density function are presented. Numerical studies show that the effects of limited time resolution can be extreme, and also highlight the relative importance of the various model parameters. The theory could form a basis for future inferential studies in which parameter estimation takes account of limited time resolution in single channel records. Appendixes include relevant results concerning random sums and a discussion of the role of exponential distributions in Markov models.

Simulation investigation of thermal phase transformation and residual stress in single pulse EDM of Ti-6Al-4V

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Jiajing; Yang, Xiaodong

2018-04-01

The thermal phase transformation and residual stress are ineluctable in the electrical discharge machining (EDM) process, and they will greatly affect the working performances of the machined surface. This paper presents a simulation study on the thermal phase transformation and residual stress in single-pulse EDM of Ti-6Al-4V, which is the most popular titanium alloy in fields such as aircraft engine and some other leading industries. A multi-physics model including thermal, hydraulic, metallography and structural mechanics was developed. Based on the proposed model, the thickness and metallographic structure of the recast layer and heat affected layer (HAZ) were investigated. The distribution and characteristics of residual stress around the discharge crater were obtained. The recast layer and HAZ at the center of crater are found to be the thinnest, and their thicknesses gradually increase approaching the periphery of the crater. The recast layer undergoes a complete α‧ (martensitic) transformation, while the HAZ is mainly composed by the α  +  β  +  α‧ three-phase microstructure. Along the depth direction of crater, the Von Mises stress increases first and then decreases, reaching its maximal value near the interface of recast layer and HAZ. In the recast layer, both compressive stress component and tensile stress component are observed. ANOVA results showed that the influence of discharge current on maximal tensile stress is more significant than that of pulse duration, while the pulse duration has more significant influence on average thickness of the recast layer and the depth location of the maximal tensile stress. The works conducted in this study will help to evaluate the quality and integrity of EDMed surface, especially when the non-destructive testing is difficult to achieve.

Geochemical Testing And Model Development - Residual Tank Waste Test Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cantrell, K.J.; Connelly, M.P.

2010-01-01

This Test Plan describes the testing and chemical analyses release rate studies on tank residual samples collected following the retrieval of waste from the tank. This work will provide the data required to develop a contaminant release model for the tank residuals from both sludge and salt cake single-shell tanks. The data are intended for use in the long-term performance assessment and conceptual model development.

Digital approach to high-resolution pulse processing for semiconductor detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Georgiev, A.; Buchner, A.; Gast, W.; Lieder, R.M.

1992-01-01

A new design philosophy for processing signals produced by high resolution, large volume semiconductor detectors is described. These detectors, to be used in the next generation of spectrometer arrays for nuclear research (i.e. EUROBALL, etc.), present a set of problems like resolution degradation due to charge trapping and ballistic defect effects, low resolution at a high count rate, poor long term stability, etc. To solve these problems, a new design approach has been developed, including reconstruction of the event charge, providing a pure triangular residual function, and suppressing low frequency noise. 5 refs., 4 figs

Digital approach to high-resolution pulse processing for semiconductor detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Georgiev, A [Sofia Univ. (Bulgaria); Buchner, A [Forschungszentrum Rossendorf (Germany); Gast, W; Lieder, R M [Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH (Germany). Inst. fuer Kernphysik; Stein, J [Target System Electronic GmbH, Solingen, (Germany)

1992-08-01

A new design philosophy for processing signals produced by high resolution, large volume semiconductor detectors is described. These detectors, to be used in the next generation of spectrometer arrays for nuclear research (i.e. EUROBALL, etc.), present a set of problems like resolution degradation due to charge trapping and ballistic defect effects, low resolution at a high count rate, poor long term stability, etc. To solve these problems, a new design approach has been developed, including reconstruction of the event charge, providing a pure triangular residual function, and suppressing low frequency noise. 5 refs., 4 figs.

Comparative study of plans for integrated residue management of construction: an analysis documental

OpenAIRE

Júnior, Jorge Henrique e Silva; Vieira, Elizângela de Jesus Oliveira de Sousa; Monte, Maria José Soares; Carvalho, Moisés Lopes; Oliveira, Francílio de Carvalho; Carvalho, Jancineide Oliveira de

2013-01-01

Objective: The present study is a comparative study of integrated plans in four cities, highlighting the points that are in accordance with Resolution 307/2002 of CONAMA. Methods: This is a bibliographic and documentary research as having scientific articles sources Plans and Integrated Solid Waste Management Construction of five Brazilian cities: Curitiba, Cuiaba, Florianopolis, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Results: The resolution foresees the Integrated Management of Residues Plan for Cons...

Evaluation of residual stresses for the multipass welds of 316L stainless steel pipe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, S. H.; Joo, Y. S.; Lee, J. H.

2003-01-01

It is necessary to evaluate the influence of the residual stress and distortion in the design and fabrication of welded structure and the sound welded structure can be maintained by this consideration. Multipass welds of the 316L stainless steel have been widely employed in the pipes of Liquid Metal Reactor. In this study, the residual stresses in the 316L stainless steel pipe welds were calculated by the finite element method using ANSYS code. Also, the residual stresses both on the surface and in the interior of the thickness were measured by HRPD(High Resolution Powder Diffractometer) instrumented in HANARO Reactor. The residual stresses were measured for each 18 points in small(t/d=0.075) and large pipe specimens (t/d=0.034). The experimental and calculated results were compared and the characteristics of the distribution of the residual stress discussed

Neural activity in the hippocampus during conflict resolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakimoto, Yuya; Okada, Kana; Hattori, Minoru; Takeda, Kozue; Sakata, Shogo

2013-01-15

This study examined configural association theory and conflict resolution models in relation to hippocampal neural activity during positive patterning tasks. According to configural association theory, the hippocampus is important for responses to compound stimuli in positive patterning tasks. In contrast, according to the conflict resolution model, the hippocampus is important for responses to single stimuli in positive patterning tasks. We hypothesized that if configural association theory is applicable, and not the conflict resolution model, the hippocampal theta power should be increased when compound stimuli are presented. If, on the other hand, the conflict resolution model is applicable, but not configural association theory, then the hippocampal theta power should be increased when single stimuli are presented. If both models are valid and applicable in the positive patterning task, we predict that the hippocampal theta power should be increased by presentation of both compound and single stimuli during the positive patterning task. To examine our hypotheses, we measured hippocampal theta power in rats during a positive patterning task. The results showed that hippocampal theta power increased during the presentation of a single stimulus, but did not increase during the presentation of a compound stimulus. This finding suggests that the conflict resolution model is more applicable than the configural association theory for describing neural activity during positive patterning tasks. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Kalman Filter-Based Method to Generate Continuous Time Series of Medium-Resolution NDVI Images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fernando Sedano

2014-12-01

Full Text Available A data assimilation method to produce complete temporal sequences of synthetic medium-resolution images is presented. The method implements a Kalman filter recursive algorithm that integrates medium and moderate resolution imagery. To demonstrate the approach, time series of 30-m spatial resolution NDVI images at 16-day time steps were generated using Landsat NDVI images and MODIS NDVI products at four sites with different ecosystems and land cover-land use dynamics. The results show that the time series of synthetic NDVI images captured seasonal land surface dynamics and maintained the spatial structure of the landscape at higher spatial resolution. The time series of synthetic medium-resolution NDVI images were validated within a Monte Carlo simulation framework. Normalized residuals decreased as the number of available observations increased, ranging from 0.2 to below 0.1. Residuals were also significantly lower for time series of synthetic NDVI images generated at combined recursion (smoothing than individually at forward and backward recursions (filtering. Conversely, the uncertainties of the synthetic images also decreased when the number of available observations increased and combined recursions were implemented.

Near Infrared Microspectroscopy, Fluorescence Microspectroscopy, Infrared Chemical Imaging and High Resolution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Analysis of Soybean Seeds, Somatic Embryos and Single Cells

CERN Document Server

Baianu, I C; Hofmann, N E; Korban, S S; Lozano, P; You, T; AOCS 94th Meeting, Kansas

2002-01-01

Novel methodologies are currently being developed and established for the chemical analysis of soybean seeds, embryos and single cells by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR), Fourier Transform Near Infrared (FT-NIR) Microspectroscopy, Fluorescence and High-Resolution NMR (HR-NMR). The first FT-NIR chemical images of biological systems approaching one micron resolution are presented here. Chemical images obtained by FT-NIR and FT-IR Microspectroscopy are presented for oil in soybean seeds and somatic embryos under physiological conditions. FT-NIR spectra of oil and proteins were obtained for volumes as small as two cubic microns. Related, HR-NMR analyses of oil contents in somatic embryos are also presented here with nanoliter precision. Such 400 MHz 1H NMR analyses allowed the selection of mutagenized embryos with higher oil content (e.g. ~20%) compared to non-mutagenized control embryos. Moreover, developmental changes in single soybean seeds and/or somatic embryos may be monitored by FT-NIR with a precision ...

Annealing as grown large volume CZT single crystals for increased spectral resolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Longxia

2008-01-01

The spectroscopic performance of current large-volume Cadmium 10% Zinc Telluride, Cd 0.9 Zn 0.1 Te, (CZT) detectors is impaired by cumulative effect of tellurium precipitates (secondary phases) presented in CZT single-crystal grown by low-pressure Bridgman techniques(1). This statistical effect may limit the energy resolution of large-volume CZT detectors (typically 2-5% at 662 keV for 12-mm thick devices). The stochastic nature of the interaction prevents the use of any electronic or digital charge correction techniques without a significant reduction in the detector efficiency. This volume constraint hampers the utility of CZT since the detectors are inefficient at detecting photons >1MeV and/or in low fluency situations. During the project, seven runs CZT ingots have been grown, in these ingots the indium dopant concentrations have been changed in the range between 0.5ppm to 6ppm. The I-R mapping imaging method has been employed to study the Te-precipitates. The Teprecipitates in as-grown CZT wafers, and after annealing wafers have been systematically studied by using I-R mapping system (home installed, resolution of 1.5 (micro)m). We employed our I-R standard annealing CZT (Zn=4%) procedure or two-steps annealing into radiation CZT (Zn=10%), we achieved the 'non'-Te precipitates (size 10 9-10 (Omega)-cm. We believe that the Te-precipitates are the p-type defects, its reducing number causes the CZT became n+-type, therefore we varied or reduced the indium dapant concentration during the growth and changed the Te-precipitates size and density by using different Cd-temperature and different annealing procedures. We have made the comparisons among Te-precipitates size, density and Indium dopant concentrations, and we found that the CZT with smaller size of Te-precipitates is suitable for radiation uses but non-Te precipitates is impossible to be used in the radiation detectors, because the CZT would became un-dopant or 'intrinsic' with non radiation affection (we

Measurement and modeling of residual stress in a welded Haynes[reg] 25 cylinder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larsson, C.; Holden, T.M.; Bourke, M.A.M.; Stout, M.; Teague, J.; Lindgren, L.-E.

2005-01-01

An experimental and simulation study of residual stresses was made in the vicinity of a gas tungsten arc weld, used to join a hemispherical end cap to a cylinder. The capped cylinder is used in a satellite application and was fabricated from a Co-based Haynes[reg] 25 alloy. The cylinder was 34.7 mm in outer diameter and 3.3 mm in thickness. The experimental measurements were made by neutron diffraction and the simulation used the implicit Marc finite element code. The experimental resolution was limited to approximately 3 mm parallel to the axis of the cylinder (the weld was 6 mm in the same direction) and comparison over the same volume of the finite element prediction showed general agreement. Subject to the limited spatial resolution, the largest experimentally measured tensile residual stress was 180 MPa, located at the middle of the weld. However, the predictions suggest that there are regions in the weld where average tensile residual stresses as much as 400 MPa exist. One qualitative disparity between the model and the experiments was that the measurement included a larger degree of asymmetry on either side of the weld than predicted by the model

Measurement and modeling of residual stress in a welded Haynes[reg] 25 cylinder

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Larsson, C. [Div. of Eng. Mat., Department of Mech. Eng., Linkoeping University, 58183 Linkoeping (Sweden)]. E-mail: clarsson@cfl.rr.com; Holden, T.M. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Bourke, M.A.M. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Stout, M. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Teague, J. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545 (United States); Lindgren, L.-E. [Div. Comp. Aided Design, Lulea University of Technology and Dalarna University, 97187 Lulea (Sweden)

2005-06-15

An experimental and simulation study of residual stresses was made in the vicinity of a gas tungsten arc weld, used to join a hemispherical end cap to a cylinder. The capped cylinder is used in a satellite application and was fabricated from a Co-based Haynes[reg] 25 alloy. The cylinder was 34.7 mm in outer diameter and 3.3 mm in thickness. The experimental measurements were made by neutron diffraction and the simulation used the implicit Marc finite element code. The experimental resolution was limited to approximately 3 mm parallel to the axis of the cylinder (the weld was 6 mm in the same direction) and comparison over the same volume of the finite element prediction showed general agreement. Subject to the limited spatial resolution, the largest experimentally measured tensile residual stress was 180 MPa, located at the middle of the weld. However, the predictions suggest that there are regions in the weld where average tensile residual stresses as much as 400 MPa exist. One qualitative disparity between the model and the experiments was that the measurement included a larger degree of asymmetry on either side of the weld than predicted by the model.

Residual stress and mechanical properties of SiC ceramic by heat treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, H.K.; Kim, D.H.; Shin, B.C.

2007-01-01

Full text of publication follows: Silicon carbide is a compound of relatively low density, high hardness, elevated thermal stability and good thermal conductivity, resulting in good thermal shock resistance. Because of these properties, SiC materials are widely used as abrasives and refractories. In this study, SiC single and poly crystals was grown by the sublimation method using the SiC seed crystal and SiC powder as the source material. Mechanical properties of SiC single and poly crystals are carried out by using the nano-indentation method and small punch test after the heat treatment. As a result, mechanical properties of SiC poly crystal had over double than single. And SiC single and poly crystals were occurred residual stress, but residual stress was shown relaxant properties by the effect of heat treatment. (authors)

Identification of Key Residues for Enzymatic Carboxylate Reduction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Holly Stolterfoht

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Carboxylate reductases (CARs, E.C. 1.2.1.30 generate aldehydes from their corresponding carboxylic acid with high selectivity. Little is known about the structure of CARs and their catalytically important amino acid residues. The identification of key residues for carboxylate reduction provides a starting point to gain deeper understanding of enzymatic carboxylate reduction. A multiple sequence alignment of CARs with confirmed activity recently identified in our lab and from the literature revealed a fingerprint of conserved amino acids. We studied the function of conserved residues by multiple sequence alignments and mutational replacements of these residues. In this study, single-site alanine variants of Neurospora crassa CAR were investigated to determine the contribution of conserved residues to the function, expressability or stability of the enzyme. The effect of amino acid replacements was investigated by analyzing enzymatic activity of the variants in vivo and in vitro. Supported by molecular modeling, we interpreted that five of these residues are essential for catalytic activity, or substrate and co-substrate binding. We identified amino acid residues having significant impact on CAR activity. Replacement of His 237, Glu 433, Ser 595, Tyr 844, and Lys 848 by Ala abolish CAR activity, indicating their key role in acid reduction. These results may assist in the functional annotation of CAR coding genes in genomic databases. While some other conserved residues decreased activity or had no significant impact, four residues increased the specific activity of NcCAR variants when replaced by alanine. Finally, we showed that NcCAR wild-type and mutants efficiently reduce aliphatic acids.

Quadratic residues and non-residues selected topics

CERN Document Server

Wright, Steve

2016-01-01

This book offers an account of the classical theory of quadratic residues and non-residues with the goal of using that theory as a lens through which to view the development of some of the fundamental methods employed in modern elementary, algebraic, and analytic number theory. The first three chapters present some basic facts and the history of quadratic residues and non-residues and discuss various proofs of the Law of Quadratic Reciprosity in depth, with an emphasis on the six proofs that Gauss published. The remaining seven chapters explore some interesting applications of the Law of Quadratic Reciprocity, prove some results concerning the distribution and arithmetic structure of quadratic residues and non-residues, provide a detailed proof of Dirichlet’s Class-Number Formula, and discuss the question of whether quadratic residues are randomly distributed. The text is a valuable resource for graduate and advanced undergraduate students as well as for mathematicians interested in number theory.

A super-resolution approach for uncertainty estimation of PIV measurements

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sciacchitano, A.; Wieneke, B.; Scarano, F.

2012-01-01

A super-resolution approach is proposed for the a posteriori uncertainty estimation of PIV measurements. The measured velocity field is employed to determine the displacement of individual particle images. A disparity set is built from the residual distance between paired particle images of

Regulatory Closure Options for the Residue in the Hanford Site Single-Shell Tanks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cochran, J.R. Shyr, L.J.

1998-10-05

Liquid, mixed, high-level radioactive waste (HLW) has been stored in 149 single-shell tanks (SSTS) located in tank farms on the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Hanford Site. The DOE is developing technologies to retrieve as much remaining HLW as technically possible prior to physically closing the tank farms. In support of the Hanford Tanks Initiative, Sandia National Laboratories has addressed the requirements for the regulatory closure of the radioactive component of any SST residue that may remain after physical closure. There is significant uncertainty about the end state of each of the 149 SSTS; that is, the nature and amount of wastes remaining in the SSTS after retrieval is uncertain. As a means of proceeding in the face of these uncertainties, this report links possible end-states with associated closure options. Requirements for disposal of HLW and low-level radioactive waste (LLW) are reviewed in detail. Incidental waste, which is radioactive waste produced incidental to the further processing of HLW, is then discussed. If the low activity waste (LAW) fraction from the further processing of HLW is determined to be incidental waste, then DOE can dispose of that incidental waste onsite without a license from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissions (NRC). The NRC has proposed three Incidental Waste Criteria for determining if a LAW fraction is incidental waste. One of the three Criteria is that the LAW fraction should not exceed the NRC's Class C limits.

Regulatory Closure Options for the Residue in the Hanford Site Single-Shell Tanks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cochran, J.R.; Shyr, L.J.

1998-01-01

Liquid, mixed, high-level radioactive waste (HLW) has been stored in 149 single-shell tanks (SSTS) located in tank farms on the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Hanford Site. The DOE is developing technologies to retrieve as much remaining HLW as technically possible prior to physically closing the tank farms. In support of the Hanford Tanks Initiative, Sandia National Laboratories has addressed the requirements for the regulatory closure of the radioactive component of any SST residue that may remain after physical closure. There is significant uncertainty about the end state of each of the 149 SSTS; that is, the nature and amount of wastes remaining in the SSTS after retrieval is uncertain. As a means of proceeding in the face of these uncertainties, this report links possible end-states with associated closure options. Requirements for disposal of HLW and low-level radioactive waste (LLW) are reviewed in detail. Incidental waste, which is radioactive waste produced incidental to the further processing of HLW, is then discussed. If the low activity waste (LAW) fraction from the further processing of HLW is determined to be incidental waste, then DOE can dispose of that incidental waste onsite without a license from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commissions (NRC). The NRC has proposed three Incidental Waste Criteria for determining if a LAW fraction is incidental waste. One of the three Criteria is that the LAW fraction should not exceed the NRC's Class C limits

Wavevector and energy resolution of the polarized diffuse scattering spectrometer D7

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fennell, T., E-mail: tom.fennell@psi.ch [Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen PSI (Switzerland); Mangin-Thro, L., E-mail: mangin-throl@ill.fr [Institut Laue-Langevin, 71 avenue des Martyrs, CS 20156 - 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France); Mutka, H., E-mail: mutka@ill.fr [Institut Laue-Langevin, 71 avenue des Martyrs, CS 20156 - 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France); Nilsen, G.J., E-mail: goran.nilsen@stfc.ac.uk [ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot OX11 0QX (United Kingdom); Wildes, A.R., E-mail: wildes@ill.fr [Institut Laue-Langevin, 71 avenue des Martyrs, CS 20156 - 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France)

2017-06-11

The instrumental divergence parameters and resolution for the D7 neutron diffuse scattering spectrometer at the Institut Laue-Langevin, France, are presented. The resolution parameters are calibrated against measurements of powders, single crystals, and the incoherent scattering from vanadium. We find that the powder diffraction resolution is well described by the Cagliotti function, the single crystal resolution function can be parameterized using the Cooper-Nathans formalism, and that in time-of-flight mode the energy resolution is consistent with monochromatic focussing.

Feasibility of high-resolution one-dimensional relaxation imaging at low magnetic field using a single-sided NMR scanner applied to articular cartilage

Science.gov (United States)

Rössler, Erik; Mattea, Carlos; Stapf, Siegfried

2015-02-01

Low field Nuclear Magnetic Resonance increases the contrast of the longitudinal relaxation rate in many biological tissues; one prominent example is hyaline articular cartilage. In order to take advantage of this increased contrast and to profile the depth-dependent variations, high resolution parameter measurements are carried out which can be of critical importance in an early diagnosis of cartilage diseases such as osteoarthritis. However, the maximum achievable spatial resolution of parameter profiles is limited by factors such as sensor geometry, sample curvature, and diffusion limitation. In this work, we report on high-resolution single-sided NMR scanner measurements with a commercial device, and quantify these limitations. The highest achievable spatial resolution on the used profiler, and the lateral dimension of the sensitive volume were determined. Since articular cartilage samples are usually bent, we also focus on averaging effects inside the horizontally aligned sensitive volume and their impact on the relaxation profiles. Taking these critical parameters into consideration, depth-dependent relaxation time profiles with the maximum achievable vertical resolution of 20 μm are discussed, and are correlated with diffusion coefficient profiles in hyaline articular cartilage in order to reconstruct T2 maps from the diffusion-weighted CPMG decays of apparent relaxation rates.

Calculating residual flows through a multiple-inlet system: the conundrum of the tidal period

Science.gov (United States)

Duran-Matute, Matias; Gerkema, Theo

2015-11-01

The concept of residual, i.e., tidally-averaged, flows through a multiple inlet system is reappraised. The evaluation of the residual through-flow depends on the time interval over which is integrated, in other words, on how one defines the tidal period. It is demonstrated that this definition is ambiguous and that different definitions (based on, e.g., high waters, slack tides, etc.) yield very different results for the residual, also in terms of their long-term statistical properties (median and standard deviation). A basin-wide applicable method of defining the tidal period, in terms of enclosed water volume, is analyzed. We compare the different methods on the basis of high-resolution model results for the Western Dutch Wadden Sea. The multitude of tidal constituents together with wind variability creates broad distributions for the residuals, with standard deviations much larger than the mean or median residual flows.

Evaluating low-resolution tomography neurofeedback by single dissociation of mental grotation task from stop signal task performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Getter, Nir; Kaplan, Zeev; Todder, Doron

2015-10-01

Electroencephalography source localization neurofeedback, i.e Standardized low-resolution tomography (sLORETA) neurofeedback are non-invasive method for altering region specific brain activity. This is an improvement over traditional neurofeedback which were based on recordings from a single scalp-electrode. We proposed three criteria clusters as a methodological framework to evaluate electroencephalography source localization neurofeedback and present relevant data. Our objective was to evaluate standardized low resolution EEG tomography neurofeedback by examining how training one neuroanatomical area effects the mental rotation task (which is related to the activity of bilateral Parietal regions) and the stop-signal test (which is related to frontal structures). Twelve healthy participants were enrolled in a single session sLORETA neurofeedback protocol. The participants completed both the mental rotation task and the stop-signal test before and after one sLORETA neurofeedback session. During sLORETA neurofeedback sessions participants watched one sitcom episode while the picture quality co-varied with activity in the superior parietal lobule. Participants were rewarded for increasing activity in this region only. Results showed a significant reaction time decrease and an increase in accuracy after sLORETA neurofeedback on the mental rotation task but not after stop signal task. Together with behavioral changes a significant activity increase was found at the left parietal brain after sLORETA neurofeedback compared with baseline. We concluded that activity increase in the parietal region had a specific effect on the mental rotation task. Tasks unrelated to parietal brain activity were unaffected. Therefore, sLORETA neurofeedback could be used as a research, or clinical tool for cognitive disorders. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Residual Stress Analysis Based on Acoustic and Optical Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanichiro Yoshida

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Co-application of acoustoelasticity and optical interferometry to residual stress analysis is discussed. The underlying idea is to combine the advantages of both methods. Acoustoelasticity is capable of evaluating a residual stress absolutely but it is a single point measurement. Optical interferometry is able to measure deformation yielding two-dimensional, full-field data, but it is not suitable for absolute evaluation of residual stresses. By theoretically relating the deformation data to residual stresses, and calibrating it with absolute residual stress evaluated at a reference point, it is possible to measure residual stresses quantitatively, nondestructively and two-dimensionally. The feasibility of the idea has been tested with a butt-jointed dissimilar plate specimen. A steel plate 18.5 mm wide, 50 mm long and 3.37 mm thick is braze-jointed to a cemented carbide plate of the same dimension along the 18.5 mm-side. Acoustoelasticity evaluates the elastic modulus at reference points via acoustic velocity measurement. A tensile load is applied to the specimen at a constant pulling rate in a stress range substantially lower than the yield stress. Optical interferometry measures the resulting acceleration field. Based on the theory of harmonic oscillation, the acceleration field is correlated to compressive and tensile residual stresses qualitatively. The acoustic and optical results show reasonable agreement in the compressive and tensile residual stresses, indicating the feasibility of the idea.

Pesticide residue quantification analysis by hyperspectral imaging sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Yuan-Hsun; Lo, Wei-Sheng; Guo, Horng-Yuh; Kao, Ching-Hua; Chou, Tau-Meu; Chen, Junne-Jih; Wen, Chia-Hsien; Lin, Chinsu; Chen, Hsian-Min; Ouyang, Yen-Chieh; Wu, Chao-Cheng; Chen, Shih-Yu; Chang, Chein-I.

2015-05-01

Pesticide residue detection in agriculture crops is a challenging issue and is even more difficult to quantify pesticide residue resident in agriculture produces and fruits. This paper conducts a series of base-line experiments which are particularly designed for three specific pesticides commonly used in Taiwan. The materials used for experiments are single leaves of vegetable produces which are being contaminated by various amount of concentration of pesticides. Two sensors are used to collected data. One is Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The other is a hyperspectral sensor, called Geophysical and Environmental Research (GER) 2600 spectroradiometer which is a batteryoperated field portable spectroradiometer with full real-time data acquisition from 350 nm to 2500 nm. In order to quantify data with different levels of pesticide residue concentration, several measures for spectral discrimination are developed. Mores specifically, new measures for calculating relative power between two sensors are particularly designed to be able to evaluate effectiveness of each of sensors in quantifying the used pesticide residues. The experimental results show that the GER is a better sensor than FTIR in the sense of pesticide residue quantification.

Surface residual stress evaluation in double-electrode butt welded steel plates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Estefen, S.F.; Gurova, T.; Castello, X.; Leontiev, A.

2010-01-01

Surface residual stress evaluation for double-electrode welding was studied. The stresses were monitored after each operational step: positioning, implementing of constraints, welding and constraints removal. The measurements were performed at the deposited metal, heat affected zone, base metal close to the weld joint and along the plate using the X-ray diffraction method. It was observed differences in the stress evaluations for double-electrode welding which resulted in lower bending distortions and higher values of surface residual stresses, compared with single-electrode welding. This behavior is associated with the stress distribution just after the welding processes in both heat affected zone and base metal close to the fillet for double-electrode welding. The main results from the laboratorial tests indicated lower values of the bending distortions for double-electrode welding compared with the single-electrode. In relation to the residual stress, the double-electrode welding generated, in general, higher stress values in both longitudinal and transversal directions.

Comparison of sample digestion techniques for the determination of trace and residual catalyst metal content in single-wall carbon nanotubes by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grinberg, Patricia, E-mail: patricia.grinberg@nrc.ca [Measurement Science and Standards, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa (Canada); Sturgeon, Ralph E. [Measurement Science and Standards, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa (Canada); Diehl, Liange de O.; Bizzi, Cezar A. [Measurement Science and Standards, National Research Council Canada, Ottawa (Canada); Chemistry Department, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria (Brazil); Flores, Erico M.M. [Chemistry Department, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria (Brazil)

2015-03-01

A single-wall carbon nanotube material produced by laser ablation of renewable biochar in the presence of Ni and Co catalyst was characterized for residual catalyst (Co and Ni) as well as trace metal impurity content (Fe, Mo, Cr, Pb and Hg) by isotope dilution ICP-MS following sample digestion. Several matrix destruction procedures were evaluated, including a multi-step microwave-assisted acid digestion, dry ashing at 450 °C and microwave-induced combustion with oxygen. Results were benchmarked against those derived from neutron activation analysis and also supported by solid sampling continuum source GF-AAS for several of the elements. Although laborious to execute, the multi-step microwave-assisted acid digestion proved to be most reliable for recovery of the majority of the analytes, although content of Cr remained biased low for each approach, likely due to its presence as refractory carbide. - Highlights: • Determination of trace and residual catalyst metal content in Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. • Comparative study of digestion methodology combined with high precision isotope dilution ICP-MS for quantitation of elements of toxicologic relevance. • Results were benchmarked against those derived from neutron activation analysis and also supported by solid sampling continuum source GF-AAS for several of the elements.

Molecular identification of broomrape species from a single seed by High Resolution Melting analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mathieu Rolland

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Broomrapes are holoparasitic plants spreading through seeds. Each plant produces hundreds of thousands of seeds which remain viable in the soils for decades. To limit their spread, drastic measures are being taken and the contamination of a commercial seed lot by a single broomrape seed can lead to its rejection. Considering that broomrapes species identification from a single seed is extremely difficult even for trained botanists and that among all the described species, only a few are really noxious for the crops, numerous seed lots are rejected because of the contamination by seeds of non-noxious broomrape species. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a High Resolution Melting assay identifying the eight most noxious and common broomrape species (P. aegyptiaca, O. cernua, O. crenata, O. cumana, O. foetida, O. hederae, O. minor, and P. ramosa from a single seed. Based on trnL and rbcL plastidial genes amplification, the designed assay successfully identifies O. cumana, O. cernua, O. crenata, O. minor, O. hederae, and O. foetida; P. ramosa and P. aegyptiaca can be differentiated from other species but not from each other. Tested on 50 seed lots, obtained results perfectly matched identifications performed by sequencing. Through the analysis of common seed lots by different analysts, the reproducibility of the assay was evaluated at 90 %. Despite an original sample preparation process it was not possible to extract enough DNA from some seeds (10% of the samples. The described assay fulfils its objectives and allows an accurate identification of the targeted broomrape species. It can be used to identify contaminants in commercial seed lots or for any other purpose. The assay might be extended to vegetative material.

Residual stress effects on the K parameter of the fracture mechanics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soares, Maria da Conceiccao B. Vieira; Andrade, Arnaldo H. Paes de

1996-01-01

Compressive residual stresses are beneficial and improve resistance to fracture and crack growth. Residual stresses can be introduced in fabricated components by a variety of means and a number of methods such as laser surface treatment, cold expanded hole, and shot peening. Neutrons diffraction measurements of residual stress were performed at a pulsed neutron source (ISIS, Didcot, UK), on shot peened plates of nickel base superalloy Udimet 720 and titanium alloy IMI 834. The stress intensity factor (K) of residual stress was evaluated by finite element modeling and weight function method. Finite element modeling of a 2D plate with a single edge-notch was applied and, due to symmetry only half of the plate was actually modeled. The stress intensity factor (K) was evaluated for both case of remote tension stress and residual stress. Crack surface overlapping, which is physically unacceptable, was noted for small cracks under residual and boundary lading. Overlap correction was proposed and applied in order to obtain reliable values for (K). (author)

Residual stress measurements by means of neutron diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pintschovius, L.; Jung, V.; Macherauch, E.; Voehringer, O.

1983-01-01

A new method for the analysis of multiaxial residual stress states is presented, which is based on high resolution neutron diffraction. It is analogous to X-ray stress analysis, but the use of neutrons instead of X-rays allows the analysis of the stress distributions also in the interior of technical components in a non-destructive way. To prove the feasibility of the method, investigations of the loading stress distributions of an aluminium bar subjected to purely elastic bending were performed. Limiting factors due to the volume of the internal probe region and the sample thickness are discussed. Complete neutron residual stress analyses were carried out for a plastically deformed bending bar and a transformation-free water-quenched steel cylinder. The results are in fairly good agreement with theoretical expectations and with X-ray control measurements at the surface of the objects. (Auth.)

A Single Residue in Ebola Virus Receptor NPC1 Influences Cellular Host Range in Reptiles

Science.gov (United States)

2016-09-07

VH-2) is resistant to infection in an NPC1-36   dependent manner . We found that VH-2 cells are resistant to EBOV infection because the Rus-37...infection in a host species-dependent manner (24). Here, we demonstrate that an adjacent 89   residue, 503, highly conserved in the domain C of NPC1...Tyr sequence 194   change at residue 503 might influence EBOV GPCL–NPC1 binding in a bidirectional manner . 195   Accordingly, we expressed and

SPECTRA OF STRONG MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC TURBULENCE FROM HIGH-RESOLUTION SIMULATIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beresnyak, Andrey

2014-01-01

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence is present in a variety of solar and astrophysical environments. Solar wind fluctuations with frequencies lower than 0.1 Hz are believed to be mostly governed by Alfvénic turbulence with particle transport depending on the power spectrum and the anisotropy of such turbulence. Recently, conflicting spectral slopes for the inertial range of MHD turbulence have been reported by different groups. Spectral shapes from earlier simulations showed that MHD turbulence is less scale-local compared with hydrodynamic turbulence. This is why higher-resolution simulations, and careful and rigorous numerical analysis is especially needed for the MHD case. In this Letter, we present two groups of simulations with resolution up to 4096 3 , which are numerically well-resolved and have been analyzed with an exact and well-tested method of scaling study. Our results from both simulation groups indicate that the asymptotic power spectral slope for all energy-related quantities, such as total energy and residual energy, is around –1.7, close to Kolmogorov's –5/3. This suggests that residual energy is a constant fraction of the total energy and that in the asymptotic regime of Alfvénic turbulence magnetic and kinetic spectra have the same scaling. The –1.5 slope for energy and the –2 slope for residual energy, which have been suggested earlier, are incompatible with our numerics

WE-EF-303-04: An Advanced Image Processing Method to Improve the Spatial Resolution of Proton Radiographies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rinaldi, I; Parodi, K; Krah, N

2015-01-01

Purpose: We present an optimization method to improve the spatial resolution and the water equivalent thickness accuracy of proton radiographies. Methods: The method is designed for imaging systems measuring only the residual range of protons without relying on tracker detectors to determine the beam trajectory before and after the target. Specifically, the method was used for an imaging set-up consisting of a stack of 61 parallel-plate ionization chambers (PPIC) working as a range telescope. The method uses a decomposition approach of the residual range signal measured by the PPIC and constructs subimages with small size pixels geometrically rearranged and appropriately averaged to be merged into a final single radiography. The method was tested using Monte Carlo simulated and experimental proton radiographies of a PMMA step phantom and an anthropomorphic head phantom. Results: For the step phantom, the effective spatial resolution was found to be 4 and 3 times higher than the nominal resolution for the simulated and experimental radiographies, respectively. For the head phantom, a gamma index was calculated to quantify the conformity of the simulated proton radiographies with a digitally reconstructed X-ray radiography convolved with a Gaussian kernel equal to the proton beam spot-size. For DTA=2.5 mm and RD=2.5%, the passing ratio was 100%/85% for the optimized/non-optimized case, respectively. An extension of the method allows reducing the dose given to the patient during radiography acquisition. We show that despite a dose reduction of 25 times (leading to a dose of 0.016 mGy for the current imaging set-up), the image quality of the optimized radiographies remains fairly unaffected for both the simulated and experimental results. Conclusion: The optimization method leads to a significant increase of the spatial resolution allowing recovering image details that are unresolved in non-optimized radiographies. These results represent a major step towards clinical

Measuring the hydrogen/deuterium exchange of proteins at high spatial resolution by mass spectrometry: overcoming gas-phase hydrogen/deuterium scrambling.

Science.gov (United States)

Rand, Kasper D; Zehl, Martin; Jørgensen, Thomas J D

2014-10-21

acidic conditions where the amide hydrogen exchange rate is slowed by many orders of magnitude). The ability to localize the individual deuterated residues (the spatial resolution) is determined by the size (typically ∼7-15 residues) and the number of peptic peptides. These peptides provide a relatively coarse-grained picture of the protein dynamics. A fundamental understanding of the relationship between protein function/dysfunction and conformational dynamics requires in many cases higher resolution and ultimately single-residue resolution. In this Account, we summarize our efforts to achieve single-residue deuterium levels in proteins by electron-based or laser-induced gas-phase fragmentation methods. A crucial analytical requirement for this approach is that the pattern of deuterium labeling from solution is retained in the gas-phase fragment ions. It is therefore essential to control and minimize any occurrence of gas-phase randomization of the solution deuterium label (H/D scrambling) during the MS experiment. For this purpose, we have developed model peptide probes to accurately measure the onset and extent of H/D scrambling. Our analytical procedures to control the occurrence of H/D scrambling are detailed along with the physical parameters that induce it during MS analysis. In light of the growing use of gas-phase dissociation experiments to measure the HDX of proteins in order to obtain a detailed characterization and understanding of the dynamic conformations and interactions of proteins at the molecular level, we discuss the perspectives and challenges of future high-resolution HDX-MS methodology.

Single-shot spiral imaging at 7 T.

Science.gov (United States)

Engel, Maria; Kasper, Lars; Barmet, Christoph; Schmid, Thomas; Vionnet, Laetitia; Wilm, Bertram; Pruessmann, Klaas P

2018-03-25

The purpose of this work is to explore the feasibility and performance of single-shot spiral MRI at 7 T, using an expanded signal model for reconstruction. Gradient-echo brain imaging is performed on a 7 T system using high-resolution single-shot spiral readouts and half-shot spirals that perform dual-image acquisition after a single excitation. Image reconstruction is based on an expanded signal model including the encoding effects of coil sensitivity, static off-resonance, and magnetic field dynamics. The latter are recorded concurrently with image acquisition, using NMR field probes. The resulting image resolution is assessed by point spread function analysis. Single-shot spiral imaging is achieved at a nominal resolution of 0.8 mm, using spiral-out readouts of 53-ms duration. High depiction fidelity is achieved without conspicuous blurring or distortion. Effective resolutions are assessed as 0.8, 0.94, and 0.98 mm in CSF, gray matter and white matter, respectively. High image quality is also achieved with half-shot acquisition yielding image pairs at 1.5-mm resolution. Use of an expanded signal model enables single-shot spiral imaging at 7 T with unprecedented image quality. Single-shot and half-shot spiral readouts deploy the sensitivity benefit of high field for rapid high-resolution imaging, particularly for functional MRI and arterial spin labeling. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Profile Monitors Based on Residual Gas Interaction

CERN Document Server

Forck, P; Giacomini, T; Peters, A

2005-01-01

The precise determination of transverse beam profiles at high current hadron accelerators has to be performed non-interceptingly. Two methods will be discussed based on the excitation of the residual gas molecules by the beam particles: Firstly, by beam induced fluorescence (BIF) light is emitted from the residual gas molecules and is observed with an image intensified CCD camera. At most laboratories N2 gas is inserted, which has a large cross section for emission in the blue wave length region. Secondly, a larger signal strength is achieved by detecting the ionization products in an Ionization Profile Monitor (IPM). By applying an electric field all ionization products are accelerated toward a spatial resolving Micro-Channel Plate. The signal read-out can either be performed by observing the light from a phosphor screen behind the MCP or electronically by a wire array. Methods to achieve a high spatial resolution and a fast turn-by-turn readout capability are discussed. Even though various approaches at dif...

Single particle analysis of ice crystal residuals observed in orographic wave clouds over Scandinavia during INTACC experiment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. C. Targino

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Individual ice crystal residual particles collected over Scandinavia during the INTACC (INTeraction of Aerosol and Cold Clouds experiment in October 1999 were analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM equipped with Energy-Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDX. Samples were collected onboard the British Met Office Hercules C-130 aircraft using a Counterflow Virtual Impactor (CVI. This study is based on six samples collected in orographic clouds. The main aim of this study is to characterize cloud residual elemental composition in conditions affected by different airmasses. In total 609 particles larger than 0.1 μm diameter were analyzed and their elemental composition and morphology were determined. Thereafter a hierarchical cluster analysis was performed on the signal detected with SEM-EDX in order to identify the major particle classes and their abundance. A cluster containing mineral dust, represented by aluminosilicates, Fe-rich and Si-rich particles, was the dominating class of particles, accounting for about 57.5% of the particles analyzed, followed by low-Z particles, 23.3% (presumably organic material and sea salt (6.7%. Sulfur was detected often across all groups, indicating ageing and in-cloud processing of particles. A detailed inspection of samples individually unveiled a relationship between ice crystal residual composition and airmass origin. Cloud residual samples from clean airmasses (that is, trajectories confined to the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans and/or with source altitude in the free troposphere were dominated primarily by low-Z and sea salt particles, while continentally-influenced airmasses (with trajectories that originated or traveled over continental areas and with source altitude in the continental boundary layer contained mainly mineral dust residuals. Comparison of residual composition for similar cloud ambient temperatures around –27°C revealed that supercooled clouds are more likely to persist in conditions where

Resolution unfolding with limits imposed by statistical experimental errors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lang, D.W.

1977-02-01

A typical form of the resolution equation is derived by considering the physical measurement of an energy dependent spectrum. It is shown that the information contained in a data set may be expressed by writing the spectrum as a linear combination of a set of resolution functions. Introduction of other functions to describe the spectrum involves extra physical information. An iterative conjugate gradient technique to obtain a spectrum consistent with the data is described. At each iteration the residual discrepancy between the currently predicted yield and the measured data is used to generate the form and mangitude of the next term to be added to the spectrum. Other unfolding techniques are described and analysed, some faster than the conjugate gradient technique in special cases, but restricted in usefulness by implicit assumptions about the resolution functions. The nature of residual errors is considered. The variations of independently measured data sets are discussed, and hence, the variations of the sequence of terms appearing in a consequent conjugate gradient analysis. An approximate measure is obtained for the expected variation of independently obtained spectra. Refinements are briefly considered which apply to a resolution function that is not known precisely or which make use of a requirement that the spectrum be positive throughout its range. It is concluded that a conjugate gradient technique is best if sufficient computer facilities are available, and that, of the less demanding techniques, the best is one that is essentially a more slowly convergent version of a conjugate gradient method. (author)

Investigation of the martensitic phase transformations in CoFe single crystals using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waitz, T.

1999-06-01

In CoFe crystals containing 0.85, 1.5, 5.75 and 6.0at.% Fe the thermally induced martensitic phase transformations between the close packed lattices face centered cubic (fcc), double hexagonal close packed (dhcp) and hexagonal close packed (hcp) were studied. Transmission electron microscopy methods were applied including in-situ experiments; both high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images and lattice fringe images were used to analyze the transformations at an atomic scale. Based on the results of both the transformations in the bulk and the in-situ transformations it is concluded that the phase transitions occur by the formation of lamellae on the close packed habit planes. The lamellae have a minimum thickness of 10 to 15 close packed planes; therefore transformation models that are based on random overlap of stacking faults can be excluded. The glissile transformation fronts of the lamellae contain transformation dislocations (partials) that are correlated on an atomic scale. In the HRTEM images partials that are only about 0.2 nm apart were resolved and analyzed in detail by circuits that are similar to Burgers circuits. Two attracting partials on adjacent close packed planes are the structural units of the transformation fronts; they are dipoles and paired partials (with a total Burgers vector of a single partial) in the case of the transformations hcp dhcp and fcc dhcp, respectively. Different arrangements of the partials at the transformation fronts lead to two different modes A and B of the phase transition. These two modes seem to be competitive processes that can be favored by different parameters of the material (as chemical composition and microstructure). Partials of mode A transformations have the same Burgers vectors; therefore the partials repel each other causing long range internal stresses and large transformation shear strains that can lead to a surface relief. Whereas, partials of mode B transformations have different

Residual distribution for general time-dependent conservation laws

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ricchiuto, Mario; Csik, Arpad; Deconinck, Herman

2005-01-01

We consider the second-order accurate numerical solution of general time-dependent hyperbolic conservation laws over unstructured grids in the framework of the Residual Distribution method. In order to achieve full conservation of the linear, monotone and first-order space-time schemes of (Csik et al., 2003) and (Abgrall et al., 2000), we extend the conservative residual distribution (CRD) formulation of (Csik et al., 2002) to prismatic space-time elements. We then study the design of second-order accurate and monotone schemes via the nonlinear mapping of the local residuals of linear monotone schemes. We derive sufficient and necessary conditions for the well-posedness of the mapping. We prove that the schemes obtained with the CRD formulation satisfy these conditions by construction. Thus the nonlinear schemes proposed in this paper are always well defined. The performance of the linear and nonlinear schemes are evaluated on a series of test problems involving the solution of the Euler equations and of a two-phase flow model. We consider the resolution of strong shocks and complex interacting flow structures. The results demonstrate the robustness, accuracy and non-oscillatory character of the proposed schemes. d schemes

High-resolution crystal structure of Streptococcus pyogenes β-NAD+ glycohydrolase in complex with its endogenous inhibitor IFS reveals a highly water-rich interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, Ji Young; An, Doo Ri; Yoon, Hye-Jin; Kim, Hyoun Sook; Lee, Sang Jae; Im, Ha Na; Jang, Jun Young; Suh, Se Won

2013-01-01

The crystal structure of the complex between the C-terminal domain of Streptococcus pyogenes β-NAD + glycohydrolase and an endogenous inhibitor for SPN was determined at 1.70 Å. It reveals that the interface between the two proteins is highly rich in water molecules. One of the virulence factors produced by Streptococcus pyogenes is β-NAD + glycohydrolase (SPN). S. pyogenes injects SPN into the cytosol of an infected host cell using the cytolysin-mediated translocation pathway. As SPN is toxic to bacterial cells themselves, S. pyogenes possesses the ifs gene that encodes an endogenous inhibitor for SPN (IFS). IFS is localized intracellularly and forms a complex with SPN. This intracellular complex must be dissociated during export through the cell envelope. To provide a structural basis for understanding the interactions between SPN and IFS, the complex was overexpressed between the mature SPN (residues 38–451) and the full-length IFS (residues 1–161), but it could not be crystallized. Therefore, limited proteolysis was used to isolate a crystallizable SPN ct –IFS complex, which consists of the SPN C-terminal domain (SPN ct ; residues 193–451) and the full-length IFS. Its crystal structure has been determined by single anomalous diffraction and the model refined at 1.70 Å resolution. Interestingly, our high-resolution structure of the complex reveals that the interface between SPN ct and IFS is highly rich in water molecules and many of the interactions are water-mediated. The wet interface may facilitate the dissociation of the complex for translocation across the cell envelope

Spatial resolution of 2D ionization chamber arrays for IMRT dose verification: single-detector size and sampling step width

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poppe, Bjoern; Djouguela, Armand; Blechschmidt, Arne; Willborn, Kay; Ruehmann, Antje; Harder, Dietrich

2007-01-01

The spatial resolution of 2D detector arrays equipped with ionization chambers or diodes, used for the dose verification of IMRT treatment plans, is limited by the size of the single detector and the centre-to-centre distance between the detectors. Optimization criteria with regard to these parameters have been developed by combining concepts of dosimetry and pattern analysis. The 2D-ARRAY Type 10024 (PTW-Freiburg, Germany), single-chamber cross section 5 x 5 mm 2 , centre-to-centre distance between chambers in each row and column 10 mm, served as an example. Additional frames of given dose distributions can be taken by shifting the whole array parallel or perpendicular to the MLC leaves by, e.g., 5 mm. The size of the single detector is characterized by its lateral response function, a trapezoid with 5 mm top width and 9 mm base width. Therefore, values measured with the 2D array are regarded as sample values from the convolution product of the accelerator generated dose distribution and this lateral response function. Consequently, the dose verification, e.g., by means of the gamma index, is performed by comparing the measured values of the 2D array with the values of the convolution product of the treatment planning system (TPS) calculated dose distribution and the single-detector lateral response function. Sufficiently small misalignments of the measured dose distributions in comparison with the calculated ones can be detected since the lateral response function is symmetric with respect to the centre of the chamber, and the change of dose gradients due to the convolution is sufficiently small. The sampling step width of the 2D array should provide a set of sample values representative of the sampled distribution, which is achieved if the highest spatial frequency contained in this function does not exceed the 'Nyquist frequency', one half of the sampling frequency. Since the convolution products of IMRT-typical dose distributions and the single

Electric field imaging of single atoms

Science.gov (United States)

Shibata, Naoya; Seki, Takehito; Sánchez-Santolino, Gabriel; Findlay, Scott D.; Kohno, Yuji; Matsumoto, Takao; Ishikawa, Ryo; Ikuhara, Yuichi

2017-01-01

In scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), single atoms can be imaged by detecting electrons scattered through high angles using post-specimen, annular-type detectors. Recently, it has been shown that the atomic-scale electric field of both the positive atomic nuclei and the surrounding negative electrons within crystalline materials can be probed by atomic-resolution differential phase contrast STEM. Here we demonstrate the real-space imaging of the (projected) atomic electric field distribution inside single Au atoms, using sub-Å spatial resolution STEM combined with a high-speed segmented detector. We directly visualize that the electric field distribution (blurred by the sub-Å size electron probe) drastically changes within the single Au atom in a shape that relates to the spatial variation of total charge density within the atom. Atomic-resolution electric field mapping with single-atom sensitivity enables us to examine their detailed internal and boundary structures. PMID:28555629

Structure of the P{sub II} signal transduction protein of Neisseria meningitidis at 1.85 Å resolution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nichols, Charles E. [Division of Structural Biology, Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN (United Kingdom); Sainsbury, Sarah; Berrow, Nick S.; Alderton, David [The Oxford Protein Production Facility, Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN (United Kingdom); Saunders, Nigel J. [The Bacterial Pathogenesis and Functional Genomics Group, The Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE (United Kingdom); Stammers, David K. [Division of Structural Biology, Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN (United Kingdom); The Oxford Protein Production Facility, Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN (United Kingdom); Owens, Raymond J., E-mail: ray@strubi.ox.ac.uk [The Oxford Protein Production Facility, Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN (United Kingdom); Division of Structural Biology, Henry Wellcome Building for Genomic Medicine, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN (United Kingdom)

2006-06-01

The structure of the P{sub II} signal transduction protein of N. meningitidis at 1.85 Å resolution is described. The P{sub II} signal transduction proteins GlnB and GlnK are implicated in the regulation of nitrogen assimilation in Escherichia coli and other enteric bacteria. P{sub II}-like proteins are widely distributed in bacteria, archaea and plants. In contrast to other bacteria, Neisseria are limited to a single P{sub II} protein (NMB 1995), which shows a high level of sequence identity to GlnB and GlnK from Escherichia coli (73 and 62%, respectively). The structure of the P{sub II} protein from N. meningitidis (serotype B) has been solved by molecular replacement to a resolution of 1.85 Å. Comparison of the structure with those of other P{sub II} proteins shows that the overall fold is tightly conserved across the whole population of related proteins, in particular the positions of the residues implicated in ATP binding. It is proposed that the Neisseria P{sub II} protein shares functions with GlnB/GlnK of enteric bacteria.

Niclosamide residues in milk and organs of lactating goats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El Hindi, A.M.; Sidra, M.S.

1986-01-01

14 C-Niclosamide was administered to two groups of lactating goats at levels of 2ppm for five consecutive days and 10ppm as a single dose. Residues of the molluscicide in milk, if at all present, did not exceed 0.001 ppm at any time. About 50% of the administered activity was excreted in faeces, while 30% excreted through urine in animals surviving 6 days after withdrawal. The unchanged molluscicide is present only in relatively trace amounts. The highest residues in organs were found in the liver of both groups (0.01-0.04 ppm). From the results it could be concluded that absorbed niclosamide is completely metabolised and rapidly eliminated through urine, leaving little or no residues of the unchanged molluscicide. Little or no residues were detected in lean muscles and milk which are consumed by humans. There is no preferential deposition of the molluscicide or its metabolites in fat

True resolution enhancement for optical spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, Justin T.; Oleske, Jeffrey B.

2018-02-01

Resolving spectrally adjacent peaks is important for techniques, such as tracking small shifts in Raman or fluorescence spectra, quantifying pharmaceutical polymorph ratios, or molecular orientation studies. Thus, suitable spectral resolution is a vital consideration when designing most spectroscopic systems. Most parameters that influence spectral resolution are fixed for a given system (spectrometer length, grating groove density, excitation source, CCD pixel size, etc.). Inflexible systems are non-problematic if the spectrometer is dedicated for a single purpose; however, these specifications cannot be optimized for different applications with wider range resolution requirements. Data processing techniques, including peak fitting, partial least squares, or principal component analysis, are typically used to achieve sub-optical resolution information. These techniques can be plagued by spectral artifacts introduced by post-processing as well as the subjective implementation of statistical parameters. TruRes™, from Andor Technology, uses an innovative optical means to greatly improve and expand the range of spectral resolutions accessible on a single setup. True spectral resolution enhancement of >30% is achieved without mathematical spectral alteration, dataprocessing, or spectrometer component changes. Discreet characteristic spectral lines from Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and atomic calibration sources are now fully resolved from spectrally-adjacent peaks under otherwise identical configuration. TruRes™ has added advantage of increasing the spectral resolution without sacrificing bandpass. Using TruRes™ the Kymera 328i resolution can approach that of a 500 mm focal spectrometer. Furthermore, the bandpass of a 500 mm spectrograph with would be 50% narrower than the Kymera 328i with all other spectrometer components constant. However, the Kymera 328i with TruRes™ is able to preserve a 50% wider bandpass.

The recovery of gold and pyrite from a residue dump at Crown Mines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keleghan, W.

1976-01-01

The application of ore-dressing methods to a residue dump at Crown Mines has been examined. The use of either single-stage or double-stage gravity concentration is advocated for the recovery of the gold. Flotation and wet high-intensity magnetic separation (WHIMS) are not recommended. The two-stage gravity process facilitates the recovery of most of the pyrite in the residue (over 70 per cent) at commercial grade (40 per cent sulphur), but sacrifices some of the gold obtainable by a single-stage operation. There is little prospect of the commercial recovery of uranium from the dump at Crown Mines

A high resolution solar atlas for fluorescence calculations

Science.gov (United States)

Hearn, M. F.; Ohlmacher, J. T.; Schleicher, D. G.

1983-01-01

The characteristics required of a solar atlas to be used for studying the fluorescence process in comets are examined. Several sources of low resolution data were combined to provide an absolutely calibrated spectrum from 2250 A to 7000A. Three different sources of high resolution data were also used to cover this same spectral range. The low resolution data were then used to put each high resolution spectrum on an absolute scale. The three high resolution spectra were then combined in their overlap regions to produce a single, absolutely calibrated high resolution spectrum over the entire spectral range.

Control of peptide nanotube diameter by chemical modifications of an aromatic residue involved in a single close contact

Science.gov (United States)

Tarabout, Christophe; Roux, Stéphane; Gobeaux, Frédéric; Fay, Nicolas; Pouget, Emilie; Meriadec, Cristelle; Ligeti, Melinda; Thomas, Daniel; IJsselstijn, Maarten; Besselievre, François; Buisson, David-Alexandre; Verbavatz, Jean-Marc; Petitjean, Michel; Valéry, Céline; Perrin, Lionel; Rousseau, Bernard; Artzner, Franck; Paternostre, Maité; Cintrat, Jean-Christophe

2011-01-01

Supramolecular self-assembly is an attractive pathway for bottom-up synthesis of novel nanomaterials. In particular, this approach allows the spontaneous formation of structures of well-defined shapes and monodisperse characteristic sizes. Because nanotechnology mainly relies on size-dependent physical phenomena, the control of monodispersity is required, but the possibility of tuning the size is also essential. For self-assembling systems, shape, size, and monodispersity are mainly settled by the chemical structure of the building block. Attempts to change the size notably by chemical modification usually end up with the loss of self-assembly. Here, we generated a library of 17 peptides forming nanotubes of monodisperse diameter ranging from 10 to 36 nm. A structural model taking into account close contacts explains how a modification of a few Å of a single aromatic residue induces a fourfold increase in nanotube diameter. The application of such a strategy is demonstrated by the formation of silica nanotubes of various diameters. PMID:21518895

Asymmetry in the burial of hydrophobic residues along the histone chains of Eukarya, Archaea and a transcription factor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silverman B David

2005-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The histone fold is a common structural motif of proteins involved in the chromatin packaging of DNA and in transcription regulation. This single chain fold is stabilized by either homo- or hetero-dimer formation in archaea and eukarya. X-ray structures at atomic resolution have shown the eukaryotic nucleosome core particle to consist of a central tetramer of two bound H3-H4 dimers flanked by two H2A-H2B dimers. The c-terminal region of the H3 histone fold involved in coupling the two eukaryotic dimers of the tetramer, through a four-fold helical bundle, had previously been shown to be a region of reduced burial of hydrophobic residues within the dimers, and thereby provide a rationale for the observed reduced stability of the H3-H4 dimer compared with that of the H2A-H2B dimer. Furthermore, comparison between eukaryal and archaeal histones had suggested that this asymmetry in the distribution of hydrophobic residues along the H3 histone chains could be due to selective evolution that enhanced the coupling between the eukaryotic dimers of the tetramer. Results and discussion The present work describes calculations utilizing the X-ray structures at atomic resolution of a hyperthermophile from Methanopyrus kandleri (HMk and a eukaryotic transcription factor from Drosophila melanogaster (DRm, that are structurally homologous to the eukaryotic (H3-H42 tetramer. The results for several other related structures are also described. Reduced burial of hydrophobic residues, at the homologous H3 c-terminal regions of these structures, is found to parallel the burial at the c-terminal regions of the H3 histones and is, thereby, expected to affect dimer stability and the processes involving histone structural rearrangement. Significantly different sequence homology between the two histones of the HMk doublet with other archaeal sequences is observed, and how this might have occurred during selection to enhance tetramer stability is

Assessing resolution in live cell structured illumination microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Pospíšil, Jakub; Fliegel, Karel; Klíma, Miloš

2017-12-01

Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM) is a powerful super-resolution technique, which is able to enhance the resolution of optical microscope beyond the Abbe diffraction limit. In the last decade, numerous SIM methods that achieve the resolution of 100 nm in the lateral dimension have been developed. The SIM setups with new high-speed cameras and illumination pattern generators allow rapid acquisition of the live specimen. Therefore, SIM is widely used for investigation of the live structures in molecular and live cell biology. Quantitative evaluation of resolution enhancement in a real sample is essential to describe the efficiency of super-resolution microscopy technique. However, measuring the resolution of a live cell sample is a challenging task. Based on our experimental findings, the widely used Fourier ring correlation (FRC) method does not seem to be well suited for measuring the resolution of SIM live cell video sequences. Therefore, the resolution assessing methods based on Fourier spectrum analysis are often used. We introduce a measure based on circular average power spectral density (PSDca) estimated from a single SIM image (one video frame). PSDca describes the distribution of the power of a signal with respect to its spatial frequency. Spatial resolution corresponds to the cut-off frequency in Fourier space. In order to estimate the cut-off frequency from a noisy signal, we use a spectral subtraction method for noise suppression. In the future, this resolution assessment approach might prove useful also for single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) live cell imaging.

Monte Carlo simulation of the resolution volume for the SEQUOIA spectrometer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Granroth G.E.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Monte Carlo ray tracing simulations, of direct geometry spectrometers, have been particularly useful in instrument design and characterization. However, these tools can also be useful for experiment planning and analysis. To this end, the McStas Monte Carlo ray tracing model of SEQUOIA, the fine resolution fermi chopper spectrometer at the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL, has been modified to include the time of flight resolution sample and detector components. With these components, the resolution ellipsoid can be calculated for any detector pixel and energy bin of the instrument. The simulation is split in two pieces. First, the incident beamline up to the sample is simulated for 1 × 1011 neutron packets (4 days on 30 cores. This provides a virtual source for the backend that includes the resolution sample and monitor components. Next, a series of detector and energy pixels are computed in parallel. It takes on the order of 30 s to calculate a single resolution ellipsoid on a single core. Python scripts have been written to transform the ellipsoid into the space of an oriented single crystal, and to characterize the ellipsoid in various ways. Though this tool is under development as a planning tool, we have successfully used it to provide the resolution function for convolution with theoretical models. Specifically, theoretical calculations of the spin waves in YFeO3 were compared to measurements taken on SEQUOIA. Though the overall features of the spectra can be explained while neglecting resolution effects, the variation in intensity of the modes is well described once the resolution is included. As this was a single sharp mode, the simulated half intensity value of the resolution ellipsoid was used to provide the resolution width. A description of the simulation, its use, and paths forward for this technique will be discussed.

Hanford Tank 241-S-112 Residual Waste Composition and Leach Test Data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cantrell, Kirk J.; Krupka, Kenneth M.; Geiszler, Keith N.; Lindberg, Michael J.; Arey, Bruce W.; Schaef, Herbert T.

2008-08-29

This report presents the results of laboratory characterization and testing of two samples (designated 20406 and 20407) of residual waste collected from tank S-112 after final waste retrieval. These studies were completed to characterize the residual waste and assess the leachability of contami¬nants from the solids. This is the first report from this PNNL project to describe the composition and leach test data for residual waste from a salt cake tank. All previous PNNL reports (Cantrell et al. 2008; Deutsch et al. 2006, 2007a, 2007b, 2007c) describing contaminant release models, and characterization and testing results for residual waste in single-shell tanks were based on samples from sludge tanks.

Practical application of in silico fragmentation based residue screening with ion mobility high-resolution mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaufmann, Anton; Butcher, Patrick; Maden, Kathry; Walker, Stephan; Widmer, Mirjam

2017-07-15

A screening concept for residues in complex matrices based on liquid chromatography coupled to ion mobility high-resolution mass spectrometry LC/IMS-HRMS is presented. The comprehensive four-dimensional data (chromatographic retention time, drift time, mass-to-charge and ion abundance) obtained in data-independent acquisition (DIA) mode was used for data mining. An in silico fragmenter utilizing a molecular structure database was used for suspect screening, instead of targeted screening with reference substances. The utilized data-independent acquisition mode relies on the MS E concept; where two constantly alternating HRMS scans (low and high fragmentation energy) are acquired. Peak deconvolution and drift time alignment of ions from the low (precursor ion) and high (product ion) energy scan result in relatively clean product ion spectra. A bond dissociation in silico fragmenter (MassFragment) supplied with mol files of compounds of interest was used to explain the observed product ions of each extracted candidate component (chromatographic peak). Two complex matrices (fish and bovine liver extract) were fortified with 98 veterinary drugs. Out of 98 screened compounds 94 could be detected with the in silico based screening approach. The high correlation among drift time and m/z value of equally charged ions was utilized for an orthogonal filtration (ranking). Such an orthogonal ion mobility based filter removes multiply charged ions (e.g. peptides and proteins from the matrix) as well as noise and artefacts. Most significantly, this filtration dramatically reduces false positive findings but hardly increases false negative findings. The proposed screening approach may offer new possibilities for applications where reference compounds are hardly or not at all commercially available. Such areas may be the analysis of metabolites of drugs, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, marine toxins, derivatives of sildenafil or novel designer drugs (new psychoactive substances

CAB-Align: A Flexible Protein Structure Alignment Method Based on the Residue-Residue Contact Area.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Genki Terashi

Full Text Available Proteins are flexible, and this flexibility has an essential functional role. Flexibility can be observed in loop regions, rearrangements between secondary structure elements, and conformational changes between entire domains. However, most protein structure alignment methods treat protein structures as rigid bodies. Thus, these methods fail to identify the equivalences of residue pairs in regions with flexibility. In this study, we considered that the evolutionary relationship between proteins corresponds directly to the residue-residue physical contacts rather than the three-dimensional (3D coordinates of proteins. Thus, we developed a new protein structure alignment method, contact area-based alignment (CAB-align, which uses the residue-residue contact area to identify regions of similarity. The main purpose of CAB-align is to identify homologous relationships at the residue level between related protein structures. The CAB-align procedure comprises two main steps: First, a rigid-body alignment method based on local and global 3D structure superposition is employed to generate a sufficient number of initial alignments. Then, iterative dynamic programming is executed to find the optimal alignment. We evaluated the performance and advantages of CAB-align based on four main points: (1 agreement with the gold standard alignment, (2 alignment quality based on an evolutionary relationship without 3D coordinate superposition, (3 consistency of the multiple alignments, and (4 classification agreement with the gold standard classification. Comparisons of CAB-align with other state-of-the-art protein structure alignment methods (TM-align, FATCAT, and DaliLite using our benchmark dataset showed that CAB-align performed robustly in obtaining high-quality alignments and generating consistent multiple alignments with high coverage and accuracy rates, and it performed extremely well when discriminating between homologous and nonhomologous pairs of proteins

CAB-Align: A Flexible Protein Structure Alignment Method Based on the Residue-Residue Contact Area.

Science.gov (United States)

Terashi, Genki; Takeda-Shitaka, Mayuko

2015-01-01

Proteins are flexible, and this flexibility has an essential functional role. Flexibility can be observed in loop regions, rearrangements between secondary structure elements, and conformational changes between entire domains. However, most protein structure alignment methods treat protein structures as rigid bodies. Thus, these methods fail to identify the equivalences of residue pairs in regions with flexibility. In this study, we considered that the evolutionary relationship between proteins corresponds directly to the residue-residue physical contacts rather than the three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of proteins. Thus, we developed a new protein structure alignment method, contact area-based alignment (CAB-align), which uses the residue-residue contact area to identify regions of similarity. The main purpose of CAB-align is to identify homologous relationships at the residue level between related protein structures. The CAB-align procedure comprises two main steps: First, a rigid-body alignment method based on local and global 3D structure superposition is employed to generate a sufficient number of initial alignments. Then, iterative dynamic programming is executed to find the optimal alignment. We evaluated the performance and advantages of CAB-align based on four main points: (1) agreement with the gold standard alignment, (2) alignment quality based on an evolutionary relationship without 3D coordinate superposition, (3) consistency of the multiple alignments, and (4) classification agreement with the gold standard classification. Comparisons of CAB-align with other state-of-the-art protein structure alignment methods (TM-align, FATCAT, and DaliLite) using our benchmark dataset showed that CAB-align performed robustly in obtaining high-quality alignments and generating consistent multiple alignments with high coverage and accuracy rates, and it performed extremely well when discriminating between homologous and nonhomologous pairs of proteins in both

Evaluation of deep neural networks for single image super-resolution in a maritime context

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nieuwenhuizen, R.P.J.; Kruithof, M.; Schutte, K.

2017-01-01

High resolution imagery is of crucial importance for the performance on visual recognition tasks. Super-resolution (SR) reconstruction algorithms aim to enhance the image resolution beyond the capability of the image sensor being used. Traditional SR algorithms approach this inverse problem using

Atomic resolution structure of the double mutant (K53,56M) of bovine pancreatic phospholipase A2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sekar, K.; Yogavel, M.; Gayathri, D.; Velmurugan, D.; Krishna, R.; Poi, M.-J.; Dauter, Z.; Dauter, M.; Tsai, M.-D.

2005-01-01

The atomic resolution crystal structure of the double mutant (K53,56M) of bovine pancreatic phospholipase A 2 is reported. The structure of the double mutant K53,56M has previously been refined at 1.9 Å resolution using room-temperature data. The present paper reports the crystal structure of the same mutant K53,56M refined against 1.1 Å data collected using synchrotron radiation. A total of 116 main-chain atoms from 29 residues and 44 side chains are modelled in alternate conformations. Most of the interfacial binding residues are found to be disordered and alternate conformations could be recognized. The second calcium ion-binding site residue Glu92 adopts two alternate conformations. The minor and major conformations of Glu92 correspond to the second calcium ion bound and unbound states

Single image super-resolution using locally adaptive multiple linear regression.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Soohwan; Kang, Wonseok; Ko, Seungyong; Paik, Joonki

2015-12-01

This paper presents a regularized superresolution (SR) reconstruction method using locally adaptive multiple linear regression to overcome the limitation of spatial resolution of digital images. In order to make the SR problem better-posed, the proposed method incorporates the locally adaptive multiple linear regression into the regularization process as a local prior. The local regularization prior assumes that the target high-resolution (HR) pixel is generated by a linear combination of similar pixels in differently scaled patches and optimum weight parameters. In addition, we adapt a modified version of the nonlocal means filter as a smoothness prior to utilize the patch redundancy. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm better restores HR images than existing state-of-the-art methods in the sense of the most objective measures in the literature.

Structure of the Yersinia pestis tip protein LcrV refined to 1.65 Å resolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaudhury, Sukanya; Battaile, Kevin P.; Lovell, Scott; Plano, Gregory V.; De Guzman, Roberto N.

2013-01-01

Here, the crystal structure of Yersinia pestis tip protein LcrV is reported at a resolution of 1.65 Å. The human pathogen Yersinia pestis requires the assembly of the type III secretion system (T3SS) for virulence. The structural component of the T3SS contains an external needle and a tip complex, which is formed by LcrV in Y. pestis. The structure of an LcrV triple mutant (K40A/D41A/K42A) in a C273S background has previously been reported to 2.2 Å resolution. Here, the crystal structure of LcrV without the triple mutation in a C273S background is reported at a higher resolution of 1.65 Å. Overall the two structures are similar, but there are also notable differences, particularly near the site of the triple mutation. The refined structure revealed a slight shift in the backbone positions of residues Gly28–Asn43 and displayed electron density in the loop region consisting of residues Ile46–Val63, which was disordered in the original structure. In addition, the helical turn region spanning residues Tyr77–Gln95 adopts a different orientation

Single-cell resolution mapping of neuronal damage in acute focal cerebral ischemia using thallium autometallography.

Science.gov (United States)

Stöber, Franziska; Baldauf, Kathrin; Ziabreva, Iryna; Harhausen, Denise; Zille, Marietta; Neubert, Jenni; Reymann, Klaus G; Scheich, Henning; Dirnagl, Ulrich; Schröder, Ulrich H; Wunder, Andreas; Goldschmidt, Jürgen

2014-01-01

Neuronal damage shortly after onset or after brief episodes of cerebral ischemia has remained difficult to assess with clinical and preclinical imaging techniques as well as with microscopical methods. We here show, in rodent models of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), that neuronal damage in acute focal cerebral ischemia can be mapped with single-cell resolution using thallium autometallography (TlAMG), a histochemical technique for the detection of the K(+)-probe thallium (Tl(+)) in the brain. We intravenously injected rats and mice with thallium diethyldithiocarbamate (TlDDC), a lipophilic chelate complex that releases Tl(+) after crossing the blood-brain barrier. We found, within the territories of the affected arteries, areas of markedly reduced neuronal Tl(+) uptake in all animals at all time points studied ranging from 15 minutes to 24 hours after MCAO. In large lesions at early time points, areas with neuronal and astrocytic Tl(+) uptake below thresholds of detection were surrounded by putative penumbral zones with preserved but diminished Tl(+) uptake. At 24 hours, the areas of reduced Tl(+)uptake matched with areas delineated by established markers of neuronal damage. The results suggest the use of (201)TlDDC for preclinical and clinical single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging of hyperacute alterations in brain K(+) metabolism and prediction of tissue viability in cerebral ischemia.

CMEIAS color segmentation: an improved computing technology to process color images for quantitative microbial ecology studies at single-cell resolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Gross, Colin A; Reddy, Chandan K; Dazzo, Frank B

2010-02-01

Quantitative microscopy and digital image analysis are underutilized in microbial ecology largely because of the laborious task to segment foreground object pixels from background, especially in complex color micrographs of environmental samples. In this paper, we describe an improved computing technology developed to alleviate this limitation. The system's uniqueness is its ability to edit digital images accurately when presented with the difficult yet commonplace challenge of removing background pixels whose three-dimensional color space overlaps the range that defines foreground objects. Image segmentation is accomplished by utilizing algorithms that address color and spatial relationships of user-selected foreground object pixels. Performance of the color segmentation algorithm evaluated on 26 complex micrographs at single pixel resolution had an overall pixel classification accuracy of 99+%. Several applications illustrate how this improved computing technology can successfully resolve numerous challenges of complex color segmentation in order to produce images from which quantitative information can be accurately extracted, thereby gain new perspectives on the in situ ecology of microorganisms. Examples include improvements in the quantitative analysis of (1) microbial abundance and phylotype diversity of single cells classified by their discriminating color within heterogeneous communities, (2) cell viability, (3) spatial relationships and intensity of bacterial gene expression involved in cellular communication between individual cells within rhizoplane biofilms, and (4) biofilm ecophysiology based on ribotype-differentiated radioactive substrate utilization. The stand-alone executable file plus user manual and tutorial images for this color segmentation computing application are freely available at http://cme.msu.edu/cmeias/ . This improved computing technology opens new opportunities of imaging applications where discriminating colors really matter most

Pulsar timing residuals due to individual non-evolving gravitational wave sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tong Ming-Lei; Zhao Cheng-Shi; Yan Bao-Rong; Yang Ting-Gao; Gao Yu-Ping

2014-01-01

The pulsar timing residuals induced by gravitational waves from non-evolving single binary sources are affected by many parameters related to the relative positions of the pulsar and the gravitational wave sources. We will analyze the various effects due to different parameters. The standard deviations of the timing residuals will be calculated with a variable parameter fixing a set of other parameters. The orbits of the binary sources will be generally assumed to be elliptical. The influences of different eccentricities on the pulsar timing residuals will also be studied in detail. We find that the effects of the related parameters are quite different, and some of them display certain regularities

Developing an Integrated Model Framework for the Assessment of Sustainable Agricultural Residue Removal Limits for Bioenergy Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

David Muth, Jr.; Jared Abodeely; Richard Nelson; Douglas McCorkle; Joshua Koch; Kenneth Bryden

2011-08-01

Agricultural residues have significant potential as a feedstock for bioenergy production, but removing these residues can have negative impacts on soil health. Models and datasets that can support decisions about sustainable agricultural residue removal are available; however, no tools currently exist capable of simultaneously addressing all environmental factors that can limit availability of residue. The VE-Suite model integration framework has been used to couple a set of environmental process models to support agricultural residue removal decisions. The RUSLE2, WEPS, and Soil Conditioning Index models have been integrated. A disparate set of databases providing the soils, climate, and management practice data required to run these models have also been integrated. The integrated system has been demonstrated for two example cases. First, an assessment using high spatial fidelity crop yield data has been run for a single farm. This analysis shows the significant variance in sustainably accessible residue across a single farm and crop year. A second example is an aggregate assessment of agricultural residues available in the state of Iowa. This implementation of the integrated systems model demonstrates the capability to run a vast range of scenarios required to represent a large geographic region.

De-excitation gamma-ray technique for improved resolution in intermediate energy photonuclear reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuzin, A.; Thompson, M.N.; Rassool, R.; Adler, J.O.; Fissum, K.; Issaksson, L.; Ruijter, H.; Schroeder, B.; Annand, J.R.M.; McGeorge, J.C.; Crawford, G.I.; Gregel, J.

1997-01-01

The 12 C (γ,p) reaction was studied. The experiment was done at the MAX Laboratory of Lund University, using tagged photons with energy between 50 and 70 MeV and natural carbon targets. It has been possible to detect γ-ray emitted from the residual nucleus, in coincidence with photoprotons leading to the excited residual state. The 200 KeV gamma-ray resolution permitted the identification of the residual states and allowed off-line cuts to be made in order to identify the excitation region in 11 B from what particular de-excitation gamma-ray were seen. 9 refs., 1 tab., 3 figs

MRI isotropic resolution reconstruction from two orthogonal scans

Science.gov (United States)

Tamez-Pena, Jose G.; Totterman, Saara; Parker, Kevin J.

2001-07-01

An algorithm for the reconstructions of ISO-resolution volumetric MR data sets from two standard orthogonal MR scans having anisotropic resolution has been developed. The reconstruction algorithm starts by registering a pair of orthogonal volumetric MR data sets. The registration is done by maximizing the correlation between the gradient magnitude using a simple translation-rotation model in a multi-resolution approach. Then algorithm assumes that the individual voxels on the MR data are an average of the magnetic resonance properties of an elongated imaging volume. Then, the process is modeled as the projection of MR properties into a single sensor. This model allows the derivation of a set of linear equations that can be used to recover the MR properties of every single voxel in the SO-resolution volume given only two orthogonal MR scans. Projections on convex sets (POCS) was used to solve the set of linear equations. Experimental results show the advantage of having a ISO-resolution reconstructions for the visualization and analysis of small and thin muscular structures.

A super-high angular resolution principle for coded-mask X-ray imaging beyond the diffraction limit of a single pinhole

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Chen; Zhang Shuangnan

2009-01-01

High angular resolution X-ray imaging is always useful in astrophysics and solar physics. In principle, it can be performed by using coded-mask imaging with a very long mask-detector distance. Previously, the diffraction-interference effect was thought to degrade coded-mask imaging performance dramatically at the low energy end with its very long mask-detector distance. The diffraction-interference effect is described with numerical calculations, and the diffraction-interference cross correlation reconstruction method (DICC) is developed in order to overcome the imaging performance degradation. Based on the DICC, a super-high angular resolution principle (SHARP) for coded-mask X-ray imaging is proposed. The feasibility of coded mask imaging beyond the diffraction limit of a single pinhole is demonstrated with simulations. With the specification that the mask element size is 50 x 50 μm 2 and the mask-detector distance is 50 m, the achieved angular resolution is 0.32 arcsec above about 10 keV and 0.36 arcsec at 1.24 keV (λ = 1 nm), where diffraction cannot be neglected. The on-axis source location accuracy is better than 0.02 arcsec. Potential applications for solar observations and wide-field X-ray monitors are also briefly discussed. (invited reviews)

Demonstration of Single-Barium-Ion Sensitivity for Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay Using Single-Molecule Fluorescence Imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McDonald, A. D.; Jones, B. J. P.; Nygren, D. R.; Adams, C.; Álvarez, V.; Azevedo, C. D. R.; Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M.; Borges, F. I. G. M.; Botas, A.; Cárcel, S.; Carrión, J. V.; Cebrián, S.; Conde, C. A. N.; Díaz, J.; Diesburg, M.; Escada, J.; Esteve, R.; Felkai, R.; Fernandes, L. M. P.; Ferrario, P.; Ferreira, A. L.; Freitas, E. D. C.; Goldschmidt, A.; Gómez-Cadenas, J. J.; González-Díaz, D.; Gutiérrez, R. M.; Guenette, R.; Hafidi, K.; Hauptman, J.; Henriques, C. A. O.; Hernandez, A. I.; Hernando Morata, J. A.; Herrero, V.; Johnston, S.; Labarga, L.; Laing, A.; Lebrun, P.; Liubarsky, I.; López-March, N.; Losada, M.; Martín-Albo, J.; Martínez-Lema, G.; Martínez, A.; Monrabal, F.; Monteiro, C. M. B.; Mora, F. J.; Moutinho, L. M.; Muñoz Vidal, J.; Musti, M.; Nebot-Guinot, M.; Novella, P.; Palmeiro, B.; Para, A.; Pérez, J.; Querol, M.; Repond, J.; Renner, J.; Riordan, S.; Ripoll, L.; Rodríguez, J.; Rogers, L.; Santos, F. P.; dos Santos, J. M. F.; Simón, A.; Sofka, C.; Sorel, M.; Stiegler, T.; Toledo, J. F.; Torrent, J.; Tsamalaidze, Z.; Veloso, J. F. C. A.; Webb, R.; White, J. T.; Yahlali, N.

2018-03-01

A new method to tag the barium daughter in the double beta decay of $^{136}$Xe is reported. Using the technique of single molecule fluorescent imaging (SMFI), individual barium dication (Ba$^{++}$) resolution at a transparent scanning surface has been demonstrated. A single-step photo-bleach confirms the single ion interpretation. Individual ions are localized with super-resolution ($\\sim$2~nm), and detected with a statistical significance of 12.9~$\\sigma$ over backgrounds. This lays the foundation for a new and potentially background-free neutrinoless double beta decay technology, based on SMFI coupled to high pressure xenon gas time projection chambers.

Conflict Resolution between Friends during Middle Childhood

Science.gov (United States)

Joshi, Anupama

2008-01-01

The author interviewed 74 children (ages 8.5-11.5 years) in an exploratory study of interpersonal conflict resolution between children. Results suggest that children (a) most frequently used assertion and discussion as conflict resolution strategies, (b) used more than one strategy in a single conflict, and (c) used a strategy that corresponded to…

Towards single molecule biosensors using super-resolution fluorescence microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Xun; Nicovich, Philip R; Gaus, Katharina; Gooding, J Justin

2017-07-15

Conventional immunosensors require many binding events to give a single transducer output which represents the concentration of the analyte in the sample. Because of the requirements to selectively detect species in complex samples, immunosensing interfaces must allow immobilisation of antibodies while repelling nonspecific adsorption of other species. These requirements lead to quite sophisticated interfacial design, often with molecular level control, but we have no tools to characterise how well these interfaces work at the molecular level. The work reported herein is an initial feasibility study to show that antibody-antigen binding events can be monitored at the single molecule level using single molecule localisation microscopy (SMLM). The steps to achieve this first requires showing that indium tin oxide surfaces can be used for SMLM, then that these surfaces can be modified with self-assembled monolayers using organophosphonic acid derivatives, that the amount of antigens and antibodies on the surface can be controlled and monitored at the single molecule level and finally antibody binding to antigen modified surfaces can be monitored. The results show the amount of antibody that binds to an antigen modified surface is dependent on both the concentration of antigen on the surface and the concentration of antibody in solution. This study demonstrates the potential of SMLM for characterising biosensing interfaces and as the transducer in a massively parallel, wide field, single molecule detection scheme for quantitative analysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Single banking supervision and the single supervisory mechanism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gheorghe, C. A.

2013-06-01

Full Text Available A resolution seems to have been found for the banking crisis. The first steps have been made towards the construction of the Economic and Monetary Union, steps involving the single supervision of banks, in order to avoid the discount of a new financial crisis on the expense of the EU state members. The Single Supervisory Mechanism – SSM is to become effective as of March 1, 2014, at the earliest.

Scintillation camera with second order resolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muehllehner, G.

1976-01-01

A scintillation camera for use in radioisotope imaging to determine the concentration of radionuclides in a two-dimensional area is described in which means is provided for second order positional resolution. The phototubes, which normally provide only a single order of resolution, are modified to provide second order positional resolution of radiation within an object positioned for viewing by the scintillation camera. The phototubes are modified in that multiple anodes are provided to receive signals from the photocathode in a manner such that each anode is particularly responsive to photoemissions from a limited portion of the photocathode. Resolution of radioactive events appearing as an output of this scintillation camera is thereby improved

Scintillation camera with second order resolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-01-01

A scintillation camera is described for use in radioisotope imaging to determine the concentration of radionuclides in a two-dimensional area in which means is provided for second-order positional resolution. The phototubes which normally provide only a single order of resolution, are modified to provide second-order positional resolution of radiation within an object positioned for viewing by the scintillation camera. The phototubes are modified in that multiple anodes are provided to receive signals from the photocathode in a manner such that each anode is particularly responsive to photoemissions from a limited portion of the photocathode. Resolution of radioactive events appearing as an output of this scintillation camera is thereby improved

Modeling of CMUTs with Multiple Anisotropic Layers and Residual Stress

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Engholm, Mathias; Thomsen, Erik Vilain

2014-01-01

Usually the analytical approach for modeling CMUTs uses the single layer plate equation to obtain the deflection and does not take anisotropy and residual stress into account. A highly accurate model is developed for analytical characterization of CMUTs taking an arbitrary number of layers...... and residual stress into account. Based on the stress-strain relation of each layer and balancing stress resultants and bending moments, a general multilayered anisotropic plate equation is developed for plates with an arbitrary number of layers. The exact deflection profile is calculated for a circular...... clamped plate of anisotropic materials with residual bi-axial stress. From the deflection shape the critical stress for buckling is calculated and by using the Rayleigh-Ritz method the natural frequency is estimated....

Single-base resolution maps of cultivated and wild rice methylomes and regulatory roles of DNA methylation in plant gene expression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Xin

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background DNA methylation plays important biological roles in plants and animals. To examine the rice genomic methylation landscape and assess its functional significance, we generated single-base resolution DNA methylome maps for Asian cultivated rice Oryza sativa ssp. japonica, indica and their wild relatives, Oryza rufipogon and Oryza nivara. Results The overall methylation level of rice genomes is four times higher than that of Arabidopsis. Consistent with the results reported for Arabidopsis, methylation in promoters represses gene expression while gene-body methylation generally appears to be positively associated with gene expression. Interestingly, we discovered that methylation in gene transcriptional termination regions (TTRs can significantly repress gene expression, and the effect is even stronger than that of promoter methylation. Through integrated analysis of genomic, DNA methylomic and transcriptomic differences between cultivated and wild rice, we found that primary DNA sequence divergence is the major determinant of methylational differences at the whole genome level, but DNA methylational difference alone can only account for limited gene expression variation between the cultivated and wild rice. Furthermore, we identified a number of genes with significant difference in methylation level between the wild and cultivated rice. Conclusions The single-base resolution methylomes of rice obtained in this study have not only broadened our understanding of the mechanism and function of DNA methylation in plant genomes, but also provided valuable data for future studies of rice epigenetics and the epigenetic differentiation between wild and cultivated rice.

Localization-based super-resolution imaging meets high-content screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Beghin, Anne; Kechkar, Adel; Butler, Corey; Levet, Florian; Cabillic, Marine; Rossier, Olivier; Giannone, Gregory; Galland, Rémi; Choquet, Daniel; Sibarita, Jean-Baptiste

2017-12-01

Single-molecule localization microscopy techniques have proven to be essential tools for quantitatively monitoring biological processes at unprecedented spatial resolution. However, these techniques are very low throughput and are not yet compatible with fully automated, multiparametric cellular assays. This shortcoming is primarily due to the huge amount of data generated during imaging and the lack of software for automation and dedicated data mining. We describe an automated quantitative single-molecule-based super-resolution methodology that operates in standard multiwell plates and uses analysis based on high-content screening and data-mining software. The workflow is compatible with fixed- and live-cell imaging and allows extraction of quantitative data like fluorophore photophysics, protein clustering or dynamic behavior of biomolecules. We demonstrate that the method is compatible with high-content screening using 3D dSTORM and DNA-PAINT based super-resolution microscopy as well as single-particle tracking.

Super-resolution imaging applied to moving object tracking

Science.gov (United States)

Swalaganata, Galandaru; Ratna Sulistyaningrum, Dwi; Setiyono, Budi

2017-10-01

Moving object tracking in a video is a method used to detect and analyze changes that occur in an object that being observed. Visual quality and the precision of the tracked target are highly wished in modern tracking system. The fact that the tracked object does not always seem clear causes the tracking result less precise. The reasons are low quality video, system noise, small object, and other factors. In order to improve the precision of the tracked object especially for small object, we propose a two step solution that integrates a super-resolution technique into tracking approach. First step is super-resolution imaging applied into frame sequences. This step was done by cropping the frame in several frame or all of frame. Second step is tracking the result of super-resolution images. Super-resolution image is a technique to obtain high-resolution images from low-resolution images. In this research single frame super-resolution technique is proposed for tracking approach. Single frame super-resolution was a kind of super-resolution that it has the advantage of fast computation time. The method used for tracking is Camshift. The advantages of Camshift was simple calculation based on HSV color that use its histogram for some condition and color of the object varies. The computational complexity and large memory requirements required for the implementation of super-resolution and tracking were reduced and the precision of the tracked target was good. Experiment showed that integrate a super-resolution imaging into tracking technique can track the object precisely with various background, shape changes of the object, and in a good light conditions.

Valve arrangement for a nuclear plant residual heat removal system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fidler, G.L.; Hill, R.A.; Carrera, J.P.

1978-01-01

Disclosed is an improved valve arrangement for a two-train Residual Heat Removal System (RHRS) of a nuclear reactor plant which ensures operational integrity of the system under single failure circumstances including loss of one of two electrical power sources

Residual stresses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sahotra, I.M.

2006-01-01

The principal effect of unloading a material strained into the plastic range is to create a permanent set (plastic deformation), which if restricted somehow, gives rise to a system of self-balancing within the same member or reaction balanced by other members of the structure., known as residual stresses. These stresses stay there as locked-in stresses, in the body or a part of it in the absence of any external loading. Residual stresses are induced during hot-rolling and welding differential cooling, cold-forming and extruding: cold straightening and spot heating, fabrication and forced fitting of components constraining the structure to a particular geometry. The areas which cool more quickly develop residual compressive stresses, while the slower cooling areas develop residual tensile stresses, and a self-balancing or reaction balanced system of residual stresses is formed. The phenomenon of residual stresses is the most challenging in its application in surface modification techniques determining endurance mechanism against fracture and fatigue failures. This paper discusses the mechanism of residual stresses, that how the residual stresses are fanned and what their behavior is under the action of external forces. Such as in the case of a circular bar under limit torque, rectangular beam under limt moment, reclaiming of shafts welds and peening etc. (author)

High-resolution measurement of the 16O(γ,pn) reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isaksson, L.

1996-10-01

The 16 O(γ,pn) reaction has been measured with a resolution high enough to resolve individual low-lying states in the residual 14 N nucleus. Partial cross-sections, available to the acceptance of the detector system, have been extracted for the individual states, and compared to a recent calculation based on absorption on one-pion exchange currents and the Δ resonance current. The experiment was performed at the Maxlab accelerator laboratory in Lund, Sweden, using tagged photons at an energy of 67 - 76 MeV. The proton detector angular range was 60 - 100 deg and the corresponding for the neutron detector 81 - 103 deg. A missing energy resolution of 1.5 MeV was obtained. The relative population of the states in the residual 14 N nucleus indicates that the reaction takes place predominantly on proton-neutron pairs coupled to (J π ,T) = (1 + ,0). The cross-section for absorption on (0 + ,1) pairs is strongly suppressed. Furthermore, the relative population of the states indicates that both L=0 and L=2 pairs participate in the reaction. 45 refs

Single particle measurements of the chemical composition of cirrus ice residue during CRYSTAL-FACE

Science.gov (United States)

Cziczo, D. J.; Murphy, D. M.; Hudson, P. K.; Thomson, D. S.

2004-02-01

The first real-time, in situ, investigation of the chemical composition of the residue of cirrus ice crystals was performed during July 2002. This study was undertaken on a NASA WB-57F high-altitude research aircraft as part of CRYSTAL-FACE, a field campaign which sought to further our understanding of the relation of clouds, water vapor, and climate by characterizing, among other parameters, anvil cirrus formed about the Florida peninsula. A counter flow virtual impactor (CVI) was used to separate cirrus ice from the unactivated interstitial aerosol particles and evaporate condensed-phase water. Residual material, on a crystal-by-crystal basis, was subsequently analyzed using the NOAA Aeronomy Laboratory's Particle Analysis by Laser Mass Spectrometry (PALMS) instrument. Sampling was performed from 5 to 15 km altitude and from 12° to 28° north latitude within cirrus originating over land and ocean. Chemical composition measurements provided several important results. Sea salt was often incorporated into cirrus, consistent with homogeneous ice formation by aerosol particles from the marine boundary layer. Size measurements showed that large particles preferentially froze over smaller ones. Meteoritic material was found within ice crystals, indicative of a relation between stratospheric aerosol particles and tropospheric clouds. Mineral dust was the dominant residue observed in clouds formed during a dust transport event from the Sahara, consistent with a heterogeneous freezing mechanism. These results show that chemical composition and size are important determinants of which aerosol particles form cirrus ice crystals.

A high resolution scintillating fibre (SCIFI) tracking device with CCD readout

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atkinson, M.N.; Crennell, D.J.; Fisher, C.M.; Hughes, P.T.; Kirkby, J.; Fent, J.; Freund, P.; Osthoff, A.; Pretzl, K.

1987-06-01

The authors present initial test beam measurements of a high resolution scintillating fibre detector with charge coupled device readout. The analysis procedure is discussed and the performance of the detector and its readout assembly is evaluated. A detected photon density is found along minimum ionising tracks of 2.0 mm -1 , with a straight-line RMS residual of 19.3 +- 2.9 μm, giving rise to a track impact parameter precision of 8.8 +- 2.0 μm. The two-track resolution is found to be 52 μm. (author)

Single-Receiver GPS Phase Bias Resolution

Science.gov (United States)

Bertiger, William I.; Haines, Bruce J.; Weiss, Jan P.; Harvey, Nathaniel E.

2010-01-01

Existing software has been modified to yield the benefits of integer fixed double-differenced GPS-phased ambiguities when processing data from a single GPS receiver with no access to any other GPS receiver data. When the double-differenced combination of phase biases can be fixed reliably, a significant improvement in solution accuracy is obtained. This innovation uses a large global set of GPS receivers (40 to 80 receivers) to solve for the GPS satellite orbits and clocks (along with any other parameters). In this process, integer ambiguities are fixed and information on the ambiguity constraints is saved. For each GPS transmitter/receiver pair, the process saves the arc start and stop times, the wide-lane average value for the arc, the standard deviation of the wide lane, and the dual-frequency phase bias after bias fixing for the arc. The second step of the process uses the orbit and clock information, the bias information from the global solution, and only data from the single receiver to resolve double-differenced phase combinations. It is called "resolved" instead of "fixed" because constraints are introduced into the problem with a finite data weight to better account for possible errors. A receiver in orbit has much shorter continuous passes of data than a receiver fixed to the Earth. The method has parameters to account for this. In particular, differences in drifting wide-lane values must be handled differently. The first step of the process is automated, using two JPL software sets, Longarc and Gipsy-Oasis. The resulting orbit/clock and bias information files are posted on anonymous ftp for use by any licensed Gipsy-Oasis user. The second step is implemented in the Gipsy-Oasis executable, gd2p.pl, which automates the entire process, including fetching the information from anonymous ftp

Derivation of uranium residual radioactive material guidelines for the Ventron site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loureiro, C.; Yu, C.; Jones, L.

1992-03-01

Residual radioactive material guidelines for uranium were derived for the Ventron site in Beverly, Massachusetts. This site has been identified for remedial action under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program of the US Department of Energy (DOE). The derivations for the single radionuclides and the total uranium guidelines were based on the requirement that the 50-year committed effective dose equivalent to a hypothetical individual who lives or works in the immediate vicinity of the Ventron site should not exceed a dose of 100 mrem/yr following remedial action. The DOE residual radioactive material guideline computer code, RESRAD, which implements the methodology described in the DOE manual for implementing residual radioactive material guidelines, was used in this evaluation

Eficiência dos testes COPAN (Microplate e Single na detecção de resíduos de antimicrobianos no leite Efficacy of COPAN (Microplate and Single kits in detection of antimicrobials residues in milk

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C.G.M.S.C. Tenório

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Avaliou-se a eficiência dos testes microbiológicos COPAN (Microplate e Single para detecção de resíduos de 13 antimicrobianos inoculados em leite isento de resíduos. Foram utilizadas quatro concentrações, sendo a primeira equivalente à metade do limite de detecção declarado pelo fabricante (C1; a segunda equivalente ao limite máximo de resíduos (LMR estabelecido pela legislação brasileira (C2; a terceira equivalente ao limite de detecção declarado pelo fabricante (C3; e a quarta equivalente ao dobro do limite de detecção declarado pelo fabricante (C4. Os testes apresentaram 100% de sensibilidade na detecção de amoxicilina, ampicilina, cloxacilina, penicilina, tilosina, sulfadiazina, sulfametoxazol, e 96,7% na detecção de oxacilina para as concentrações informadas pelo fabricante como limite de detecção. Em relação às concentrações estabelecidas pela legislação brasileira, verificou-se que os testes foram capazes de detectá-las para a maioria dos antimicrobianos avaliados. Os testes não se mostraram eficientes na detecção das concentrações estabelecidas pela legislação para eritromicina, oxitetraciclina, tetraciclina, trimetoprim e gentamicina (Microplate.The efficacy of the microbiological kits COPAN (Microplate and Single for detection of antimicrobials residues was tested. Thirteen drugs were inoculated into milk without residues at four concentration levels: C1 - half of the detection threshold declared by the manufacturer, C2 - the maximum residues threshold established by the Brazilian legislation, C3 - the detection threshold declared by the manufacturer, and C4 - two fold the detection threshold declared by the manufacturer. The tests showed 100% efficient in detection of amoxicillin, cloxacillin, penicillin, tilosin, sulfadiazine, and sulfa methoxazol; and 96.7% for oxacillin considering the concentration stated by the manufacturer as threshold level. Regarding the concentrations established by

Residual stresses in 2 1/4Cr1Mo welds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fidler, R.; Jerram, K.

1978-01-01

Two separate investigations, initiated in an attempt to explain the large amount of residual stress scatter previously observed in the weld metal of eighteen nominally identical thick-section 2 1/4Cr1Mo butt welds, are described in this paper. The first examined the detailed surface residual stress distributions in 2 1/4Cr1Mo manual arc circumferential butt welds in 80mm and 100mm thick 1/2Cr1/2Mo1/4V steam pipe. High residual stresses were found in the regions of overlap between adjacent weld beads, with low values in virgin weld metal. The second utilised single pass manual metal arc bead-in-groove welds to investigate the effects of preheat and weld metal composition on weld metal residual stresses. In four weld metals, mild steel, 1/2Cr1/2Mo1/4V, 1Cr1/2Mo, and 2 1/4Cr1Mo, the residual stresses were very similar, becoming less tensile (or more compressive) with increase of preheat, while the residual stresses in the fifth weld metal (12Cr) were significantly different, being compressive and less affected by preheat. In both investigations the effects have been described in terms of the basic metallurgical phenomena occurring in the weld metal. (author)

Residual stresses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macherauch, E.

1978-01-01

Residual stresses are stresses which exist in a material without the influence of external powers and moments. They come into existence when the volume of a material constantly changes its form as a consequence of mechanical, thermal, and/or chemical processes and is hindered by neighbouring volumes. Bodies with residual stress are in mechanical balance. These residual stresses can be manifested by means of all mechanical interventions disturbing this balance. Acoustical, optical, radiological, and magnetical methods involving material changes caused by residual stress can also serve for determining residual stress. Residual stresses have an ambivalent character. In technical practice, they are feared and liked at the same time. They cause trouble because they can be the cause for unexpected behaviour of construction elements. They are feared since they can cause failure, in the worst case with catastrophical consequences. They are appreciated, on the other hand, because, in many cases, they can contribute to improvements of the material behaviour under certain circumstances. But they are especially liked for their giving convenient and (this is most important) mostly uncontrollable explanations. For only in very few cases we have enough knowledge and possibilities for the objective evaluation of residual stresses. (orig.) [de

Structure of the CFA/III major pilin subunit CofA from human enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli determined at 0.90 Å resolution by sulfur-SAD phasing.

Science.gov (United States)

Fukakusa, Shunsuke; Kawahara, Kazuki; Nakamura, Shota; Iwashita, Takaki; Baba, Seiki; Nishimura, Mitsuhiro; Kobayashi, Yuji; Honda, Takeshi; Iida, Tetsuya; Taniguchi, Tooru; Ohkubo, Tadayasu

2012-10-01

CofA, a major pilin subunit of colonization factor antigen III (CFA/III), forms pili that mediate small-intestinal colonization by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). In this study, the crystal structure of an N-terminally truncated version of CofA was determined by single-wavelength anomalous diffraction (SAD) phasing using five sulfurs in the protein. Given the counterbalance between anomalous signal strength and the undesired X-ray absorption of the solvent, diffraction data were collected at 1.5 Å resolution using synchrotron radiation. These data were sufficient to elucidate the sulfur substructure at 1.38 Å resolution. The low solvent content (29%) of the crystal necessitated that density modification be performed with an additional 0.9 Å resolution data set to reduce the phase error caused by the small sulfur anomalous signal. The CofA structure showed the αβ-fold typical of type IVb pilins and showed high structural homology to that of TcpA for toxin-coregulated pili of Vibrio cholerae, including spatial distribution of key residues critical for pilin self-assembly. A pilus-filament model of CofA was built by computational docking and molecular-dynamics simulation using the previously reported filament model of TcpA as a structural template. This model revealed that the CofA filament surface was highly negatively charged and that a 23-residue-long loop between the α1 and α2 helices filled the gap between the pilin subunits. These characteristics could provide a unique binding epitope for the CFA/III pili of ETEC compared with other type IVb pili.

Traveltime dispersion in an isotropic elastic mantle: strong lower-mantle signal in differential-frequency residuals

Science.gov (United States)

Schuberth, Bernhard S. A.; Zaroli, Christophe; Nolet, Guust

2015-12-01

We study wavefield effects of direct P- and S-waves in elastic and isotropic 3-D seismic structures derived from the temperature field of a high-resolution mantle circulation model. More specifically, we quantify the dispersion of traveltime residuals caused by diffraction in structures with dynamically constrained length scales and magnitudes of the lateral variations in seismic velocities and density. 3-D global wave propagation is simulated using a spectral element method. Intrinsic attenuation (i.e. dissipation of seismic energy) is deliberately neglected, so that any variation of traveltimes with frequency can be attributed to structural effects. Traveltime residuals are measured at 15, 22.5, 34 and 51 s dominant periods by cross-correlation of 3-D and 1-D synthetic waveforms. Additional simulations are performed for a model in which 3-D structure is removed in the upper 800 km to isolate the dispersion signal of the lower mantle. We find that the structural length scales inherent to a vigorously convecting mantle give rise to significant diffraction-induced body-wave traveltime dispersion. For both P- and S-waves, the difference between long-period and short-period residuals for a given source-receiver pair can reach up to several seconds for the period bands considered here. In general, these `differential-frequency' residuals tend to increase in magnitude with increasing short-period delay. Furthermore, the long-period signal typically is smaller in magnitude than the short-period one; that is, wave-front healing is efficient independent of the sign of the residuals. Unlike the single-frequency residuals, the differential-frequency residuals are surprisingly similar between the `lower-mantle' and the `whole-mantle' model for corresponding source-receiver pairs. The similarity is more pronounced in case of S-waves and varies between different combinations of period bands. The traveltime delay acquired in the upper mantle seems to cancel in these differential

High-resolution NMR studies of chimeric DNA-RNA-DNA duplexes, heteronomous base pairing, and continuous base stacking at junctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chou, Shanho; Flynn, P.; Wang, A.; Reid, B.

1991-01-01

Two symmetrical DNA-RNA-DNA duplex chimeras, d(CGCG)r(AAUU)d(CGCG) (designated rAAUU) and d(CGCG)r(UAUA)d(CGCG) (designated rUAUA), and a nonsymmetrical chimeric duplex, d(CGTT)r(AUAA)d(TGCG)/d(CGCA)r(UUAU)d(AACG) (designated rAUAA), as well as their pure DNA analogues, containing dU instead of T, have been synthesized by solid-phase phosphoramidite methods and studied by high-resolution NMR techniques. The 1D imino proton NOE spectra of these d-r-d chimeras indicate normal Watson-Crick hydrogen bonding and base stacking at the junction region. Preliminary qualitative NOESY, COSY, and chemical shift data suggest that the internal RNA segment contains C3'-endo (A-type) sugar conformations except for the first RNA residues (position 5 and 17) following the 3' end of the DNA block, which, unlike the other six ribonucleotides, exhibit detectable H1'-H2' J coupling. The nucleosides of the two flanking DNA segments appear to adopt a fairly normal C2'-endo B-DNA conformation except at the junction with the RNA blocks (residues 4 and 16), where the last DNA residue appears to adopt an intermediate sugar conformation. The data indicate that A-type and B-type conformations can coexist in a single short continuous nucleic acid duplex, but these results differ somewhat from previous theoretical model studies

Robust fault detection and isolation technique for single-input/single-output closed-loop control systems that exhibit actuator and sensor faults

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Izadi-Zamanabadi, Roozbeh; Alavi, S. M. Mahdi; Hayes, M. J.

2008-01-01

An integrated quantitative feedback design and frequency-based fault detection and isolation (FDI) approach is presented for single-input/single-output systems. A novel design methodology, based on shaping the system frequency response, is proposed to generate an appropriate residual signal...

Prediction of residual stress distribution in multi-stacked thin film by curvature measurement and iterative FEA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Hyeon Chang; Park, Jun Hyub

2005-01-01

In this study, residual stress distribution in multi-stacked film by MEMS (Micro-Electro Mechanical System) process is predicted using Finite Element Method (FEM). We develop a finite element program for REsidual Stress Analysis (RESA) in multi-stacked film. The RESA predicts the distribution of residual stress field in multi-stacked film. Curvatures of multi-stacked film and single layers which consist of the multi-stacked film are used as the input to the RESA. To measure those curvatures is easier than to measure a distribution of residual stress. To verify the RESA, mean stresses and stress gradients of single and multilayers are measured. The mean stresses are calculated from curvatures of deposited wafer by using Stoney's equation. The stress gradients are calculated from the vertical deflection at the end of cantilever beam. To measure the mean stress of each layer in multi-stacked film, we measure the curvature of wafer with the film after etching layer by layer in multi-stacked film

Approaches to single-nanoparticle catalysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sambur, Justin B; Chen, Peng

2014-01-01

Nanoparticles are among the most important industrial catalysts, with applications ranging from chemical manufacturing to energy conversion and storage. Heterogeneity is a general feature among these nanoparticles, with their individual differences in size, shape, and surface sites leading to variable, particle-specific catalytic activity. Assessing the activity of individual nanoparticles, preferably with subparticle resolution, is thus desired and vital to the development of efficient catalysts. It is challenging to measure the activity of single-nanoparticle catalysts, however. Several experimental approaches have been developed to monitor catalysis on single nanoparticles, including electrochemical methods, single-molecule fluorescence microscopy, surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy, X-ray microscopy, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. This review focuses on these experimental approaches, the associated methods and strategies, and selected applications in studying single-nanoparticle catalysis with chemical selectivity, sensitivity, or subparticle spatial resolution.

Single-molecule resolution of protein dynamics on polymeric membrane surfaces: the roles of spatial and population heterogeneity.

Science.gov (United States)

Langdon, Blake B; Mirhossaini, Roya B; Mabry, Joshua N; Sriram, Indira; Lajmi, Ajay; Zhang, Yanxia; Rojas, Orlando J; Schwartz, Daniel K

2015-02-18

Although polymeric membranes are widely used in the purification of protein pharmaceuticals, interactions between biomolecules and membrane surfaces can lead to reduced membrane performance and damage to the product. In this study, single-molecule fluorescence microscopy provided direct observation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human monoclonal antibody (IgG) dynamics at the interface between aqueous buffer and polymeric membrane materials including regenerated cellulose and unmodified poly(ether sulfone) (PES) blended with either polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinyl acetate-co-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVAc-PVP), or polyethylene glycol methacrylate (PEGM) before casting. These polymer surfaces were compared with model surfaces composed of hydrophilic bare fused silica and hydrophobic trimethylsilane-coated fused silica. At extremely dilute protein concentrations (10(-3)-10(-7) mg/mL), protein surface exchange was highly dynamic with protein monomers desorbing from the surface within ∼1 s after adsorption. Protein oligomers (e.g., nonspecific dimers, trimers, or larger aggregates), although less common, remained on the surface for 5 times longer than monomers. Using newly developed super-resolution methods, we could localize adsorption sites with ∼50 nm resolution and quantify the spatial heterogeneity of the various surfaces. On a small anomalous subset of the adsorption sites, proteins adsorbed preferentially and tended to reside for significantly longer times (i.e., on "strong" sites). Proteins resided for shorter times overall on surfaces that were more homogeneous and exhibited fewer strong sites (e.g., PVAc-PVP/PES). We propose that strong surface sites may nucleate protein aggregation, initiated preferentially by protein oligomers, and accelerate ultrafiltration membrane fouling. At high protein concentrations (0.3-1.0 mg/mL), fewer strong adsorption sites were observed, and surface residence times were reduced. This suggests that at high concentrations

Resolution of praziquantel.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Woelfle

2011-09-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Praziquantel remains the drug of choice for the worldwide treatment and control of schistosomiasis. The drug is synthesized and administered as a racemate. Use of the pure active enantiomer would be desirable since the inactive enantiomer is associated with side effects and is responsible for the extremely bitter taste of the pill. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We have identified two resolution approaches toward the production of praziquantel as a single enantiomer. One approach starts with commercially available praziquantel and involves a hydrolysis to an intermediate amine, which is resolved with a derivative of tartaric acid. This method was discovered through an open collaboration on the internet. The second method, identified by a contract research organisation, employs a different intermediate that may be resolved with tartaric acid itself. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Both resolution procedures identified show promise for the large-scale, economically viable production of praziquantel as a single enantiomer for a low price. Additionally, they may be employed by laboratories for the production of smaller amounts of enantiopure drug for research purposes that should be useful in, for example, elucidation of the drug's mechanism of action.

Evaluation of residue-residue contact predictions in CASP9

KAUST Repository

Monastyrskyy, Bohdan

2011-01-01

This work presents the results of the assessment of the intramolecular residue-residue contact predictions submitted to CASP9. The methodology for the assessment does not differ from that used in previous CASPs, with two basic evaluation measures being the precision in recognizing contacts and the difference between the distribution of distances in the subset of predicted contact pairs versus all pairs of residues in the structure. The emphasis is placed on the prediction of long-range contacts (i.e., contacts between residues separated by at least 24 residues along sequence) in target proteins that cannot be easily modeled by homology. Although there is considerable activity in the field, the current analysis reports no discernable progress since CASP8.

Development of fine-resolution analyses and expanded large-scale forcing properties: 2. Scale awareness and application to single-column model experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Sha; Li, Zhijin; Liu, Yangang; Lin, Wuyin; Zhang, Minghua; Toto, Tami; Vogelmann, Andrew M.; Endo, Satoshi

2015-01-01

three-dimensional fields have been produced using the Community Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) data assimilation system for the U.S. Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program (ARM) Southern Great Plains region. The GSI system is implemented in a multiscale data assimilation framework using the Weather Research and Forecasting model at a cloud-resolving resolution of 2 km. From the fine-resolution three-dimensional fields, large-scale forcing is derived explicitly at grid-scale resolution; a subgrid-scale dynamic component is derived separately, representing subgrid-scale horizontal dynamic processes. Analyses show that the subgrid-scale dynamic component is often a major component over the large-scale forcing for grid scales larger than 200 km. The single-column model (SCM) of the Community Atmospheric Model version 5 is used to examine the impact of the grid-scale and subgrid-scale dynamic components on simulated precipitation and cloud fields associated with a mesoscale convective system. It is found that grid-scale size impacts simulated precipitation, resulting in an overestimation for grid scales of about 200 km but an underestimation for smaller grids. The subgrid-scale dynamic component has an appreciable impact on the simulations, suggesting that grid-scale and subgrid-scale dynamic components should be considered in the interpretation of SCM simulations.

AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH TO THE USE OF HEAVY OIL RESIDUE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eugene Dashut

2013-01-01

Full Text Available We consider an alternative approach to the existing oil refining, in which instead of a single priority that emerged in the traditional approach, we consider two: get the light component and a heavy residue used for the production of new construction materials.

An Ultrahigh Resolution Structure of TEM-1 β-Lactamase Suggests a Role for Glu166 as the General Base in Acylation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minasov, George; Wang, Xiaojun; Shoichet, Brian K.

2002-01-01

Although TEM-1 β-lactamase is among the best studied enzymes, its acylation mechanism remains controversial. To investigate this problem, the structure of TEM-1 in complex with an acylation transition-state analogue was determined at ultrahigh resolution (0.85 (angstrom)) by X-ray crystallography. The quality of the data was such as to allow for refinement to an R-factor of 9.1% and an R free of 11.2%. In the resulting structure, the electron density features were clear enough to differentiate between single and double bonds in carboxylate groups, to identify multiple conformations that are occupied by residues and loops, and to assign 70% of the protons in the protein. Unexpectedly, even at pH 8.0 where the protein was crystallized, the active site residue Glu166 is clearly protonated. This supports the hypothesis that Glu166 is the general base in the acylation half of the reaction cycle. This structure suggests that Glu166 acts through the catalytic water to activate Ser70 for nucleophilic attack on the β-lactam ring of the substrate. The hydrolytic mechanism of class A β-lactamases, such as TEM-1, appears to be symmetrical, as are the serine proteases. Apart from its mechanistic implications, this atomic resolution structure affords an unusually detailed view of the structure, dynamics, and hydrogen-bonding networks of TEM-1, which may be useful for the design of inhibitors against this key antibiotic resistance target.

Neutron diffraction measurements of residual stress in additively manufactured stainless steel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, D.W.; Bernardin, J.D.; Carpenter, J.S.; Clausen, B.; Spernjak, D.; Thompson, J.M.

2016-01-01

Charpy test specimens were additively manufactured (AM) on a single stainless steel plate from a 17–4 class stainless steel using a powder-bed, laser melting technique on an EOS M280 direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) machine. Cross-hatched mesh support structures for the Charpy test specimens were varied in strut width and density to parametrically study their influence on the build stability and accuracy as the DMLS process has been known to generate parts with large amounts of residual stress. Neutron diffraction was used to profile the residual stresses in several of the AM samples before and after the samples were removed from the support structure for the purpose of determining residual stresses. The residual stresses were found to depend very little on the properties of the support structure over the limited range studied here. The largest stress component was in the long direction of each of the samples studied and was roughly 2/3 of the yield stress of the material. The stress field was altered considerably when the specimen was removed from the support structure. It was noted in this study that a single Charpy specimen developed a significant tear between the growth plate and support structure. The presence of the tear in the support structure strongly affected the observed stress field: the asymmetric tear resulted in a significantly asymmetric stress field that propagated through removal of the sample from the base plate. The altered final residual stress state of the sample as well as its observed final shape indicates that the tear initiated during the build and developed without disrupting the fabrication process, suggesting a need for in-situ monitoring.

Neutron diffraction measurements of residual stress in additively manufactured stainless steel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, D.W.; Bernardin, J.D.; Carpenter, J.S.; Clausen, B.; Spernjak, D.; Thompson, J.M.

2016-12-15

Charpy test specimens were additively manufactured (AM) on a single stainless steel plate from a 17–4 class stainless steel using a powder-bed, laser melting technique on an EOS M280 direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) machine. Cross-hatched mesh support structures for the Charpy test specimens were varied in strut width and density to parametrically study their influence on the build stability and accuracy as the DMLS process has been known to generate parts with large amounts of residual stress. Neutron diffraction was used to profile the residual stresses in several of the AM samples before and after the samples were removed from the support structure for the purpose of determining residual stresses. The residual stresses were found to depend very little on the properties of the support structure over the limited range studied here. The largest stress component was in the long direction of each of the samples studied and was roughly 2/3 of the yield stress of the material. The stress field was altered considerably when the specimen was removed from the support structure. It was noted in this study that a single Charpy specimen developed a significant tear between the growth plate and support structure. The presence of the tear in the support structure strongly affected the observed stress field: the asymmetric tear resulted in a significantly asymmetric stress field that propagated through removal of the sample from the base plate. The altered final residual stress state of the sample as well as its observed final shape indicates that the tear initiated during the build and developed without disrupting the fabrication process, suggesting a need for in-situ monitoring.

High-resolution crystal structure of Streptococcus pyogenes β-NAD{sup +} glycohydrolase in complex with its endogenous inhibitor IFS reveals a highly water-rich interface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoon, Ji Young; An, Doo Ri; Yoon, Hye-Jin [Seoul National University, Seoul 151-747 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hyoun Sook [Seoul National University, Seoul 151-747 (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Sang Jae [Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of); Im, Ha Na; Jang, Jun Young [Seoul National University, Seoul 151-747 (Korea, Republic of); Suh, Se Won, E-mail: sewonsuh@snu.ac.kr [Seoul National University, Seoul 151-747 (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University, Seoul 151-747 (Korea, Republic of)

2013-11-01

The crystal structure of the complex between the C-terminal domain of Streptococcus pyogenes β-NAD{sup +} glycohydrolase and an endogenous inhibitor for SPN was determined at 1.70 Å. It reveals that the interface between the two proteins is highly rich in water molecules. One of the virulence factors produced by Streptococcus pyogenes is β-NAD{sup +} glycohydrolase (SPN). S. pyogenes injects SPN into the cytosol of an infected host cell using the cytolysin-mediated translocation pathway. As SPN is toxic to bacterial cells themselves, S. pyogenes possesses the ifs gene that encodes an endogenous inhibitor for SPN (IFS). IFS is localized intracellularly and forms a complex with SPN. This intracellular complex must be dissociated during export through the cell envelope. To provide a structural basis for understanding the interactions between SPN and IFS, the complex was overexpressed between the mature SPN (residues 38–451) and the full-length IFS (residues 1–161), but it could not be crystallized. Therefore, limited proteolysis was used to isolate a crystallizable SPN{sub ct}–IFS complex, which consists of the SPN C-terminal domain (SPN{sub ct}; residues 193–451) and the full-length IFS. Its crystal structure has been determined by single anomalous diffraction and the model refined at 1.70 Å resolution. Interestingly, our high-resolution structure of the complex reveals that the interface between SPN{sub ct} and IFS is highly rich in water molecules and many of the interactions are water-mediated. The wet interface may facilitate the dissociation of the complex for translocation across the cell envelope.

Dissipation and residue of clothianidin in granules and pesticide fertilizers used in cabbage and soil under field conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, P W; Wang, S Y; Huang, C L; Fu, J T; Huang, R L; Li, Z H; Zhang, Z X

2018-01-01

The single application of 0.5 % clothianidin granules, a novel formulation, was used to control pests in vegetables under a high dose. In this article, residues of clothianidin in cabbage and soil samples under field conditions from Guangzhou, Nanning, and Qianjiang were determined by HPLC. The terminal residues of clothianidin in cabbage were less than the limit of detection (clothianidin residual, clothianidin granules and fertilizers of chicken manure, urea, and organic fertilizer were mixed into different pesticide fertilizers through their normal field using dosage and evaluate residual influence of clothianidin in different formula. After analysis of variance of the effect factors, the effect of different pesticide types on half-life was not significant, but the effect of sample types was significant. Clothianidin granules and pesticide fertilizers could be safely applied in cabbage under a single high-dose administration.

Easy and unambiguous sequential assignments of intrinsically disordered proteins by correlating the backbone 15N or 13C′ chemical shifts of multiple contiguous residues in highly resolved 3D spectra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshimura, Yuichi; Kulminskaya, Natalia V.; Mulder, Frans A. A.

2015-01-01

Sequential resonance assignment strategies are typically based on matching one or two chemical shifts of adjacent residues. However, resonance overlap often leads to ambiguity in resonance assignments in particular for intrinsically disordered proteins. We investigated the potential of establishing connectivity through the three-bond couplings between sequentially adjoining backbone carbonyl carbon nuclei, combined with semi-constant time chemical shift evolution, for resonance assignments of small folded and larger unfolded proteins. Extended sequential connectivity strongly lifts chemical shift degeneracy of the backbone nuclei in disordered proteins. We show here that 3D (H)N(COCO)NH and (HN)CO(CO)NH experiments with relaxation-optimized multiple pulse mixing correlate up to seven adjacent backbone amide nitrogen or carbonyl carbon nuclei, respectively, and connections across proline residues are also obtained straightforwardly. Multiple, recurrent long-range correlations with ultra-high resolution allow backbone 1 H N , 15 N H , and 13 C′ resonance assignments to be completed from a single pair of 3D experiments

Pervasive within-Mitochondrion Single-Nucleotide Variant Heteroplasmy as Revealed by Single-Mitochondrion Sequencing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacqueline Morris

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Summary: A number of mitochondrial diseases arise from single-nucleotide variant (SNV accumulation in multiple mitochondria. Here, we present a method for identification of variants present at the single-mitochondrion level in individual mouse and human neuronal cells, allowing for extremely high-resolution study of mitochondrial mutation dynamics. We identified extensive heteroplasmy between individual mitochondrion, along with three high-confidence variants in mouse and one in human that were present in multiple mitochondria across cells. The pattern of variation revealed by single-mitochondrion data shows surprisingly pervasive levels of heteroplasmy in inbred mice. Distribution of SNV loci suggests inheritance of variants across generations, resulting in Poisson jackpot lines with large SNV load. Comparison of human and mouse variants suggests that the two species might employ distinct modes of somatic segregation. Single-mitochondrion resolution revealed mitochondria mutational dynamics that we hypothesize to affect risk probabilities for mutations reaching disease thresholds. : Morris et al. use independent sequencing of multiple individual mitochondria from mouse and human brain cells to show high pervasiveness of mutations. The mutations are heteroplasmic within single mitochondria and within and between cells. These findings suggest mechanisms by which mutations accumulate over time, resulting in mitochondrial dysfunction and disease. Keywords: single mitochondrion, single cell, human neuron, mouse neuron, single-nucleotide variation

Whole-body and Whole-Organ Clearing and Imaging Techniques with Single-Cell Resolution: Toward Organism-Level Systems Biology in Mammals.

Science.gov (United States)

Susaki, Etsuo A; Ueda, Hiroki R

2016-01-21

Organism-level systems biology aims to identify, analyze, control and design cellular circuits in organisms. Many experimental and computational approaches have been developed over the years to allow us to conduct these studies. Some of the most powerful methods are based on using optical imaging in combination with fluorescent labeling, and for those one of the long-standing stumbling blocks has been tissue opacity. Recently, the solutions to this problem have started to emerge based on whole-body and whole-organ clearing techniques that employ innovative tissue-clearing chemistry. Here, we review these advancements and discuss how combining new clearing techniques with high-performing fluorescent proteins or small molecule tags, rapid volume imaging and efficient image informatics is resulting in comprehensive and quantitative organ-wide, single-cell resolution experimental data. These technologies are starting to yield information on connectivity and dynamics in cellular circuits at unprecedented resolution, and bring us closer to system-level understanding of physiology and diseases of complex mammalian systems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Detecting and locating light atoms from high-resolution STEM images: The quest for a single optimal design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gonnissen, J.; De Backer, A. [Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT), University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Dekker, A.J. den [iMinds-Vision Lab, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk (Belgium); Delft Center for Systems and Control (DCSC), Delft University of Technology, Mekelweg 2, 2628 CD Delft (Netherlands); Sijbers, J. [iMinds-Vision Lab, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk (Belgium); Van Aert, S., E-mail: sandra.vanaert@uantwerpen.be [Electron Microscopy for Materials Science (EMAT), University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp (Belgium)

2016-11-15

In the present paper, the optimal detector design is investigated for both detecting and locating light atoms from high resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (HR STEM) images. The principles of detection theory are used to quantify the probability of error for the detection of light atoms from HR STEM images. To determine the optimal experiment design for locating light atoms, use is made of the so-called Cramér–Rao Lower Bound (CRLB). It is investigated if a single optimal design can be found for both the detection and location problem of light atoms. Furthermore, the incoming electron dose is optimised for both research goals and it is shown that picometre range precision is feasible for the estimation of the atom positions when using an appropriate incoming electron dose under the optimal detector settings to detect light atoms. - Highlights: • The optimal detector design to detect and locate light atoms in HR STEM is derived. • The probability of error is quantified and used to detect light atoms. • The Cramér–Rao lower bound is calculated to determine the atomic column precision. • Both measures are evaluated and result in the single optimal LAADF detector regime. • The incoming electron dose is optimised for both research goals.

Success in treating renal calculi with single-access, single-event percutaneous nephrolithotomy: is a routine "second look" necessary?

Science.gov (United States)

Davol, Patrick E; Wood, Craig; Fulmer, Brant

2006-05-01

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is an effective procedure for the treatment of large renal calculi. An important consideration for patients undergoing PCNL is the management of any residual stone burden, which may include "second-look" nephroscopy. The utility of this practice is unproven, and we present our data on a series of patients in which second-look procedures were not performed. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 43 consecutive patients undergoing a total of 45 procedures by a single surgeon at a tertiary-care center. Patients were considered stone free if no calculi were evident by either plain film or noncontrast CT scan. Statistical analysis was used to look for correlations between radiographic stone clearance and various patient and stone characteristics. Of these procedures, 15% had immediate postoperative evidence of residual fragments. At a mean follow-up of 8 months, 32.5% had residual or recurrent stone. There were statistically significant correlations between both patient age and stone size and the risk of recurrent or residual stone. In our study, PCNL was effective for the single-stage treatment of large renal calculi. Aggressive stone clearance obviated the need for routine second-look nephroscopy. Factors leading to an increased risk of residual or recurrent calculi included the presence of a staghorn calculus and younger patient age. The excellent stone-free rates achieved suggest that routine second-look nephroscopy may not be necessary for the majority of patients undergoing PCNL.

On residual stresses and fatigue of laser hardened steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Ru.

1992-01-01

This thesis deals with studies on residual stresses and fatigue properties of laser-transformation hardened steels. Two types of specimens, cylinders and fatigue specimens were used in the studies. The cylinders, made of Swedish steels SS 2244 and SS 2258 which correspond to AISI 4140 and AISI 52100 respectively, were locally hardened by a single scan of laser beam in the longitudinal direction, with various laser parameters. Residual stress distributions across the hardened tracks were measured by means of X-ray diffraction. The origins of residual stresses were investigated and discussed. For the fatigue specimens, including smooth and notched types made of Swedish steels SS 2244, SS 2225 and SS 1572 (similar to AISI 4140, AISI 4130 and AISI 1035, respectively), laser hardening was carried out in the gauge section. The residual stress field induced by the hardening process and the fatigue properties by plane bending fatigue test were studied. In order to investigate the stability of the residual stress field, stress measurements were also made on specimens being loaded near the fatigue limits for over 10 7 cycles. Further the concept of local fatigue strength was employed to correlate quantitatively the effect of hardness and residual stress field on the fatigue limits. In addition a group of smooth specimens of SS 2244 was induction hardened and the hardening results were compared with the corresponding laser hardened ones in terms of residual stress and fatigue behaviour. It has been found that compressive stresses exist in the hardened zone of all the specimens studied. The laser hardening condition, the specimen and how the hardening is carried out can significantly affect the residual stress field. Laser hardening can greatly improve the fatigue properties by inducing a hardened and compressed surface layer. (112 refs.)(au)

On residual stresses and fatigue of laser hardened steels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Ru.

1992-01-01

This thesis deals with studies on residual stresses and fatigue properties of laser-transformation hardened steels. Two types of specimens, cylinders and fatigue specimens were used in the studies. The cylinders, made of Swedish steels SS 2244 and SS 2258 which correspond to AISI 4140 and AISI 52100 respectively, were locally hardened by a single scan of laser beam in the longitudinal direction, with various laser parameters. Residual stress distributions across the hardened tracks were measured by means of X-ray diffraction. The origins of residual stresses were investigated and discussed. For the fatigue specimens, including smooth and notched types made of Swedish steels SS 2244, SS 2225 and SS 1572 (similar to AISI 4140, AISI 4130 and AISI 1035, respectively), laser hardening was carried out in the gauge section. The residual stress field induced by the hardening process and the fatigue properties by plane bending fatigue test were studied. In order to investigate the stability of the residual stress field, stress measurements were also made on specimens being loaded near the fatigue limits for over 10[sup 7] cycles. Further the concept of local fatigue strength was employed to correlate quantitatively the effect of hardness and residual stress field on the fatigue limits. In addition a group of smooth specimens of SS 2244 was induction hardened and the hardening results were compared with the corresponding laser hardened ones in terms of residual stress and fatigue behaviour. It has been found that compressive stresses exist in the hardened zone of all the specimens studied. The laser hardening condition, the specimen and how the hardening is carried out can significantly affect the residual stress field. Laser hardening can greatly improve the fatigue properties by inducing a hardened and compressed surface layer. (112 refs.)(au).

Wild boar mapping using population-density statistics: From polygons to high resolution raster maps.

Science.gov (United States)

Pittiglio, Claudia; Khomenko, Sergei; Beltran-Alcrudo, Daniel

2018-01-01

The wild boar is an important crop raider as well as a reservoir and agent of spread of swine diseases. Due to increasing densities and expanding ranges worldwide, the related economic losses in livestock and agricultural sectors are significant and on the rise. Its management and control would strongly benefit from accurate and detailed spatial information on species distribution and abundance, which are often available only for small areas. Data are commonly available at aggregated administrative units with little or no information about the distribution of the species within the unit. In this paper, a four-step geostatistical downscaling approach is presented and used to disaggregate wild boar population density statistics from administrative units of different shape and size (polygons) to 5 km resolution raster maps by incorporating auxiliary fine scale environmental variables. 1) First a stratification method was used to define homogeneous bioclimatic regions for the analysis; 2) Under a geostatistical framework, the wild boar densities at administrative units, i.e. subnational areas, were decomposed into trend and residual components for each bioclimatic region. Quantitative relationships between wild boar data and environmental variables were estimated through multiple regression and used to derive trend components at 5 km spatial resolution. Next, the residual components (i.e., the differences between the trend components and the original wild boar data at administrative units) were downscaled at 5 km resolution using area-to-point kriging. The trend and residual components obtained at 5 km resolution were finally added to generate fine scale wild boar estimates for each bioclimatic region. 3) These maps were then mosaicked to produce a final output map of predicted wild boar densities across most of Eurasia. 4) Model accuracy was assessed at each different step using input as well as independent data. We discuss advantages and limits of the method and its

Reconstructed Image Spatial Resolution of Multiple Coincidences Compton Imager

Science.gov (United States)

Andreyev, Andriy; Sitek, Arkadiusz; Celler, Anna

2010-02-01

We study the multiple coincidences Compton imager (MCCI) which is based on a simultaneous acquisition of several photons emitted in cascade from a single nuclear decay. Theoretically, this technique should provide a major improvement in localization of a single radioactive source as compared to a standard Compton camera. In this work, we investigated the performance and limitations of MCCI using Monte Carlo computer simulations. Spatial resolutions of the reconstructed point source have been studied as a function of the MCCI parameters, including geometrical dimensions and detector characteristics such as materials, energy and spatial resolutions.

Single photon emission tomography in neurological studies: Instrumentation and clinical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nikkinen, P.

1999-01-01

acquisition and uniform Chang attenuation correction gave 40% lower values. The effect of dual window scatter correction was also measured. In conventional reconstruction dual window scatter correction increased the uptake ratios when using a single head camera, but when using the triple head camera this correction did not have a significant effect on the ratios. Semiquantitative values for striatal 123 I-labelled β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl)tropane ( 23I -βCIT) dopamine transporter uptake in 20 adults (mean age 52±15 years) are presented. The mean basal ganglia to cerebellum ratio was 6.5±0.9 and the mean caudatus to putamen ratio was 1.2. The registration of brain SPET and magnetic resonance (MR) studies provides the necessary anatomical information for determination of the ROIs. A procedure for registration and simultaneous display of brain SPET and MR images based on six external skin markers is presented. The usefulness of this method was demonstrated in selected patients. The registration accuracy was determined for single and triple head gamma camera systems using brain phantom and simulation studies. The registration residual for three internal test markers was calculated using 4 to 13 external markers in the registration. For 6 external markers, as used in the registration in the patient studies, the mean RMS residuals of the test markers for the single head camera and the triple head camera were 3.5 mm and 3.2 mm, respectively. According to the simulation studies the largest inaccuracy is due mainly to the spatial resolution of SPET. The use of six markers, as in the patient studies, is adequate for accurate registration. (orig.)

Single photon emission tomography in neurological studies: Instrumentation and clinical applications

Science.gov (United States)

Nikkinen, Paivi Helena

acquisition and uniform Chang attenuation correction gave 40% lower values. The effect of dual window scatter correction was also measured. In conventional reconstruction dual window scatter correction increased the uptake ratios when using a single head camera, but when using the triple head camera this correction did not have a significant effect on the ratios. Semiquantitative values for striatal 123I-labelled β-carbomethoxy-3β- (4-iodophenyl)tropane (123I-βCIT) dopamine transporter uptake in 20 adults (mean age 52 +/- 15 years) are presented. The mean basal ganglia to cerebellum ratio was 6.5 +/- 0.9 and the mean caudatus to putamen ratio was 1.2. The registration of brain SPET and magnetic resonance (MR) studies provides the necessary anatomical information for determination of the ROIs. A procedure for registration and simultaneous display of brain SPET and MR images based on six external skin markers is presented. The usefulness of this method was demonstrated in selected patients. The registration accuracy was determined for single and triple head gamma camera systems using brain phantom and simulation studies. The registration residual for three internal test markers was calculated using 4 to 13 external markers in the registration. For 6 external markers, as used in the registration in the patient studies, the mean RMS residuals of the test markers for the single head camera and the triple head camera were 3.5 mm and 3.2 mm, respectively. According to the simulation studies the largest inaccuracy is due mainly to the spatial resolution of SPET. The use of six markers, as in the patient studies, is adequate for accurate registration.

Construction of a recombinant single chain antibody recognizing nonreducing terminal mannose residues applicable to immunohistochemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuasa, Noriyuki; Iida, Noriko; Sakaue, Hiroyuki; Zhang, Wei; Wilczynski, Sharon; Fujita-Yamaguchi, Yoko

2007-10-01

We recently reported characterization of 25 clones isolated from a phage library displaying human scFvs using a neoglycolipid Man3-DPPE, which was synthesized from mannotriose (Man3) and dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DPPE). Of those, 5A3 scFv was successfully expressed and purified as a humanized scFv-Fc form (Sakai et al., Biochemistry 46:253, 2007, Zhang et al. ibid 263). To carry out immunohistochemistry (IHC) in human tissues, a HA tag sequence was introduced to the 5A3 scFv-Fc gene and the resulting construct was transfected to murine myeloma NS0 cells. The 5A3 scFv-Fc protein expressed was affinity-purified. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under nonreducing and reducing conditions and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay confirmed that 5A3 scFv-Fc protein is dimeric and retained the ability to recognize nonreducing terminal mannose residues. IHC staining of non-neoplastic tissues by this recombinant antibody revealed that no immunoreactivity was detectable in most of 16 tissues examined. Exceptions were found in IHC staining of kidney and pancreas, which demonstrated clear staining of proximal tubules and islet of Langerhans, respectively. These results demonstrated that nonreducing terminal mannose residues are not usually present under normal physiological conditions. This study thus provided a potentially useful tool for examination of the nonreducing terminal mannose residues, which may become exposed under certain pathophysiologycal conditions.

Resolution of a protein sequence ambiguity by X-ray crystallographic and mass spectrometric methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keefe, L.J.; Lattman, E.E.; Wolkow, C.; Woods, A.; Chevrier, M.; Cotter, R.J.

1992-01-01

Ambiguities in amino acid sequences are a potential problem in X-ray crystallographic studies of proteins. Amino acid side chains often cannot be reliably identified from the electron density. Many protein crystal structures that are now being solved are simple variants of a known wild-type structure. Thus, cloning artifacts or other untoward events can readily lead to cases in which the proposed sequence is not correct. An example is presented showing that mass spectrometry provides an excellent tool for analyzing suspected errors. The X-ray crystal structure of an insertion mutant of Staphylococcal nuclease has been solved to 1.67 A resolution and refined to a crystallographic R value of 0.170. A single residue has been inserted in the C-terminal α helix. The inserted amino acid was believed to be an alanine residue, but the final electron density maps strongly indicated that a glycine had been inserted instead. To confirm the observations from the X-ray data, matrix-assisted laser desorption mass spectrometry was employed to verify the glycine insertion. This mass spectrometric technique has sufficient mass accuracy to detect the methyl group that distinguishes glycine from alanine and can be extended to the more common situation in which crystallographic measurements suggest a problem with the sequence, but cannot pinpoint its location or nature. (orig.)

Resolution of a protein sequence ambiguity by X-ray crystallographic and mass spectrometric methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Keefe, L.J.; Lattman, E.E. (Dept. of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins Univ. School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (United States)); Wolkow, C.; Woods, A.; Chevrier, M.; Cotter, R.J. (Middle Atlantic Mass Spectrometry Lab., Johns Hopkins Univ. School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (United States))

1992-04-01

Ambiguities in amino acid sequences are a potential problem in X-ray crystallographic studies of proteins. Amino acid side chains often cannot be reliably identified from the electron density. Many protein crystal structures that are now being solved are simple variants of a known wild-type structure. Thus, cloning artifacts or other untoward events can readily lead to cases in which the proposed sequence is not correct. An example is presented showing that mass spectrometry provides an excellent tool for analyzing suspected errors. The X-ray crystal structure of an insertion mutant of Staphylococcal nuclease has been solved to 1.67 A resolution and refined to a crystallographic R value of 0.170. A single residue has been inserted in the C-terminal {alpha} helix. The inserted amino acid was believed to be an alanine residue, but the final electron density maps strongly indicated that a glycine had been inserted instead. To confirm the observations from the X-ray data, matrix-assisted laser desorption mass spectrometry was employed to verify the glycine insertion. This mass spectrometric technique has sufficient mass accuracy to detect the methyl group that distinguishes glycine from alanine and can be extended to the more common situation in which crystallographic measurements suggest a problem with the sequence, but cannot pinpoint its location or nature. (orig.).

Cellulosic ethanol production from agricultural residues in Nigeria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iye, Edward; Bilsborrow, Paul

2013-01-01

Nigeria′s Biofuels Policy introduced in 2007 mandates a 10% blend (E10) of bioethanol with gasoline. This study investigates the potential for the development of a cellulosic ethanol industry based on the availability of agricultural residues and models the number of commercial processing facilities that could be sited in the six Geo-political zones. The potential for cellulosic ethanol production from agricultural residues in Nigeria is 7556 km 3 per annum exceeding the mandate of 10% renewable fuel required and providing the potential for 12 large- and 11 medium-scale processing facilities based on the use of a single feedstock. Cassava and yam peelings provided in excess of 80% of the process residues available with enough feedstock to supply 10 large-scale facilities with a fairly even distribution across the zones. Sorghum straw, millet straw and maize stalks represented 75% of the potential resource available from field residues with the potential to supply 2 large- and 7 medium-scale processing facilities, all of which would be located in the north of the country. When a multi-feedstock approach is used, this provides the potential for either 29 large- or 58 medium-scale facilities based on outputs of 250 and 125 km 3 per annum respectively. - Highlights: • Nigeria′s Biofuels Policy mandates a 10% blend of bioethanol with gasoline. • Total bioethanol production from agricultural residues was 7556 km 3 per annum. • Process residues offer the greatest potential accounting for 62% of production. • Nigeria has the potential for 12 large- and 11 medium scale commercial. • The use of mixed feedstocks significantly increases the potential for production

Modeling of plates with multiple anisotropic layers and residual stress

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Engholm, Mathias; Pedersen, Thomas; Thomsen, Erik Vilain

2016-01-01

Usually the analytical approach for modeling of plates uses the single layer plate equation to obtain the deflection and does not take anisotropy and residual stress into account. Based on the stress–strain relation of each layer and balancing stress resultants and bending moments, a general...... multilayered anisotropic plate equation is developed for plates with an arbitrary number of layers. The exact deflection profile is calculated for a circular clamped plate of anisotropic materials with residual bi-axial stress.From the deflection shape the critical stress for buckling is calculated......, and an excellent agreement between the two models is seen with a relative difference of less than 2% for all calculations. The model was also used to extract the cell capacitance, the parasitic capacitance and the residual stress of a pressure sensor composed of a multilayered plate of silicon and silicon oxide...

Residual stress in silicon wafer using IR polariscope

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Zhijia; Wang, Pin; Asundi, Anand

2008-09-01

The infrared phase shift polariscope (IR-PSP) is a full-field optical technique for stress analysis in Silicon wafers. Phase shift polariscope is preferred to a conventional polariscope, as it can provide quantitative information of the normal stress difference and the shear stress in the specimen. The method is based on the principles of photoelasticity, in which stresses induces temporary birefringence in materials which can be quantitatively analyzed using a phase shift polariscope. Compared to other stress analysis techniques such as x-ray diffraction or laser scanning, infrared photoelastic stress analysis provides full-field information with high resolution and in near real time. As the semiconductor fabrication is advancing, larger wafers, thinner films and more compact packages are being manufactured. This results in a growing demand of process control. Residual stress exist in silicon during semiconductor fabrication and these stresses may make cell processing difficult or even cause the failure of the silicon. Reducing these stresses would improve manufacturability and reliability. Therefore stress analysis is essential to trace the root cause of the stresses. The polariscope images are processed using MATLAB and four-step phase shifting method to provide quantitative as well as qualitative information regarding the residual stress of the sample. The system is calibrated using four-point bend specimen and then the residual stress distribution in a MEMS sample is shown.

A practical alternative to single tree selection?

Science.gov (United States)

Gary W. Miller; H. Clay Smith

1993-01-01

When landowners want to develop and maintain an uneven-aged tree structure in eastern hardwood stands, single-tree selection often is suggested as the only advisable, long-term partial regeneration harvest method. Single-tree selection is preferred because it provides a means for improving quality and controlling stocking of the residual stand necessary for sustained...

High resolution imaging of impacted CFRP composites with a fiber-optic laser-ultrasound scanner

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan Pelivanov

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Damage induced in polymer composites by various impacts must be evaluated to predict a component’s post-impact strength and residual lifetime, especially when impacts occur in structures related to human safety (in aircraft, for example. X-ray tomography is the conventional standard to study an internal structure with high resolution. However, it is of little use when the impacted area cannot be extracted from a structure. In addition, X-ray tomography is expensive and time-consuming. Recently, we have demonstrated that a kHz-rate laser-ultrasound (LU scanner is very efficient both for locating large defects and evaluating the material structure. Here, we show that high-quality images of damage produced by the LU scanner in impacted carbon-fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP composites are similar to those produced by X-ray tomograms; but they can be obtained with only single-sided access to the object under study. Potentially, the LU method can be applied to large components in-situ.

High resolution imaging of impacted CFRP composites with a fiber-optic laser-ultrasound scanner.

Science.gov (United States)

Pelivanov, Ivan; Ambroziński, Łukasz; Khomenko, Anton; Koricho, Ermias G; Cloud, Gary L; Haq, Mahmoodul; O'Donnell, Matthew

2016-06-01

Damage induced in polymer composites by various impacts must be evaluated to predict a component's post-impact strength and residual lifetime, especially when impacts occur in structures related to human safety (in aircraft, for example). X-ray tomography is the conventional standard to study an internal structure with high resolution. However, it is of little use when the impacted area cannot be extracted from a structure. In addition, X-ray tomography is expensive and time-consuming. Recently, we have demonstrated that a kHz-rate laser-ultrasound (LU) scanner is very efficient both for locating large defects and evaluating the material structure. Here, we show that high-quality images of damage produced by the LU scanner in impacted carbon-fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites are similar to those produced by X-ray tomograms; but they can be obtained with only single-sided access to the object under study. Potentially, the LU method can be applied to large components in-situ.

High-Resolution PET Detector. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karp, Joel

2014-01-01

The objective of this project was to develop an understanding of the limits of performance for a high resolution PET detector using an approach based on continuous scintillation crystals rather than pixelated crystals. The overall goal was to design a high-resolution detector, which requires both high spatial resolution and high sensitivity for 511 keV gammas. Continuous scintillation detectors (Anger cameras) have been used extensively for both single-photon and PET scanners, however, these instruments were based on NaI(Tl) scintillators using relatively large, individual photo-multipliers. In this project we investigated the potential of this type of detector technology to achieve higher spatial resolution through the use of improved scintillator materials and photo-sensors, and modification of the detector surface to optimize the light response function.We achieved an average spatial resolution of 3-mm for a 25-mm thick, LYSO continuous detector using a maximum likelihood position algorithm and shallow slots cut into the entrance surface

Analysis of fenbendazole residues in bovine milk by ELISA.

Science.gov (United States)

Brandon, David L; Bates, Anne H; Binder, Ronald G; Montague, William C; Whitehand, Linda C; Barker, Steven A

2002-10-09

Fenbendazole residues in bovine milk were analyzed by ELISAs using two monoclonal antibodies. One monoclonal antibody (MAb 587) bound the major benzimidazole anthelmintic drugs, including fenbendazole, oxfendazole, and fenbendazole sulfone. The other (MAb 591) was more specific for fenbendazole, with 13% cross-reactivity with the sulfone and no significant binding to the sulfoxide metabolite. The limit of detection of the ELISA method in the milk matrix was 7 ppb for MAb 587 and 3 ppb for MAb 591. Fenbendazole was administered in feed, drench, and paste form to three groups of dairy cattle. Milk was collected immediately before dosing and then every 12 h for 5 days. The ELISA indicated that residue levels varied widely among individual cows in each group. Fenbendazole levels peaked at approximately 12-24 h and declined rapidly thereafter. Metabolites were detected at much higher levels than the parent compound, peaked at approximately 24-36 h, and declined gradually. Residue levels were undetectable by 72 h. The ELISA data correlated well with the total residues determined by chromatographic analysis, but the use of the two separate ELISAs did not afford an advantage over ELISA with the single, broadly reactive MAb 587. The ELISA method could be used to flag high-residue samples in on-site monitoring of fenbendazole in milk and is a potential tool for studying drug pharmacokinetics.

The mining of toxin-like polypeptides from EST database by single residue distribution analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kozlov, Sergey; Grishin, Eugene

2011-01-31

Novel high throughput sequencing technologies require permanent development of bioinformatics data processing methods. Among them, rapid and reliable identification of encoded proteins plays a pivotal role. To search for particular protein families, the amino acid sequence motifs suitable for selective screening of nucleotide sequence databases may be used. In this work, we suggest a novel method for simplified representation of protein amino acid sequences named Single Residue Distribution Analysis, which is applicable both for homology search and database screening. Using the procedure developed, a search for amino acid sequence motifs in sea anemone polypeptides was performed, and 14 different motifs with broad and low specificity were discriminated. The adequacy of motifs for mining toxin-like sequences was confirmed by their ability to identify 100% toxin-like anemone polypeptides in the reference polypeptide database. The employment of novel motifs for the search of polypeptide toxins in Anemonia viridis EST dataset allowed us to identify 89 putative toxin precursors. The translated and modified ESTs were scanned using a special algorithm. In addition to direct comparison with the motifs developed, the putative signal peptides were predicted and homology with known structures was examined. The suggested method may be used to retrieve structures of interest from the EST databases using simple amino acid sequence motifs as templates. The efficiency of the procedure for directed search of polypeptides is higher than that of most currently used methods. Analysis of 39939 ESTs of sea anemone Anemonia viridis resulted in identification of five protein precursors of earlier described toxins, discovery of 43 novel polypeptide toxins, and prediction of 39 putative polypeptide toxin sequences. In addition, two precursors of novel peptides presumably displaying neuronal function were disclosed.

Natural Gamma Emitters after a Selective Chemical Separation of a TENORM residue: Preliminary Results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alves de Freitas, Antonio; Abrao, Alcidio; Godoy dos Santos, Adir Janete; Pecequilo, Brigitte Roxana Soreanu

2008-01-01

An analytical procedure was established in order to obtain selective fractions containing radium isotopes ( 228 Ra), thorium ( 232 Th), and rare earths from RETOTER (REsiduo de TOrio e TErras Raras), a solid residue rich in rare earth elements, thorium isotopes and small amount of natural uranium generated from the operation of a thorium pilot plant for purification and production of pure thorium nitrate at IPEN -CNEN/SP. The paper presents preliminary results of 228 Ra, 226 Ra, 238 U, 210 Pb, and 40 K concentrations in the selective fractions and total residue determined by high-resolution gamma spectroscopy, considering radioactive equilibrium of the samples

A single amino acid residue controls Ca2+ signaling by an octopamine receptor from Drosophila melanogaster.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoff, Max; Balfanz, Sabine; Ehling, Petra; Gensch, Thomas; Baumann, Arnd

2011-07-01

Rhythmic activity of cells and cellular networks plays an important role in physiology. In the nervous system oscillations of electrical activity and/or second messenger concentrations are important to synchronize neuronal activity. At the molecular level, rhythmic activity can be initiated by different routes. We have recently shown that an octopamine-activated G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR; DmOctα1Rb, CG3856) from Drosophila initiates Ca(2+) oscillations. Here, we have unraveled the molecular basis of cellular Ca(2+) signaling controlled by the DmOctα1Rb receptor using a combination of pharmacological intervention, site-directed mutagenesis, and functional cellular Ca(2+) imaging on heterologously expressed receptors. Phosphorylation of a single amino acid residue in the third intracellular loop of the GPCR by PKC is necessary and sufficient to desensitize the receptor. From its desensitized state, DmOctα1Rb is resensitized by dephosphorylation, and a new Ca(2+) signal occurs on octopamine stimulation. Our findings show that transient changes of the receptor's surface profile have a strong effect on its physiological signaling properties. We expect that the detailed knowledge of DmOctα1Rb-dependent signal transduction fosters the identification of specific drugs that can be used for GPCR-mediated pest control, since octopamine serves important physiological and behavioral functions in arthropods.

Processing and display of nuclear magnetism logging signals: application to residual oil determination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, R.J.S.; Neuman, C.H.

1980-01-01

A presentation is made of a series of computations and signal displays which help to show the nature of NML signals in general as well as to show the response to particular formation, hole, and tool conditions. Such processing of digitally recorded signals enables improved accuracy and bed resolution over that presented with the raw log. The treatment of drilling mud filtrate to eliminate NML signal from the brine phase in the invaded zone is described. Logs are shown as recorded before and after invasion of treated mud filtrate. This treatment causes the NML signal to correspond to residual oil only, enabling accurate and relatively inexpensive measurement of residual oil. 24 refs

Dynamic (4D) CT perfusion offers simultaneous functional and anatomical insights into pulmonary embolism resolution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mirsadraee, Saeed, E-mail: saeed.mirsadraee@ed.ac.uk [Clinical Research Imaging Centre, Queen' s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ (United Kingdom); Reid, John H.; Connell, Martin [Clinical Research Imaging Centre, Queen' s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ (United Kingdom); MacNee, William; Hirani, Nikhil [The Queen' s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ (United Kingdom); Murchison, John T. [Department of Radiology, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, 51 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4SA (United Kingdom); Beek, Edwin J. van [Clinical Research Imaging Centre, Queen' s Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ (United Kingdom)

2016-10-15

Objective: Resolution and long-term functional effects of pulmonary emboli are unpredictable. This study was carried out to assess persisting vascular bed perfusion abnormalities and resolution of arterial thrombus in patients with recent pulmonary embolism (PE). Methods and materials: 26 Patients were prospectively evaluated by dynamic (4D) contrast enhanced CT perfusion dynamic pulmonary CT perfusion. Intermittent volume imaging was performed every 1.5–1.7 s during breath-hold and perfusion values were calculated by maximum-slope technique. Thrombus load (modified Miller score; MMS) and ventricular diameter were determined. Perfusion maps were visually scored and correlated with residual endoluminal filling defects. Results: The mean initial thrombus load was 13.1 ± 4.6 MMS (3–16), and 1.2 ± 2.1 MMS (0–8) at follow up. From the 24 CTPs with diagnostic quality perfusion studies, normal perfusion was observed in 7 (29%), and mildly-severely abnormal in 17 (71%). In 15 patients with no residual thrombus on follow up CTPA, normal perfusion was observed in 6, and abnormal perfusion in 9. Perfusion was abnormal in all patients with residual thrombus on follow up CTPA. Pulmonary perfusion changes were classified as reduced (n = 4), delayed (systemic circulation pattern; n = 5), and absent (no-flow; n = 5). The right ventricle was dilated in 12/25 (48%) at presentation, and normal in all 26 follow up scans. Weak correlation was found between initial ventricular dilatation and perfusion abnormality at follow up (r = 0.15). Conclusions: Most patients had substantial perfusion abnormality at 3–6 months post PE. Abnormal perfusion patterns were frequently observed in patients and in regions with no corresponding evidence of residual thrombus on CTPA. Some defects exhibit delayed, presumed systemic, enhancement (which we have termed ‘stunned’ lung). CT perfusion provides combined anatomical and functional information about PE resolution.

Study of the spatial resolution for binary readout detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yonamine, R., E-mail: ryo.yonamine@ulb.ac.be; Maerschalk, T.; Lentdecker, G. De

2016-07-11

Often the binary readout is proposed for high granularity detectors to reduce the generated data volume to be readout at the price of a somewhat reduced spatial resolution compared to an analogue readout. We have been studying single hit resolutions obtained with a binary readout using simulations as well as analytical approaches. In this note we show that the detector geometry could be optimized to offer an equivalent spatial resolution than with an analogue readout.

High-Resolution Single-Grain Diffraction of Polycrystalline Materials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lienert, Ulrich; Ribárik, Gábor; Ungar, Tamas

2017-01-01

. The microstructure usually influences the materials properties critically. It has been demonstrated that, by using high-energy synchrotron radiation, diffraction peaks off individual grains can be recorded in-situ during processing. Important information such as the orientation, average strain, and size...... of individual grains can be obtained, even if the peak shapes are commonly not analyzed. However, it is also well-known that the shape of diffraction peaks, if observed with sufficient resolution, contains significant information about the microstructure. While the intensity distribution in reciprocal space...... of a perfect lattice consists of delta functions located at the reciprocal lattice points, defects induce characteristic peak broadening. In order to exploit the wealth of microstructural information contained in broadened diffraction peaks, the intensity distribution has to be characterized in all three...

Residual viral and bacterial contamination of surfaces after cleaning and disinfection.

Science.gov (United States)

Tuladhar, Era; Hazeleger, Wilma C; Koopmans, Marion; Zwietering, Marcel H; Beumer, Rijkelt R; Duizer, Erwin

2012-11-01

Environmental surfaces contaminated with pathogens can be sources of indirect transmission, and cleaning and disinfection are common interventions focused on reducing contamination levels. We determined the efficacy of cleaning and disinfection procedures for reducing contamination by noroviruses, rotavirus, poliovirus, parechovirus, adenovirus, influenza virus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella enterica from artificially contaminated stainless steel surfaces. After a single wipe with water, liquid soap, or 250-ppm free chlorine solution, the numbers of infective viruses and bacteria were reduced by 1 log(10) for poliovirus and close to 4 log(10) for influenza virus. There was no significant difference in residual contamination levels after wiping with water, liquid soap, or 250-ppm chlorine solution. When a single wipe with liquid soap was followed by a second wipe using 250- or 1,000-ppm chlorine, an extra 1- to 3-log(10) reduction was achieved, and except for rotavirus and norovirus genogroup I, no significant additional effect of 1,000 ppm compared to 250 ppm was found. A reduced correlation between reduction in PCR units (PCRU) and reduction in infectious particles suggests that at least part of the reduction achieved in the second step is due to inactivation instead of removal alone. We used data on infectious doses and transfer efficiencies to estimate a target level to which the residual contamination should be reduced and found that a single wipe with liquid soap followed by a wipe with 250-ppm free chlorine solution was sufficient to reduce the residual contamination to below the target level for most of the pathogens tested.

Single photon emission tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buvat, Irene

2011-09-01

The objective of this lecture is to present the single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging technique. Content: 1 - Introduction: anatomic, functional and molecular imaging; Principle and role of functional or molecular imaging; 2 - Radiotracers: chemical and physical constraints, main emitters, radioisotopes production, emitters type and imaging techniques; 3 - Single photon emission computed tomography: gamma cameras and their components, gamma camera specifications, planar single photon imaging characteristics, gamma camera and tomography; 4 - Quantification in single photon emission tomography: attenuation, scattering, un-stationary spatial resolution, partial volume effect, movements, others; 5 - Synthesis and conclusion

The characterization of insoluble dissolver residues and the development of treatment methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baker, H.T.; Brown, P.E.; Pateman, R.J.; Wilkinson, K.L.

1986-01-01

Characterization studies have been carried out on the insoluble residue arising from laboratory scale dissolution of single pins of mixed oxide fuel irradiated in the Dounreay Fast Reactor (DFR). Similar characterization work has also been completed on six samples of insoluble residue recovered from the reprocessing of complete sub-assemblies of mixed oxide fuel irradiated in PFR. Treatment methods for the dissolver insolubles have consisted of preparing immobilized samples in sand/ordinary portland cement (OPC), sand/pulverized fly ash (PFA)/OPC, and blast furnace slag (BFS)/OPC. A programme of leach testing has been carried out according to the conditions laid down in the international Standard Organization Test. Four samples of DFR originated insoluble residues and six samples of PFR originated insoluble residues have been immobilized and leach tested. Variations have included experiments to evaluate the leach rate under temperature influence and to acid wash prior to immobilization

Evolution and function of the Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae peroxiredoxin, a 2-Cys-like enzyme with a single Cys residue.

Science.gov (United States)

Gonchoroski, Taylor; Virginio, Veridiana G; Thompson, Claudia E; Paes, Jéssica A; Machado, Cláudio X; Ferreira, Henrique B

2017-04-01

The minimal genome of the mollicute Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae, the etiological agent of porcine enzootic pneumonia, encodes a limited repertoire of antioxidant enzymes that include a single and atypical peroxiredoxin (MhPrx), whose evolution and function were studied here. MhPrx has only one catalytic cysteine, in contrast with some of its possible ancestors (2-Cys peroxiredoxins), which have two. Although it is more similar to 2-Cys orthologs, MhPrx can still function with a single peroxidatic cysteine (Cys P ), using non-thiolic electron donors to reduce it. Therefore, MhPrx could be a representative of a possible group of 2-Cys peroxiredoxins, which have lost the resolving cysteine (Cys R ) residue without losing their catalytic properties. To further investigate MhPrx evolution, we performed a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis in the context of several bacterial families, including Prxs belonging to Tpx and AhpE families, shedding light on the evolutionary history of Mycoplasmataceae Prxs and giving support to the hypothesis of a relatively recent loss of the Cys R within this family. Moreover, mutational analyses provided insights into MhPrx function with one, two, or without catalytic cysteines. While removal of the MhPrx putative Cys P caused complete activity loss, confirming its catalytic role, the introduction of a second cysteine in a site correspondent to that of the Cys R of a 2-Cys orthologue, as in the MhPrx supposed ancestral form, was compatible with enzyme activity. Overall, our phylogenetic and mutational studies support that MhPrx recently diverged from a 2-Cys Prx ancestor and pave the way for future studies addressing structural, functional, and evolutive aspects of peroxiredoxin subfamilies in Mollicutes and other bacteria.

Multiple and single snapshot compressive beamforming

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gerstoft, Peter; Xenaki, Angeliki; Mecklenbrauker, Christoph F.

2015-01-01

and multiple snapshots. CS does not require inversion of the data covariance matrix and thus works well even for a single snapshot where it gives higher resolution than conventional beamforming. For multiple snapshots, CS outperforms conventional high-resolution methods even with coherent arrivals and at low......-lagged superposition of source amplitudes at all hypothetical DOAs. Regularizing with an ‘1-norm constraint renders the problem solvable with convex optimization, and promoting sparsity gives highresolution DOA maps. Here the sparse source distribution is derived using maximum a posteriori estimates for both single...

Effect of Elevated Temperature on the Residual Properties of Quartzite, Granite and Basalt Aggregate Concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Masood, A.; Shariq, M.; Alam, M. Masroor; Ahmad, T.; Beg, A.

2018-05-01

In the present study, experimental investigations have been carried out to determine the effect of elevated temperature on the residual properties of quartzite, granite and basalt aggregate concrete mixes. Ultrasonic pulse velocity and unstressed residual compressive strength tests on cube specimens have been conducted at ambient and after single heating-cooling cycle of elevated temperature ranging from 200 to 600 °C. The relationship between ultrasonic pulse velocity and residual compressive strength of all concrete mixes have been developed. Scanning electron microscopy was also carried out to study micro structure of quartzite, granite and basalt aggregate concrete subjected to single heating-cooling cycle of elevated temperature. The results show that the residual compressive strength of quartzite aggregate concrete has been found higher than granite and basalt aggregate concrete at ambient and at all temperatures. It has also been found that the loss of strength in concrete is due to the development of micro-cracks result in failure of cement matrix and coarse aggregate bond. Further, the basalt aggregate concrete has been observed lower strength due to low affinity with Portland cements ascribed to its ferro-magnesium rich mineral composition.

Berkeley High-Resolution Ball

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diamond, R.M.

1984-10-01

Criteria for a high-resolution γ-ray system are discussed. Desirable properties are high resolution, good response function, and moderate solid angle so as to achieve not only double- but triple-coincidences with good statistics. The Berkeley High-Resolution Ball involved the first use of bismuth germanate (BGO) for anti-Compton shield for Ge detectors. The resulting compact shield permitted rather close packing of 21 detectors around a target. In addition, a small central BGO ball gives the total γ-ray energy and multiplicity, as well as the angular pattern of the γ rays. The 21-detector array is nearly complete, and the central ball has been designed, but not yet constructed. First results taken with 9 detector modules are shown for the nucleus 156 Er. The complex decay scheme indicates a transition from collective rotation (prolate shape) to single- particle states (possibly oblate) near spin 30 h, and has other interesting features

X-ray analysis of bilirubin oxidase from Myrothecium verrucaria at 2.3 Å resolution using a twinned crystal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mizutani, Kimihiko; Toyoda, Mayuko; Sagara, Kenta; Takahashi, Nobuyuki; Sato, Atsuko; Kamitaka, Yuji; Tsujimura, Seiya; Nakanishi, Yuji; Sugiura, Toshiyuki; Yamaguchi, Shotaro; Kano, Kenji; Mikami, Bunzo

2010-01-01

The crystal structure of bilirubin oxidase (BOD) from M. verrucaria has been determined at 2.3 Å resolution using a merohedrally twinned crystal. BOD has four copper-coordination sites that are almost identical to those of other multicopper oxidases and is also very similar to them in overall structure. Bilirubin oxidase (BOD), a multicopper oxidase found in Myrothecium verrucaria, catalyzes the oxidation of bilirubin to biliverdin. Oxygen is the electron acceptor and is reduced to water. BOD is used for diagnostic analysis of bilirubin in serum and has attracted considerable attention as an enzymatic catalyst for the cathode of biofuel cells that work under neutral conditions. Here, the crystal structure of BOD is reported for the first time. Blue bipyramid-shaped crystals of BOD obtained in 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol (MPD) and ammonium sulfate solution were merohedrally twinned in space group P6 3 . Structure determination was achieved by the single anomalous diffraction (SAD) method using the anomalous diffraction of Cu atoms and synchrotron radiation and twin refinement was performed in the resolution range 33–2.3 Å. The overall organization of BOD is almost the same as that of other multicopper oxidases: the protein is folded into three domains and a total of four copper-binding sites are found in domains 1 and 3. Although the four copper-binding sites were almost identical to those of other multicopper oxidases, the hydrophilic Asn residue (at the same position as a hydrophobic residue such as Leu in other multicopper oxidases) very close to the type I copper might contribute to the characteristically high redox potential of BOD

Study of the phase transformation of single particles of Ga2O3 by UV-Raman spectroscopy and high-resolution TEM.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiang; Xu, Qian; Fan, Fengtao; Wang, Xiuli; Li, Mingrun; Feng, Zhaochi; Li, Can

2013-09-01

By taking advantage of UV-Raman spectroscopy and high-resolution TEM (HRTEM), combined with the focused ion beam (FIB) technique, the transformation from GaOOH into α-Ga2O3 and then into β-Ga2O3 was followed. We found that the stepwise transformations took place from the surface region before developing into the bulk of single particles without particle agglomeration and growth. During the transformation from GaOOH into α-Ga2O3, the elimination of water vapor through the dehydroxylation of GaOOH resulted in the formation of micropores in the single particles, whilst maintaining their particle size. For the phase transformation from α-Ga2O3 into β-Ga2O3, the nucleation of β-Ga2O3 was found to occur at the surface defects and this process could be retarded by occupying these defects with a small amount of La2O3. By finely controlling the process of the phase transformation, the β-Ga2O3 domains gradually developed from the surface into the bulk of the single particles without particle agglomeration. Therefore, the surface structure of the α-Ga2O3 single particles can be easily tuned and a particle with an α@β core-shell phase structure has been obtained. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

InterMap3D: predicting and visualizing co-evolving protein residues

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oliveira, Rodrigo Gouveia; Roque, francisco jose sousa simôes almeida; Wernersson, Rasmus

2009-01-01

InterMap3D predicts co-evolving protein residues and plots them on the 3D protein structure. Starting with a single protein sequence, InterMap3D automatically finds a set of homologous sequences, generates an alignment and fetches the most similar 3D structure from the Protein Data Bank (PDB......). It can also accept a user-generated alignment. Based on the alignment, co-evolving residues are then predicted using three different methods: Row and Column Weighing of Mutual Information, Mutual Information/Entropy and Dependency. Finally, InterMap3D generates high-quality images of the protein...

Radiation Re-solution Calculation in Uranium-Silicide Fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matthews, Christopher; Andersson, Anders David Ragnar; Unal, Cetin

2017-01-01

The release of fission gas from nuclear fuels is of primary concern for safe operation of nuclear power plants. Although the production of fission gas atoms can be easily calculated from the fission rate in the fuel and the average yield of fission gas, the actual diffusion, behavior, and ultimate escape of fission gas from nuclear fuel depends on many other variables. As fission gas diffuses through the fuel grain, it tends to collect into intra-granular bubbles, as portrayed in Figure 1.1. These bubbles continue to grow due to absorption of single gas atoms. Simultaneously, passing fission fragments can cause collisions in the bubble that result in gas atoms being knocked back into the grain. This so called ''re-solution'' event results in a transient equilibrium of single gas atoms within the grain. As single gas atoms progress through the grain, they will eventually collect along grain boundaries, creating inter-granular bubbles. As the inter-granular bubbles grow over time, they will interconnect with other grain-face bubbles until a pathway is created to the outside of the fuel surface, at which point the highly pressurized inter-granular bubbles will expel their contents into the fuel plenum. This last process is the primary cause of fission gas release. From the simple description above, it is clear there are several parameters that ultimately affect fission gas release, including the diffusivity of single gas atoms, the absorption and knockout rate of single gas atoms in intra-granular bubbles, and the growth and interlinkage of intergranular bubbles. Of these, the knockout, or re-solution rate has an particularly important role in determining the transient concentration of single gas atoms in the grain. The re-solution rate will be explored in the following sections with regards to uranium-silicide fuels in order to support future models of fission gas bubble behavior.

Confocal pore size measurement based on super-resolution image restoration.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Dali; Wang, Yun; Qiu, Lirong; Mao, Xinyue; Zhao, Weiqian

2014-09-01

A confocal pore size measurement based on super-resolution image restoration is proposed to obtain a fast and accurate measurement for submicrometer pore size of nuclear track-etched membranes (NTEMs). This method facilitates the online inspection of the pore size evolution during etching. Combining confocal microscopy with super-resolution image restoration significantly improves the lateral resolution of the NTEM image, yields a reasonable circle edge-setting criterion of 0.2408, and achieves precise pore edge detection. Theoretical analysis shows that the minimum measuring diameter can reach 0.19 μm, and the root mean square of the residuals is only 1.4 nm. Edge response simulation and experiment reveal that the edge response of the proposed method is better than 80 nm. The NTEM pore size measurement results obtained by the proposed method agree well with that obtained by scanning electron microscopy.

Detecting and locating light atoms from high-resolution STEM images: The quest for a single optimal design.

Science.gov (United States)

Gonnissen, J; De Backer, A; den Dekker, A J; Sijbers, J; Van Aert, S

2016-11-01

In the present paper, the optimal detector design is investigated for both detecting and locating light atoms from high resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (HR STEM) images. The principles of detection theory are used to quantify the probability of error for the detection of light atoms from HR STEM images. To determine the optimal experiment design for locating light atoms, use is made of the so-called Cramér-Rao Lower Bound (CRLB). It is investigated if a single optimal design can be found for both the detection and location problem of light atoms. Furthermore, the incoming electron dose is optimised for both research goals and it is shown that picometre range precision is feasible for the estimation of the atom positions when using an appropriate incoming electron dose under the optimal detector settings to detect light atoms. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Roles of the β 146 histidyl residue in the molecular basis of the Bohr Effect of hemoglobin: A proton nuclear magnetic resonance study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Busch, M.R.; Mace, J.E.; Ho, N.T.; Ho, Chien

1991-01-01

Assessment of the roles of the carboxyl-terminal β146 histidyl residues in the alkaline Bohr effect in human and normal adult hemoglobin by high-resolution proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy requires assignment of the resonances corresponding to these residues. By a careful spectroscopic study of human normal adult hemoglobin, enzymatically prepared des(His146β)-hemoglobin, and the mutant hemoglobins Cowtown (β146His → Leu) and York (β146His → Pro), the authors have resolved some of these conflicting results. By a close incremental variation of pH over a wide range in chloride-free 0.1 M N-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid buffer, a single resonance has been found to be consistently missing in the proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of these hemoglobin variants. The results indicate that the contribution of the β146 histidyl residues is 0.52 H + /hemoglobin tetramer at pH 7.6, markedly less than 0.8 H + /hemoglobin tetramer estimated by study of the mutant hemoglobin Cowtown (β146His → Leu) by Shih and Perutz. They have found that at least two histidyl residues in the carbonmonoxy form of this mutant have pK values that are perturbed, and they suggest that these pK differences may in part account for this discrepancy. The results show that the pK values of β146 histidyl residues in the carbonmonoxy form of hemoglobin are substantially affected by the presence of chloride and other anions in the solvent, and thus, the contribution of this amino acid residue to the alkaline Bohr effect can be shown to vary widely in magnitude, depending on the solvent composition. These results demonstrate that the detailed molecular mechanisms of the alkaline Bohr effect are not unique but are affected both by the hemoglobin structure and by the interactions with the solvent components in which the hemoglobin molecule resides

A survey of residual analysis and a new test of residual trend.

Science.gov (United States)

McDowell, J J; Calvin, Olivia L; Klapes, Bryan

2016-05-01

A survey of residual analysis in behavior-analytic research reveals that existing methods are problematic in one way or another. A new test for residual trends is proposed that avoids the problematic features of the existing methods. It entails fitting cubic polynomials to sets of residuals and comparing their effect sizes to those that would be expected if the sets of residuals were random. To this end, sampling distributions of effect sizes for fits of a cubic polynomial to random data were obtained by generating sets of random standardized residuals of various sizes, n. A cubic polynomial was then fitted to each set of residuals and its effect size was calculated. This yielded a sampling distribution of effect sizes for each n. To test for a residual trend in experimental data, the median effect size of cubic-polynomial fits to sets of experimental residuals can be compared to the median of the corresponding sampling distribution of effect sizes for random residuals using a sign test. An example from the literature, which entailed comparing mathematical and computational models of continuous choice, is used to illustrate the utility of the test. © 2016 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Application of laser interferometry for assessment of surface residual stress by determination of stress-free state

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Dong Won; Kwon, Dong Il; Lee, Nak Kyu; Choi, Tae Hoon; Na, Kyoung Hoan

2003-01-01

The total relaxed stress in annealing and the thermal strain/stress were obtained from the identification of the residual stress-free state using Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry (ESPI). The residual stress fields in case of both single and film/substrate systems were modeled using the thermo-elastic theory and the relationship between relaxed stresses and displacements. We mapped the surface residual stress fields on the indented bulk Cu and the 0.5 μm Au film by ESPI. In indented Cu, the normal and shear residual stress are distributed over -1.7 GPa to 700 MPa and -800 GPa to 600 MPa respectively around the indented point and in deposited Au film on Si wafer, the tensile residual stress is uniformly distributed on the Au film from 500 MPa to 800 MPa. Also we measured the residual stress by the X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD) for the verification of above residual stress results by ESPI

Sites of termination of in vitro DNA synthesis on psoralen phototreated single-stranded templates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piette, J.; Hearst, J.

1985-01-01

Single-stranded DNA has been photochemically induced to react with 4'-hydroxymethyl-4,5',8-trimethylpsoralen (HMT) and used as substrate for DNA replication with E. coli DNA polymerase I large fragment. By using the dideoxy sequencing procedure, it is possible to map the termination sites on the template photoreacted with HMT. These sites occur at the nucleotides preceding each thymine residue (and a few cytosine residues), emphasizing the fact that in a single-stranded stretch of DNA, HMT reacts with each thymine residue without any specificity regarding the flanking base sequence of the thymine residues. In addition, termination of DNA synthesis due to psoralen-adducted thymine is not influenced by the efficiency of the 3'-5' exonuclease proof-reading activity of the DNA polymerase. (author)

The mining of toxin-like polypeptides from EST database by single residue distribution analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grishin Eugene

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Novel high throughput sequencing technologies require permanent development of bioinformatics data processing methods. Among them, rapid and reliable identification of encoded proteins plays a pivotal role. To search for particular protein families, the amino acid sequence motifs suitable for selective screening of nucleotide sequence databases may be used. In this work, we suggest a novel method for simplified representation of protein amino acid sequences named Single Residue Distribution Analysis, which is applicable both for homology search and database screening. Results Using the procedure developed, a search for amino acid sequence motifs in sea anemone polypeptides was performed, and 14 different motifs with broad and low specificity were discriminated. The adequacy of motifs for mining toxin-like sequences was confirmed by their ability to identify 100% toxin-like anemone polypeptides in the reference polypeptide database. The employment of novel motifs for the search of polypeptide toxins in Anemonia viridis EST dataset allowed us to identify 89 putative toxin precursors. The translated and modified ESTs were scanned using a special algorithm. In addition to direct comparison with the motifs developed, the putative signal peptides were predicted and homology with known structures was examined. Conclusions The suggested method may be used to retrieve structures of interest from the EST databases using simple amino acid sequence motifs as templates. The efficiency of the procedure for directed search of polypeptides is higher than that of most currently used methods. Analysis of 39939 ESTs of sea anemone Anemonia viridis resulted in identification of five protein precursors of earlier described toxins, discovery of 43 novel polypeptide toxins, and prediction of 39 putative polypeptide toxin sequences. In addition, two precursors of novel peptides presumably displaying neuronal function were disclosed.

Qualitative screening method for pesticide residues detection in fruits and vegetables

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iván Mauricio Huérfano Barco

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Because of the importance of developing methodologies that allow agricultural residues analysis, a rapid screening qualitative method for the determination of pesticides residues in fruits and vegetables was validated. The methodology was based on the European QuEChERS extraction method with an additional cleaning step by gel permeation chromatography (GPC, which helped to reduce the number of matrix components in the final extract. The analysis was carried out by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry with a single quadrupole analyzer. The methodology was appropriate for the qualitative analysis of 31 pesticides at their respective maximum residue limits. Consistent results were obtained with respect to a quantitative routine methodology in the analysis of real samples, hence the methodology was proven to be a good alternative for the fast analysis of these contaminants in fruits and vegetables.

Subspace-Based Holistic Registration for Low-Resolution Facial Images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boom BJ

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Subspace-based holistic registration is introduced as an alternative to landmark-based face registration, which has a poor performance on low-resolution images, as obtained in camera surveillance applications. The proposed registration method finds the alignment by maximizing the similarity score between a probe and a gallery image. We use a novel probabilistic framework for both user-independent as well as user-specific face registration. The similarity is calculated using the probability that the face image is correctly aligned in a face subspace, but additionally we take the probability into account that the face is misaligned based on the residual error in the dimensions perpendicular to the face subspace. We perform extensive experiments on the FRGCv2 database to evaluate the impact that the face registration methods have on face recognition. Subspace-based holistic registration on low-resolution images can improve face recognition in comparison with landmark-based registration on high-resolution images. The performance of the tested face recognition methods after subspace-based holistic registration on a low-resolution version of the FRGC database is similar to that after manual registration.

High resolution neutron spectroscopy for helium isotopes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdel-Wahab, M.S.; Klages, H.O.; Schmalz, G.; Haesner, B.H.; Kecskemeti, J.; Schwarz, P.; Wilczynski, J.

1992-01-01

A high resolution fast neutron time-of-flight spectrometer is described, neutron time-of-flight spectra are taken using a specially designed TDC in connection to an on-line computer. The high time-of-flight resolution of 5 ps/m enabled the study of the total cross section of 4 He for neutrons near the 3/2 + resonance in the 5 He nucleus. The resonance parameters were determined by a single level Breit-Winger fit to the data. (orig.)

Simulation of the collimator of the residual stress instrument

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Jian; Wang, Xiaoying; Xie, Chaomei

2009-04-01

In order to understand the detailed influence from the collimator system to the main index of the Residual Stress Nertron Diffractometer (RSND) such as the flux at sample position, and the resolution of the spectrometer, the MCStas simulation software is used to build the proper Model of the Collimator system to complete the calculation and simulation. During the simulation, the authors setup the divergence and length of each collimator to check if it had big effect to the whole system. Based on the simulation, the authors obtained an optimized result: When the α 1 =α 2 =30', the horizontal flux at the sample position can be 2.3 x 10 6 n·cm -2 ·s -1 , the vertical flux can be 3.5 x 10 6 n·cm -2 ·s -1 , and when the α 1 =α 2 =10' the best resolution of the spectrometer can be 0.2 degree. This is a valuable result for the RDND. (authors)

Preparation and Loading Process of Single Crystalline Samples into a Gas Environmental Cell Holder for In Situ Atomic Resolution Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopic Observation.

Science.gov (United States)

Straubinger, Rainer; Beyer, Andreas; Volz, Kerstin

2016-06-01

A reproducible way to transfer a single crystalline sample into a gas environmental cell holder for in situ transmission electron microscopic (TEM) analysis is shown in this study. As in situ holders have only single-tilt capability, it is necessary to prepare the sample precisely along a specific zone axis. This can be achieved by a very accurate focused ion beam lift-out preparation. We show a step-by-step procedure to prepare the sample and transfer it into the gas environmental cell. The sample material is a GaP/Ga(NAsP)/GaP multi-quantum well structure on Si. Scanning TEM observations prove that it is possible to achieve atomic resolution at very high temperatures in a nitrogen environment of 100,000 Pa.

Temperature dependence of residual stress in TiC coated Mo

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshizawa, I.; Fukutomi, M.; Kamada, K.

1984-01-01

The effects of fabrication temperature and heat treatment on the residual stress in TiC coated Mo have been studied by using X-ray diffractometry. TiC coatings on Mo single crystal substrates with (100) and (111) surfaces were carried out with the Activated Reactive Evaporation (ARE) method. It was found that all Mo substrates measured show tensile residual stresses, and their values decrease as the fabrication temperature increases from 300 to 700 0 C. On the other hand, TiC films measured showed compressive residual stresses, for both TiC/Mo(100) and TiC/Mo(111) specimens. These compressive stresses also decreased with increasing the fabrication temperature. The residual stresses measured were higher in TiC/Mo(100) than in TiC/Mo(111). It was found that the compressive stresses in as-grown TiC films change to the tensile stresses after annealing at 1700 0 C for 30 min. The preferred orientations of TiC films were observed to depend on the fabrication temperature. However, no epitaxial growth of TiC films was found as far as the present experiment was concerned. (orig.)

Square baler field test under different sugar cane crop residue conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mello, Arthur Miola de; Ripoli, Tomaz Caetano Cannavan; Gadanha Junior, Casimiro [Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ-USP), Piracicaba (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia Rural], E-mail: ammello@esalq.usp.br; Ripoli, Marco Lorezzo Cunali [John Deere, Ribeirao Preto, SP (Brazil)

2008-07-01

The energy demand increase of the country allows the sugar cane business sector to be a major player in production and commercialization areas of electric energy using cogeneration powered by bagasse and sugar cane residues. The objective of the study was to evaluate some of the performance parameters of an Express 5040 baler, brand Nogueira, used to collect residues. The tests were conducted in a sugar cane mechanized harvest area. The baler was submitted to three different conditions of residues windrowing: 'in natura', under single and double raking operations. For all treatments soil sampling analyzes were done to find out ground homogeneity conditions were the test took place. The simple raking operation offered better conditions for the machine: Effective Capacity of 8.21 t.{sup h}-{sup 1} and 0.88 ha.h{sup -1}; average bale weight of 22.33 kg (SD=3.58, CV=16.01 %); costs of 7.45 R$.t{sup -1} of baled residue; 0.17 R$.fardo{sup -1} and 69.47 R$.ha{sup -1}. (author)

High-resolution measurement of the {sup 16}O({gamma},pn) reaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Isaksson, L.

1996-10-01

The {sup 16}O({gamma},pn) reaction has been measured with a resolution high enough to resolve individual low-lying states in the residual {sup 14}N nucleus. Partial cross-sections, available to the acceptance of the detector system, have been extracted for the individual states, and compared to a recent calculation based on absorption on one-pion exchange currents and the {Delta} resonance current. The experiment was performed at the Maxlab accelerator laboratory in Lund, Sweden, using tagged photons at an energy of 67 - 76 MeV. The proton detector angular range was 60 - 100 deg and the corresponding for the neutron detector 81 - 103 deg. A missing energy resolution of 1.5 MeV was obtained. The relative population of the states in the residual {sup 14}N nucleus indicates that the reaction takes place predominantly on proton-neutron pairs coupled to (J{sup {pi}},T) = (1{sup +},0). The cross-section for absorption on (0{sup +},1) pairs is strongly suppressed. Furthermore, the relative population of the states indicates that both L=0 and L=2 pairs participate in the reaction. 45 refs.

Analysis of explosive and other organic residues by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lazic, V., E-mail: lazic@frascati.enea.i [ENEA, FIS-LAS, Via. E. Fermi 45, 00044 Frascati (RM) (Italy); Palucci, A. [ENEA, FIS-LAS, Via. E. Fermi 45, 00044 Frascati (RM) (Italy); Jovicevic, S. [Institute of Physics, 11080 Belgrade, Pregrevica 118 (Serbia); Poggi, C.; Buono, E. [ENEA, FIS-LAS, Via. E. Fermi 45, 00044 Frascati (RM) (Italy)

2009-10-15

With the aim of realizing a compact instrument for detection of energetic materials at trace levels, laser induced breakdown spectroscopy was applied on residues from nine explosives in air surroundings. Different potentially interfering organic materials were also analyzed. The residues were not uniformly distributed on an aluminum support and single-shot discrimination was attempted. For a single residue type, large shot-to-shot fluctuations of the line intensity ratios characteristic for organic samples were observed, which made material classification difficult. It was found that both atomic and molecular emission intensities, as well as their ratios, are strongly affected by an amount of the ablated support material, which mainly determines the plasma temperature. With respect to the spectra from the clean support, emission intensities of atomic oxygen and nitrogen are always reduced in the presence of an organic material, even if its molecules contain these elements. This was attributed to chemical reactions in a plasma containing carbon or its fragments. Hydrogen atomic emission depends strongly on the local humidity above the sampled point and its line intensity shows shot to shot variations up to 50%, also on a homogeneous sample. It is argued that shock waves generated by previous spatially and/or temporally close laser pulses blow away a relatively heavy water aerosol, which later diffuses slowly back towards the sampled point. C{sub 2} and CN exhibit a peak emission behavior with atomic Al emission, and their variable ratio indicates an existence of different formation or removal mechanisms from the plasma, depending on the plasma parameters and on the composition of the organic residue. On the basis of these observations, an attempt is made to establish a suitable procedure for data analysis and to determine the optimal experimental conditions, which would allow for discrimination of explosives from other, potentially interfering, residues.

Characterization of the interdependency between residues that bind the substrate in a beta-glycosidase.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomassi, M H; Rozenfeld, J H K; Gonçalves, L M; Marana, S R

2010-01-01

The manner by which effects of simultaneous mutations combine to change enzymatic activity is not easily predictable because these effects are not always additive in a linear manner. Hence, the characterization of the effects of simultaneous mutations of amino acid residues that bind the substrate can make a significant contribution to the understanding of the substrate specificity of enzymes. In the beta-glycosidase from Spodoptera frugiperda (Sfbetagly), both residues Q39 and E451 interact with the substrate and this is essential for defining substrate specificity. Double mutants of Sfbetagly (A451E39, S451E39 and S451N39) were prepared by site-directed mutagenesis, expressed in bacteria and purified using affinity chromatography. These enzymes were characterized using p-nitrophenyl beta-galactoside and p-nitrophenyl beta-fucoside as substrates. The k cat/Km ratio for single and double mutants of Sfbetagly containing site-directed mutations at positions Q39 and E451 was used to demonstrate that the effect on the free energy of ESdouble dagger (enzyme-transition state complex) of the double mutations (Gdouble daggerxy) is not the sum of the effects resulting from the single mutations (Gdouble daggerx and Gdouble daggery). This difference in Gdouble dagger indicates that the effects of the single mutations partially overlap. Hence, this common effect counts only once in Gdouble daggerxy. Crystallographic data on beta-glycosidases reveal the presence of a bidentate hydrogen bond involving residues Q39 and E451 and the same hydroxyl group of the substrate. Therefore, both thermodynamic and crystallographic data suggest that residues Q39 and E451 exert a mutual influence on their respective interactions with the substrate.

Protein hydrogen exchange measured at single-residue resolution by electron transfer dissociation mass spectrometry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rand, Kasper D; Zehl, Martin; Jensen, Ole Nørregaard

2009-01-01

Because of unparalleled sensitivity and tolerance to protein size, mass spectrometry (MS) has become a popular method for measuring the solution hydrogen (1H/2H) exchange (HX) of biologically relevant protein states. While incorporated deuterium can be localized to different regions by pepsin....... The deuterium labeling pattern of beta2-microglobulin is retained in the gaseous fragment ions by employing mild declustering conditions for electrospray ionization. A recently developed model peptide is used to arrive at such ion source declustering conditions that prevent the occurrence of intramolecular gas...

Binding of the human "electron transferring flavoprotein" (ETF) to the medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) involves an arginine and histidine residue.

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Antony R

2003-10-01

The interaction between the "electron transferring flavoprotein" (ETF) and medium chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) enables successful flavin to flavin electron transfer, crucial for the beta-oxidation of fatty acids. The exact biochemical determinants for ETF binding to MCAD are unknown. Here we show that binding of human ETF, to MCAD, was inhibited by 2,3-butanedione and diethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC) and reversed by incubation with free arginine and hydroxylamine respectively. Spectral analyses of native ETF vs modified ETF suggested that flavin binding was not affected and that the loss of ETF activity with MCAD involved modification of one ETF arginine residue and one ETF histidine residue respectively. MCAD and octanoyl-CoA protected ETF against inactivation by both 2,3-butanedione and DEPC indicating that the arginine and histidine residues are present in or around the MCAD binding site. Comparison of exposed arginine and histidine residues among different ETF species, however, indicates that arginine residues are highly conserved but that histidine residues are not. These results lead us to conclude that this single arginine residue is essential for the binding of ETF to MCAD, but that the single histidine residue, although involved, is not.

A high-resolution tracking hodoscope based on capillary layers filled with liquid scintillator

CERN Document Server

Bay, A; Bruski, N; Buontempo, S; Currat, C; D'Ambrosio, N; Ekimov, A V; Ereditato, A; Fabre, Jean-Paul; Fanti, V; Frekers, D; Frenkel, A; Golovkin, S V; Govorun, V N; Harrison, K; Koppenburg, P; Kozarenko, E N; Kreslo, I E; Liberti, B; Martellotti, G; Medvedkov, A M; Mondardini, M R; Penso, G; Siegmund, W P; Vasilchenko, V G; Vilain, P; Wilquet, G; Winter, Klaus; Wörtche, H J

2001-01-01

Results are given on tests of a high-resolution tracking hodoscope based on layers of \\hbox{26-$\\mu$m-bore} glass capillaries filled with organic liquid scintillator (1-methylnaphthalene doped with R39). The detector prototype consisted of three 2-mm-thick parallel layers, with surface areas of $2.1 \\times 21$~cm$^2$. The layers had a centre-to-centre spacing of 6~mm, and were read by an optoelectronic chain comprising two electrostatically focused image intensifiers and an Electron-Bombarded Charge-Coupled Device (EBCCD). Tracks of cosmic-ray particles were recorded and analysed. The observed hit density was 6.6~hits/mm for particles crossing the layers perpendicularly, at a distance of 1~cm from the capillaries' readout end, and 4.2~hits/mm for particles at a distance of 20~cm. A track segment reconstructed in a single layer had an rms residual of $\\sim$~20~$\\mu$m, and allowed determination of the track position in a neighbouring layer with a precision of $\\sim$~170~$\\mu$m. This latter value corresponded to...

Residual stresses in laser direct metal deposited Waspaloy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moat, R.J., E-mail: richard.moat@manchester.ac.uk [School of Materials, University of Manchester, Grosvenor Street, Manchester M1 7HS (United Kingdom); Pinkerton, A.J.; Li, L. [Laser Processing Research Centre, School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, University of Manchester, M60 1QD (United Kingdom); Withers, P.J.; Preuss, M. [School of Materials, University of Manchester, Grosvenor Street, Manchester M1 7HS (United Kingdom)

2011-03-15

Research highlights: {yields} Neutron diffraction and the contour method show good agreement. {yields} Tensile stresses found parallel to the surfaces. {yields} Compressive stresses within the bulk of the structures. {yields} Residual stress weakly dependent on the laser pulse parameters. {yields} Maximum tensile residual stress unaffected across range of pulse parameters used. - Abstract: This paper reports a study into the effect of laser pulse length and duty cycle on the residual stress distributions in multi-track laser direct metal deposits of Waspaloy onto an Inconel 718 substrate. The residual stresses have been evaluated using neutron diffraction and the contour method, while electron microscopy and micro hardness indentation have been used to map the concomitant microstructural variation. In all cases, near the tops of the deposited walls, the longitudinal stresses are tensile towards the mid-length of the wall, while the stresses perpendicular to the substrate are negligible. By contrast near the base of the walls, the stresses along the direction of deposition are small, while the stresses perpendicular to the substrate are compressive at the centre and tensile towards the ends. Consistent with previous observations, the stresses parallel to free surfaces are tensile, balanced by compressive stresses in the interior (an inverse quench stress profile). These profiles have been found to be weakly dependent on the laser pulse parameters, most notably an increase in tensile stress gradient with increasing duty cycle, but the maximum residual stresses are largely unaffected. Furthermore, microstructural analysis has shown that the effect of laser pulse parameters on grain morphology in multi-track thick walls is less marked than previously reported for single-track wall structures.

Residual stresses in laser direct metal deposited Waspaloy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moat, R.J.; Pinkerton, A.J.; Li, L.; Withers, P.J.; Preuss, M.

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Neutron diffraction and the contour method show good agreement. → Tensile stresses found parallel to the surfaces. → Compressive stresses within the bulk of the structures. → Residual stress weakly dependent on the laser pulse parameters. → Maximum tensile residual stress unaffected across range of pulse parameters used. - Abstract: This paper reports a study into the effect of laser pulse length and duty cycle on the residual stress distributions in multi-track laser direct metal deposits of Waspaloy onto an Inconel 718 substrate. The residual stresses have been evaluated using neutron diffraction and the contour method, while electron microscopy and micro hardness indentation have been used to map the concomitant microstructural variation. In all cases, near the tops of the deposited walls, the longitudinal stresses are tensile towards the mid-length of the wall, while the stresses perpendicular to the substrate are negligible. By contrast near the base of the walls, the stresses along the direction of deposition are small, while the stresses perpendicular to the substrate are compressive at the centre and tensile towards the ends. Consistent with previous observations, the stresses parallel to free surfaces are tensile, balanced by compressive stresses in the interior (an inverse quench stress profile). These profiles have been found to be weakly dependent on the laser pulse parameters, most notably an increase in tensile stress gradient with increasing duty cycle, but the maximum residual stresses are largely unaffected. Furthermore, microstructural analysis has shown that the effect of laser pulse parameters on grain morphology in multi-track thick walls is less marked than previously reported for single-track wall structures.

Single wire drift chamber design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krider, J.

1987-01-01

This report summarizes the design and prototype tests of single wire drift chambers to be used in Fermilab test beam lines. The goal is to build simple, reliable detectors which require a minimum of electronics. Spatial resolution should match the 300 μm rms resolution of the 1 mm proportional chambers that they will replace. The detectors will be used in beams with particle rates up to 20 KHz. Single track efficiency should be at least 99%. The first application will be in the MT beamline, which has been designed for calibration of CDF detectors. A set of four x-y modules will be used to track and measure the momentum of beam particles

Super-resolution for scanning light stimulation systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bitzer, L. A.; Neumann, K.; Benson, N., E-mail: niels.benson@uni-due.de; Schmechel, R. [Faculty of Engineering, NST and CENIDE, University of Duisburg-Essen, Bismarckstr. 81, 47057 Duisburg (Germany)

2016-09-15

Super-resolution (SR) is a technique used in digital image processing to overcome the resolution limitation of imaging systems. In this process, a single high resolution image is reconstructed from multiple low resolution images. SR is commonly used for CCD and CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) sensor images, as well as for medical applications, e.g., magnetic resonance imaging. Here, we demonstrate that super-resolution can be applied with scanning light stimulation (LS) systems, which are common to obtain space-resolved electro-optical parameters of a sample. For our purposes, the Projection Onto Convex Sets (POCS) was chosen and modified to suit the needs of LS systems. To demonstrate the SR adaption, an Optical Beam Induced Current (OBIC) LS system was used. The POCS algorithm was optimized by means of OBIC short circuit current measurements on a multicrystalline solar cell, resulting in a mean square error reduction of up to 61% and improved image quality.

Direct methods and residue type specific isotope labeling in NMR structure determination and model-driven sequential assignment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schedlbauer, Andreas; Auer, Renate; Ledolter, Karin; Tollinger, Martin; Kloiber, Karin; Lichtenecker, Roman; Ruedisser, Simon; Hommel, Ulrich; Schmid, Walther; Konrat, Robert; Kontaxis, Georg

2008-01-01

Direct methods in NMR based structure determination start from an unassigned ensemble of unconnected gaseous hydrogen atoms. Under favorable conditions they can produce low resolution structures of proteins. Usually a prohibitively large number of NOEs is required, to solve a protein structure ab-initio, but even with a much smaller set of distance restraints low resolution models can be obtained which resemble a protein fold. One problem is that at such low resolution and in the absence of a force field it is impossible to distinguish the correct protein fold from its mirror image. In a hybrid approach these ambiguous models have the potential to aid in the process of sequential backbone chemical shift assignment when 13 C β and 13 C' shifts are not available for sensitivity reasons. Regardless of the overall fold they enhance the information content of the NOE spectra. These, combined with residue specific labeling and minimal triple-resonance data using 13 C α connectivity can provide almost complete sequential assignment. Strategies for residue type specific labeling with customized isotope labeling patterns are of great advantage in this context. Furthermore, this approach is to some extent error-tolerant with respect to data incompleteness, limited precision of the peak picking, and structural errors caused by misassignment of NOEs

Interactions of a didomain fragment of the Drosophila Sex-lethal protein with single-stranded uridine-rich oligoribonucleotides derived from the transformer and Sex-lethal messenger RNA precursors: NMR with residue-selective [5-2H]uridine substitutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Insil; Muto, Yutaka; Watanabe, Satoru; Kitamura, Aya; Futamura, Yasuhiro; Yokoyama, Shigeyuki; Hosono, Kazumi; Kawai, Gota; Takaku, Hiroshi; Dohmae, Naoshi; Takio, Koji; Sakamoto, Hiroshi; Shimura, Yoshiro

2000-01-01

Proteins that contain two or more copies of the RNA-binding domain [ribonucleoprotein (RNP) domain or RNA recognition motif (RRM)] are considered to be involved in the recognition of single-stranded RNA, but the mechanisms of this recognition are poorly understood at the molecular level. For an NMR analysis of a single-stranded RNA complexed with a multi-RBD protein, residue-selective stable-isotope labeling techniques are necessary, rather than common assignment methods based on the secondary structure of RNA. In the present study, we analyzed the interaction of a Drosophila Sex-lethal (Sxl) protein fragment, consisting of two RBDs (RBD1-RBD2), with two distinct target RNAs derived from the tra and Sxl mRNA precursors with guanosine and adenosine, respectively, in a position near the 5'-terminus of a uridine stretch. First, we prepared a [5- 2 H]uridine phosphoramidite, and synthesized a series of 2 H-labeled RNAs, in which all of the uridine residues except one were replaced by [5- 2 H]uridine in the target sequence, GU 8 C. By observing the H5-H6 TOCSY cross peaks of the series of 2 H-labeled RNAs complexed with the Sxl RBD1-RBD2, all of the base H5-H6 proton resonances of the target RNA were unambiguously assigned. Then, the H5-H6 cross peaks of other target RNAs, GU 2 GU 8 , AU 8 , and UAU 8 , were assigned by comparison with those of GU 8 C. We found that the uridine residue prior to the G or A residue is essential for proper interaction with the protein, and that the interaction is tighter for A than for G. Moreover, the H1' resonance assignments were achieved from the H5-H6 assignments. The results revealed that all of the protein-bound nucleotide residues, except for only two, are in the unusual C2'-endo ribose conformation in the complex

Interactions of a didomain fragment of the Drosophila Sex-lethal protein with single-stranded uridine-rich oligoribonucleotides derived from the transformer and Sex-lethal messenger RNA precursors: NMR with residue-selective [5-2H]uridine substitutions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Insil; Muto, Yutaka; Watanabe, Satoru; Kitamura, Aya; Futamura, Yasuhiro; Yokoyama, Shigeyuki [University of Tokyo, Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Science (Japan); Hosono, Kazumi; Kawai, Gota; Takaku, Hiroshi [Chiba Institute of Technology, Department of Industrial Chemistry (Japan); Dohmae, Naoshi; Takio, Koji [Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN) (Japan); Sakamoto, Hiroshi [Kobe University, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science (Japan); Shimura, Yoshiro [Biomolecular Engineering Research Institute (Japan)

2000-06-15

Proteins that contain two or more copies of the RNA-binding domain [ribonucleoprotein (RNP) domain or RNA recognition motif (RRM)] are considered to be involved in the recognition of single-stranded RNA, but the mechanisms of this recognition are poorly understood at the molecular level. For an NMR analysis of a single-stranded RNA complexed with a multi-RBD protein, residue-selective stable-isotope labeling techniques are necessary, rather than common assignment methods based on the secondary structure of RNA. In the present study, we analyzed the interaction of a Drosophila Sex-lethal (Sxl) protein fragment, consisting of two RBDs (RBD1-RBD2), with two distinct target RNAs derived from the tra and Sxl mRNA precursors with guanosine and adenosine, respectively, in a position near the 5'-terminus of a uridine stretch. First, we prepared a [5-{sup 2}H]uridine phosphoramidite, and synthesized a series of {sup 2}H-labeled RNAs, in which all of the uridine residues except one were replaced by [5-{sup 2}H]uridine in the target sequence, GU{sub 8}C. By observing the H5-H6 TOCSY cross peaks of the series of {sup 2}H-labeled RNAs complexed with the Sxl RBD1-RBD2, all of the base H5-H6 proton resonances of the target RNA were unambiguously assigned. Then, the H5-H6 cross peaks of other target RNAs, GU{sub 2}GU{sub 8}, AU{sub 8}, and UAU{sub 8}, were assigned by comparison with those of GU{sub 8}C. We found that the uridine residue prior to the G or A residue is essential for proper interaction with the protein, and that the interaction is tighter for A than for G. Moreover, the H1' resonance assignments were achieved from the H5-H6 assignments. The results revealed that all of the protein-bound nucleotide residues, except for only two, are in the unusual C2'-endo ribose conformation in the complex.

Measurement of residual stress in plasma-sprayed composite coatings with graded and uniform compositions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kesler, O.; Suresh, S. [Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge, MA (United States); Matejicek, J.; Sampath, S.

1999-10-01

Residual stresses in plasma sprayed composite coatings were studied experimentally by both curvature and neutron diffraction measurements. Graded and uniform composite coatings, consisting of nickel + alumina and NiCrAlY + yttria-stabilized zirconia, were investigated. This paper briefly summarizes our recent work dealing with the effects of coating thickness, composition, and material properties on the evolution of residual stresses in coatings. Analysis of the results allowed in some cases the separation of the quenching stress and thermal stress contributions to the final residual stress, as well as the determination of the through-thickness stress profile from measurements of different thickness specimens. In the ceramic-metal composites, it was found that the thermal mismatch stress plays a dominant role in the ceramic phase, whereas the stress in the metallic phase is mostly dominated by quenching stress. The residual stress measurement methods employed here were found to be complementary, in that each can provide unique information about the stress state. Through-thickness stress profiles in graded coatings were determined with high spatial resolution by the curvature method, and determination of the stress in each separate phase of a composite was made by neutron diffraction. (orig.) 14 refs.

Characterization and extraction of volatile compounds from pineapple (Ananas comosus L. Merril processing residues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lília Calheiros de Oliveira Barretto

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to extract and identify volatile compounds from pineapple residues generated during concentrated juice processing. Distillates of pineapple residues were obtained using the following techniques: simple hydrodistillation and hydrodistillation by passing nitrogen gas. The volatile compounds present in the distillates were captured by the solid-phase microextraction technique. The volatile compounds were identified in a system of high resolution gas chromatography system coupled with mass spectrometry using a polyethylene glycol polar capillary column as stationary phase. The pineapple residues constituted mostly of esters (35%, followed by ketones (26%, alcohols (18%, aldehydes (9%, acids (3% and other compounds (9%. Odor-active volatile compounds were mainly identified in the distillate obtained using hydrodistillation by passing nitrogen gas, namely decanal, ethyl octanoate, acetic acid, 1-hexanol, and ketones such as γ-hexalactone, γ-octalactone, δ-octalactone, γ-decalactone, and γ-dodecalactone. This suggests that the use of an inert gas and lower temperatures helped maintain higher amounts of flavor compounds. These data indicate that pineapple processing residue contained important volatile compounds which can be extracted and used as aroma enhancing products and have high potential for the production of value-added natural essences.

Residual strain sensor using Al-packaged optical fiber and Brillouin optical correlation domain analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Bo-Hun; Kwon, Il-Bum

2015-03-09

We propose a distributed residual strain sensor that uses an Al-packaged optical fiber for the first time. The residual strain which causes Brillouin frequency shifts in the optical fiber was measured using Brillouin optical correlation domain analysis with 2 cm spatial resolution. We quantified the Brillouin frequency shifts in the Al-packaged optical fiber by the tensile stress and compared them for a varying number of Al layers in the optical fiber. The Brillouin frequency shift of an optical fiber with one Al layer had a slope of 0.038 MHz/με with respect to tensile stress, which corresponds to 78% of that for an optical fiber without Al layers. After removal of the stress, 87% of the strain remained as residual strain. When different tensile stresses were randomly applied, the strain caused by the highest stress was the only one detected as residual strain. The residual strain was repeatedly measured for a time span of nine months for the purpose of reliability testing, and there was no change in the strain except for a 4% reduction, which is within the error tolerance of the experiment. A composite material plate equipped with our proposed Al-packaged optical fiber sensor was hammered for impact experiment and the residual strain in the plate was successfully detected. We suggest that the Al-packaged optical fiber can be adapted as a distributed strain sensor for smart structures, including aerospace structures.

Mobility and height detection of particle labels in an optical evanescent wave biosensor with single-label resolution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Ommering, Kim; Koets, Marjo; Schleipen, Jean J H B; Prins, Menno W J [Philips Research Laboratories, 5656 AE Eindhoven (Netherlands); Somers, Philip A; Van IJzendoorn, Leo J, E-mail: menno.prins@philips.co [Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5600 MB Eindhoven (Netherlands)

2010-04-21

Particle labels are used in biosensors to detect the presence and concentration of analyte molecules. In this paper we demonstrate an optical technique to measure the mobility and height of bound particle labels on a biosensor surface with single-label resolution. The technique is based on the detection of the particle-induced light scattering in an optical evanescent field. We show that the thermal particle motion in the optical evanescent field leads to intensity fluctuations that can accurately be detected. The technique is demonstrated using 290 bp (99 nm) DNA as an analyte and using polystyrene particles and magnetic particles with diameters between 500 and 1000 nm as labels. The particle intensity histograms show that quantitative height measurements are obtained for particles with uniform optical properties, and the intensity versus position plots reflect the analyte-antibody orientation and the analyte flexibility. The novel optical detection technique will lead to biosensors with very high sensitivity and specificity.

Evaluation of residue-residue contact predictions in CASP9

KAUST Repository

Monastyrskyy, Bohdan; Fidelis, Krzysztof; Tramontano, Anna; Kryshtafovych, Andriy

2011-01-01

This work presents the results of the assessment of the intramolecular residue-residue contact predictions submitted to CASP9. The methodology for the assessment does not differ from that used in previous CASPs, with two basic evaluation measures

Cortical actin nodes: Their dynamics and recruitment of podosomal proteins as revealed by super-resolution and single-molecule microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Shirai, Yuki M.; Tsunoyama, Taka A.; Hiramoto-Yamaki, Nao; Hirosawa, Koichiro M.; Shibata, Akihiro C. E.; Kondo, Kenichi; Tsurumune, Atsushi; Ishidate, Fumiyoshi; Kusumi, Akihiro

2017-01-01

Electron tomography of the plasma membrane (PM) identified several layers of cortical actin meshwork running parallel to the PM cytoplasmic surface throughout the PM. Here, cortical actin structures and dynamics were examined in living cells, using super-resolution microscopy, with (x,y)- and z-resolutions of ~140 and ~400 nm, respectively, and single-molecule imaging. The super-resolution microscopy identified sub-micron-sized actin clusters that appeared identical by both phalloidin post-fixation staining and Lifeact-mGFP expression followed by fixation, and therefore, these actin clusters were named “actin-pl-clusters”. In live cells, the actin-pl-clusters visualized by Lifeact-mGFP linked two or more actin filaments in the fine actin meshwork, acting as a node of the meshwork, and dynamically moved on/along the meshwork in a myosin II-dependent manner. Their formation depended on the Arp2/3 activities, suggesting that the movements could involve both the myosin motor activity and actin polymerization-depolymerization. The actin-pl-clusters differ from the actin nodes/asters found previously after latrunculin treatments, since myosin II and filamin A were not colocalized with the actin-pl-clusters, and the actin-pl-clusters were much smaller than the previously reported nodes/asters. The Lifeact linked to a fluorescently-labeled transmembrane peptide from syntaxin4 (Lifeact-TM) expressed in the PM exhibited temporary immobilization in the PM regions on which actin-pl-clusters and stress fibers were projected, showing that ≥66% of actin-pl-clusters and 89% of stress fibers were located in close proximity (within 3.5 nm) to the PM cytoplasmic surface. Podosome-associated cytoplasmic proteins, Tks4, Tks5, cortactin, and N-WASP, were transiently recruited to actin-pl-clusters, and thus, we propose that actin-pl-clusters also represent “actin podosome-like clusters”. PMID:29190677

High-resolution 3D-GRE imaging of the abdomen using controlled aliasing acceleration technique - a feasibility study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

AlObaidy, Mamdoh; Ramalho, Miguel; Busireddy, Kiran K.R.; Liu, Baodong; Burke, Lauren M.; Altun, Ersan; Semelka, Richard C. [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Radiology, Chapel Hill, NC (United States); Dale, Brian M. [Siemens Medical Solutions, MR Research and Development, Morrisville, NC (United States)

2015-12-15

To assess the feasibility of high-resolution 3D-gradient-recalled echo (GRE) fat-suppressed T1-weighted images using controlled aliasing acceleration technique (CAIPIRINHA-VIBE), and compare image quality and lesion detection to standard-resolution 3D-GRE images using conventional acceleration technique (GRAPPA-VIBE). Eighty-four patients (41 males, 43 females; age range: 14-90 years, 58.8 ± 15.6 years) underwent abdominal MRI at 1.5 T with CAIPIRINHA-VIBE [spatial resolution, 0.76 ± 0.04 mm] and GRAPPA-VIBE [spatial resolution, 1.17 ± 0.14 mm]. Two readers independently reviewed image quality, presence of artefacts, lesion conspicuity, and lesion detection. Kappa statistic was used to assess interobserver agreement. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for image qualitative pairwise comparisons. Logistic regression with post-hoc testing was used to evaluate statistical significance of lesions evaluation. Interobserver agreement ranged between 0.45-0.93. Pre-contrast CAIPIRINHA-VIBE showed significantly (p < 0.001) sharper images and lesion conspicuity with decreased residual aliasing, but more noise enhancement and inferior image quality. Post-contrast CAIPIRINHA-VIBE showed significantly (p < 0.001) sharper images and higher lesion conspicuity, with less respiratory motion and residual aliasing artefacts. Inferior fat-suppression was noticeable on CAIPIRINHA-VIBE sequences (p < 0.001). High in-plane resolution abdominal 3D-GRE fat-suppressed T1-weighted imaging using controlled-aliasing acceleration technique is feasible and yields sharper images compared to standard-resolution images using standard acceleration, with higher post-contrast image quality and trend for improved hepatic lesions detection. (orig.)

High-resolution 3D-GRE imaging of the abdomen using controlled aliasing acceleration technique - a feasibility study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

AlObaidy, Mamdoh; Ramalho, Miguel; Busireddy, Kiran K.R.; Liu, Baodong; Burke, Lauren M.; Altun, Ersan; Semelka, Richard C.; Dale, Brian M.

2015-01-01

To assess the feasibility of high-resolution 3D-gradient-recalled echo (GRE) fat-suppressed T1-weighted images using controlled aliasing acceleration technique (CAIPIRINHA-VIBE), and compare image quality and lesion detection to standard-resolution 3D-GRE images using conventional acceleration technique (GRAPPA-VIBE). Eighty-four patients (41 males, 43 females; age range: 14-90 years, 58.8 ± 15.6 years) underwent abdominal MRI at 1.5 T with CAIPIRINHA-VIBE [spatial resolution, 0.76 ± 0.04 mm] and GRAPPA-VIBE [spatial resolution, 1.17 ± 0.14 mm]. Two readers independently reviewed image quality, presence of artefacts, lesion conspicuity, and lesion detection. Kappa statistic was used to assess interobserver agreement. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for image qualitative pairwise comparisons. Logistic regression with post-hoc testing was used to evaluate statistical significance of lesions evaluation. Interobserver agreement ranged between 0.45-0.93. Pre-contrast CAIPIRINHA-VIBE showed significantly (p < 0.001) sharper images and lesion conspicuity with decreased residual aliasing, but more noise enhancement and inferior image quality. Post-contrast CAIPIRINHA-VIBE showed significantly (p < 0.001) sharper images and higher lesion conspicuity, with less respiratory motion and residual aliasing artefacts. Inferior fat-suppression was noticeable on CAIPIRINHA-VIBE sequences (p < 0.001). High in-plane resolution abdominal 3D-GRE fat-suppressed T1-weighted imaging using controlled-aliasing acceleration technique is feasible and yields sharper images compared to standard-resolution images using standard acceleration, with higher post-contrast image quality and trend for improved hepatic lesions detection. (orig.)

The 1.6 Å resolution structure of a FRET-optimized Cerulean fluorescent protein

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Watkins, Jennifer L.; Kim, Hanseong [Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604 (United States); Markwardt, Michele L. [University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201-1559 (United States); Chen, Liqing; Fromme, Raimund [Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604 (United States); Rizzo, Mark A. [University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201-1559 (United States); Wachter, Rebekka M., E-mail: rwachter@asu.edu [Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604 (United States)

2013-05-01

The high resolution X-ray structure of the cyan fluorescent protein mCerulean3 demonstrates that different combinations of correlated residue substitutions can provide near optimum quantum yield values for fluorescence. Genetically encoded cyan fluorescent proteins (CFPs) bearing a tryptophan-derived chromophore are commonly used as energy-donor probes in Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) experiments useful in live cell-imaging applications. In recent years, significant effort has been expended on eliminating the structural and excited-state heterogeneity of these proteins, which has been linked to undesirable photophysical properties. Recently, mCerulean3, a descendant of enhanced CFP, was introduced as an optimized FRET donor protein with a superior quantum yield of 0.87. Here, the 1.6 Å resolution X-ray structure of mCerulean3 is reported. The chromophore is shown to adopt a planar trans configuration at low pH values, indicating that the acid-induced isomerization of Cerulean has been eliminated. β-Strand 7 appears to be well ordered in a single conformation, indicating a loss of conformational heterogeneity in the vicinity of the chromophore. Although the side chains of Ile146 and Leu167 appear to exist in two rotamer states, they are found to be well packed against the indole group of the chromophore. The Ser65 reversion mutation allows improved side-chain packing of Leu220. A structural comparison with mTurquoise2 is presented and additional engineering strategies are discussed.

The 1.6 Å resolution structure of a FRET-optimized Cerulean fluorescent protein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watkins, Jennifer L.; Kim, Hanseong; Markwardt, Michele L.; Chen, Liqing; Fromme, Raimund; Rizzo, Mark A.; Wachter, Rebekka M.

2013-01-01

The high resolution X-ray structure of the cyan fluorescent protein mCerulean3 demonstrates that different combinations of correlated residue substitutions can provide near optimum quantum yield values for fluorescence. Genetically encoded cyan fluorescent proteins (CFPs) bearing a tryptophan-derived chromophore are commonly used as energy-donor probes in Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) experiments useful in live cell-imaging applications. In recent years, significant effort has been expended on eliminating the structural and excited-state heterogeneity of these proteins, which has been linked to undesirable photophysical properties. Recently, mCerulean3, a descendant of enhanced CFP, was introduced as an optimized FRET donor protein with a superior quantum yield of 0.87. Here, the 1.6 Å resolution X-ray structure of mCerulean3 is reported. The chromophore is shown to adopt a planar trans configuration at low pH values, indicating that the acid-induced isomerization of Cerulean has been eliminated. β-Strand 7 appears to be well ordered in a single conformation, indicating a loss of conformational heterogeneity in the vicinity of the chromophore. Although the side chains of Ile146 and Leu167 appear to exist in two rotamer states, they are found to be well packed against the indole group of the chromophore. The Ser65 reversion mutation allows improved side-chain packing of Leu220. A structural comparison with mTurquoise2 is presented and additional engineering strategies are discussed

High-resolution Spectroscopic Observations of Single Red Giants in Three Open Clusters: NGC 2360, NGC 3680, and NGC 5822

Science.gov (United States)

Peña Suárez, V. J.; Sales Silva, J. V.; Katime Santrich, O. J.; Drake, N. A.; Pereira, C. B.

2018-02-01

Single stars in open clusters with known distances are important targets in constraining the nucleosynthesis process since their ages and luminosities are also known. In this work, we analyze a sample of 29 single red giants of the open clusters NGC 2360, NGC 3680, and NGC 5822 using high-resolution spectroscopy. We obtained atmospheric parameters, abundances of the elements C, N, O, Na, Mg, Al, Ca, Si, Ti, Ni, Cr, Y, Zr, La, Ce, and Nd, as well as radial and rotational velocities. We employed the local thermodynamic equilibrium atmospheric models of Kurucz and the spectral analysis code MOOG. Rotational velocities and light-element abundances were derived using spectral synthesis. Based on our analysis of the single red giants in these three open clusters, we could compare, for the first time, their abundance pattern with that of the binary stars of the same clusters previously studied. Our results show that the abundances of both single and binary stars of the open clusters NGC 2360, NGC 3680, and NGC 5822 do not have significant differences. For the elements created by the s-process, we observed that the open clusters NGC 2360, NGC 3680, and NGC 5822 also follow the trend already raised in the literature that young clusters have higher s-process element abundances than older clusters. Finally, we observed that the three clusters of our sample exhibit a trend in the [Y/Mg]-age relation, which may indicate the ability of the [Y/Mg] ratio to be used as a clock for the giants. Based on the observations made with the 2.2 m telescope at the European Southern Observatory (La Silla, Chile) under an agreement with Observatório Nacional and under an agreement between Observatório Nacional and Max-Planck Institute für Astronomie.

A flexible method for residual stress measurement of spray coated layers by laser made hole drilling and SLM based beam steering

Science.gov (United States)

Osten, W.; Pedrini, G.; Weidmann, P.; Gadow, R.

2015-08-01

A minimum invasive but high resolution method for residual stress analysis of ceramic coatings made by thermal spraycoating using a pulsed laser for flexible hole drilling is described. The residual stresses are retrieved by applying the measured surface data for a model-based reconstruction procedure. While the 3D deformations and the profile of the machined area are measured with digital holography, the residual stresses are calculated by FE analysis. To improve the sensitivity of the method, a SLM is applied to control the distribution and the shape of the holes. The paper presents the complete measurement and reconstruction procedure and discusses the advantages and challenges of the new technology.

Single particle dynamics in circular accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruth, R.D.

1986-10-01

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the reader to the theory associated with the transverse dynamics of single particle, in circular accelerators. The discussion begins with a review of Hamiltonian dynamics and canonical transformations. The case of a single particle in a circular accelerator is considered with a discussion of non-linear terms and chromaticity. The canonical perturbation theory is presented and nonlinear resonances are considered. Finally, the concept of renormalization and residue criterion are examined. (FI)

Leaching of APC residues from secondary Pb metallurgy using single extraction tests: the mineralogical and the geochemical approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Ettler, Vojtech; Mihaljevic, Martin; Sebek, Ondrej; Strnad, Ladislav

2005-05-20

Two air-pollution-control (APC) residues--one from flue gas cooling with alkaline water and one from deionized water cooling--from secondary lead metallurgy were submitted to two different standardized short-term leaching protocols: US EPA toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) and static leaching according to Czech/European norm EN 12457-2. The experimental procedure was coupled with detailed mineralogical investigation of the solid material (SEM, XRPD) and speciation-solubility calculations using the PHREEQC-2 geochemical code. Both types of residues were considered as hazardous materials exhibiting substantial leaching of Pb (up to 7130 mg/l) and other inorganic contaminants. However, the APC residue produced by flue gas cooling with alkaline water (sample B) exhibits more favourable leaching and environmental characteristics than that produced by simple deionised water cooling (sample A). At pH 6, phosgenite (PbCl2.PbCO3) became the dominant secondary phase. The results are consistent with the mineralogical and geochemical studies focused on acidic forest soils highly polluted by smelter emissions, where anglesite, as a unique Pb-bearing phase, has been detected. From the technological point of view, the mixing of APC residue with alkaline water, followed by an increase in the suspension pH and equilibration with atmospheric CO2, may be used to ensure the precipitation of less soluble Pb carbonates, which are more easily recycled in the Pb recovery process in the metallurgical plant.

Resolution enhancement of tri-stereo remote sensing images by super resolution methods

Science.gov (United States)

Tuna, Caglayan; Akoguz, Alper; Unal, Gozde; Sertel, Elif

2016-10-01

Super resolution (SR) refers to generation of a High Resolution (HR) image from a decimated, blurred, low-resolution (LR) image set, which can be either a single frame or multi-frame that contains a collection of several images acquired from slightly different views of the same observation area. In this study, we propose a novel application of tri-stereo Remote Sensing (RS) satellite images to the super resolution problem. Since the tri-stereo RS images of the same observation area are acquired from three different viewing angles along the flight path of the satellite, these RS images are properly suited to a SR application. We first estimate registration between the chosen reference LR image and other LR images to calculate the sub pixel shifts among the LR images. Then, the warping, blurring and down sampling matrix operators are created as sparse matrices to avoid high memory and computational requirements, which would otherwise make the RS-SR solution impractical. Finally, the overall system matrix, which is constructed based on the obtained operator matrices is used to obtain the estimate HR image in one step in each iteration of the SR algorithm. Both the Laplacian and total variation regularizers are incorporated separately into our algorithm and the results are presented to demonstrate an improved quantitative performance against the standard interpolation method as well as improved qualitative results due expert evaluations.

Residual strain in the Nb-H system measured by selected area diffraction (SAD)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bulhoes, I.A.M.; Akune, K.; Pinatti, Dyonisio G.

1981-07-01

Various specimens of Nb were annealed in vacuum of 10 -3 torr for four hours at 1770 0 K. These speciments were doped with hydrogen up to 1000 ppm by weight and then were analyzed selected area diffraction. The line resolution of the electron channelling pattern was meassured for the specimens with different hydrogen content. These measurements, combined with the measurement of density, permitted one to estimate the residual strain caused by hydrogen. (Author) [pt

Identifying inter-residue resonances in crowded 2D {sup 13}C-{sup 13}C chemical shift correlation spectra of membrane proteins by solid-state MAS NMR difference spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Miao Yimin; Cross, Timothy A. [Florida State University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (United States); Fu Riqiang, E-mail: rfu@magnet.fsu.edu [National High Magnet Field Lab (United States)

2013-07-15

The feasibility of using difference spectroscopy, i.e. subtraction of two correlation spectra at different mixing times, for substantially enhanced resolution in crowded two-dimensional {sup 13}C-{sup 13}C chemical shift correlation spectra is presented. With the analyses of {sup 13}C-{sup 13}C spin diffusion in simple spin systems, difference spectroscopy is proposed to partially separate the spin diffusion resonances of relatively short intra-residue distances from the longer inter-residue distances, leading to a better identification of the inter-residue resonances. Here solid-state magic-angle-spinning NMR spectra of the full length M2 protein embedded in synthetic lipid bilayers have been used to illustrate the resolution enhancement in the difference spectra. The integral membrane M2 protein of Influenza A virus assembles as a tetrameric bundle to form a proton-conducting channel that is activated by low pH and is essential for the viral lifecycle. Based on known amino acid resonance assignments from amino acid specific labeled samples of truncated M2 sequences or from time-consuming 3D experiments of uniformly labeled samples, some inter-residue resonances of the full length M2 protein can be identified in the difference spectra of uniformly {sup 13}C labeled protein that are consistent with the high resolution structure of the M2 (22-62) protein (Sharma et al., Science 330(6003):509-512, 2010)

ARCIMBOLDO_LITE: single-workstation implementation and use.

Science.gov (United States)

Sammito, Massimo; Millán, Claudia; Frieske, Dawid; Rodríguez-Freire, Eloy; Borges, Rafael J; Usón, Isabel

2015-09-01

ARCIMBOLDO solves the phase problem at resolutions of around 2 Å or better through massive combination of small fragments and density modification. For complex structures, this imposes a need for a powerful grid where calculations can be distributed, but for structures with up to 200 amino acids in the asymmetric unit a single workstation may suffice. The use and performance of the single-workstation implementation, ARCIMBOLDO_LITE, on a pool of test structures with 40-120 amino acids and resolutions between 0.54 and 2.2 Å is described. Inbuilt polyalanine helices and iron cofactors are used as search fragments. ARCIMBOLDO_BORGES can also run on a single workstation to solve structures in this test set using precomputed libraries of local folds. The results of this study have been incorporated into an automated, resolution- and hardware-dependent parameterization. ARCIMBOLDO has been thoroughly rewritten and three binaries are now available: ARCIMBOLDO_LITE, ARCIMBOLDO_SHREDDER and ARCIMBOLDO_BORGES. The programs and libraries can be downloaded from http://chango.ibmb.csic.es/ARCIMBOLDO_LITE.

Single Image Super-Resolution Using Global Regression Based on Multiple Local Linear Mappings.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Jae-Seok; Kim, Munchurl

2017-03-01

Super-resolution (SR) has become more vital, because of its capability to generate high-quality ultra-high definition (UHD) high-resolution (HR) images from low-resolution (LR) input images. Conventional SR methods entail high computational complexity, which makes them difficult to be implemented for up-scaling of full-high-definition input images into UHD-resolution images. Nevertheless, our previous super-interpolation (SI) method showed a good compromise between Peak-Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) performances and computational complexity. However, since SI only utilizes simple linear mappings, it may fail to precisely reconstruct HR patches with complex texture. In this paper, we present a novel SR method, which inherits the large-to-small patch conversion scheme from SI but uses global regression based on local linear mappings (GLM). Thus, our new SR method is called GLM-SI. In GLM-SI, each LR input patch is divided into 25 overlapped subpatches. Next, based on the local properties of these subpatches, 25 different local linear mappings are applied to the current LR input patch to generate 25 HR patch candidates, which are then regressed into one final HR patch using a global regressor. The local linear mappings are learned cluster-wise in our off-line training phase. The main contribution of this paper is as follows: Previously, linear-mapping-based conventional SR methods, including SI only used one simple yet coarse linear mapping to each patch to reconstruct its HR version. On the contrary, for each LR input patch, our GLM-SI is the first to apply a combination of multiple local linear mappings, where each local linear mapping is found according to local properties of the current LR patch. Therefore, it can better approximate nonlinear LR-to-HR mappings for HR patches with complex texture. Experiment results show that the proposed GLM-SI method outperforms most of the state-of-the-art methods, and shows comparable PSNR performance with much lower

Characterization of the interdependency between residues that bind the substrate in a β-glycosidase

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.H. Tomassi

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The manner by which effects of simultaneous mutations combine to change enzymatic activity is not easily predictable because these effects are not always additive in a linear manner. Hence, the characterization of the effects of simultaneous mutations of amino acid residues that bind the substrate can make a significant contribution to the understanding of the substrate specificity of enzymes. In the β-glycosidase from Spodoptera frugiperda (Sfβgly, both residues Q39 and E451 interact with the substrate and this is essential for defining substrate specificity. Double mutants of Sfβgly (A451E39, S451E39 and S451N39 were prepared by site-directed mutagenesis, expressed in bacteria and purified using affinity chromatography. These enzymes were characterized using p-nitrophenyl β-galactoside and p-nitrophenyl β-fucoside as substrates. The k cat/Km ratio for single and double mutants of Sfβgly containing site-directed mutations at positions Q39 and E451 was used to demonstrate that the effect on the free energy of ES‡ (enzyme-transition state complex of the double mutations (∆∆G‡xy is not the sum of the effects resulting from the single mutations (∆∆G‡x and ∆∆G‡y. This difference in ∆∆G‡ indicates that the effects of the single mutations partially overlap. Hence, this common effect counts only once in ∆∆G‡xy. Crystallographic data on β-glycosidases reveal the presence of a bidentate hydrogen bond involving residues Q39 and E451 and the same hydroxyl group of the substrate. Therefore, both thermodynamic and crystallographic data suggest that residues Q39 and E451 exert a mutual influence on their respective interactions with the substrate.

The Caenorhabditis elegans Q neuroblasts: A powerful system to study cell migration at single-cell resolution in vivo.

Science.gov (United States)

Rella, Lorenzo; Fernandes Póvoa, Euclides E; Korswagen, Hendrik C

2016-04-01

During development, cell migration plays a central role in the formation of tissues and organs. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that drive and control these migrations is a key challenge in developmental biology that will provide important insights into disease processes, including cancer cell metastasis. In this article, we discuss the Caenorhabditis elegans Q neuroblasts and their descendants as a tool to study cell migration at single-cell resolution in vivo. The highly stereotypical migration of these cells provides a powerful system to study the dynamic cytoskeletal processes that drive migration as well as the evolutionarily conserved signaling pathways (including different Wnt signaling cascades) that guide the cells along their specific trajectories. Here, we provide an overview of what is currently known about Q neuroblast migration and highlight the live-cell imaging, genome editing, and quantitative gene expression techniques that have been developed to study this process. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Percutaneous Cystgastrostomy as a Single-Step Procedure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curry, L.; Sookur, P.; Low, D.; Bhattacharya, S.; Fotheringham, T.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the success of percutaneous transgastric cystgastrostomy as a single-step procedure. We performed a retrospective analysis of single-step percutaneous transgastric cystgastrostomy carried out in 12 patients (8 male, 4 female; mean age 44 years; range 21-70 years), between 2002 and 2007, with large symptomatic pancreatic pseudocysts for whom up to 1-year follow-up data (mean 10 months) were available. All pseudocysts were drained by single-step percutaneous cystgastrostomy with the placement of either one or two stents. The procedure was completed successfully in all 12 patients. The pseudocysts showed complete resolution on further imaging in 7 of 12 patients with either enteric passage of the stent or stent removal by endoscopy. In 2 of 12 patients, the pseudocysts showed complete resolution on imaging, with the stents still noted in situ. In 2 of 12 patients, the pseudocysts became infected after 1 month and required surgical intervention. In 1 of 12 patients, the pseudocyst showed partial resolution on imaging, but subsequently reaccumulated and later required external drainage. In our experience, percutaneous cystgastrostomy as a single-step procedure has a high success rate and good short-term outcomes over 1-year follow-up and should be considered in the treatment of large symptomatic cysts.

Rigid Residue Scan Simulations Systematically Reveal Residue Entropic Roles in Protein Allostery.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert Kalescky

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Intra-protein information is transmitted over distances via allosteric processes. This ubiquitous protein process allows for protein function changes due to ligand binding events. Understanding protein allostery is essential to understanding protein functions. In this study, allostery in the second PDZ domain (PDZ2 in the human PTP1E protein is examined as model system to advance a recently developed rigid residue scan method combining with configurational entropy calculation and principal component analysis. The contributions from individual residues to whole-protein dynamics and allostery were systematically assessed via rigid body simulations of both unbound and ligand-bound states of the protein. The entropic contributions of individual residues to whole-protein dynamics were evaluated based on covariance-based correlation analysis of all simulations. The changes of overall protein entropy when individual residues being held rigid support that the rigidity/flexibility equilibrium in protein structure is governed by the La Châtelier's principle of chemical equilibrium. Key residues of PDZ2 allostery were identified with good agreement with NMR studies of the same protein bound to the same peptide. On the other hand, the change of entropic contribution from each residue upon perturbation revealed intrinsic differences among all the residues. The quasi-harmonic and principal component analyses of simulations without rigid residue perturbation showed a coherent allosteric mode from unbound and bound states, respectively. The projection of simulations with rigid residue perturbation onto coherent allosteric modes demonstrated the intrinsic shifting of ensemble distributions supporting the population-shift theory of protein allostery. Overall, the study presented here provides a robust and systematic approach to estimate the contribution of individual residue internal motion to overall protein dynamics and allostery.

A Robust Transform Estimator Based on Residual Analysis and Its Application on UAV Aerial Images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guorong Cai

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Estimating the transformation between two images from the same scene is a fundamental step for image registration, image stitching and 3D reconstruction. State-of-the-art methods are mainly based on sorted residual for generating hypotheses. This scheme has acquired encouraging results in many remote sensing applications. Unfortunately, mainstream residual based methods may fail in estimating the transform between Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV low altitude remote sensing images, due to the fact that UAV images always have repetitive patterns and severe viewpoint changes, which produce lower inlier rate and higher pseudo outlier rate than other tasks. We performed extensive experiments and found the main reason is that these methods compute feature pair similarity within a fixed window, making them sensitive to the size of residual window. To solve this problem, three schemes that based on the distribution of residuals are proposed, which are called Relational Window (RW, Sliding Window (SW, Reverse Residual Order (RRO, respectively. Specially, RW employs a relaxation residual window size to evaluate the highest similarity within a relaxation model length. SW fixes the number of overlap models while varying the length of window size. RRO takes the permutation of residual values into consideration to measure similarity, not only including the number of overlap structures, but also giving penalty to reverse number within the overlap structures. Experimental results conducted on our own built UAV high resolution remote sensing images show that the proposed three strategies all outperform traditional methods in the presence of severe perspective distortion due to viewpoint change.

Structure of single-chain single crystals of isotactic polystyrene and their radiation resistance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bu Haishan; Cao Jie; Xu Shengyong; Zhang Ze

1997-01-01

The structure of the single-chain single crystals of isotactic polystyrene (i-PS) was investigated by electron diffraction (ED) and high resolution electron microscopy (HREM). The nano-scale single-chain single crystals were found to be very stable to electron irradiation. According to the unit cell of i-PS crystals, the reflection rings in ED pattern and the lattice fringes in HREM images could be indexed, but the lower-index diffractions were not found. It is proposed that the single-chain single crystals are very small, thus secondary electrons may be allowed to escape and radiation damage is highly reduced, and that there are less lower-index lattice planes in the single-chain single crystals to provide sufficient diffraction intensity for recording. HREM images can be achieved at room temperature in the case of single-chain single crystals because of its stability to electron irradiation, therefore, this might be a novel experimental approach to the study of crystal structure of macromolecules

Two-stage catalytic up-grading of vacuum residue of a Wandoan coal liquid. [Vacuum residue of coal liquid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mochida, I.; Sakanishi, K.; Korai, Y.; Fujitsu, H.

1986-08-01

A successive two-stage hydrotreatment using a commercial Ni-Mo/Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ catalyst (HDN-30) was applied to the vacuum residue of a Wandoan coal liquid to achieve high levels of hydrocracking, hydrodenitrogenation and hydrodeoxygenation. Two-stage hydrotreatment in 1-methylnaphthalene containing 20wt% fluoranthene as a solvent at solvent/coal liquid ratio of unity removed 83% (overall) of nitrogen and 90% (overall) of oxygen in the asphaltene (benzene-soluble fraction) at 380/sup 0/C for 3 h and at 420/sup 0/C for 3h under hydrogen pressure of 15 MPa and 14 MPa, respectively, while the single stage treatment at 420/sup 0/C for 3 h removed only 41% and 46%, respectively. The same two-stage treatment allowed the overall denitrogenation of 51% and the overall deoxygenation of 67% from a mixture of asphaltene and preasphaltene (THF-soluble fraction). Addition of the catalyst prior to the second stage reaction increased the removal of nitrogen and oxygen to 75 and 82%, respectively, indicating significant catalyst deactivation by the preasphaltene fraction in the first stage. Increasing the solvent/coal liquid ratio to 2 or addition of tetrahydrofluoranthene as a component of the solvent increased the removal of nitrogen and oxygen to 70 and 80%, respectively. Such two-stage hydrotreatment was also effective in refining the whole residue, allowing denitrogenations and deoxygenations of 68 and 75% respectively using tetrahydrofluoranthene. The coke, unreacted coal and minerals in the residue may not cause acute catalyst deactivation. High dissolving ability of the reaction solvents is very effective to decrease catalyst deactivation by carbon deposition. The successive two-stage hydrotreatment also enhanced hydrocracking of polar and resin fractions in the residue into oils (conversion, 65%). (Abstract Truncated)

High-resolution gas-phase spectroscopy of a single-bond axle rotary motor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maltseva, Elena; Amirjalayer, Saeed; Cnossen, Arjen; Browne, Wesley R.; Feringa, Ben L.; Buma, Wybren Jan

2017-01-01

High-resolution laser spectroscopy in combination with molecular beams and mass-spectrometry has been applied to study samples of a prototypical rotary motor. Vibrationally well-resolved excitation spectra have been recorded that are assigned, however, to a structural isomer of the original rotary

Kinetic Resolution of sec-Thiols by Enantioselective Oxidation with Rationally Engineered 5-(Hydroxymethyl)furfural Oxidase.

Science.gov (United States)

Pickl, Mathias; Swoboda, Alexander; Romero, Elvira; Winkler, Christoph K; Binda, Claudia; Mattevi, Andrea; Faber, Kurt; Fraaije, Marco W

2018-03-05

Various flavoprotein oxidases were recently shown to oxidize primary thiols. Herein, this reactivity is extended to sec-thiols by using structure-guided engineering of 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural oxidase (HMFO). The variants obtained were employed for the oxidative kinetic resolution of racemic sec-thiols, thus yielding the corresponding thioketones and nonreacted R-configured thiols with excellent enantioselectivities (E≥200). The engineering strategy applied went beyond the classic approach of replacing bulky amino acid residues with smaller ones, as the active site was additionally enlarged by a newly introduced Thr residue. This residue established a hydrogen-bonding interaction with the substrates, as verified in the crystal structure of the variant. These strategies unlocked HMFO variants for the enantioselective oxidation of a range of sec-thiols. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Scalar position in cochlear implant surgery and outcome in residual hearing and the vestibular system.

Science.gov (United States)

Nordfalk, Karl Fredrik; Rasmussen, Kjell; Hopp, Einar; Greisiger, Ralf; Jablonski, Greg Eigner

2014-02-01

To evaluate the effect of the intracochlear electrode position on the residual hearing and VNG- and cVEMP responses. Prospective pilot study. Thirteen adult patients who underwent unilateral cochlear implant surgery were examined with high-resolution rotational tomography after cochlear implantation. All subjects were also tested with VNG, and 12 of the subjects were tested with cVEMP and audiometry before and after surgery. We found that although the electrode was originally planned to be positioned inside the scala tympani, only 8 of 13 had full insertion into the scala tympani. Loss of cVEMP response occurred to the same extent in the group with full scala tympani positioning and the group with scala vestibuli involvement. There was a non-significant difference in the loss of caloric response and residual hearing between the two groups. Interscalar dislocation of the electrode inside the cochlea was observed in two patients. A higher loss of residual hearing could be seen in the group with electrode dislocation between the scalae. Our findings indicate that intracochlear electrode dislocation is a possible cause to loss of residual hearing during cochlear implantation but cannot be the sole cause of postoperative vestibular loss.

Semisynthetic protein nanoreactor for single-molecule chemistry

OpenAIRE

Lee, Joongoo; Bayley, Hagan

2015-01-01

The modulation of ionic current flowing through an individual protein pore provides information at the single-molecule level about chemical reactions occurring within the pore. However, chemistry investigated in this way has been largely confined to the reactions of thiolates, presented by the side chains of cysteine residues. The introduction of unnatural amino acids would provide a large variety of reactive side chains with which additional single-molecule chemistry could be investigated. H...

Assessment of elimination profile of albendazole residues in fish.

Science.gov (United States)

Busatto, Zenaís; de França, Welliton Gonçalves; Cyrino, José Eurico Possebon; Paschoal, Jonas Augusto Rizzato

2018-01-01

Few drugs are specifically regulated for aquaculture. Thus this study considered albendazole (ABZ) as a potential drug for use in fish, which, however, is not yet regulated for this application. ABZ is a broad-spectrum anthelmintic approved for farmed ruminants and recently considered for treatment of fish parasites. It is the subject of careful monitoring because of potential residues in animal products. This study evaluated the depletion of ABZ and its main known metabolites: albendazole sulfoxide - ABZSO, albendazole sulfone - ABZSO 2 and albendazole amino sulfone - ABZ-2-NH 2 SO 2 , in the fillets of the Neotropical Characin pacu, Piaractus mesopotamicus, which were fed diets containing 10 mg ABZ kg -1 body weight in a single dose. Fish were euthanised at 8, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120 hours after medication and the depletion profiles of ABZ, each metabolite and the sum of all marker residues were assessed and evaluated taking into account methodological variations regarding determination of the maximum residue limits adopted by different international regulating agencies for estimation of the withdrawal period (WP). The estimated WPs ranged from 2 to 7 days.

Quantitative imaging of magnesium distribution at single-cell resolution in brain tumors and infiltrating tumor cells with secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS)

Science.gov (United States)

Chandra, Subhash; Parker, Dylan J.; Barth, Rolf F.; Pannullo, Susan C.

2016-01-01

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the deadliest forms of human brain tumors. The infiltrative pattern of growth of these tumors includes the spread of individual and/or clusters of tumor cells at some distance from the main tumor mass in parts of the brain protected by an intact blood-brain-barrier. Pathophysiological studies of GBM could be greatly enhanced by analytical techniques capable of in situ single-cell resolution measurements of infiltrating tumor cells. Magnesium homeostasis is an area of active investigation in high grade gliomas. In the present study, we have used the F98 rat glioma as a model of human GBM and an elemental/isotopic imaging technique of secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), a CAMECA IMS-3f ion microscope, for studying Mg distributions with single-cell resolution in freeze-dried brain tissue cryosections. Quantitative observations were made on tumor cells in the main tumor mass, contiguous brain tissue, and infiltrating tumor cells in adjacent normal brain. The brain tissue contained a significantly lower total Mg concentration of 4.70 ± 0.93 mmol/Kg wet weight (mean ± SD) in comparison to 11.64 ± 1.96 mmol/Kg wet weight in tumor cells of the main tumor mass and 10.72 ± 1.76 mmol/Kg wet weight in infiltrating tumor cells (p<0.05). The nucleus of individual tumor cells contained elevated levels of bound Mg. These observations demonstrate enhanced Mg-influx and increased binding of Mg in tumor cells and provide strong support for further investigation of GBMs for altered Mg homeostasis and activation of Mg-transporting channels as possible therapeutic targets. PMID:26703785

From supervision to resolution: next steps on the road to European banking union

OpenAIRE

Nicolas Véron; Guntram B. Wolff

2013-01-01

Listen to the press conference call. The European Council has outlined the creation of a Single Resolution Mechanism (SRM), complementing the Single Supervisory Mechanism. The thinking on the SRM’s legal basis, design and mission is still preliminary and depends on other major initiatives, including the European Stability Mechanism’s involvement in bank recapitalisations and the Bank Recovery and Resolution (BRR) Directive. The SRM should also not be seen as the final step creating Europe’s f...

Single Photon Counting Large Format Imaging Sensors with High Spatial and Temporal Resolution

Science.gov (United States)

Siegmund, O. H. W.; Ertley, C.; Vallerga, J. V.; Cremer, T.; Craven, C. A.; Lyashenko, A.; Minot, M. J.

High time resolution astronomical and remote sensing applications have been addressed with microchannel plate based imaging, photon time tagging detector sealed tube schemes. These are being realized with the advent of cross strip readout techniques with high performance encoding electronics and atomic layer deposited (ALD) microchannel plate technologies. Sealed tube devices up to 20 cm square have now been successfully implemented with sub nanosecond timing and imaging. The objective is to provide sensors with large areas (25 cm2 to 400 cm2) with spatial resolutions of 5 MHz and event timing accuracy of 100 ps. High-performance ASIC versions of these electronics are in development with better event rate, power and mass suitable for spaceflight instruments.

Residual gas analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berecz, I.

1982-01-01

Determination of the residual gas composition in vacuum systems by a special mass spectrometric method was presented. The quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS) and its application in thin film technology was discussed. Results, partial pressure versus time curves as well as the line spectra of the residual gases in case of the vaporization of a Ti-Pd-Au alloy were demonstrated together with the possible construction schemes of QMS residual gas analysers. (Sz.J.)

Prediction of Active Site and Distal Residues in E. coli DNA Polymerase III alpha Polymerase Activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Parasuram, Ramya; Coulther, Timothy A; Hollander, Judith M; Keston-Smith, Elise; Ondrechen, Mary Jo; Beuning, Penny J

2018-02-20

The process of DNA replication is carried out with high efficiency and accuracy by DNA polymerases. The replicative polymerase in E. coli is DNA Pol III, which is a complex of 10 different subunits that coordinates simultaneous replication on the leading and lagging strands. The 1160-residue Pol III alpha subunit is responsible for the polymerase activity and copies DNA accurately, making one error per 10 5 nucleotide incorporations. The goal of this research is to determine the residues that contribute to the activity of the polymerase subunit. Homology modeling and the computational methods of THEMATICS and POOL were used to predict functionally important amino acid residues through their computed chemical properties. Site-directed mutagenesis and biochemical assays were used to validate these predictions. Primer extension, steady-state single-nucleotide incorporation kinetics, and thermal denaturation assays were performed to understand the contribution of these residues to the function of the polymerase. This work shows that the top 15 residues predicted by POOL, a set that includes the three previously known catalytic aspartate residues, seven remote residues, plus five previously unexplored first-layer residues, are important for function. Six previously unidentified residues, R362, D405, K553, Y686, E688, and H760, are each essential to Pol III activity; three additional residues, Y340, R390, and K758, play important roles in activity.

Single Photon Avalanche Diodes: Towards the Large Bidimensional Arrays

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emilio Sciacca

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Single photon detection is one of the most challenging goals of photonics. In recent years, the study of ultra-fast and/or low-intensity phenomena has received renewed attention from the academic and industrial communities. Intense research activity has been focused on bio-imaging applications, bio-luminescence, bio-scattering methods, and, more in general, on several applications requiring high speed operation and high timing resolution. In this paper we present design and characterization of bi-dimensional arrays of a next generation of single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs. Single photon sensitivity, dark noise, afterpulsing and timing resolution of the single SPAD have been examined in several experimental conditions. Moreover, the effects arising from their integration and the readout mode have also been deeply investigated.

Assessing the Availability of Wood Residues and Residue Markets in Virginia

OpenAIRE

Alderman, Delton R. Jr.

1998-01-01

A statewide mail survey of primary and secondary wood product manufacturers was undertaken to quantify the production and consumption of wood residues in Virginia. Two hundred and sixty-six wood product manufacturers responded to the study and they provided information on the production, consumption, markets, income or disposal costs, and disposal methods of wood residues. Hardwood and pine sawmills produce approximately 66 percent of Virginia's wood residues. Virginia's wood product man...

High-resolution spectroscopic probes of collisions and half-collisions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hall, G.E. [Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY (United States)

1993-12-01

Research in this program explores the dynamics of gas phase collisions and photodissociation by high-resolution laser spectroscopy. Simultaneous state and velocity detection frequently permits a determination of scalar or vector correlations among products. The correlated product distributions are always more informative, and often easier to interpret than the uncorrelated product state distributions. The authors have recently built an apparatus to record transient absorption spectra with 50 nS time resolution and 20 MHz frequency resolution using a single frequency Ti:sapphire laser. The photodissociation of NCCN and C{sub 2}H{sub 5}SCN at 193 nm is discussed.

Advancing environmental toxicology through chemical dosimetry: External exposures versus tissue residues

Science.gov (United States)

McCarty, L.S.; Landrum, P.F.; Luoma, S.N.; Meador, J.P.; Merten, A.A.; Shephard, B.K.; van Wezelzz, A.P.

2011-01-01

The tissue residue dose concept has been used, although in a limited manner, in environmental toxicology for more than 100 y. This review outlines the history of this approach and the technical background for organic chemicals and metals. Although the toxicity of both can be explained in tissue residue terms, the relationship between external exposure concentration, body and/or tissues dose surrogates, and the effective internal dose at the sites of toxic action tends to be more complex for metals. Various issues and current limitations related to research and regulatory applications are also examined. It is clear that the tissue residue approach (TRA) should be an integral component in future efforts to enhance the generation, understanding, and utility of toxicity testing data, both in the laboratory and in the field. To accomplish these goals, several key areas need to be addressed: 1) development of a risk-based interpretive framework linking toxicology and ecology at multiple levels of biological organization and incorporating organism-based dose metrics; 2) a broadly applicable, generally accepted classification scheme for modes/mechanisms of toxic action with explicit consideration of residue information to improve both single chemical and mixture toxicity data interpretation and regulatory risk assessment; 3) toxicity testing protocols updated to ensure collection of adequate residue information, along with toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics information, based on explicitly defined toxicological models accompanied by toxicological model validation; 4) continued development of residueeffect databases is needed ensure their ongoing utility; and 5) regulatory guidance incorporating residue-based testing and interpretation approaches, essential in various jurisdictions. ??:2010 SETAC.

Resolving mass flux at high spatial and temporal resolution using GRACE intersatellite measurements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rowlands, D. D.; Luthcke, S. B.; Klosko, S. M.

2005-01-01

resolution. Using 4° × 4° blocks at 10-day intervals, we estimate the mass of surplus or deficit water over a 52° × 60° grid centered on the Amazon basin for July 2003. We demonstrate that the recovered signals are coherent and correlate well with the expected hydrological signal....... the estimation of static monthly parameters. Through an analysis of the GRACE data residuals, we show that the fundamental temporal and spatial resolution of the GRACE data is 10 days and 400 km. We present an approach similar in concept to altimetric methods that recovers submonthly mass flux at a high spatial...

Manufacturing inspection of electrical steels using Magnetic Barkhausen Noise: residual stress detection

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samimi, A.A., E-mail: 9aa8@queensu.ca [Queen' s Univ., Applied Magnetics Group, Kingston, Ontario (Canada); Krause, T.W. [Royal Military College of Canada, NDE Lab., Kingston, Ontario (Canada); Clapham, L. [Queen' s Univ., Applied Magnetics Group, Kingston, Ontario (Canada); Gallaugher, M.; Ding, Y.; Chromik, R. [McGill Univ., Dept. of Mining and Materials Engineering, Montreal, Quebec (Canada)

2016-09-15

Non-oriented Electrical Steel (NOES) is the magnetic core lamination material used for flux transfer in rotary machines. The presence of residual stress associated with material processing may be detrimental to magnetic domain structure refinement and as a result, magnetic performance of NOES. Therefore, manufacturing inspection of NOES that identifies the presence of residual stress could contribute to the production of more energy efficient cores. However, standard materials evaluation is limited to destructive and off-line techniques. The present work employed Magnetic Barkhausen Noise (MBN) for nondestructive identification of local residual stress associated with stages in material processing. Analysis of MBN from single strips of NOES demonstrated clear response to applied tensile stress, mechanical shearing, the presence of an insulating coating and punching. The results establish the potential of MBN as a nondestructive testing technology for quality control of electrical steels at various stages of manufacture. (author)

Myocardial blood flow rate and capillary permeability for 99mTc-DTPA in patients with angiographically normal coronary arteries. Evaluation of the single-injection, residue detection method with intracoronary indicator bolus injection and the use of a mobile gamma camera

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svendsen, Jesper Hastrup; Kelbaek, H; Efsen, F

1994-01-01

The aims of the present study were to quantitate myocardial perfusion and capillary permeability in the human heart by means of the single-injection, residue detection method using a mobile gamma camera. With this method, the intravascular mean transit time and the capillary extraction fraction (E...

The effect of a single tensile overload on stress corrosion cracking growth of stainless steel in a light water reactor environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xue He; Li Zhijun; Lu Zhanpeng; Shoji, Tetsuo

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → The affect of a single tensile overload on SCC growth rate is investigated. → A single tensile overload would produce a residual plastic strain in the SCC tip. → The residual plastic strain would decrease the plastic strain rate in the SCC tip. → A single tensile overload would cause crack growth rate retardation in the SCC tip. → SCC growth rate in the quasi-stationary crack tip is relatively lower. - Abstract: It has been found that a single tensile overload applied during constant load amplitude might cause crack growth rate retardation in various crack propagating experiments which include fatigue test and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) test. To understand the affecting mechanism of a single tensile overload on SCC growth rate of stainless steel or nickel base alloy in light water reactor environment, based on elastic-plastic finite element method (EPFEM), the residual plastic strain in both tips of stationary and growing crack of contoured double cantilever beam (CDCB) specimen was simulated and analyzed in this study. The results of this investigation demonstrate that a residual plastic strain in the region immediately ahead of the crack tips will be produced when a single tensile overload is applied, and the residual plastic strain will decrease the plastic strain rate level in the growing crack tip, which will causes crack growth rate retardation in the tip of SCC.

Mutational properties of amino acid residues: implications for evolvability of phosphorylatable residues

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Creixell, Pau; Schoof, Erwin M.; Tan, Chris Soon Heng

2012-01-01

in terms of their mutational activity. Moreover, we highlight the importance of the genetic code and physico-chemical properties of the amino acid residues as likely causes of these inequalities and uncover serine as a mutational hot spot. Finally, we explore the consequences that these different......; it is typically assumed that all amino acid residues are equally likely to mutate or to result from a mutation. Here, by reconstructing ancestral sequences and computing mutational probabilities for all the amino acid residues, we refute this assumption and show extensive inequalities between different residues...... mutational properties have on phosphorylation site evolution, showing that a higher degree of evolvability exists for phosphorylated threonine and, to a lesser extent, serine in comparison with tyrosine residues. As exemplified by the suppression of serine's mutational activity in phosphorylation sites, our...

SPECT imaging with resolution recovery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bronnikov, A. V.

2011-01-01

Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a method of choice for imaging spatial distributions of radioisotopes. Many applications of this method are found in nuclear industry, medicine, and biomedical research. We study mathematical modeling of a micro-SPECT system by using a point-spread function (PSF) and implement an OSEM-based iterative algorithm for image reconstruction with resolution recovery. Unlike other known implementations of the OSEM algorithm, we apply en efficient computation scheme based on a useful approximation of the PSF, which ensures relatively fast computations. The proposed approach can be applied with the data acquired with any type of collimators, including parallel-beam fan-beam, cone-beam and pinhole collimators. Experimental results obtained with a micro SPECT system demonstrate high efficiency of resolution recovery. (authors)

Huge residual resistivity in the quantum critical region of CeAgSb2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakashima, Miho; Kirita, Shingo; Asai, Rihito; Kobayashi, Tatsuo C; Okubo, Tomoyuki; Yamada, Mineko; Thamizhavel, Arumugam; Inada, Yoshihiko; Settai, Rikio; Galatanu, Andre; Yamamoto, Etsuji; Ebihara, Takao; Onuki, Yoshichika

2003-01-01

We have studied the effect of pressure on the electrical resistivity of a high-quality single crystal CeAgSb 2 which has a small net ferromagnetic moment of 0.4μ B /Ce. The magnetic ordering temperature T ord = 9.7 K decreases with increasing pressure p and disappears at a critical pressure p c ≅ 3.3 GPa. The residual resistivity, which is close to zero up to 3 GPa, increases steeply above 3 GPa, reaching 55μΩ cm at p c . A huge residual resistivity is found to appear when the magnetic order disappears. (letter to the editor)

From Modeling of Plasticity in Single-Crystal Superalloys to High-Resolution X-rays Three-Crystal Diffractometer Peaks Simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Jacques, Alain

2016-12-01

The dislocation-based modeling of the high-temperature creep of two-phased single-crystal superalloys requires input data beyond strain vs time curves. This may be obtained by use of in situ experiments combining high-temperature creep tests with high-resolution synchrotron three-crystal diffractometry. Such tests give access to changes in phase volume fractions and to the average components of the stress tensor in each phase as well as the plastic strain of each phase. Further progress may be obtained by a new method making intensive use of the Fast Fourier Transform, and first modeling the behavior of a representative volume of material (stress fields, plastic strain, dislocation densities…), then simulating directly the corresponding diffraction peaks, taking into account the displacement field within the material, chemical variations, and beam coherence. Initial tests indicate that the simulated peak shapes are close to the experimental ones and are quite sensitive to the details of the microstructure and to dislocation densities at interfaces and within the soft γ phase.

Annotating Protein Functional Residues by Coupling High-Throughput Fitness Profile and Homologous-Structure Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yushen Du

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Identification and annotation of functional residues are fundamental questions in protein sequence analysis. Sequence and structure conservation provides valuable information to tackle these questions. It is, however, limited by the incomplete sampling of sequence space in natural evolution. Moreover, proteins often have multiple functions, with overlapping sequences that present challenges to accurate annotation of the exact functions of individual residues by conservation-based methods. Using the influenza A virus PB1 protein as an example, we developed a method to systematically identify and annotate functional residues. We used saturation mutagenesis and high-throughput sequencing to measure the replication capacity of single nucleotide mutations across the entire PB1 protein. After predicting protein stability upon mutations, we identified functional PB1 residues that are essential for viral replication. To further annotate the functional residues important to the canonical or noncanonical functions of viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (vRdRp, we performed a homologous-structure analysis with 16 different vRdRp structures. We achieved high sensitivity in annotating the known canonical polymerase functional residues. Moreover, we identified a cluster of noncanonical functional residues located in the loop region of the PB1 β-ribbon. We further demonstrated that these residues were important for PB1 protein nuclear import through the interaction with Ran-binding protein 5. In summary, we developed a systematic and sensitive method to identify and annotate functional residues that are not restrained by sequence conservation. Importantly, this method is generally applicable to other proteins about which homologous-structure information is available.

Tentative identification of polar and mid-polar compounds in extracts from wine lees by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in high-resolution mode.

Science.gov (United States)

Delgado de la Torre, M P; Priego-Capote, F; Luque de Castro, M D

2015-06-01

Sustainable agriculture has a pending goal in the revalorization of agrofood residues. Wine lees are an abundant residue in the oenological industry. This residue, so far, has been used to obtain tartaric acid or pigments but not for being qualitatively characterized as a source of polar and mid-polar compounds such as flavonoids, phenols and essential amino acids. Lees extracts from 11 Spanish wineries have been analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in high resolution mode. The high-resolution power of LC-MS/MS has led to the tentative identification of the most representative compounds present in wine lees, comprising primary amino acids, anthocyans, flavanols, flavonols, flavones and non-flavonoid phenolic compounds, among others. Attending to the profile and content of polar and mid-polar compounds in wine lees, this study underlines the potential of wine lees as an exploitable source to isolate interesting compounds. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

High resolution diffraction imaging of mercuric iodide: Demonstration of the necessity for alternate crystal processing techniques for highly purified material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steiner, B.; Berg, L. van den; Laor, U.

1995-01-01

The overall crystalline lattice uniformity in recently available, highly purified mercuric iodide single crystals has been shown to be impacted by crystal handling techniques that were previously satisfactory. High resolution diffraction imaging of the surface regularity of crystals of various levels of purity and growth orientation shows: (1) that the newer materials have a generally lower level of precipitates, (2) that the incidence of these precipitates is now closely correlated with growth direction, and (3) that the deformation resistance and resulting sensitivity to crystal handling procedures are also closely correlated with these factors in this soft material. As a result, gentler cutting and polishing procedures have been developed and are shown to be effective in preserving overall lattice regularity in the new material. The polishing required to remove residual surface scratches affect the lattice orientation of the softer, precipitate-free regions, while not affecting those regions with detectable levels of precipitates. These results correlate closely with the electrical properties of devices made from these crystals. Mercuric iodide single crystals have proved to be particularly useful for x and γ ray detectors because their room temperature operation allow for simple, efficient, and compact instrumentation

Effect of subseabed salt domes on Tidal Residual currents in the Persian Gulf

Science.gov (United States)

Mashayekh Poul, Hossein; Backhaus, Jan; Dehghani, Ali; Huebner, Udo

2016-05-01

Geological studies in the Persian Gulf (PG) have revealed the existence of subseabed salt-domes. With suitable filtering of a high-resolution PG seabed topography, it is seen that the domes leave their signature in the seabed, i.e., numerous hills and valleys with amplitudes of several tens of meters and radii from a few up to tens of kilometers. It was suspected that the "shark skin" of the PG seabed may affect the tidal residual flow. The interaction of tidal dynamics and these obstacles was investigated in a nonlinear hydrodynamic numerical tidal model of the PG. The model was first used to characterize flow patterns of residual currents generated by a tidal wave passing over symmetric, elongated and tilted obstacles. Thereafter it was applied to the entire PG. The model was forced at its open boundary by the four dominant tidal constituents residing in the PG. Each tidal constituent was simulated separately. Results, i.e., tidal residual currents in the PG, as depicted by Lagrangian trajectories reveal a stationary flow that is very rich in eddies. Each eddy can be identified with a topographic obstacle. This confirms that the tidal residual flow field is strongly influenced by the nonlinear interaction of the tidal wave with the bottom relief which, in turn, is deformed by salt-domes beneath the seabed. Different areas of maximum residual current velocities are identified for major tidal constituents. The pattern of trajectories indicates the presence of two main cyclonic gyres and several adjacent gyres rotating in opposite directions and a strong coastal current in the northern PG.

Evaluation of residue-residue contact prediction in CASP10

KAUST Repository

Monastyrskyy, Bohdan

2013-08-31

We present the results of the assessment of the intramolecular residue-residue contact predictions from 26 prediction groups participating in the 10th round of the CASP experiment. The most recently developed direct coupling analysis methods did not take part in the experiment likely because they require a very deep sequence alignment not available for any of the 114 CASP10 targets. The performance of contact prediction methods was evaluated with the measures used in previous CASPs (i.e., prediction accuracy and the difference between the distribution of the predicted contacts and that of all pairs of residues in the target protein), as well as new measures, such as the Matthews correlation coefficient, the area under the precision-recall curve and the ranks of the first correctly and incorrectly predicted contact. We also evaluated the ability to detect interdomain contacts and tested whether the difficulty of predicting contacts depends upon the protein length and the depth of the family sequence alignment. The analyses were carried out on the target domains for which structural homologs did not exist or were difficult to identify. The evaluation was performed for all types of contacts (short, medium, and long-range), with emphasis placed on long-range contacts, i.e. those involving residues separated by at least 24 residues along the sequence. The assessment suggests that the best CASP10 contact prediction methods perform at approximately the same level, and comparably to those participating in CASP9.

Coumarins as turn on/off fluorescent probes for detection of residual acetone in cosmetics following headspace single-drop microextraction.

Science.gov (United States)

Cabaleiro, N; de la Calle, I; Bendicho, C; Lavilla, I

2014-11-01

In this work, a new method based on headspace-single drop microextraction for the determination of residual acetone in cosmetics by microfluorospectrometry is proposed. Acetone causes fluorescence changes in a 2.5 µL-ethanolic drop (40% v/v) containing 3.10(-4) mol L(-1) 7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin ('turn off') or 6.10(-6) mol L(-1) 7-diethylamino-4-methylcoumarin ('turn on'). Polarity and ability to form hydrogen bonds of short chain alcohols (polar protic solvents) were crucial in order to observe these changes in the presence of acetone (polar aprotic solvent). Parameters related with the HS-SDME procedure were studied, namely headspace volume, composition, volume and temperature of drop, microextraction time, stirring rate, mass and temperature of sample, as well as the effect of potential interferents (alcohols and fragrances). The high volatility of acetone allows its extraction from an untreated cosmetic sample within 3 min. A detection limit of 0.26 µg g(-1) and repeatability, expressed as relative standard deviation, around 5% were reached. Accuracy of the proposed methodology was evaluated by means of recovery studies. The method was successfully used to analyze different cosmetics. Simplicity and high sample throughput can be highlighted. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Proceedings of the 7. biennial residue-to-revenue residual wood conference 2007

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raulin, J.

2007-01-01

This conference provided information on the highest and best use of residual wood, which is quickly becoming a valuable commodity. Issues concerning forest residues, sawmill wastes, agricultural residues and urban organic materials were discussed along with trends in Canadian surplus mill waste production. The evolving nature and technologies of the biomass business were highlighted with particular focus on how to generate energy and save money through the use of residual wood. Residual wood energy projects and developments in Canada, North America and Europe were outlined along with biomass development in relation to forest fires and insect disturbances. Cogeneration technologies using wood wastes for thermal heat, steam and electricity were also presented, along with transportation fuel technologies for the production of ethanol. It was noted that with the rising cost of energy, the forest industry is seeking energy solutions based on the use of residual wood. The range of economically practical residual wood solutions continues to grow as energy prices increase. The conference was attended by more than 200 delegates from the forest industry, suppliers and government representatives, to discuss policies and procedures currently in place. Industry investment is being stimulated by the potential for biofuels and biochemicals, as well as the co-operation between the forest and energy sectors. The conference featured 23 presentations, of which 12 have been catalogued separately for inclusion in this database. refs., tabs., figs

Residue dissipation and processing factor for dimethomorph, famoxadone and cymoxanil during raisin preparation.

Science.gov (United States)

Shabeer T P, Ahammed; Banerjee, Kaushik; Jadhav, Manjusha; Girame, Rushali; Utture, Sagar; Hingmire, Sandip; Oulkar, Dasharath

2015-03-01

A method was validated for the simultaneous analysis of the residues of dimethomorph, famoxadone and cymoxanil in grape and raisin matrix by ethyl acetate based extraction and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometric analysis. Field studies were conducted to evaluate the dissipation rate kinetics and processing factor (PF) for these pesticides during raisin making. Residue data during the drying process were best fitted to 1st+1st order rate kinetics with half-life ranging between 8-9 days for dimethomorph, 12-13 days for famoxadone and 9-10 days for cymoxanil at single dose (SD) and double dose (DD), respectively. PF values calculated were 1.03 and 1.14 for dimethomorph, 1.95 and 2.09 for famoxadone, and 1.99 and 1.35 for cymoxanil at SD and DD, respectively. PF value >1 indicates concentration of the residues during raisin making. The residues of detected pesticides in market samples of raisins were devoid of any risk of acute toxicity related to dietary exposure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Release of Phosphorus Forms from Cover Crop Residues in Agroecological No-Till Onion Production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodolfo Assis de Oliveira

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Cover crops grown alone or in association can take up different amounts of phosphorus (P from the soil and accumulate it in different P-forms in plant tissue. Cover crop residues with a higher content of readily decomposed forms may release P more quickly for the next onion crop. The aim of this study was to evaluate the release of P forms from residues of single and mixed cover crops in agroecological no-till onion (Allium cepa L. production. The experiment was conducted in Ituporanga, Santa Catarina (SC, Brazil, in an Inceptisol, with the following treatments: weeds, black oat (Avena sativa L., rye (Secale cereale L., oilseed radish (Raphanus sativus L., oilseed radish + black oat, and oilseed radish + rye. Cover crops were sown in April 2013. In July 2013, plant shoots were cut close to the soil surface and part of the material was placed in litterbags. The bags were placed on the soil surface and residues were collected at 0, 15, and 45 days after deposition (DAD. Residues were dried and ground and P in the plant tissue was determined through chemical fractionation. The release of P contained in the tissue of cover crops depends not only on total P content in the tissue, but also on the accumulation of P forms and the quality of the residue in decomposition. The highest accumulation of P in cover crops occurred in the soluble inorganic P fraction, which is the fraction of fastest release in plants. Black oat had the highest initial release rate of soluble inorganic P, which became equal to the release rate of other cover crop residues at 45 DAD. Weeds released only half the amount of soluble inorganic P in the same period, despite accumulating a considerable amount of P in their biomass. The mixtures of oilseed radish + rye and oilseed radish + black oat showed higher release of P associated with RNA at 45 DAD in comparison to the single treatments.

Residual stress and microstructural behaviour of a shot peened steel in fatigue. An X-ray diffraction study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bergstroem, J.

1986-01-01

The surface residual stress behaviour during fatigue of the quenched and tempered medium strength low-alloyed steel SS 2244-05, equivalent to AISI 4140, has been investigated. Notched specimens of shot peened and ground surface conditions were used. The residual stresses were measured by the X-ray diffraction sin/sup 2/psi-method at intervals in the fatigue tests. Fatigue testing was performed with constant load amplitude at nominal pull-push and pull-pull cycling. The effects of peak-load and variable amplitude were also examined. It was found that the residual stress relaxation could be linked to a total mean stress relaxation towards zero, to an extent which is ruled by a softening criteria. Fatigue test data of the shot peened and ground surface conditions are also given. An X-ray diffraction line broadening analysis was undertaken to examine the microstructural behaviour due to fatigue loading and its correlation to the residual stress behaviour. Single-peak analysis with a Voigt-function method was used to estimate the microstructural parameters, domain size and microstrain. Multiple-peak analysis according to the Warren-Averbach method was used to verify the single-peak analysis. The dislocation density was found to decrease depending on the load amplitude, while the dislocation arrangement follows a pattern depending on yield history.

Dissipation pattern, safety evaluation, and generation of processing factor (PF) for pyraclostrobin and metiram residues in grapes during raisin preparation.

Science.gov (United States)

Shabeer T P, Ahammed; Girame, Rushali; Hingmire, Sandip; Banerjee, Kaushik; Sharma, Ajay Kumar; Oulkar, Dasharath; Utture, Sagar; Jadhav, Manjusha

2015-02-01

A residue analysis method was validated for trace level estimation of pyraclostrobin by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and metiram (analyzed as CS2) by gas chromatography mass spectrometry in grapes and raisin matrix. Dissipation of their residues and processing factors (PFs) during raisin making were evaluated through field studies with applications at single dose (SD) and double dose (DD). Residue data during drying process were best fitted to first + first-order kinetics model giving half-life ranging between 6 and 7 days for pyroclostrobin and 4 days for metiram. PFs for metiram and pyraclostrobin related to washing and oil dipping were 0.47 and 0.41, and 0.78 and 0.63 at single dose (SD) and double dose (DD), respectively. PF value of >1 for drying (1.01 and 1.31 for metiram and 1.34 and 1.10 for pyraclostrobin) indicates concentration of the residues during the drying process. The dietary exposure corresponding to average daily consumption of 0.0043 kg raisin per day on each sampling day was less than the respective maximum permissible intake at both the doses.

Thermoelectric single-photon detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuzanyan, A A; Petrosyan, V A; Kuzanyan, A S

2012-01-01

The ability to detect a single photon is the ultimate level of sensitivity in the measurement of optical radiation. Sensors capable of detecting single photons and determining their energy have many scientific and technological applications. Kondo-enhanced Seebeck effect cryogenic detectors are based on thermoelectric heat-to-voltage conversion and voltage readout. We evaluate the prospects of CeB 6 and (La,Ce)B 6 hexaboride crystals for their application as a sensitive element in this type of detectors. We conclude that such detectors can register a single UV photon, have a fast count rate (up to 45 MHz) and a high spectral resolution of 0.1 eV. We calculate the electric potential generated along the thermoelectric sensor upon registering a UV single photon.

Residual biogas yield of digestate from agricultural biogas plants; Restgaspotenzial in Gaerresten aus landwirtschaftlichen Biogasanlagen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lehner, Andreas; Effenberger, Mathias; Kissel, Rainer; Gronauer, Andreas [Bayerische Landesanstalt fuer Landwirtschaft, Freising (Germany). Arbeitsgruppe Biogastechnologie und Reststoffmanagement

2009-07-01

To evaluate the residual biogas yield during storage, biogas tests at a temperature of 22 C were performed with samples of liquid digested residue from 15 agricultural biogas plants (BGP). Values of residual biogas yield between 0.3 and 1.3 % with respect to the biogas yield from the raw input materials were measured. For the two one-stage BGP, the value was about 1.2 %. For the two-stage plants, a residual biogas yield (RBY) of 0.9 % was determined as opposed to 0.4 % for the three-stage plants. With a single exception, the RBY was clearly below 1.0 % if the overall hydraulic retention time in the BGP was equal to or larger than 100 days. For the majority of samples, the residual biogas yield showed a positive correlation with the level of volatile fatty acids in the digestate. Since the real conditions in storage tanks cannot be simulated with a simple batch-test, the results are not representative for the actual biogas production and potential methane emissions from the digestate during open storage. (orig.)

Single electron counting using a dual MCP assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Yuzhen; Liu, Shulin; Zhao, Tianchi; Yan, Baojun; Wang, Peiliang; Yu, Yang; Lei, Xiangcui; Yang, Luping; Wen, Kaile; Qi, Ming

2016-01-01

The gain, pulse height resolution and peak-to-valley ratio of single electrons detected by using a Chevron configured Microchannel Plate (MCP) assembly are studied. The two MCPs are separated by a 280 µm gap and are biased by four electrodes. The purpose of the study is to determine the optimum bias voltage arrangements for single electron counting. By comparing the results of various bias voltage combinations, we conclude that good performance for the electron counting can be achieved by operating the MCP assembly in saturation mode. In addition, by applying a small reverse bias voltage across the gap while adjusting the bias voltages of the MCPs, optimum performance of electron counting can be obtained. - Highlights: • Dual MCPs assembly with four electrodes using different voltage combinations has been investigated for single electron counting. • Both the MCP voltages and the gap voltage can affect the gain, pulse height resolution and P/V ratio. • A high gain of the first stage MCP, a saturation mode of the second stage MCP and an appropriately reverse gap voltage can improve the resolution greatly. • The optimum voltage arrangements is significant for the design of MCP detectors in single electron counting applications.

Multi-Seasonal Nitrogen Recoveries from Crop Residue in Soil and Crop in a Temperate Agro-Ecosystem.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Guoqing; Liu, Xiao; He, Hongbo; Zhang, Wei; Xie, Hongtu; Wu, Yeye; Cui, Jiehua; Sun, Ci; Zhang, Xudong

2015-01-01

In conservation tillage systems, at least 30% of the soil surface was covered by crop residues which generally contain significant amounts of nitrogen (N). However, little is known about the multi-seasonal recoveries of the N derived from these crop residues in soil-crop systems, notably in northeastern China. In a temperate agro-ecosystem, 15N-labeled maize residue was applied to field surfaces in the 1st year (2009). From the 2nd to 4th year (2010-2012), one treatment halted the application of maize residue, whereas the soil in the second treatment was re-applied with unlabeled maize residue. Crop and soil samples were collected after each harvest, and their 15N enrichments were determined on an isotope ratio mass spectrometer to trace the allocation of N derived from the initially applied maize residue in the soil-crop systems. On average, 8.4% of the maize residue N was recovered in the soil-crop in the 1st year, and the vast majority (61.9%-91.9%) was recovered during subsequent years. Throughout the experiment, the cumulative recovery of the residue N in the crop increased gradually (18.2%-20.9%), but most of the residue N was retained in the soil, notably in the 0-10 cm soil layer. Compared to the single application, the sequential residue application significantly increased the recovery of the residue N in the soil profile (73.8% vs. 40.9%) and remarkably decreased the total and the initially applied residue derived mineral N along the soil profile. Our results suggested that the residue N was actively involved in N cycling, and its release and recovery in crop and soil profile were controlled by the decomposition process. Sequential residue application significantly enhanced the retention and stabilization of the initially applied residue N in the soil and retarded its translocation along the soil profile.

Solid residues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mulder, E.; Duin, P.J. van; Grootenboer, G.J.

1995-01-01

A summary is presented of the many investigations that have been done on solid residues of atmospheric fluid bed combustion (AFBC). These residues are bed ash, cyclone ash and bag filter ash. Physical and chemical properties are discussed and then the various uses of residues (in fillers, bricks, gravel, and for recovery of aluminium) are summarised. Toxicological properties of fly ash and stack ash are discussed as are risks of pneumoconiosis for workers handling fly ash, and contamination of water by ashes. On the basis of present information it is concluded that risks to public health from exposure to emissions of coal fly ash from AFBC appear small or negligible as are health risk to workers in the coal fly ash processing industry. 35 refs., 5 figs., 12 tabs

Bio-energy conversion performance, biodegradability, and kinetic analysis of different fruit residues during discontinuous anaerobic digestion.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Chen; Yan, Hu; Liu, Yan; Huang, Yan; Zhang, Ruihong; Chen, Chang; Liu, Guangqing

2016-06-01

Huge amounts of fruit residues are produced and abandoned annually. The high moisture and organic contents of these residues makes them a big problem to the environment. Conversely, they are a potential resource to the world. Anaerobic digestion is a good way to utilize these organic wastes. In this study, the biomethane conversion performances of a large number of fruit residues were determined and compared using batch anaerobic digestion, a reliable and easily accessible method. The results showed that some fruit residues containing high contents of lipids and carbohydrates, such as loquat peels and rambutan seeds, were well fit for anaerobic digestion. Contrarily, residues with high lignin content were strongly recommended not to be used as a single substrate for methane production. Multiple linear regression model was adopted to simulate the correlation between the organic component of these fruit residues and their experimental methane yield, through which the experimental methane yield could probably be predicted for any other fruit residues. Four kinetic models were used to predict the batch anaerobic digestion process of different fruit residues. It was shown that the modified Gompertz and Cone models were better fit for the fruit residues compared to the first-order and Fitzhugh models. The first findings of this study could provide useful reference and guidance for future studies regarding the applications and potential utilization of fruit residues. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High definition TV projection via single crystal faceplate technology

Science.gov (United States)

Kindl, H. J.; St. John, Thomas

1993-03-01

Single crystal phosphor faceplates are epitaxial phosphors grown on crystalline substrates with the advantages of high light output, resolution, and extended operational life. Single crystal phosphor faceplate industrial technology in the United States is capable of providing a faceplate appropriate to the projection industry of up to four (4) inches in diameter. Projection systems incorporating cathode ray tubes utilizing single crystal phosphor faceplates will produce 1500 lumens of white light with 1000 lines of resolution, non-interlaced. This 1500 lumen projection system will meet all of the currently specified luminance and resolution requirements of Visual Display systems for flight simulators. Significant logistic advantages accrue from the introduction of single crystal phosphor faceplate CRT's. Specifically, the full performance life of a CRT is expected to increase by a factor of five (5); ie, from 2000 to 10,000 hours of operation. There will be attendant reductions in maintenance time, spare CRT requirements, system down time, etc. The increased brightness of the projection system will allow use of lower gain, lower cost simulator screen material. Further, picture performance characteristics will be more balanced across the full simulator.

The fuel characteristics of logging residue and their response to storage; Puupolttoaineen laadunvalvonta

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nurmi, J [Finnish Forest Research Inst., Kannus (Finland). Kannus Research Station

1997-12-01

Logging residue is one of the major biomass reserves of Finland available for energy production. Some 29 million m{sup 3} of this residue material is left in the forest annually in conjunction with logging operations. The technically harvestable annual reserve is estimated to consist of 8.6 million m{sup 3} biomass needles included, or 5.6 million m{sup 3} needles excluded. The present technology is based on the mechanised harvesting of stemwood with single-grip harvesters, off- road transport of residue to road side with forwarders, chipping at the road side and truck transport of chips. The amount used at heating plants in 1995 was estimated to only 50 000 m{sup 3} solid or less than 1 % of the harvestable reserve. The aim of the Project 125 is to find out how the fuel characteristics and the elemental composition of logging residue change over time in different storage conditions. Based on the information from the first year experiments it can be concluded that the season of comminution is of importance. The enforced paper cover that was used to protect the residue from precipitation did not improve the fuel quality. In addition the release of elements from the needle was found to be very slow. (orig.)

Different finite element techniques to predict welding residual stresses in aluminum alloy plates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moein, Hadi; Sattari-Far, Iradj

2014-01-01

This study is a 3D thermomechanical finite element (FE) analysis of a single-pass and butt-welded work-hardened aluminum (Al) 5456 plates. It aims to validate the use of FE welding simulations to predict residual stress states in assessing the integrity of welded components. The predicted final residual stresses in the plate from the FE simulations are verified through comparison with experimental measurements. Three techniques are used to simulate the welding process. In the first two approaches, welding deposition is applied by using element birth and interaction techniques. In the third approach, the entire weld zone is simultaneously deposited. Results show a value at approximately the yield strength for longitudinal residual stresses of the welded center of the butt-welded Al alloy plates with a thickness of 2 mm. Considering the application of a comprehensive heat source, along with heat loss modeling and the temperature dependent properties of the material, the approach without deposition predicts a reasonable distribution of residual stresses. However, the element birth and interaction techniques, compared with the no-deposit technique, provide more accurate results in calculating residual stresses. Furthermore, the element interaction technique, compared with the element birth technique, exhibits higher efficiency and flexibility in modeling the deposition of welded metals as well as less modeling cost.

Development and assessment of multiplex high resolution melting assay as a tool for rapid single-tube identification of five Brucella species.

Science.gov (United States)

Gopaul, Krishna K; Sells, Jessica; Lee, Robin; Beckstrom-Sternberg, Stephen M; Foster, Jeffrey T; Whatmore, Adrian M

2014-12-11

The zoonosis brucellosis causes economically significant reproductive problems in livestock and potentially debilitating disease of humans. Although the causative agent, organisms from the genus Brucella, can be differentiated into a number of species based on phenotypic characteristics, there are also significant differences in genotype that are concordant with individual species. This paper describes the development of a five target multiplex assay to identify five terrestrial Brucella species using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and subsequent high resolution melt curve analysis. This technology offers a robust and cost effective alternative to previously described hydrolysis-probe Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP)-based species defining assays. Through the use of Brucella whole genome sequencing five species defining SNPs were identified. Individual HRM assays were developed to these target these changes and, following optimisation of primer concentrations, it was possible to multiplex all five assays in a single tube. In a validation exercise using a panel of 135 Brucella strains of terrestrial and marine origin, it was possible to distinguish the five target species from the other species within this panel. The HRM multiplex offers a number of diagnostic advantages over previously described SNP-based typing approaches. Further, and uniquely for HRM, the successful multiplexing of five assays in a single tube allowing differentiation of five Brucella species in the diagnostic laboratory in a cost-effective and timely manner is described. However there are possible limitations to using this platform on DNA extractions direct from clinical material.

Ultrafast terahertz scanning tunneling microscopy with atomic resolution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jelic, Vedran; Iwaszczuk, Krzysztof; Nguyen, Peter H.

2016-01-01

We demonstrate that ultrafast terahertz scanning tunneling microscopy (THz-STM) can probe single atoms on a silicon surface with simultaneous sub-nanometer and sub-picosecond spatio-temporal resolution. THz-STM is established as a new technique for exploring high-field non-equilibrium tunneling...

A new omni-directional multi-camera system for high resolution surveillance

Science.gov (United States)

Cogal, Omer; Akin, Abdulkadir; Seyid, Kerem; Popovic, Vladan; Schmid, Alexandre; Ott, Beat; Wellig, Peter; Leblebici, Yusuf

2014-05-01

Omni-directional high resolution surveillance has a wide application range in defense and security fields. Early systems used for this purpose are based on parabolic mirror or fisheye lens where distortion due to the nature of the optical elements cannot be avoided. Moreover, in such systems, the image resolution is limited to a single image sensor's image resolution. Recently, the Panoptic camera approach that mimics the eyes of flying insects using multiple imagers has been presented. This approach features a novel solution for constructing a spherically arranged wide FOV plenoptic imaging system where the omni-directional image quality is limited by low-end sensors. In this paper, an overview of current Panoptic camera designs is provided. New results for a very-high resolution visible spectrum imaging and recording system inspired from the Panoptic approach are presented. The GigaEye-1 system, with 44 single cameras and 22 FPGAs, is capable of recording omni-directional video in a 360°×100° FOV at 9.5 fps with a resolution over (17,700×4,650) pixels (82.3MP). Real-time video capturing capability is also verified at 30 fps for a resolution over (9,000×2,400) pixels (21.6MP). The next generation system with significantly higher resolution and real-time processing capacity, called GigaEye-2, is currently under development. The important capacity of GigaEye-1 opens the door to various post-processing techniques in surveillance domain such as large perimeter object tracking, very-high resolution depth map estimation and high dynamicrange imaging which are beyond standard stitching and panorama generation methods.

Spatial-temporal ultrasound imaging of residual cavitation bubbles around a fluid-tissue interface in histotripsy.

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Hu, Hong; Xu, Shanshan; Yuan, Yuan; Liu, Runna; Wang, Supin; Wan, Mingxi

2015-05-01

Cavitation is considered as the primary mechanism of soft tissue fragmentation (histotripsy) by pulsed high-intensity focused ultrasound. The residual cavitation bubbles have a dual influence on the histotripsy pulses: these serve as nuclei for easy generation of new cavitation, and act as strong scatterers causing energy "shadowing." To monitor the residual cavitation bubbles in histotripsy, an ultrafast active cavitation imaging method with relatively high signal-to-noise ratio and good spatial-temporal resolution was proposed in this paper, which combined plane wave transmission, minimum variance beamforming, and coherence factor weighting. The spatial-temporal evolutions of residual cavitation bubbles around a fluid-tissue interface in histotripsy under pulse duration (PD) of 10-40 μs and pulse repetition frequency (PRF) of 0.67-2 kHz were monitored by this method. The integrated bubble area curves inside the tissue interface were acquired from the bubble image sequence, and the formation process of histotripsy damage was estimated. It was observed that the histotripsy efficiency decreased with both longer PDs and higher PRFs. A direct relationship with a coefficient of 1.0365 between histotripsy lesion area and inner residual bubble area was found. These results can assist in monitoring and optimization of the histotripsy treatment further.

Single Fluorescent Molecules as Nano-Illuminators for Biological Structure and Function

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Moerner, W. E.

2011-03-01

Since the first optical detection and spectroscopy of a single molecule in a solid (Phys. Rev. Lett. {62}, 2535 (1989)), much has been learned about the ability of single molecules to probe local nanoenvironments and individual behavior in biological and nonbiological materials in the absence of ensemble averaging that can obscure heterogeneity. Because each single fluorophore acts a light source roughly 1 nm in size, microscopic imaging of individual fluorophores leads naturally to superlocalization, or determination of the position of the molecule with precision beyond the optical diffraction limit, simply by digitization of the point-spread function from the single emitter. For example, the shape of single filaments in a living cell can be extracted simply by allowing a single molecule to move through the filament (PNAS {103}, 10929 (2006)). The addition of photoinduced control of single-molecule emission allows imaging beyond the diffraction limit (super-resolution) and a new array of acronyms (PALM, STORM, F-PALM etc.) and advances have appeared. We have used the native blinking and switching of a common yellow-emitting variant of green fluorescent protein (EYFP) reported more than a decade ago (Nature {388}, 355 (1997)) to achieve sub-40 nm super-resolution imaging of several protein structures in the bacterium Caulobacter crescentus: the quasi-helix of the actin-like protein MreB (Nat. Meth. {5}, 947 (2008)), the cellular distribution of the DNA binding protein HU (submitted), and the recently discovered division spindle composed of ParA filaments (Nat. Cell Biol. {12}, 791 (2010)). Even with these advances, better emitters would provide more photons and improved resolution, and a new photoactivatable small-molecule emitter has recently been synthesized and targeted to specific structures in living cells to provide super-resolution images (JACS {132}, 15099 (2010)). Finally, a new optical method for extracting three-dimensional position information based on

Multiclass methods for the analysis of antibiotic residues in milk by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry: A review.

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Rossi, Rosanna; Saluti, Giorgio; Moretti, Simone; Diamanti, Irene; Giusepponi, Danilo; Galarini, Roberta

2018-02-01

Milk is an important and beneficial food from a nutritional point of view, being an indispensable source of high quality proteins. Furthermore, it is a raw material for many dairy products, such as yoghurt, cheese, cream etc. Before reaching consumers, milk goes through production, processing and circulation. Each step involves potentially unsafe factors, such as chemical contamination that can affect milk quality. Antibiotics are widely used in veterinary medicine for dry cow therapy and mastitis treatment in lactating cows, which can cause the presence of antimicrobial residues in milk. In order to ensure consumers' safety, milk is analyzed to make sure that the fixed Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for antibiotics are not exceeded. Multiclass methods can monitor more drug classes through a single analysis, so they are faster, less time-consuming and cheaper than traditional methods (single-class); this aspect is particularly important for milk, which is a highly perishable food. Nevertheless, multiclass methods for veterinary drug residues in foodstuffs are real analytical challenges. This article reviews the major multiclass methods published for the determination of antibiotic residues in milk by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, with a special focus on sample preparation approaches.

Mutation Scanning in a Single and a Stacked Genetically Modified (GM) Event by Real-Time PCR and High Resolution Melting (HRM) Analysis

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Ben Ali, Sina-Elisabeth; Madi, Zita Erika; Hochegger, Rupert; Quist, David; Prewein, Bernhard; Haslberger, Alexander G.; Brandes, Christian

2014-01-01

Genetic mutations must be avoided during the production and use of seeds. In the European Union (EU), Directive 2001/18/EC requires any DNA construct introduced via transformation to be stable. Establishing genetic stability is critical for the approval of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). In this study, genetic stability of two GMOs was examined using high resolution melting (HRM) analysis and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) employing Scorpion primers for amplification. The genetic variability of the transgenic insert and that of the flanking regions in a single oilseed rape variety (GT73) and a stacked maize (MON88017 × MON810) was studied. The GT73 and the 5' region of MON810 showed no instabilities in the examined regions. However; two out of 100 analyzed samples carried a heterozygous point mutation in the 3' region of MON810 in the stacked variety. These results were verified by direct sequencing of the amplified PCR products as well as by sequencing of cloned PCR fragments. The occurrence of the mutation suggests that the 5' region is more suitable than the 3' region for the quantification of MON810. The identification of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in a stacked event is in contrast to the results of earlier studies of the same MON810 region in a single event where no DNA polymorphism was found. PMID:25365178

Screening of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Populations with Single-Cell Resolution by Using a High-Throughput Microscale Sample Preparation for Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Krismer, Jasmin; Sobek, Jens; Steinhoff, Robert F; Fagerer, Stephan R; Pabst, Martin; Zenobi, Renato

2015-08-15

The consequences of cellular heterogeneity, such as biocide persistence, can only be tackled by studying each individual in a cell population. Fluorescent tags provide tools for the high-throughput analysis of genomes, RNA transcripts, or proteins on the single-cell level. However, the analysis of lower-molecular-weight compounds that elude tagging is still a great challenge. Here, we describe a novel high-throughput microscale sample preparation technique for single cells that allows a mass spectrum to be obtained for each individual cell within a microbial population. The approach presented includes spotting Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cells, using a noncontact microarrayer, onto a specialized slide and controlled lysis of cells separated on the slide. Throughout the sample preparation, analytes were traced and individual steps optimized using autofluorescence detection of chlorophyll. The lysates of isolated cells are subjected to a direct, label-free analysis using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry. Thus, we were able to differentiate individual cells of two Chlamydomonas reinhardtii strains based on single-cell mass spectra. Furthermore, we showed that only population profiles with real single-cell resolution render a nondistorted picture of the phenotypes contained in a population. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS) Porters, LacY, FucP and XylE of Escherichia coli Appear to have Evolved Positionally Dissimilar Catalytic Residues without Rearrangement of 3-TMS Repeat Units

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Västermark, Åke; Lunt, Bryan; Saier, Milton

2014-01-01

Based on alleged functional residue correspondences between FucP and LacY, a recent study has resulted in a proposed model of 3-TMS unit rearrangements [Madej et al., 2013]. We rebut this theory, using seven different lines of evidence. Our observations suggest that these two transporters are homologous throughout their lengths, having evolved from a common ancestor without repeat unit rearrangements. We exploit the availability of the high resolution XylE crystal structures in multiple conformations including the inward facing state to render possible direct comparisons with LacY. Based on a Δdistance map, we confirm the conclusion of Quistgaard et al. 2013 that the N-terminal 6 TMS halves of these transporters are internally less mobile than the second halves during the conformational transition from the outward occluded state to the inward occluded state and inward occluded state to inward open state. These observations, together with those of Madej et al., 2013, lead to the suggestion that functionally equivalent catalytic residues involved in substrate binding and transport catalysis have evolved in dissimilar positions, but apparently often in similar positions in the putative 3-TMS repeat units, from a single structural scaffold without intragenic rearrangement. PMID:24603210

Adaptive Markov Random Fields for Example-Based Super-resolution of Faces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephenson Todd A

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Image enhancement of low-resolution images can be done through methods such as interpolation, super-resolution using multiple video frames, and example-based super-resolution. Example-based super-resolution, in particular, is suited to images that have a strong prior (for those frameworks that work on only a single image, it is more like image restoration than traditional, multiframe super-resolution. For example, hallucination and Markov random field (MRF methods use examples drawn from the same domain as the image being enhanced to determine what the missing high-frequency information is likely to be. We propose to use even stronger prior information by extending MRF-based super-resolution to use adaptive observation and transition functions, that is, to make these functions region-dependent. We show with face images how we can adapt the modeling for each image patch so as to improve the resolution.

Adaptive Markov Random Fields for Example-Based Super-resolution of Faces

Science.gov (United States)

Stephenson, Todd A.; Chen, Tsuhan

2006-12-01

Image enhancement of low-resolution images can be done through methods such as interpolation, super-resolution using multiple video frames, and example-based super-resolution. Example-based super-resolution, in particular, is suited to images that have a strong prior (for those frameworks that work on only a single image, it is more like image restoration than traditional, multiframe super-resolution). For example, hallucination and Markov random field (MRF) methods use examples drawn from the same domain as the image being enhanced to determine what the missing high-frequency information is likely to be. We propose to use even stronger prior information by extending MRF-based super-resolution to use adaptive observation and transition functions, that is, to make these functions region-dependent. We show with face images how we can adapt the modeling for each image patch so as to improve the resolution.

A first principles study of the binding of formic acid in catalase complementing high resolution X-ray structures