Deforming baryons into confining strings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hartnoll, Sean A.; Portugues, Ruben

2004-09-15

We find explicit probe D3-brane solutions in the infrared of the Maldacena-Nunez background. The solutions describe deformed baryon vertices: q external quarks are separated in spacetime from the remaining N-q. As the separation is taken to infinity we recover known solutions describing infinite confining strings in N=1 gauge theory. We present results for the mass of finite confining strings as a function of length. We also find probe D2-brane solutions in a confining type IIA geometry, the reduction of a G{sub 2} holonomy M theory background. The relation between these deformed baryons and confining strings is not as straightforward.

Infrared near-field spectroscopy of trace explosives using an external cavity quantum cascade laser.

PubMed

Craig, Ian M; Taubman, Matthew S; Lea, A Scott; Phillips, Mark C; Josberger, Erik E; Raschke, Markus B

2013-12-16

Utilizing a broadly-tunable external cavity quantum cascade laser for scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM), we measure infrared spectra of particles of explosives by probing characteristic nitro-group resonances in the 7.1-7.9 µm wavelength range. Measurements are presented with spectral resolution of 0.25 cm(-1), spatial resolution of 25 nm, sensitivity better than 100 attomoles, and at a rapid acquisition time of 90 s per spectrum. We demonstrate high reproducibility of the acquired s-SNOM spectra with very high signal-to-noise ratios and relative noise of <0.02 in self-homodyne detection.

A Small U-Shaped Bending-Induced Interference Optical Fiber Sensor for the Measurement of Glucose Solutions.

PubMed

Fang, Yu-Lin; Wang, Chen-Tung; Chiang, Chia-Chin

2016-09-09

The study proposes a small U-shaped bending-induced interference optical fiber sensor; this novel sensor is a probe-type sensor manufactured using a mechanical device, a heat source, optical fiber and a packaging module. This probe-type sensor overcomes the shortcomings of conventional optical fibers, including being difficult to repair and a tendency to be influenced by external forces. We manufactured three types of sensors with different curvature radiuses. Specifically, sensors with three radiuses (1.5 mm, 2.0 mm, and 3.0 mm) were used to measure common water and glucose solutions with concentrations of between 6% and 30% (the interval between concentrations was 4%). The results show that the maximal sensitivity was 0.85 dB/% and that the linearly-dependent coefficient was 0.925. The results further show that not only can the small U-shaped bending-induced interference optical fiber sensor achieve high sensitivity in the measurement of glucose solutions, but that it can also achieve great stability and repeatability.

Protective shield for an instrument probe

DOEpatents

Johnsen, Howard A.; Ross, James R.; Birtola, Sal R.

2004-10-26

A shield is disclosed that is particularly useful for protecting exposed optical elements at the end of optical probes used in the analysis of hazardous emissions in and around an industrial environment from the contaminating effects of those emissions. The instant invention provides a hood or cowl in the shape of a right circular cylinder that can be fitted over the end of such optical probes. The hood provides a clear aperture through which the probe can perform unobstructed analysis. The probe optical elements are protected from the external environment by passing a dry gas through the interior of the hood and out through the hood aperture in sufficient quantity and velocity to prevent any significant mixing between the internal and external environments. Additionally, the hood is provided with a cooling jacket to lessen the potential for damaging the probe due to temperature excursions.

Carbon-nanotube probes for three-dimensional critical-dimension metrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, B. C.; Ahn, S. J.; Choi, J.; Jung, K. Y.; Song, W. Y.

2006-03-01

We fabricate three kinds of carbon nanotube (CNT) probes to be employed in critical dimension atomic force microscope (CD-AFM). Despite unique advantages in its size and hardness, use of nanotube tip has been limited due to the lack of reproducible control of CNT orientation and its shape. We proposed that CNT alignment issues can be addressed based on the ion beam bending process, where a CNT free-standing on the apex of an AFM tip aligns itself in parallel to the FIB direction so that its free end is directed toward the ion source, with no external electric or magnetic field involved. The process allowed us to embody cylindrical probes of CNT diameters, and subsequently two additional types of CNT tips. One is ball-ended CNT tip which has, at the end of CNT tip, side-protrusions of tungsten/amorphous carbon in the horizontal dithering direction. The other is 'bent' CNT tip where the end of CNT is bent to a side direction. Using the former type of CNT tip, both sides of trench/line sidewall can be measured except for bottom corners, while the corners can be reached with the latter type, but the only one sidewall can be measured at a tip setting. The three types of tips appear to satisfy the requirements in both the size and accessibility to the re-entrant sidewall, and are awaiting actual test in CD-AFM.

Detection of single-nucleotide polymorphisms using an ON-OFF switching of regenerated biosensor based on a locked nucleic acid-integrated and toehold-mediated strand displacement reaction.

PubMed

Gao, Zhong Feng; Ling, Yu; Lu, Lu; Chen, Ning Yu; Luo, Hong Qun; Li, Nian Bing

2014-03-04

Although various strategies have been reported for single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) detection, development of a time-saving, specific, and regenerated electrochemical sensing platform still remains a realistic goal. In this study, an ON-OFF switching of a regenerated biosensor based on a locked nucleic acid (LNA)-integrated and toehold-mediated strand displacement reaction technique is constructed for detection of SNPs. The LNA-integrated and methylene blue-labeled capture probe with an external toehold is designed to switch on the sensing system. The mutant-type DNA probe completes complementary with the capture probe to trigger the strand displacement reaction, which switches off the sensing system. However, when the single-base mismatched wild-type DNA probe is presented, the strand displacement reaction cannot be achieved; therefore, the sensing system still keeps the ON state. This DNA sensor is stable over five reuses. We further testify that the LNA-integrated sequence has better recognition ability for SNPs detection compared to the DNA-integrated sequence. Moreover, this DNA senor exhibits a remarkable discrimination capability of SNPs among abundant wild-type targets and 6000-fold (m/m) excess of genomic DNA. In addition, it is selective enough in complex and contaminant-ridden samples, such as human urine, soil, saliva, and beer. Overall, these results demonstrate that this reliable DNA sensor is easy to be fabricated, simple to operate, and stable enough to be readily regenerated.

Implant for in-vivo parameter monitoring, processing and transmitting

DOEpatents

Ericson, Milton N [Knoxville, TN; McKnight, Timothy E [Greenback, TN; Smith, Stephen F [London, TN; Hylton, James O [Clinton, TN

2009-11-24

The present invention relates to a completely implantable intracranial pressure monitor, which can couple to existing fluid shunting systems as well as other internal monitoring probes. The implant sensor produces an analog data signal which is then converted electronically to a digital pulse by generation of a spreading code signal and then transmitted to a location outside the patient by a radio-frequency transmitter to an external receiver. The implanted device can receive power from an internal source as well as an inductive external source. Remote control of the implant is also provided by a control receiver which passes commands from an external source to the implant system logic. Alarm parameters can be programmed into the device which are capable of producing an audible or visual alarm signal. The utility of the monitor can be greatly expanded by using multiple pressure sensors simultaneously or by combining sensors of various physiological types.

Implantable device for in-vivo intracranial and cerebrospinal fluid pressure monitoring

DOEpatents

Ericson, Milton N.; McKnight, Timothy E.; Smith, Stephen F.; Hylton, James O.

2003-01-01

The present invention relates to a completely implantable intracranial pressure monitor, which can couple to existing fluid shunting systems as well as other internal monitoring probes. The implant sensor produces an analog data signal which is then converted electronically to a digital pulse by generation of a spreading code signal and then transmitted to a location outside the patient by a radio-frequency transmitter to an external receiver. The implanted device can receive power from an internal source as well as an inductive external source. Remote control of the implant is also provided by a control receiver which passes commands from an external source to the implant system logic. Alarm parameters can be programmed into the device which are capable of producing an audible or visual alarm signal. The utility of the monitor can be greatly expanded by using multiple pressure sensors simultaneously or by combining sensors of various physiological types.

A resumable two-photon fluorescent probe for Cu2+ and S2- based on magnetic silica core-shell Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles and its application in bioimaging.

PubMed

Jiang, Huie; Liu, Yan; Luo, Weifang; Wang, Yujiao; Tang, Xiaoliang; Dou, Wei; Cui, Yumei; Liu, Weisheng

2018-07-19

A two-photon fluorescent probe for Cu 2+ and S 2- has been strategically prepared with naphthalimide derivative platform (NPE) covalently grafted onto the surface of magnetic core-shell Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 nanoparticles. The probe (NPE-Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 ) exhibits selective response to Cu 2+ with enhanced fluorescence and efficient separation of Cu 2+ with external magnetic field. The consequent product NPE-Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 -Cu of NPE-Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 and Cu 2+ can work as an excellent sensor for S 2- by removing Cu 2+ from the complex with fluorescence decreased, recovering the fluorescence of the probe. Therefore, the constituted Off-On-Off type fluorescence monitoring system means the probe is resumable. Moreover, the probe has been used to quantitatively detect Cu 2+ and S 2- with low detection limits, which are 0.28 μM and 0.12 μM, respectively. Furthermore, the probe shows low cytotoxicity and excellent membrane permeability, which has been successfully applied for monitoring Cu 2+ and S 2- in living cells and imaging Cu 2+ in deep-tissue with two-photon excited fluorescence. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Survival of patients with glioblastoma multiforme treated by intraoperative high-activity cobalt 60 endocurietherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kumar, P.P.; Good, R.R.; Jones, E.O.

The authors report their initial treatment results in 49 patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GM) who received intraoperative endocurietherapy (ECT) with high-activity cobalt 60 ({sup 60}Co) probe. Thirty poor prognosis (unresectable tumor) patients (Group I) with newly diagnosed GM were treated by either biopsy or subtotal excision, followed by 20.00-Gy single-fraction {sup 60}Co probe ECT, and 60.00-Gy external-beam radiation therapy (EXRT) (80.00 Gy total tumor dose). Nineteen patients (Group II) with recurrent, previously resected and externally irradiated GM were retreated with 20.00-Gy single-fraction {sup 60}Co probe ECT alone. The authors' initial experience with intraoperative ECT of GM is discussed.

Contribution of intraoperative neuromonitoring to the identification of the external branch of superior laryngeal nerve

PubMed Central

Aygün, Nurcihan; Uludağ, Mehmet; İşgör, Adnan

2017-01-01

Objective We evaluated the contribution of intraoperative neuromonitoring to the visual and functional identification of the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve. Material and Methods The prospectively collected data of patients who underwent thyroid surgery with intraoperative neuromonitoring for external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve exploration were assessed retrospectively. The surface endotracheal tube-based Medtronic NIM3 intraoperative neuromonitoring device was used. The external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve function was evaluated by the cricothyroid muscle twitch. In addition, contribution of external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve to the vocal cord adduction was evaluated using electromyographic records. Results The study included data of 126 (female, 103; male, 23) patients undergoing thyroid surgery, with a mean age of 46.2±12.2 years (range, 18–75 years), and 215 neck sides were assessed. Two hundred and one (93.5%) of 215 external branch of the superior laryngeal nerves were identified, of which 60 (27.9%) were identified visually before being stimulated with a monopolar stimulator probe. Eighty-nine (41.4%) external branch of the superior laryngeal nerves were identified visually after being identified with a probe. Although 52 (24.1%) external branch of the superior laryngeal nerves were identified with a probe, they were not visualized. Intraoperative neuromonitoring provided a significant contribution to visual (p<0.001) and functional (p<0.001) identification of external branch of the superior laryngeal nerves. Additionally, positive electromyographic responses were recorded from 160 external branch of the superior laryngeal nerves (74.4%). Conclusion Intraoperative neuromonitoring provides an important contribution to visual and functional identification of external branch of the superior laryngeal nerves. We believe that it can not be predicted whether the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve is at risk or not and the nerve is often invisible; thus, intraoperative neuromonitoring may routinely be used in superior pole dissection. Glottic electromyography response obtained via external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve stimulation provides quantifiable information in addition to the simple visualization of the cricothyroid muscle twitch. PMID:28944328

Fundamental Studies of SUBSONIC and Transonic Flow Separation. Part 3. Third Phase Summary Report

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-10-01

circular bump using a laser velocimeter and pitot probe. They point out that external probes like pitot probes or rakes of different kinds may...numerical Navier-Stokes solutions for high Reynolds number two-dimenslonal flow. The flow conditions have been extended to include low supersonic free...Setups . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Shock Holder and Its Orientation in the Tunnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Pitot and Cone Probes Mounted on

The sandwich-type electrochemiluminescence immunosensor for α-fetoprotein based on enrichment by Fe3O4-Au magnetic nano probes and signal amplification by CdS-Au composite nanoparticles labeled anti-AFP.

PubMed

Zhou, Hankun; Gan, Ning; Li, Tianhua; Cao, Yuting; Zeng, Saolin; Zheng, Lei; Guo, Zhiyong

2012-10-09

A novel and sensitive sandwich-type electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunosensor was fabricated on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) for ultra trace levels of α-fetoprotein (AFP) based on sandwich immunoreaction strategy by enrichment using magnetic capture probes and quantum dots coated with Au shell (CdS-Au) as the signal tag. The capture probe was prepared by immobilizing the primary antibody of AFP (Ab1) on the core/shell Fe(3)O(4)-Au nanoparticles, which was first employed to capture AFP antigens to form Fe(3)O(4)-Au/Ab1/AFP complex from the serum after incubation. The product can be separated from the background solution through the magnetic separation. Then the CdS-Au labeled secondary antibody (Ab2) as signal tag (CdS-Au/Ab2) was conjugated successfully with Fe(3)O(4)-Au/Ab1/AFP complex to form a sandwich-type immunocomplex (Fe(3)O(4)-Au/Ab1/AFP/Ab2/CdS-Au), which can be further separated by an external magnetic field and produce ECL signals at a fixed voltage. The signal was proportional to a certain concentration range of AFP for quantification. Thus, an easy-to-use immunosensor with magnetic probes and a quantum dots signal tag was obtained. The immunosensor performed at a level of high sensitivity and a broad concentration range for AFP between 0.0005 and 5.0 ng mL(-1) with a detection limit of 0.2 pg mL(-1). The use of magnetic probes was combined with pre-concentration and separation for trace levels of tumor markers in the serum. Due to the amplification of the signal tag, the immunosensor is highly sensitive, which can offer great promise for rapid, simple, selective and cost-effective detection of effective biomonitoring for clinical application. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Study of the Accelerating Channel Wall Property Influence on the Hall Thruster Discharge Characteristics

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-11-01

Hall thruster characteristics there was prepared Hall thruster model of the SPT-100 type for these experiments and there were manufactured the required discharge chamber parts (rings) made of the Russian BN-SiO2 (borosil) ceramics and of the Russian AIN-BN (ABN) and Western ABN ceramics having secondary electron emission yield (SEEY) different from that one for borosil. These parts were replaceable during experiments. Thruster model was equipped by set of the near wall probes mounted at external discharge chamber wall. There was made characterization

Hydrogen bonds in the vicinity of the special pair of the bacterial reaction center probed by hydrostatic high-pressure absorption spectroscopy.

PubMed

Kangur, Liina; Jones, Michael R; Freiberg, Arvi

2017-12-01

Using the native bacteriochlorophyll a pigment cofactors as local probes, we investigated the response to external hydrostatic high pressure of reaction center membrane protein complexes from the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides. Wild-type and engineered complexes were used with a varied number (0, 1 or 2) of hydrogen bonds that bind the reaction center primary donor bacteriochlorophyll cofactors to the surrounding protein scaffold. A pressure-induced breakage of hydrogen bonds was established for both detergent-purified and membrane-embedded reaction centers, but at rather different pressures: between 0.2 and 0.3GPa and at about 0.55GPa, respectively. The free energy change associated with the rupture of the single hydrogen bond present in wild-type reaction centers was estimated to be equal to 13-14kJ/mol. In the mutant with two symmetrical hydrogen bonds (FM197H) a single cooperative rupture of the two bonds was observed corresponding to an about twice stronger bond, rather than a sequential rupture of two individual bonds. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Planar Tunneling Spectroscopy of Graphene Nanodevices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Joel I.-Jan; Bretheau, Landry; Pisoni, Riccardo; Watanabe, Kenji; Taniguchi, Takashi; Jarillo-Herrero, Pablo

2-D Van-der-Waals mesoscopic physics have seen a rapid development in the last 10 years, with new materials each year added to the toolbox. Stacking them like Lego enables the combination of their individual electronic properties. In particular, hexagonal boron nitride, which is an insulator, gives the possibility to perform planar (2-D to 2-D) tunneling spectroscopy within this type of heterostructures. Unlike standard transport measurements, tunneling spectroscopy enables to probe the electronic properties in the energy domain. Moreover, since planar tunneling probes a large area of the system, global quantum features such as quantum Hall effect, superconducting proximity effect or quantum confinement can be investigated. In this talk, we will present implementation of heterostructures consisting of graphene, hexagonal boron nitride, and graphite, fabricated for planar tunneling spectroscopy. In order to reveal the intrinsic properties of materials, the fabrication scheme aims at preserving the pristine nature of the 2-DEGS as well as minimizing the doping introduced by external probes. As a demonstration, measurements of these devices in normal states, high magnetic field environment, and induced superconducting state will be presented.

The response of rotating machinery to external random vibration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tessarzik, J. M.; Chiang, T.; Badgley, R. H.

1974-01-01

A high-speed turbogenerator employing gas-lubricated hydrodynamic journal and thrust bearings was subjected to external random vibrations for the purpose of assessing bearing performance in a dynamic environment. The pivoted-pad type journal bearings and the step-sector thrust bearing supported a turbine-driven rotor weighing approximately twenty-one pounds at a nominal operating speed of 36,000 rpm. The response amplitudes of both the rigid-supported and flexible-supported bearing pads, the gimballed thrust bearing, and the rotor relative to the machine casing were measured with capacitance type displacement probes. Random vibrations were applied by means of a large electrodynamic shaker at input levels ranging between 0.5 g (rms) and 1.5 g (rms). Vibrations were applied both along and perpendicular to the rotor axis. Response measurements were analyzed for amplitude distribution and power spectral density. Experimental results compare well with calculations of amplitude power spectral density made for the case where the vibrations were applied along the rotor axis. In this case, the rotor-bearing system was treated as a linear, three-mass model.

Characterization of a Laser-Generated Perturbation in High-Speed Flow for Receptivity Studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chou, Amanda; Schneider, Steven P.; Kegerise, Michael A.

2014-01-01

A better understanding of receptivity can contribute to the development of an amplitude-based method of transition prediction. This type of prediction model would incorporate more physics than the semi-empirical methods, which are widely used. The experimental study of receptivity requires a characterization of the external disturbances and a study of their effect on the boundary layer instabilities. Characterization measurements for a laser-generated perturbation were made in two different wind tunnels. These measurements were made with hot-wire probes, optical techniques, and pressure transducer probes. Existing methods all have their limitations, so better measurements will require the development of new instrumentation. Nevertheless, the freestream laser-generated perturbation has been shown to be about 6 mm in diameter at a static density of about 0.045 kg/cubic m. The amplitude of the perturbation is large, which may be unsuitable for the study of linear growth.

MAGNETOMETER

DOEpatents

Leavitt, M.A.

1958-11-18

A magnetometer ls described, partlcularly to a device which accurately indicates the polarity and intensity of a magnetlc field. The main feature of the invention is a unique probe construction in combinatlon wlth a magnetic fleld detector system. The probe comprises two coils connected in series opposition for energization with an a-c voltage. The voltage lnduced in a third coll on the probe, a pick-up coil, is distorted by the presence of an external field to produce even harmonic voltages. A controlled d-c current is passed through the energized coils to counter the dlstortlon and reduce tbe even harmonic content to a null. When the null point is reached, the d-c current is a measure of the external magnetic field strength, and the phase of the pickup coil voltage indicates tbe field polarlty.

Attentional Lapses in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Blank Rather Than Wandering Thoughts.

PubMed

Van den Driessche, Charlotte; Bastian, Mikaël; Peyre, Hugo; Stordeur, Coline; Acquaviva, Éric; Bahadori, Sara; Delorme, Richard; Sackur, Jérôme

2017-10-01

People with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have difficulties sustaining their attention on external tasks. Such attentional lapses have often been characterized as the simple opposite of external sustained attention, but the different types of attentional lapses, and the subjective experiences to which they correspond, remain unspecified. In this study, we showed that unmedicated children (ages 6-12) with ADHD, when probed during a standard go/no-go task, reported more mind blanking (a mental state characterized by the absence of reportable content) than did control participants. This increase in mind blanking happened at the expense of both focused and wandering thoughts. We also found that methylphenidate reverted the level of mind blanking to baseline (i.e., the level of mind blanking reported by control children without ADHD). However, this restoration led to mind wandering more than to focused attention. In a second experiment, we extended these findings to adults who had subclinical ADHD. These results suggest that executive functions impaired in ADHD are required not only to sustain external attention but also to maintain an internal train of thought.

Hemoglobin magnetism in aqueous solution probed by muon spin relaxation and future applications to brain research

PubMed Central

Nagamine, Kanetada; Shimomura, Koichiro; Miyadera, Haruo; Kim, Yong-Jae; Scheicher, Ralph Hendrik; Das, Tara Prasad; Schultz, Jerome Samson

2007-01-01

A marked difference in spin relaxation behavior due to hemoglobin magnetism was found for positive muons (μ+) in deoxyhemoglobin in comparison with that observed in oxyhemoglobin in aqueous solution at room temperature under zero and external longitudinal magnetic fields upto 0.4 Tesla. At the same time, small but significant unique relaxation pattern was observed in nonmagnetic oxyhemoglobin. Combined with our previous measurements on hemoglobin in human blood, application of this type of measurement to the studies of the level of oxygenation in various regions of the human brain is suggested. PMID:24019590

High Temperature Ultrasonic Probe and Pulse-Echo Probe Mounting Fixture for Testing and Blind Alignment on Steam Pipes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lih, Shyh-Shiuh (Inventor); Takano, Nobuyuki (Inventor); Lee, Hyeong Jae (Inventor); Bao, Xiaoqi (Inventor); Badescu, Mircea (Inventor); Bar-Cohen, Yoseph (Inventor); Sherrit, Stewart (Inventor); Ostlund, Patrick N. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

A high temperature ultrasonic probe and a mounting fixture for attaching and aligning the probe to a steam pipe using blind alignment. The high temperature ultrasonic probe includes a piezoelectric transducer having a high temperature. The probe provides both transmitting and receiving functionality. The mounting fixture allows the high temperature ultrasonic probe to be accurately aligned to the bottom external surface of the steam pipe so that the presence of liquid water in the steam pipe can be monitored. The mounting fixture with a mounted high temperature ultrasonic probe are used to conduct health monitoring of steam pipes and to track the height of condensed water through the wall in real-time.

Enhanced magnetic field probe array for improved excluded flux calculations on the C-2U advanced beam-driven field-reversed configuration plasma experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roche, T.; Thompson, M. C.; Mendoza, R.; Allfrey, I.; Garate, E.; Romero, J.; Douglass, J.

2016-11-01

External flux conserving coils were installed onto the exterior of the C-2U [M. W. Binderbauer et al., Phys. Plasmas 22, 056110 (2015)] confinement vessel to increase the flux confinement time of the system. The 0.5 in. stainless steel vessel wall has a skin time of ˜5 ms. The addition of the external copper coils effectively increases this time to ˜7 ms. This led to better-confined/longer-lived field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasmas. The fringing fields generated by the external coils have the side effect of rendering external field measurements invalid. Such measurements were key to the previous method of excluded flux calculation [M. C. Thompson et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 10D709 (2012)]. A new array of B-dot probes and Rogowski coils were installed to better determine the amount of flux leaked out of the system and ultimately provide a more robust measurement of plasma parameters related to pressure balance including the excluded flux radius. The B-dot probes are surface mountable chip inductors with inductance of 33 μH capable of measuring the DC magnetic field and transient field, due to resistive current decay in the wall/coils, when coupled with active integrators. The Rogowski coils measure the total change in current in each external coil (150 A/2 ms). Currents were also actively driven in the external coils. This renders the assumption of total flux conservation invalid which further complicates the analysis process. The ultimate solution to these issues and the record breaking resultant FRC lifetimes will be presented.

Enhanced magnetic field probe array for improved excluded flux calculations on the C-2U advanced beam-driven field-reversed configuration plasma experiment.

PubMed

Roche, T; Thompson, M C; Mendoza, R; Allfrey, I; Garate, E; Romero, J; Douglass, J

2016-11-01

External flux conserving coils were installed onto the exterior of the C-2U [M. W. Binderbauer et al., Phys. Plasmas 22, 056110 (2015)] confinement vessel to increase the flux confinement time of the system. The 0.5 in. stainless steel vessel wall has a skin time of ∼5 ms. The addition of the external copper coils effectively increases this time to ∼7 ms. This led to better-confined/longer-lived field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasmas. The fringing fields generated by the external coils have the side effect of rendering external field measurements invalid. Such measurements were key to the previous method of excluded flux calculation [M. C. Thompson et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 10D709 (2012)]. A new array of B-dot probes and Rogowski coils were installed to better determine the amount of flux leaked out of the system and ultimately provide a more robust measurement of plasma parameters related to pressure balance including the excluded flux radius. The B-dot probes are surface mountable chip inductors with inductance of 33 μH capable of measuring the DC magnetic field and transient field, due to resistive current decay in the wall/coils, when coupled with active integrators. The Rogowski coils measure the total change in current in each external coil (150 A/2 ms). Currents were also actively driven in the external coils. This renders the assumption of total flux conservation invalid which further complicates the analysis process. The ultimate solution to these issues and the record breaking resultant FRC lifetimes will be presented.

Enhanced magnetic field probe array for improved excluded flux calculations on the C-2U advanced beam-driven field-reversed configuration plasma experiment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roche, T., E-mail: troche@trialphaenergy.com; Thompson, M. C.; Mendoza, R.

2016-11-15

External flux conserving coils were installed onto the exterior of the C-2U [M. W. Binderbauer et al., Phys. Plasmas 22, 056110 (2015)] confinement vessel to increase the flux confinement time of the system. The 0.5 in. stainless steel vessel wall has a skin time of ∼5 ms. The addition of the external copper coils effectively increases this time to ∼7 ms. This led to better-confined/longer-lived field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasmas. The fringing fields generated by the external coils have the side effect of rendering external field measurements invalid. Such measurements were key to the previous method of excluded flux calculation [M.more » C. Thompson et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 10D709 (2012)]. A new array of B-dot probes and Rogowski coils were installed to better determine the amount of flux leaked out of the system and ultimately provide a more robust measurement of plasma parameters related to pressure balance including the excluded flux radius. The B-dot probes are surface mountable chip inductors with inductance of 33 μH capable of measuring the DC magnetic field and transient field, due to resistive current decay in the wall/coils, when coupled with active integrators. The Rogowski coils measure the total change in current in each external coil (150 A/2 ms). Currents were also actively driven in the external coils. This renders the assumption of total flux conservation invalid which further complicates the analysis process. The ultimate solution to these issues and the record breaking resultant FRC lifetimes will be presented.« less

MTBDRplus and MTBDRsl Assays: Absence of Wild-Type Probe Hybridization and Implications for Detection of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis

PubMed Central

Georghiou, Sophia B.; Catanzaro, Donald; Rodrigues, Camilla; Crudu, Valeriu; Victor, Thomas C.; Garfein, Richard S.; Catanzaro, Antonino; Rodwell, Timothy C.

2016-01-01

Accurate identification of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis is imperative for effective treatment and subsequent reduction in disease transmission. Line probe assays rapidly detect mutations associated with resistance and wild-type sequences associated with susceptibility. Examination of molecular-level performance is necessary for improved assay result interpretation and for continued diagnostic development. Using data collected from a large, multisite diagnostic study, probe hybridization results from line probe assays, MTBDRplus and MTBDRsl, were compared to those of sequencing, and the diagnostic performance of each individual mutation and wild-type probe was assessed. Line probe assay results classified as resistant due to the absence of wild-type probe hybridization were compared to those of sequencing to determine if novel mutations were inhibiting wild-type probe hybridization. The contribution of absent wild-type probe hybridization to the detection of drug resistance was assessed via comparison to a phenotypic reference standard. In our study, mutation probes demonstrated significantly higher specificities than wild-type probes and wild-type probes demonstrated marginally higher sensitivities than mutation probes, an ideal combination for detecting the presence of resistance conferring mutations while yielding the fewest number of false-positive results. The absence of wild-type probe hybridization without mutation probe hybridization was determined to be primarily the result of failure of mutation probe hybridization and not the result of novel or rare mutations. Compared to phenotypic culture-based drug susceptibility testing, the absence of wild-type probe hybridization without mutation probe hybridization significantly contributed to the detection of phenotypic rifampin and fluoroquinolone resistance with negligible increases in false-positive results. PMID:26763971

An Application of a New Electromagnetic Sensor to Real-Time Monitoring of Fatigue Crack Growth in Thin Metal Plates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Namkung, M.; Fulton, J. P.; Wincheski, B.; Clendenin, C. G.

1993-01-01

A major part of fracture mechanics is concerned with studying the initiation and propagation of fatigue cracks. This typically requires constant monitoring of crack growth during fatigue cycles which necessitates automation of the whole process. If the rate of crack growth can be determined the experimenter can vary externally controlled parameters such as load level, load cycle frequency and so on. Hence, knowledge of the precise location of the crack tip at any given time is very valuable. One technique currently available for measuring fatigue crack length is the DC potential drop method. The method, however, may be inaccurate if the direction of crack growth deviates considerably from what was assumed initially or the curvature of the crack becomes significant. Another approach is to digitize an optical image of the test specimen surface and then apply a pattern recognition technique to locate the crack tip, but this method is still under development. The present work is an initial study on applying eddy current-type probes to monitoring fatigue crack growth. The performance of two types of electromagnetic probes, a conventional eddy current probe and a newly developed self-nulling probe, was evaluated for the detection characteristics at and near the tips of fatigue cracks. The scan results show that the latter probe provides a very well defined local maximum in its output in the crack tip region suggesting the definite possibility of precisely locating the tip, while the former provides a somewhat ambiguous distribution of the sensor output in the same region. The paper is organized as follows: We start by reviewing the design and performance characteristics of the self-nulling probe and then describe the scan results which demonstrate the basic properties of the self-nulling probe. Next, we provide a brief description of the software developed for tracing a simulated crack and give a brief discussion of the main results of the test. The final section summarizes the major accomplishments of the present work and the elements of the future R&D needs.

Nanotribology Investigations of Solid and Liquid Lubricants Using Scanned Probe Microscopies

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-01-28

Kai Rose, postdoctoral fellow (external fellowship support; supplies on AFOSR) 7. Ernesto Joselevich, postdoctoral fellow (external fellowship...scale friction measurements", European Semiconductor, July/August 1997. 2. I. Amato , "Candid Cameras for the Nanoworld," Science 276, 1982-1985 (1997

Monitoring what is real: The effects of modality and action on accuracy and type of reality monitoring error.

PubMed

Garrison, Jane R; Bond, Rebecca; Gibbard, Emma; Johnson, Marcia K; Simons, Jon S

2017-02-01

Reality monitoring refers to processes involved in distinguishing internally generated information from information presented in the external world, an activity thought to be based, in part, on assessment of activated features such as the amount and type of cognitive operations and perceptual content. Impairment in reality monitoring has been implicated in symptoms of mental illness and associated more widely with the occurrence of anomalous perceptions as well as false memories and beliefs. In the present experiment, the cognitive mechanisms of reality monitoring were probed in healthy individuals using a task that investigated the effects of stimulus modality (auditory vs visual) and the type of action undertaken during encoding (thought vs speech) on subsequent source memory. There was reduced source accuracy for auditory stimuli compared with visual, and when encoding was accompanied by thought as opposed to speech, and a greater rate of externalization than internalization errors that was stable across factors. Interpreted within the source monitoring framework (Johnson, Hashtroudi, & Lindsay, 1993), the results are consistent with the greater prevalence of clinically observed auditory than visual reality discrimination failures. The significance of these findings is discussed in light of theories of hallucinations, delusions and confabulation. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Correlation between nitrous oxide (N2O) emission and carbon to nitrogen (COD/N) ratio in denitrification process: a mitigation strategy to decrease greenhouse gas emission and cost of operation.

PubMed

Andalib, Mehran; Taher, Edris; Donohue, Joseph; Ledwell, Sam; Andersen, Mikkel H; Sangrey, Karla

2018-01-01

The reliability and accuracy of in-situ ion selective electrode and ultraviolet (NO x ) probes have been investigated at four different treatment plants with different operational conditions. This study shows that the mentioned probes tend to compromise their accuracy and trending stability at lower NO x of <1.0 mg N/L, which if used as a measuring variable for PI feedback controller for denitrification (biological reduction of nitrate to nitrogen gas), would cause overfeeding the external carbon source. In-situ Clark-type N 2 O sensors, recently introduced for industrial scale use (Unisense Environment) could potentially open a new horizon in the automation of biological processes and particularly denitrification. To demonstrate the applicability of such probes for automation, two in-situ N 2 O probes were used in two treatment plants in parallel with NO x -N probes. The effects of operational conditions such as COD/N ratios and the correlation between NO x and N 2 O were investigated at those plants. N 2 O production at non-detect dissolved oxygen concentrations and pH of 7-7.2 were found to be a function of influent nitrogen load or the ratio of COD/N INFLUENT . Finally, using an N 2 O probe as a proxy sensor for nitrates is proposed as a measured variable in the PI feedback in the automation of the denitrification process with a NO x set point of <1.2 mg N/L).

Tunable SERS signals of Rhodamine B molecules on Fe3O4@Au nanocomposite substrates controlled by magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Hao; Fang, Rui Yang; Li, Ling

2018-02-01

In this work, we experimentally synthesized the Fe3O4@Au nanocomposites and used them as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates. The Fe3O4@Au nanocomposites retained the metallic plasmon resonant effect and possessed the magnetic field controllable characteristics. The Raman spectra of Rhodamine B (RhB) probe molecules were studied under different external magnetic field. The magnitude of external magnetic field varied from 0 Gs to 700 Gs (1 Gs = 10-4 T) with intervals of 100 Gs. When the magnetic field magnitude increased, the Raman intensity of RhB probe molecules at 1356 cm-1 increased linearly. The slope of the linear fitting curves for the Raman intensity and area were 0.118/Gs and 3.700/Gs. The Raman enhancement could raise up to 7 times for RhB probe molecules when the magnetic field magnitude increased to 700 Gs. After removing the external magnetic field, the Raman peaks returned to its original intensity in several minutes. Under the external magnetic field, the Fe3O4@Au nanocomposites were concentrated, leading to the increase number of SERS "hot spots" and the surface Au density. The results show that the magnetic field controlled Fe3O4@Au nanocomposites can realize the enhanced and controllable SERS effect, which can be used in the reversible optical sensing and bio-medical applications.

Nonlinear microrheology of dense colloidal suspensions: A mode-coupling theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gazuz, I.; Fuchs, M.

2013-03-01

A mode-coupling theory for the motion of a strongly forced probe particle in a dense colloidal suspension is presented. Starting point is the Smoluchowski equation for N bath and a single probe particle. The probe performs Brownian motion under the influence of a strong constant and uniform external force Fex. It is immersed in a dense homogeneous bath of (different) particles also performing Brownian motion. Fluid and glass states are considered; solvent flow effects are neglected. Based on a formally exact generalized Green-Kubo relation, mode coupling approximations are performed and an integration through transients approach applied. A microscopic theory for the nonlinear velocity-force relations of the probe particle in a dense fluid and for the (de-) localized probe in a glass is obtained. It extends the mode coupling theory of the glass transition to strongly forced tracer motion and describes active microrheology experiments. A force threshold is identified which needs to be overcome to pull the probe particle free in a glass. For the model of hard sphere particles, the microscopic equations for the threshold force and the probability density of the localized probe are solved numerically. Neglecting the spatial structure of the theory, a schematic model is derived which contains two types of bifurcation, the glass transition and the force-induced delocalization, and which allows for analytical and numerical solutions. We discuss its phase diagram, forcing effects on the time-dependent correlation functions, and the friction increment. The model was successfully applied to simulations and experiments on colloidal hard sphere systems [Gazuz , Phys. Rev. Lett.PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.102.248302 102, 248302 (2009)], while we provide detailed information on its derivation and general properties.

Effects of gas temperature in the plasma layer on RONS generation in array-type dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Sung-Young; Yi, Changho; Eom, Sangheum; Park, Seungil; Kim, Seong Bong; Ryu, Seungmin; Yoo, Suk Jae

2017-12-01

In this work, we studied the control of plasma-produced species under a fixed gas composition (i.e., ambient air) in a 10 kHz-driven array-type dielectric barrier atmospheric-pressure plasma discharge. Instead of the gas composition, only the gas velocity was controlled. Thus, the plasma-maintenance cost was considerably lower than methods such as external N2 or O2 injection. The plasma-produced species were monitored using Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy. The discharge properties were measured using a voltage probe, current probe, infrared camera, and optical emission spectroscopy. The results showed that the major plasma products largely depend on the gas temperature in the plasma discharge layer. The gas temperature in the plasma discharge layer was significantly different to the temperature of the ceramic adjacent to the plasma discharge layer, even in the small discharge power density of ˜15 W/cm2 or ˜100 W/cm3. Because the vibrational excitation of N2 was suppressed by the higher gas flow, the major plasma-produced species shifted from NOx in low flow to O3 in high flow.

Aerial Refueling Clearance Process Guide

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-21

using multinational/bi-lateral agreements such as the ATARES Agreement, cross servicing agreements, replacement in kind agreements, Foreign Military...Lighting 8.7.8 External Paint Scheme 8.8 External Weapons/Drop Tanks 9.0 Physical /Aerodynamic Influences 9.1 Boom Clear Path To Receptacle dhkARSAG DOC...Cold Nose Sw. 8.5 External Fuel Tanks 9.0 Physical /Aerodynamic Influence R. 9.1 Probe Clear Path ie: Obstructions, Instruments etc. 9.2 Drogue Hookup

Dual-probe near-field fiber head with gap servo control for data storage applications.

PubMed

Fang, Jen-Yu; Tien, Chung-Hao; Shieh, Han-Ping D

2007-10-29

We present a novel fiber-based near-field optical head consisting of a straw-shaped writing probe and a flat gap sensing probe. The straw-shaped probe with a C-aperture on the end face exhibits enhanced transmission by a factor of 3 orders of magnitude over a conventional fiber probe due to a hybrid effect that excites both propagation modes and surface plasmon waves. In the gap sensing probe, the spacing between the probe and the disk surface functions as an external cavity. The high sensitivity of the output power to the change in the gap width is used as a feedback control signal. We characterize and design the straw-shaped writing probe and the flat gap sensing probe. The dual-probe system is installed on a conventional biaxial actuator to demonstrate the capability of flying over a disk surface with nanometer position precision.

Scanning thermal microscopy based on a quartz tuning fork and a micro-thermocouple in active mode (2ω method).

PubMed

Bontempi, Alexia; Nguyen, Tran Phong; Salut, Roland; Thiery, Laurent; Teyssieux, Damien; Vairac, Pascal

2016-06-01

A novel probe for scanning thermal microscope using a micro-thermocouple probe placed on a Quartz Tuning Fork (QTF) is presented. Instead of using an external deflection with a cantilever beam for contact detection, an original combination of piezoelectric resonator and thermal probe is employed. Due to a non-contact photothermal excitation principle, the high quality factor of the QTF allows the probe-to-surface contact detection. Topographic and thermal scanning images obtained on a specific sample points out the interest of our system as an alternative to cantilevered resistive probe systems which are the most spread.

Scanning thermal microscopy based on a quartz tuning fork and a micro-thermocouple in active mode (2ω method)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bontempi, Alexia; Nguyen, Tran Phong; Salut, Roland

A novel probe for scanning thermal microscope using a micro-thermocouple probe placed on a Quartz Tuning Fork (QTF) is presented. Instead of using an external deflection with a cantilever beam for contact detection, an original combination of piezoelectric resonator and thermal probe is employed. Due to a non-contact photothermal excitation principle, the high quality factor of the QTF allows the probe-to-surface contact detection. Topographic and thermal scanning images obtained on a specific sample points out the interest of our system as an alternative to cantilevered resistive probe systems which are the most spread.

Results of the space shuttle vehicle ascent air data system probe calibration test using a 0.07-scale external tank forebody model (68T) in the AEDC 16-foot transonic wind tunnel (IA-310), volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collette, J. G. R.

1991-01-01

A recalibration of the Space Shuttle Vehicle Ascent Air Data System probe was conducted in the Arnold Engineering and Development Center (AEDC) transonic wind tunnel. The purpose was to improve on the accuracy of the previous calibration in order to reduce the existing uncertainties in the system. A probe tip attached to a 0.07-scale External Tank Forebody model was tested at angles of attack of -8 to +4 degrees and sideslip angles of -4 to +4 degrees. High precision instrumentation was used to acquire pressure data at discrete Mach numbers ranging from 0.6 to 1.55. Pressure coefficient uncertainties were estimated at less than 0.0020. Additional information is given in tabular form.

Results of the space shuttle vehicle ascent air data system probe calibration test using a 0.07-scale external tank forebody model (68T) in the AEDC 16-foot transonic wind tunnel (IA-310), volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collette, J. G. R.

1991-01-01

A recalibration of the Space Shuttle Vehicle Ascent Air Data System probe was conducted in the Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) transonic wind tunnel. The purpose was to improve on the accuracy of the previous calibration in order to reduce the existing uncertainties in the system. A probe tip attached to a 0.07-scale External Tank Forebody model was tested at angles of attack of -8 to +4 degrees and sideslip angles of -4 to +4 degrees. High precision instrumentation was used to acquire pressure data at discrete Mach numbers ranging from 0.6 to 1.55. Pressure coefficient uncertainties were estimated at less than 0.0020. Data is given in graphical and tabular form.

Design of planar microcoil-based NMR probe ensuring high SNR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Zishan; Poenar, D. P.; Aditya, Sheel

2017-09-01

A microNMR probe for ex vivo applications may consist of at least one microcoil, which can be used as the oscillating magnetic field (MF) generator as well as receiver coil, and a sample holder, with a volume in the range of nanoliters to micro-liters, placed near the microcoil. The Signal-to-Noise ratio (SNR) of such a probe is, however, dependent not only on its design but also on the measurement setup, and the measured sample. This paper introduces a performance factor P independent of both the proton spin density in the sample and the external DC magnetic field, and which can thus assess the performance of the probe alone. First, two of the components of the P factor (inhomogeneity factor K and filling factor η ) are defined and an approach to calculate their values for different probe variants from electromagnetic simulations is devised. A criterion based on dominant component of the magnetic field is then formulated to help designers optimize the sample volume which also affects the performance of the probe, in order to obtain the best SNR for a given planar microcoil. Finally, the P factor values are compared between different planar microcoils with different number of turns and conductor aspect ratios, and planar microcoils are also compared with conventional solenoids. These comparisons highlight which microcoil geometry-sample volume combination will ensure a high SNR under any external setup.

Reduced cortical call to arms differentiates psychopathy from antisocial personality disorder.

PubMed

Drislane, L E; Vaidyanathan, U; Patrick, C J

2013-04-01

Psychopathy and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) are both characterized by impulsive, externalizing behaviors. Researchers have argued, however, that psychopathy is distinguished from ASPD by the presence of interpersonal-affective features that reflect an underlying deficit in emotional sensitivity. No study to date has tested for differential relations of these disorders with the brain's natural orienting response to sudden aversive events. Method Electroencephalography was used to assess cortical reactivity to abrupt noise probes presented during the viewing of pleasant, neutral and unpleasant pictures in 140 incarcerated males diagnosed using the Psychopathy Checklist - Revised and DSM-IV criteria for ASPD. The primary dependent measure was the P3 event-related potential response to the noise probes. Psychopaths showed significantly smaller amplitude of P3 response to noise probes across trials of all types compared with non-psychopaths. Follow-up analyses revealed that this overall reduction was attributable specifically to the affective-interpersonal features of psychopathy. By contrast, no group difference in general amplitude of probe P3 was evident for ASPD versus non-ASPD participants. The findings demonstrate a reduced cortical orienting response to abrupt aversive stimuli in participants exhibiting features of psychopathy that are distinct from ASPD. The specificity of the observed effect fits with the idea that these distinctive features of psychopathy reflect a deficit in defensive reactivity, or mobilization of the brain's defensive system, in the context of threat cues.

Optical memory based on quantized atomic center-of-mass motion.

PubMed

Lopez, J P; de Almeida, A J F; Felinto, D; Tabosa, J W R

2017-11-01

We report a new type of optical memory using a pure two-level system of cesium atoms cooled by the magnetically assisted Sisyphus effect. The optical information of a probe field is stored in the coherence between quantized vibrational levels of the atoms in the potential wells of a 1-D optical lattice. The retrieved pulse shows Rabi oscillations with a frequency determined by the reading beam intensity and are qualitatively understood in terms of a simple theoretical model. The exploration of the external degrees of freedom of an atom may add another capability in the design of quantum-information protocols using light.

Development and Testing of a Linear Polarization Resistance Corrosion Rate Probe for Ductile Iron Pipe (Web Report 4361)

EPA Science Inventory

The North American water and wastewater community has hundreds of millions of feet of ductile iron pipe in service. Only a portion of the inventory has any form of external corrosion control. Ductile iron pipe, in certain environments, is subject to external corrosion.Linear Pola...

Complete information acquisition in scanning probe microscopy

DOE PAGES

Belianinov, Alex; Kalinin, Sergei V.; Jesse, Stephen

2015-03-13

In the last three decades, scanning probe microscopy (SPM) has emerged as a primary tool for exploring and controlling the nanoworld. A critical part of the SPM measurements is the information transfer from the tip-surface junction to a macroscopic measurement system. This process reduces the many degrees of freedom of a vibrating cantilever to relatively few parameters recorded as images. Similarly, the details of dynamic cantilever response at sub-microsecond time scales of transients, higher-order eigenmodes and harmonics are averaged out by transitioning to millisecond time scale of pixel acquisition. Hence, the amount of information available to the external observer ismore » severely limited, and its selection is biased by the chosen data processing method. Here, we report a fundamentally new approach for SPM imaging based on information theory-type analysis of the data stream from the detector. This approach allows full exploration of complex tip-surface interactions, spatial mapping of multidimensional variability of material s properties and their mutual interactions, and SPM imaging at the information channel capacity limit.« less

Single-particle mineralogy of Chinese soil particles by the combined use of low-Z particle electron probe X-ray microanalysis and attenuated total reflectance-FT-IR imaging techniques.

PubMed

Malek, Md Abdul; Kim, Bowha; Jung, Hae-Jin; Song, Young-Chul; Ro, Chul-Un

2011-10-15

Our previous work on the speciation of individual mineral particles of micrometer size by the combined use of attenuated total reflectance FT-IR (ATR-FT-IR) imaging and a quantitative energy-dispersive electron probe X-ray microanalysis technique (EPMA), low-Z particle EPMA, demonstrated that the combined use of these two techniques is a powerful approach for looking at the single-particle mineralogy of externally heterogeneous minerals. In this work, this analytical methodology was applied to characterize six soil samples collected at arid areas in China, in order to identify mineral types present in the samples. The six soil samples were collected from two types of soil, i.e., loess and desert soils, for which overall 665 particles were analyzed on a single particle basis. The six soil samples have different mineralogical characteristics, which were clearly differentiated in this work. As this analytical methodology provides complementary information, the ATR-FT-IR imaging on mineral types, and low-Z particle EPMA on the morphology and elemental concentrations, on the same individual particles, more detailed information can be obtained using this approach than when either low-Z particle EPMA or ATR-FT-IR imaging techniques are used alone, which has a great potential for the characterization of Asian dust and mineral dust particles. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Functional Scanning Probe Imaging of Nanostructured Solar Energy Materials.

PubMed

Giridharagopal, Rajiv; Cox, Phillip A; Ginger, David S

2016-09-20

From hybrid perovskites to semiconducting polymer/fullerene blends for organic photovoltaics, many new materials being explored for energy harvesting and storage exhibit performance characteristics that depend sensitively on their nanoscale morphology. At the same time, rapid advances in the capability and accessibility of scanning probe microscopy methods over the past decade have made it possible to study processing/structure/function relationships ranging from photocurrent collection to photocarrier lifetimes with resolutions on the scale of tens of nanometers or better. Importantly, such scanning probe methods offer the potential to combine measurements of local structure with local function, and they can be implemented to study materials in situ or devices in operando to better understand how materials evolve in time in response to an external stimulus or environmental perturbation. This Account highlights recent advances in the development and application of scanning probe microscopy methods that can help address such questions while filling key gaps between the capabilities of conventional electron microscopy and newer super-resolution optical methods. Focusing on semiconductor materials for solar energy applications, we highlight a range of electrical and optoelectronic scanning probe microscopy methods that exploit the local dynamics of an atomic force microscope tip to probe key properties of the solar cell material or device structure. We discuss how it is possible to extract relevant device properties using noncontact scanning probe methods as well as how these properties guide materials development. Specifically, we discuss intensity-modulated scanning Kelvin probe microscopy (IM-SKPM), time-resolved electrostatic force microscopy (trEFM), frequency-modulated electrostatic force microscopy (FM-EFM), and cantilever ringdown imaging. We explain these developments in the context of classic atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods that exploit the physics of cantilever motion and photocarrier generation to provide robust, nanoscale measurements of materials physics that are correlated with device operation. We predict that the multidimensional data sets made possible by these types of methods will become increasingly important as advances in data science expand capabilities and opportunities for image correlation and discovery.

Hypersonic nozzle/afterbody CFD code validation. I - Experimental measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spaid, Frank W.; Keener, Earl R.

1993-01-01

This study was conducted to obtain a detailed experimental description of the flow field created by the interaction of a single-expansion-ramp-nozzle flow with a hypersonic external stream. Data were obtained from a generic nozzle/afterbody model in the 3.5-Foot Hypersonic Wind Tunnel of the NASA Ames Research Center in a cooperative experimental program involving Ames and the McDonnell Douglas Research Laboratories. This paper presents experimental results consisting primarily of surveys obtained with a five-hole total-pressure/flow-direction probe and a total-temperature probe. These surveys were obtained in the flow field created by the interaction between the underexpanded jet plume and the external flow.

The First Interlaced Continuum Robot, Devised to Intrinsically Follow the Leader

PubMed Central

Kang, Byungjeon; Kojcev, Risto; Sinibaldi, Edoardo

2016-01-01

Flexible probes that are safely deployed to hard-to-reach targets while avoiding critical structures are strategic in several high-impact application fields, including the biomedical sector and the sector of inspections at large. A critical problem for these tools is the best approach for deploying an entire tool body, not only its tip, on a sought trajectory. A probe that achieves this deployment is considered to follow the leader (or to achieve follow-the-leader deployment) because its body sections follow the track traced by its tip. Follow-the-leader deployment through cavities is complicated due to a lack of external supports. Currently, no definitive implementation for a probe that is intrinsically able to follow the leader, i.e., without relying on external supports, has been achieved. In this paper, we present a completely new device, namely the first interlaced continuum robot, devised to intrinsically follow the leader. We developed the interlaced configuration by pursuing a conceptual approach irrespective of application-specific constraints and assuming two flexible tools with controllable stiffness. We questioned the possibility of solving the previously mentioned deployment problem by harnessing probe symmetry during the design process. This study examines the entire development of the novel interlaced probe: model-based conceptual design, detailed design and prototyping, and preliminary experimental assessment. Our probe can build a track with a radius of curvature that is as small as twice the probe diameter, which enables it to outperform state-of-the-art tools that are aimed at follow-the-leader deployment. Despite the limitations that are inherently associated with its original character, this study provides a prototypical approach to the design of interlaced continuum systems and demonstrates the first interlaced continuum probe, which is intrinsically able to follow the leader. PMID:26914328

The First Interlaced Continuum Robot, Devised to Intrinsically Follow the Leader.

PubMed

Kang, Byungjeon; Kojcev, Risto; Sinibaldi, Edoardo

2016-01-01

Flexible probes that are safely deployed to hard-to-reach targets while avoiding critical structures are strategic in several high-impact application fields, including the biomedical sector and the sector of inspections at large. A critical problem for these tools is the best approach for deploying an entire tool body, not only its tip, on a sought trajectory. A probe that achieves this deployment is considered to follow the leader (or to achieve follow-the-leader deployment) because its body sections follow the track traced by its tip. Follow-the-leader deployment through cavities is complicated due to a lack of external supports. Currently, no definitive implementation for a probe that is intrinsically able to follow the leader, i.e., without relying on external supports, has been achieved. In this paper, we present a completely new device, namely the first interlaced continuum robot, devised to intrinsically follow the leader. We developed the interlaced configuration by pursuing a conceptual approach irrespective of application-specific constraints and assuming two flexible tools with controllable stiffness. We questioned the possibility of solving the previously mentioned deployment problem by harnessing probe symmetry during the design process. This study examines the entire development of the novel interlaced probe: model-based conceptual design, detailed design and prototyping, and preliminary experimental assessment. Our probe can build a track with a radius of curvature that is as small as twice the probe diameter, which enables it to outperform state-of-the-art tools that are aimed at follow-the-leader deployment. Despite the limitations that are inherently associated with its original character, this study provides a prototypical approach to the design of interlaced continuum systems and demonstrates the first interlaced continuum probe, which is intrinsically able to follow the leader.

Magnetic Nano- and Micro- Particles in Living Cells: Kinetics and Fluctuations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pease, C.; Chiang, N.; Pierce, C.; Muthusamy, N.; Sooryakumar, R.

2015-03-01

Functional nano and micro materials have recently been used not only as diagnostic tools for extracellular studies but also as intracellular drug delivery vehicles and as internal probes of the cell. To realize proper cellular applications, it is important not only to achieve efficient delivery of these materials to targeted cells, but also to control their movement and activity within the confines of the cell. In this presentation, superparamagnetic nano and micro particles are utilized as probes, with their responses to weak external magnetic fields enabling them to be maneuvered within a cell. In order to generate the required local magnetic fields needed for manipulation, the fields emanating from microscopic domain walls stabilized on patterned surface profiles are used in conjunction with weak external magnetic fields to create mobile traps that can localize and transport the internalized particle. Preliminary findings on creating the mobile traps suitable for applications to probe the interior of cells, and the responses, both Brownian fluctuations and directed motion, of particles ranging in size from 200 nm to 1 micron within HS-5 cells will be presented. Future applications to probe cellular behavior within the framework of emerging biomaterials will be discussed.

In-flight comparisons of boundary-layer and wake measurement probes for incompressible flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mertaugh, L. J., Jr.

1972-01-01

The results are presented of in-flight comparisons of a number of boundary-layer and wake measurement probes suitable for low-speed flight-test investigations. The tested boundary-layer probes included a traversing total-pressure probe and a hot-film probe mounted on an internally-mounted drive mechanism, a curved and a straight boundary-layer rake, and a traversing hot-film probe with an externally-mounted drive mechanism. The wake measuring devices included a traversing, self-aligning probe, a wake rake, and an integrating wake rate. The boundary-layer data are compared with a common reference velocity profile and comments given regarding the accuracy of the static-pressure and total-pressure measurements. Discussions on the various calibration presentations used with hot-wire and hot-film sensors and various aspects of improving the accuracy of hot-film sensor results are given in the appendix of this report.

Study of Linear and Nonlinear Wave Excitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chu, Feng; Berumen, Jorge; Hood, Ryan; Mattingly, Sean; Skiff, Frederick

2013-10-01

We report an experimental study of externally excited low-frequency waves in a cylindrical, magnetized, singly-ionized Argon inductively-coupled gas discharge plasma that is weakly collisional. Wave excitation in the drift wave frequency range is accomplished by low-percentage amplitude modulation of the RF plasma source. Laser-induced fluorescence is adopted to study ion-density fluctuations in phase space. The laser is chopped to separate LIF from collisional fluorescence. A single negatively-biased Langmuir probe is used to detect ion-density fluctuations in the plasma. A ring array of Langmuir probes is also used to analyze the spatial and spectral structure of the excited waves. We apply coherent detection with respect to the wave frequency to obtain the ion distribution function associated with externally generated waves. Higher-order spectra are computed to evaluate the nonlinear coupling between fluctuations at various frequencies produced by the externally generated waves. Parametric decay of the waves is observed. This work is supported by U.S. DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-99ER54543.

A study of the eigenvectors of low frequency vibrational modes in crystalline cytidine via high pressure Raman spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Scott A.

2014-03-01

High-pressure Raman spectroscopy has been used to study the eigenvectors and eigenvalues of the low-frequency vibrational modes of crystalline cytidine at 295 K by evaluating the logarithmic derivative of the vibrational frequency with respect to pressure: 1/ω dω/dP. Crystalline samples of molecular materials such as cytidine have vibrational modes that are localized within a molecular unit (``internal'' modes) as well as modes in which the molecular units vibrate against each other (``external'' modes). The value of the logarithmic derivative is a diagnostic probe of the nature of the eigenvector of the vibrational modes, making high pressure experiments a very useful probe for such studies. Internal stretching modes have low logarithmic derivatives while external as well as internal torsional and bending modes have higher logarithmic derivatives. All of the Raman modes below 200 cm-1 in cytidine are found to have high logarithmic derivatives, consistent with being either external modes or internal torsional or bending modes.

Probing Interfacial Friction and Dissipation in Granular Gold­ Nickel Alloys with a Quartz Crystal Oscillator in an External Magnetic Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stevens, K. M.; Krim, J.

2015-03-01

We present here a quartz crystal microbalance study of two-phase gold nickel alloys whose internal granular properties are probed by exposure to a fluctuating external magnetic field. The work is motivated by prior studies demonstrating that granular two-phase materials exhibited lower friction and wear than solid solution alloys with identical compositions. In particular, we report a ``flexing'' effect which appears when an external magnetic field is applied, and is manifested as a decrease in the magnitude of oscillation amplitude that is synchronized with the applied field; the effect is not seen on the complimentary solid solution samples. The effect is consistent with internal interfacial friction between nickel and gold grains, indicating a degree of freedom which may decrease friction even in the absence of an external magnetic field. This is supported through analysis of energy dissipation in the system, using the Butterworth­-Van Dyke equivalent circuit model. Data and interpretation are also presented that rule out alternate explanations such as giant magnetoresistance and/or other resistive phenomenon within the film. Funding provided by NSF DMR0805204. Thanks to L. Pan for sample preparation.

Orienting attention to visual or verbal/auditory imagery differentially impairs the processing of visual stimuli.

PubMed

Villena-González, Mario; López, Vladimir; Rodríguez, Eugenio

2016-05-15

When attention is oriented toward inner thoughts, as spontaneously occurs during mind wandering, the processing of external information is attenuated. However, the potential effects of thought's content regarding sensory attenuation are still unknown. The present study aims to assess if the representational format of thoughts, such as visual imagery or inner speech, might differentially affect the sensory processing of external stimuli. We recorded the brain activity of 20 participants (12 women) while they were exposed to a probe visual stimulus in three different conditions: executing a task on the visual probe (externally oriented attention), and two conditions involving inward-turned attention i.e. generating inner speech and performing visual imagery. Event-related potentials results showed that the P1 amplitude, related with sensory response, was significantly attenuated during both task involving inward attention compared with external task. When both representational formats were compared, the visual imagery condition showed stronger attenuation in sensory processing than inner speech condition. Alpha power in visual areas was measured as an index of cortical inhibition. Larger alpha amplitude was found when participants engaged in an internal thought contrasted with the external task, with visual imagery showing even more alpha power than inner speech condition. Our results show, for the first time to our knowledge, that visual attentional processing to external stimuli during self-generated thoughts is differentially affected by the representational format of the ongoing train of thoughts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Students' Ideas and Radical Constructivism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez Gómez, Pedro J.

2016-08-01

In this article, I study, from the point of view of the analytic philosophy of mind, the compatibility of students' ideas studies (SIS) with radical constructivism (RC). I demonstrate that RC is based on a psychology of narrow mental states; that is, the idea that the mental content of an individual can be fully characterised without any reference external to her or him. I show that this fact imposes some severe restrictions to SIS to be incorporated into RC. In particular, I argue that only qualitative studies can comply with the requirement of narrowness. Nevertheless, I propose that quantitative works can be employed as sources of types in order to study token actual students. I use this type-token dichotomy to put forward an outline of a theory of the relation between school contents and mental contents. In this view, token mental contents regarding a given topic can be defined, and probed, only by resorting to typical school contents.

Efficient feature-based 2D/3D registration of transesophageal echocardiography to x-ray fluoroscopy for cardiac interventions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hatt, Charles R.; Speidel, Michael A.; Raval, Amish N.

2014-03-01

We present a novel 2D/ 3D registration algorithm for fusion between transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and X-ray fluoroscopy (XRF). The TEE probe is modeled as a subset of 3D gradient and intensity point features, which facilitates efficient 3D-to-2D perspective projection. A novel cost-function, based on a combination of intensity and edge features, evaluates the registration cost value without the need for time-consuming generation of digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRRs). Validation experiments were performed with simulations and phantom data. For simulations, in silica XRF images of a TEE probe were generated in a number of different pose configurations using a previously acquired CT image. Random misregistrations were applied and our method was used to recover the TEE probe pose and compare the result to the ground truth. Phantom experiments were performed by attaching fiducial markers externally to a TEE probe, imaging the probe with an interventional cardiac angiographic x-ray system, and comparing the pose estimated from the external markers to that estimated from the TEE probe using our algorithm. Simulations found a 3D target registration error of 1.08(1.92) mm for biplane (monoplane) geometries, while the phantom experiment found a 2D target registration error of 0.69mm. For phantom experiments, we demonstrated a monoplane tracking frame-rate of 1.38 fps. The proposed feature-based registration method is computationally efficient, resulting in near real-time, accurate image based registration between TEE and XRF.

Studies of bio-mimetic medium of ionic and non-ionic micelles by a simple charge transfer fluorescence probe N,N-dimethylaminonapthyl-(acrylo)-nitrile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samanta, Anuva; Paul, Bijan Kumar; Guchhait, N.

2011-05-01

In this report we have studied micellization process of anionic, cationic and non-ionic surfactants using N,N-dimethylaminonapthyl-(acrylo)-nitrile (DMANAN) as an external fluorescence probe. Micropolarity, microviscosity, critical micellar concentration of these micelles based on steady state absorption and fluorescence and time resolved emission spectroscopy of the probe DMANAN show that the molecule resides in the micelle-water interface for ionic micelles and in the core for the non-ionic micelle. The effect of variation of pH of the micellar solution as well as fluorescence quenching measurements of DMANAN provide further support for the location of the probe in the micelles.

Probe And Enhancement Of SBS Based Phonons In Infrared Fibers Using Waveguide Coupled External Radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Chung; Chong, Yat C.; Fong, Chee K.

1989-06-01

Interaction of GHz and MHz radiation with CO2 laser propagation in a silver halide fiber using sBs based phonon coupling is furthet investigated. The external signal serves to both probe and enhance laser generated sBs phonons in the fiber. Efficient coupling of microwave radiation into the fiber is accomplished by placing the fiber in a hollow metallic waveguide, designed and constructed to transmit the dominant mode in the 0.9-2.0 GHz band. MHz radiation is conveniently coupled into the fiber using the guided microwave radiation as carrier. Phonon emissions from the fiber under CO2 laser pumping are first established on a spectrum analyzer; low frequency generators ale then tuned to match these frequencies and their maximum interaction recorded. Such interactions are systematically studied by monitoring the amplitude and waveform of the reflected and transmitted laser pulse at various power levels and frequencies of the externally coupled radiation. A plot of reflected laser power versus incident laser power reveals a distinct sBs generated phonon threshold. Variouslaunch directions of the GHz and MHz radiation with respect to the direction of laser propagation are realized to verify theory governing sBs interactions. The MHz radiation and its associated phonons in the fiber are convenient tools for probing sBs related phenomenon in infrared fibers.

Strong excitation of surface and bulk spin waves in yttrium iron garnet placed in a split ring resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tay, Z. J.; Soh, W. T.; Ong, C. K.

2018-02-01

This paper presents an experimental study of the inverse spin Hall effect (ISHE) in a bilayer consisting of a yttrium iron garnet (YIG) and platinum (Pt) loaded on a metamaterial split ring resonator (SRR). The system is excited by a microstrip feed line which generates both surface and bulk spin waves in the YIG. The spin waves subsequently undergo spin pumping from the YIG film to an adjacent Pt layer, and is converted into a charge current via the ISHE. It is found that the presence of the SRR causes a significant enhancement of the mangetic field near the resonance frequency of the SRR, resulting in a significant increase in the ISHE signal. Furthermore, the type of spin wave generated in the system can be controlled by changing the external applied magnetic field angle (θH ). When the external applied magnetic field is near parallel to the microstrip line (θH = 0 ), magnetostatic surface spin waves are predominantly excited. On the other hand, when the external applied magnetic field is perpendicular to the microstrip line (θH = π/2 ), backward volume magnetostatic spin waves are predominantly excited. Hence, it can be seen that the SRR structure is a promising method of achieving spin-charge conversion, which has many advantages over a coaxial probe.

Characterization of Akiyama probe applied to dual-probes atomic force microscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hequn; Gao, Sitian; Li, Wei; Shi, Yushu; Li, Qi; Li, Shi; Zhu, Zhendong

2016-10-01

The measurement of nano-scale line-width has always been important and difficult in the field of nanometer measurements, while the rapid development of integrated circuit greatly raises the demand again. As one kind of scanning probe microscope (SPM), atomic force microscope (AFM) can realize quasi three-dimensional measurement, which is widely used in nanometer scale line-width measurement. Our team researched a dual-probes atomic force microscope, which can eliminate the prevalent effect of probe width on measurement results. In dual-probes AFM system, a novel head are newly designed. A kind of self-sensing and self-exciting probes which is Nanosensors cooperation's patented probe—Akiyama probe, is used in this novel head. The Akiyama probe applied to dual-probe atomic force microscope is one of the most important issues. The characterization of Akiyama probe would affect performance and accuracy of the whole system. The fundamental features of the Akiyama probe are electrically and optically characterized in "approach-withdraw" experiments. Further investigations include the frequency response of an Akiyama probe to small mechanical vibrations externally applied to the tip and the effective loading force yielding between the tip and the sample during the periodic contact. We hope that the characterization of the Akiyama probe described in this paper will guide application for dual-probe atomic force microscope.

Measurements in the near-wall region of a relaxing three-dimensional low speed turbulent air boundary layer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hebbar, K. S.; Melnik, W. L.

1976-01-01

An experimental investigation was conducted at selected locations of the near-wall region of a three dimensional turbulent air boundary layer relaxing in a nominally zero external pressure gradient behind a transverse hump (in the form of a 30 deg swept, 5-foot chord wing-type model) faired into the side wall of a low speed wind tunnel. Wall shear stresses measured with a flush-mounted hot-film gage and a sublayer fence were in very good agreement with experimental data obtained with two Preston probes. With the upstream unit Reynolds number held constant at 325,000/ft. approximately one-fourth of the boundary layer thickness adjacent to the wall was surveyed with a single rotated hot-wire probe mounted on a specially designed minimum interference traverse mechanism. The boundary layer (approximately 3.5 in thick near the first survey station where the length Reynolds number was 5.5 million) had a maximum crossflow velocity ratio of 0.145 and a maximum crossflow angle of 21.875 deg close to the wall.

Speciation of individual mineral particles of micrometer size by the combined use of attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform-infrared imaging and quantitative energy-dispersive electron probe X-ray microanalysis techniques.

PubMed

Jung, Hae-Jin; Malek, Md Abdul; Ryu, JiYeon; Kim, BoWha; Song, Young-Chul; Kim, HyeKyeong; Ro, Chul-Un

2010-07-15

Our previous work demonstrated for the first time the potential of the combined use of two techniques, attenuated total reflectance FT-IR (ATR-FT-IR) imaging and a quantitative energy-dispersive electron probe X-ray microanalysis, low-Z particle EPMA, for the characterization of individual aerosol particles. In this work, the speciation of mineral particles was performed on a single particle level for 24 mineral samples, including kaolinite, montmorillonite, vermiculite, talc, quartz, feldspar, calcite, gypsum, and apatite, by the combined use of ATR-FT-IR imaging and low-Z particle EPMA techniques. These two single particle analytical techniques provide complementary information, the ATR-FT-IR imaging on mineral types and low-Z particle EPMA on the morphology and elemental concentrations, on the same individual particles. This work demonstrates that the combined use of the two single particle analytical techniques can powerfully characterize externally heterogeneous mineral particle samples in detail and has great potential for the characterization of airborne mineral dust particles.

Assessment of bilayer silicene to probe as quantum spin and valley Hall effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rehman, Majeed Ur; Qiao, Zhenhua

2018-02-01

Silicene takes precedence over graphene due to its buckling type structure and strong spin orbit coupling. Motivated by these properties, we study the silicene bilayer in the presence of applied perpendicular electric field and intrinsic spin orbit coupling to probe as quantum spin/valley Hall effect. Using analytical approach, we calculate the spin Chern-number of bilayer silicene and then compare it with monolayer silicene. We reveal that bilayer silicene hosts double spin Chern-number as compared to single layer silicene and therefore accordingly has twice as many edge states in contrast to single layer silicene. In addition, we investigate the combined effect of intrinsic spin orbit coupling and the external electric field, we find that bilayer silicene, likewise single layer silicene, goes through a phase transitions from a quantum spin Hall state to a quantum valley Hall state when the strength of the applied electric field exceeds the intrinsic spin orbit coupling strength. We believe that the results and outcomes obtained for bilayer silicene are experimentally more accessible as compared to bilayer graphene, because of strong SO coupling in bilayer silicene.

External electro-optic sampling utilizing a poled polymer asymmetric Fabry Perot cavity as an electro-optical probe tip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Kaixin; Zhang, Hongbo; Zhang, Daming; Yang, Han; Yi, Maobin

2002-09-01

External electro-optic sampling utilizing a poled polymer asymmetry Fabry-Perot cavity as electro-optic probe tip has been demonstrated. Electro-optical polymer spin coated on the high-reflectivity mirror (HRM) was corona poled. Thus, an asymmetric F-P cavity was formed based on the different reflectivity of the polymer and HRM and it converted the phase modulation that originates from electro-optic effect of the poled polymer to amplitude modulation, so only one laser beam is needed in this system. The principle of the sampling was analyzed by multiple reflection and index ellipsoid methods. A 1.2 GHz microwave signal propagating on coplanar waveguide transmission line was sampled, and the voltage sensitivity about 0.5 mV/ Hz was obtained.

Compensator-based 6-DOF control for probe asteroid-orbital-frame hovering with actuator limitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiaosong; Zhang, Peng; Liu, Keping; Li, Yuanchun

2016-05-01

This paper is concerned with 6-DOF control of a probe hovering in the orbital frame of an asteroid. Considering the requirements of the scientific instruments pointing direction and orbital position in practical missions, the coordinate control of relative attitude and orbit between the probe and target asteroid is imperative. A 6-DOF dynamic equation describing the relative translational and rotational motion of a probe in the asteroid's orbital frame is derived, taking the irregular gravitation, model and parameter uncertainties and external disturbances into account. An adaptive sliding mode controller is employed to guarantee the convergence of the state error, where the adaptation law is used to estimate the unknown upper bound of system uncertainty. Then the controller is improved to deal with the practical problem of actuator limitations by introducing a RBF neural network compensator, which is used to approximate the difference between the actual control with magnitude constraint and the designed nominal control law. The closed-loop system is proved to be asymptotically stable through the Lyapunov stability analysis. Numerical simulations are performed to compare the performances of the preceding designed control laws. Simulation results demonstrate the validity of the control scheme using the compensator-based adaptive sliding mode control law in the presence of actuator limitations, system uncertainty and external disturbance.

Accurate multi-robot targeting for keyhole neurosurgery based on external sensor monitoring.

PubMed

Comparetti, Mirko Daniele; Vaccarella, Alberto; Dyagilev, Ilya; Shoham, Moshe; Ferrigno, Giancarlo; De Momi, Elena

2012-05-01

Robotics has recently been introduced in surgery to improve intervention accuracy, to reduce invasiveness and to allow new surgical procedures. In this framework, the ROBOCAST system is an optically surveyed multi-robot chain aimed at enhancing the accuracy of surgical probe insertion during keyhole neurosurgery procedures. The system encompasses three robots, connected as a multiple kinematic chain (serial and parallel), totalling 13 degrees of freedom, and it is used to automatically align the probe onto a desired planned trajectory. The probe is then inserted in the brain, towards the planned target, by means of a haptic interface. This paper presents a new iterative targeting approach to be used in surgical robotic navigation, where the multi-robot chain is used to align the surgical probe to the planned pose, and an external sensor is used to decrease the alignment errors. The iterative targeting was tested in an operating room environment using a skull phantom, and the targets were selected on magnetic resonance images. The proposed targeting procedure allows about 0.3 mm to be obtained as the residual median Euclidean distance between the planned and the desired targets, thus satisfying the surgical accuracy requirements (1 mm), due to the resolution of the diffused medical images. The performances proved to be independent of the robot optical sensor calibration accuracy.

RCP: a novel probe design bias correction method for Illumina Methylation BeadChip.

PubMed

Niu, Liang; Xu, Zongli; Taylor, Jack A

2016-09-01

The Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip has been extensively utilized in epigenome-wide association studies. This array and its successor, the MethylationEPIC array, use two types of probes-Infinium I (type I) and Infinium II (type II)-in order to increase genome coverage but differences in probe chemistries result in different type I and II distributions of methylation values. Ignoring the difference in distributions between the two probe types may bias downstream analysis. Here, we developed a novel method, called Regression on Correlated Probes (RCP), which uses the existing correlation between pairs of nearby type I and II probes to adjust the beta values of all type II probes. We evaluate the effect of this adjustment on reducing probe design type bias, reducing technical variation in duplicate samples, improving accuracy of measurements against known standards, and retention of biological signal. We find that RCP is statistically significantly better than unadjusted data or adjustment with alternative methods including SWAN and BMIQ. We incorporated the method into the R package ENmix, which is freely available from the Bioconductor website (https://www.bioconductor.org/packages/release/bioc/html/ENmix.html). niulg@ucmail.uc.edu Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. Published by Oxford University Press 2016. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

Functional Scanning Probe Imaging of Nanostructured Solar Energy Materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Giridharagopal, Rajiv; Cox, Phillip A.; Ginger, David S.

From hybrid perovskites to semiconducting polymer/fullerene blends for organic photovoltaics, many new materials being explored for energy harvesting and storage exhibit performance characteristics that depend sensitively on their nanoscale morphology. At the same time, rapid advances in the capability and accessibility of scanning probe microscopy methods over the past decade have made it possible to study processing/structure/function relationships ranging from photocurrent collection to photocarrier lifetimes with resolutions on the scale of tens of nanometers or better. Importantly, such scanning probe methods offer the potential to combine measurements of local structure with local function, and they can be implemented to studymore » materials in situ or devices in operando to better understand how materials evolve in time in response to an external stimulus or environmental perturbation. This Account highlights recent advances in the development and application of scanning probe microscopy methods that can help address such questions while filling key gaps between the capabilities of conventional electron microscopy and newer super-resolution optical methods. Focusing on semiconductor materials for solar energy applications, we highlight a range of electrical and optoelectronic scanning probe microscopy methods that exploit the local dynamics of an atomic force microscope tip to probe key properties of the solar cell material or device structure. We discuss how it is possible to extract relevant device properties using noncontact scanning probe methods as well as how these properties guide materials development. Specifically, we discuss intensity-modulated scanning Kelvin probe microscopy (IM-SKPM), time-resolved electrostatic force microscopy (trEFM), frequency-modulated electrostatic force microscopy (FM-EFM), and cantilever ringdown imaging. We explain these developments in the context of classic atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods that exploit the physics of cantilever motion and photocarrier generation to provide robust, nanoscale measurements of materials physics that are correlated with device operation. We predict that the multidimensional data sets made possible by these types of methods will become increasingly important as advances in data science expand capabilities and opportunities for image correlation and discovery.« less

Functional Scanning Probe Imaging of Nanostructured Solar Energy Materials

DOE PAGES

Giridharagopal, Rajiv; Cox, Phillip A.; Ginger, David S.

2016-08-30

From hybrid perovskites to semiconducting polymer/fullerene blends for organic photovoltaics, many new materials being explored for energy harvesting and storage exhibit performance characteristics that depend sensitively on their nanoscale morphology. At the same time, rapid advances in the capability and accessibility of scanning probe microscopy methods over the past decade have made it possible to study processing/structure/function relationships ranging from photocurrent collection to photocarrier lifetimes with resolutions on the scale of tens of nanometers or better. Importantly, such scanning probe methods offer the potential to combine measurements of local structure with local function, and they can be implemented to studymore » materials in situ or devices in operando to better understand how materials evolve in time in response to an external stimulus or environmental perturbation. This Account highlights recent advances in the development and application of scanning probe microscopy methods that can help address such questions while filling key gaps between the capabilities of conventional electron microscopy and newer super-resolution optical methods. Focusing on semiconductor materials for solar energy applications, we highlight a range of electrical and optoelectronic scanning probe microscopy methods that exploit the local dynamics of an atomic force microscope tip to probe key properties of the solar cell material or device structure. We discuss how it is possible to extract relevant device properties using noncontact scanning probe methods as well as how these properties guide materials development. Specifically, we discuss intensity-modulated scanning Kelvin probe microscopy (IM-SKPM), time-resolved electrostatic force microscopy (trEFM), frequency-modulated electrostatic force microscopy (FM-EFM), and cantilever ringdown imaging. We explain these developments in the context of classic atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods that exploit the physics of cantilever motion and photocarrier generation to provide robust, nanoscale measurements of materials physics that are correlated with device operation. We predict that the multidimensional data sets made possible by these types of methods will become increasingly important as advances in data science expand capabilities and opportunities for image correlation and discovery.« less

The endo-rectal probe prototype for the TOPEM project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Musico, Paolo; TOPEM Collaboration

2016-07-01

The TOPEM project was funded by INFN with the aim of studying the design of a TOF-PET system dedicated to prostate imaging. During last year a big effort was put into building the prototype of the endo-rectal probe from all point of view: mechanical, thermal, electrical. A dedicated integrated circuit was adopted to have the minimum dimensions: the TOFPET ASIC. The system is composed by a LYSO pixellated crystal which is seen by a 128 SiPM matrix on both surfaces: this permits Depth Of Interaction (DOI) measurement. The 4 needed ASICs are handled by a FPGA board which transmits the acquired data over an UDP connection. The external container was made using 3-D printing technology: internal channels on the external surface permit the flowing of controlled temperature (≈35 °C) water. Electronic components power is dissipated using an internal air flow kept at lower temperature (≈20 °C). The probe is MR compatible: a dedicated small antenna can be accommodated in the container. This will permit simultaneous imaging in MRI and PET systems.

Study of a rare-gas transverse fast discharge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chubb, D. L.; Michels, C. J.

1979-01-01

An experimental and analytical study of a Blumlein-type transverse fast discharge operating with He and Xe are presented. An electro-optical voltage probe was used to measure the discharge voltage, and the measured voltages were in agreement with the computed voltages. The analytical model was used to predict the dependence of the discharge efficiency for producing metastables and ions on the important plasma and external circuit parameters. In He the ion efficiency is greater than the metastable efficiency, while in Xe it is the opposite; the He ion efficiencies are much larger than in Xe, while Xe metastable efficiencies are much larger than in He. These differences between Xe and He are accounted by the large dissociative recombination rate of Xe compared with He.

Probe diffusion of labeled polymers inside polyacrylic acid solutions: A polyelectrolyte effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, Banani; Mithra, K.; Khandai, Santripti; Jena, Sidhartha S.

2018-05-01

Probe diffusion of fluorescently labeled Dextran 40 inside polyelectrolyte solution of polyacrylic acid (PAA) was investigated using Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching technique. The crowding and interaction effects on probe diffusion were controlled by tuning background polymer and added external electrolyte concentration. For all the salt concentration, an overall decrease in diffusion coefficient is observed with rise in polymer concentration. The diffusion coefficient decreases with decrease in salt concentration whereas the solution viscosity increases, indicating a competition between viscous drag and electrostatic interaction. A large positive deviation from the ideal Stokes-Einstein relation is observed for high polymer and low salt concentration, which reduces markedly with addition of salt confirming polyelectrolyte effects, plays a major role in deciding the probe diffusion.

Probing ultra-fast processes with high dynamic range at 4th-generation light sources: Arrival time and intensity binning at unprecedented repetition rates.

PubMed

Kovalev, S; Green, B; Golz, T; Maehrlein, S; Stojanovic, N; Fisher, A S; Kampfrath, T; Gensch, M

2017-03-01

Understanding dynamics on ultrafast timescales enables unique and new insights into important processes in the materials and life sciences. In this respect, the fundamental pump-probe approach based on ultra-short photon pulses aims at the creation of stroboscopic movies. Performing such experiments at one of the many recently established accelerator-based 4th-generation light sources such as free-electron lasers or superradiant THz sources allows an enormous widening of the accessible parameter space for the excitation and/or probing light pulses. Compared to table-top devices, critical issues of this type of experiment are fluctuations of the timing between the accelerator and external laser systems and intensity instabilities of the accelerator-based photon sources. Existing solutions have so far been only demonstrated at low repetition rates and/or achieved a limited dynamic range in comparison to table-top experiments, while the 4th generation of accelerator-based light sources is based on superconducting radio-frequency technology, which enables operation at MHz or even GHz repetition rates. In this article, we present the successful demonstration of ultra-fast accelerator-laser pump-probe experiments performed at an unprecedentedly high repetition rate in the few-hundred-kHz regime and with a currently achievable optimal time resolution of 13 fs (rms). Our scheme, based on the pulse-resolved detection of multiple beam parameters relevant for the experiment, allows us to achieve an excellent sensitivity in real-world ultra-fast experiments, as demonstrated for the example of THz-field-driven coherent spin precession.

Modulation Transfer Through Coherence and Its Application to Atomic Frequency Offset Locking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jagatap, B. N.; Ray, Ayan; Kale, Y. B.; Singh, Niharika; Lawande, Q. V.

We discuss the process of modulation transfer in a coherently prepared three-level atomic medium and its prospective application to atomic frequency offset locking (AFOL). The issue of modulation transfer through coherence is treated in the framework of temporal evolution of dressed atomic system with externally superimposed deterministic flow. This dynamical description of the atom-field system offers distinctive advantage of using a single modulation source to dither passively the coherent phenomenon as probed by an independent laser system under pump-probe configuration. Modulation transfer is demonstrated experimentally using frequency modulation spectroscopy on a subnatural linewidth electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and a sub-Doppler linewidth Autler-Townes (AT) resonance in Doppler broadened alkali vapor medium, and AFOL is realized by stabilizing the probe laser on the first/third derivative signals. The stability of AFOL is discussed in terms of the frequency noise power spectral density and Allan variance. Analysis of AFOL schemes is carried out at the backdrop of closed loop active frequency control in a conventional master-slave scheme to point out the contrasting behavior of AFOL schemes based on EIT and AT resonances. This work adds up to the discussion on the subtle link between dressed state spectroscopy and AFOL, which is relevant for developing a master-slave type laser system in the domain of coherent photon-atom interaction.

Hyperthermia for treating cancer

MedlinePlus

... forms of energy may be used, including: Radio waves Microwaves Ultrasound waves Heat may be delivered using: An external machine ... rectum. A needle-like probe to sends radio wave energy directly into the tumor to kill cancer ...

Number-unconstrained quantum sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitchell, Morgan W.

2017-12-01

Quantum sensing is commonly described as a constrained optimization problem: maximize the information gained about an unknown quantity using a limited number of particles. Important sensors including gravitational wave interferometers and some atomic sensors do not appear to fit this description, because there is no external constraint on particle number. Here, we develop the theory of particle-number-unconstrained quantum sensing, and describe how optimal particle numbers emerge from the competition of particle-environment and particle-particle interactions. We apply the theory to optical probing of an atomic medium modeled as a resonant, saturable absorber, and observe the emergence of well-defined finite optima without external constraints. The results contradict some expectations from number-constrained quantum sensing and show that probing with squeezed beams can give a large sensitivity advantage over classical strategies when each is optimized for particle number.

Construction of probe of the plant growth-promoting bacteria Bacillus subtilis useful for fluorescence in situ hybridization.

PubMed

Posada, Luisa F; Alvarez, Javier C; Hu, Chia-Hui; de-Bashan, Luz E; Bashan, Yoav

2016-09-01

Strains of Bacillus subtilis are plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) of many crops and are used as inoculants. PGPB colonization is an important trait for success of a PGPB on plants. A specific probe, based on the 16 s rRNA of Bacillus subtilis, was designed and evaluated to distinguishing, by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), between this species and the closely related Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. The selected target for the probe was between nucleotides 465 and 483 of the gene, where three different nucleotides can be identified. The designed probe successfully hybridized with several strains of Bacillus subtilis, but failed to hybridize not only with B. amyloliquefaciens, but also with other strains such as Bacillus altitudinis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus gibsonii, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus pumilus; and with the external phylogenetic strains Azospirillum brasilense Cd, Micrococcus sp. and Paenibacillus sp. The results showed the specificity of this molecular probe for B. subtilis.

Nonequilibrium Phase Transitions in Supercooled Water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Limmer, David; Chandler, David

2012-02-01

We present results of a simulation study of water driven out of equilibrium. Using transition path sampling, we can probe stationary path distributions parameterize by order parameters that are extensive in space and time. We find that by coupling external fields to these parameters, we can drive water through a first order dynamical phase transition into amorphous ice. By varying the initial equilibrium distributions we can probe pathways for the creation of amorphous ices of low and high densities.

Using neutral beams as a light ion beam probe (invited)

DOE PAGES

Chen, Xi; Heidbrink, William W.; Van Zeeland, Michael A.; ...

2014-08-05

By arranging the particle first banana orbits to pass near a distant detector, the light ion beam probe (LIBP) utilizes orbital deflection to probe internal fields and field fluctuations. The LIBP technique takes advantage of 1) the in situ, known source of fast ions created by beam-injected neutral particles that naturally ionize near the plasma edge, and 2) various commonly available diagnostics as its detector. These born trapped particles can traverse the plasma core on their inner banana leg before returning to the plasma edge. Orbital displacements (the forces on fast ions) caused by internal instabilities or edge perturbing fieldsmore » appear as modulated signal at an edge detector. Adjustments in the q-profile and plasma shape that determine the first orbit, as well as the relative position of the source and detector, enable studies under a wide variety of plasma conditions. This diagnostic technique can be used to probe the impact on fast ions of various instabilities, e.g. Alfvén eigenmodes (AEs) and neoclassical tearing modes, and of externally-imposed 3D fields, e.g. magnetic perturbations. To date, displacements by AEs and by externally applied resonant magnetic perturbation fields have been measured using a fast ion loss detector. Comparisons with simulations are shown. Additionally, nonlinear interactions between fast ions and independent AE waves are revealed by this technique.« less

Using neutral beams as a light ion beam probe (invited)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Xi, E-mail: chenxi@fusion.gat.com; Heidbrink, W. W.; Van Zeeland, M. A.

By arranging the particle first banana orbits to pass near a distant detector, the light ion beam probe (LIBP) utilizes orbital deflection to probe internal fields and field fluctuations. The LIBP technique takes advantage of (1) the in situ, known source of fast ions created by beam-injected neutral particles that naturally ionize near the plasma edge and (2) various commonly available diagnostics as its detector. These born trapped particles can traverse the plasma core on their inner banana leg before returning to the plasma edge. Orbital displacements (the forces on fast ions) caused by internal instabilities or edge perturbing fieldsmore » appear as modulated signal at an edge detector. Adjustments in the q-profile and plasma shape that determine the first orbit, as well as the relative position of the source and detector, enable studies under a wide variety of plasma conditions. This diagnostic technique can be used to probe the impact on fast ions of various instabilities, e.g., Alfvén eigenmodes (AEs) and neoclassical tearing modes, and of externally imposed 3D fields, e.g., magnetic perturbations. To date, displacements by AEs and by externally applied resonant magnetic perturbation fields have been measured using a fast ion loss detector. Comparisons with simulations are shown. In addition, nonlinear interactions between fast ions and independent AE waves are revealed by this technique.« less

Using neutral beams as a light ion beam probe (invited)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Xi; Heidbrink, William W.; Van Zeeland, Michael A.

By arranging the particle first banana orbits to pass near a distant detector, the light ion beam probe (LIBP) utilizes orbital deflection to probe internal fields and field fluctuations. The LIBP technique takes advantage of 1) the in situ, known source of fast ions created by beam-injected neutral particles that naturally ionize near the plasma edge, and 2) various commonly available diagnostics as its detector. These born trapped particles can traverse the plasma core on their inner banana leg before returning to the plasma edge. Orbital displacements (the forces on fast ions) caused by internal instabilities or edge perturbing fieldsmore » appear as modulated signal at an edge detector. Adjustments in the q-profile and plasma shape that determine the first orbit, as well as the relative position of the source and detector, enable studies under a wide variety of plasma conditions. This diagnostic technique can be used to probe the impact on fast ions of various instabilities, e.g. Alfvén eigenmodes (AEs) and neoclassical tearing modes, and of externally-imposed 3D fields, e.g. magnetic perturbations. To date, displacements by AEs and by externally applied resonant magnetic perturbation fields have been measured using a fast ion loss detector. Comparisons with simulations are shown. Additionally, nonlinear interactions between fast ions and independent AE waves are revealed by this technique.« less

Fine structure of mouthparts and feeding performance of Pyrrhocoris sibiricus Kuschakevich with remarks on the specialization of sensilla and stylets for seed feeding

PubMed Central

Wang, Yan; Dai, Wu

2017-01-01

Mouthpart structure and feeding behavior in the temperate firebug, Pyrrhocoris sibiricus Kuschakevich, an important pest that feeds on seeds of leguminous and gramineous plants, are described for the first time. Mouthparts were observed using scanning electron microscopy to examine the external morphology, distribution and abundance of sensilla on mouthparts. Feeding performance by adults on both seeds and shoots were observed using a binocular microscope. The four-segmented labium contains 3 types of sensilla trichodea, 3 types of sensilla basiconica, 1 type of sensilla placodea and 1 type of sensilla campaniformia. Among them, sensilla trichodea are most abundant. The tripartite apex of the labium consists of two lateral lobes and an apical plate. Each lateral lobe possesses a field of 12 thick-walled uniporous peg sensilla and long non-porous hair sensilla. The mandibular stylet tips have three central teeth and two pairs of lateral teeth, which may help in penetrating hard seed coats. A series of scale-like projections are present on the inner surface of the mandibular stylets. The externally smooth maxillary stylets interlock to form a larger food canal and a smaller salivary canal, and there are five tubercles near the tip of the right stylet. Cross-sections of the stylet fascicle show that each mandibular stylet has a dendritic canal. The adult feeding process involves several steps, including exploring and puncturing of the host epidermis, a probing phase, an engorgement phase, and removal of the mouthparts from the host tissue. The structure and function of the mouthparts are adapted for the seed feeding habits. PMID:28481941

Computational Prediction and Validation of an Expert's Evaluation of Chemical Probes

PubMed Central

Litterman, Nadia K.; Lipinski, Christopher A.; Bunin, Barry A.; Ekins, Sean

2016-01-01

In a decade with over half a billion dollars of investment, more than 300 chemical probes have been identified to have biological activity through NIH funded screening efforts. We have collected the evaluations of an experienced medicinal chemist on the likely chemistry quality of these probes based on a number of criteria including literature related to the probe and potential chemical reactivity. Over 20% of these probes were found to be undesirable. Analysis of the molecular properties of these compounds scored as desirable suggested higher pKa, molecular weight, heavy atom count and rotatable bond number. We were particularly interested whether the human evaluation aspect of medicinal chemistry due diligence could be computationally predicted. We used a process of sequential Bayesian model building and iterative testing as we included additional probes. Following external validation of these methods and comparing different machine learning methods we identified Bayesian models with accuracy comparable to other measures of drug-likeness and filtering rules created to date. PMID:25244007

A high sensitivity MEA probe for measuring real time rat brain glucose flux.

PubMed

Wei, Wenjing; Song, Yilin; Shi, Wentao; Lin, Nansen; Jiang, Tingjun; Cai, Xinxia

2014-05-15

The mammalian central nervous system (CNS) relies on a constant supply of external glucose for its undisturbed operation. This article presents an implantable Multi-Electrode Array (MEA) probe for brain glucose measurement. The MEA was implemented on Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) wafer using Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) methods. There were 16 platinum recording sites on the probe and enzyme glucose oxidase (GOx) was immobilized on them. The glucose sensitivity of the MEA probe was as high as 489 µA mM(-1) cm(-2). 1,3-Phenylenediamine (mPD) was electropolymerized onto the Pt recording surfaces to prevent larger molecules such as ascorbic acid (AA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), serotonin (5-HT), and dopamine (DA) from reaching the recording sites surface. The MEA probe was implanted in the anesthetized rat striatum and responded to glucose levels which were altered by intraperitoneal injection of glucose and insulin. After the in vivo experiment, the MEA probe still kept sensitivity to glucose, these suggested that the MEA probe was reliable for glucose monitoring in brain extracellular fluid (ECF). © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Situ soil sampling probe system with heated transfer line

DOEpatents

Robbat, Jr., Albert

2002-01-01

The present invention is directed both to an improved in situ penetrometer probe and to a heated, flexible transfer line. The line and probe may be implemented together in a penetrometer system in which the transfer line is used to connect the probe to a collector/analyzer at the surface. The probe comprises a heater that controls a temperature of a geologic medium surrounding the probe. At least one carrier gas port and vapor collection port are located on an external side wall of the probe. The carrier gas port provides a carrier gas into the geologic medium, and the collection port captures vapors from the geologic medium for analysis. In the transfer line, a flexible collection line that conveys a collected fluid, i.e., vapor, sample to a collector/analyzer. A flexible carrier gas line conveys a carrier gas to facilitate the collection of the sample. A system heating the collection line is also provided. Preferably the collection line is electrically conductive so that an electrical power source can generate a current through it so that the internal resistance generates heat.

An ergonomic handheld ultrasound probe providing contact forces and pose information.

PubMed

Yohan Noh; Housden, R James; Gomez, Alberto; Knight, Caroline; Garcia, Francesca; Hongbin Liu; Razavi, Reza; Rhode, Kawal; Althoefer, Kaspar

2015-08-01

This paper presents a handheld ultrasound probe which is integrated with sensors to measure force and pose (position/orientation) information. Using an integrated probe like this, one can relate ultrasound images to spatial location and create 3D ultrasound maps. The handheld device can be used by sonographers and also easily be integrated with robot arms for automated sonography. The handheld device is ergonomically designed; rapid attachment and removal of the ultrasound transducer itself is possible using easy-to-operate clip mechanisms. A cable locking mechanism reduces the impact that gravitational and other external forces have (originating from data and power supply cables connected to the probe) on our measurements. Gravitational errors introduced by the housing of the probe are compensated for using knowledge of the housing geometry and the integrated pose sensor that provides us with accurate orientation information. In this paper, we describe the handheld probe with its integrated force/pose sensors and our approach to gravity compensation. We carried out a set of experiments to verify the feasibility of our approach to obtain accurate spatial information of the handheld probe.

Traversing probe system

DOEpatents

Mashburn, Douglas N.; Stevens, Richard H.; Woodall, Harold C.

1977-01-01

This invention comprises a rotatable annular probe-positioner which carries at least one radially disposed sensing probe, such as a Pitot tube having a right-angled tip. The positioner can be coaxially and rotatably mounted within a compressor casing or the like and then actuated to orient the sensing probe as required to make measurements at selected stations in the annulus between the positioner and compressor casing. The positioner can be actuated to (a) selectively move the probe along its own axis, (b) adjust the yaw angle of the right-angled probe tip, and (c) revolve the probe about the axis common to the positioner and casing. A cam plate engages a cam-follower portion of the probe and normally rotates with the positioner. The positioner includes a first-motor-driven ring gear which effects slidable movement of the probe by rotating the positioner at a time when an external pneumatic cylinder is actuated to engage the cam plate and hold it stationary. When the pneumatic cylinder is not actuated, this ring gear can be driven to revolve the positioner and thus the probe to a desired circumferential location about the above-mentioned common axis. A second motor-driven ring gear included in the positioner can be driven to rotate the probe about its axis, thus adjusting the yaw angle of the probe tip. The positioner can be used in highly corrosive atmosphere, such as gaseous uranium hexafluoride.

Numerical simulation of magnetic nano drug targeting in patient-specific lower respiratory tract

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russo, Flavia; Boghi, Andrea; Gori, Fabio

2018-04-01

Magnetic nano drug targeting, with an external magnetic field, can potentially improve the drug absorption in specific locations of the body. However, the effectiveness of the procedure can be reduced due to the limitations of the magnetic field intensity. This work investigates this technique with the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) approach. A single rectangular coil generates the external magnetic field. A patient-specific geometry of the Trachea, with its primary and secondary bronchi, is reconstructed from Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) formatted images, throughout the Vascular Modelling Tool Kit (VMTK) software. A solver, coupling the Lagrangian dynamics of the magnetic nanoparticles with the Eulerian dynamics of the air, is used to perform the simulations. The resistive pressure, the pulsatile inlet velocity and the rectangular coil magnetic field are the boundary conditions. The dynamics of the injected particles is investigated without and with the magnetic probe. The flow field promotes particles adhesion to the tracheal wall. The particles volumetric flow rate in both cases has been calculated. The magnetic probe is shown to increase the particles flow in the target region, but at a limited extent. This behavior has been attributed to the small particle size and the probe configuration.

Phase transitions in heated Sr{sub 2}MgTeO{sub 6} double perovskite oxide probed by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Manoun, Bouchaib, E-mail: manounb@gmail.com; Tamraoui, Y.; Lazor, P.

2013-12-23

Double-perovskite oxide Sr{sub 2}MgTeO{sub 6} has been synthetized, and its crystal structure was probed by the technique of X-ray diffraction at room temperature. The structure is monoclinic, space group I2/m. Temperature-induced phase transitions in this compound were investigated by Raman spectroscopy up to 550 °C. Two low-wavenumber modes corresponding to external lattice vibrations merge at temperature of around 100 °C, indicating a phase transition from the monoclinic (I2/m) to the tetragonal (I4/m) structure. At 300 °C, changes in the slopes of temperature dependencies of external and O–Te–O bending modes are detected and interpreted as a second phase transition from the tetragonal (I4/m) tomore » the cubic (Fm-3m) structure.« less

Viscoelastic Mapping of Living Cell Interiors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heinrich, Doris; Sackmann, Erich; Koehler, Jana; Gerisch, Guenther

2004-03-01

We performed spatially resolved mapping of the viscoelastic properties of the cytoplasm of living cell interiors. A magnetic tweezer was applied as a local probe for the investigation of active and passive transport inside the slime mold cells Dictyostelium discoideum. Fluorescence labeled components, i.e. the microtubulins, the endoplasmatic reticulum or the core, allow for the determination of the interaction of the magnetic probes with the cytoplasm. By comparing the trajectories of the magnetic beads in the presence of an external magnetic force and in the absence of an external force, we can measure the viscosity at any given position within the cell. These experiments show that the cytoplasm consists of soft pathways (yield stress less or equal 10 Pa) and hard pathways (yield stress less or equal 500 Pa). Selective actin, myosin II or microtubulin network removal in the living cells allows for the determination of the influence of these cell parts on the viscoelastic properties.

Micromachined Silicon Stimulating Probes with CMOS Circuitry for Use in the Central Nervous System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanghe, Steven John

1992-01-01

Electrical stimulation in the central nervous system is a valuable technique for studying neural systems and is a key element in the development of prostheses for deafness and other disorders. This thesis presents a family of multielectrode probe structures, fulfilling the need for chronic multipoint stimulation tools essential for interfacing to the highly complex neural networks in the brain. These probes are batch-fabricated on silicon wafers, employing photoengraving techniques to precisely control the electrode site and array geometries and to allow the integration of on-chip CMOS circuitry for signal multiplexing and stimulus current generation. Silicon micromachining is used to define the probe shapes, which have typical shank dimensions of 3 mm in length by 100 mu m in width by 15 μm in thickness. Each shank supports up to eight planar iridium oxide electrode sites capable of delivering charge densities in excess of 3 mC/cm^2 during current pulse stimulation. Three active probe circuits have been designed with varied complexity and capability. All three can deliver biphasic stimulus currents through 16 sites using only 5 external leads, and they are all compatible with the same external control system. The most complex design interprets site addresses and stimulus current amplitudes from 16-bit words shifted into the probe at 4 MHz. Sixteen on-chip, biphasic, 8-bit digital-to-analog converters deliver analog stimulus currents in the range of +/- 254 muA to any combination of electrode sites. These DACs exhibit full-scale internal linearity to better than +/-1/2 LSB and can be calibrated by varying the positive power supply voltage. The entire probe circuit dissipates only 80 muW from +/-5 V supplies when not delivering stimulus currents, it includes several safety features, and is testable from the input pads. Test results from the fabricated circuits indicate that they all function properly at clocking frequencies as high as 10 MHz, meeting or exceeding all design specifications. Probe structures without circuitry have been used for stimulation experiments in guinea pigs yielding excellent results.

Active Probing of Space Plasmas

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-09-01

ft. shuttle wake mlay also a kect the optration (if mi’:nc di.tg. Ibk Prwwattr of ,frttirw 844 I. %rvaom ’itbi h" $od iy radlet 6�va of IkeA dtm t...probe had a specially designed inner shaft caused by the existence of some ballistic electrons after made with .pring sleel tubing. By externally...potential to the electron thermal energy i(s distances downstream of the body (see Fig. 1). This (e OIT,) was on the order of 10 in steady state. design

Casimir force phase transitions in the graphene family

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rodriguez-Lopez, Pablo; Kort-Kamp, Wilton J. M.; Dalvit, Diego A. R.

The Casimir force is a universal interaction induced by electromagnetic quantum fluctuations between any types of objects. We found that the expansion of the graphene family by adding silicene, germanene and stanene (2D allotropes of Si, Ge, and Sn), lends itself as a platform to probe Dirac-like physics in honeycomb staggered systems in such a ubiquitous interaction. Here, we discover Casimir force phase transitions between these staggered 2D materials induced by the complex interplay between Dirac physics, spin-orbit coupling and externally applied fields. Particularly, we find that the interaction energy experiences different power law distance decays, magnitudes and dependences onmore » characteristic physical constants. Furthermore, due to the topological properties of these materials, repulsive and quantized Casimir interactions become possible.« less

Casimir force phase transitions in the graphene family

DOE PAGES

Rodriguez-Lopez, Pablo; Kort-Kamp, Wilton J. M.; Dalvit, Diego A. R.; ...

2017-03-15

The Casimir force is a universal interaction induced by electromagnetic quantum fluctuations between any types of objects. We found that the expansion of the graphene family by adding silicene, germanene and stanene (2D allotropes of Si, Ge, and Sn), lends itself as a platform to probe Dirac-like physics in honeycomb staggered systems in such a ubiquitous interaction. Here, we discover Casimir force phase transitions between these staggered 2D materials induced by the complex interplay between Dirac physics, spin-orbit coupling and externally applied fields. Particularly, we find that the interaction energy experiences different power law distance decays, magnitudes and dependences onmore » characteristic physical constants. Furthermore, due to the topological properties of these materials, repulsive and quantized Casimir interactions become possible.« less

A mini-cavity probe reactor.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hyland, R. E.

1971-01-01

The mini-cavity reactor is a rocket engine concept which combines the high specific impulse from a central gaseous fueled cavity (0.6 m diam) and NERVA type fuel elements in a driver region that is external to a moderator-reflector zone to produce a compact light weight reactor. The overall dimension including a pressure vessel that is located outside of the spherical reactor is approximately 1.21 m in diameter. Specific impulses up to 2000 sec are obtainable for 220 to 890 N of thrust with pressures less than 1000 atm. Powerplant weights including a radiator for disposing of the power in the driver region are between 4600 and 32,000 kg - less than payloads of the shuttle. This reactor could also be used as a test reactor for gas-core, MHD, breeding and materials research.

Dynamical control of Mn spin-system cooling by photogenerated carriers in a (Zn,Mn)Se/BeTe heterostructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Debus, J.; Maksimov, A. A.; Dunker, D.; Yakovlev, D. R.; Tartakovskii, I. I.; Waag, A.; Bayer, M.

2010-08-01

The magnetization dynamics of the Mn spin system in an undoped (Zn,Mn)Se/BeTe type-II quantum well was studied by a time-resolved pump-probe photoluminescence technique. The Mn spin temperature was evaluated from the giant Zeeman shift of the exciton line in an external magnetic field of 3 T. The relaxation dynamics of the Mn spin temperature to the equilibrium temperature of the phonon bath after the pump-laser-pulse heating can be accelerated by the presence of free electrons. These electrons, generated by a control laser pulse, mediate the spin and energy transfer from the Mn spin system to the lattice and bypass the relatively slow direct spin-lattice relaxation of the Mn ions.

Measurement and control of in-plane surface chemistry during the oxidation of H-terminated (111) Si

PubMed Central

Gokce, Bilal; Adles, Eric J.; Aspnes, David E.; Gundogdu, Kenan

2010-01-01

In-plane directional control of surface chemistry during interface formation can lead to new opportunities regarding device structures and applications. Control of this type requires techniques that can probe and hence provide feedback on the chemical reactivity of bonds not only in specific directions but also in real time. Here, we demonstrate both control and measurement of the oxidation of H-terminated (111) Si. Control is achieved by externally applying uniaxial strain, and measurement by second-harmonic generation (SHG) together with the anisotropic-bond model of nonlinear optics. In this system anisotropy results because bonds in the strain direction oxidize faster than those perpendicular to it, leading in addition to transient structural changes that can also be detected at the bond level by SHG. PMID:20876145

A simple approach to the generation of heterologous competitive internal controls for real-time PCR assays on the LightCycler.

PubMed

Stöcher, Markus; Leb, Victoria; Hölzl, Gabriele; Berg, Jörg

2002-12-01

The real-time PCR technology allows convenient detection and quantification of virus derived DNA. This approach is used in many PCR based assays in clinical laboratories. Detection and quantification of virus derived DNA is usually performed against external controls or external standards. Thus, adequacy within a clinical sample is not monitored for. This can be achieved using internal controls that are co-amplified with the specific target within the same reaction vessel. We describe a convenient way to prepare heterologous internal controls as competitors for real-time PCR based assays. The internal controls were devised as competitors in real-time PCR, e.g. LightCycler-PCR. The bacterial neomycin phosphotransferase gene (neo) was used as source for heterologous DNA. Within the neo gene a box was chosen containing sequences for four differently spaced forward primers, one reverse primer, and a pair of neo specific hybridization probes. Pairs of primers were constructed to compose of virus-specific primer sequences and neo box specific primer sequences. Using those composite primers in conventional preparative PCR four types of internal controls were amplified from the neo box and subsequently cloned. A panel of the four differently sized internal controls was generated and tested by LightCycler PCR using their virus-specific primers. All four different PCR products were detected with the single pair of neo specific FRET-hybridization probes. The presented approach to generate competitive internal controls for use in LightCycler PCR assays proved convenient und rapid. The obtained internal controls match most PCR product sizes used in clinical routine molecular assays and will assist to discriminate true from false negative results.

Charge separation and transport of the n=2 instability in C-2 FRC plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Bihe; Sun, Xuan; Tuszewski, Michel

2012-10-01

Charge separation is critical in the positive feedback loop for gravitational type instabilities to grow [1], such as in the case of the n=2 mode in the C-2 field reversed configuration (FRC) experiment [2]. A fast time response Langmuir probe with minimum perturbation to the plasma is inserted into the edge of the C-2 plasma to measure the plasma floating potential. With the combined plasma wobble motion and spin motion, 2-D scans of the plasma floating potential are obtained, and evidence of charge separation associated with the n=2 instability is observed. The transport due to charge separation is estimated. Charge neutralization can provide an alternative method to stabilize the n=2 mode. An experiment is proposed to test this method with two probes inserted into the plasma from two azimuthally separated ports and an external shorting circuit, to constantly neutralize the charge separation, thus suppress the growth of the n=2 mode. [4pt] [1] R.J. Goldston and P.H. Rutherford, Introduction to Plasma Physics (Institute of Physics Publishing, Bristol, 2000).[0pt] [2]. M.W. Binderbauer et al, Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 045003 (2010).

Colloidal Aggregate Structure under Shear by USANS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chatterjee, Tirtha; van Dyk, Antony K.; Ginzburg, Valeriy V.; Nakatani, Alan I.

2015-03-01

Paints are complex formulations of polymeric binders, inorganic pigments, dispersants, surfactants, colorants, rheology modifiers, and other additives. A commercially successful paint exhibits a desired viscosity profile over a wide shear rate range from 10-5 s-1 for settling to >104 s-1 for rolling, and spray applications. Understanding paint formulation structure is critical as it governs the paint viscosity profile. However, probing paint formulation structure under shear is a challenging task due to the formulation complexity containing structures with different hierarchical length scales and their alterations under the influence of an external flow field. In this work mesoscale structures of paint formulations under shear are investigated using Ultra Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (rheo-USANS). Contrast match conditions were utilized to independently probe the structure of latex binder particle aggregates and the TiO2 pigment particle aggregates. Rheo-USANS data revealed that the aggregates are fractal in nature and their self-similarity dimensions and correlations lengths depend on the chemistry of the binder particles, the type of rheology modifier present and the shear stress imposed upon the formulation. These results can be explained in the framework of diffusion and reaction limited transient aggregates structure evolution under simple shear.

Probing ultra-fast processes with high dynamic range at 4th-generation light sources: Arrival time and intensity binning at unprecedented repetition rates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kovalev, S.; Green, B.; Golz, T.

Here, understanding dynamics on ultrafast timescales enables unique and new insights into important processes in the materials and life sciences. In this respect, the fundamental pump-probe approach based on ultra-short photon pulses aims at the creation of stroboscopic movies. Performing such experiments at one of the many recently established accelerator-based 4th-generation light sources such as free-electron lasers or superradiant THz sources allows an enormous widening of the accessible parameter space for the excitation and/or probing light pulses. Compared to table-top devices, critical issues of this type of experiment are fluctuations of the timing between the accelerator and external laser systemsmore » and intensity instabilities of the accelerator-based photon sources. Existing solutions have so far been only demonstrated at low repetition rates and/or achieved a limited dynamic range in comparison to table-top experiments, while the 4th generation of accelerator-based light sources is based on superconducting radio-frequency technology, which enables operation at MHz or even GHz repetition rates. In this article, we present the successful demonstration of ultra-fast accelerator-laser pump-probe experiments performed at an unprecedentedly high repetition rate in the few-hundred-kHz regime and with a currently achievable optimal time resolution of 13 fs (rms). Our scheme, based on the pulse-resolved detection of multiple beam parameters relevant for the experiment, allows us to achieve an excellent sensitivity in real-world ultra-fast experiments, as demonstrated for the example of THz-field-driven coherent spin precession.« less

The natural abundance of 13C with different agricultural management by NIRS with fibre optic probe technology.

PubMed

Fuentes, Mariela; González-Martín, Inmaculada; Hernández-Hierro, Jose Miguel; Hidalgo, Claudia; Govaerts, Bram; Etchevers, Jorge; Sayre, Ken D; Dendooven, Luc

2009-06-30

In the present study the natural abundance of (13)C is quantified in agricultural soils in Mexico which have been submitted to different agronomic practices, zero and conventional tillage, retention of crop residues (with and without) and rotation of crops (wheat and maize) for 17 years, which have influenced the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the soil. The natural abundance of C13 is quantified by near infrared spectra (NIRS) with a remote reflectance fibre optic probe, applying the probe directly to the soil samples. Discriminate partial least squares analysis of the near infrared spectra allowed to classify soils with and without residues, regardless of the type of tillage or rotation systems used with a prediction rate of 90% in the internal validation and 94% in the external validation. The NIRS calibration model using a modified partial least squares regression allowed to determine the delta(13)C in soils with or without residues, with multiple correlation coefficients 0.81 and standard error prediction 0.5 per thousand in soils with residues and 0.92 and 0.2 per thousand in soils without residues. The ratio performance deviation for the quantification of delta(13)C in soil was 2.5 in soil with residues and 3.8 without residues. This indicated that the model was adequate to determine the delta(13)C of unknown soils in the -16.2 per thousand to -20.4 per thousand range. The development of the NIR calibration permits analytic determinations of the values of delta(13)C in unknown agricultural soils in less time, employing a non-destructive method, by the application of the fibre optic probe of remote reflectance to the soil sample.

Probing ultra-fast processes with high dynamic range at 4th-generation light sources: Arrival time and intensity binning at unprecedented repetition rates

DOE PAGES

Kovalev, S.; Green, B.; Golz, T.; ...

2017-03-06

Here, understanding dynamics on ultrafast timescales enables unique and new insights into important processes in the materials and life sciences. In this respect, the fundamental pump-probe approach based on ultra-short photon pulses aims at the creation of stroboscopic movies. Performing such experiments at one of the many recently established accelerator-based 4th-generation light sources such as free-electron lasers or superradiant THz sources allows an enormous widening of the accessible parameter space for the excitation and/or probing light pulses. Compared to table-top devices, critical issues of this type of experiment are fluctuations of the timing between the accelerator and external laser systemsmore » and intensity instabilities of the accelerator-based photon sources. Existing solutions have so far been only demonstrated at low repetition rates and/or achieved a limited dynamic range in comparison to table-top experiments, while the 4th generation of accelerator-based light sources is based on superconducting radio-frequency technology, which enables operation at MHz or even GHz repetition rates. In this article, we present the successful demonstration of ultra-fast accelerator-laser pump-probe experiments performed at an unprecedentedly high repetition rate in the few-hundred-kHz regime and with a currently achievable optimal time resolution of 13 fs (rms). Our scheme, based on the pulse-resolved detection of multiple beam parameters relevant for the experiment, allows us to achieve an excellent sensitivity in real-world ultra-fast experiments, as demonstrated for the example of THz-field-driven coherent spin precession.« less

Effect of cyclic loading and retightening on reverse torque value in external and internal implants.

PubMed

Cho, Woong-Rae; Huh, Yoon-Hyuk; Park, Chan-Jin; Cho, Lee-Ra

2015-08-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cyclic loading and screw retightening on reverse torque value (RTV) in external and internal type implants. Cement-retained abutments were connected with 30 Ncm torque to external and internal type implants. Experimental groups were classified according to implant connection type and retightening/loading protocol. In groups with no retightening, RTV was evaluated after cyclic loading for 100,000 cycles. In groups with retightening, RTV was measured after 3, 10, 100 cycles as well as every 20,000 cycles until 100,000 cycles of loading. Every group showed decreased RTV after cyclic loading. Before and after cyclic loading, external type implants had significantly higher RTVs than internal type implants. In external type implants, retightening did not affect the decrease in RTV. In contrast, retightening 5 times and retightening after 10 cycles of dynamic loading was effective for maintaining RTV in internal type implants. Retightening of screws is more effective in internal type implants than external type implants. Retightening of screws is recommended in the early stage of functional loading.

Initial laboratory experience with a novel ultrasound probe for standard and single-port robotic kidney surgery: increasing console surgeon autonomy and minimizing instrument clashing.

PubMed

Yakoubi, Rachid; Autorino, Riccardo; Laydner, Humberto; Guillotreau, Julien; White, Michael A; Hillyer, Shahab; Spana, Gregory; Khanna, Rakesh; Isaac, Wahib; Haber, Georges-Pascal; Stein, Robert J; Kaouk, Jihad H

2012-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate a novel ultrasound probe specifically developed for robotic surgery by determining its efficiency in identifying renal tumors. The study was carried out using the Da Vinci™ surgical system in one female pig. Renal tumor targets were created by percutaneous injection of a tumor mimic mixture. Single-port and standard robotic partial nephrectomy were performed. Intraoperative ultrasound was performed using both standard laparoscopic probe and the new ProART™ Robotic probe. Probe maneuverability and ease of handling for tumor localization were recorded. The standard laparoscopic probe was guided by the assistant. Significant clashing with robotic arms was noted during the single-port procedure. The novel robotic probe was easily introduced through the assistant trocar, and held by the console surgeon using the robotic Prograsp™ with no registered clashing in the external operative field. The average time for grasping the new robotic probe was less than 10 s. Once inserted and grasped, no limitation was found in terms of instrument clashing during the single-port procedure. This novel ultrasound probe developed for robotic surgery was noted to be user-friendly when performing porcine standard and especially single-port robotic partial nephrectomy. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Exciton properties in zincblende InGaN-GaN quantum wells under the effects of intense laser fields

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

In this work, we study the exciton states in a zincblende InGaN/GaN quantum well using a variational technique. The system is considered under the action of intense laser fields with the incorporation of a direct current electric field as an additional external probe. The effects of these external influences as well as of the changes in the geometry of the heterostructure on the exciton binding energy are discussed in detail. PMID:22937963

Exciton properties in zincblende InGaN-GaN quantum wells under the effects of intense laser fields.

PubMed

Duque, Carlos M; Mora-Ramos, Miguel E; Duque, Carlos A

2012-08-31

: In this work, we study the exciton states in a zincblende InGaN/GaN quantum well using a variational technique. The system is considered under the action of intense laser fields with the incorporation of a direct current electric field as an additional external probe. The effects of these external influences as well as of the changes in the geometry of the heterostructure on the exciton binding energy are discussed in detail.

Activatable fluorescent probes in fluorescence-guided surgery: Practical considerations.

PubMed

Mochida, Ai; Ogata, Fusa; Nagaya, Tadanobu; Choyke, Peter L; Kobayashi, Hisataka

2018-02-15

Fluorescence-guided imaging during surgery is a promising technique that is increasingly used to aid surgeons in identifying sites of tumor and surgical margins. Of the two types of fluorescent probes, always-on and activatable, activatable probes are preferred because they produce higher target-to-background ratios, thus improving sensitivity compared with always-on probes that must contend with considerable background signal. There are two types of activatable probes: 1) enzyme-reactive probes that are normally quenched but can be activated after cleavage by cancer-specific enzymes (activity-based probes) and 2) molecular-binding probes which use cancer targeting moieties such as monoclonal antibodies to target receptors found in abundance on cancers and are activated after internalization and lysosomal processing (binding-based probes). For fluorescence-guided intraoperative surgery, enzyme-reactive probes are superior because they can react quickly, require smaller dosages especially for topical applications, have limited side effects, and have favorable pharmacokinetics. Enzyme-reactive probes are easier to use, fit better into existing work flows in the operating room and have minimal toxicity. Although difficult to prove, it is assumed that the guidance provided to surgeons by these probes results in more effective surgeries with better outcomes for patients. In this review, we compare these two types of activatable fluorescent probes for their ease of use and efficacy. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Unlabeled probes for the detection and typing of herpes simplex virus.

PubMed

Dames, Shale; Pattison, David C; Bromley, L Kathryn; Wittwer, Carl T; Voelkerding, Karl V

2007-10-01

Unlabeled probe detection with a double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) binding dye is one method to detect and confirm target amplification after PCR. Unlabeled probes and amplicon melting have been used to detect small deletions and single-nucleotide polymorphisms in assays where template is in abundance. Unlabeled probes have not been applied to low-level target detection, however. Herpes simplex virus (HSV) was chosen as a model to compare the unlabeled probe method to an in-house reference assay using dual-labeled, minor groove binding probes. A saturating dsDNA dye (LCGreen Plus) was used for real-time PCR. HSV-1, HSV-2, and an internal control were differentiated by PCR amplicon and unlabeled probe melting analysis after PCR. The unlabeled probe technique displayed 98% concordance with the reference assay for the detection of HSV from a variety of archived clinical samples (n = 182). HSV typing using unlabeled probes was 99% concordant (n = 104) to sequenced clinical samples and allowed for the detection of sequence polymorphisms in the amplicon and under the probe. Unlabeled probes and amplicon melting can be used to detect and genotype as few as 10 copies of target per reaction, restricted only by stochastic limitations. The use of unlabeled probes provides an attractive alternative to conventional fluorescence-labeled, probe-based assays for genotyping and detection of HSV and might be useful for other low-copy targets where typing is informative.

Research on mutual influence of Cherenkov-type probes within the ISTTOK tokamak chamber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jakubowski, L.; Plyusnin, V. V.; Malinowski, K.; Sadowski, M. J.; Zebrowski, J.; Rabinski, M.; Fernandes, H.; Silva, C.; Figueiredo, H.; Jakubowski, M. J.

2014-12-01

The paper describes an influence of a Cherenkov-type probe, which is used for measurements of fast electron streams inside the ISTTOK chamber, on other probes and behaviour of a plasma ring. The reported study shows that such a probe situated near the plasma column has a strong influence on signals from another Cherenkov probe, and can cause a considerable reduction of electron-induced signals. This effect does not depend on positions of the probes in relation to the limiter. Measurements of hard X-ray (HXR) emission show that the deeply immersed Cherenkov probe can also influence on the limiter . Under specific experimental conditions such a Cherenkov probe can play the role of a new limiter and change the plasma configuration.

Odorant transfer characteristics of white bread during baking.

PubMed

Onishi, Masanobu; Inoue, Michiko; Araki, Tetsuya; Iwabuchi, Hisakatsu; Sagara, Yasuyuki

2011-01-01

The potent odorants in the crust and crumb of white bread were identified and quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography/olfactometry. The weight loss ratio of the samples baked at 220 °C was controlled in the range of 0-28%. The odorants were classified into 5 types by the transfer characteristics: i) All amounts of odorant transferred from the crust to external space (type-I). ii) All transferred from the crust to the crumb and external space (type-II). iii) Certain amount remaining in the crust and the rest transferred to the crumb and external space (type-III). iv) All transferred from the crumb to external space (type-IV). v) Certain amount remaining in the crumb and the rest transferred to the crust and external space (type-V). The odorants of type-IV were not apparent after the crust had formed. The results indicate that the crust could be a barrier to prevent the odorants from being transferred to external space.

The ATLAS3D project - X. On the origin of the molecular and ionized gas in early-type galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Timothy A.; Alatalo, Katherine; Sarzi, Marc; Bureau, Martin; Young, Lisa M.; Blitz, Leo; Serra, Paolo; Crocker, Alison F.; Krajnović, Davor; McDermid, Richard M.; Bois, Maxime; Bournaud, Frédéric; Cappellari, Michele; Davies, Roger L.; Duc, Pierre-Alain; de Zeeuw, P. Tim; Emsellem, Eric; Khochfar, Sadegh; Kuntschner, Harald; Lablanche, Pierre-Yves; Morganti, Raffaella; Naab, Thorsten; Oosterloo, Tom; Scott, Nicholas; Weijmans, Anne-Marie

2011-10-01

We make use of interferometric CO and H I observations, and optical integral-field spectroscopy from the ATLAS3D survey, to probe the origin of the molecular and ionized interstellar medium (ISM) in local early-type galaxies. We find that 36 ± 5 per cent of our sample of fast-rotating early-type galaxies have their ionized gas kinematically misaligned with respect to the stars, setting a strong lower limit on the importance of externally acquired gas (e.g. from mergers and cold accretion). Slow rotators have a flat distribution of misalignments, indicating that the dominant source of gas is external. The molecular, ionized and atomic gas in all the detected galaxies are always kinematically aligned, even when they are misaligned from the stars, suggesting that all these three phases of the ISM share a common origin. In addition, we find that the origin of the cold and warm gas in fast-rotating early-type galaxies is strongly affected by environment, despite the molecular gas detection rate and mass fractions being fairly independent of group/cluster membership. Galaxies in dense groups and the Virgo cluster nearly always have their molecular gas kinematically aligned with the stellar kinematics, consistent with a purely internal origin (presumably stellar mass loss). In the field, however, kinematic misalignments between the stellar and gaseous components indicate that at least 42 ± 5 per cent of local fast-rotating early-type galaxies have their gas supplied from external sources. When one also considers evidence of accretion present in the galaxies' atomic gas distributions, ≳46 per cent of fast-rotating field ETGs are likely to have acquired a detectable amount of ISM from accretion and mergers. We discuss several scenarios which could explain the environmental dichotomy, including preprocessing in galaxy groups/cluster outskirts and the morphological transformation of spiral galaxies, but we find it difficult to simultaneously explain the kinematic misalignment difference and the constant detection rate. Furthermore, our results suggest that galaxy mass may be an important independent factor associated with the origin of the gas, with the most massive fast-rotating galaxies in our sample (MK≲-24 mag; stellar mass of ≈8 × 1010 M⊙) always having kinematically aligned gas. This mass dependence appears to be independent of environment, suggesting it is caused by a separate physical mechanism.

Selection of fluorophore and quencher pairs for fluorescent nucleic acid hybridization probes.

PubMed

Marras, Salvatore A E

2006-01-01

With the introduction of simple and relatively inexpensive methods for labeling nucleic acids with nonradioactive labels, doors have been opened that enable nucleic acid hybridization probes to be used for research and development, as well as for clinical diagnostic applications. The use of fluorescent hybridization probes that generate a fluorescence signal only when they bind to their target enables real-time monitoring of nucleic acid amplification assays. The use of hybridization probes that bind to the amplification products in real-time markedly improves the ability to obtain quantitative results. Furthermore, real-time nucleic acid amplification assays can be carried out in sealed tubes, eliminating carryover contamination. Because fluorescent hybridization probes are available in a wide range of colors, multiple hybridization probes, each designed for the detection of a different nucleic acid sequence and each labeled with a differently colored fluorophore, can be added to the same nucleic acid amplification reaction, enabling the development of high-throughput multiplex assays. It is therefore important to carefully select the labels of hybridization probes, based on the type of hybridization probe used in the assay, the number of targets to be detected, and the type of apparatus available to perform the assay. This chapter outlines different aspects of choosing appropriate labels for the different types of fluorescent hybridization probes used with different types of spectrofluorometric thermal cyclers.

Endocavity Ultrasound Probe Manipulators

PubMed Central

Stoianovici, Dan; Kim, Chunwoo; Schäfer, Felix; Huang, Chien-Ming; Zuo, Yihe; Petrisor, Doru; Han, Misop

2014-01-01

We developed two similar structure manipulators for medical endocavity ultrasound probes with 3 and 4 degrees of freedom (DoF). These robots allow scanning with ultrasound for 3-D imaging and enable robot-assisted image-guided procedures. Both robots use remote center of motion kinematics, characteristic of medical robots. The 4-DoF robot provides unrestricted manipulation of the endocavity probe. With the 3-DoF robot the insertion motion of the probe must be adjusted manually, but the device is simpler and may also be used to manipulate external-body probes. The robots enabled a novel surgical approach of using intraoperative image-based navigation during robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP), performed with concurrent use of two robotic systems (Tandem, T-RALP). Thus far, a clinical trial for evaluation of safety and feasibility has been performed successfully on 46 patients. This paper describes the architecture and design of the robots, the two prototypes, control features related to safety, preclinical experiments, and the T-RALP procedure. PMID:24795525

The hairpin resonator: A plasma density measuring technique revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piejak, R. B.; Godyak, V. A.; Garner, R.; Alexandrovich, B. M.; Sternberg, N.

2004-04-01

A microwave resonator probe is a resonant structure from which the relative permittivity of the surrounding medium can be determined. Two types of microwave resonator probes (referred to here as hairpin probes) have been designed and built to determine the electron density in a low-pressure gas discharge. One type, a transmission probe, is a functional equivalent of the original microwave resonator probe introduced by R. L. Stenzel [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 47, 603 (1976)], modified to increase coupling to the hairpin structure and to minimize plasma perturbation. The second type, a reflection probe, differs from the transmission probe in that it requires only one coaxial feeder cable. A sheath correction, based on the fluid equations for collisionless ions in a cylindrical electron-free sheath, is presented here to account for the sheath that naturally forms about the hairpin structure immersed in plasma. The sheath correction extends the range of electron density that can be accurately measured with a particular wire separation of the hairpin structure. Experimental measurements using the hairpin probe appear to be highly reproducible. Comparisons with Langmuir probes show that the Langmuir probe determines an electron density that is 20-30% lower than the hairpin. Further comparisons, with both an interferometer and a Langmuir probe, show hairpin measurements to be in good agreement with the interferometer while Langmuir probe measurements again result in a lower electron density.

The RF Probe: providing space situational awareness through broad-spectrum detection and characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zenick, Raymond; Kohlhepp, Kimberly; Partch, Russell

2004-09-01

AeroAstro's patented RF Probe is a system designed to address the needs of spacecraft developers and operators interested in measuring and analyzing near-field RF emissions emanating from a nearby spacecraft of interest. The RF Probe consists of an intelligent spectrum analyzer with digital signal processing capabilities combined with a calibrated, wide-bandwidth antenna and RF front end that covers the 50 kHz to 18 GHz spectrum. It is capable of acquiring signal level and signal vector information, classifying signals, assessing the quality of a satellite"s transponders, and characterizing near-field electromagnetic emissions. The RF Probe is intended for either incorporation as part of a suite of spacecraft sensors, or as a stand-alone sensor on spacecraft or other platforms such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The RF Probe was initially conceived as a tool to detect and aid in diagnosis of malfunctions in a spacecraft of interest. However, the utility of the RF Probe goes far beyond this initial concept, spanning a wide range of military applications. Most importantly, the RF Probe can provide space situational awareness for critical on-orbit assets by detecting externally induced RF fields, aiding in protection against potentially devastating attacks.

Effect of cyclic loading and retightening on reverse torque value in external and internal implants

PubMed Central

Cho, Woong-Rae; Huh, Yoon-Hyuk; Park, Chan-Jin

2015-01-01

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cyclic loading and screw retightening on reverse torque value (RTV) in external and internal type implants. MATERIALS AND METHODS Cement-retained abutments were connected with 30 Ncm torque to external and internal type implants. Experimental groups were classified according to implant connection type and retightening/loading protocol. In groups with no retightening, RTV was evaluated after cyclic loading for 100,000 cycles. In groups with retightening, RTV was measured after 3, 10, 100 cycles as well as every 20,000 cycles until 100,000 cycles of loading. RESULTS Every group showed decreased RTV after cyclic loading. Before and after cyclic loading, external type implants had significantly higher RTVs than internal type implants. In external type implants, retightening did not affect the decrease in RTV. In contrast, retightening 5 times and retightening after 10 cycles of dynamic loading was effective for maintaining RTV in internal type implants. CONCLUSION Retightening of screws is more effective in internal type implants than external type implants. Retightening of screws is recommended in the early stage of functional loading. PMID:26330975

Design of sEMG assembly to detect external anal sphincter activity: a proof of concept.

PubMed

Shiraz, Arsam; Leaker, Brian; Mosse, Charles Alexander; Solomon, Eskinder; Craggs, Michael; Demosthenous, Andreas

2017-10-31

Conditional trans-rectal stimulation of the pudendal nerve could provide a viable solution to treat hyperreflexive bladder in spinal cord injury. A set threshold of the amplitude estimate of the external anal sphincter surface electromyography (sEMG) may be used as the trigger signal. The efficacy of such a device should be tested in a large scale clinical trial. As such, a probe should remain in situ for several hours while patients attend to their daily routine; the recording electrodes should be designed to be large enough to maintain good contact while observing design constraints. The objective of this study was to arrive at a design for intra-anal sEMG recording electrodes for the subsequent clinical trials while deriving the possible recording and processing parameters. Having in mind existing solutions and based on theoretical and anatomical considerations, a set of four multi-electrode probes were designed and developed. These were tested in a healthy subject and the measured sEMG traces were recorded and appropriately processed. It was shown that while comparatively large electrodes record sEMG traces that are not sufficiently correlated with the external anal sphincter contractions, smaller electrodes may not maintain a stable electrode tissue contact. It was shown that 3 mm wide and 1 cm long electrodes with 5 mm inter-electrode spacing, in agreement with Nyquist sampling, placed 1 cm from the orifice may intra-anally record a sEMG trace sufficiently correlated with external anal sphincter activity. The outcome of this study can be used in any biofeedback, treatment or diagnostic application where the activity of the external anal sphincter sEMG should be detected for an extended period of time.

Major Change in the Predominant Type of “Norwalk-Like Viruses” in Outbreaks of Acute Nonbacterial Gastroenteritis in Osaka City, Japan, between April 1996 and March 1999

PubMed Central

Iritani, Nobuhiro; Seto, Yoshiyuki; Haruki, Kosuke; Kimura, Masatsugu; Ayata, Minoru; Ogura, Hisashi

2000-01-01

In Osaka City, Japan, between April 1996 and March 1999, a total of 350 fecal specimens from 64 outbreaks of acute nonbacterial gastroenteritis were examined to investigate infection by “Norwalk-like viruses” (NLVs). By reverse transcription (RT)-PCR, 182 samples (52.0%) from 47 outbreaks (73.4%) were NLV positive. During those three years, the incidence of NLV-associated outbreaks showed seasonality, being higher during January to March (winter to early spring). The ingestion of contaminated oysters was the most common transmission mode (42.6%). The amplicons of the 47 outbreak strains that were NLV positive by RT-PCR were tested using Southern hybridization with four probe sets (Ando et al., J. Clin. Microbiol. 33:64–71, 1995). Forty of the outbreak strains were classified as 4 probe 1-A (P1-A) strains, 6 P1-B strains, 10 P2-A strains, 17 P2-B strains, and 3 untypeable strains, and the other 7 outbreaks were determined to be mixed-probe-type strains. Probe typing and partial sequence analysis of the outbreak strains indicated that a predominant probe type of NLVs in Osaka City had drastically changed; P2-B strains (77.8%) with multiple genetic clusters were observed during the 1996–97 season, the P2-A common strain (81.3%) related to the Toronto virus cluster was observed during the 1997–98 season, and P1-B strains (75.0%) with a genetic similarity were observed during the 1998–99 season. For the three untypeable outbreak strains (96065, 97024, and 98026), the 98026 outbreak strain had Southampton virus (SOV)-like sequences, and each of the other outbreak strains had a unique 81-nucleotide sequence. Newly designed probes (SOV probe for the 98026 outbreak strain and the 96065 probe for the 96065 and 97024 outbreak strains) were hybridized with relative strains and without other probe type strains. The prevalent NLV probe types in Osaka City during those three years were classified in six phylogenetic groups: P1-A, P1-B, P2-A, P2-B, SOV, and 96065 probe types. PMID:10878058

Recent advances on glass-forming systems driven far from equilibrium. Special issue marking the completion of the Research Unit FOR 1394 `Nonlinear response to probe vitrification'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuchs, Matthias

2017-08-01

The nature of the glass transition is one of the frontier questions in Statistical Physics and Materials Science. Highly cooperative structural processes develop in glass-forming melts exhibiting relaxational dynamics which is spread out over many decades in time. While considerable progress has been made in recent decades towards understanding dynamical slowing-down in quiescent systems, the interplay of glassy dynamics with external fields reveals a wealth of novel phenomena yet to be explored. This special issue focuses on recent results obtained by the Research Unit FOR 1394 `Nonlinear response to probe vitrification' which was funded by the German Science Foundation (DFG). In the projects of the research unit, strong external fields were used in order to gain insights into the complex structural and transport phenomena at the glass transition under far-from-equilibrium conditions. This aimed inter alia to test theories of the glass transition developed for quiescent systems by pushing them beyond their original regime. Combining experimental, simulational, and theoretical efforts, the eight projects within the FOR 1394 measured and determined aspects of the nonlinear response of supercooled metallic, polymeric, and silica melts, of colloidal dispersions, and of ionic liquids. Applied fields included electric and mechanic fields, and forced active probing (`micro-rheology'), where a single probe is forced through the glass-forming host. Nonlinear stress-strain and force-velocity relations as well as nonlinear dielectric susceptibilities and conductivities were observed. While the physical manipulation of melts and glasses is interesting in its own right, especially technologically, the investigations performed by the FOR 1394 suggest to use the response to strong homogeneous and inhomogeneous fields as technique to explore on the microscopic level the cooperative mechanisms in dense melts of strongly interacting constituents. Questions considered concern the (de-)coupling of different dynamical degrees of freedom in an external field, and the ensuing state diagrams. What forces are required to detach a localized probe particle from its initial environment in a supercooled liquid, in a glassy or granular system? Do metallic and colloidal glasses yield homogeneously or by strain localization under differently applied stresses? Which mechanisms determine field-dependent susceptibilities in dielectric and ionically conducting glass formers?

Endoscopic guided single self-linking silicone stent in pediatric external dacryocystorhinostomy.

PubMed

Ali, Mohammad Javed; Gupta, Himika; Naik, Milind N; Honavar, Santosh G

2013-09-01

To study the efficacy of a new technique of single self-linking silicone stent exclusively in pediatric external dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) and to report the new use and advantages of endoscopic guidance for the same. Prospective interventional case series, including 11 eyes of ten patients with nasolacrimal duct obstruction. Data collected included demographic data, clinical presentation, laterality, status of lids and puncta, syringing findings, probing interpretations, types and duration of intubation. Consecutive pediatric patients with post-saccal obstruction who underwent an external dacryocystorhinostomy were included. Exclusion criteria included patients who had undergone a DCR in the past by any route via external, endonasal or transcanalicular. Primary outcome measures were stent retention and ease of stent removal. Secondary outcome measures were anatomic patency of the passage and resolution of symptoms. There were three male and seven female patients. Mean age was 9.4 years (range 6-15). A total of 11 procedures were carried out. Following placement of self-linked stents, the removal was done at a mean duration of 13.2 weeks (range:12-16 weeks). None of the patients had a stent prolapse during this period. All stents were removed in the outpatient without the use of general anesthesia with minimal endoscopic guidance. A minimum follow-up of three months following removal was considered for final analysis. Follow-up ranged from three months to six months after tube removal. The anatomical and functional success rate was 91%. There was one anatomical failure three months following tube removal and the remaining patients were free of symptoms at the last follow-up. Self-linking stents are a useful modality in pediatric patients not only to prevent stent prolapse but also to allow easy removal with minimum discomfort. Endoscopic guidance is a useful addition to this technique.

Remote adjustable focus Raman spectroscopy probe

DOEpatents

Schmucker, John E.; Blasi, Raymond J.; Archer, William B.

1999-01-01

A remote adjustable focus Raman spectroscopy probe allows for analyzing Raman scattered light from a point of interest external probe. An environmental barrier including at least one window separates the probe from the point of interest. An optical tube is disposed adjacent to the environmental barrier and includes a long working length compound lens objective next to the window. A beam splitter and a mirror are at the other end. A mechanical means is used to translated the prove body in the X, Y, and Z directions resulting in a variable focus optical apparatus. Laser light is reflected by the beam splitter and directed toward the compound lens objective, then through the window and focused on the point of interest. Raman scattered light is then collected by the compound lens objective and directed through the beam splitter to a mirror. A device for analyzing the light, such as a monochrometer, is coupled to the mirror.

Multi-scale Imaging of Cellular and Sub-cellular Structures using Scanning Probe Recognition Microscopy.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Q.; Rice, A. F.

2005-03-01

Scanning Probe Recognition Microscopy is a new scanning probe capability under development within our group to reliably return to and directly interact with a specific nanobiological feature of interest. In previous work, we have successfully recognized and classified tubular versus globular biological objects from experimental atomic force microscope images using a method based on normalized central moments [ref. 1]. In this paper we extend this work to include recognition schemes appropriate for cellular and sub-cellular structures. Globular cells containing tubular actin filaments are under investigation. Thus there are differences in external/internal shapes and scales. Continuous Wavelet Transform with a differential Gaussian mother wavelet is employed for multi- scale analysis. [ref. 1] Q. Chen, V. Ayres and L. Udpa, ``Biological Investigation Using Scanning Probe Recognition Microscopy,'' Proceedings 3rd IEEE Conference on Nanotechnology, vol. 2, p 863-865 (2003).

Magnetic Diagnostics on the Magnetized Shock Experiment (MSX)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutchinson, T. M.; Weber, T. E.; Boguski, J. C.; Intrator, T. P.; Smith, R. J.; Dunn, J. P.

2013-10-01

The Magnetized Shock Experiment (MSX) at Los Alamos National Laboratory was built to investigate the physics of high-Alfvénic, supercritical, magnetized shocks through the acceleration and subsequent stagnation of a Field Reversed Configuration (FRC) plasmoid against a magnetic mirror and/or plasma target. An array of high-bandwidth, multi-axis, robust, internal magnetic probes has been constructed to characterize flux compression ratios, instability formation, and turbulent macro-scale features of the post-shock plasma. The mirror magnet is mounted on a linear translation stage, providing a capability to axially move the shock layer through the probe field of view. An independent, external probe array also provides conventional information on the FRC shape, velocity, and total pressure during the formation and acceleration phases. Probe design, characterization, configuration, and initial results are presented. This work is supported by the DOE OFES and NNSA under LANS contract DE-AC52-06NA25369. LA-UR-13-25189.

Molecularly "engineered" anode adsorbates for probing OLED interfacial structure-charge injection/luminance relationships: large, structure-dependent effects.

PubMed

Huang, Qinglan; Evmenenko, Guennadi; Dutta, Pulak; Marks, Tobin J

2003-12-03

Molecule-scale structure effects at organic light-emitting diodes (OLED) anode-organic transport layer interfaces are probed via a self-assembly approach. A series of ITO anode-linked silyltriarylamine molecules differing in aryl group and linker density are synthesized for this purpose and used to probe the relationship between nanoscale interfacial chemical structure, charge injection and electroluminescence properties. Dramatic variations in hole injection magnitude and OLED performance can be correlated with the molecular structures and electrochemically derived heterogeneous electron-transfer rates of such triarylamine fragments, placed precisely at the anode-hole transport layer interface. Very bright and efficient ( approximately 70 000 cd/m2 and approximately 2.5% forward external quantum efficiency) OLEDs have thereby been fabricated.

Does water-perfused catheter overdiagnose anismus compared to balloon probe?

PubMed

Savoye, G; Leroi, A M; Bertot-Sassigneux, P; Touchais, J Y; Devroede, G; Denis, P

2002-12-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the manometric assessment of straining effort as if to defecate and rectoanal inhibitory reflex obtained with a rectosphincteric balloon probe and with a water-perfused catheter in the same subject. Twelve healthy volunteers underwent two manometric assessments of anal sphincter function and electromyographic (EMG) surface recordings. one with a rectosphincteric balloon and one with a water-perfused catheter, 7 days apart in random order. Increased EMG activity in the external anal sphincter in the midst of the rectoanal inhibitory reflex (P < 0.001) and during straining for defecation (P < 0.001) was more frequently observed with the perfused system than with the balloon probe. There was a discrepancy between the EMG activity of the external anal sphincter and the anal pressures during straining recorded with the perfused system. Duration of the reflex elicited by rectal distension with 10 and 20 ml of air was significantly greater with the rectosphincteric balloon than with the perfused catheter (P = 0.02 and P = 0.05, respectively). Water instilled in the anal canal by the perfused system induces artifacts in EMG recording and active anal contractions. These artifacts and induced contractions could lead to an erroneous diagnosis of anismus, particularly if pelvic floor EMG is only taken into account for the diagnosis of anismus.

Air Temperature Distribution Measurement Using Asynchronous-Type Sound Probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katano, Yosuke; Wakatsuki, Naoto; Mizutani, Koichi

2009-07-01

In conventional temperature measurement using a sound probe, the operation beginnings of two acoustic sensors must be completely synchronized to measure time of flight (TOF), tf, because the precision of synchronization determines TOF measurement accuracy. A wireless local area network (LAN) is convenient for constructing a sensing grid; however, it causes a fluctuation in the delay of millisecond order. Therefore, it cannot provide sufficient precision for synchronizing acoustic sensors. In previous studies, synchronization was achieved by a trigger line using a coaxial cable; however, the cable reduces the flexibility of a wireless sensing grid especially in larger-scale measurement. In this study, an asynchronous-type sound probe is devised to compensate for the effect of the delay of millisecond order caused by the network. The validity of the probe was examined, and the air temperature distribution was measured using this means. A matrix method is employed to obtain the distribution. Similar results were observed using both asynchronous-type sound probes and thermocouples. This shows the validity of the use of a sensing grid with an asynchronous-type sound probe for temperature distribution measurement even if the trigger line is omitted.

The N-terminus of IpaB provides a potential anchor to the Shigella type III secretion system tip complex protein IpaD

PubMed Central

Dickenson, Nicholas E.; Arizmendi, Olivia; Patil, Mrinalini K.; Toth, Ronald T.; Middaugh, C. Russell; Picking, William D.; Picking, Wendy L.

2014-01-01

The type III secretion system (T3SS) is an essential virulence factor for Shigella flexneri, providing a conduit through which host-altering effectors are injected directly into a host cell to promote uptake. The type III secretion apparatus (T3SA) is comprised of a basal body, external needle, and regulatory tip complex. The nascent needle is a polymer of MxiH capped by a pentamer of invasion plasmid antigen D (IpaD). Exposure to bile salts (e.g. deoxycholate) causes a conformational change in IpaD and promotes recruitment of IpaB to the needle tip. It has been proposed that IpaB senses contact with host cell membranes, recruiting IpaC and inducing full secretion of T3SS effectors. While the steps of T3SA maturation and their external triggers have been identified, details of specific protein interactions and mechanisms have remained difficult to study due to the hydrophobic nature of the IpaB and IpaC translocator proteins. Here we explored the ability for a series of soluble N-terminal IpaB peptides to interact with IpaD. We found that DOC is required for the interaction and that a region of IpaB between residues 11–27 is required for maximum binding, which was confirmed in vivo. Furthermore, intramolecular FRET measurements indicated that movement of the IpaD distal domain away from the protein core accompanied the binding of IpaB11-226. Together these new findings provide important new insight into the interactions and potential mechanisms that define the maturation of the Shigella T3SA needle tip complex and provide a foundation for further studies probing T3SS activation. PMID:24236510

Measuring Input Thresholds on an Existing Board

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuperman, Igor; Gutrich, Daniel G.; Berkun, Andrew C.

2011-01-01

A critical PECL (positive emitter-coupled logic) interface to Xilinx interface needed to be changed on an existing flight board. The new Xilinx input interface used a CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) type of input, and the driver could meet its thresholds typically, but not in worst-case, according to the data sheet. The previous interface had been based on comparison with an external reference, but the CMOS input is based on comparison with an internal divider from the power supply. A way to measure what the exact input threshold was for this device for 64 inputs on a flight board was needed. The measurement technique allowed an accurate measurement of the voltage required to switch a Xilinx input from high to low for each of the 64 lines, while only probing two of them. Directly driving an external voltage was considered too risky, and tests done on any other unit could not be used to qualify the flight board. The two lines directly probed gave an absolute voltage threshold calibration, while data collected on the remaining 62 lines without probing gave relative measurements that could be used to identify any outliers. The PECL interface was forced to a long-period square wave by driving a saturated square wave into the ADC (analog to digital converter). The active pull-down circuit was turned off, causing each line to rise rapidly and fall slowly according to the input s weak pull-down circuitry. The fall time shows up as a change in the pulse width of the signal ready by the Xilinx. This change in pulse width is a function of capacitance, pulldown current, and input threshold. Capacitance was known from the different trace lengths, plus a gate input capacitance, which is the same for all inputs. The pull-down current is the same for all inputs including the two that are probed directly. The data was combined, and the Excel solver tool was used to find input thresholds for the 62 lines. This was repeated over different supply voltages and temperatures to show that the interface had voltage margin under all worst case conditions. Gate input thresholds are normally measured at the manufacturer when the device is on a chip tester. A key function of this machine was duplicated on an existing flight board with no modifications to the nets to be tested, with the exception of changes in the FPGA program.

Biology of Symbioses between Marine Invertebrates and Intracellular Bacteria

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-01-05

number of gene probes for enzymes of CO2 (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase; RuBisCo ) and N2 (nitrogenase) fixation (see table 2). Using these probes... RuBisCo we could establish relationships and homologies for this enzyme among different symbionts. Table 1. Type and disposition of symblont DNA samples...st:;bution I Avail ?, I Table 2. Molecular probes available for this study. Prokaryote Type Plasrnid Probe Carbon Fixation ( RuBisCo ) Anabaena 7120

A DNA origami nanorobot controlled by nucleic acid hybridization.

PubMed

Torelli, Emanuela; Marini, Monica; Palmano, Sabrina; Piantanida, Luca; Polano, Cesare; Scarpellini, Alice; Lazzarino, Marco; Firrao, Giuseppe

2014-07-23

A prototype for a DNA origami nanorobot is designed, produced, and tested. The cylindrical nanorobot (diameter of 14 nm and length of 48 nm) with a switchable flap, is able to respond to an external stimulus and reacts by a physical switch from a disarmed to an armed configuration able to deliver a cellular compatible message. In the tested design the robot weapon is a nucleic acid fully contained in the inner of the tube and linked to a single point of the internal face of the flap. Upon actuation the nanorobot moves the flap extracting the nucleic acid that assembles into a hemin/G-quadruplex horseradish peroxidase mimicking DNAzyme catalyzing a colorimetric reaction or chemiluminescence generation. The actuation switch is triggered by an external nucleic acid (target) that interacts with a complementary nucleic acid that is beard externally by the nanorobot (probe). Hybridization of probe and target produces a localized structural change that results in flap opening. The flap movement is studied on a two-dimensional prototype origami using Förster resonance energy transfer and is shown to be triggered by a variety of targets, including natural RNAs. The nanorobot has potential for in vivo biosensing and intelligent delivery of biological activators. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Microwave and Millimeter Wave Imaging of the Space Shuttle External Fuel Tank Spray on Foam Insulation (SOFI) Using Synthetic Aperture Focusing Techniques (SAFT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Case, J. T.; Robbins, J.; Kharkovshy, S.; Hepburn, F. L.; Zoughi, R.

2005-01-01

The Space Shuttle Columbia's catastrophic failure is thought to have been caused by a dislodged piece of external tank SOFI (Spray On Foam Insulation) striking the left wing of the orbiter causing significant damage to some of the reinforced carbodcarbon leading edge wing panels. Microwave and millimeter wave nondestructive evaluation methods, have shown great potential for inspecting the SOFI for the purpose of detecting anomalies such as small voids that may cause separation of the foam from the external tank during the launch. These methods are capable of producing relatively high-resolution images of the interior of SOH particularly when advanced imaging algorithms are incorporated into the overall system. To this end, synthetic aperture focusing techniques are being deveioped for this purpose. These iechniqiies pradiice high-resolution images that are independent of the distance of the imaging probe to the SOFI with spatial resolution in the order of the half size of imaging probe aperture. At microwave and millimeter wave frequencies these apertures are inherently small resulting in high-resolution images. This paper provides the results of this investigation using 2D and 3D SAF based methods and holography. The attributes of these methods and a full discussion of the results will also be provided.

Deletion of the S3–S4 Linker in theShaker Potassium Channel Reveals Two Quenching Groups near the outside of S4

PubMed Central

Sørensen, J.B.; Cha, A.; Latorre, R.; Rosenman, E.; Bezanilla, F.

2000-01-01

When attached outside the voltage-sensing S4 segment of the Shaker potassium channel, the fluorescent probe tetramethylrhodamine (TMRM) undergoes voltage-dependent fluorescence changes (ΔF) due to differential interaction with a pH-titratable external protein-lined vestibule (Cha, A., and F. Bezanilla. 1998. J. Gen. Physiol. 112:391–408.). We attached TMRM at the same sites [corresponding to M356C and A359C in the wild-type (wt) channel] in a deletion mutant of Shaker where all but the five amino acids closest to S4 had been removed from the S3–S4 linker. In the deletion mutant, the maximal ΔF/F seen was diminished 10-fold, and the ΔF at M356C became pH independent, suggesting that the protein-lined vestibule is made up in large part by the S3–S4 linker. The residual ΔF showed that the probe still interacted with two putative quenching groups near the S4 segment. One group was detected by M356C-TMRM (located outside of S3 in the deletion mutant) and reported on deactivation gating charge movement when applying hyperpolarizing voltage steps from a holding potential of 0 mV. During activating voltage steps from a holding potential of −90 mV, the fluorescence lagged considerably behind the movement of gating charge over a range of potentials. Another putative quenching group was seen by probes attached closer to the S4 and caused a ΔF at extreme hyperpolarizations (more negative than −90 mV) only. A signal from the interaction with this group in the wt S3–S4 linker channel (at L361C) correlated with gating charge moving in the hyperpolarized part of the Q-V curve. Probe attached at A359C in the deletion mutant and at L361C in wt channel showed a biphasic ΔF as the probe oscillated between the two groups, revealing that there is a transient state of the voltage sensor in between, where the probe has maximal fluorescence. We conclude that the voltage sensor undergoes two distinct conformational changes as seen from probes attached outside the S4 segment. PMID:10653897

Proton gradients in intact cyanobacteria

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Belkin, S.; Mehlhorn, R. J.; Packer, L.

1987-01-01

The internal pH values of two unicellular cyanobacterial strains were determined with electron spin resonance probes, over an external pH range of 6 to 9, in the light and in the dark. The slow growing, thylakoid-lacking Gloeobacter violaceus was found to have a low capacity for maintaining a constant internal pH. The distribution pattern of weak acid and amine nitroxide spin probes across the cell membranes of this organism, in the light and in the dark, was consistent with the assumption that it contains a single intracellular compartment. At an external pH of 7.0, intracellular pH was 6.8 in the dark and 7.2 in the light. The cells of Agmenellum quadruplicatum, a marine species, were found to contain two separate compartments; in the dark, the pH of the cytoplasmic and the intrathylakoid spaces were calculated to be 7.2 and 5.5, respectively. Upon illumination, the former increased and the latter decreased by about 0.5 pH units.

Investigation of Inlet Control Parameters for an External-internal-compression Inlet from Mach 2.1 to 3.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, B. H.; Bowditch, D. N.

1958-01-01

Investigation of the control parameters of an external-internal compression inlet indicates that the cowl-lip shock provides a signal to position the spike and to start the inlet over a Mach number range from 2.1 to 3.0. Use of a single fixed probe position to control the spike over the range of conditions resulted in a 3.7-count loss in total-pressure recovery at Mach 3.0 and 0 deg angle of attack. Three separate shock-sensing-probe positions were required to set the spike for peak recovery from Mach 2.1 to 3.0 and angles of attack from 0 deg to 6 deg. When the inlet was unstarted, an erroneous signal was obtained from the normal-shock control through most of the starting cycle that prevented the inlet from starting. Therefore, it was necessary to over-ride the normal-shock control signal and not allow the control to position the terminal shock until the spike was positioned.

Local Magnetoelectric Effect in La-Doped BiFeO3 Multiferroic Thin Films Revealed by Magnetic-Field-Assisted Scanning Probe Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Dan-Feng; Zhou, Ming-Xiu; Lu, Zeng-Xing; Zhang, Hao; Liu, Jun-Ming; Wang, Guang-Hou; Wan, Jian-Guo

2016-06-01

Multiferroic La-doped BiFeO3 thin films have been prepared by a sol-gel plus spin-coating process, and the local magnetoelectric coupling effect has been investigated by the magnetic-field-assisted scanning probe microscopy connected with a ferroelectric analyzer. The local ferroelectric polarization response to external magnetic fields is observed and a so-called optimized magnetic field of ~40 Oe is obtained, at which the ferroelectric polarization reaches the maximum. Moreover, we carry out the magnetic-field-dependent surface conductivity measurements and illustrate the origin of local magnetoresistance in the La-doped BiFeO3 thin films, which is closely related to the local ferroelectric polarization response to external magnetic fields. This work not only provides a useful technique to characterize the local magnetoelectric coupling for a wide range of multiferroic materials but also is significant for deeply understanding the local multiferroic behaviors in the BiFeO3-based systems.

Non-Invasive in vivo Mapping and Long-Term Monitoring of Magnetic Nanoparticles in Different Organs of Animals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikitin, Maxim; Yuriev, Mikhail; Brusentsov, Nikolai; Vetoshko, Petr; Nikitin, Petr

2010-12-01

Quantitative detection of magnetic nanoparticles (MP) in vivo is very important for various biomedical applications. Our original detection method based on non-linear MP magnetization has been modified for non-invasive in vivo mapping of the MP distribution among different organs of rats. A novel highly sensitive room-temperature device equipped with an external probe has been designed and tested for quantification of MP within 20-mm depth from the animal skin. Results obtained by external in vivo scanning of rats by the probe and ex vivo MP quantification in different organs of rats well correlated. The method allows long-term in vivo study of MP evolution, clearance and redistribution among different organs of the animal. Experiments showed that dynamics in vivo strongly depend on MP characteristics (size, material, coatings, etc.), site of injection and dose. The developed detection method combined with the magnetic nanolabels can substitute the radioactive labeling in many applications.

Structural and rheological relaxation upon flow cessation in colloidal dispersions: Transient, nonlinear microrheology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohanty, Ritesh P.; Zia, Roseanna N.

2017-11-01

We theoretically study the impact of particle roughness, Brownian motion, and hydrodynamic interactions on the relaxation of colloidal dispersions by examining the structural and rheological relaxation after microrheological flow cessation. In particular, we focus on the disparity in timescales over which hydrodynamic and entropic forces act and influence colloidal relaxation. To do this, we employ the active microrheology framework, in which a colloidal probe, driven by an arbitrarily strong external force, interacts with many surrounding particle configurations before reaching steady-state motion. We utilize the steady-state structure around the probe as the initial condition in a Smoluchowski equation that we solve to obtain the structural evolution upon flow cessation. We systematically tune the strength of hydrodynamic and entropic forces, and study their influence on structural and rheological relaxation. Upon cessation, the non-Newtonian behavior arising directly from hydrodynamic forces dissipates instantaneously, while the entropic contributions decay over longer times. We find that increasing pre-cessation external flow strength enhances the relaxation rate, while hydrodynamic interactions slow down the relaxation.

Interactive fluorophore and quencher pairs for labeling fluorescent nucleic acid hybridization probes.

PubMed

Marras, Salvatore A E

2008-03-01

The use of fluorescent nucleic acid hybridization probes that generate a fluorescence signal only when they bind to their target enables real-time monitoring of nucleic acid amplification assays. Real-time nucleic acid amplification assays markedly improves the ability to obtain qualitative and quantitative results. Furthermore, these assays can be carried out in sealed tubes, eliminating carryover contamination. Fluorescent nucleic acid hybridization probes are available in a wide range of different fluorophore and quencher pairs. Multiple hybridization probes, each designed for the detection of a different nucleic acid sequence and each labeled with a differently colored fluorophore, can be added to the same nucleic acid amplification reaction, enabling the development of high-throughput multiplex assays. In order to develop robust, highly sensitive and specific real-time nucleic acid amplification assays it is important to carefully select the fluorophore and quencher labels of hybridization probes. Selection criteria are based on the type of hybridization probe used in the assay, the number of targets to be detected, and the type of apparatus available to perform the assay. This article provides an overview of different aspects of choosing appropriate labels for the different types of fluorescent hybridization probes used with different types of spectrofluorometric thermal cyclers currently available.

Identification of HLA-DP polymorphism with DP alpha and DP beta probes and monoclonal antibodies: correlation with primed lymphocyte typing.

PubMed Central

Bodmer, J; Bodmer, W; Heyes, J; So, A; Tonks, S; Trowsdale, J; Young, J

1987-01-01

Thirty-four lymphoblastoid cell lines that had been previously typed for HLA-DP antigens by primed lymphocyte typing (PLT) were tested by Southern blotting and by ELISA. Using two DP beta probes and a DP alpha probe with a series of enzymes, it is possible to identify restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns characteristic of DPw1, -2, -3, -4, and possibly -5. ELISA typing results, based on two polymorphic DP antibodies DP11.1 and ILR1, were compared with PLT-defined and RFLP-defined types. Thus, using a range of probes and enzymes it is possible to identify DP polymorphism. The value of monoclonal antibodies for such studies is demonstrated, and the molecular data can, in some cases, pinpoint the amino acids responsible for the specificity of the monoclonal antibodies. Images PMID:2885841

Are mind wandering rates an artifact of the probe-caught method? Using self-caught mind wandering in the classroom to test, and reject, this possibility.

PubMed

Varao-Sousa, Trish L; Kingstone, Alan

2018-06-26

Mind wandering (MW) reports often rely on individuals responding to specific external thought probes. Researchers have used this probe-caught method almost exclusively, due to its reliability across a wide range of testing situations. However, it remains an open question whether the probe-caught MW rates in more complex settings converge with those for simpler tasks, because of the rather artificial and controlled nature of the probe-caught methodology itself, which is shared across the different settings. To address this issue, we measured MW in a real-world lecture, during which students indicated whether they were mind wandering by simply catching themselves (as one would normally do in real life) or by catching themselves and responding to thought probes. Across three separate lectures, self-caught MW reports were stable and unaffected by the inclusion of MW probes. That the probe rates were similar to those found in prior classroom research and did not affect the self-caught MW rates strongly suggests that the past consistency of probe-caught MW rates across a range of different settings is not an artifact of the thought-probe method. Our study also indicates that the self-caught MW methodology is a reliable way to acquire MW data. The extension of measurement techniques to include students' self-caught reports provides valuable information about how to successfully and naturalistically monitor MW in lecture settings, outside the laboratory.

Probabilistic and Other Neural Nets in Multi-Hole Probe Calibration and Flow Angularity Pattern Recognition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baskaran, Subbiah; Ramachandran, Narayanan; Noever, David

1998-01-01

The use of probabilistic (PNN) and multilayer feed forward (MLFNN) neural networks are investigated for calibration of multi-hole pressure probes and the prediction of associated flow angularity patterns in test flow fields. Both types of networks are studied in detail for their calibration and prediction characteristics. The current formalism can be applied to any multi-hole probe, however the test results for the most commonly used five-hole Cone and Prism probe types alone are reported in this article.

A proposal to reduce the risk of transmission of human papilloma virus via transvaginal ultrasound.

PubMed

Combs, C Andrew; Fishman, Alan

2016-07-01

Three steps must be followed to prevent the transmission of infection via a contaminated transvaginal ultrasound probe: cleaning the probe after every use, high-level disinfection, and covering the probe with a single-use barrier during the examination. There may be critical flaws in at least 2 of these steps as they are currently practiced. First, 2 widely used disinfectants, glutaraldehyde and orthophthalaldehyde, have recently been found to be ineffective at neutralizing human papilloma virus type 16 and type 18. Second, commercial ultrasound probe covers have an unacceptable rate of leakage (8-81%) compared to condoms (0.9-2%). We recommend the use of a sonicated hydrogen peroxide disinfectant system rather than aldehyde-type disinfectants. We recommend that the probe be covered with a condom rather than a commercial probe cover during transvaginal ultrasound examination. Combined with probe cleaning, these 2 steps are estimated to result in an 800 million- to 250 billion-fold reduction in human papilloma virus viral load, which should translate to greatly enhanced patient safety. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Similarities and differences between mind-wandering and external distraction: a latent variable analysis of lapses of attention and their relation to cognitive abilities.

PubMed

Unsworth, Nash; McMillan, Brittany D

2014-07-01

The current study examined the extent to which task-unrelated thoughts represent both vulnerability to mind-wandering and susceptibility to external distraction from an individual difference perspective. Participants performed multiple measures of attention control, working memory capacity, and fluid intelligence. Task-unrelated thoughts were assessed using thought probes during the attention control tasks. Using latent variable techniques, the results suggested that mind-wandering and external distraction reflect distinct, yet correlated constructs, both of which are related to working memory capacity and fluid intelligence. Furthermore, the results suggest that the common variance shared by mind-wandering, external distraction, and attention control is what primarily accounts for their relation with working memory capacity and fluid intelligence. These results support the notion that lapses of attention are strongly related to cognitive abilities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Cherenkov excited fluorescence and phosphorescence molecular sensing from tissue with external beam irradiation.

PubMed

Lin, Huiyun; Zhang, Rongxiao; Gunn, Jason R; Esipova, Tatiana V; Vinogradov, Sergei; Gladstone, David J; Jarvis, Lesley A; Pogue, Brian W

2016-05-21

Ionizing radiation delivered by a medical linear accelerator (LINAC) generates Cherenkov emission within the treated tissue. A fraction of this light, in the 600-900 nm wavelength region, propagates through centimeters of tissue and can be used to excite optical probes in vivo, enabling molecular sensing of tissue analytes. The success of isolating the emission signal from this Cherenkov excitation background is dependent on key factors such as: (i) the Stokes shift of the probe spectra; (ii) the excited state lifetime; (iii) the probe concentration; (iv) the depth below the tissue surface; and (v) the radiation dose used. Previous studies have exclusively focused on imaging phosphorescent dyes, rather than fluorescent dyes. However there are only a few biologically important phosphorescent dyes and yet in comparison there are thousands of biologically relevant fluorescent dyes. So in this study the focus was a study of efficacy of Cherenkov-excited luminescence using fluorescent commercial near-infrared probes, IRDye 680RD, IRDye 700DX, and IRDye 800CW, and comparing them to the well characterized phosphorescent probe Oxyphor PtG4, an oxygen sensitive dye. Each probe was excited by Cherenkov light from a 6 MV external radiation beam, and measured in continuous wave or time-gated modes. The detection was performed by spectrally resolving the luminescence signals, and measuring them with spectrometer-based separation on an ICCD detector. The results demonstrate that IRDye 700DX and PtG4 allowed for the maximal signal to noise ratio. In the case of the phosphorescent probe, PtG4, with emission decays on the microsecond (μs) time scale, time-gated acquisition was possible, and it allowed for higher efficacy in terms of the probe concentration and detection depth. Phantoms containing the probe at 5 mm depth could be detected at concentrations down to the nanoMolar range, and at depths into the tissue simulating phantom near 3 cm. In vivo studies showed that 5 nmol of dye was readily detected with radiation doses less than 5 cGy. Since concentration, radiation dose and depth each contribute to the level of the detected signal, it may be possible to improve any of these parameters at expense of the others. This paradigm of nanoMolar sensitivity for optical reporters in vivo introduces the concept of molecular sensing of tumors during therapy or diagnostically with biologically relevant concentrations of fluorescent reporters.

Comparison of Cherenkov excited fluorescence and phosphorescence molecular sensing from tissue with external beam irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Huiyun; Zhang, Rongxiao; Gunn, Jason R.; Esipova, Tatiana V.; Vinogradov, Sergei; Gladstone, David J.; Jarvis, Lesley A.; Pogue, Brian W.

2016-05-01

Ionizing radiation delivered by a medical linear accelerator (LINAC) generates Cherenkov emission within the treated tissue. A fraction of this light, in the 600-900 nm wavelength region, propagates through centimeters of tissue and can be used to excite optical probes in vivo, enabling molecular sensing of tissue analytes. The success of isolating the emission signal from this Cherenkov excitation background is dependent on key factors such as: (i) the Stokes shift of the probe spectra; (ii) the excited state lifetime; (iii) the probe concentration; (iv) the depth below the tissue surface; and (v) the radiation dose used. Previous studies have exclusively focused on imaging phosphorescent dyes, rather than fluorescent dyes. However there are only a few biologically important phosphorescent dyes and yet in comparison there are thousands of biologically relevant fluorescent dyes. So in this study the focus was a study of efficacy of Cherenkov-excited luminescence using fluorescent commercial near-infrared probes, IRDye 680RD, IRDye 700DX, and IRDye 800CW, and comparing them to the well characterized phosphorescent probe Oxyphor PtG4, an oxygen sensitive dye. Each probe was excited by Cherenkov light from a 6 MV external radiation beam, and measured in continuous wave or time-gated modes. The detection was performed by spectrally resolving the luminescence signals, and measuring them with spectrometer-based separation on an ICCD detector. The results demonstrate that IRDye 700DX and PtG4 allowed for the maximal signal to noise ratio. In the case of the phosphorescent probe, PtG4, with emission decays on the microsecond (μs) time scale, time-gated acquisition was possible, and it allowed for higher efficacy in terms of the probe concentration and detection depth. Phantoms containing the probe at 5 mm depth could be detected at concentrations down to the nanoMolar range, and at depths into the tissue simulating phantom near 3 cm. In vivo studies showed that 5 nmol of dye was readily detected with radiation doses less than 5 cGy. Since concentration, radiation dose and depth each contribute to the level of the detected signal, it may be possible to improve any of these parameters at expense of the others. This paradigm of nanoMolar sensitivity for optical reporters in vivo introduces the concept of molecular sensing of tumors during therapy or diagnostically with biologically relevant concentrations of fluorescent reporters.

Modeling cell-substrate de-adhesion dynamics under fluid shear

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maan, Renu; Rani, Garima; Menon, Gautam I.; Pullarkat, Pramod A.

2018-07-01

Changes in cell-substrate adhesion are believed to signal the onset of cancer metastasis, but such changes must be quantified against background levels of intrinsic heterogeneity between cells. Variations in cell-substrate adhesion strengths can be probed through biophysical measurements of cell detachment from substrates upon the application of an external force. Here, we investigate, theoretically and experimentally, the detachment of cells adhered to substrates when these cells are subjected to fluid shear. We present a theoretical framework within which we calculate the fraction of detached cells as a function of shear stress for fast ramps as well as the decay in this fraction at fixed shear stress as a function of time. Using HEK and 3T3 fibroblast cells as experimental model systems, we extract characteristic force scales for cell adhesion as well as characteristic detachment times. We estimate force-scales of  ∼500 pN associated to a single focal contact, and characteristic time-scales of s representing cell-spread-area dependent mean first passage times to the detached state at intermediate values of the shear stress. Variations in adhesion across cell types are especially prominent when cell detachment is probed by applying a time-varying shear stress. These methods can be applied to characterizing changes in cell adhesion in a variety of contexts, including metastasis.

Effect of Probe Tube Insertion Depth on Spectral Measures of Speech

PubMed Central

Caldwell, Marc; Souza, Pamela E.; Tremblay, Kelly L.

2006-01-01

This study investigated how depth variations in the tip of the probe tube affected spectral measures of speech recorded in the external ear canal. Consonant-vowel nonsense syllables were recorded with a probe tube microphone system in 10 adult participants with normal middle ear function. Recordings were made with the probe tube tip placed 1 mm, 5 mm, and 10 mm beyond the medial tip of a custom earmold. The effect of probe depth was evaluated on spectral levels (one-third octave and one-twelfth octave band). Extending the probe tube 10 mm past the medial tip of the earmold gave the most accurate results, with relatively lower sound levels for either the 1-mm or 5-mm insertion depth. In general, the effect of insertion depth was minimal at frequencies below 3 to 4 kHz, although this varied with the specific phoneme and the width of the analysis bands. The authors found no significant difference between 1- and 5-mm insertion depths, suggesting that as long as the tip of the probe tube is sufficiently close to the tympanic membrane to capture the highest frequency of interest, it makes little difference if it is less than 5 mm beyond the earmold tip. PMID:16959735

Student Teachers' Types of Probing Questions in Inquiry-Based Mathematics Teaching with and without GeoGebra

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hähkiöniemi, Markus

2017-01-01

Previous studies have produced several typologies of teacher questions in mathematics. Probing questions that ask students to explain are often included in the types of questions. However, only rare studies have created subtypes for probing questions or investigated how questioning differs depending on whether technology is used or not. The aims…

Illustration of Step-Wise Latent Class Modeling With Covariates and Taxometric Analysis in Research Probing Children's Mental Models in Learning Sciences

PubMed Central

Stamovlasis, Dimitrios; Papageorgiou, George; Tsitsipis, Georgios; Tsikalas, Themistoklis; Vaiopoulou, Julie

2018-01-01

This paper illustrates two psychometric methods, latent class analysis (LCA) and taxometric analysis (TA) using empirical data from research probing children's mental representation in science learning. LCA is used to obtain a typology based on observed variables and to further investigate how the encountered classes might be related to external variables, where the effectiveness of classification process and the unbiased estimations of parameters become the main concern. In the step-wise LCA, the class membership is assigned and subsequently its relationship with covariates is established. This leading-edge modeling approach suffers from severe downward-biased estimations. The illustration of LCA is focused on alternative bias correction approaches and demonstrates the effect of modal and proportional class-membership assignment along with BCH and ML correction procedures. The illustration of LCA is presented with three covariates, which are psychometric variables operationalizing formal reasoning, divergent thinking and field dependence-independence, respectively. Moreover, taxometric analysis, a method designed to detect the type of the latent structural model, categorical or dimensional, is introduced, along with the relevant basic concepts and tools. TA was applied complementarily in the same data sets to answer the fundamental hypothesis about children's naïve knowledge on the matters under study and it comprises an additional asset in building theory which is fundamental for educational practices. Taxometric analysis provided results that were ambiguous as far as the type of the latent structure. This finding initiates further discussion and sets a problematization within this framework rethinking fundamental assumptions and epistemological issues. PMID:29713300

Ampoule Failure System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watring, Dale A. (Inventor); Johnson, Martin L. (Inventor)

1996-01-01

An ampoule failure system for use in material processing furnaces comprising a containment cartridge and an ampoule failure sensor. The containment cartridge contains an ampoule of toxic material therein and is positioned within a furnace for processing. An ampoule failure probe is positioned in the containment cartridge adjacent the ampoule for detecting a potential harmful release of toxic material therefrom during processing. The failure probe is spaced a predetermined distance from the ampoule and is chemically chosen so as to undergo a timely chemical reaction with the toxic material upon the harmful release thereof. The ampoule failure system further comprises a data acquisition system which is positioned externally of the furnace and is electrically connected to the ampoule failure probe so as to form a communicating electrical circuit. The data acquisition system includes an automatic shutdown device for shutting down the furnace upon the harmful release of toxic material. It also includes a resistance measuring device for measuring the resistance of the failure probe during processing. The chemical reaction causes a step increase in resistance of the failure probe whereupon the automatic shutdown device will responsively shut down the furnace.

A minor groove binder probe real-time PCR assay for discrimination between type 2-based vaccines and field strains of canine parvovirus.

PubMed

Decaro, Nicola; Elia, Gabriella; Desario, Costantina; Roperto, Sante; Martella, Vito; Campolo, Marco; Lorusso, Alessio; Cavalli, Alessandra; Buonavoglia, Canio

2006-09-01

A minor groove binder (MGB) probe assay was developed to discriminate between type 2-based vaccines and field strains of canine parvovirus (CPV). Considering that most of the CPV vaccines contain the old type 2, no longer circulating in canine population, two MGB probes specific for CPV-2 and the antigenic variants (types 2a, 2b and 2c), respectively, were labeled with different fluorophores. The MGB probe assay was able to discriminate correctly between the old type and the variants, with a detection limit of 10(1) DNA copies and a good reproducibility. Quantitation of the viral DNA loads was accurate, as demonstrated by comparing the CPV DNA titres to those calculated by means of the TaqMan assay recognising all CPV types. This assay will ensure resolution of most diagnostic problems in dogs showing CPV disease shortly after CPV vaccination, although it does not discriminate between field strains and type 2b-based vaccines, recently licensed to market in some countries.

Lensed Type Ia supernovae as probes of cluster mass models

Science.gov Websites

SAO/NASA ADS Astronomy Abstract Service Title: Lensed Type Ia supernovae as probes of cluster mass Origin: OUP Astronomy Keywords: gravitational lensing: strong, supernovae: general, galaxies: clusters

Using Jupiter's gravitational field to probe the Jovian convective dynamo.

PubMed

Kong, Dali; Zhang, Keke; Schubert, Gerald

2016-03-23

Convective motion in the deep metallic hydrogen region of Jupiter is believed to generate its magnetic field, the strongest in the solar system. The amplitude, structure and depth of the convective motion are unknown. A promising way of probing the Jovian convective dynamo is to measure its effect on the external gravitational field, a task to be soon undertaken by the Juno spacecraft. We calculate the gravitational signature of non-axisymmetric convective motion in the Jovian metallic hydrogen region and show that with sufficiently accurate measurements it can reveal the nature of the deep convection.

Using Jupiter’s gravitational field to probe the Jovian convective dynamo

PubMed Central

Kong, Dali; Zhang, Keke; Schubert, Gerald

2016-01-01

Convective motion in the deep metallic hydrogen region of Jupiter is believed to generate its magnetic field, the strongest in the solar system. The amplitude, structure and depth of the convective motion are unknown. A promising way of probing the Jovian convective dynamo is to measure its effect on the external gravitational field, a task to be soon undertaken by the Juno spacecraft. We calculate the gravitational signature of non-axisymmetric convective motion in the Jovian metallic hydrogen region and show that with sufficiently accurate measurements it can reveal the nature of the deep convection. PMID:27005472

High-throughput microarray technology in diagnostics of enterobacteria based on genome-wide probe selection and regression analysis.

PubMed

Friedrich, Torben; Rahmann, Sven; Weigel, Wilfried; Rabsch, Wolfgang; Fruth, Angelika; Ron, Eliora; Gunzer, Florian; Dandekar, Thomas; Hacker, Jörg; Müller, Tobias; Dobrindt, Ulrich

2010-10-21

The Enterobacteriaceae comprise a large number of clinically relevant species with several individual subspecies. Overlapping virulence-associated gene pools and the high overall genome plasticity often interferes with correct enterobacterial strain typing and risk assessment. Array technology offers a fast, reproducible and standardisable means for bacterial typing and thus provides many advantages for bacterial diagnostics, risk assessment and surveillance. The development of highly discriminative broad-range microbial diagnostic microarrays remains a challenge, because of marked genome plasticity of many bacterial pathogens. We developed a DNA microarray for strain typing and detection of major antimicrobial resistance genes of clinically relevant enterobacteria. For this purpose, we applied a global genome-wide probe selection strategy on 32 available complete enterobacterial genomes combined with a regression model for pathogen classification. The discriminative power of the probe set was further tested in silico on 15 additional complete enterobacterial genome sequences. DNA microarrays based on the selected probes were used to type 92 clinical enterobacterial isolates. Phenotypic tests confirmed the array-based typing results and corroborate that the selected probes allowed correct typing and prediction of major antibiotic resistances of clinically relevant Enterobacteriaceae, including the subspecies level, e.g. the reliable distinction of different E. coli pathotypes. Our results demonstrate that the global probe selection approach based on longest common factor statistics as well as the design of a DNA microarray with a restricted set of discriminative probes enables robust discrimination of different enterobacterial variants and represents a proof of concept that can be adopted for diagnostics of a wide range of microbial pathogens. Our approach circumvents misclassifications arising from the application of virulence markers, which are highly affected by horizontal gene transfer. Moreover, a broad range of pathogens have been covered by an efficient probe set size enabling the design of high-throughput diagnostics.

Internationalization as a Response to Globalization: Radical Shifts in University Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stromquist, Nelly P.

2007-01-01

This case study probes recent developments in a number of academic and non-academic aspects of a private research university in response to current globalization trends. Under the name of internationalization, university administrators and external firms are emerging as powerful decision-makers shaping academic content and even academic…

Single atoms in a MOT

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meschede, Dieter; Ueberholz, Bernd; Gomer, Victor

1999-06-11

We are experimenting with individual neutral cesium atoms stored in a magneto-optical trap. The atoms are detected by their resonance fluorescence, and fluorescence fluctuations contain signatures of the atomic internal and external degrees of freedom. This noninvasive probe provides a rich source of information about atomic dynamics at all relevant time scales.

Notes on Experiments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Physics Education, 1979

1979-01-01

Describes the following: use and construction of a lens-pinhole spatial filter assembly to produce expanded beams; how to modify a unilab V. L. F. oscillator to give variable frequencies between .1 Hz and 10 Hz; to use Crookes radiometer quantitatively; and an externally located, movable probe for plasma physics experiments, using conventional…

Food or Thought? Assessing Internal and External Factors Affecting Evaluations of Instructor Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, John; Kiggins, Ryan; Kickham, Kenneth

2017-01-01

Within the broader literature concerned with potential bias in student measures of instructor effectiveness, two broad types of bias have been shown to operate in a course: internal and external. Missing is an assessment of the relative influence of each bias type in the classroom. Do internal or external types of bias matter more or less to…

Resonant Slit-type Probe with Rounded Matching Structure for Terahertz Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Geun-Ju; Kim, Jung-Il; Kim, Sanghoon; Lee, Jeong-Hun; Jeon, Tae-In

2018-05-01

We propose a resonant slit-type probe with a rounded matching structure in the inner corner of the probe slit, for high-resolution terahertz (THz) imaging. The proposed probe can achieve high coupling efficiency and maintain a stable resonant frequency in spite of the increase in slit thickness. The THz signal measured by the proposed probe was 1.7 times more sensitive than that by a right angle structure probe when a 50 μm diameter metal ball was located 100 um away from the slits. The resonant frequency and return loss |S11| measurements of the prototype resonant probe using a vector network analyzer (VNA) were in good agreement with a simulation results. We achieved a spatial resolution of 100 μm with a slit height of 140 μm. Also, to determine the potential of the proposed probe in the THz applications, we measured THz images according to the thickness of covering flour and the distance between the probe and the flour for the foreign objects in the flour. The proposed probe detected a metal wire with a diameter of 70 μm beneath 1.5 mm of flour at a distance between flour and probe of 1 mm. Consequently, we confirmed that the proposed probe could potentially be applied as a new THz probe.

Glitches as probes of neutron star internal structure and dynamics: Effects of the superfluid-superconducting core

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gügercinoğlu, Erbil

2017-12-01

Glitches, sudden spin-up of pulsars with subsequent recovery, provide us with a unique opportunity to investigate various physical processes, including the crust-core coupling, distribution of reservoir angular momentum within different internal layers, spin-up in neutral and charged superfluids and constraining the equation of state of the neutron star (NS) matter. In this work, depending on the dynamic interaction between the vortex lines and the nuclei in the inner crust, and between the vortex lines and the magnetic flux tubes in the outer core, various types of relaxation behavior are obtained and confronted with the observations. It is shown that the glitches have strong potential to deduce information about the cooling behavior and interior magnetic field configuration of NSs. Some implications of the relative importance of the external spin-down torques and the superfluid internal torques for recently observed unusual glitches are also discussed.

A Molecular Fluorescent Probe for Targeted Visualization of Temperature at the Endoplasmic Reticulum

PubMed Central

Arai, Satoshi; Lee, Sung-Chan; Zhai, Duanting; Suzuki, Madoka; Chang, Young Tae

2014-01-01

The dynamics of cellular heat production and propagation remains elusive at a subcellular level. Here we report the first small molecule fluorescent thermometer selectively targeting the endoplasmic reticulum (ER thermo yellow), with the highest sensitivity reported so far (3.9%/°C). Unlike nanoparticle thermometers, ER thermo yellow stains the target organelle evenly without the commonly encountered problem of aggregation, and successfully demonstrates the ability to monitor intracellular temperature gradients generated by external heat sources in various cell types. We further confirm the ability of ER thermo yellow to monitor heat production by intracellular Ca2+ changes in HeLa cells. Our thermometer anchored at nearly-zero distance from the ER, i.e. the heat source, allowed the detection of the heat as it readily dissipated, and revealed the dynamics of heat production in real time at a subcellular level. PMID:25330751

Bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) analysis as a probe of protein interactions in living cells.

PubMed

Kerppola, Tom K

2008-01-01

Protein interactions are a fundamental mechanism for the generation of biological regulatory specificity. The study of protein interactions in living cells is of particular significance because the interactions that occur in a particular cell depend on the full complement of proteins present in the cell and the external stimuli that influence the cell. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) analysis enables direct visualization of protein interactions in living cells. The BiFC assay is based on the association between two nonfluorescent fragments of a fluorescent protein when they are brought in proximity to each other by an interaction between proteins fused to the fragments. Numerous protein interactions have been visualized using the BiFC assay in many different cell types and organisms. The BiFC assay is technically straightforward and can be performed using standard molecular biology and cell culture reagents and a regular fluorescence microscope or flow cytometer.

Photonic Biosensor Assays to Detect and Distinguish Subspecies of Francisella tularensis

PubMed Central

Cooper, Kristie L.; Bandara, Aloka B.; Wang, Yunmiao; Wang, Anbo; Inzana, Thomas J.

2011-01-01

The application of photonic biosensor assays to diagnose the category-A select agent Francisella tularensis was investigated. Both interferometric and long period fiber grating sensing structures were successfully demonstrated; both these sensors are capable of detecting the optical changes induced by either immunological binding or DNA hybridization. Detection was made possible by the attachment of DNA probes or immunoglobulins (IgG) directly to the fiber surface via layer-by-layer electrostatic self-assembly. An optical fiber biosensor was tested using a standard transmission mode long period fiber grating of length 15 mm and period 260 μm, and coated with the IgG fraction of antiserum to F. tularensis. The IgG was deposited onto the optical fiber surface in a nanostructured film, and the resulting refractive index change was measured using spectroscopic ellipsometry. The presence of F. tularensis was detected from the decrease of peak wavelength caused by binding of specific antigen. Detection and differentiation of F. tularensis subspecies tularensis (type A strain TI0902) and subspecies holarctica (type B strain LVS) was further accomplished using a single-mode multi-cavity fiber Fabry-Perot interferometric sensor. These sensors were prepared by depositing seven polymer bilayers onto the fiber tip followed by attaching one of two DNA probes: (a) a 101-bp probe from the yhhW gene unique to type-A strains, or (b) a 117-bp probe of the lpnA gene, common to both type-A and type-B strains. The yhhW probe was reactive with the type-A, but not the type-B strain. Probe lpnA was reactive with both type-A and type-B strains. Nanogram quantities of the target DNA could be detected, highlighting the sensitivity of this method for DNA detection without the use of PCR. The DNA probe reacted with 100% homologous target DNA, but did not react with sequences containing 2-bp mismatches, indicating the high specificity of the assay. These assays will fill an important void that exists for rapid, culture-free, and field-compatible diagnosis of F. tularensis. PMID:22163782

External Beam Radiation Therapy for Cancer

Cancer.gov

External beam radiation therapy is used to treat many types of cancer. it is a local treatment, where a machine aims radiation at your cancer. Learn more about different types of external beam radiation therapy, and what to expect if you're receiving treatment.

C-2W Magnetic Measurement Suite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roche, T.; Thompson, M. C.; Griswold, M.; Knapp, K.; Koop, B.; Ottaviano, A.; Tobin, M.; TAE, Tri Alpha Energy, Inc. Team

2017-10-01

Commissioning and early operations are underway on C-2W, Tri Alpha Energy's new FRC experiment. The increased complexity level of this machine requires an equally enhanced diagnostic capability. A fundamental component of any magnetically confined fusion experiment is a firm understanding of the magnetic field itself. C-2W is outfitted with over 700 magnetic field probes, 550 internal and 150 external. Innovative in-vacuum annular flux loop / B-dot combination probes will provide information about plasma shape, size, pressure, energy, total temperature, and trapped flux when coupled with establish theoretical interpretations. The massive Mirnov array, consisting of eight rings of eight 3D probes, will provide detailed information about plasma motion, stability, and MHD modal content with the aid of singular value decomposition (SVD) analysis. Internal Rogowski probes will detect the presence of axial currents flowing in the plasma jet in multiple axial locations. Initial data from this array of diagnostics will be presented along with some interpretation and discussion of the analysis techniques used.

Method for identifying and quantifying nucleic acid sequence aberrations

DOEpatents

Lucas, Joe N.; Straume, Tore; Bogen, Kenneth T.

1998-01-01

A method for detecting nucleic acid sequence aberrations by detecting nucleic acid sequences having both a first and a second nucleic acid sequence type, the presence of the first and second sequence type on the same nucleic acid sequence indicating the presence of a nucleic acid sequence aberration. The method uses a first hybridization probe which includes a nucleic acid sequence that is complementary to a first sequence type and a first complexing agent capable of attaching to a second complexing agent and a second hybridization probe which includes a nucleic acid sequence that selectively hybridizes to the second nucleic acid sequence type over the first sequence type and includes a detectable marker for detecting the second hybridization probe.

Method for identifying and quantifying nucleic acid sequence aberrations

DOEpatents

Lucas, J.N.; Straume, T.; Bogen, K.T.

1998-07-21

A method is disclosed for detecting nucleic acid sequence aberrations by detecting nucleic acid sequences having both a first and a second nucleic acid sequence type, the presence of the first and second sequence type on the same nucleic acid sequence indicating the presence of a nucleic acid sequence aberration. The method uses a first hybridization probe which includes a nucleic acid sequence that is complementary to a first sequence type and a first complexing agent capable of attaching to a second complexing agent and a second hybridization probe which includes a nucleic acid sequence that selectively hybridizes to the second nucleic acid sequence type over the first sequence type and includes a detectable marker for detecting the second hybridization probe. 11 figs.

External and internal guest binding of a highly charged supramolecular host in water: deconvoluting the very different thermodynamics.

PubMed

Sgarlata, Carmelo; Mugridge, Jeffrey S; Pluth, Michael D; Tiedemann, Bryan E F; Zito, Valeria; Arena, Giuseppe; Raymond, Kenneth N

2010-01-27

NMR, UV-vis, and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) measurements probe different aspects of competing host-guest equilibria as simple alkylammonium guest molecules interact with both the exterior (ion-association) and interior (encapsulation) of the [Ga(4)L(6)](12-) supramolecular assembly in water. Data obtained by each independent technique measure different components of the host-guest equilibria and only when analyzed together does a complete picture of the solution thermodynamics emerge. Striking differences between the internal and external guest binding are found. External binding is enthalpy driven and mainly due to attractive interactions between the guests and the exterior surface of the assembly while encapsulation is entropy driven as a result of desolvation and release of solvent molecules from the host cavity.

Results of test IA137 in the NASA/ARC 14 foot transonic wind tunnel of the 0.07 scale external tank forebody (model 68-T) to determine auxiliary aerodynamic data system feasibility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thornton, D. E.

1976-01-01

Tests were conducted in a 14 foot transonic wind tunnel to examine the feasibility of the auxiliary aerodynamic data system (AADS) for determining angles of attack and sideslip during boost flight. The model used was a 0.07 scale replica of the external tank forebody consisting of the nose portion and a 60 inch (full scale) cylindrical section of the ogive cylinder tangency point. The model terminated in a blunt base with a 320.0 inch diameter at external tank (ET) station 1120.37. Pressure data were obtained from five pressure orifices (one total and four statics) on the nose probe, and sixteen surface static pressure orifices along the ET forebody.

Higher-order spin-noise spectroscopy of atomic spins in fluctuating external fields

DOE PAGES

Li, Fuxiang; Crooker, S. A.; Sinitsyn, N. A.

2016-03-09

Here, we discuss the effect of external noisy magnetic fields on mesoscopic spin fluctuations that can be probed in semiconductors and atomic vapors by means of optical spin-noise spectroscopy. We also show that conventional arguments of the law of large numbers do not apply to spin correlations induced by external fields, namely, the magnitude of the 4th-order spin cumulant grows as ~N 2 with the number N of observed spins, i.e., it is not suppressed in comparison to the 2nd-order cumulant. Moreover, this allows us to design a simple experiment to measure the 4th-order cumulant of spin fluctuations in anmore » atomic system near thermodynamic equilibrium and develop a quantitative theory that explains all observations.« less

A method for soil moisture probes calibration and validation of satellite estimates.

PubMed

Holzman, Mauro; Rivas, Raúl; Carmona, Facundo; Niclòs, Raquel

2017-01-01

Optimization of field techniques is crucial to ensure high quality soil moisture data. The aim of the work is to present a sampling method for undisturbed soil and soil water content to calibrated soil moisture probes, in a context of the SMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity) mission MIRAS Level 2 soil moisture product validation in Pampean Region of Argentina. The method avoids soil alteration and is recommended to calibrated probes based on soil type under a freely drying process at ambient temperature. A detailed explanation of field and laboratory procedures to obtain reference soil moisture is shown. The calibration results reflected accurate operation for the Delta-T thetaProbe ML2x probes in most of analyzed cases (RMSE and bias ≤ 0.05 m 3 /m 3 ). Post-calibration results indicated that the accuracy improves significantly applying the adjustments of the calibration based on soil types (RMSE ≤ 0.022 m 3 /m 3 , bias ≤ -0.010 m 3 /m 3 ). •A sampling method that provides high quality data of soil water content for calibration of probes is described.•Importance of calibration based on soil types.•A calibration process for similar soil types could be suitable in practical terms, depending on the required accuracy level.

Nonisotopic detection of human papillomavirus DNA in clinical specimens using a consensus PCR and a generic probe mix in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay format.

PubMed

Kornegay, J R; Shepard, A P; Hankins, C; Franco, E; Lapointe, N; Richardson, H; Coutleé, F

2001-10-01

We assessed the value of a new digoxigenin (DIG)-labeled generic probe mix in a PCR-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay format to screen for the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA amplified from clinical specimens. After screening with this new generic assay is performed, HPV DNA-positive samples can be directly genotyped using a reverse blotting method with product from the same PCR amplification. DNA from 287 genital specimens was amplified via PCR using biotin-labeled consensus primers directed to the L1 gene. HPV amplicons were captured on a streptavidin-coated microwell plate (MWP) and detected with a DIG-labeled HPV generic probe mix consisting of nested L1 fragments from types 11, 16, 18, and 51. Coamplification and detection of human DNA with biotinylated beta-globin primers served as a control for both sample adequacy and PCR amplification. All specimens were genotyped using a reverse line blot assay (13). Results for the generic assay using MWPs and a DIG-labeled HPV generic probe mix (DIG-MWP generic probe assay) were compared with results from a previous analysis using dot blots with a radiolabeled nested generic probe mix and type-specific probes for genotyping. The DIG-MWP generic probe assay resulted in high intralaboratory concordance in genotyping results (88% versus 73% agreement using traditional methods). There were 207 HPV-positive results using the DIG-MWP method and 196 positives using the radiolabeled generic probe technique, suggesting slightly improved sensitivity. Only one sample failed to test positive with the DIG-MWP generic probe assay in spite of a positive genotyping result. Concordance between the two laboratories was nearly 87%. Approximately 6% of samples that were positive or borderline when tested with the DIG-MWP generic probe assay were not detected with the HPV type-specific panel, perhaps representing very rare or novel HPV types. This new method is easier to perform than traditional generic probe techniques and uses more objective interpretation criteria, making it useful in studies of HPV natural history.

Indirect Validation of Probe Speed Data on Arterial Corridors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eshragh, Sepideh; Young, Stanley E.; Sharifi, Elham

This study aimed to estimate the accuracy of probe speed data on arterial corridors on the basis of roadway geometric attributes and functional classification. It was assumed that functional class (medium and low) along with other road characteristics (such as weighted average of the annual average daily traffic, average signal density, average access point density, and average speed) were available as correlation factors to estimate the accuracy of probe traffic data. This study tested these factors as predictors of the fidelity of probe traffic data by using the results of an extensive validation exercise. This study showed strong correlations betweenmore » these geometric attributes and the accuracy of probe data when they were assessed by using average absolute speed error. Linear models were regressed to existing data to estimate appropriate models for medium- and low-type arterial corridors. The proposed models for medium- and low-type arterials were validated further on the basis of the results of a slowdown analysis. These models can be used to predict the accuracy of probe data indirectly in medium and low types of arterial corridors.« less

Inspecting Friction Stir Welding using Electromagnetic Probes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kinchen, David G.

2004-01-01

A report describes the use of advanced electromagnetic probes to measure the dimensions, the spatial distribution of electrical conductivity, and related other properties of friction stir welds (FSWs) between parts made of the same or different aluminum alloy(s). The probes are of the type described in in another Tech Brief. To recapitulate: A probe of this type is essentially an eddy-current probe that includes a primary (driver) winding that meanders and multiple secondary (sensing) windings that meander along the primary winding. Electrical conductivity is commonly used as a measure of heat treatment and tempering of aluminum alloys, but prior to the development of these probes, the inadequate sensitivity and limited accuracy of electrical-conductivity probes precluded such use on FSWs between different aluminum alloys, and the resolution of those probes was inadequate for measurement of FSW dimensions with positions and metallurgical properties. In contrast, the present probes afford adequate accuracy and spatial resolution for the purposes of measuring the dimensions of FSW welds and correlating spatially varying electrical conductivities with metallurgical properties, including surface defects.

Methods for radiation detection and characterization using a multiple detector probe

DOEpatents

Akers, Douglas William; Roybal, Lyle Gene

2014-11-04

Apparatuses, methods, and systems relating to radiological characterization of environments are disclosed. Multi-detector probes with a plurality of detectors in a common housing may be used to substantially concurrently detect a plurality of different radiation activities and types. Multiple multi-detector probes may be used in a down-hole environment to substantially concurrently detect radioactive activity and contents of a buried waste container. Software may process, analyze, and integrate the data from the different multi-detector probes and the different detector types therein to provide source location and integrated analysis as to the source types and activity in the measured environment. Further, the integrated data may be used to compensate for differential density effects and the effects of radiation shielding materials within the volume being measured.

Automatic cryogenic liquid level controller is safe for use near combustible substances

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krejsa, M.

1966-01-01

Automatic mechanical liquid level controller that is independent of any external power sources is used with safety in the presence of combustibles. A gas filled capillary tube which leads from a pressurized chamber, is inserted into the cryogenic liquid reservoir and becomes a liquid level sensing element or probe.

Bedouin Special-Education Teachers as Agents of Social Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kass, Efrat; Miller, Erez C.

2011-01-01

This study probes the career motives of minority special-education teachers in the Bedouin Arab society of southern Israel. The results, obtained via in-depth interviews of teachers, show that the teachers aspire to become agents of social change in three spheres: In the external sphere, they aim for professional autonomy and independence within…

An experimental system for symmetric capacitive rf discharge studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Godyak, V. A.; Piejak, R. B.; Alexandrovich, B. M.

1990-09-01

An experimental system has been designed and built to comprehensively study the electrical and plasma characteristics in symmetric capacitively coupled rf discharges at low gas pressures. Descriptions of the system concept, the discharge chamber, the vacuum-gas control system, and the rf matching and electrical measurement system are presented together with some results of electrical measurements carried out in an argon discharge at 13.56 MHz. The system has been specifically designed to facilitate external discharge parameter measurements and probe measurements and to be compatible with a wide variety of other diagnostics. External electrical measurements and probe measurements within the discharge show that it is an ideal vehicle to study low-pressure rf discharge physics. Measurements from this system should be comparable to one-dimensional rf symmetric capacitive discharge theories and may help to verify them. Although only a few results are given here, the system has been operated reliably over a wide range of gas pressures and should give reproducible and accurate results for discharge electrical characteristics and plasma parameters over a wide range of driving frequency and gas components.

Characteristic effects of substituent and external pressure on group-inclusion complexation with p-sulfonatocalix[8]arene and γ-cyclodextrin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyazono, Keitaro; Hanaya, Tadashi; Sueishi, Yoshimi

2014-07-01

By synthesizing unique nitroxide probes (α-substituted phenyl-2,4,6-trimethoxybenzyl(t-butyl)nitroxide), we have shown that p-sulfonatocalix[8]arene (Calix-S8) and γ-cyclodextin (γ-CD) form electron spin resonance spectroscopically separable group-inclusion complexes (α-substituted phenyl-in (R-in) and t-butyl-in complexes) and determined the group-inclusion constants of Calix-S8 and γ-CD. Using nitroxide probes, we have examined the effects of substituent and external pressure on group-inclusion complexation with Calix-S8 and γ-CD. Experiments on pressure dependence enabled us to calculate the reaction volume (Δ V) for R-in and t-butyl-in complex formations. Δ V for group-in complexation with Calix-S8 had negative values. In contrast, Δ V values for γ-CD showed positive values, which is responsible for the repelled water molecules in the CD cavity. The characteristic pressure effects on group-in complexation suggest that group recognition by γ-CD is sensitive when compared with that by Calix-S8.

ProbFold: a probabilistic method for integration of probing data in RNA secondary structure prediction.

PubMed

Sahoo, Sudhakar; Świtnicki, Michał P; Pedersen, Jakob Skou

2016-09-01

Recently, new RNA secondary structure probing techniques have been developed, including Next Generation Sequencing based methods capable of probing transcriptome-wide. These techniques hold great promise for improving structure prediction accuracy. However, each new data type comes with its own signal properties and biases, which may even be experiment specific. There is therefore a growing need for RNA structure prediction methods that can be automatically trained on new data types and readily extended to integrate and fully exploit multiple types of data. Here, we develop and explore a modular probabilistic approach for integrating probing data in RNA structure prediction. It can be automatically trained given a set of known structures with probing data. The approach is demonstrated on SHAPE datasets, where we evaluate and selectively model specific correlations. The approach often makes superior use of the probing data signal compared to other methods. We illustrate the use of ProbFold on multiple data types using both simulations and a small set of structures with both SHAPE, DMS and CMCT data. Technically, the approach combines stochastic context-free grammars (SCFGs) with probabilistic graphical models. This approach allows rapid adaptation and integration of new probing data types. ProbFold is implemented in C ++. Models are specified using simple textual formats. Data reformatting is done using separate C ++ programs. Source code, statically compiled binaries for x86 Linux machines, C ++ programs, example datasets and a tutorial is available from http://moma.ki.au.dk/prj/probfold/ : jakob.skou@clin.au.dk Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

75 FR 13486 - Application(s) for Duty-Free Entry of Scientific Instruments

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-22

... nanostructures. This instrument combines an optical microscope with a scanning probe imaging system. Specifically... soft materials than other instruments, as it detects the probe coming close to the sample surface by... conventional AFM type silicon cantilevers as well as cantilevered optical fiber probes with exposed probe...

A comparison of manual and controlled-force attachment-level measurements.

PubMed

Reddy, M S; Palcanis, K G; Geurs, N C

1997-12-01

This study compared the intra-examiner and inter-examiner error of 2 constant force probes to the reading of a conventional manual probe. 3 examiners made repeated examinations of attachment level using a modified Florida probe and a manual North Carolina probe (read to 1 mm or 0.5 mm); relative attachment level measurements were made using a Florida disk probe. One probe was used in each quadrant in 8 subjects with moderate to advanced periodontitis. Error was calculated as the mean of the absolute value of the difference between each examination, and the correlation between values at each examination calculated. Statistically-significant differences between probe type, examiners, and sites were detected using a repeated measures ANOVA accounting for the nesting within subjects. There was a significant difference in error by probe type (modified Florida probe 0.62 +/- 0.03 mm, r = 0.86; Florida stent probe 0.55 +/- 0.05 mm, r = 0.82; manual probe to 1 mm 0.39 +/- 0.02 mm, r = 0.88; manual probe to 0.5 mm 0.40 +/- 0.02 mm, r = 0.89; (p < 0.001). Significant differences were observed by examiners (p < 0.01). These data indicate that both manual and controlled-force probes can provide measurement within less than 1 mm of error; however, individual calibration of examiners remains important in the reduction of error.

A flavone-based turn-on fluorescent probe for intracellular cysteine/homocysteine sensing with high selectivity.

PubMed

Zhang, Jian; Lv, Yanlin; Zhang, Wei; Ding, Hui; Liu, Rongji; Zhao, Yongsheng; Zhang, Guangjin; Tian, Zhiyuan

2016-01-01

A new type of flavone-based fluorescent probe (DMAF) capable of cysteine (Cys)/homocysteine (Hcy) sensing with high selectivity over other amino acids was developed. Such type of probe undergoes Cys/Hcy-mediated cyclization reaction with the involvement of its aldehyde group, which suppresses of the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) process of the probe molecule and consequently leads to the enhancement of fluorescence emission upon excitation using visible light. The formation of product of the Cys/Hcy-mediated cyclization reaction was confirmed and the preliminary fluorescence imaging experiments revealed the biocompatibility of the as-prepared probe and validated its practicability for intracellular Cys/Hcy sensing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In-depth characterization of the fluorescent signal of HyPer, a probe for hydrogen peroxide, in bacteria exposed to external oxidative stress.

PubMed

Lim, Joseph B; Barker, Kimberly A; Huang, Beijing K; Sikes, Hadley D

2014-11-01

Genetically encoded, fluorescent biosensors have been developed to probe the activities of various signaling molecules inside cells ranging from changes in intracellular ion concentrations to dynamics of lipid second messengers. HyPer is a member of this class of biosensors and is the first to dynamically respond to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a reactive oxygen species that functions as a signaling molecule. However, detailed characterization of HyPer's signal is not currently available within the context of bacteria exposed to external oxidative stress, which occurs in the immunological response of higher organisms against invasive pathogenic bacteria. Here, we performed this characterization, specifically in Escherichia coli exposed to external H2O2. We found that the temporal behavior of the signal does not correspond exactly to peroxide concentration in the system as a function of time and expression of the sensor decreases the peroxide scavenging activity of the cell. We also determined the effects of cell number, both before and after normalization of externally added H2O2 to the number of cells. Finally, we report quantitative characteristics of HyPer's signal in this context, including the dynamic range of the signal, the signal-to-noise ratio, and the half saturation constant. These parameters show statistically meaningful differences in signal between two commonly used strains of E. coli, demonstrating how signal can vary with strain. Taken together, our results establish a systematic, quantitative framework for researchers seeking to better understand the role of H2O2 in the immunological response against bacteria, and for understanding potential differences in the details of HyPer's quantitative performance across studies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

BODY SENSING SYSTEM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mah, Robert W. (Inventor)

2005-01-01

System and method for performing one or more relevant measurements at a target site in an animal body, using a probe. One or more of a group of selected internal measurements is performed at the target site, is optionally combined with one or more selected external measurements, and is optionally combined with one or more selected heuristic information items, in order to reduce to a relatively small number the probable medical conditions associated with the target site. One or more of the internal measurements is optionally used to navigate the probe to the target site. Neural net information processing is performed to provide a reduced set of probable medical conditions associated with the target site.

Interface for liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer

DOEpatents

Andresen, B.D.; Fought, E.R.

1989-09-19

A moving belt interface is described for real-time, high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC)/mass spectrometer (MS) analysis which strips away the HPLC solvent as it emerges from the end of the HPLC column and leaves a residue suitable for mass-spectral analysis. The interface includes a portable, stand-alone apparatus having a plural stage vacuum station, a continuous ribbon or belt, a drive train magnetically coupled to an external drive motor, a calibrated HPLC delivery system, a heated probe tip and means located adjacent the probe tip for direct ionization of the residue on the belt. The interface is also capable of being readily adapted to fit any mass spectrometer. 8 figs.

Interface for liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer

DOEpatents

Andresen, Brian D.; Fought, Eric R.

1989-01-01

A moving belt interface for real-time, high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC)/mass spectrometer (MS) analysis which strips away the HPLC solvent as it emerges from the end of the HPLC column and leaves a residue suitable for mass-spectral analysis. The interface includes a portable, stand-alone apparatus having a plural stage vacuum station, a continuous ribbon or belt, a drive train magnetically coupled to an external drive motor, a calibrated HPLC delivery system, a heated probe tip and means located adjacent the probe tip for direct ionization of the residue on the belt. The interface is also capable of being readily adapted to fit any mass spectrometer.

Probing Atom-Surface Interactions by Diffraction of Bose-Einstein Condensates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bender, Helmar; Stehle, Christian; Zimmermann, Claus; Slama, Sebastian; Fiedler, Johannes; Scheel, Stefan; Buhmann, Stefan Yoshi; Marachevsky, Valery N.

2014-01-01

In this article, we analyze the Casimir-Polder interaction of atoms with a solid grating and the repulsive interaction between the atoms and the grating in the presence of an external laser source. The Casimir-Polder potential is evaluated exactly in terms of Rayleigh reflection coefficients and via an approximate Hamaker approach. The laser-tuned repulsive interaction is given in terms of Rayleigh transmission coefficients. The combined potential landscape above the solid grating is probed locally by diffraction of Bose-Einstein condensates. Measured diffraction efficiencies reveal information about the shape of the potential landscape in agreement with the theory based on Rayleigh decompositions.

Comparison of implant component fractures in external and internal type: A 12-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Yi, Yuseung; Koak, Jai-Young; Kim, Seong-Kyun; Lee, Shin-Jae; Heo, Seong-Joo

2018-04-01

The aim of this study was to compare the fracture of implant component behavior of external and internal type of implants to suggest directions for successful implant treatment. Data were collected from the clinical records of all patients who received WARANTEC implants at Seoul National University Dental Hospital from February 2002 to January 2014 for 12 years. Total number of implants was 1,289 and an average of 3.2 implants was installed per patient. Information about abutment connection type, implant locations, platform sizes was collected with presence of implant component fractures and their managements. SPSS statistics software (version 24.0, IBM) was used for the statistical analysis. Overall fracture was significantly more frequent in internal type. The most frequently fractured component was abutment in internal type implants, and screw fracture occurred most frequently in external type. Analyzing by fractured components, screw fracture was the most frequent in the maxillary anterior region and the most abutment fracture occurred in the maxillary posterior region and screw fractures occurred more frequently in NP (narrow platform) and abutment fractures occurred more frequently in RP (regular platform). In external type, screw fracture occurred most frequently, especially in the maxillary anterior region, and in internal type, abutment fracture occurred frequently in the posterior region. placement of an external type implant rather than an internal type is recommended for the posterior region where abutment fractures frequently occur.

Self-mixing laser diode included in scanning microwave microscope to the control of probe nanodisplacement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Usanov, D. A.; Skripal, A. V.; Astakhov, E. I.; Dobdin, S. Y.

2018-04-01

The possibilities of self-mixing interferometry for measuring nanodisplacement of a probe included in a near-field scanning microwave microscope have been considered. The features of the formation of a laser interference signal at current modulation of the wavelength of laser radiation have been investigated. Experimental responses of a semiconductor laser system included in scanning microwave microscope to control nanodisplacement of the probe have been demonstrated.To register the nanodisplacement of the probe, it is proposed to use the method of determining the stationary phase of a laser interference signal by low-frequency spectrum of a semiconductor laser. The change of the amplitudes of the spectral components in the spectrum of the interference signal due to creation of the standing wave in the external resonator of the laser self-mixing system has been shown. The form of the interference signal at current modulation of the radiation wavelength was experimentally obtained when the probe moves with a step of 80 nm. The results of measuring nanodisplacements of an electromagnetic translator STANDA 8MVT40-13 have been demonstrated. Deviation of the nanodisplacement of the proposed method does not exceed 15%.

Monitoring the impact of pressure on the assessment of skin perfusion and oxygenation using a novel pressure device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramella-Roman, Jessica C.; Ho, Thuan; Le, Du; Ghassemi, Pejhman; Nguyen, Thu; Lichy, Alison; Groah, Suzanne

2013-03-01

Skin perfusion and oxygenation is easily disrupted by imposed pressure. Fiber optics probes, particularly those spectroscopy or Doppler based, may relay misleading information about tissue microcirculation dynamics depending on external forces on the sensor. Such forces could be caused by something as simple as tape used to secure the fiber probe to the test subject, or as in our studies by the full weight of a patient with spinal cord injury (SCI) sitting on the probe. We are conducting a study on patients with SCI conducting pressure relief maneuvers in their wheelchairs. This study aims to provide experimental evidence of the optimal timing between pressure relief maneuvers. We have devised a wireless pressure-controlling device; a pressure sensor positioned on a compression aluminum plate reads the imposed pressure in real time and sends the information to a feedback system controlling two position actuators. The actuators move accordingly to maintain a preset value of pressure onto the sample. This apparatus was used to monitor the effect of increasing values of pressure on spectroscopic fiber probes built to monitor tissue oxygenation and Doppler probes used to assess tissue perfusion.

Direct detection of RNAs in living cells using peptide-inserted Renilla luciferase.

PubMed

Andou, Takashi; Endoh, Tamaki; Mie, Masayasu; Kobatake, Eiry

2011-06-21

In this study, non-engineered RNAs were detected in living cells using bioluminescence. Two types of probe were utilized: a peptide inserted RLuc (PI-RLuc) probe and a split-RNA probe. Incorporation of the PI-RLuc and split-RNA probes enabled the direct detection of RNA introduced into living cells.

System design of the Pioneer Venus spacecraft. Volume 11: Launch vehicle utilization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Varga, R. J.

1973-01-01

A summary of the spacecraft descriptions; the probe bus, large probe, small probe, and orbiter is presented. The highlights on the designs of the Atlas/Centaur spacecraft as compared to the corresponding Thor/Delta spacecraft designs are contained. A comparison is made of the two Atlas/Centaur spacecraft for reference. The major differences are the replacement of the probes of the forward end of the probe bus with the mechanically despun antenna of the orbiter and the replacement of the bicone antenna on the aft end with the orbit insertion motor. The cross sections of the large and small probes are compared. The major features of each probe are described. The Thor/Delta and Atlas/Centaur designs for the probe bus and orbiter are analyzed. The usable spacecraft mass for the Atlas/Centaur is roughly twice that for the Thor/Delta if the Type I trajectory is assumed. It is somewhat less for the Type II trajectory in the designated launch years. This additional mass capability leads to cost savings in many areas which are described.

Comparison of peroxidase-labeled DNA probes with radioactive RNA probes for detection of human papillomaviruses by in situ hybridization in paraffin sections.

PubMed

Park, J S; Kurman, R J; Kessis, T D; Shah, K V

1991-01-01

A study comparing in situ hybridization using nonradioactive DNA probes directly conjugated with horseradish peroxidase (HRP), and 35S-labeled antisense RNA probes for human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6/11, 16, and 18 was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue from 34 lesions of the cervix and vulva. These lesions included exophytic condylomas and intraepithelial and invasive neoplasms. HPV 6/11 was detected in two of four condylomata acuminata by both in situ techniques. HPV 16 was detected in 13 of 30 cases of intraepithelial and invasive neoplasms by both methods. Discordance between the two methods occurred in two instances. The radiolabeled probe but not the HRP probe detected HPV 16 in one case of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 3), whereas the converse occurred in one case of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN 3). HPV 18 was not detected in any of the specimens by either method. This study demonstrates that nonradioactive HRP-labeled probes for the detection of specific HPV types are as sensitive as the more laborious and potentially hazardous radioactive probes.

Fabrication of Cantilever-Bump Type Si Probe Card

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Jeong-Yong; Lee, Dong-Seok; Kim, Dong-Kwon; Lee, Jong-Hyun

2000-12-01

Probe card is most important part in the test system which selects the good or bad chip of integrated circuit (IC) chips. Silicon vertical probe card is able to test multiple semiconductor chips simultaneously. We presented cantilever-bump type vertical probe card. It was fabricated by dry etching using RIE(reactive ion etching) technique and porous silicon micromachining using silicon direct bonded (SDB) wafer. Cantilevers and bumps were fabricated by isotropic etching using RIE@. 3-dimensional structures were formed by porous silicon micromachining technique using SDB wafer. Contact resistance of fabricated probe card was less than 2 Ω and its life time was more than 200,000 turns. The process used in this work is very simple and reproducible, which has good controllability in the tip dimension and spacing. It is expected that the fabricated probe card can reduce testing time, can promote productivity and enables burn-in test.

Water used to visualize and remove hidden foreign bodies from the external ear canal.

PubMed

Peltola, T J; Saarento, R

1992-02-01

Small foreign bodies lodged anteriorly in the tympanic sulcus are usually not visible, due to the curve of the external ear canal. Such objects can be seen with the aid of an otomicroscope and micromirror or with an endoscope, and removed by irrigation. If irrigation fails, epithelial migration on the tympanic membrane may remove lodged foreign bodies, although this may take months. Our new method, which uses water to locate small objects lodged in the tympanic sulcus, includes irrigation of the ear, adjustment of the water level to the middle curve of the external ear canal, and use of the water surface as a concave lens, making the tympanic sulcus visible. With otomicroscopy a curved ear probe can then be used to remove lodged foreign bodies from behind the curve.

Multi-dressing suppression and enhancement and all-optical switching in parametrically amplified four-wave mixing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xinghua; Zhang, Dan; Sun, Ming; Li, Kangkang; Wang, Zhiguo; Zhang, Yanpeng

2018-04-01

We study different dressing effects in parametrically amplified four-wave mixing (PA-FWM) processes. By seeding a weak probe laser into the Stokes or anti-Stokes channel of the FWM, the gain process is generated in the so-called bright twin beams which are the probe and conjugate beams. The dressing types dramatically affect the gain factors in both the probe and conjugate channels. The gain factor of the FWM signal decreases under the cascade-type dressing and the signal's shape splits into two dips under this dressing type. However, the intensity of the FWM signal changes from suppression to enhancement under the parallel-type dressing. We will apply this switching process to all-optical switching.

Ue Project "cheap GSHPs": the Geoexchange Fieldlab

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galgaro, Antonio; Cultrera, Matteo; Dalla Santa, Giorgia; Bertermann, David; Muller, Johannes; De Carli, Michele; Emmi, Giuseppe; Zarrella, Angelo; Bernardi, Adriana; Di Tuccio, Maria; Vivarelli, Arianna; Pockelé, Luc; Mezzasalma, Giulia; Psyk, Mario; Righini, Davide; Bernini, Michele

2017-04-01

The CHEAP - GSHPs Horizon 2020 project (No. 657982) focuses on the development of more efficient and safe shallow geothermal systems and the reduction of time consuming and installation costs. One of its most important objectives is the development of the design of new coaxial steel GSHEs and of newly designed helical heat basket type GSHE by means of innovative installation methodologies and drilling machines. For this purpose, in Molinella test site (Bologna, Italy) several types of borehole heat exchangers have been built. The Molinella test site is the open-air laboratory where several types of ground heat exchangers, such as helical heat basket and double-U and coaxial probes, can be directly compared by means of GRT tests, cores thermal measurement, and optical fibers measurements. Moreover, in this test site, new drilling machines and techniques are being tested. Given a geological setting and thermal load, the heat exchange capacity of a ground heat exchanger depends on the used materials and probe dimensions (length, diameter and thickness). In Molinella, in an area of 300m2, 7 different probes are installed: 4 coaxial probes of different materials and different length (96 and 50m) and diameters of internal and external tubes, 2 heat baskets (15m length, different diameter and different pitch) and a traditional double-U (50 m length). The monitoring equipment is constituted by a piezometer 25m long, a monitoring point instrumented with a hybrid fibre optical cable 100m long, and a standard GRT device. The local stratigraphy is known from a 100m core sample, made on purpose. The lithological sequence is typical of a quaternary floodplain deposition environment, rich in silt and silty clay deposits, alternated with sandy layers. For all the main recognized layers, the thermal properties (conductivity and capacity) have been directly measured on the collected core samples on site in order to maintain their natural water content. The thermal exchange capacities of the tested GSHEs are directly detected both by comparing the GRT test results and by means of numerical analysis based on different modelling approaches. The Molinella test site is particularly remarkable for the possibility to directly compare the energetic efficiency of the tested GSHEs. The GRT results can be compared with the mathematical models outputs and with the thermal measurements directly performed on the sediments core samples. The coupling of traditional GRT and optical fibre temperature recording system allows sharing the data in order to obtain the thermal contribution of the different underground layers interested by the heat exchange processes. The Molinella test site therefore represents a very extraordinary possibility to improve the knowledge of thermal exchange processes in shallow geothermal systems.

NMR spectroscopy up to 35.2T using a series-connected hybrid magnet.

PubMed

Gan, Zhehong; Hung, Ivan; Wang, Xiaoling; Paulino, Joana; Wu, Gang; Litvak, Ilya M; Gor'kov, Peter L; Brey, William W; Lendi, Pietro; Schiano, Jeffrey L; Bird, Mark D; Dixon, Iain R; Toth, Jack; Boebinger, Gregory S; Cross, Timothy A

2017-11-01

The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory has brought to field a Series-Connected Hybrid magnet for NMR spectroscopy. As a DC powered magnet it can be operated at fields up to 36.1T. The series connection between a superconducting outsert and a resistive insert dramatically minimizes the high frequency fluctuations of the magnetic field typically observed in purely resistive magnets. Current-density-grading among various resistive coils was used for improved field homogeneity. The 48mm magnet bore and 42mm outer diameter of the probes leaves limited space for conventional shims and consequently a combination of resistive and ferromagnetic shims are used. Field maps corrected for field instabilities were obtained and shimming achieved better than 1ppm homogeneity over a cylindrical volume of 1cm diameter and height. The magnetic field is regulated within 0.2ppm using an external 7 Li lock sample doped with paramagnetic MnCl 2 . The improved field homogeneity and field regulation using a modified AVANCE NEO console enables NMR spectroscopy at 1 H frequencies of 1.0, 1.2 and 1.5GHz. NMR at 1.5GHz reflects a 50% increase in field strength above the highest superconducting magnets currently available. Three NMR probes have been constructed each equipped with an external lock rf coil for field regulation. Initial NMR results obtained from the SCH magnet using these probes illustrate the very exciting potential of ultra-high magnetic fields. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

NMR spectroscopy up to 35.2 T using a series-connected hybrid magnet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gan, Zhehong; Hung, Ivan; Wang, Xiaoling; Paulino, Joana; Wu, Gang; Litvak, Ilya M.; Gor'kov, Peter L.; Brey, William W.; Lendi, Pietro; Schiano, Jeffrey L.; Bird, Mark D.; Dixon, Iain R.; Toth, Jack; Boebinger, Gregory S.; Cross, Timothy A.

2017-11-01

The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory has brought to field a Series-Connected Hybrid magnet for NMR spectroscopy. As a DC powered magnet it can be operated at fields up to 36.1 T. The series connection between a superconducting outsert and a resistive insert dramatically minimizes the high frequency fluctuations of the magnetic field typically observed in purely resistive magnets. Current-density-grading among various resistive coils was used for improved field homogeneity. The 48 mm magnet bore and 42 mm outer diameter of the probes leaves limited space for conventional shims and consequently a combination of resistive and ferromagnetic shims are used. Field maps corrected for field instabilities were obtained and shimming achieved better than 1 ppm homogeneity over a cylindrical volume of 1 cm diameter and height. The magnetic field is regulated within 0.2 ppm using an external 7Li lock sample doped with paramagnetic MnCl2. The improved field homogeneity and field regulation using a modified AVANCE NEO console enables NMR spectroscopy at 1H frequencies of 1.0, 1.2 and 1.5 GHz. NMR at 1.5 GHz reflects a 50% increase in field strength above the highest superconducting magnets currently available. Three NMR probes have been constructed each equipped with an external lock rf coil for field regulation. Initial NMR results obtained from the SCH magnet using these probes illustrate the very exciting potential of ultra-high magnetic fields.

"Gap hunting" to characterize clustered probe signals in Illumina methylation array data.

PubMed

Andrews, Shan V; Ladd-Acosta, Christine; Feinberg, Andrew P; Hansen, Kasper D; Fallin, M Daniele

2016-01-01

The Illumina 450k array has been widely used in epigenetic association studies. Current quality-control (QC) pipelines typically remove certain sets of probes, such as those containing a SNP or with multiple mapping locations. An additional set of potentially problematic probes are those with DNA methylation distributions characterized by two or more distinct clusters separated by gaps. Data-driven identification of such probes may offer additional insights for downstream analyses. We developed a procedure, termed "gap hunting," to identify probes showing clustered distributions. Among 590 peripheral blood samples from the Study to Explore Early Development, we identified 11,007 "gap probes." The vast majority (9199) are likely attributed to an underlying SNP(s) or other variant in the probe, although SNP-affected probes exist that do not produce a gap signals. Specific factors predict which SNPs lead to gap signals, including type of nucleotide change, probe type, DNA strand, and overall methylation state. These expected effects are demonstrated in paired genotype and 450k data on the same samples. Gap probes can also serve as a surrogate for the local genetic sequence on a haplotype scale and can be used to adjust for population stratification. The characteristics of gap probes reflect potentially informative biology. QC pipelines may benefit from an efficient data-driven approach that "flags" gap probes, rather than filtering such probes, followed by careful interpretation of downstream association analyses. Our results should translate directly to the recently released Illumina EPIC array given the similar chemistry and content design.

Dynamically induced many-body localization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Soonwon; Abanin, Dmitry A.; Lukin, Mikhail D.

2018-03-01

We show that a quantum phase transition from ergodic to many-body localized (MBL) phases can be induced via periodic pulsed manipulation of spin systems. Such a transition is enabled by the interplay between weak disorder and slow heating rates. Specifically, we demonstrate that the Hamiltonian of a weakly disordered ergodic spin system can be effectively engineered, by using sufficiently fast coherent controls, to yield a stable MBL phase, which in turn completely suppresses the energy absorption from external control field. Our results imply that a broad class of existing many-body systems can be used to probe nonequilibrium phases of matter for a long time, limited only by coupling to external environment.

Two-photon in vivo flow cytometry using a fiber probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Yu-Chung; Ye, Jing Yong; Thomas, Thommey P.; Cao, Zhengyi; Kotlyar, Alina; Tkaczyk, Eric R.; Baker, James R., Jr.; Norris, Theodore B.

2009-02-01

We have demonstrated the use of a double-clad fiber probe to conduct two-photon excited flow cytometry in vitro and in vivo. We conducted two-channel detection to measure fluorescence at two distinct wavelengths simultaneously. Because the scattering and absorption problems from whole blood were circumvented by the fiber probe, the detected signal strength from the cells were found to be similar in PBS and in whole blood. We achieved the same detection efficiency of the membrane-binding lipophilic dye DiD labeled cells in PBS and in whole blood. High detection efficiency of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing cells in whole blood was demonstrated. DiD-labeled untransfected and GFP-transfected cells were injected into live mice and the circulation dynamics of the externally injected cells were monitored. The detection efficiency of GFP-expressing cells in vivo was consistent with that observed in whole blood.

Noncontact Viscoelastic Imaging of Living Cells Using a Long-Needle Atomic Force Microscope with Dual-Frequency Modulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guan, Dongshi; Charlaix, Elisabeth; Qi, Robert Z.; Tong, Penger

2017-10-01

Imaging of surface topography and elasticity of living cells can provide insight into the roles played by the cells' volumetric and mechanical properties and their response to external forces in regulating the essential cellular events and functions. Here, we report a unique technique of noncontact viscoelastic imaging of live cells using atomic force microscopy (AFM) with a long-needle glass probe. Because only the probe tip is placed in a liquid medium near the cell surface, the AFM cantilever in air functions well under dual-frequency modulation, retaining its high-quality resonant modes. The probe tip interacts with the cell surface through a minute hydrodynamic flow in the nanometer-thin gap region between them without physical contact. Quantitative measurements of the cell height, volume, and Young's modulus are conducted simultaneously. The experiment demonstrates that the long-needle AFM has a wide range of applications in the study of cell mechanics.

Effects of electric field and light polarization on the electromagnetically induced transparency in an impurity doped quantum ring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bejan, D.; Stan, C.; Niculescu, E. C.

2018-01-01

We theoretically investigated the effects of the impurity position, in-plane electric field, intensity and polarization of the probe and control lasers on the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in GaAs/GaAlAs disc shaped quantum ring. Our study reveals that, depending on the impurity position, the quantum system presents two specific configurations for the EIT occurrence even in the absence of the external electric field, i.e. ladder-configuration or V-configuration, and changes the configuration from ladder to V for specific electric field values. The polarization of the probe and control lasers plays a crucial role in obtaining a good transparency. The electric field controls the red-shift (blue-shift) of the transparency window and modifies its width. The system exhibits birefringence for the probe light in a limited interval of electric field values.

Highly enhanced optical properties of indocyanine green/perfluorocarbon nanoemulsions for efficient lymph node mapping using near-infrared and magnetic resonance imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bae, Pan Kee; Jung, Juyeon; Chung, Bong Hyun

2014-03-01

The near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence probe has better tissue penetration and lower autofluorescence. Indocyanine green (ICG) is an NIR organic dye for extensive biological application, and it has been clinically approved for human medical imaging and diagnosis. However, application of this dye is limited by its numerous disadvantageous properties in aqueous solution, including its concentration-dependent aggregation, poor aqueous stability in vitro, and low quantum yield. Its use in molecular imaging probes is limited because it loses fluorescence after binding to nonspecific plasma proteins, leading to rapid elimination from the body with a half-life of 2 - 4 min. In this study, the multifunctional perfluorocarbon (PFC)/ICG nanoemulsions were investigated with the aim of overcoming these limitations. The PFC/ICG nanoemulsions as a new type of delivery vehicle for contrast agents have both NIR optical imaging and 19 F-MR imaging moieties. These nanoemulsions exhibited less aggregation, increased fluorescence intensity, long-term stability, and physicochemical stability against external light and temperature compared to free aqueous ICG. Also, the PFC/ICG bimodal nanoemulsions allow excellent detection of lymph nodes in vivo through NIR optical imaging and 19 F-MR imaging. This result showed the suitability of the proposed nanoemulsions for non-invasive lymph node mapping as they enable long-time detection of lymph nodes.

Sensing surface morphology of biofibers by decorating spider silk and cellulosic filaments with nematic microdroplets

PubMed Central

Aguirre, Luis E.; de Oliveira, Alexandre; Seč, David; Čopar, Simon; Almeida, Pedro L.; Ravnik, Miha; Godinho, Maria Helena; Žumer, Slobodan

2016-01-01

Probing the surface morphology of microthin fibers such as naturally occurring biofibers is essential for understanding their structural properties, biological function, and mechanical performance. The state-of-the-art methods for studying the surfaces of biofibers are atomic force microscopy imaging and scanning electron microscopy, which well characterize surface geometry of the fibers but provide little information on the local interaction potential of the fibers with the surrounding material. In contrast, complex nematic fluids respond very well to external fields and change their optical properties upon such stimuli. Here we demonstrate that liquid crystal droplets deposited on microthin biofibers—including spider silk and cellulosic fibers—reveal characteristics of the fibers’ surface, performing as simple but sensitive surface sensors. By combining experiments and numerical modeling, different types of fibers are identified through the fiber-to-nematic droplet interactions, including perpendicular and axial or helicoidal planar molecular alignment. Spider silks align nematic molecules parallel to fibers or perpendicular to them, whereas cellulose aligns the molecules unidirectionally or helicoidally along the fibers, indicating notably different surface interactions. The nematic droplets as sensors thus directly reveal chirality of cellulosic fibers. Different fiber entanglements can be identified by depositing droplets exactly at the fiber crossings. More generally, the presented method can be used as a simple but powerful approach for probing the surface properties of small-size bioobjects, opening a route to their precise characterization. PMID:26768844

Sensing surface morphology of biofibers by decorating spider silk and cellulosic filaments with nematic microdroplets.

PubMed

Aguirre, Luis E; de Oliveira, Alexandre; Seč, David; Čopar, Simon; Almeida, Pedro L; Ravnik, Miha; Godinho, Maria Helena; Žumer, Slobodan

2016-02-02

Probing the surface morphology of microthin fibers such as naturally occurring biofibers is essential for understanding their structural properties, biological function, and mechanical performance. The state-of-the-art methods for studying the surfaces of biofibers are atomic force microscopy imaging and scanning electron microscopy, which well characterize surface geometry of the fibers but provide little information on the local interaction potential of the fibers with the surrounding material. In contrast, complex nematic fluids respond very well to external fields and change their optical properties upon such stimuli. Here we demonstrate that liquid crystal droplets deposited on microthin biofibers--including spider silk and cellulosic fibers--reveal characteristics of the fibers' surface, performing as simple but sensitive surface sensors. By combining experiments and numerical modeling, different types of fibers are identified through the fiber-to-nematic droplet interactions, including perpendicular and axial or helicoidal planar molecular alignment. Spider silks align nematic molecules parallel to fibers or perpendicular to them, whereas cellulose aligns the molecules unidirectionally or helicoidally along the fibers, indicating notably different surface interactions. The nematic droplets as sensors thus directly reveal chirality of cellulosic fibers. Different fiber entanglements can be identified by depositing droplets exactly at the fiber crossings. More generally, the presented method can be used as a simple but powerful approach for probing the surface properties of small-size bioobjects, opening a route to their precise characterization.

Direct Emissivity Measurements of Painted Metals for Improved Temperature Estimation During Laser Damage Testing

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-27

Source The laser probe in use for this test is a Daylight Solutions Unicorn II quantum cascade laser operating at 3.77 µm. According to the laser...San Diego, CA, Spec Sheet: Unicorn II Fixed-Wavelength Mid-IR External Cavity Lasers. 51 REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form ApprovedOMB No. 0704–0188 The

A Probe into the Internationalisation of Higher Education in the New Zealand Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiang, Xiaoping

2010-01-01

This paper presents a model of practice for analysing the internationalisation of higher education, and for better providing teaching service and support to both the internal and external other. It is derived from the theoretical analysis of the rationales, concepts and developments of the internationalisation of higher education, and from a New…

EPR Evidence of Liquid Water in Ice: An Intrinsic Property of Water or a Self-Confinement Effect?

PubMed

Thangswamy, Muthulakshmi; Maheshwari, Priya; Dutta, Dhanadeep; Rane, Vinayak; Pujari, Pradeep K

2018-06-01

Liquid water (LW) existence in pure ice below 273 K has been a controversial aspect primarily because of the lack of experimental evidence. Recently, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) has been used to study deeply supercooled water in a rapidly frozen polycrystalline ice. The same technique can also be used to probe the presence of LW in polycrystalline ice that has formed through a more conventional, slow cooling one. In this context, the present study aims to emphasize that in case of an external probe involving techniques such as EPR, the results are influenced by the binary phase (BP) diagram of the probe-water system, which also predicts the existence of LW domains in ice, up to the eutectic point. Here we report the results of our such EPR spin-probe studies on water, which demonstrate that smaller the concentration of the probe stronger is the EPR evidence of liquid domains in polycrystalline ice. We used computer simulations based on stochastic Liouville theory to analyze the lineshapes of the EPR spectra. We show that the presence of the spin probe modifies the BP diagram of water, at very low concentrations of the spin probe. The spin probe thus acts, not like a passive reporter of the behavior of the solvent and its environment, but as an active impurity to influence the solvent. We show that there exists a lower critical concentration, below which BP diagram needs to be modified, by incorporating the effect of confinement of the spin probe. With this approach, we demonstrate that the observed EPR evidence of LW domains in ice can be accounted for by the modified BP diagram of the probe-water system. The present work highlights the importance of taking cognizance of the possibility of spin probes affecting the host systems, when interpreting the EPR (or any other probe based spectroscopic) results of phase transitions of host, as its ignorance may lead to serious misinterpretations.

Usefulness of hepatitis C virus RNA counts by second generation HCV bDNA-probe in chronic hepatitis C based on the HCV genotype.

PubMed

Kobayashi, M; Kumada, H; Arase, Y; Chayama, K; Kobayashi, M; Tsubota, A; Koida, I; Saitoh, S; Suzuki, Y; Murashima, N; Ikeda, K; Miyano, Y; Mizoshita, K; Matsuda, M; Koike, H; Hashimoto, M

1998-04-01

Detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA by a second generation (ver 2) HCV bDNA-probe method (bDNA-probe) was compared with detection by the first generation (ver 1) assay. The two assays were performed simultaneously with the same serum samples of HCV genotypes 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, and 3b. The positive rates with ver 1 were 82% for HCV genotype 1b (type 1b), 57.6% for HCV genotype 2a (type 2a), 75.0% for HCV genotype 2b (type 2b), 55.6% for HCV genotype 3a (type 3a), and 93.8% for HCV genotype 3b (type 3b). The positive rates with ver 2 were 95.0% for type 1b, 93.9% for type 2a, 83.3% for type 2b, 100% for type 3a, and 93.8% for type 3b. With Fisher's exact test, the detection rate for type 2a was significantly higher (P = 0.001) with ver 2 than with ver 1. We obtained regression lines using the HCV counts measured by bDNA-probe on the y axis and the HCV counts obtained by an HCV reverse transcriptase (RT)-competitive polymerase chain reaction method (competitive PCR) on the x axis. The gradients for types 1b, 2a, and 3b were greater with ver 2 compared to ver 1. The gradients for types 2a and 3b were the highest: for type 2a, y = 0.135x + 0.6 with ver 1 and y = 0.248x + 0.1 with ver 2; for type 3b, y = 0.366x + 0.1 with ver 1 and y = 0.727x + 0.3 for ver 2. In addition, HCV-RNA counts for all the genotypes tested in this study were significantly higher with ver 2 than with ver 1. Hence, we conclude that ver 2 of the bDNA-probe measures HCV-RNA counts closer to those obtained with competitive PCR than the ver 1 assay.

Distal tibial pilon fractures (AO/OTA type B, and C) treated with the external skeletal and minimal internal fixation method.

PubMed

Milenković, Sasa; Mitković, Milorad; Micić, Ivan; Mladenović, Desimir; Najman, Stevo; Trajanović, Miroslav; Manić, Miodrag; Mitković, Milan

2013-09-01

Distal tibial pilon fractures include extra-articular fractures of the tibial metaphysis and the more severe intra-articular tibial pilon fractures. There is no universal method for treating distal tibial pilon fractures. These fractures are treated by means of open reduction, internal fixation (ORIF) and external skeletal fixation. The high rate of soft-tissue complications associated with primary ORIF of pilon fractures led to the use of external skeletal fixation, with limited internal fixation as an alternative technique for definitive management. The aim of this study was to estimate efficacy of distal tibial pilon fratures treatment using the external skeletal and minimal internal fixation method. We presented a series of 31 operated patients with tibial pilon fractures. The patients were operated on using the method of external skeletal fixation with a minimal internal fixation. According to the AO/OTA classification, 17 patients had type B fracture and 14 patients type C fractures. The rigid external skeletal fixation was transformed into a dynamic external skeletal fixation 6 weeks post-surgery. This retrospective study involved 31 patients with tibial pilon fractures, average age 41.81 (from 21 to 60) years. The average follow-up was 21.86 (from 12 to 48) months. The percentage of union was 90.32%, nonunion 3.22% and malunion 6.45%. The mean to fracture union was 14 (range 12-20) weeks. There were 4 (12.19%) infections around the pins of the external skeletal fixator and one (3.22%) deep infections. The ankle joint arthrosis as a late complication appeared in 4 (12.90%) patients. All arthroses appeared in patients who had type C fractures. The final functional results based on the AOFAS score were excellent in 51.61%, good in 32.25%, average in 12.90% and bad in 3.22% of the patients. External skeletal fixation and minimal internal fixation of distal tibial pilon fractures is a good method for treating all types of inta-articular pilon fractures. In fractures types B and C dynamic external skeletal fixation allows early mobility in the ankle joint.

Human Papillomavirus Virus (HPV) Genotype- and Age-Specific Analyses of External Genital Lesions Among Men in the HPV Infection in Men (HIM) Study

PubMed Central

Ingles, Donna J.; Pierce Campbell, Christine M.; Messina, Jane A.; Stoler, Mark H.; Lin, Hui-Yi; Fulp, William J.; Abrahamsen, Martha; Sirak, Bradley A.; O'Keefe, Michael T.; Papenfuss, Mary; Gage, Christine; Carvalho da Silva, Roberto; Gonzalez Sosa, Rossana; Rojas Juarez, Oscar; Villa, Luisa L.; Lazcano Ponce, Eduardo; Giuliano, Anna R.

2015-01-01

Background. Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes external genital lesions (EGLs) in men, including condyloma and penile intraepithelial neoplasia (PeIN). We sought to determine the incidence of pathologically confirmed EGLs, by lesion type, among men in different age groups and to evaluate the HPV types that were associated with EGL development. Methods. HPV Infection in Men (HIM) study participants who contributed ≥2 visits from 2009–2013 were included in the biopsy cohort. Genotyping by an HPV line-probe assay was performed on all pathologically confirmed EGLs. Age-specific analyses were conducted for incident EGLs, with Kaplan–Meier estimation of cumulative incidence. Results. This biopsy cohort included 2754 men (median follow-up duration, 12.4 months [interquartile range, 6.9–19.2 months]). EGLs (n = 377) were pathologically confirmed in 228 men, 198 of whom had incident EGLs. The cumulative incidence of any EGL was highest among men <45 years old and, for condyloma, decreased significantly over time with age. The genotype-specific incidence of EGL varied by pathological diagnoses, with high- and low-risk genotypes found in 15.6% and 73.2% of EGLs, respectively. Condyloma primarily contained HPV 6 or 11. While PeIN lesions primarily contained HPV 16, 1 PeIN III lesion was positive for HPV 6 only. Conclusion. Low- and high-risk HPV genotypes contribute to the EGL burden. Men remain susceptible to HPV-related EGLs throughout the life span, making it necessary to ensure the longevity of immune protection against the most common causative HPV genotypes. PMID:25344518

Human papillomavirus virus (HPV) genotype- and age-specific analyses of external genital lesions among men in the HPV Infection in Men (HIM) Study.

PubMed

Ingles, Donna J; Pierce Campbell, Christine M; Messina, Jane A; Stoler, Mark H; Lin, Hui-Yi; Fulp, William J; Abrahamsen, Martha; Sirak, Bradley A; O'Keefe, Michael T; Papenfuss, Mary; Gage, Christine; Carvalho da Silva, Roberto; Gonzalez Sosa, Rossana; Rojas Juarez, Oscar; Villa, Luisa L; Lazcano Ponce, Eduardo; Giuliano, Anna R

2015-04-01

Human papillomavirus (HPV) causes external genital lesions (EGLs) in men, including condyloma and penile intraepithelial neoplasia (PeIN). We sought to determine the incidence of pathologically confirmed EGLs, by lesion type, among men in different age groups and to evaluate the HPV types that were associated with EGL development. HPV Infection in Men (HIM) study participants who contributed ≥2 visits from 2009-2013 were included in the biopsy cohort. Genotyping by an HPV line-probe assay was performed on all pathologically confirmed EGLs. Age-specific analyses were conducted for incident EGLs, with Kaplan-Meier estimation of cumulative incidence. This biopsy cohort included 2754 men (median follow-up duration, 12.4 months [interquartile range, 6.9-19.2 months]). EGLs (n = 377) were pathologically confirmed in 228 men, 198 of whom had incident EGLs. The cumulative incidence of any EGL was highest among men <45 years old and, for condyloma, decreased significantly over time with age. The genotype-specific incidence of EGL varied by pathological diagnoses, with high- and low-risk genotypes found in 15.6% and 73.2% of EGLs, respectively. Condyloma primarily contained HPV 6 or 11. While PeIN lesions primarily contained HPV 16, 1 PeIN III lesion was positive for HPV 6 only. Low- and high-risk HPV genotypes contribute to the EGL burden. Men remain susceptible to HPV-related EGLs throughout the life span, making it necessary to ensure the longevity of immune protection against the most common causative HPV genotypes. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

How I do it: feasibility of a new ultrasound probe fixator to facilitate high quality stress echocardiography.

PubMed

Salden, O A E; van Everdingen, W M; Spee, R; Doevendans, P A; Cramer, M J

2018-03-27

Stress echocardiography (SE) has recently regained momentum as an important diagnostic tool for the assessment of both ischemic and non-ischemic heart disease. Performing SE during physical exercise is challenging due to a suboptimal patient position and vigorous movements of the patient's chest. This hampers a stable ultrasound position and reduces the diagnostic performance of SE. A stable ultrasound probe position would facilitate producing high quality images during continuous measurements. With Probefix (Usono, Eindhoven, The Netherlands), a newly developed tool to fixate the ultrasound probe to the patient's chest, stabilization of the probe during physical exercise is possible. The technique of SE with the Probefix and its' feasibility are evaluated in a small pilot study. Probefix fixates the ultrasound probe to the patient's chest, using two chest straps and a fixation device. The ultrasound probe position and angle may be altered with a relative high degree of freedom. We tested the Probefix for continuous echocardiographic imaging in 12 study subjects during supine and upright ergometer stress tests. One patient was unable to perform exercise and in two study subjects good quality images were not achieved. In the other patients (82%) a stable probe position was obtained, with subsequent good quality echocardiographic images during SE. We have demonstrated the feasibility of the Probefix support during ergometer tests in supine and upright positions and conclude that this external fixator may facilitate continuous monitoring of cardiac function in a group of patients.

Acid-Activatable Michael-Type Fluorescent Probes for Thiols and for Labeling Lysosomes in Live Cells.

PubMed

Dai, Chun-Guang; Du, Xiao-Jiao; Song, Qin-Hua

2015-12-18

A Michael addition is usually taken as a base-catalyzed reaction. Most fluorescent probes have been designed to detect thiols in slightly alkaline solutions (pH 7-9). The sensing reactions of almost all Michael-type fluorescent probes for thiols are faster in a high pH solution than in a low pH solution. In this work, we synthesized a series of 7-substituted 2-(quinolin-2-ylmethylene)malonic acids (QMAs, substituents: NEt2, OH, H, Cl, or NO2) and their ethyl esters (QMEs) as Michael-type fluorescent probes for thiols. The sensing reactions of QMAs and QMEs occur in distinct pH ranges, pH < 7 for QMAs and pH > 7 for QMEs. On the basis of experimental and theoretic studies, we have clarified the distinct pH effects on the sensing reactivity between QMAs and QMEs and demonstrated that two QMAs (NEt2, OH) are highly sensitive and selective fluorescent probes for thiols in acidic solutions (pH < 7) and promising dyes that can label lysosomes in live cells.

Effects of Electrical Current and External Stress on the Electromigration of Intermetallic Compounds Between the Flip-Chip Solder and Copper Substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Wei-Jhen; Lee, Yue-Lin; Wu, Ti-Yuan; Chen, Tzu-Ching; Hsu, Chih-Hui; Lin, Ming-Tzer

2018-01-01

This study investigated the effects of electric current and external stress on electromigration of intermetallic compounds (IMC) between solder and copper substrate. Different samples were tested under three different sets of conditions: (1) thermal aging only, (2) thermal aging with electric current ,where resistivity changes were measured using four-point probe measurements, (3) thermal aging with electric current and external stress provided using a four-point bending apparatus. The micro-structural changes in the samples were observed. The results were closely examined; particularly the coupling effect of electric current and external stress to elucidate the electromigration mechanism, as well as the formation of IMC in the samples. For thermal-aging-only samples, the IMC growth mechanism was controlled by grain boundary diffusion. Meanwhile, for thermal aging and applied electric current samples, the IMC growth mechanism was dominated by volume diffusion and interface reaction. Lastly, the IMC growth mechanism in the electric current and external stress group was dominated by grain boundary diffusion with grain growth. The results reveal that the external stress/strain and electric current play a significant role in the electromigration of copper-tin IMC. The samples exposed to tensile stress have reduced electromigration, while those subjected under compressive stress have enhanced electromigration.

Comparative Evaluation of the Ostium After External and Nonendoscopic Endonasal Dacryocystorhinostomy Using Image Processing (Matlabs and Image J) Softwares.

PubMed

Ganguly, Anasua; Kaza, Hrishikesh; Kapoor, Aditya; Sheth, Jenil; Ali, Mohammad Hasnat; Tripathy, Devjyoti; Rath, Suryasnata

The purpose of this study was to compare the characteristics of the ostium after external dacryocystorhinostomy and nonendoscopic endonasal dacryocystorhinostomy (NEN-DCR). This cross-sectional study included patients who underwent a successful external dacryocystorhinostomy or NEN-DCR and had ≥1 month follow up. Pictures of the ostium were captured with a nasal endoscope (4 mm, 30°) after inserting a lacrimal probe premarked at 2 mm. Image analyses were performed using Image J and Contour softwares. Of the 113 patients included, external dacryocystorhinostomy group had 53 patients and NEN-DCR group had 60 patients. The mean age of patients in the NEN-DCR group (38 years) was significantly (p < 0.05) lower than the external dacryocystorhinostomy group (50 years). There was no statistically significant difference (2 sample t test, p > 0.05) in mean follow up (6 vs. 4 months), maximum diameter of ostium (8 vs. 7 mm), perpendicular drawn to it (4 vs. 4 mm), area of ostium (43 vs. 36 mm), and the minimum distance between common internal punctum and edge of the ostium (1 vs. 1 mm) between the external and NEN-DCR groups. Image processing softwares offer simple and objective method to measure the ostium. While ostia are comparable in size, their relative position differs with posteriorly placed ostia in external compared with inferior in NEN-DCR.

Fluorescent Sensing of Fluoride in Cellular System

PubMed Central

Jiao, Yang; Zhu, Baocun; Chen, Jihua; Duan, Xiaohong

2015-01-01

Fluoride ions have the important roles in a lot of physiological activities related with biological and medical system, such as water fluoridation, caries treatment, and bone disease treatment. Great efforts have been made to develop new methods and strategies for F- detection in the past decades. Traditional methods for the detection of F- including ion chromatography, ion-selective electrodes, and spectroscopic techniques have the limitations in the biomedicine research. The fluorescent probes for F- are very promising that overcome some drawbacks of traditional fluoride detection methods. These probes exhibit high selectivity, high sensitivity as well as quick response to the detection of fluoride anions. The review commences with a brief description of photophysical mechanisms for fluorescent probes for fluoride, including photo induced electron transfer (PET), intramolecular charge transfer (ICT), fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), and excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT). Followed by a discussion about common dyes for fluorescent fluoride probes, such as anthracene, naphalimide, pyrene, BODIPY, fluorescein, rhodamine, resorufin, coumarin, cyanine, and near-infrared (NIR) dyes. We divide the fluorescent probes for fluoride in cellular application systems into nine groups, for example, type of hydrogen bonds, type of cleavage of Si-O bonds, type of Si-O bond cleavage and cylization reactions, etc. We also review the recent reported carriers in the delivery of fluorescent fluoride probes. Seventy-four typical fluorescent fluoride probes are listed and compared in detail, including quantum yield, reaction medium, excitation and emission wavelengths, linear detection range, selectivity for F-, mechanism, and analytical applications. Finally, we discuss the future challenges of the application of fluorescent fluoride probes in cellular system and in vivo. We wish that more and more excellent fluorescent fluoride probes will be developed and applied in the biomedicine field in the future. PMID:25553106

Comparison of peroxidase-labeled DNA probes with radioactive RNA probes for detection of human papillomaviruses by in situ hybridization in paraffin sections

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Park, J.S.; Kurman, R.J.; Kessis, T.D.

1991-01-01

A study comparing in situ hybridization using nonradioactive DNA probes directly conjugated with horseradish peroxidase (HRP), and {sup 35}S-labeled antisense RNA probes for human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6/11, 16, and 18 was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue from 34 lesions of the cervix and vulva. These lesions included exophytic condylomas and intraepithelial and invasive neoplasms. HPV 6/11 was detected in two of four condylomata acuminata by both in situ techniques. HPV 16 was detected in 13 of 30 cases of intraepithelial and invasive neoplasms by both methods. Discordance between the two methods occurred in two instances. The radiolabeled probe butmore » not the HRP probe detected HPV 16 in one case of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN 3), whereas the converse occurred in one case of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (VIN 3). HPV 18 was not detected in any of the specimens by either method. This study demonstrates that nonradioactive HRP-labeled probes for the detection of specific HPV types are as sensitive as the more laborious and potentially hazardous radioactive probes.« less

Tibial lengthening using a reamed type intramedullary nail and an Ilizarov external fixator

PubMed Central

Kim, Hayoung; Kim, Kap Jung; Ahn, Jae Hoon; Choy, Won Sik; Kim, Yong In; Koo, Jea Yun

2008-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of tibial lengthening using a reamed type intramedullary nail and an Ilizarov external fixator for the treatment of leg length discrepancy or short stature. This retrospective study was performed on 18 tibiae (13 patients) in which attempts were made to reduce complications. We used an Ilizarov external fixator and a nail (10 mm diameter in 17 tibiae and 11 mm in one tibia) in combination. Average limb lengthening was 4.19 cm (range, 2.5–5.5). The mean duration of external fixation was 12.58 days per centimetre gain in length, and the mean consolidation index was 40.53 (range, 35.45–51.85). All distracted segments healed spontaneously without refracture or malalignment. Gradual limb lengthening using a reamed type intramedullary nail and circular external fixation in combination was found to be reliable and effective and reduced external fixation time with fewer complications. PMID:18415098

Electrically induced microflows probed by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy.

PubMed

Ybert, C; Nadal, F; Salomé, R; Argoul, F; Bourdieu, L

2005-03-01

We report on the experimental characterisation of electrically induced flows at the micrometer scale through Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS) measurements. We stress the potential of FCS as a useful characterisation technique in microfluidics devices for transport properties cartography. The experimental results obtained in a model situation are in agreement with previous calculations (F. Nadal, F. Argoul, P. Kestener, B. Pouligny, C. Ybert, A. Ajdari, Eur. Phys. J. E 9, 387 (2002)) predicting the structure and electric-field dependency of the induced flow. Additionally, the present study evidences a complex behaviour of the probe nanobeads under electric field whose precise understanding might prove relevant for situations where nano-objects interact with an external electric field.

Acoustic monitoring of a ball sinking in vibrated granular sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van den Wildenberg, Siet; Léopoldès, Julien; Tourin, Arnaud; Jia, Xiaoping

2017-06-01

We develop an ultrasound probing to investigate the dynamics of a high density ball sinking in 3D opaque dense granular suspensions under horizontal weak vibrations. We show that the motion of the ball in these horizontally vibrated glass bead packings saturated by water is consistent with the frictional rheology. The extracted stress-strain relation evidences an evolution of flow behaviour from frictional creep to inertial regimes. Our main finding is that weak external vibration primarily affects the yield stress and controls the depth of sinking via vibration-induced sliding at the grain contact. Also, we observe that the extracted rheological parameters depend on the size of the probing ball, suggesting thus a non-local rheology.

Probing Higgs self-coupling of a classically scale invariant model in e+e- → Zhh: Evaluation at physical point

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujitani, Y.; Sumino, Y.

2018-04-01

A classically scale invariant extension of the standard model predicts large anomalous Higgs self-interactions. We compute missing contributions in previous studies for probing the Higgs triple coupling of a minimal model using the process e+e- → Zhh. Employing a proper order counting, we compute the total and differential cross sections at the leading order, which incorporate the one-loop corrections between zero external momenta and their physical values. Discovery/exclusion potential of a future e+e- collider for this model is estimated. We also find a unique feature in the momentum dependence of the Higgs triple vertex for this class of models.

Some effects of external stores on the static stability of fighter airplanes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spearman, M. L.

1972-01-01

Fighter airplanes may have a seemingly limitless number of external store arrangements. Some practical considerations and some aerodynamic considerations must be taken into account in the arrangements of the external stores. The nature of the problems concerning the type of store arrangement involved and the type of airplane on which the stores are installed are reported.

75 FR 20982 - University of Michigan, et al., Notice of Consolidated Decision on Applications for Duty-Free...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-22

... conventional AFM type silicon cantilevers as well as cantilevered optical fiber probes with exposed probed... probe and the ability to image in both NSOM and AFM with AC operating modes. We know of no instrument...

First Evaluation of the New Thin Convex Probe Endobronchial Ultrasound Scope: A Human Ex Vivo Lung Study.

PubMed

Patel, Priya; Wada, Hironobu; Hu, Hsin-Pei; Hirohashi, Kentaro; Kato, Tatsuya; Ujiie, Hideki; Ahn, Jin Young; Lee, Daiyoon; Geddie, William; Yasufuku, Kazuhiro

2017-04-01

Endobronchial ultrasonography (EBUS)-guided transbronchial needle aspiration allows for sampling of mediastinal lymph nodes. The external diameter, rigidity, and angulation of the convex probe EBUS renders limited accessibility. This study compares the accessibility and transbronchial needle aspiration capability of the prototype thin convex probe EBUS against the convex probe EBUS in human ex vivo lungs rejected for transplant. The prototype thin convex probe EBUS (BF-Y0055; Olympus, Tokyo, Japan) with a thinner tip (5.9 mm), greater upward angle (170 degrees), and decreased forward oblique direction of view (20 degrees) was compared with the current convex probe EBUS (6.9-mm tip, 120 degrees, and 35 degrees, respectively). Accessibility and transbronchial needle aspiration capability was assessed in ex vivo human lungs declined for lung transplant. The distance of maximum reach and sustainable endoscopic limit were measured. Transbronchial needle aspiration capability was assessed using the prototype 25G aspiration needle in segmental lymph nodes. In all evaluated lungs (n = 5), the thin convex probe EBUS demonstrated greater reach and a higher success rate, averaging 22.1 mm greater maximum reach and 10.3 mm further endoscopic visibility range than convex probe EBUS, and could assess selectively almost all segmental bronchi (98% right, 91% left), demonstrating nearly twice the accessibility as the convex probe EBUS (48% right, 47% left). The prototype successfully enabled cytologic assessment of subsegmental lymph nodes with adequate quality using the dedicated 25G aspiration needle. Thin convex probe EBUS has greater accessibility to peripheral airways in human lungs and is capable of sampling segmental lymph nodes using the aspiration needle. That will allow for more precise assessment of N1 nodes and, possibly, intrapulmonary lesions normally inaccessible to the conventional convex probe EBUS. Copyright © 2017 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Transpiration purged optical probe

DOEpatents

VanOsdol, John; Woodruff, Steven

2004-01-06

An optical apparatus for clearly viewing the interior of a containment vessel by applying a transpiration fluid to a volume directly in front of the external surface of the optical element of the optical apparatus. The fluid is provided by an external source and transported by means of an annular tube to a capped end region where the inner tube is perforated. The perforation allows the fluid to stream axially towards the center of the inner tube and then axially away from an optical element which is positioned in the inner tube just prior to the porous sleeve. This arrangement draws any contaminants away from the optical element keeping it free of contaminants. In one of several embodiments, the optical element can be a lens, a viewing port or a laser, and the external source can provide a transpiration fluid having either steady properties or time varying properties.

An external-cavity quantum cascade laser operating near 5.2 µm combined with cavity ring-down spectroscopy for multi-component chemical sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta Banik, Gourab; Maity, Abhijit; Som, Suman; Pal, Mithun; Pradhan, Manik

2018-04-01

We report on the performance of a widely tunable continuous wave mode-hop-free external-cavity quantum cascade laser operating at λ ~ 5.2 µm combined with cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) technique for high-resolution molecular spectroscopy. The CRDS system has been utilized for simultaneous and molecule-specific detection of several environmentally and bio-medically important trace molecular species such as nitric oxide, nitrous oxide, carbonyl sulphide and acetylene (C2H2) at ultra-low concentrations by probing numerous rotationally resolved ro-vibrational transitions in the mid-IR spectral region within a relatively small spectral range of ~0.035 cm-1. This continuous wave external-cavity quantum cascade laser-based multi-component CRDS sensor with high sensitivity and molecular specificity promises applications in environmental sensing as well as non-invasive medical diagnosis through human breath analysis.

Conversion of neurons and glia to external-cell fates in the external sensory organs of Drosophila hamlet mutants by a cousin-cousin cell-type respecification.

PubMed

Moore, Adrian W; Roegiers, Fabrice; Jan, Lily Y; Jan, Yuh-Nung

2004-03-15

The Drosophila external sensory organ forms in a lineage elaborating from a single precursor cell via a stereotypical series of asymmetric divisions. HAMLET transcription factor expression demarcates the lineage branch that generates two internal cell types, the external sensory neuron and thecogen. In HAMLET mutant organs, these internal cells are converted to external cells via an unprecedented cousin-cousin cell-fate respecification event. Conversely, ectopic HAMLET expression in the external cell branch leads to internal cell production. The fate-determining signals NOTCH and PAX2 act at multiple stages of lineage elaboration and HAMLET acts to modulate their activity in a branch-specific manner.

Concealed semantic and episodic autobiographical memory electrified.

PubMed

Ganis, Giorgio; Schendan, Haline E

2012-01-01

Electrophysiology-based concealed information tests (CIT) try to determine whether somebody possesses concealed information about a crime-related item (probe) by comparing event-related potentials (ERPs) between this item and comparison items (irrelevants). Although the broader field is sometimes referred to as "memory detection," little attention has been paid to the precise type of underlying memory involved. This study begins addressing this issue by examining the key distinction between semantic and episodic memory in the autobiographical domain within a CIT paradigm. This study also addresses the issue of whether multiple repetitions of the items over the course of the session habituate the brain responses. Participants were tested in a 3-stimulus CIT with semantic autobiographical probes (their own date of birth) and episodic autobiographical probes (a secret date learned just before the study). Results dissociated these two memory conditions on several ERP components. Semantic probes elicited a smaller frontal N2 than episodic probes, consistent with the idea that the frontal N2 decreases with greater pre-existing knowledge about the item. Likewise, semantic probes elicited a smaller central N400 than episodic probes. Semantic probes also elicited a larger P3b than episodic probes because of their richer meaning. In contrast, episodic probes elicited a larger late positive complex (LPC) than semantic probes, because of the recent episodic memory associated with them. All these ERPs showed a difference between probes and irrelevants in both memory conditions, except for the N400, which showed a difference only in the semantic condition. Finally, although repetition affected the ERPs, it did not reduce the difference between probes and irrelevants. These findings show that the type of memory associated with a probe has both theoretical and practical importance for CIT research.

Concealed semantic and episodic autobiographical memory electrified

PubMed Central

Ganis, Giorgio; Schendan, Haline E.

2013-01-01

Electrophysiology-based concealed information tests (CIT) try to determine whether somebody possesses concealed information about a crime-related item (probe) by comparing event-related potentials (ERPs) between this item and comparison items (irrelevants). Although the broader field is sometimes referred to as “memory detection,” little attention has been paid to the precise type of underlying memory involved. This study begins addressing this issue by examining the key distinction between semantic and episodic memory in the autobiographical domain within a CIT paradigm. This study also addresses the issue of whether multiple repetitions of the items over the course of the session habituate the brain responses. Participants were tested in a 3-stimulus CIT with semantic autobiographical probes (their own date of birth) and episodic autobiographical probes (a secret date learned just before the study). Results dissociated these two memory conditions on several ERP components. Semantic probes elicited a smaller frontal N2 than episodic probes, consistent with the idea that the frontal N2 decreases with greater pre-existing knowledge about the item. Likewise, semantic probes elicited a smaller central N400 than episodic probes. Semantic probes also elicited a larger P3b than episodic probes because of their richer meaning. In contrast, episodic probes elicited a larger late positive complex (LPC) than semantic probes, because of the recent episodic memory associated with them. All these ERPs showed a difference between probes and irrelevants in both memory conditions, except for the N400, which showed a difference only in the semantic condition. Finally, although repetition affected the ERPs, it did not reduce the difference between probes and irrelevants. These findings show that the type of memory associated with a probe has both theoretical and practical importance for CIT research. PMID:23355816

Probing the effect of tip pressure on fungal growth: Application to Aspergillus nidulans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González-Bermúdez, Blanca; Li, Qingxuan; Guinea, Gustavo V.; Peñalva, Miguel A.; Plaza, Gustavo R.

2017-08-01

The study of fungal cells is of great interest due to their importance as pathogens and as fermenting fungi and for their appropriateness as model organisms. The differential pressure between the hyphal cytoplasm and the bordering medium is essential for the growth process, because the pressure is correlated with the growth rate. Notably, during the invasion of tissues, the external pressure at the tip of the hypha may be different from the pressure in the surrounding medium. We report the use of a method, based on the micropipette-aspiration technique, to study the influence of this external pressure at the hyphal tip. Moreover, this technique makes it possible to study hyphal growth mechanics in the case of very thin hyphae, not accessible to turgor pressure probes. We found a correlation between the local pressure at the tip and the growth rate for the species Arpergillus nidulans. Importantly, the proposed method allows one to measure the pressure at the tip required to arrest the hyphal growth. Determining that pressure could be useful to develop new medical treatments for fungal infections. Finally, we provide a mechanical model for these experiments, taking into account the cytoplasm flow and the wall deformation.

Numerical simulation of magnetic nano drug targeting in a patient-specific coeliac trunk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boghi, Andrea; Russo, Flavia; Gori, Fabio

2017-09-01

Magnetic nano drug targeting, through the use of an external magnetic field, is a new technique for the treatment of several diseases, which can potentially avoid the dispersion of drugs in undesired locations of the body. Nevertheless, due to the limitations on the intensity of the magnetic field applied, the hydrodynamic forces can reduce the effectiveness of the procedure. This technique is studied in this paper with the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), focusing on the influence of the magnetic probe position, and the direction of the circulating electric current. A single rectangular coil is used to generate the external magnetic field. A patient-specific geometry of the coeliac trunk is reconstructed from DICOM images, with the use of VMTK. A new solver, coupling the Lagrangian dynamics of the nanoparticles with the Eulerian dynamics of the blood, is implemented in OpenFOAM to perform the simulations. The resistive pressure, the Womersley's profile for the inlet velocity and the magnetic field of a rectangular coil are implemented in the software as boundary conditions. The results show the influence of the position of the probe, as well as the limitations associated with the rectangular coil configuration.

Listening to membrane potential: photoacoustic voltage-sensitive dye recording.

PubMed

Zhang, Haichong K; Yan, Ping; Kang, Jeeun; Abou, Diane S; Le, Hanh N D; Jha, Abhinav K; Thorek, Daniel L J; Kang, Jin U; Rahmim, Arman; Wong, Dean F; Boctor, Emad M; Loew, Leslie M

2017-04-01

Voltage-sensitive dyes (VSDs) are designed to monitor membrane potential by detecting fluorescence changes in response to neuronal or muscle electrical activity. However, fluorescence imaging is limited by depth of penetration and high scattering losses, which leads to low sensitivity in vivo systems for external detection. By contrast, photoacoustic (PA) imaging, an emerging modality, is capable of deep tissue, noninvasive imaging by combining near-infrared light excitation and ultrasound detection. Here, we show that voltage-dependent quenching of dye fluorescence leads to a reciprocal enhancement of PA intensity. We synthesized a near-infrared photoacoustic VSD (PA-VSD), whose PA intensity change is sensitive to membrane potential. In the polarized state, this cyanine-based probe enhances PA intensity while decreasing fluorescence output in a lipid vesicle membrane model. A theoretical model accounts for how the experimental PA intensity change depends on fluorescence and absorbance properties of the dye. These results not only demonstrate PA voltage sensing but also emphasize the interplay of both fluorescence and absorbance properties in the design of optimized PA probes. Together, our results demonstrate PA sensing as a potential new modality for recording and external imaging of electrophysiological and neurochemical events in the brain.

Listening to membrane potential: photoacoustic voltage-sensitive dye recording

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Haichong K.; Yan, Ping; Kang, Jeeun; Abou, Diane S.; Le, Hanh N. D.; Jha, Abhinav K.; Thorek, Daniel L. J.; Kang, Jin U.; Rahmim, Arman; Wong, Dean F.; Boctor, Emad M.; Loew, Leslie M.

2017-04-01

Voltage-sensitive dyes (VSDs) are designed to monitor membrane potential by detecting fluorescence changes in response to neuronal or muscle electrical activity. However, fluorescence imaging is limited by depth of penetration and high scattering losses, which leads to low sensitivity in vivo systems for external detection. By contrast, photoacoustic (PA) imaging, an emerging modality, is capable of deep tissue, noninvasive imaging by combining near-infrared light excitation and ultrasound detection. Here, we show that voltage-dependent quenching of dye fluorescence leads to a reciprocal enhancement of PA intensity. We synthesized a near-infrared photoacoustic VSD (PA-VSD), whose PA intensity change is sensitive to membrane potential. In the polarized state, this cyanine-based probe enhances PA intensity while decreasing fluorescence output in a lipid vesicle membrane model. A theoretical model accounts for how the experimental PA intensity change depends on fluorescence and absorbance properties of the dye. These results not only demonstrate PA voltage sensing but also emphasize the interplay of both fluorescence and absorbance properties in the design of optimized PA probes. Together, our results demonstrate PA sensing as a potential new modality for recording and external imaging of electrophysiological and neurochemical events in the brain.

Two-View Gravity Stress Imaging Protocol for Nondisplaced Type II Supination External Rotation Ankle Fractures: Introducing the Gravity Stress Cross-Table Lateral View.

PubMed

Boffeli, Troy J; Collier, Rachel C; Gervais, Samuel J

Assessing ankle stability in nondisplaced Lauge-Hansen supination external rotation type II injuries requires stress imaging. Gravity stress mortise imaging is routinely used as an alternative to manual stress imaging to assess deltoid integrity with the goal of differentiating type II from type IV injuries in cases without a posterior or medial fracture. A type II injury with a nondisplaced fibula fracture is typically treated with cast immobilization, and a type IV injury is considered unstable and often requires operative repair. The present case series (two patients) highlights a standardized 2-view gravity stress imaging protocol and introduces the gravity stress cross-table lateral view. The gravity stress cross-table lateral view provides a more thorough evaluation of the posterior malleolus owing to the slight external rotation and posteriorly directed stress. External rotation also creates less bony overlap between the tibia and fibula, allowing for better visualization of the fibula fracture. Gravity stress imaging confirmed medial-sided injury in both cases, confirming the presence of supination external rotation type IV or bimalleolar equivalent fractures. Open reduction and internal fixation was performed, and both patients achieved radiographic union. No further treatment was required at 21 and 33 months postoperatively. Copyright © 2017 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hollow fiber-optic Raman probes for small experimental animals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katagiri, Takashi; Hattori, Yusuke; Suzuki, Toshiaki; Matsuura, Yuji; Sato, Hidetoshi

2007-02-01

Two types of hollow fiber-optic probes are developed to measure the in vivo Raman spectra of small animals. One is the minimized probe which is end-sealed with the micro-ball lens. The measured spectra reflect the information of the sample's sub-surface. This probe is used for the measurement of the esophagus and the stomach via an endoscope. The other probe is a confocal Raman probe which consists of a single fiber and a lens system. It is integrated into the handheld microscope. A simple and small multimodal probe is realized because the hollow optical fiber requires no optical filters. The performance of each probe is examined and the effectiveness of these probes for in vivo Raman spectroscopy is shown by animal tests.

Homogeneous versus heterogeneous probes for microbial ecological microarrays.

PubMed

Bae, Jin-Woo; Park, Yong-Ha

2006-07-01

Microbial ecological microarrays have been developed for investigating the composition and functions of microorganism communities in environmental niches. These arrays include microbial identification microarrays, which use oligonucleotides, gene fragments or microbial genomes as probes. In this article, the advantages and disadvantages of each type of probe are reviewed. Oligonucleotide probes are currently useful for probing uncultivated bacteria that are not amenable to gene fragment probing, whereas the functional gene fragments amplified randomly from microbial genomes require phylogenetic and hierarchical categorization before use as microbial identification probes, despite their high resolution for both specificity and sensitivity. Until more bacteria are sequenced and gene fragment probes are thoroughly validated, heterogeneous bacterial genome probes will provide a simple, sensitive and quantitative tool for exploring the ecosystem structure.

Test probe for surface mounted leadless chip carrier

DOEpatents

Meyer, Kerry L.; Topolewski, John

1989-05-23

A test probe for a surface mounted leadless chip carrier is disclosed. The probed includes specially designed connector pins which allow size reductions in the probe. A thermoplastic housing provides spring action to ensure good mechanical and electrical contact between the pins and the contact strips of a leadless chip carrier. Other features include flexible wires molded into the housing and two different types of pins alternately placed in the housing. These features allow fabrication of a smaller and simpler test probe.

Test probe for surface mounted leadless chip carrier

DOEpatents

Meyer, K.L.; Topolewski, J.

1987-10-02

A test probe for a surface mounted leadless chip carrier is disclosed. The probe includes specially designed connector pins which allow size reductions in the probe. A thermoplastic housing provides spring action to ensure good mechanical and electrical contact between the pins and the contact strips of a leadless chip carrier. Other features include flexible wires molded into the housing and two different types of pins alternately placed in the housing. These features allow fabrication of a smaller and simpler test probe. 1 fig.

Pump-probe Kelvin-probe force microscopy: Principle of operation and resolution limits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Murawski, J.; Graupner, T.; Milde, P., E-mail: peter.milde@tu-dresden.de

Knowledge on surface potential dynamics is crucial for understanding the performance of modern-type nanoscale devices. We describe an electrical pump-probe approach in Kelvin-probe force microscopy that enables a quantitative measurement of dynamic surface potentials at nanosecond-time and nanometer-length scales. Also, we investigate the performance of pump-probe Kelvin-probe force microscopy with respect to the relevant experimental parameters. We exemplify a measurement on an organic field effect transistor that verifies the undisturbed functionality of our pump-probe approach in terms of simultaneous and quantitative mapping of topographic and electronic information at a high lateral and temporal resolution.

Treatment of unstable distal radius fractures: non-invasive dynamic external fixator versus volar locking plate – functional and radiological outcome in a prospective case-controlled series

PubMed Central

Bajwa, Ali S.; Rammappa, Manju; Lee, Ling; Nanda, Rajesh

2015-01-01

Introduction: Distal radius fracture (DRF) is a common injury and various treatment modalities including open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) with volar locking plate are available. More recently, a non-invasive external fixator has been used. Aims: To prospectively compare the use of a non-invasive external fixator with early dynamisation for DRF against ORIF with volar locking plate control group. Methods: Consecutive patients with closed DRF were included in a prospective case-controlled study. Patients were assigned to non-invasive external fixator or ORIF. Minimum follow-up was two years. Follow-up was at weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 26 and at one and two-year post-operatively. The outcome measures included demographic details, injury mechanism, AO fracture type, risk factors, body mass index (BMI), ulnar styloid fracture and dorsal comminution, radiographs, grip strength and DASH score. Results: Consecutive 50 patients were treated either with non-invasive external fixator (25/50) or with ORIF (25/50) and the mean age of the two groups was 53 years (SD 17.1) and 49 years (SD 19.5), respectively. Demographics were matched in two groups. In the non-invasive external fixator group, there were 10 AO Type-A, 5 Type-B and 10 Type-C fractures. The ORIF group included 8 Type-A, 6 Type-B and 11 Type-C fractures. The mean DASH score at three-months and one-year post-injury in non-invasive fixator group was 12.2 (SD 3.1) and 3.5 (SD 0.7), respectively, significantly greater than those of ORIF group 14.5 (SD 5.6) and 11.2 (SD 4.4), respectively (p < 0.05). Conclusion: DRF treated with non-invasive external fixator can give functional results superior to ORIF at three-months and the trend is maintained at one and two-year post-operatively. PMID:27163089

Seismoball: A Small Europa Orbiter Drop-Off Probe for Early Exploration of the Europan Surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tamppari, L.; Zimmerman, W.; Green, J.

2001-01-01

Recent magnetometry data received from Galileo indicate that the most likely explanation for the magnetic signature there is indeed a global conducting layer below the surface. This conducting layer is well matched by a salty, mineral rich strata beneath the Europan ice crust or a salt water ocean. Galileo imaging results show a variety of terrain types thought to contain young material; for example, lineaments, chaotic terrain, and eruption features. Additionally, Galileo images have shown indications of areas of up-welling where subsurface material periodically gets pushed to the surface due to the forces of fracturing, butting, and refreezing of the ice sheet. While Europa Orbiter will provide close-flyby high resolution images, as well as magnetometry, spectroscopy and other remote sensing data of the surface, it will not be able to provide essential engineering data like surface hardness and surface ice structure needed to support eventual landed missions. Additionally, ice chemical composition at microscopic scales can only be studied in detail through in situ instrumentation. Seismoball is a small probe designed to be injected into a surface intersect orbit around Europa. Using small reverse thrusters, the probe will be capable of nulling the high horizontal injection velocity as it approaches the 2 km surface injection altitude, thus allowing it to fall to the surface at an impact velocity of < 100m/sec (much less than the DS-2 impact velocities). The external breakaway thruster structure and crushable exterior shell absorb the impact energy while allowing the science instrument suite to remain intact. JPL has already started analyzing the entry dynamics and designing/building a small, low mass probe which will withstand the impact g-forces and fit as a 'carry-on' on board the Europa Orbiter. The probe will carry a suite of 5-6 micro-instruments for imaging the surface (both microscopic and far-field), surface and shallow subsurface ice temperatures, surface hardness, crustal dynamics and periodicity, and compositional chemistry. If selected, this flight development activity will provide a unique science opportunity and adjunct to the primary Orbiter science mission. The final flight system will be designed to accommodate orbiter mass, volume, and power interface constraints, as well as entry dynamics, g-load mitigation, and arbitrary landing orientation.

Temporal regulation of Drosophila IAP1 determines caspase functions in sensory organ development

PubMed Central

Koto, Akiko; Kuranaga, Erina

2009-01-01

The caspases comprise a family of cysteine proteases that function in various cellular processes, including apoptosis. However, how the balance is struck between the caspases’ role in cell death and their nonapoptotic functions is unclear. To address this issue, we monitored the protein turnover of an endogenous caspase inhibitor, Drosophila IAP1 (DIAP1). DIAP1 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that promotes the ubiquitination of caspases and thereby prevents caspase activation. For this study, we developed a fluorescent probe to monitor DIAP1 turnover in the external sensory organ precursor (SOP) lineage of living Drosophila. The SOP divides asymmetrically to make the shaft, socket, and sheath cells, and the neuron that comprise each sensory organ. We found that the quantity of DIAP1 changed dramatically depending on the cell type and maturity, and that the temporal regulation of DIAP1 turnover determines whether caspases function nonapoptotically in cellular morphogenesis or cause cell death. PMID:19822670

Dynamics of entanglement and the Schmidt gap in a driven light-matter system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gómez-Ruiz, F. J.; Mendoza-Arenas, J. J.; Acevedo, O. L.; Rodríguez, F. J.; Quiroga, L.; Johnson, N. F.

2018-01-01

The ability to modify light-matter coupling in time (e.g. using external pulses) opens up the exciting possibility of generating and probing new aspects of quantum correlations in many-body light-matter systems. Here we study the impact of such a pulsed coupling on the light-matter entanglement in the Dicke model as well as the respective subsystem quantum dynamics. Our dynamical many-body analysis exploits the natural partition between the radiation and matter degrees of freedom, allowing us to explore time-dependent intra-subsystem quantum correlations by means of squeezing parameters, and the inter-subsystem Schmidt gap for different pulse duration (i.e. ramping velocity) regimes—from the near adiabatic to the sudden quench limits. Our results reveal that both types of quantities indicate the emergence of the superradiant phase when crossing the quantum critical point. In addition, at the end of the pulse light and matter remain entangled even though they become uncoupled, which could be exploited to generate entangled states in non-interacting systems.

Electric-field-induced interferometric resonance of a one-dimensional spin-orbit-coupled electron

PubMed Central

Fan, Jingtao; Chen, Yuansen; Chen, Gang; Xiao, Liantuan; Jia, Suotang; Nori, Franco

2016-01-01

The efficient control of electron spins is of crucial importance for spintronics, quantum metrology, and quantum information processing. We theoretically formulate an electric mechanism to probe the electron spin dynamics, by focusing on a one-dimensional spin-orbit-coupled nanowire quantum dot. Owing to the existence of spin-orbit coupling and a pulsed electric field, different spin-orbit states are shown to interfere with each other, generating intriguing interference-resonant patterns. We also reveal that an in-plane magnetic field does not affect the interval of any neighboring resonant peaks, but contributes a weak shift of each peak, which is sensitive to the direction of the magnetic field. We find that this proposed external-field-controlled scheme should be regarded as a new type of quantum-dot-based interferometry. This interferometry has potential applications in precise measurements of relevant experimental parameters, such as the Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit-coupling strengths, as well as the Landé factor. PMID:27966598

Spatial measurement in rotating magnetic field plasma acceleration method by using two-dimensional scanning instrument and thrust stand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furukawa, T.; Takizawa, K.; Yano, K.; Kuwahara, D.; Shinohara, S.

2018-04-01

A two-dimensional scanning probe instrument has been developed to survey spatial plasma characteristics in our electrodeless plasma acceleration schemes. In particular, diagnostics of plasma parameters, e.g., plasma density, temperature, velocity, and excited magnetic field, are essential for elucidating physical phenomena since we have been concentrating on next generation plasma propulsion methods, e.g., Rotating Magnetic Field plasma acceleration method, by characterizing the plasma performance. Moreover, in order to estimate the thrust performance in our experimental scheme, we have also mounted a thrust stand, which has a target type, on this movable instrument, and scanned the axial profile of the thrust performance in the presence of the external magnetic field generated by using permanent magnets, so as to investigate the plasma captured in a stand area, considering the divergent field lines in the downstream region of a generation antenna. In this paper, we will introduce the novel measurement instrument and describe how to measure these parameters.

Mode conversion at density irregularities in the LAPD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kersten, Kristopher; Cattell, Cynthia; van Compernolle, Bart; Gekelman, Walter; Pribyl, Pat; Vincena, Steve

2010-11-01

Mode conversion of electrostatic plasma oscillations to electromagnetic radiation is commonly observed in space plasmas as Type II and III radio bursts. Much theoretical work has addressed the phenomenon, but due to the transient nature and generation location of the bursts, experimental verification via in situ observation has proved difficult. The Large Plasma Device (LAPD) provides a reproducible plasma environment that can be tailored for the study of space plasma phenomena. A highly configurable axial magnetic field and flexible diagnostics make the device well suited for the study of plasma instabilities at density gradients. We present preliminary results of mode conversion studies performed at the LAPD. The studies employed an electron beam source configured to drive Langmuir waves towards high density plasma near the cathode discharge. Internal floating potential probes show the expected plasma oscillations ahead of the beam cathode, and external microwave antenna signals reveal a strong band of radiation near the plasma frequency that persists into the low density plasma afterglow.

The ontogeny of feeding in rats: V. Influence of texture, home odor, and sibling presence on ingestive behavior.

PubMed

Johanson, I B; Hall, W G

1981-12-01

Terry-cloth texture, home odor, and the presence of siblings modulate the ingestive behavior of infant rats. Unlike warmth, which affects ingestion in pups until at least 15 days of age, the relative importance of these other cues varies with the age of the pup. At 3 days, ingestion is dependent on warmth but is not influenced by the other cues. At 6 days, texture and home odor enhance ingestive behavior (intake, activity, mouthing, and probing), but the presence of siblings has no effect. Home odor or terry-cloth texture did not alter the ingestive behavior of 12-day-olds, but the presence of siblings enhanced milk intake. Thus, during development, the external sensory controls for ingestion become progressively more complex. Warmth serves as a primary permissive cue for ingestion in developing pups, but as pups grow older, other types of cues (such as odor, texture, or social stimuli) also gain significance.

Externally controlled pressure and temperature microreactor for in situ x-ray diffraction, visual and spectroscopic reaction investigations under supercritical and subcritical conditions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Diefenbacher, Jason; McKelvy, Michael; Chizmeshya, Andrew V.G.

2005-01-01

A microreactor has been developed for in situ, spectroscopic investigations of materials and reaction processes with full external pressure and temperature control from ambient conditions to 400 deg. C and 310 bar. The sample chamber is in direct contact with an external manifold, whereby gases, liquids or fluids can be injected and their activities controlled prior to and under investigation conditions. The microreactor employs high strength, single crystal moissanite windows which allow direct probe beam interaction with a sample to investigate in situ reaction processes and other materials properties. The relatively large volume of the cell, along with full opticalmore » accessibility and external temperature and pressure control, make this reaction cell well suited for experimental investigations involving any combination of gas, fluid, and solid interactions. The microreactor's capabilities are demonstrated through an in situ x-ray diffraction study of the conversion of a meta-serpentine sample to magnesite under high pressure and temperature. Serpentine is one of the mineral candidates for the implementation of mineral carbonation, an intriguing carbon sequestration candidate technology.« less

External control of electron energy distributions in a dual tandem inductively coupled plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Lei; Sridhar, Shyam; Zhu, Weiye; Donnelly, Vincent M.; Economou, Demetre J.; Logue, Michael D.; Kushner, Mark J.

2015-08-01

The control of electron energy probability functions (EEPFs) in low pressure partially ionized plasmas is typically accomplished through the format of the applied power. For example, through the use of pulse power, the EEPF can be modulated to produce shapes not possible under continuous wave excitation. This technique uses internal control. In this paper, we discuss a method for external control of EEPFs by transport of electrons between separately powered inductively coupled plasmas (ICPs). The reactor incorporates dual ICP sources (main and auxiliary) in a tandem geometry whose plasma volumes are separated by a grid. The auxiliary ICP is continuously powered while the main ICP is pulsed. Langmuir probe measurements of the EEPFs during the afterglow of the main ICP suggests that transport of hot electrons from the auxiliary plasma provided what is effectively an external source of energetic electrons. The tail of the EEPF and bulk electron temperature were then elevated in the afterglow of the main ICP by this external source of power. Results from a computer simulation for the evolution of the EEPFs concur with measured trends.

Externally controlled pressure and temperature microreactor for in situ x-ray diffraction, visual and spectroscopic reaction investigations under supercritical and subcritial conditions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Diefenbacher, J.; McKelvy, M.; Chizemeshya, A.V.

2010-07-13

A microreactor has been developed for in situ, spectroscopic investigations of materials and reaction processes with full external pressure and temperature control from ambient conditions to 400 C and 310 bar. The sample chamber is in direct contact with an external manifold, whereby gases, liquids or fluids can be injected and their activities controlled prior to and under investigation conditions. The microreactor employs high strength, single crystal moissanite windows which allow direct probe beam interaction with a sample to investigate in situ reaction processes and other materials properties. The relatively large volume of the cell, along with full optical accessibilitymore » and external temperature and pressure control, make this reaction cell well suited for experimental investigations involving any combination of gas, fluid, and solid interactions. The microreactor's capabilities are demonstrated through an in situ x-ray diffraction study of the conversion of a meta-serpentine sample to magnesite under high pressure and temperature. Serpentine is one of the mineral candidates for the implementation of mineral carbonation, an intriguing carbon sequestration candidate technology.« less

Microbubble-Assisted Ultrasound-Induced Transient Phosphatidylserine Translocation.

PubMed

Escoffre, Jean-Michel; Derieppe, Marc; Lammertink, Bart; Bos, Clemens; Moonen, Chrit

2017-04-01

Microbubble-assisted ultrasound (sonopermeabilization) results in reversible permeabilization of the plasma membrane of cells. This method is increasingly used in vivo because of its potential to deliver therapeutic molecules with limited cell damage. Nevertheless, the effects of sonopermeabilization on the plasma membrane remain not fully understood. We investigated the influence of sonopermeabilization on the transverse mobility of phospholipids, especially on phosphatidylserine (PS) externalization. We performed studies using optical imaging with Annexin V and FM1-43 probes to monitor PS externalization of rat glioma C6 cells. Sonopermeabilization induced transient membrane permeabilization, which is positively correlated with reversible PS externalization. This membrane disorganization was temporary and not associated with loss of cell viability. Sonopermeabilization did not induce PS externalization via activation of the scramblase. We hypothesize that acoustically induced membrane pores may provide a new pathway for PS migration between both membrane leaflets. During the membrane-resealing phase, PS asymmetry may be re-established by amino-phospholipid flippase activity and/or endocytosis, along with exocytosis processes. Copyright © 2016 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Capsule-Type Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducer for Fast Screening of External Corrosion in Nonmagnetic Pipes.

PubMed

Li, Yong; Cai, Rui; Yan, Bei; Zainal Abidin, Ilham Mukriz; Jing, Haoqing; Wang, Yi

2018-05-28

For fuel transmission and structural strengthening, small-diameter pipes of nonmagnetic materials are extensively adopted in engineering fields including aerospace, energy, transportation, etc. However, the hostile and corrosive environment leaves them vulnerable to external corrosion which poses a severe threat to structural integrity of pipes. Therefore, it is imperative to nondestructively detect and evaluate the external corrosion in nonmagnetic pipes. In light of this, a capsule-type Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducer (EMAT) for in-situ nondestructive evaluation of nonmagnetic pipes and fast screening of external corrosion is proposed in this paper. A 3D hybrid model for efficient prediction of responses from the proposed transducer to external corrosion is established. Closed-form expressions of field quantities of electromagnetics and EMAT signals are formulated. Simulations based on the hybrid model indicate feasibility of the proposed transducer in detection and evaluation of external corrosion in nonmagnetic pipes. In parallel, experiments with the fabricated transducer have been carried out. Experimental results are supportive of the conclusion drawn from simulations. The investigation via simulations and experiments implies that the proposed capsule-type EMAT is capable of fast screening of external corrosion, which is beneficial to the in-situ nondestructive evaluation of small-diameter nonmagnetic pipes.

Periodontal health, salivary status, and metabolic control in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Aren, Gamze; Sepet, Elif; Ozdemir, Didem; Dinççağ, Nevin; Güvener, Bora; Firatli, Erhan

2003-12-01

The aim of this study was to determine whether detectable periodontal destruction and alterations in the salivary status were present with duration of diabetes in children with type 1 insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type 1 DM) as compared to healthy controls. Sixteen newly diagnosed children with DM (group 1), 16 children with type 1 DM of long duration (group 2), and 16 healthy children (group 3) participated in the study. Periodontal health was assessed by plaque index, gingival index, bleeding on probing, and periodontal probing depths. The flow rate, pH, buffering capacity, and peroxidase activities of stimulated saliva were determined. The data were analyzed by Kruskall-Wallis, Student t test, and Pearson's correlation analysis. The mean values for fasting blood glucose levels for the diabetic groups were significantly higher than for the controls. The mean values for salivary buffering capacities and salivary pH from the diabetic groups were significantly lower than for the controls. The plaque index values for the diabetic groups were significantly higher than for the controls. The mean gingival index value for group 1 was significantly lower than for group 2. The mean periodontal probing depths for group 1 were similar to those of the non-DM controls, but the mean periodontal probing depths for group 2 were significantly greater than for both the non-DM controls and group 1. Group 1 had significantly greater bleeding on probing scores than did the other groups (P < 0.05). The glycemic status of the diabetic subjects affects the periodontal probing depths, salivary pH, buffering capacity, and peroxidase activity.

75 FR 80830 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Technology Transfer Center External Customer Satisfaction...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-23

... Request; Technology Transfer Center External Customer Satisfaction Survey (NCI) SUMMARY: In compliance...: Technology Transfer Center External Customer Satisfaction Survey (NCI). Type of Information Collection...: Obtain information on the satisfaction of TTC's external customers with TTC customer services; collect...

Analysis of Temperature and Velocity Microturbulence Parameters from Aircraft Data and Relationship to Atmospheric Refractive Index Structure

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-05-01

fluctuations were measured with a fast response resistance bridge driving microthermal sensor probes as the temperature sensitive resistance elements. The bridge...used was a Thermo Systems, Inc. (TSI) type 1044, dc Wheatstone bridge with a frequency response of 800 hz. The microthermal probes were TSI type 1210

Feasibility and accuracy of nasal alar pulse oximetry.

PubMed

Morey, T E; Rice, M J; Vasilopoulos, T; Dennis, D M; Melker, R J

2014-06-01

The nasal ala is an attractive site for pulse oximetry because of perfusion by branches of the external and internal carotid arteries. We evaluated the accuracy of a novel pulse oximetry sensor custom designed for the nasal ala. After IRB approval, healthy non-smoking subjects [n=12; aged 28 (23-41) yr; 6M/6F] breathed hypoxic mixtures of fresh gas by a facemask to achieve oxyhaemoglobin saturations of 70-100% measured by traditional co-oximetry from radial artery samples. Concurrent alar and finger pulse oximetry values were measured using probes designed for these sites. Data were analysed using the Bland-Altman method for multiple observations per subject. Bias, precision, and accuracy root mean square error (ARMS) over a range of 70-100% were significantly better for the alar probe compared with a standard finger probe. The mean bias for the alar and finger probes was 0.73% and 1.90% (P<0.001), respectively, with corresponding precision values of 1.65 and 1.83 (P=0.015) and ARMS values of 1.78% and 2.72% (P=0.047). The coefficients of determination were 0.96 and 0.96 for the alar and finger probes, respectively. The within/between-subject variation for the alar and finger probes were 1.14/1.57% and 1.87/1.47%, respectively. The limits of agreement were 3.96/-2.50% and 5.48/-1.68% for the alar and finger probes, respectively. Nasal alar pulse oximetry is feasible and demonstrates accurate pulse oximetry values over a range of 70-100%. The alar probe demonstrated greater accuracy compared with a conventional finger pulse oximeter. © The Author [2014]. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Journal of Anaesthesia. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A broad range assay for rapid detection and etiologic characterization of bacterial meningitis: performance testing in samples from sub-Sahara.

PubMed

Won, Helen; Yang, Samuel; Gaydos, Charlotte; Hardick, Justin; Ramachandran, Padmini; Hsieh, Yu-Hsiang; Kecojevic, Alexander; Njanpop-Lafourcade, Berthe-Marie; Mueller, Judith E; Tameklo, Tsidi Agbeko; Badziklou, Kossi; Gessner, Bradford D; Rothman, Richard E

2012-09-01

This study aimed to conduct a pilot evaluation of broad-based multiprobe polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in clinical cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples compared to local conventional PCR/culture methods used for bacterial meningitis surveillance. A previously described PCR consisting of initial broad-based detection of Eubacteriales by a universal probe, followed by Gram typing, and pathogen-specific probes was designed targeting variable regions of the 16S rRNA gene. The diagnostic performance of the 16S rRNA assay in "127 CSF samples was evaluated in samples from patients from Togo, Africa, by comparison to conventional PCR/culture methods. Our probes detected Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Haemophilus influenzae. Uniprobe sensitivity and specificity versus conventional PCR were 100% and 54.6%, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of uniprobe versus culture methods were 96.5% and 52.5%, respectively. Gram-typing probes correctly typed 98.8% (82/83) and pathogen-specific probes identified 96.4% (80/83) of the positives. This broad-based PCR algorithm successfully detected and provided species level information for multiple bacterial meningitis agents in clinical samples. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A broad range assay for rapid detection and etiologic characterization of bacterial meningitis: performance testing in samples from sub-Sahara☆, ☆☆,★

PubMed Central

Won, Helen; Yang, Samuel; Gaydos, Charlotte; Hardick, Justin; Ramachandran, Padmini; Hsieh, Yu-Hsiang; Kecojevic, Alexander; Njanpop-Lafourcade, Berthe-Marie; Mueller, Judith E.; Tameklo, Tsidi Agbeko; Badziklou, Kossi; Gessner, Bradford D.; Rothman, Richard E.

2012-01-01

This study aimed to conduct a pilot evaluation of broad-based multiprobe polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in clinical cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples compared to local conventional PCR/culture methods used for bacterial meningitis surveillance. A previously described PCR consisting of initial broad-based detection of Eubacteriales by a universal probe, followed by Gram typing, and pathogen-specific probes was designed targeting variable regions of the 16S rRNA gene. The diagnostic performance of the 16S rRNA assay in “”127 CSF samples was evaluated in samples from patients from Togo, Africa, by comparison to conventional PCR/culture methods. Our probes detected Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Haemophilus influenzae. Uniprobe sensitivity and specificity versus conventional PCR were 100% and 54.6%, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of uniprobe versus culture methods were 96.5% and 52.5%, respectively. Gram-typing probes correctly typed 98.8% (82/83) and pathogen-specific probes identified 96.4% (80/83) of the positives. This broad-based PCR algorithm successfully detected and provided species level information for multiple bacterial meningitis agents in clinical samples. PMID:22809694

MUC-1 aptamer-conjugated dye-doped silica nanoparticles for MCF-7 cells detection.

PubMed

Cai, Li; Chen, Ze-Zhong; Chen, Min-Yan; Tang, Hong-Wu; Pang, Dai-Wen

2013-01-01

In this work, we have prepared three types of aptamer-conjugated Rubpy-doped silica nanoparticles for Human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells labeling. Probe A is prepared through covalent conjugation between amine-labeled MUC-1 aptamer and carboxyl-modified Rubpy-doped NPs (NPs-aptamer). Probe B is prepared based on the interaction between biotin-labeled MUC-1 aptamer and avidin-conjugated Rubpy-doped NPs (NPs-avidin-biotin-aptamer). For Probe C, there is a PEG with flexible long chain as the bridge between avidin and the NPs (NPs-PEG-avidin-biotin-aptamer). In addition, we further investigate the practical number of MUC-1 aptamers on an NP of each probe using hoechst33258 dye. The binding efficiency of MUC-1 aptamer on the three types of probes as follows: Probe A < Probe B < Probe C. In addition, microscopic fluorescence imaging shows that Probe C containing the PEG molecules can be effectively applied for the recognition of MUC-1 protein in human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells thus demonstrates that the PEG with flexible long chain as the bridge between the aptamer and NP can greatly enhances the freedom of MUC-1 aptamer. Compared with common organic dyes, the dye-doped silica nanoparticles serve as a stable bioprobe because of their facile conjugation with the desirable biomolecules, and have exhibited great potential in bioanalysis. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Timing performance of the silicon PET insert probe

PubMed Central

Studen, A.; Burdette, D.; Chesi, E.; Cindro, V.; Clinthorne, N. H.; Cochran, E.; Grošičar, B.; Kagan, H.; Lacasta, C.; Linhart, V.; Mikuž, M.; Stankova, V.; Weilhammer, P.; Žontar, D.

2010-01-01

Simulation indicates that PET image could be improved by upgrading a conventional ring with a probe placed close to the imaged object. In this paper, timing issues related to a PET probe using high-resistivity silicon as a detector material are addressed. The final probe will consist of several (four to eight) 1-mm thick layers of silicon detectors, segmented into 1 × 1 mm2 pads, each pad equivalent to an independent p + nn+ diode. A proper matching of events in silicon with events of the external ring can be achieved with a good timing resolution. To estimate the timing performance, measurements were performed on a simplified model probe, consisting of a single 1-mm thick detector with 256 square pads (1.4 mm side), coupled with two VATAGP7s, application-specific integrated circuits. The detector material and electronics are the same that will be used for the final probe. The model was exposed to 511 keV annihilation photons from an 22Na source, and a scintillator (LYSO)–PMT assembly was used as a timing reference. Results were compared with the simulation, consisting of four parts: (i) GEANT4 implemented realistic tracking of electrons excited by annihilation photon interactions in silicon, (ii) calculation of propagation of secondary ionisation (electron–hole pairs) in the sensor, (iii) estimation of the shape of the current pulse induced on surface electrodes and (iv) simulation of the first electronics stage. A very good agreement between the simulation and the measurements were found. Both indicate reliable performance of the final probe at timing windows down to 20 ns. PMID:20215445

Timing performance of the silicon PET insert probe.

PubMed

Studen, A; Burdette, D; Chesi, E; Cindro, V; Clinthorne, N H; Cochran, E; Grosicar, B; Kagan, H; Lacasta, C; Linhart, V; Mikuz, M; Stankova, V; Weilhammer, P; Zontar, D

2010-01-01

Simulation indicates that PET image could be improved by upgrading a conventional ring with a probe placed close to the imaged object. In this paper, timing issues related to a PET probe using high-resistivity silicon as a detector material are addressed. The final probe will consist of several (four to eight) 1-mm thick layers of silicon detectors, segmented into 1 x 1 mm(2) pads, each pad equivalent to an independent p + nn+ diode. A proper matching of events in silicon with events of the external ring can be achieved with a good timing resolution. To estimate the timing performance, measurements were performed on a simplified model probe, consisting of a single 1-mm thick detector with 256 square pads (1.4 mm side), coupled with two VATAGP7s, application-specific integrated circuits. The detector material and electronics are the same that will be used for the final probe. The model was exposed to 511 keV annihilation photons from an (22)Na source, and a scintillator (LYSO)-PMT assembly was used as a timing reference. Results were compared with the simulation, consisting of four parts: (i) GEANT4 implemented realistic tracking of electrons excited by annihilation photon interactions in silicon, (ii) calculation of propagation of secondary ionisation (electron-hole pairs) in the sensor, (iii) estimation of the shape of the current pulse induced on surface electrodes and (iv) simulation of the first electronics stage. A very good agreement between the simulation and the measurements were found. Both indicate reliable performance of the final probe at timing windows down to 20 ns.

Electroluminescence and Photocurrent Generation from Atomically Sharp WSe2/MoS2 Heterojunction p–n Diodes

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

The p–n diodes represent the most fundamental device building blocks for diverse optoelectronic functions, but are difficult to achieve in atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) due to the challenges in selectively doping them into p- or n-type semiconductors. Here, we demonstrate that an atomically thin and sharp heterojunction p–n diode can be created by vertically stacking p-type monolayer tungsten diselenide (WSe2) and n-type few-layer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). Electrical measurements of the vertically staked WSe2/MoS2 heterojunctions reveal excellent current rectification behavior with an ideality factor of 1.2. Photocurrent mapping shows rapid photoresponse over the entire overlapping region with a highest external quantum efficiency up to 12%. Electroluminescence studies show prominent band edge excitonic emission and strikingly enhanced hot-electron luminescence. A systematic investigation shows distinct layer-number dependent emission characteristics and reveals important insight about the origin of hot-electron luminescence and the nature of electron–orbital interaction in TMDs. We believe that these atomically thin heterojunction p–n diodes represent an interesting system for probing the fundamental electro-optical properties in TMDs and can open up a new pathway to novel optoelectronic devices such as atomically thin photodetectors, photovoltaics, as well as spin- and valley-polarized light emitting diodes, on-chip lasers. PMID:25157588

GeneChip{sup {trademark}} screening assay for cystic fibrosis mutations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cronn, M.T.; Miyada, C.G.; Fucini, R.V.

1994-09-01

GeneChip{sup {trademark}} assays are based on high density, carefully designed arrays of short oligonucleotide probes (13-16 bases) built directly on derivatized silica substrates. DNA target sequence analysis is achieved by hybridizing fluorescently labeled amplification products to these arrays. Fluorescent hybridization signals located within the probe array are translated into target sequence information using the known probe sequence at each array feature. The mutation screening assay for cystic fibrosis includes sets of oligonucleotide probes designed to detect numerous different mutations that have been described in 14 exons and one intron of the CFTR gene. Each mutation site is addressed by amore » sub-array of at least 40 probe sequences, half designed to detect the wild type gene sequence and half designed to detect the reported mutant sequence. Hybridization with homozygous mutant, homozygous wild type or heterozygous targets results in distinctive hybridization patterns within a sub-array, permitting specific discrimination of each mutation. The GeneChip probe arrays are very small (approximately 1 cm{sup 2}). There miniature size coupled with their high information content make GeneChip probe arrays a useful and practical means for providing CF mutation analysis in a clinical setting.« less

Deficient crisis-probing practices and taken-for-granted assumptions in health organisations.

PubMed

Canyon, Deon V; Adhikari, Ashmita; Cordery, Thomas; Giguère-Simmonds, Philippe; Huang, Jessica; Nguyen, Helen; Watson, Michael; Yang, Daniel

2011-04-18

The practice of crisis-probing in proactive organisations involves meticulous and sustained investigation into operational processes and management structures for potential weaknesses and flaws before they become difficult to resolve. In health organisations, crisis probing is a necessary part of preparing to manage emerging health threats. This study examined the degree of pre-emptive probing in health organisations and the type of crisis training provided to determine whether or not they are prepared in this area. This evidence-based study draws on cross-sectional responses provided by executives from chiropractic, physiotherapy, and podiatry practices; dental and medical clinics; pharmacies; aged care facilities; and hospitals. The data show a marked lack of mandatory probing and a generalised failure to reward crisis reporting. Crisis prevention training is poor in all organisations except hospitals and aged care facilities where it occurs at an adequate frequency. However this training focuses primarily on natural disasters, fails to address most other crisis types, is mostly reactive and not designed to probe for and uncover key taken-for-granted assumptions. Crisis-probing in health organisations is inadequate, and improvements in this area may well translate into measurable improvements in preparedness and response outcomes.

Deficient crisis-probing practices and taken-for-granted assumptions in health organisations

PubMed Central

Canyon, Deon V.; Adhikari, Ashmita; Cordery, Thomas; Giguère-Simmonds, Philippe; Huang, Jessica; Nguyen, Helen; Watson, Michael; Yang, Daniel

2011-01-01

The practice of crisis-probing in proactive organisations involves meticulous and sustained investigation into operational processes and management structures for potential weaknesses and flaws before they become difficult to resolve. In health organisations, crisis probing is a necessary part of preparing to manage emerging health threats. This study examined the degree of pre-emptive probing in health organisations and the type of crisis training provided to determine whether or not they are prepared in this area. This evidence-based study draws on cross-sectional responses provided by executives from chiropractic, physiotherapy, and podiatry practices; dental and medical clinics; pharmacies; aged care facilities; and hospitals. The data show a marked lack of mandatory probing and a generalised failure to reward crisis reporting. Crisis prevention training is poor in all organisations except hospitals and aged care facilities where it occurs at an adequate frequency. However this training focuses primarily on natural disasters, fails to address most other crisis types, is mostly reactive and not designed to probe for and uncover key taken-for-granted assumptions. Crisis-probing in health organisations is inadequate, and improvements in this area may well translate into measurable improvements in preparedness and response outcomes. PMID:24149030

Biasing, acquisition, and interpretation of a dense Langmuir probe array in NSTX.

PubMed

Jaworski, M A; Kallman, J; Kaita, R; Kugel, H; LeBlanc, B; Marsala, R; Ruzic, D N

2010-10-01

A dense array of 99 Langmuir probes has been installed in the lower divertor region of the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX). This array is instrumented with a system of electronics that allows flexibility in the choice of probes to bias as well as the type of measurement (including standard swept, single probe, triple probe, and operation as passive floating potential and scrape-off-layer SOL current monitors). The use of flush-mounted probes requires careful interpretation. The time dependent nature of the SOL makes swept-probe traces difficult to interpret. To overcome these challenges, the single- and triple-Langmuir probe signals are used in complementary fashion to determine the temperature and density at the probe location. A comparison to midplane measurements is made.

Tuning in to the Voices: A Multisite fMRI Study of Auditory Hallucinations

PubMed Central

Ford, Judith M.; Roach, Brian J.; Jorgensen, Kasper W.; Turner, Jessica A.; Brown, Gregory G.; Notestine, Randy; Bischoff-Grethe, Amanda; Greve, Douglas; Wible, Cynthia; Lauriello, John; Belger, Aysenil; Mueller, Bryon A.; Calhoun, Vincent; Preda, Adrian; Keator, David; O'Leary, Daniel S.; Lim, Kelvin O.; Glover, Gary; Potkin, Steven G.; Mathalon, Daniel H.

2009-01-01

Introduction: Auditory hallucinations or voices are experienced by 75% of people diagnosed with schizophrenia. We presumed that auditory cortex of schizophrenia patients who experience hallucinations is tonically “tuned” to internal auditory channels, at the cost of processing external sounds, both speech and nonspeech. Accordingly, we predicted that patients who hallucinate would show less auditory cortical activation to external acoustic stimuli than patients who did not. Methods: At 9 Functional Imaging Biomedical Informatics Research Network (FBIRN) sites, whole-brain images from 106 patients and 111 healthy comparison subjects were collected while subjects performed an auditory target detection task. Data were processed with the FBIRN processing stream. A region of interest analysis extracted activation values from primary (BA41) and secondary auditory cortex (BA42), auditory association cortex (BA22), and middle temporal gyrus (BA21). Patients were sorted into hallucinators (n = 66) and nonhallucinators (n = 40) based on symptom ratings done during the previous week. Results: Hallucinators had less activation to probe tones in left primary auditory cortex (BA41) than nonhallucinators. This effect was not seen on the right. Discussion: Although “voices” are the anticipated sensory experience, it appears that even primary auditory cortex is “turned on” and “tuned in” to process internal acoustic information at the cost of processing external sounds. Although this study was not designed to probe cortical competition for auditory resources, we were able to take advantage of the data and find significant effects, perhaps because of the power afforded by such a large sample. PMID:18987102

From Lab to Fab: Developing a Nanoscale Delivery Tool for Scalable Nanomanufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safi, Asmahan A.

The emergence of nanomaterials with unique properties at the nanoscale over the past two decades carries a capacity to impact society and transform or create new industries ranging from nanoelectronics to nanomedicine. However, a gap in nanomanufacturing technologies has prevented the translation of nanomaterial into real-world commercialized products. Bridging this gap requires a paradigm shift in methods for fabricating structured devices with a nanoscale resolution in a repeatable fashion. This thesis explores the new paradigms for fabricating nanoscale structures devices and systems for high throughput high registration applications. We present a robust and scalable nanoscale delivery platform, the Nanofountain Probe (NFP), for parallel direct-write of functional materials. The design and microfabrication of NFP is presented. The new generation addresses the challenges of throughput, resolution and ink replenishment characterizing tip-based nanomanufacturing. To achieve these goals, optimized probe geometry is integrated to the process along with channel sealing and cantilever bending. The capabilities of the newly fabricated probes are demonstrated through two type of delivery: protein nanopatterning and single cell nanoinjection. The broad applications of the NFP for single cell delivery are investigated. An external microfluidic packaging is developed to enable delivery in liquid environment. The system is integrated to a combined atomic force microscope and inverted fluorescence microscope. Intracellular delivery is demonstrated by injecting a fluorescent dextran into Hela cells in vitro while monitoring the injection forces. Such developments enable in vitro cellular delivery for single cell studies and high throughput gene expression. The nanomanufacturing capabilities of NFPs are explored. Nanofabrication of carbon nanotube-based electronics presents all the manufacturing challenges characterizing of assembling nanomaterials precisely onto devices. The presented study combines top-down and bottom-approaches by integrating the catalyst patterning and carbon nanotube growth directly on structures. Large array of iron-rich catalyst are patterned on an substrate for subsequent carbon nanotubes synthesis. The dependence of probe geometry and substrate wetting is assessed by modeling and experimental studies. Finally preliminary results on synthesis of carbon nanotube by catalyst assisted chemical vapor deposition suggest increasing the catalyst yield is critical. Such work will enable high throughput nanomanufacturing of carbon nanotube based devices.

Personnel Detection Technology Assessment Final Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-04-16

3.1.2.1 Bioelectric Activity Nerve impulses generate very weak bioelectric signals that can be detected by external probes at short ranges. The...covert detection /tracking scenarios. It was concluded that, in general , distributed sensor networks will be required to meet the scenario...personnel detection was recognized by the US Army Research Office (ARO). The Ohio State University was tasked to assess the status of sensors and signal

Hybrid intracerebral probe with integrated bare LED chips for optogenetic studies.

PubMed

Ayub, Suleman; Gentet, Luc J; Fiáth, Richárd; Schwaerzle, Michael; Borel, Mélodie; David, François; Barthó, Péter; Ulbert, István; Paul, Oliver; Ruther, Patrick

2017-09-01

This article reports on the development, i.e., the design, fabrication, and validation of an implantable optical neural probes designed for in vivo experiments relying on optogenetics. The probes comprise an array of ten bare light-emitting diode (LED) chips emitting at a wavelength of 460 nm and integrated along a flexible polyimide-based substrate stiffened using a micromachined ladder-like silicon structure. The resulting mechanical stiffness of the slender, 250-μm-wide, 65-μm-thick, and 5- and 8-mm-long probe shank facilitates its implantation into neural tissue. The LEDs are encapsulated by a fluropolymer coating protecting the implant against the physiological conditions in the brain. The electrical interface to the external control unit is provided by 10-μm-thick, highly flexible polyimide cables making the probes suitable for both acute and chronic in vivo experiments. Optical and electrical properties of the probes are reported, as well as their in vivo validation in acute optogenetic studies in transgenic mice. The depth-dependent optical stimulation of both excitatory and inhibitory neurons is demonstrated by altering the brain activity in the cortex and the thalamus. Local network responses elicited by 20-ms-long light pulses of different optical power (20 μW and 1 mW), as well as local modulation of single unit neuronal activity to 1-s-long light pulses with low optical intensity (17 μW) are presented. The ability to modulate neural activity makes these devices suitable for a broad variety of optogenetic experiments.

Optimal arrangements of fiber optic probes to enhance the spatial resolution in depth for 3D reflectance diffuse optical tomography with time-resolved measurements performed with fast-gated single-photon avalanche diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puszka, Agathe; Di Sieno, Laura; Dalla Mora, Alberto; Pifferi, Antonio; Contini, Davide; Boso, Gianluca; Tosi, Alberto; Hervé, Lionel; Planat-Chrétien, Anne; Koenig, Anne; Dinten, Jean-Marc

2014-02-01

Fiber optic probes with a width limited to a few centimeters can enable diffuse optical tomography (DOT) in intern organs like the prostate or facilitate the measurements on extern organs like the breast or the brain. We have recently shown on 2D tomographic images that time-resolved measurements with a large dynamic range obtained with fast-gated single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) could push forward the imaged depth range in a diffusive medium at short source-detector separation compared with conventional non-gated approaches. In this work, we confirm these performances with the first 3D tomographic images reconstructed with such a setup and processed with the Mellin- Laplace transform. More precisely, we investigate the performance of hand-held probes with short interfiber distances in terms of spatial resolution and specifically demonstrate the interest of having a compact probe design featuring small source-detector separations. We compare the spatial resolution obtained with two probes having the same design but different scale factors, the first one featuring only interfiber distances of 15 mm and the second one, 10 mm. We evaluate experimentally the spatial resolution obtained with each probe on the setup with fast-gated SPADs for optical phantoms featuring two absorbing inclusions positioned at different depths and conclude on the potential of short source-detector separations for DOT.

Development of an Integrated Data Acquisition System for a Small Flight Probe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swanson, Gregory T.; Empey, Daniel M.; Skokova, Kristina A.; Venkatapathy, Ethiraj

2012-01-01

In support of the SPRITE concept, an integrated data acquisition system has been developed and fabricated for preliminary testing. The data acquisition system has been designed to condition traditional thermal protection system sensors, store their data to an on-board memory card, and in parallel, telemeter to an external system. In the fall of 2010, this system was integrated into a 14 in. diameter, 45 degree sphere cone probe instrumented with thermal protection system sensors. This system was then tested at the NASA Ames Research Center Aerodynamic Heating Facility's arc jet at approximately 170 W/sq. cm. The first test in December 2010 highlighted hardware design issues that were redesigned and implemented leading to a successful test in February 2011.

Evanescent Microwave Probes on High-Resistivity Silicon and its Application in Characterization of Semiconductors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tabib-Azar, M.; Akinwande, D.; Ponchak, George E.; LeClair, S. R.

1999-01-01

In this article we report the design, fabrication, and characterization of very high quality factor 10 GHz microstrip resonators on high-resistivity (high-rho) silicon substrates. Our experiments show that an external quality factor of over 13 000 can be achieved on microstripline resonators on high-rho silicon substrates. Such a high Q factor enables integration of arrays of previously reported evanescent microwave probe (EMP) on silicon cantilever beams. We also demonstrate that electron-hole pair recombination and generation lifetimes of silicon can be conveniently measured by illuminating the resonator using a pulsed light. Alternatively, the EMP was also used to nondestructively monitor excess carrier generation and recombination process in a semiconductor placed near the two-dimensional resonator.

Near-field hyperspectral quantum probing of multimodal plasmonic resonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuche, A.; Berthel, M.; Kumar, U.; Colas des Francs, G.; Huant, S.; Dujardin, E.; Girard, C.; Drezet, A.

2017-03-01

Quantum systems, excited by an external source of photons, display a photodynamics that is ruled by a subtle balance between radiative or nonradiative energy channels when interacting with metallic nanostructures. We apply and generalize this concept to achieve a quantum probing of multimodal plasmonic resonators by collecting and filtering the broad emission spectra generated by a nanodiamond (ND) hosting a small set of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) color centers attached at the apex of an optical tip. Spatially and spectrally resolved information on the photonic local density of states (ph-LDOS) can be recorded with this technique in the immediate vicinity of plasmonic resonators, paving the way for a complete near-field optical characterization of any kind of nanoresonators in the single photon regime.

Donated chemical probes for open science.

PubMed

Müller, Susanne; Ackloo, Suzanne; Arrowsmith, Cheryl H; Bauser, Marcus; Baryza, Jeremy L; Blagg, Julian; Böttcher, Jark; Bountra, Chas; Brown, Peter J; Bunnage, Mark E; Carter, Adrian J; Damerell, David; Dötsch, Volker; Drewry, David H; Edwards, Aled M; Edwards, James; Elkins, Jon M; Fischer, Christian; Frye, Stephen V; Gollner, Andreas; Grimshaw, Charles E; IJzerman, Adriaan; Hanke, Thomas; Hartung, Ingo V; Hitchcock, Steve; Howe, Trevor; Hughes, Terry V; Laufer, Stefan; Li, Volkhart Mj; Liras, Spiros; Marsden, Brian D; Matsui, Hisanori; Mathias, John; O'Hagan, Ronan C; Owen, Dafydd R; Pande, Vineet; Rauh, Daniel; Rosenberg, Saul H; Roth, Bryan L; Schneider, Natalie S; Scholten, Cora; Singh Saikatendu, Kumar; Simeonov, Anton; Takizawa, Masayuki; Tse, Chris; Thompson, Paul R; Treiber, Daniel K; Viana, Amélia Yi; Wells, Carrow I; Willson, Timothy M; Zuercher, William J; Knapp, Stefan; Mueller-Fahrnow, Anke

2018-04-20

Potent, selective and broadly characterized small molecule modulators of protein function (chemical probes) are powerful research reagents. The pharmaceutical industry has generated many high-quality chemical probes and several of these have been made available to academia. However, probe-associated data and control compounds, such as inactive structurally related molecules and their associated data, are generally not accessible. The lack of data and guidance makes it difficult for researchers to decide which chemical tools to choose. Several pharmaceutical companies (AbbVie, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Janssen, MSD, Pfizer, and Takeda) have therefore entered into a pre-competitive collaboration to make available a large number of innovative high-quality probes, including all probe-associated data, control compounds and recommendations on use (https://openscienceprobes.sgc-frankfurt.de/). Here we describe the chemical tools and target-related knowledge that have been made available, and encourage others to join the project. © 2018, Müller et al.

Direct Surface and Droplet Microsampling for Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry Analysis with an Integrated Dual-Probe Microfluidic Chip

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, Cong-Min; Zhu, Ying; Jin, Di-Qiong

Ambient mass spectrometry (MS) has revolutionized the way of MS analysis and broadened its application in various fields. This paper describes the use of microfluidic techniques to simplify the setup and improve the functions of ambient MS by integrating the sampling probe, electrospray emitter probe, and online mixer on a single glass microchip. Two types of sampling probes, including a parallel-channel probe and a U-shaped channel probe, were designed for dryspot and liquid-phase droplet samples, respectively. We demonstrated that the microfabrication techniques not only enhanced the capability of ambient MS methods in analysis of dry-spot samples on various surfaces, butmore » also enabled new applications in the analysis of nanoliter-scale chemical reactions in an array of droplets. The versatility of the microchip-based ambient MS method was demonstrated in multiple different applications including evaluation of residual pesticide on fruit surfaces, sensitive analysis of low-ionizable analytes using postsampling derivatization, and high-throughput screening of Ugi-type multicomponent reactions.« less

Eddy current probe response to open and closed surface flaws

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Auld, B. A.; Muennemann, F.; Winslow, D. K.

1981-01-01

A general analysis of eddy current response to certain types of open and closed surface flaws is presented for both standard low-frequency and ferromagnetic-resonance (FMR) probes. It is shown analytically that for two-dimensional and three-dimensional surface flaws interrogated by a uniform probe field, the crack opening sensitivity increases with the operating frequency of the probe, this behavior being due to the Faraday induction effect. Experiments with low-frequency probes operating at or below 1 MHz and with the FMR probe operating at approximately 1000 MHz confirm this increase of the crack mouth opening displacement for practical situations where the probe field is not uniform in the vicinity of the flaw.

Multiplexed, High Density Electrophysiology with Nanofabricated Neural Probes

PubMed Central

Du, Jiangang; Blanche, Timothy J.; Harrison, Reid R.; Lester, Henry A.; Masmanidis, Sotiris C.

2011-01-01

Extracellular electrode arrays can reveal the neuronal network correlates of behavior with single-cell, single-spike, and sub-millisecond resolution. However, implantable electrodes are inherently invasive, and efforts to scale up the number and density of recording sites must compromise on device size in order to connect the electrodes. Here, we report on silicon-based neural probes employing nanofabricated, high-density electrical leads. Furthermore, we address the challenge of reading out multichannel data with an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) performing signal amplification, band-pass filtering, and multiplexing functions. We demonstrate high spatial resolution extracellular measurements with a fully integrated, low noise 64-channel system weighing just 330 mg. The on-chip multiplexers make possible recordings with substantially fewer external wires than the number of input channels. By combining nanofabricated probes with ASICs we have implemented a system for performing large-scale, high-density electrophysiology in small, freely behaving animals that is both minimally invasive and highly scalable. PMID:22022568

SU-8 microprobe with microelectrodes for monitoring electrical impedance in living tissues.

PubMed

Tijero, M; Gabriel, G; Caro, J; Altuna, A; Hernández, R; Villa, R; Berganzo, J; Blanco, F J; Salido, R; Fernández, L J

2009-04-15

This paper presents a minimally invasive needle-shaped probe capable of monitoring the electrical impedance of living tissues. This microprobe consists of a 160 microm thick SU-8 substrate containing four planar platinum (Pt) microelectrodes. We design the probe to minimize damage to the surrounding tissue and to be stiff enough to be inserted in living tissues. The proposed batch fabrication process is low cost and low time consuming. The microelectrodes obtained with this process are strongly adhered to the SU-8 substrate and their impedance does not depend on frequency variation. In vitro experiments are compared with previously developed Si and SiC based microprobes and results suggest that it is preferable to use the SU-8 based microprobes due to their flexibility and low cost. The microprobe is assembled on a flexible printed circuit FPC with a conductive glue, packaged with epoxy and wired to the external instrumentation. This flexible probe is inserted into a rat kidney without fracturing and succeeds in demonstrating the ischemia monitoring.

Near DC eddy current measurement of aluminum multilayers using MR sensors and commodity low-cost computer technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perry, Alexander R.

2002-06-01

Low Frequency Eddy Current (EC) probes are capable of measurement from 5 MHz down to DC through the use of Magnetoresistive (MR) sensors. Choosing components with appropriate electrical specifications allows them to be matched to the power and impedance characteristics of standard computer connectors. This permits direct attachment of the probe to inexpensive computers, thereby eliminating external power supplies, amplifiers and modulators that have heretofore precluded very low system purchase prices. Such price reduction is key to increased market penetration in General Aviation maintenance and consequent reduction in recurring costs. This paper examines our computer software CANDETECT, which implements this approach and permits effective probe operation. Results are presented to show the intrinsic sensitivity of the software and demonstrate its practical performance when seeking cracks in the underside of a thick aluminum multilayer structure. The majority of the General Aviation light aircraft fleet uses rivets and screws to attach sheet aluminum skin to the airframe, resulting in similar multilayer lap joints.

Nanoscale thermal cross-talk effect on phase-change probe memory.

PubMed

Wang, Lei; Wen, Jing; Xiong, Bangshu

2018-05-14

Phase-change probe memory is considered as one of the most promising means for next-generation mass storage devices. However, the achievable storage density of phase-change probe memory is drastically affected by the resulting thermal cross-talk effect while previously lacking of detailed study. Therefore, a three dimensional model that couples electrical, thermal, and phase-change processes of the Ge2Sb2Te5 media is developed, and subsequently deployed to assess the thermal cross-talk effect based on Si/TiN/ Ge2Sb2Te5/diamond-like carbon structure by appropriately tailoring the electro-thermal and geometrical properties of the storage media stack for a variety of external excitations. The modeling results show that the diamond-like carbon capping with a thin thickness, a high electrical conductivity, and a low thermal conductivity is desired to minimize the thermal cross-talk, while the TiN underlayer has a slight impact on the thermal cross-talk. Combining the modeling findings with the previous film deposition experience, an optimized phase-change probe memory architecture is presented, and its capability of providing ultra-high recording density simultaneously with a sufficiently low thermal cross-talk is demonstrated. . © 2018 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Occurrence and mineral chemistry of chromite and related silicates from the Hongshishan mafic-ultramafic complex, NW China with petrogenetic implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruan, Banxiao; Yu, Yingmin; Lv, Xinbiao; Feng, Jing; Wei, Wei; Wu, Chunming; Wang, Heng

2017-10-01

The Hongshishan mafic-ultramafic complex is located in the western Beishan Terrane, NW China, and hosts an economic Ni-Cu deposit. Chromite as accessory mineral from the complex is divided into three types based on its occurrence and morphology. Quantitative electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) have been conducted on the different types of chromites. Type 1 chromite occurs as inclusions within silicate minerals and has relatively homogeneous composition. Type 2 chromite occurs among serpentine, as interstitial phase. Type 3 chromite is zoned and exhibits a sudden change in compositions from core to rim. Type 1 chromite occurs in olivine gabbro and troctolite showing homogeneous composition. This chromite is more likely primary. Interstitial type 2 and zoned type 3 chromite has compositional variation from core to rim and is more likely modified. Abundant inclusions of orthopyroxene, phlogopite and hornblende occur within type 2 and type 3 chromites. The parental melt of type 1 chromite has an estimated composition of 14.5 wt% MgO, 12.3 wt% Al2O3 and 1.9 wt% TiO2 and is characterized by high temperature, picritic affinity, hydrous nature and high Mg and Ti contents. Compositions of chromite and clinopyroxene are distinct from those of Alaskan-type complexes and imply that the subduction-related environment is not reasonable. Post orogenic extension and the early Permian mantle plume are responsible for the emplacement of mafic-ultramafic complexes in the Beishan Terrane. The cores of zoned chromites are classified as ferrous chromite and the rims as ferrian chromite. The formation of ferrian rim involves reaction of ferrous chromite, forsterite and magnetite to produce ferrian chromite and chlorite, or alternaively, the rim can be simply envisioned as the result of external addition of magnetite in solution to the already formed ferrous chromite.

Photon-detections via probing the switching current shifts of Josephson junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yiwen; Zhou, Pinjia; Wei, Lianfu; Zhang, Beihong; Wei, Qiang; Zhai, Jiquan; Xu, Weiwei; Cao, Chunhai

2015-08-01

Phenomenally, Cooper pairs can be broken up by external energy and thus the Cooper-pair density in the superconducting electrodes of a Josephson junction (JJ) under radiation can be lowered accordingly. Therefore, by probing the shift of the switching current through the junction, the radiation power absorbed by the superconductors can be detected. Here, we experimentally demonstrate weak optical detections in two types of JJs: Al/AlOx/Al junction (Al-J) and Nb/AlOx/Nb junction (Nb-J), with the superconducting transition temperatures Tc ≈ 1.2K and 6.8 K respectively. The photon-induced switching current shifts are measured at ultra-low temperature (T ≈ 16mK) in order to significantly suppress thermal noises. It is observed that the Al-J has a higher sensitivity than the Nb-J, which is expected since Al has a smaller superconducting gap energy than Nb. The minimum detectable optical powers (at 1550 nm) with the present Al-J and Nb-J are measured as 8 pW and 2 nW respectively, and the noise equivalent power (NEP) are estimated to be 7 ×10-11W /√{ Hz } (for Nb-J) and 3 ×10-12W /√{ Hz } (for Al-J). We also find that the observed switching current responses are dominated by the photon-induced thermal effects. Several methods are proposed to further improve the device sensitivity, so that the JJ based devices can be applicable in photon detections.

Improved high-dimensional prediction with Random Forests by the use of co-data.

PubMed

Te Beest, Dennis E; Mes, Steven W; Wilting, Saskia M; Brakenhoff, Ruud H; van de Wiel, Mark A

2017-12-28

Prediction in high dimensional settings is difficult due to the large number of variables relative to the sample size. We demonstrate how auxiliary 'co-data' can be used to improve the performance of a Random Forest in such a setting. Co-data are incorporated in the Random Forest by replacing the uniform sampling probabilities that are used to draw candidate variables by co-data moderated sampling probabilities. Co-data here are defined as any type information that is available on the variables of the primary data, but does not use its response labels. These moderated sampling probabilities are, inspired by empirical Bayes, learned from the data at hand. We demonstrate the co-data moderated Random Forest (CoRF) with two examples. In the first example we aim to predict the presence of a lymph node metastasis with gene expression data. We demonstrate how a set of external p-values, a gene signature, and the correlation between gene expression and DNA copy number can improve the predictive performance. In the second example we demonstrate how the prediction of cervical (pre-)cancer with methylation data can be improved by including the location of the probe relative to the known CpG islands, the number of CpG sites targeted by a probe, and a set of p-values from a related study. The proposed method is able to utilize auxiliary co-data to improve the performance of a Random Forest.

Investigation of Systematic Effects in Atmospheric Microthermal Probe Data.

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-12-01

MICROTHERMAL PROBE DATA by Daniel S. Roper December, 1992 Thesis Advisor. Donald L. Walters Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited 93...EFFWS IN ATMOSP RIC MICROTHERMAL PROBE DATA 12. PERSONALAUTHOR(S) Da s. Roper 13s. TYPE OF REPORT 13b. TIME COVERED 14. DATE OF REPORT (year, moith, day...distribution is unlimited. Investigation of Systematic Effects in Atmospheric Microthermal Probe Data by Daniel S. Roper Captain, United States Army B.S

Electromagnetic diagnostic system for the Keda Torus eXperiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tu, Cui; Liu, Adi; Li, Zichao; Tan, Mingsheng; Luo, Bing; You, Wei; Li, Chenguang; Bai, Wei; Fu, Chenshuo; Huang, Fangcheng; Xiao, Bingjia; Shen, Biao; Shi, Tonghui; Chen, Dalong; Mao, Wenzhe; Li, Hong; Xie, Jinglin; Lan, Tao; Ding, Weixing; Xiao, Chijin; Liu, Wandong

2017-09-01

A system for electromagnetic measurements was designed and installed on the Keda Torus eXperiment (KTX) reversed field pinch device last year. Although the unique double-C structure of the KTX, which allows the machine to be opened easily without disassembling the poloidal field windings, makes the convenient replacement and modification of the internal inductive coils possible, it can present difficulties in the design of flux coils and magnetic probes at the two vertical gaps. Moreover, the KTX has a composite shell consisting of a 6 mm stainless steel vacuum chamber and a 1.5 mm copper shell, which results in limited space for the installation of saddle sensors. Therefore, the double-C structure and composite shell should be considered, especially during the design and installation of the electromagnetic diagnostic system (EDS). The inner surface of the vacuum vessel includes two types of probes. One type is for the measurement of the global plasma parameters, and the other type is for studying the local behavior of the plasma and operating the new saddle coils. In addition, the probes on the outer surface of the composite shell are used for measurements of eddy currents. Finally, saddle sensors for radial field measurements for feedback control were installed between the conducting shell and the vacuum vessel. The entire system includes approximately 1100 magnetic probes, 14 flux coils, 4 ×26 ×2 saddle sensors, and 16 Rogowski coils. Considering the large number of probes and limited space available in the vacuum vessel, the miniaturization of the probes and optimization of the probe distribution are necessary. In addition, accurate calibration and careful mounting of the probes are also required. The frequency response of the designed magnetic probes is up to 200 kHz, and the resolution is 1 G. The EDS, being spherical and of high precision, is one of the most basic and effective diagnostic tools of the KTX and meets the demands imposed by requirements on basic machine operating information and future studies.

Microenvironmental Effect of 2'-O-(1-Pyrenylmethyl)uridine Modified Fluorescent Oligonucleotide Probes on Sensitive and Selective Detection of Target RNA.

PubMed

Imincan, Gülnur; Pei, Fen; Yu, Lijia; Jin, Hongwei; Zhang, Liangren; Yang, Xiaoda; Zhang, Lihe; Tang, XinJing

2016-04-19

2'-O-(1-Pyrenylmethyl)uridine modified oligoribonucleotides provide highly sensitive pyrene fluorescent probes for detecting specific nucleotide mutation of RNA targets. To develop more stable and cost-effective oligonucleotide probes, we investigated the local microenvironmental effects of nearby nucleobases on pyrene fluorescence in duplexes of RNAs and 2'-O-(1-pyrenylmethyl)uridine modified oligonucleotides. By incorporation of deoxyribonucleotides, ribonucleotides, 2'-MeO-nucleotides and 2'-F-nucleotides at both sides of 2'-O-(1-pyrenylmethyl)uridine (U(p)) in oligodeoxynucleotide probes, we synthesized a series of pyrene modified oligonucleotide probes. Their pyrene fluorescence emission spectra indicated that only two proximal nucleotides have a substantial effect on the pyrene fluorescence properties of these oligonucleotide probes hybridized with target RNA with an order of fluorescence sensitivity of 2'-F-nucleotides > 2'-MeO-nucleotides > ribonucleotides ≫ deoxyribonucleotides. While based on circular dichroism spectra, overall helix conformations (either A- or B-form) of the duplexes have marginal effects on the sensitivity of the probes. Instead, the local substitution reflected the propensity of the nucleotide sugar ring to adopt North type conformation and, accordingly, shifted their helix geometry toward a more A-type like conformation in local microenvironments. Thus, higher enhancement of pyrene fluorescence emission favored local A-type helix structures and more polar and hydrophobic environments (F > MeO > OH at 2' substitution) of duplex minor grooves of probes with the target RNA. Further dynamic simulation revealed that local microenvironmental effect of 2'-F-nucleotides or ribonucleotides was enough for pyrene moiety to move out of nucleobases to the minor groove of duplexes; in addition, 2'-F-nucleotide had less effect on π-stack of pyrene-modified uridine with upstream and downstream nucleobases. The present oligonucleotide probes successfully distinguished target RNA from single-mutated RNA analyte during an in vitro assay of RNA synthesis.

21 CFR 884.4100 - Endoscopic electrocautery and accessories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... coagulate fallopian tube tissue with a probe heated by low-voltage energy. This generic type of device may include the following accessories: electrical generators, probes, and electrical cables. (b...

21 CFR 884.4100 - Endoscopic electrocautery and accessories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... coagulate fallopian tube tissue with a probe heated by low-voltage energy. This generic type of device may include the following accessories: electrical generators, probes, and electrical cables. (b...

21 CFR 884.4100 - Endoscopic electrocautery and accessories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... coagulate fallopian tube tissue with a probe heated by low-voltage energy. This generic type of device may include the following accessories: electrical generators, probes, and electrical cables. (b...

21 CFR 884.4100 - Endoscopic electrocautery and accessories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... coagulate fallopian tube tissue with a probe heated by low-voltage energy. This generic type of device may include the following accessories: electrical generators, probes, and electrical cables. (b...

Regulation of oxygen vacancy types on SnO{sub 2} (110) surface by external strain

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou, Z. H.; Min, Y. M.; Liu, X. X.

2016-05-15

In tin dioxide nanostructures, oxygen vacancies (OVs) play an important role in their optical properties and thus regulation of both OV concentration and type via external strain is crucial to exploration of more applications. First-principle calculations of SnO{sub 2} (110) surface disclose that asymmetric deformations induced by external strain not only lead to its intrinsic surface elastic changes, but also result in different OV formation energy. In the absence of external strain, the energetically favorable oxygen vacancies(EFOV) appear in the bridging site of second layer. When -3.5% external strain is applied along y direction, the EFOV moves into plane site.more » This can be ascribed that the compressed deformation gives rise to redistribution of electronic wave function near OVs, therefore, formation of newly bond structures. Our results suggest that different type OVs in SnO{sub 2} surface can be controlled by strain engineering.« less

When attention wanders: Pupillometric signatures of fluctuations in external attention.

PubMed

Konishi, Mahiko; Brown, Kevin; Battaglini, Luca; Smallwood, Jonathan

2017-11-01

Attention is not always directed to events in the external environment. On occasion our thoughts wander to people and places distant from the here and now. Sometimes, this lack of external attention can compromise ongoing task performance. In the current study we set out to understand the extent to which states of internal and external attention can be determined using pupillometry as an index of ongoing cognition. In two experiments we found that periods of slow responding were associated with elevations in the baseline pupil signal over three and a half seconds prior to a behavioural response. In the second experiment we found that unlike behavioural lapses, states of off-task thought, particularly those associated with a focus on the past and with an intrusive quality, were associated with reductions in the size of the pupil over the same window prior to the probe. These data show that both states of large and small baseline pupil size are linked to states when attention is not effectively focused on the external environment, although these states have different qualities. More generally, these findings illustrate that subjective and objective markers of task performance may not be equivalent and underscore the importance of developing objective indicators that can allow these different states to be understood. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

21 CFR 884.4150 - Bipolar endoscopic coagulator-cutter and accessories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... high frequency electrical current through tissue between two electrical contacts of a probe. This generic type of device may include the following accessories: an electrical generator, probes, and...

21 CFR 884.4150 - Bipolar endoscopic coagulator-cutter and accessories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... high frequency electrical current through tissue between two electrical contacts of a probe. This generic type of device may include the following accessories: an electrical generator, probes, and...

21 CFR 884.4150 - Bipolar endoscopic coagulator-cutter and accessories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... high frequency electrical current through tissue between two electrical contacts of a probe. This generic type of device may include the following accessories: an electrical generator, probes, and...

21 CFR 884.4150 - Bipolar endoscopic coagulator-cutter and accessories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... high frequency electrical current through tissue between two electrical contacts of a probe. This generic type of device may include the following accessories: an electrical generator, probes, and...

Mechanism-based biomarker gene sets for glutathione depletion-related hepatotoxicity in rats

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gao Weihua; Mizukawa, Yumiko; Nakatsu, Noriyuki

Chemical-induced glutathione depletion is thought to be caused by two types of toxicological mechanisms: PHO-type glutathione depletion [glutathione conjugated with chemicals such as phorone (PHO) or diethyl maleate (DEM)], and BSO-type glutathione depletion [i.e., glutathione synthesis inhibited by chemicals such as L-buthionine-sulfoximine (BSO)]. In order to identify mechanism-based biomarker gene sets for glutathione depletion in rat liver, male SD rats were treated with various chemicals including PHO (40, 120 and 400 mg/kg), DEM (80, 240 and 800 mg/kg), BSO (150, 450 and 1500 mg/kg), and bromobenzene (BBZ, 10, 100 and 300 mg/kg). Liver samples were taken 3, 6, 9 andmore » 24 h after administration and examined for hepatic glutathione content, physiological and pathological changes, and gene expression changes using Affymetrix GeneChip Arrays. To identify differentially expressed probe sets in response to glutathione depletion, we focused on the following two courses of events for the two types of mechanisms of glutathione depletion: a) gene expression changes occurring simultaneously in response to glutathione depletion, and b) gene expression changes after glutathione was depleted. The gene expression profiles of the identified probe sets for the two types of glutathione depletion differed markedly at times during and after glutathione depletion, whereas Srxn1 was markedly increased for both types as glutathione was depleted, suggesting that Srxn1 is a key molecule in oxidative stress related to glutathione. The extracted probe sets were refined and verified using various compounds including 13 additional positive or negative compounds, and they established two useful marker sets. One contained three probe sets (Akr7a3, Trib3 and Gstp1) that could detect conjugation-type glutathione depletors any time within 24 h after dosing, and the other contained 14 probe sets that could detect glutathione depletors by any mechanism. These two sets, with appropriate scoring systems, could be promising biomarkers for preclinical examination of hepatotoxicity.« less

New Approach for Thermal Protection System of a Probe During Entry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yendler, Boris; Poffenbarger, Nathan; Patel, Amisha; Bhave, Ninad; Papadopoulos, Periklis

2005-01-01

One of the biggest challenges for any thermal protection system (TPS) of a probe is to provide a sufficient barrier for heat generated during descent in order to keep the temperature inside of the probe low enough to support operational temperature of equipment. Typically, such a goal is achieved by having the ceramic tiles and blankets like on the Space Shuttle, silicon based ablators, or metallic systems to cover the probe external surface. This paper discusses the development of an innovative technique for TPS of the probe. It is proposed to use a novel TPS which comprises thermal management of the entry vehicle. It includes: a) absorption of the heat during heat pick load by a Phase Change Material (PCM), b) separation of the compartment which contains PCM from the rest of the space vehicle by a gap with a high thermal resistance, c) maintaining temperature of the internal wall of s/c cabin temperature by transfer heat from the internal wall to the "cold" side of the vehicle and to reject heat into the space during the flight and on a ground, d) utilization of an advanced heat pipe, so called Loop Heat Pipe to transfer heat from the cabin internal wall to the cold side of the s/c and to reject the heat into environment outside of the vehicle. A Loop Heat Pipe is capable of transferring heat against gravity

Highly selective detection of single-nucleotide polymorphisms using a quartz crystal microbalance biosensor based on the toehold-mediated strand displacement reaction.

PubMed

Wang, Dingzhong; Tang, Wei; Wu, Xiaojie; Wang, Xinyi; Chen, Gengjia; Chen, Qiang; Li, Na; Liu, Feng

2012-08-21

Toehold-mediated strand displacement reaction (SDR) is first introduced to develop a simple quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) biosensor without an enzyme or label at normal temperature for highly selective and sensitive detection of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the p53 tumor suppressor gene. A hairpin capture probe with an external toehold is designed and immobilized on the gold electrode surface of QCM. A successive SDR is initiated by the target sequence hybridization with the toehold domain and ends with the unfolding of the capture probe. Finally, the open-loop capture probe hybridizes with the streptavidin-coupled reporter probe as an efficient mass amplifier to enhance the QCM signal. The proposed biosensor displays remarkable specificity to target the p53 gene fragment against single-base mutant sequences (e.g., the largest discrimination factor is 63 to C-C mismatch) and high sensitivity with the detection limit of 0.3 nM at 20 °C. As the crucial component of the fabricated biosensor for providing the high discrimination capability, the design rationale of the capture probe is further verified by fluorescence sensing and atomic force microscopy imaging. Additionally, a recovery of 84.1% is obtained when detecting the target sequence in spiked HeLa cells lysate, demonstrating the feasibility of employing this biosensor in detecting SNPs in biological samples.

Electron current extraction from a permanent magnet waveguide plasma cathode.

PubMed

Weatherford, B R; Foster, J E; Kamhawi, H

2011-09-01

An electron cyclotron resonance plasma produced in a cylindrical waveguide with external permanent magnets was investigated as a possible plasma cathode electron source. The configuration is desirable in that it eliminates the need for a physical antenna inserted into the plasma, the erosion of which limits operating lifetime. Plasma bulk density was found to be overdense in the source. Extraction currents over 4 A were achieved with the device. Measurements of extracted electron currents were similar to calculated currents, which were estimated using Langmuir probe measurements at the plasma cathode orifice and along the length of the external plume. The influence of facility effects and trace ionization in the anode-cathode gap are also discussed. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

A survey of gas-side fouling measuring devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marner, W. J.; Henslee, S. P.

1984-01-01

A survey of measuring devices or probes, which were used to investigate gas side fouling, was carried out. Five different types of measuring devices are identified and discussed including: heat flux meters, mass accumulation probes, optical devices, deposition probes, and acid condensation probes. A total of 32 different probes are described in detail and summarized in matrix or tabular form. The important considerations of combustion gas characterization and deposit analysis are also given a significant amount of attention. The results show that considerable work was done in the development of gas side fouling probes. However, it is clear that the design, construction, and testing of a durable, versatile probe - capable of monitoring on-line fouling resistances - remains a formidable task.

Environmental And Quality Management System In The Context Of Sustainable Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusko, Miroslav

2015-06-01

Growing load and deterioration of the environment can be interpreted as a result of some external effects interventions. While the positive externalities influence the positive productional and utilizational functions of other subjects, the negative externalities influence the negative ones. Both types of external effects can act as parcial or global externalities. Linking of environmental issues to economy and finance is an important sphere.

Detection of cystic fibrosis mutations in a GeneChip{trademark} assay format

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miyada, C.G.; Cronin, M.T.; Kim, S.M.

1994-09-01

We are developing assays for the detection of cystic fibrosis mutations based on DNA hybridization. A DNA sample is amplified by PCR, labeled by incorporating a fluorescein-tagged dNTP, enzymatically treated to produce smaller fragments and hybridized to a series of short (13-16 bases) oligonucleotides synthesized on a glass surface via photolithography. The hybrids are detected by eqifluorescence and mutations are identified by the specific pattern of hybridization. In a GeneChip assay, the chip surface is composed of a series of subarrays, each being specific for a particular mutation. Each subarray is further subdivided into a series of probes (40 total),more » half based on the mutant sequence and the remainder based on the wild-type sequence. For each of the subarrays, there is a redundancy in the number of probes that should hybridize to either a wild-type or a mutant target. The multiple probe strategy provides sequence information for a short five base region overlapping the mutation site. In addition, homozygous wild-type and mutant as well as heterozygous samples are each identified by a specific pattern of hybridization. The small size of each probe feature (250 x 250 {mu}m{sup 2}) permits the inclusion of additional probes required to generate sequence information by hybridization.« less

Intracellular O2 sensing probe based on cell-penetrating phosphorescent nanoparticles.

PubMed

Fercher, Andreas; Borisov, Sergey M; Zhdanov, Alexander V; Klimant, Ingo; Papkovsky, Dmitri B

2011-07-26

A new intracellular O(2) (icO(2)) sensing probe is presented, which comprises a nanoparticle (NP) formulation of a cationic polymer Eudragit RL-100 and a hydrophobic phosphorescent dye Pt(II)-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin (PtPFPP). Using the time-resolved fluorescence (TR-F) plate reader set-up, cell loading was investigated in detail, particularly the effects of probe concentration, loading time, serum content in the medium, cell type, density, etc. The use of a fluorescent analogue of the probe in conjunction with confocal microscopy and flow cytometry analysis, revealed that cellular uptake of the NPs is driven by nonspecific energy-dependent endocytosis and that the probe localizes inside the cell close to the nucleus. Probe calibration in biological environment was performed, which allowed conversion of measured phosphorescence lifetime signals into icO(2) concentration (μM). Its analytical performance in icO(2) sensing experiments was demonstrated by monitoring metabolic responses of mouse embryonic fibroblast cells under ambient and hypoxic macroenvironment. The NP probe was seen to generate stable and reproducible signals in different types of mammalian cells and robust responses to their metabolic stimulation, thus allowing accurate quantitative analysis. High brightness and photostability allow its use in screening experiments with cell populations on a commercial TR-F reader, and for single cell analysis on a fluorescent microscope.

A nested array of rRNA targeted probes for the detection and identification of enterococci by reverse hybridization.

PubMed

Behr, T; Koob, C; Schedl, M; Mehlen, A; Meier, H; Knopp, D; Frahm, E; Obst, U; Schleifer, K; Niessner, R; Ludwig, W

2000-12-01

Complete 23S and almost complete 16S rRNA gene sequences were determined for the type strains of the validly described Enterococcus species, Melissococcus pluton and Tetragenococcus halophilus. A comprehensive set of rRNA targeted specific oligonucleotide hybridization probes was designed according to the multiple probe concept. In silico probe design and evaluation was performed using the respective tools of the ARB program package in combination with the ARB databases comprising the currently available 16S as well as 23S rRNA primary structures. The probes were optimized with respect to their application for reverse hybridization in microplate format. The target comprising 16S and 23S rDNA was amplified and labeled by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) using general primers targeting a wide spectrum of bacteria. Alternatively, amplification of two adjacent rDNA fragments of enterococci was performed by using specific primers. In vitro evaluation of the probe set was done including all Enterococcus type strains, and a selection of other representatives of the gram-positive bacteria with a low genomic DNA G+C content. The optimized probe set was used to analyze enriched drinking water samples as well as original samples from waste water treatment plants.

Two-point active microrheology in a viscous medium exploiting a motional resonance excited in dual-trap optical tweezers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, Shuvojit; Kumar, Randhir; Banerjee, Ayan

2018-04-01

Two-point microrheology measurements from widely separated colloidal particles approach the bulk viscosity of the host medium more reliably than corresponding single-point measurements. In addition, active microrheology offers the advantage of enhanced signal to noise over passive techniques. Recently, we reported the observation of a motional resonance induced in a probe particle in dual-trap optical tweezers when the control particle was driven externally [Paul et al., Phys. Rev. E 96, 050102(R) (2017), 10.1103/PhysRevE.96.050102]. We now demonstrate that the amplitude and phase characteristics of the motional resonance can be used as a sensitive tool for active two-point microrheology to measure the viscosity of a viscous fluid. Thus, we measure the viscosity of viscous liquids from both the amplitude and phase response of the resonance, and demonstrate that the zero crossing of the phase response of the probe particle with respect to the external drive is superior compared to the amplitude response in measuring viscosity at large particle separations. We compare our viscosity measurements with those using a commercial rheometer and obtain an agreement ˜1 % . The method can be extended to viscoelastic material where the frequency dependence of the resonance may provide further accuracy for active microrheological measurements.

Elemental mapping of large samples by external ion beam analysis with sub-millimeter resolution and its applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, T. F.; Rodrigues, C. L.; Added, N.; Rizzutto, M. A.; Tabacniks, M. H.; Mangiarotti, A.; Curado, J. F.; Aguirre, F. R.; Aguero, N. F.; Allegro, P. R. P.; Campos, P. H. O. V.; Restrepo, J. M.; Trindade, G. F.; Antonio, M. R.; Assis, R. F.; Leite, A. R.

2018-05-01

The elemental mapping of large areas using ion beam techniques is a desired capability for several scientific communities, involved on topics ranging from geoscience to cultural heritage. Usually, the constraints for large-area mapping are not met in setups employing micro- and nano-probes implemented all over the world. A novel setup for mapping large sized samples in an external beam was recently built at the University of São Paulo employing a broad MeV-proton probe with sub-millimeter dimension, coupled to a high-precision large range XYZ robotic stage (60 cm range in all axis and precision of 5 μ m ensured by optical sensors). An important issue on large area mapping is how to deal with the irregularities of the sample's surface, that may introduce artifacts in the images due to the variation of the measuring conditions. In our setup, we implemented an automatic system based on machine vision to correct the position of the sample to compensate for its surface irregularities. As an additional benefit, a 3D digital reconstruction of the scanned surface can also be obtained. Using this new and unique setup, we have produced large-area elemental maps of ceramics, stones, fossils, and other sort of samples.

Using a water-confined carbon nanotube to probe the electricity of sequential charged segments of macromolecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yu; Zhao, Yan-Jiao; Huang, Ji-Ping

2012-07-01

The detection of macromolecular conformation is particularly important in many physical and biological applications. Here we theoretically explore a method for achieving this detection by probing the electricity of sequential charged segments of macromolecules. Our analysis is based on molecular dynamics simulations, and we investigate a single file of water molecules confined in a half-capped single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) with an external electric charge of +e or -e (e is the elementary charge). The charge is located in the vicinity of the cap of the SWCNT and along the centerline of the SWCNT. We reveal the picosecond timescale for the re-orientation (namely, from one unidirectional direction to the other) of the water molecules in response to a switch in the charge signal, -e → +e or +e → -e. Our results are well understood by taking into account the electrical interactions between the water molecules and between the water molecules and the external charge. Because such signals of re-orientation can be magnified and transported according to Tu et al. [2009 Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 106 18120], it becomes possible to record fingerprints of electric signals arising from sequential charged segments of a macromolecule, which are expected to be useful for recognizing the conformations of some particular macromolecules.

A fast-evolving luminous transient discovered by K2/Kepler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rest, A.; Garnavich, P. M.; Khatami, D.; Kasen, D.; Tucker, B. E.; Shaya, E. J.; Olling, R. P.; Mushotzky, R.; Zenteno, A.; Margheim, S.; Strampelli, G.; James, D.; Smith, R. C.; Förster, F.; Villar, V. A.

2018-04-01

For decades, optical time-domain searches have been tuned to find ordinary supernovae, which rise and fall in brightness over a period of weeks. Recently, supernova searches have improved their cadences and a handful of fast-evolving luminous transients have been identified1-5. These have peak luminosities comparable to type Ia supernovae, but rise to maximum in less than ten days and fade from view in less than one month. Here we present the most extreme example of this class of object thus far: KSN 2015K, with a rise time of only 2.2 days and a time above half-maximum of only 6.8 days. We show that, unlike type Ia supernovae, the light curve of KSN 2015K was not powered by the decay of radioactive elements. We further argue that it is unlikely that it was powered by continuing energy deposition from a central remnant (a magnetar or black hole). Using numerical radiation hydrodynamical models, we show that the light curve of KSN 2015K is well fitted by a model where the supernova runs into external material presumably expelled in a pre-supernova mass-loss episode. The rapid rise of KSN 2015K therefore probes the venting of photons when a hypersonic shock wave breaks out of a dense extended medium.

Aspects of jamming in two-dimensional athermal frictionless systems.

PubMed

Reichhardt, C; Reichhardt, C J Olson

2014-05-07

In this work we provide an overview of jamming transitions in two dimensional systems focusing on the limit of frictionless particle interactions in the absence of thermal fluctuations. We first discuss jamming in systems with short range repulsive interactions, where the onset of jamming occurs at a critical packing density and where certain quantities show a divergence indicative of critical behavior. We describe how aspects of the dynamics change as the jamming density is approached and how these dynamics can be explored using externally driven probes. Different particle shapes can produce jamming densities much lower than those observed for disk-shaped particles, and we show how jamming exhibits fragility for some shapes while for other shapes this is absent. Next we describe the effects of long range interactions and jamming behavior in systems such as charged colloids, vortices in type-II superconductors, and dislocations. We consider the effect of adding obstacles to frictionless jamming systems and discuss connections between this type of jamming and systems that exhibit depinning transitions. Finally, we discuss open questions such as whether the jamming transition in all these different systems can be described by the same or a small subset of universal behaviors, as well as future directions for studies of jamming transitions in two dimensional systems, such as jamming in self-driven or active matter systems.

Development of chemiluminescent probe hybridization, RT-PCR and nucleic acid cycle sequencing assays of Sabin type 3 isolates to identify base pair 472 Sabin type 3 mutants associated with vaccine associated paralytic poliomyelitis.

PubMed

Old, M O; Logan, L H; Maldonado, Y A

1997-11-01

Sabin type 3 polio vaccine virus is the most common cause of poliovaccine associated paralytic poliomyelitis. Vaccine associated paralytic poliomyelitis cases have been associated with Sabin type 3 revertants containing a single U to C substitution at bp 472 of Sabin type 3. A rapid method of identification of Sabin type 3 bp 472 mutants is described. An enterovirus group-specific probe for use in a chemiluminescent dot blot hybridization assay was developed to identify enterovirus positive viral lysates. A reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay producing a 319 bp PCR product containing the Sabin type 3 bp 472 mutation site was then employed to identify Sabin type 3 isolates. Chemiluminescent nucleic acid cycle sequencing of the purified 319 bp PCR product was then employed to identify nucleic acid sequences at bp 472. The enterovirus group probe hybridization procedure and isolation of the Sabin type 3 PCR product were highly sensitive and specific; nucleic acid cycle sequencing corresponded to the known sequence of stock Sabin type 3 isolates. These methods will be used to identify the Sabin type 3 reversion rate from sequential stool samples of infants obtained after the first and second doses of oral poliovirus vaccine.

Stress relaxation of cell walls and the yield threshold for growth: demonstration and measurement by micro-pressure probe and psychrometer techniques.

PubMed

Cosgrove, D J; Van Volkenburgh, E; Cleland, R E

1984-01-01

Theory predicts that, for growing plant cells isolated from a supply of water, stress relaxation of the cell wall should decrease cell turgor pressure (P) until the yield threshold for cell explanation is reached. This prediction was tested by direct P measurements of pea (Pisum sativum L.) stem cortical cells before and after excision of the growing region and isolation of the growing tissue from an external water supply. Cell P was measured with the micro-pressure probe under conditions which eliminated transpiration. Psychrometric measurements of water potential confirmed the pressure-probe measurements. Following excision, P of the growing cells decreased in 1 h by an average of 1.8 bar to a mean plateau value of 2.8 bar, and remained constant thereafter. Treatment with 10(-5) M indole-3-acetic acid or 10(-5) M fusicoccin (known growth stimulants) accelerated the rate of P relaxation, whereas various treatments which inhibit growth slowed down or completely stopped P relaxation in apical segments. In contrast, P of basal (nongrowing) segments gradually increased because of absorption of solutes from the cell-wall free space of the tissue. Such solute absorption also occurred in apical segments, but wall relaxation held P at the yield threshold in those segments which were isolated from an external water supply. These results provide a new and rapid method for measuring the yield threshold and they show that P in intact growing pea stems exceeds the yield threshold by about 2 bar. Wall relaxation is shown here to affect the water potential and turgor pressure of excised growing segments. In addition, solute release and absorption upon excision may influence the water potential and turgor pressure of nongrowing excised plant tissues.

Biasing, Acquisition and Interpretation of a Dense Langmuir Probe Array in NSTX

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jaworski, M. A.; Kallman, J.; Kaita, R.

2010-09-22

A dense array of 99 Langmuir probes has been installed in the lower divertor region of the National Spherical Torus Experiments (NSTX). This array is instrumented with a system of elec- tronics that allows flexibility in the choice of probes to bias as well as the type of measurement (including standard swept, single probe, triple probe and operation as passive floating potential and scrape-off-layer (SOL) current monitors). The use of flush-mounted probes requires careful inter- pretation. The time dependent nature of the SOL makes swept-probe traces difficult to interpret. To overcome these challenges, the single- and triple-Langmuir probe signals aremore » used in comple- mentary fashion to determine the temperature and density at the probe location. A comparison to mid-plane measurements is made. Work is supported by DOE contracts DE-AC02-09CHI1466 and DE-PS02-07ER07-29.« less

Multimode intravascular RF coil for MRI-guided interventions.

PubMed

Kurpad, Krishna N; Unal, Orhan

2011-04-01

To demonstrate the feasibility of using a single intravascular radiofrequency (RF) probe connected to the external magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system via a single coaxial cable to perform active tip tracking and catheter visualization and high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) intravascular imaging. A multimode intravascular RF coil was constructed on a 6F balloon catheter and interfaced to a 1.5T MRI scanner via a decoupling circuit. Bench measurements of coil impedances were followed by imaging experiments in saline and phantoms. The multimode coil behaves as an inductively coupled transmit coil. The forward-looking capability of 6 mm was measured. A greater than 3-fold increase in SNR compared to conventional imaging using optimized external coil was demonstrated. Simultaneous active tip tracking and catheter visualization was demonstrated. It is feasible to perform 1) active tip tracking, 2) catheter visualization, and 3) high SNR imaging using a single multimode intravascular RF coil that is connected to the external system via a single coaxial cable. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Multi-mode Intravascular RF Coil for MRI-guided Interventions

PubMed Central

Kurpad, Krishna N.; Unal, Orhan

2011-01-01

Purpose To demonstrate the feasibility of using a single intravascular RF probe connected to the external MRI system via a single coaxial cable to perform active tip tracking and catheter visualization, and high SNR intravascular imaging. Materials and Methods A multi-mode intravascular RF coil was constructed on a 6F balloon catheter and interfaced to a 1.5T MRI scanner via a decoupling circuit. Bench measurements of coil impedances were followed by imaging experiments in saline and phantoms. Results The multi-mode coil behaves as an inductively-coupled transmit coil. Forward looking capability of 6mm is measured. Greater than 3-fold increase in SNR compared to conventional imaging using optimized external coil is demonstrated. Simultaneous active tip tracking and catheter visualization is demonstrated. Conclusions It is feasible to perform 1) active tip tracking, 2) catheter visualization, and 3) high SNR imaging using a single multi-mode intravascular RF coil that is connected to the external system via a single coaxial cable. PMID:21448969

On-chip interference of single photons from an embedded quantum dot and an external laser

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Prtljaga, N., E-mail: n.prtljaga@sheffield.ac.uk; Bentham, C.; O'Hara, J.

2016-06-20

In this work, we demonstrate the on-chip two-photon interference between single photons emitted by a single self-assembled InGaAs quantum dot and an external laser. The quantum dot is embedded within one arm of an air-clad directional coupler which acts as a beam-splitter for incoming light. Photons originating from an attenuated external laser are coupled to the second arm of the beam-splitter and then combined with the quantum dot photons, giving rise to two-photon quantum interference between dissimilar sources. We verify the occurrence of on-chip Hong-Ou-Mandel interference by cross-correlating the optical signal from the separate output ports of the directional coupler.more » This experimental approach allows us to use a classical light source (laser) to assess in a single step the overall device performance in the quantum regime and probe quantum dot photon indistinguishability on application realistic time scales.« less

Highly stable red-emitting polymer dots for cellular imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chelora, Jipsa; Zhang, Jinfeng; Chen, Rui; Thachoth Chandran, Hrisheekesh; Lee, Chun-Sing

2017-07-01

Polymer dots (Pdots) have emerged as a new type of fluorescent probe material for biomedical applications and have attracted great interest due to their excellent optical properties and biocompatability. In this work, we report on a red-emitting P3HT Pdot fluorescent probe for intracellular bioimaging. The as-prepared Pdot fluorescent probe exhibits good stability and has a large Stokes shift (121 nm) compared to molecules in tetrahydrofuran (THF). Furthermore, the probe shows low cytotoxicity, broad absorption spectrum, resistance against photodegradation, and good water dispersibility. These advantageous characteristics make P3HT Pdots a promising fluorescent probe material for bioimaging.

Highly stable red-emitting polymer dots for cellular imaging.

PubMed

Chelora, Jipsa; Zhang, Jinfeng; Chen, Rui; Chandran, Hrisheekesh Thachoth; Lee, Chun-Sing

2017-07-14

Polymer dots (Pdots) have emerged as a new type of fluorescent probe material for biomedical applications and have attracted great interest due to their excellent optical properties and biocompatability. In this work, we report on a red-emitting P 3 HT Pdot fluorescent probe for intracellular bioimaging. The as-prepared Pdot fluorescent probe exhibits good stability and has a large Stokes shift (121 nm) compared to molecules in tetrahydrofuran (THF). Furthermore, the probe shows low cytotoxicity, broad absorption spectrum, resistance against photodegradation, and good water dispersibility. These advantageous characteristics make P 3 HT Pdots a promising fluorescent probe material for bioimaging.

Salivary antioxidants in patients with type 1 or 2 diabetes and inflammatory periodontal disease: a case-control study.

PubMed

Gümüş, Pinar; Buduneli, Nurcan; Cetinkalp, Sevki; Hawkins, Samuel I; Renaud, Diane; Kinane, Denis F; Scott, David A

2009-09-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare salivary concentrations of reduced, oxidized glutathione, uric acid, ascorbic acid, and total antioxidant capacity in subjects with diabetes and systemically healthy subjects with inflammatory periodontal disease. Sixteen patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM), 25 patients with type 2 DM, and 24 systemically healthy patients, all with inflammatory periodontal disease, were recruited. Whole-saliva samples were obtained, and full-mouth clinical periodontal measurements, including plaque index, probing depth, gingival recession, clinical attachment level, and bleeding on probing, were recorded at six sites per tooth. Saliva flow rate and salivary levels of reduced and oxidized glutathione, vitamin C, uric acid, and total antioxidant capacity were determined. Data were analyzed statistically by non-parametric tests. The subjects with type 2 DM had fewer teeth and more sites with probing depths >4 mm than the patients with type 1 DM (both P <0.01). The mean salivary reduced-glutathione concentration was lower in patients with type 1 DM than in the other two groups (both P <0.05). No significant differences in the salivary concentrations of the other antioxidants measured were found among the groups (P >0.05). Oxidized glutathione levels in the patients with type 1 DM were significantly lower than in the systemically healthy group (P = 0.007). In both groups with diabetes, salivary reduced-glutathione levels correlated positively with probing depth, and total antioxidant capacity correlated with salivary flow rate (P <0.01). The decrease in salivary reduced-glutathione levels in patients with type 1 DM may have a role in periodontal tissue destruction by predisposing tissues to oxidative stress.

Simultaneous observations of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and absorption (EIA) in a multi-level V-type system of 87Rb and theoretical simulation of the observed spectra using a multi-mode approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Bankim Chandra; Bhattacharyya, Dipankar; Das, Arpita; Chakrabarti, Shrabana; De, Sankar

2016-12-01

We report here simultaneous experimental observation of Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT) and Electromagnetically Induced Absorption (EIA) in a multi-level V-type system in D2 transition of 87Rb, i.e., F =2 →F' with a strong pump and a weak probe beam. We studied the probe spectrum by locking the probe beam to the transition F =2 →F'=2 while the pump is scanned from F =2 →F' . EIA is observed for the open transition (F =2 →F'=2 ) whereas EIT is observed in the closed transition (F =2 →F'=3 ). Sub natural line-width is observed for the EIA. To simulate the observed spectra theoretically, Liouville equation for the three-level V-type system is solved analytically with a multi-mode approach for the density matrix elements. We assumed both the pump and the probe beams can couple the excited states. A multi-mode approach for the coherence terms facilitates the study of all the frequency contributions due to the pump and the probe fields. Since the terms contain higher harmonics of the pump and the probe frequencies, we expressed them in Fourier transformed forms. To simulate the probe spectrum, we have solved inhomogeneous difference equations for the coherence terms using the Green's function technique and continued fraction theory. The experimental line-widths of the EIT and the EIA are compared with our theoretical model. Our system can be useful in optical switching applications as it can be precisely tuned to render the medium opaque and transparent simultaneously.

Simultaneous observations of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and absorption (EIA) in a multi-level V-type system of 87Rb and theoretical simulation of the observed spectra using a multi-mode approach.

PubMed

Das, Bankim Chandra; Bhattacharyya, Dipankar; Das, Arpita; Chakrabarti, Shrabana; De, Sankar

2016-12-14

We report here simultaneous experimental observation of Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT) and Electromagnetically Induced Absorption (EIA) in a multi-level V-type system in D 2 transition of Rb87, i.e., F=2→F ' with a strong pump and a weak probe beam. We studied the probe spectrum by locking the probe beam to the transition F=2→F ' =2 while the pump is scanned from F=2→F ' . EIA is observed for the open transition (F=2→F ' =2) whereas EIT is observed in the closed transition (F=2→F ' =3). Sub natural line-width is observed for the EIA. To simulate the observed spectra theoretically, Liouville equation for the three-level V-type system is solved analytically with a multi-mode approach for the density matrix elements. We assumed both the pump and the probe beams can couple the excited states. A multi-mode approach for the coherence terms facilitates the study of all the frequency contributions due to the pump and the probe fields. Since the terms contain higher harmonics of the pump and the probe frequencies, we expressed them in Fourier transformed forms. To simulate the probe spectrum, we have solved inhomogeneous difference equations for the coherence terms using the Green's function technique and continued fraction theory. The experimental line-widths of the EIT and the EIA are compared with our theoretical model. Our system can be useful in optical switching applications as it can be precisely tuned to render the medium opaque and transparent simultaneously.

Methods of blood flow measurement in the arterial circulatory system.

PubMed

Tabrizchi, R; Pugsley, M K

2000-01-01

The most commonly employed techniques for the in vivo measurement of arterial blood flow to individual organs involve the use of flow probes or sensors. Commercially available systems for the measurement of in vivo blood flow can be divided into two categories: ultrasonic and electromagnetic. Two types of ultrasonic probes are used. The first type of flow probe measures blood flow-mediated Doppler shifts (Doppler flowmetry) in a vessel. The second type of flow probe measures the "transit time" required by an emitted ultrasound wave to traverse the vessel and are transit-time volume flow sensors. Measurement of blood flow in any vessel requires that the flow probe or sensor be highly accurate and exhibit signal linearity over the flow range in the vessel of interest. Moreover, additional desirable features include compact design, size, and weight. An additional important feature for flow probes is that they exhibit good biocompatability; it is imperative for the sensor to behave in an inert manner towards the biological system. A sensitive and reliable method to assess blood flow in individual organs in the body, other than by the use of probes/sensors, is the reference sample method that utilizes hematogeneously delivered microspheres. This method has been utilized to a large extend to assess regional blood flow in the entire body. Obviously, the purpose of measuring blood flow is to determine the amount of blood delivered to a given region per unit time (milliliters per minute) and it is desirable to achieve this goal by noninvasive methodologies. This, however, is not always possible. This review attempts to offer an overview of some of the techniques available for the assessment of regional blood flow in the arterial circulatory system and discusses advantages and disadvantages of these common techniques.

Design, Construction, and Validation of the AFIT Small Scale Combustion Facility and Sectional Model of the Ultra-Compact Combustor

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

use. At the end of these lines, two high temperature hoses provide flexibility for connection. 57 Figure 28: Heater emergency shutoff...stainless steel braided , Teflon tubing. This enables the probe to be easily positioned as required. The oil temperature is measured by a K-type...used to cool emissions probe. The sample gases exit the probe into a 1/4” piece of braided , flexible Teflon tubing to provide for probe

Design strategies of fluorescent probes for selective detection among biothiols.

PubMed

Niu, Li-Ya; Chen, Yu-Zhe; Zheng, Hai-Rong; Wu, Li-Zhu; Tung, Chen-Ho; Yang, Qing-Zheng

2015-10-07

Simple thiol derivatives, such as cysteine (Cys), homocysteine (Hcy), and glutathione (GSH), play key roles in biological processes, and the fluorescent probes to detect such thiols in vivo selectively with high sensitivity and fast response times are critical for understanding their numerous functions. However, the similar structures and reactivities of these thiols pose considerable challenges to the development of such probes. This review focuses on various strategies for the design of fluorescent probes for the selective detection of biothiols. We classify the fluorescent probes for discrimination among biothiols according to reaction types between the probes and thiols such as cyclization with aldehydes, conjugate addition-cyclization with acrylates, native chemical ligation, and aromatic substitution-rearrangement.

Rotating concave eddy current probe

DOEpatents

Roach, Dennis P [Albuquerque, NM; Walkington, Phil [Albuquerque, NM; Rackow, Kirk A [Albuquerque, NM; Hohman, Ed [Albuquerque, NM

2008-04-01

A rotating concave eddy current probe for detecting fatigue cracks hidden from view underneath the head of a raised head fastener, such as a buttonhead-type rivet, used to join together structural skins, such as aluminum aircraft skins. The probe has a recessed concave dimple in its bottom surface that closely conforms to the shape of the raised head. The concave dimple holds the probe in good alignment on top of the rivet while the probe is rotated around the rivet's centerline. One or more magnetic coils are rigidly embedded within the probe's cylindrical body, which is made of a non-conducting material. This design overcomes the inspection impediment associated with widely varying conductivity in fastened joints.

Identification of Vibrio splendidus as a Member of the Planktonic Luminous Bacteria from the Persian Gulf and Kuwait Region with luxA Probes

PubMed Central

Nealson, K. H.; Wimpee, B.; Wimpee, C.

1993-01-01

Hybridization probes specific for the luxA genes of four groups of luminous bacteria were used to screen luminous isolates obtained from the Persian Gulf, near Al Khiran, Kuwait Nine of these isolates were identified as Vibrio harveyi, a commonly encountered planktonic isolate, while three others showed no hybridization to any of the four probes (V. harveyi, Vibrio fischeri, Photobacterium phosphoreum, or Photobacterium leiognathi) under high-stringency conditions. Polymerase chain reaction amplification was used to prepare a luxA probe against one of these isolates, K-1, and this probe was screened under high-stringency conditions against a collection of DNAs from luminous bacteria; it was found to hybridize specifically to the DNA of the species Vibrio splendidus. A probe prepared against the type strain of V. splendidus (ATCC 33369) was tested against the collection of luminous bacterial DNA preparations and against the Kuwait isolates and was found to hybridize only against the type strain and the three unidentified Kuwait isolates. Extensive taxonomic analysis by standard methods confirmed the identification of the 13 isolates. Images PMID:16349023

Identification of Novel Linear Megaplasmids Carrying a ß-Lactamase Gene in Neurotoxigenic Clostridium butyricum Type E Strains

PubMed Central

Franciosa, Giovanna; Scalfaro, Concetta; Di Bonito, Paola; Vitale, Marco; Aureli, Paolo

2011-01-01

Since the first isolation of type E botulinum toxin-producing Clostridium butyricum from two infant botulism cases in Italy in 1984, this peculiar microorganism has been implicated in different forms of botulism worldwide. By applying particular pulsed-field gel electrophoresis run conditions, we were able to show for the first time that ten neurotoxigenic C. butyricum type E strains originated from Italy and China have linear megaplasmids in their genomes. At least four different megaplasmid sizes were identified among the ten neurotoxigenic C. butyricum type E strains. Each isolate displayed a single sized megaplasmid that was shown to possess a linear structure by ATP-dependent exonuclease digestion. Some of the neurotoxigenic C. butyricum type E strains possessed additional smaller circular plasmids. In order to investigate the genetic content of the newly identified megaplasmids, selected gene probes were designed and used in Southern hybridization experiments. Our results revealed that the type E botulinum neurotoxin gene was chromosome-located in all neurotoxigenic C. butyricum type E strains. Similar results were obtained with the 16S rRNA, the tetracycline tet(P) and the lincomycin resistance protein lmrB gene probes. A specific mobA gene probe only hybridized to the smaller plasmids of the Italian C. butyricum type E strains. Of note, a ß-lactamase gene probe hybridized to the megaplasmids of eight neurotoxigenic C. butyricum type E strains, of which seven from clinical sources and the remaining one from a food implicated in foodborne botulism, whereas this ß-lactam antibiotic resistance gene was absent form the megaplasmids of the two soil strains examined. The widespread occurrence among C. butyricum type E strains associated to human disease of linear megaplasmids harboring an antibiotic resistance gene strongly suggests that the megaplasmids could have played an important role in the emergence of C. butyricum type E as a human pathogen. PMID:21738770

21 CFR 884.4160 - Unipolar endoscopic coagulator-cutter and accessories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... temperatures by directing a high frequency electrical current through the tissue between an energized probe and... generator, probes and electrical cables, and a patient grounding plate. This generic type of device does not...

21 CFR 884.4160 - Unipolar endoscopic coagulator-cutter and accessories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... temperatures by directing a high frequency electrical current through the tissue between an energized probe and... generator, probes and electrical cables, and a patient grounding plate. This generic type of device does not...

21 CFR 884.4160 - Unipolar endoscopic coagulator-cutter and accessories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... temperatures by directing a high frequency electrical current through the tissue between an energized probe and... generator, probes and electrical cables, and a patient grounding plate. This generic type of device does not...

21 CFR 884.4160 - Unipolar endoscopic coagulator-cutter and accessories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... temperatures by directing a high frequency electrical current through the tissue between an energized probe and... generator, probes and electrical cables, and a patient grounding plate. This generic type of device does not...

21 CFR 884.4160 - Unipolar endoscopic coagulator-cutter and accessories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... temperatures by directing a high frequency electrical current through the tissue between an energized probe and... generator, probes and electrical cables, and a patient grounding plate. This generic type of device does not...

Dual immobilization and magnetic manipulation of magnetic nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, S. Y.; Jian, Z. F.; Horng, H. E.; Hong, Chin-Yih; Yang, H. C.; Wu, C. C.; Lee, Y. H.

By suitably bio-functionalizing the surfaces, magnetic nanoparticles are able to bind specific biomolecules, and may serve as vectors for delivering bio-entities to target tissues. In this work, the synthesis of bio-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles with two kinds of bio-probes is developed. Here, the stem cell is selected as a to-be-delivered bio-entity and infarcted myocardium is the target issue. Thus, cluster designation-34 (CD-34) on stem cell and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) (or troponin I) on infarcted myocardium are the specific biomolecules to be bound with bio-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles. In addition to demonstrating the co-coating of two kinds of bio-probes on a magnetic nanoparticle, the feasibility of manipulation on bio-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles by external magnetic fields is investigated.

Quantum sensing with arbitrary frequency resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boss, J. M.; Cujia, K. S.; Zopes, J.; Degen, C. L.

2017-05-01

Quantum sensing takes advantage of well-controlled quantum systems for performing measurements with high sensitivity and precision. We have implemented a concept for quantum sensing with arbitrary frequency resolution, independent of the qubit probe and limited only by the stability of an external synchronization clock. Our concept makes use of quantum lock-in detection to continuously probe a signal of interest. Using the electronic spin of a single nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond, we demonstrate detection of oscillating magnetic fields with a frequency resolution of 70 microhertz over a megahertz bandwidth. The continuous sampling further guarantees an enhanced sensitivity, reaching a signal-to-noise ratio in excess of 104 for a 170-nanotesla test signal measured during a 1-hour interval. Our technique has applications in magnetic resonance spectroscopy, quantum simulation, and sensitive signal detection.

Identification of random nucleic acid sequence aberrations using dual capture probes which hybridize to different chromosome regions

DOEpatents

Lucas, J.N.; Straume, T.; Bogen, K.T.

1998-03-24

A method is provided for detecting nucleic acid sequence aberrations using two immobilization steps. According to the method, a nucleic acid sequence aberration is detected by detecting nucleic acid sequences having both a first nucleic acid sequence type (e.g., from a first chromosome) and a second nucleic acid sequence type (e.g., from a second chromosome), the presence of the first and the second nucleic acid sequence type on the same nucleic acid sequence indicating the presence of a nucleic acid sequence aberration. In the method, immobilization of a first hybridization probe is used to isolate a first set of nucleic acids in the sample which contain the first nucleic acid sequence type. Immobilization of a second hybridization probe is then used to isolate a second set of nucleic acids from within the first set of nucleic acids which contain the second nucleic acid sequence type. The second set of nucleic acids are then detected, their presence indicating the presence of a nucleic acid sequence aberration. 14 figs.

Identification of random nucleic acid sequence aberrations using dual capture probes which hybridize to different chromosome regions

DOEpatents

Lucas, Joe N.; Straume, Tore; Bogen, Kenneth T.

1998-01-01

A method is provided for detecting nucleic acid sequence aberrations using two immobilization steps. According to the method, a nucleic acid sequence aberration is detected by detecting nucleic acid sequences having both a first nucleic acid sequence type (e.g., from a first chromosome) and a second nucleic acid sequence type (e.g., from a second chromosome), the presence of the first and the second nucleic acid sequence type on the same nucleic acid sequence indicating the presence of a nucleic acid sequence aberration. In the method, immobilization of a first hybridization probe is used to isolate a first set of nucleic acids in the sample which contain the first nucleic acid sequence type. Immobilization of a second hybridization probe is then used to isolate a second set of nucleic acids from within the first set of nucleic acids which contain the second nucleic acid sequence type. The second set of nucleic acids are then detected, their presence indicating the presence of a nucleic acid sequence aberration.

A support vector machine designed to identify breasts at high risk using multi-probe generated REIS signals: a preliminary assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gur, David; Zheng, Bin; Lederman, Dror; Dhurjaty, Sreeram; Sumkin, Jules; Zuley, Margarita

2010-02-01

A new resonance-frequency based electronic impedance spectroscopy (REIS) system with multi-probes, including one central probe and six external probes that are designed to contact the breast skin in a circular form with a radius of 60 millimeters to the central ("nipple") probe, has been assembled and installed in our breast imaging facility. We are conducting a prospective clinical study to test the performance of this REIS system in identifying younger women (< 50 years old) at higher risk for having or developing breast cancer. In this preliminary analysis, we selected a subset of 100 examinations. Among these, 50 examinations were recommended for a biopsy due to detection of a highly suspicious breast lesion and 50 were determined negative during mammography screening. REIS output signal sweeps that we used to compute an initial feature included both amplitude and phase information representing differences between corresponding (matched) EIS signal values acquired from the left and right breasts. A genetic algorithm was applied to reduce the feature set and optimize a support vector machine (SVM) to classify the REIS examinations into "biopsy recommended" and "non-biopsy" recommended groups. Using the leave-one-case-out testing method, the classification performance as measured by the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.816 +/- 0.042. This pilot analysis suggests that the new multi-probe-based REIS system could potentially be used as a risk stratification tool to identify pre-screened young women who are at higher risk of having or developing breast cancer.

Role of Dentate Gyrus in Aligning Internal Spatial Map to External Landmark

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jong Won; Kim, Woon Ryoung; Sun, Woong; Jung, Min Whan

2009-01-01

Humans and animals form internal representations of external space based on their own body movement (dead reckoning) as well as external landmarks. It is poorly understood, however, how different types of information are integrated to form a unified representation of external space. To examine the role of dentate gyrus (DG) in this process, we…

Tissue dielectric constant (TDC) as an index of localized arm skin water: differences between measuring probes and genders.

PubMed

Mayrovitz, H N; Weingrad, D N; Brlit, F; Lopez, L B; Desfor, R

2015-03-01

An easily measured, non-invasive, quantitative estimate of local skin tissue water is useful to assess local lymphedema and its change. One method uses skin tissue dielectric constant (TDC) values that at 300 MHz TDC depend on free and bound water within the measurement volume. In practice such measurements have been done with a research-type multi-probe, but recently a hand-held compact-probe has become available that may be more clinically convenient. Because most available published data is based on multiprobe measurements it is important to characterize possible differences between devices that unless known might lead to ambiguous quantitative comparisons between TDC values. Thus, our purpose was to evaluate potential differences in measured TDC values between multi-probe and compact-probe devices with respect to probe effective sampling depth, anatomical site, and gender and also to compare compact-probe TDC values measured on women with and without breast cancer (BC). TDC was measured bilaterally on forearms and biceps of 32 male and 32 female volunteers and on 12 female patients awaiting surgery for breast cancer. Results show that 1) TDC values at 2.5 mm depth were significantly less than at 1.5 mm; 2) Female TDC values were significantly less than male values; 3) TDC values were not different between females with and without BC; and 4) dominant/non-dominant arm TDC ratios were not significantly different for any probe among genders or arm anatomical site. These findings indicate that probe type differences in absolute TDC values are present and should be taken into account when TDC values are compared. However, comparisons based on inter-arm TDC ratios are not statistically different among probes with respect to gender or anatomical location.

Sensitive detection of point mutation using exponential strand displacement amplification-based surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

PubMed

Huang, Si-Qiang; Hu, Juan; Zhu, Guichi; Zhang, Chun-Yang

2015-03-15

Accurate identification of point mutation is particularly imperative in the field of biomedical research and clinical diagnosis. Here, we develop a sensitive and specific method for point mutation assay using exponential strand displacement amplification (SDA)-based surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). In this method, a discriminating probe and a hairpin probe are designed to specifically recognize the sequence of human K-ras gene. In the presence of K-ras mutant target (C→T), the 3'-terminal of discriminating probe and the 5'-terminal of hairpin probe can be ligated to form a SDA template. Subsequently, the 3'-terminal of hairpin probe can function as a primer to initiate the SDA reaction, producing a large amount of triggers. The resultant triggers can further hybridize with the discriminating probes to initiate new rounds of SDA reaction, leading to an exponential amplification reaction. With the addition of capture probe-modified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and the Rox-labeled reporter probes, the amplified triggers can be assembled on the surface of AuNPs through the formation of sandwich hybrids of capture probe-trigger-reporter probe, generating a strong Raman signal. While in the presence of K-ras wild-type target (C), neither ligation nor SDA reaction can be initiated and no Raman signal is observed. The proposed method exhibits high sensitivity with a detection limit of 1.4pM and can accurately discriminate as low as 1% variant frequency from the mixture of mutant target and wild-type target. Importantly, this method can be further applied to analyze the mutant target in the spiked HEK293T cell lysate, holding great potential for genetic analysis and disease prognosis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of a Searchable Database of Cryoablation Simulations for Use in Treatment Planning.

PubMed

Boas, F Edward; Srimathveeravalli, Govindarajan; Durack, Jeremy C; Kaye, Elena A; Erinjeri, Joseph P; Ziv, Etay; Maybody, Majid; Yarmohammadi, Hooman; Solomon, Stephen B

2017-05-01

To create and validate a planning tool for multiple-probe cryoablation, using simulations of ice ball size and shape for various ablation probe configurations, ablation times, and types of tissue ablated. Ice ball size and shape was simulated using the Pennes bioheat equation. Five thousand six hundred and seventy different cryoablation procedures were simulated, using 1-6 cryoablation probes and 1-2 cm spacing between probes. The resulting ice ball was measured along three perpendicular axes and recorded in a database. Simulated ice ball sizes were compared to gel experiments (26 measurements) and clinical cryoablation cases (42 measurements). The clinical cryoablation measurements were obtained from a HIPAA-compliant retrospective review of kidney and liver cryoablation procedures between January 2015 and February 2016. Finally, we created a web-based cryoablation planning tool, which uses the cryoablation simulation database to look up the probe spacing and ablation time that produces the desired ice ball shape and dimensions. Average absolute error between the simulated and experimentally measured ice balls was 1 mm in gel experiments and 4 mm in clinical cryoablation cases. The simulations accurately predicted the degree of synergy in multiple-probe ablations. The cryoablation simulation database covers a wide range of ice ball sizes and shapes up to 9.8 cm. Cryoablation simulations accurately predict the ice ball size in multiple-probe ablations. The cryoablation database can be used to plan ablation procedures: given the desired ice ball size and shape, it will find the number and type of probes, probe configuration and spacing, and ablation time required.

Inversion layer on the Ge(001) surface from the four-probe conductance measurements

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wojtaszek, Mateusz; Lis, Jakub, E-mail: j.lis@uj.edu.pl; Zuzak, Rafal

2014-07-28

We report four-probe conductance measurements with sub-micron resolution on atomically clean Ge(001) surfaces. A qualitative difference between n-type and p-type crystals is observed. The scaling behavior of the resistance on n-type samples indicates two-dimensional current flow, while for the p-type crystal a three-dimensional description is appropriate. We interpret this in terms of the formation of an inversion layer at the surface. This result points to the surface states, i.e., dangling bonds, as the driving force behind band bending in germanium. It also explains the intrinsic character of band bending in germanium.

Hybrid external fixation in the treatment of tibial pilon fractures: A retrospective analysis of 162 fractures.

PubMed

Galante, Vito N; Vicenti, Giovanni; Corina, Gianfranco; Mori, Claudio; Abate, Antonella; Picca, Girolamo; Conserva, Vito; Speciale, Domenico; Scialpi, Lorenzo; Tartaglia, Nicola; Caiaffa, Vincenzo; Moretti, Biagio

2016-10-01

To determine the efficacy of hybrid external fixation in the treatment of tibial pilon fractures. Retrospective, multicentre study. Adult patients with tibial pilon fractures treated with hybrid external fixation. Fracture reduction with ligamentotaxis and fixation with XCaliber hybrid external fixator. Fracture union, complications, functional outcome (Mazur Ankle Score). Union was obtained in 159 fractures at an average of 125days; there were three delayed unions and three non-unions. The most frequent complication was superficial pin-track infections (48), all of which responded to local wound care and antibiotics. There were no deep infections and no DVT. Only one fracture had loss of reduction that required frame revision. The overall functional scores were 91 (excellent) for AO/OTA type A fractures, 89 (good) for type B fractures, and 75 (satisfactory) for type C fractures. Hybrid external fixation is an effective method of stabilising tibial pilon fractures, particularly those with marked comminution. The minimally-invasive technique and stable fixation enable early mobilisation, with good functional results and minimal complications. Level IV Case series. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effects of Neutrally Buoyant, Externally Attached Transmitters on Swimming Performance and Predator Avoidance of Juvenile Chinook Salmon

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Janak, Jill M.; Brown, Richard S.; Colotelo, Alison HA

2012-08-01

The presence of an externally attached telemetry tag is often associated with the potential for impaired swimming performance (i.e., snags and drag) as well as increased susceptibility to predation, specifically for smaller fish. The effects on swimming performance due to the presence of a neutrally buoyant externally attached acoustic transmitter were examined by comparing critical swimming speeds (Ucrit) for juvenile Chinook salmon tagged with two different neutrally buoyant external transmitters (Type A and B), nontagged individuals, and those surgically implanted with the current JSATS acoustic transmitter. Fish tagged with the Type A and B designs had lower Ucrit when comparedmore » to nontagged individuals. However, there was no difference in Ucrit among fish tagged with Type A or B designs compared to those with surgically implanted tags. Further testing was then conducted to determine if predator avoidance ability was affected due to the presence of Type A tags when compared to nontagged fish. No difference was detected in the number of tagged and nontagged fish consumed by rainbow trout throughout the predation trials. The results of this study support the further testing on the efficacy of a neutrally buoyant externally attached telemetry tag for survival studies involving juvenile salmonids passing through hydro turbines.« less

A piezo-bar pressure probe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Friend, W. H.; Murphy, C. L.; Shanfield, I.

1967-01-01

Piezo-bar pressure type probe measures the impact velocity or pressure of a moving debris cloud. It measures pressures up to 200,000 psi and peak pressures may be recorded with a total pulse duration between 5 and 65 musec.

Recovery and radiation corrections and time constants of several sizes of shielded and unshielded thermocouple probes for measuring gas temperature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glawe, G. E.; Holanda, R.; Krause, L. N.

1978-01-01

Performance characteristics were experimentally determined for several sizes of a shielded and unshielded thermocouple probe design. The probes are of swaged construction and were made of type K wire with a stainless steel sheath and shield and MgO insulation. The wire sizes ranged from 0.03- to 1.02-mm diameter for the unshielded design and from 0.16- to 0.81-mm diameter for the shielded design. The probes were tested through a Mach number range of 0.2 to 0.9, through a temperature range of room ambient to 1420 K, and through a total-pressure range of 0.03 to 0.2.2 MPa (0.3 to 22 atm). Tables and graphs are presented to aid in selecting a particular type and size. Recovery corrections, radiation corrections, and time constants were determined.

Validation of ALK/ROS1 Dual Break Apart FISH Probe probe in non-small-cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Lim, Sun Min; Chang, Hyun; Cha, Yoon Jin; Liang, Shile; Tai, Yan Chin; Li, Gu; Pestova, Ekaterina; Policht, Frank; Perez, Thomas; Soo, Ross A; Park, Won Young; Kim, Hye Ryun; Shim, Hyo Sup; Cho, Byoung Chul

2017-09-01

ALK and ROS1 gene rearrangements are distinct molecular subsets of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and they are strong predictive biomarkers of response to ALK/ROS1 inhibitors, such as crizotinib. Thus, it is clinically important to develop an effective screening strategy to detect patients who will benefit from such treatment. In this study, we aimed to validate analytical performance of Vysis ALK/ROS1 Dual Break Apart Probe Kit (RUO) in NSCLC. Study population composed of three patient cohorts with histologically confirmed lung adenocarcinoma (patients with ALK rearrangement, patients with ROS1 rearrangement and patients with wild-type ALK and ROS1). Specimens consisted of 12 ALK-positive, 8 ROS1-positive and 21 ALK/ROS1-wild type formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples obtained from surgical resection or excisional biopsy. ALK rearrangement was previously assessed by Vysis ALK Break Apart FISH Probe Kit (Abbott Molecular, Abbot Park, IL, USA) and ROS1 rearrangement was previously assessed by ZytoLight ® SPEC ROS1 Break Apart Probe (ZytoVision, GmbH). All specimens were re-evaluated by Vysis ALK/ROS1 Dual Break Apart Probe Kit. FISH images were scanned on BioView AllegroPlus system and interpreted via BioView SoloWeb remotely. For a total of 41 patient samples, the concordance of the results by Vysis ALK/ROS1 Dual Break Apart Probe Kit was evaluated and compared to the known ALK and ROS1 rearrangement status of the specimen. Of the 12 ALK-positive cases, hybridization with Vysis ALK/ROS1 Dual Break Apart Probe Kit was successful in 10 cases (success rate 10/12, 83%) and of these 10 cases, all showed ALK rearrangement (100% concordance with the results of Vysis ALK Break Apart FISH Probe Kit). Two of the ALK+ cases were excluded due to weak ROS1 signals that could not be enumerated. Of the 8 ROS1-positive cases, 6 cases were successfully evaluated using Vysis ALK/ROS1 Dual Break Apart Probe Kit. The success rate was 75% (6/8), and of these 6 cases, all showed ROS1 rearrangement, giving a 100% concordance with ZytoLight ® SPEC ROS1 Break Apart Probe. Two of the cases were excluded due to weak ROS1 gold signal or high background. In the cohort of 21 wild-type cases, the success rate using Vysis ALK/ROS1 Dual Break Apart FISH Probe Kit was 85% (18/21) and the concordance with ALK and ROS1 probe kit was 100% (18/18). Vysis ALK/ROS1 Dual Break Apart Probe Kit (RUO) can detect ALK and ROS1 rearrangement simultaneously in NSCLC. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dynamical responses to external stimuli for both cases of excitatory and inhibitory synchronization in a complex neuronal network.

PubMed

Kim, Sang-Yoon; Lim, Woochang

2017-10-01

For studying how dynamical responses to external stimuli depend on the synaptic-coupling type, we consider two types of excitatory and inhibitory synchronization (i.e., synchronization via synaptic excitation and inhibition) in complex small-world networks of excitatory regular spiking (RS) pyramidal neurons and inhibitory fast spiking (FS) interneurons. For both cases of excitatory and inhibitory synchronization, effects of synaptic couplings on dynamical responses to external time-periodic stimuli S ( t ) (applied to a fraction of neurons) are investigated by varying the driving amplitude A of S ( t ). Stimulated neurons are phase-locked to external stimuli for both cases of excitatory and inhibitory couplings. On the other hand, the stimulation effect on non-stimulated neurons depends on the type of synaptic coupling. The external stimulus S ( t ) makes a constructive effect on excitatory non-stimulated RS neurons (i.e., it causes external phase lockings in the non-stimulated sub-population), while S ( t ) makes a destructive effect on inhibitory non-stimulated FS interneurons (i.e., it breaks up original inhibitory synchronization in the non-stimulated sub-population). As results of these different effects of S ( t ), the type and degree of dynamical response (e.g., synchronization enhancement or suppression), characterized by the dynamical response factor [Formula: see text] (given by the ratio of synchronization degree in the presence and absence of stimulus), are found to vary in a distinctly different way, depending on the synaptic-coupling type. Furthermore, we also measure the matching degree between the dynamics of the two sub-populations of stimulated and non-stimulated neurons in terms of a "cross-correlation" measure [Formula: see text]. With increasing A , based on [Formula: see text], we discuss the cross-correlations between the two sub-populations, affecting the dynamical responses to S ( t ).

Development of external and neutrally buoyant acoustic transmitters for turbine passage evaluation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deng, Zhiqun; Brown, Richard S.; Carlson, Thomas J.

Recent studies show transmitters surgically implanted into juvenile salmonids, for the purposes of estimating survival of fish passing through turbines, increases the risk of injury and mortality due to the presence of the tag and exposure to rapid turbine pressure changes. Neutrally buoyant external tags may instead be used to eliminate this bias. However, the externally tagged fish could be affected by other factors such as shear and turbulence which may also bias survival estimates. Studies have been conducted to examine the influence of shear and turbulence on non-tagged juvenile salmonids, however, tests have never been conducted in the laboratorymore » or field to determine the influence of shear and turbulence on retention and injury related to attachment of external transmitters. We designed and manufactured two different configurations of neutrally buoyant (nearly zero g weight in water) external transmitters: Type A and Type B. The Type A transmitters weigh approximately 0.60 g in air and are attached to fish using two sutures anterior to the dorsal fin. The Type B transmitters weigh approximately 0.83 g in air and consist of battery part and transducer part with both parts neutrally buoyant. They are attached to both sides of the dorsal fin using two enamel coated 25 gauge magnet wires. This study provides a broad approach using evaluation measures such as holding, swimming performance, shear, turbulence, rapid decompression exposures, and predation to determine the efficacy of using neutrally buoyant external transmitters to estimate survival of juvenile salmonids passing through turbines. Preliminary results show the Type A design is a viable design for turbine passage evaluation and is being planned for field deployment in the near future.« less

Recent Advances in the Design of Electro-Optic Sensors for Minimally Destructive Microwave Field Probing

PubMed Central

Lee, Dong-Joon; Kang, No-Weon; Choi, Jun-Ho; Kim, Junyeon; Whitaker, John F.

2011-01-01

In this paper we review recent design methodologies for fully dielectric electro-optic sensors that have applications in non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of devices and materials that radiate, guide, or otherwise may be impacted by microwave fields. In many practical NDE situations, fiber-coupled-sensor configurations are preferred due to their advantages over free-space bulk sensors in terms of optical alignment, spatial resolution, and especially, a low degree of field invasiveness. We propose and review five distinct types of fiber-coupled electro-optic sensor probes. The design guidelines for each probe type and their performances in absolute electric-field measurements are compared and summarized. PMID:22346604

Wave optics-based LEO-LEO radio occultation retrieval

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benzon, Hans-Henrik; Høeg, Per

2016-06-01

This paper describes the theory for performing retrieval of radio occultations that use probing frequencies in the XK and KM band. Normally, radio occultations use frequencies in the L band, and GPS satellites are used as the transmitting source, and the occultation signals are received by a GPS receiver on board a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite. The technique is based on the Doppler shift imposed, by the atmosphere, on the signal emitted from the GPS satellite. Two LEO satellites are assumed in the occultations discussed in this paper, and the retrieval is also dependent on the decrease in the signal amplitude caused by atmospheric absorption. The radio wave transmitter is placed on one of these satellites, while the receiver is placed on the other LEO satellite. One of the drawbacks of normal GPS-based radio occultations is that external information is needed to calculate some of the atmospheric products such as the correct water vapor content in the atmosphere. These limitations can be overcome when a proper selected range of high-frequency waves are used to probe the atmosphere. Probing frequencies close to the absorption line of water vapor have been included, thus allowing the retrieval of the water vapor content. Selecting the correct probing frequencies would make it possible to retrieve other information such as the content of ozone. The retrieval is performed through a number of processing steps which are based on the Full Spectrum Inversion (FSI) technique. The retrieval chain is therefore a wave optics-based retrieval chain, and it is therefore possible to process measurements that include multipath. In this paper simulated LEO to LEO radio occultations based on five different frequencies are used. The five frequencies are placed in the XK or KM frequency band. This new wave optics-based retrieval chain is used on a number of examples, and the retrieved atmospheric parameters are compared to the parameters from a global European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts analysis model. This model is used in a forward propagator that simulates the electromagnetic field amplitudes and phases at the receiver on board the LEO satellite. LEO-LEO cross-link radio occultations using high frequencies are a relatively new technique, and the possibilities and advantages of the technique still need to be investigated. The retrieval of this type of radio occultations is considerably more complicated than standard GPS to LEO radio occultations, because the attenuation of the probing radio waves is used in the retrieval and the atmospheric parameters are found using a least squares solver. The best algorithms and the number of probing frequencies that is economically viable must also be determined. This paper intends to answer some of these questions using end-to-end simulations.

Time Domain X-ray Astronomy with "All-Sky" Focusing Telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorenstein, Paul

2016-04-01

The largest and most diverse types of temporal variations in all of astronomy occur in the soft, i.e. 0.5 to 10 keV, X-ray band. They range from millisecond QPO’s in compact binaries to year long flares from AGNs due to the absorption of a star by a SMBH, and the appearance of transient sources at decadal intervals. Models predict that at least some gravitational waves will be accompanied by an X-ray flare. A typical GRB produces more photons/sq. cm. in the soft band than it does in the Swift BAT 15 to 150 keV band. In addition the GRB X-ray fluence and knowledge of the details of the onset of the X-ray afterglow is obtained by observing the seamless transition from the active burst phase that has been attributed to internal shocks to the afterglow phases that has been attributed to external shocks. Detecting orphan X-ray afterglows will augment the event rate. With high sensitivity detectors some GRB identifications are likely to be with the youngest, most distant galaxies in the universe. Previous all-sky X-ray monitors have been non focusing limited field of view scanning instruments. An “All-Sky” (actually several ster FOV), focusing lobster-eye X-ray telescope will have much more grasp than the previous instruments and will allow a wide range of topics to be studied simultaneously. Two types of lobster-eye telescopes have been proposed. One type focuses in one dimension and uses a coded mask for resolution in the second. The other type focuses in two dimensions but has less effective area and less bandwidth. Both types are compatible with a Probe mission.

Effect of upper costal and costo-diaphragmatic breathing types on electromyographic activity of respiratory muscles.

PubMed

Celhay, Isabel; Cordova, Rosa; Miralles, Rodolfo; Meza, Francisco; Erices, Pia; Barrientos, Camilo; Valenzuela, Saúl

2015-04-01

To compare electromyographic (EMG) activity in young-adult subjects with different breathing types. This study included 50 healthy male subjects with complete natural dentition, and no history of orofacial pain or craniomandibular-cervical-spinal disorders. Subjects were classified into two groups: upper costal breathing type, and costo-diaphragmatic breathing. Bipolar surface electrodes were located on sternocleidomastoid, diaphragm, external intercostal, and latissimus dorsi muscles. Electromyographic activity was recorded during the following tasks: (1) normal quiet breathing; (2) speaking the word 'Mississippi'; (3) swallowing saliva; and (4) forced deep breathing. Sternocleidomastoid and latissimus dorsi EMG activity was not significantly different between breathing types, whereas diaphragm and external intercostal EMG activity was significantly higher in the upper costal than costo-diaphragmatic breathing type in all tasks (P<0·05; Wilcoxon signed rank-sum test). Diaphragm and external intercostal EMG activity suggests that there could be differences in motor unit recruitment strategies depending on the breathing type.

Equilibrium time correlation functions and the dynamics of fluctuations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Luban, Marshall; Luscombe, James H.

1999-12-01

Equilibrium time correlation functions are of great importance because they probe the equilibrium dynamical response to external perturbations. We discuss the properties of time correlation functions for several systems that are simple enough to illustrate the calculational steps involved. The discussion underscores the need for avoiding language which misleadingly suggests that thermal equilibrium is associated with a quiescent or moribund state of the system. (c) 1999 American Association of Physics Teachers.

Net Thermal Radiation in the Atmosphere of Venus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Revercomb, H. E.; Sromovsky, L. A.; Suomi, V. E.; Boese, R. W.

1985-01-01

The four entry probes of the Pioneer Venus mission measured the radiative net flux in the atmosphere of Venus at latitudes of 60 deg. N, 31 deg. S, 27 deg. S, and 4 deg. N. The three higher latitude probes carried instruments (small probe net flux radiometers; SNFR) with external sensors. The measured SNFR net fluxes are too large below the clouds, but an error source and correction scheme have been found (H. E. Revercomb, L. A. Sromovsky, and V. E. Suomi, 1982, Icarus 52, 279-300). The near-equatorial probe carried an infrared radiometer (LIR) which viewed the atmosphere through a window in the probe. The LIR measurements are reasonable in the clouds, but increase to physically unreasonable levels shortly below the clouds. The probable error source and a correction procedure are identified. Three main conclusions can be drawn from comparisons of the four corrected flux profiles with radiative transfer calculations: (1) thermal net fluxes for the sounder probe do not require a reduction in the Mode 3 number density as has been suggested by O.B. Toon, B. Ragent, D. Colburn, J. Blamont, and C. Cot (1964. Icarus 37, 143-160), but the probe measurements as a whole are most consistent with a significantly reduced mode 3 contribution to the cloud opacity; (2) at all probe sites, the fluxes imply that the upper cloud contains a yet undetected source of IR opacity; and (3) beneath the clouds the fluxes at a given altitude increase with latitude, suggesting greater IR cooling below the clouds a( high latitudes and water vapor mixing ratios of about 2-5 x 10(exp -5) near 6 deg., 2-5 x 10(exp -11) near 30 deg., and less than 5 x 10(exp -4 ) near the equator. The suggested latitudinal variation of IR cooling is consistent with descending motions at high latitudes, and it is speculated that it could provide an important additional drive for the general circulation.

Electric field tuned MoS2/metal interface for hydrogen evolution catalyst from first-principles investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ling, F. L.; Zhou, T. W.; Liu, X. Q.; Kang, W.; Zeng, W.; Zhang, Y. X.; Fang, L.; Lu, Y.; Zhou, M.

2018-01-01

Understanding the interfacial properties of catalyst/substrate is crucial for the design of high-performance catalyst for important chemical reactions. Recent years have witnessed a surge of research in utilizing MoS2 as a promising electro-catalyst for hydrogen production, and field effect has been employed to enhance the activity (Wang et al 2017 Adv. Mater. 29, 1604464; Yan et al 2017 Nano Lett. 17, 4109-15). However, the underlying atomic mechanism remains unclear. In this paper, by using the prototype MoS2/Au system as a probe, we investigate effects of external electric field on the interfacial electronic structures via density functional theory (DFT) based first-principles calculations. Our results reveal that although there is no covalent interaction between MoS2 overlayer and Au substrate, an applied electric field efficiently adjusts the charge transfer between MoS2 and Au, leading to tunable Schottky barrier type (n-type to p-type) and decrease of barrier height to facilitate charge injection. Furthermore, we predict that the adsorption energy of atomic hydrogen on MoS2/Au to be readily controlled by electric field to a broad range within a modest magnitude of field, which may benefit the performance enhancement of hydrogen evolution reaction. Our DFT results provide valuable insight into the experimental observations and pave the way for future understanding and control of catalysts in practice, such as those with vacancies, defects, edge states or synthesized nanostructures.

Restriction fragment length polymorphism of the major histocompatibility complex of the dog.

PubMed

Sarmiento, U M; Storb, R F

1988-01-01

Human major histocompatibility complex (HLA) cDNA probes were used to analyze the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of the DLA-D region in dogs. Genomic DNA from peripheral blood leucocytes of 23 unrelated DLA-D-homozygous dogs representing nine DLA-D types (defined by mixed leucocyte reaction) was digested with restriction enzymes (Bam HI, Eco RI, Hind III, Pvu II, Taq I, Rsa I, Msp I, Pst I, and Bgl II), separated by agarose gel electrophoresis, and transferred onto Biotrace membrane. The Southern blots were successively hybridized with radiolabeled HLA cDNA probes corresponding to DR, DQ, DP, and DO beta genes. The autoradiograms for all nine enzyme digests displayed multiple bands with the DRb, DQb, and DPb probes while the DOb probe hybridized with one to two bands. The RFLP patterns were highly polymorphic but consistent within each DLA-D type. Standard RFLP patterns were established for nine DLA-D types which could be discriminated from each other by using two enzymes (Rsa I and Pst I) and the HLA-DPb probe. Cluster analysis of the polymorphic restriction fragments detected by the DRb probe revealed four closely related supertypic groups or DLA-DR families: Dw3 + Dw4 + D1, Dw8 + D10, D7 + D16 + D9, and Dw1. This study provides the basis for DLA-D genotyping at a population level by RFLP analysis. These results also suggest that the genetic organization of the DLA-D region may closely resemble that of the HLA complex.

Pulsed Eddy Current Probe Design Based on Transient Circuit Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cadeau, Trevor J.; Krause, Thomas W.

2009-03-01

Probe design parameters affecting depth of penetration of pulsed eddy currents in multi-layer aluminum 2024-T3 were examined. Several probe designs were evaluated for their ability to detect a discontinuity at the bottom of a stack of aluminum plates. The reflection type probes, consisting of pick-up coil and encircling drive coil, were characterized based on their transient response to a square pulse excitation. Probes with longer fundamental time constants, equivalent to a lower driving frequency, generated greater depth of penetration. However, additional factors such as inductive and resistive load, and excessive coil heating were also factors that limited signal-to-noise response with increasing layer thickness.

A beam current density monitor for intense electron beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiorito, R. B.; Raleigh, M.; Seltzer, S. M.

1983-12-01

The authors describe a new type of electric probe for mapping the radial current density profile of high-energy, high current electron beams. The idea of developing an electrically sensitive probe for these conditions was originally suggested to one of the authors during a year's visit to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The resulting probe is intended for use on the Experimental Test Accelerator (ETA) and the Advanced Test Accelerator at that laboratory. This report discusses in detail: the mechanical design, the electrical response, and temperature effects, as they pertain to the electric probe, and describe the first experimental results obtained using this probe on ETA.

Engineering of bacterial phytochromes for in vivo imaging (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verkhusha, Vladislav; Shcherbakova, Daria M.; Kaberniuk, Andrii A.; Baloban, Mikhail

2017-03-01

Genetically encoded probes with absorbance and fluorescence spectra within a near-infrared tissue transparency window are preferable for deep-tissue imaging. On the basis of bacterial phytochromes we engineered several types of near-infrared absorbing probes for photoacoustic tomography and fluorescent probes for purely optical imaging. They can be used as protein and cell labels and as building blocks for biosensors. The probes enabled imaging of tumors and metastases, protein-protein interactions, RNA visualization, detection of apoptosis, cellular metabolites, signaling pathways and cell proliferation. The developed probes allow non-invasive visualization of biological processes across scales, from super-resolution microscopy to tissue and whole-body animal imaging.

A Tandemly Arranged Pattern of Two 5S rDNA Arrays in Amolops mantzorum (Anura, Ranidae).

PubMed

Liu, Ting; Song, Menghuan; Xia, Yun; Zeng, Xiaomao

2017-01-01

In an attempt to extend the knowledge of the 5S rDNA organization in anurans, the 5S rDNA sequences of Amolops mantzorum were isolated, characterized, and mapped by FISH. Two forms of 5S rDNA, type I (209 bp) and type II (about 870 bp), were found in specimens investigated from various populations. Both of them contained a 118-bp coding sequence, readily differentiated by their non-transcribed spacer (NTS) sizes and compositions. Four probes (the 5S rDNA coding sequences, the type I NTS, the type II NTS, and the entire type II 5S rDNA sequences) were respectively labeled with TAMRA or digoxigenin to hybridize with mitotic chromosomes for samples of all localities. It turned out that all probes showed the same signals that appeared in every centromeric region and in the telomeric regions of chromosome 5, without differences within or between populations. Obviously, both type I and type II of the 5S rDNA arrays arranged in tandem, which was contrasting with other frogs or fishes recorded to date. More interestingly, all the probes detected centromeric regions in all karyotypes, suggesting the presence of a satellite DNA family derived from 5S rDNA. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Designing probe from E6 genome region of human Papillomavirus 16 for sensing applications.

PubMed

Parmin, Nor Azizah; Hashim, Uda; Gopinath, Subash C B

2018-02-01

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a standout amongst the most commonly reported over 100 types, among them genotypes 16, 18, 31 and 45 are the high-risk HPV. Herein, we designed the oligonucleotide probe for the detection of predominant HPV type 16 for the sensing applications. Conserved amino acid sequences within E6 region of the open reading frame in the HPV genome was used as the basis to design oligonucleotide probe to detect cervical cancer. Analyses of E6 amino acid sequences from the high-risk HPVs were done to check the percentage of similarity and consensus regions that cause different cancers, including cervical cancer. Basic local alignment search tools (BLAST) have given extra statistical parameters, for example, desire values (E-values) and score bits. The probe, 'GGG GTC GGT GGA CCG GTC GAT GTA' was designed with 66.7% GC content. This oligonucleotide probe is designed with the length of 24 mer, GC percent is between 40 and 70, and the melting point (Tm) is above 50°C. The probe needed an acceptable length between 22 and 31 mer. The choice of region is identified here can be used as a probe, has implications for HPV detection techniques in biosensor especially for clinical determination of cervical cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

To bind or not to bind, that's the wrong question: Features and objects coexist in visual short-term memory.

PubMed

Geigerman, Shriradha; Verhaeghen, Paul; Cerella, John

2016-06-01

In three experiments, we investigated whether features and whole-objects can be represented simultaneously in visual short-term memory (VSTM). Participants were presented with a memory set of colored shapes; we probed either for the constituent features or for the whole object, and analyzed retrieval dynamics (cumulative response time distributions). In our first experiment, we used whole-object probes that recombined features from the memory display; we found that subjects' data conformed to a kitchen-line model, showing that they used whole-object representations for the matching process. In the second experiment, we encouraged independent-feature representations by using probes that used features not present in the memory display; subjects' data conformed to the race-model inequality, showing that they used independent-feature representations for the matching process. In a final experiment, we used both types of probes; subjects now used both types of representations, depending on the nature of the probe. Combined, our three experiments suggest that both feature and whole-object representations can coexist in VSTM. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Immobilization of human papillomavirus DNA probe for surface plasmon resonance imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chong, Xinyuan; Ji, Yanhong; Ma, Suihua; Liu, Le; Liu, Zhiyi; Li, Yao; He, Yonghong; Guo, Jihua

2009-08-01

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a kind of double-stranded DNA virus whose subspecies have diversity. Near 40 kinds of subspecies can invade reproductive organ and cause some high risk disease, such as cervical carcinoma. In order to detect the type of the subspecies of the HPV DNA, we used the parallel scan spectral surface plasmon resonance (SPR) imaging technique, which is a novel type of two- dimensional bio-sensing method based on surface plasmon resonance and is proposed in our previous work, to study the immobilization of the HPV DNA probes on the gold film. In the experiment, four kinds of the subspecies of the HPV DNA (HPV16, HPV18, HPV31, HPV58) probes are fixed on one gold film, and incubate in the constant temperature condition to get a HPV DNA probe microarray. We use the parallel scan spectral SPR imaging system to detect the reflective indices of the HPV DNA subspecies probes. The benefits of this new approach are high sensitive, label-free, strong specificity and high through-put.

Cobra Probes Containing Replaceable Thermocouples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, John; Redding, Adam

2007-01-01

A modification of the basic design of cobra probes provides for relatively easy replacement of broken thermocouples. Cobra probes are standard tube-type pressure probes that may also contain thermocouples and that are routinely used in wind tunnels and aeronautical hardware. They are so named because in side views, they resemble a cobra poised to attack. Heretofore, there has been no easy way to replace a broken thermocouple in a cobra probe: instead, it has been necessary to break the probe apart and then rebuild it, typically at a cost between $2,000 and $4,000 (2004 prices). The modified design makes it possible to replace the thermocouple, in minimal time and at relatively low cost, by inserting new thermocouple wire in a tube.

Scattering of accelerated wave packets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longhi, S.; Horsley, S. A. R.; Della Valle, G.

2018-03-01

Wave-packet scattering from a stationary potential is significantly modified when the wave packet is subject to an external time-dependent force during the interaction. In the semiclassical limit, wave-packet motion is simply described by Newtonian equations, and the external force can, for example, cancel the potential force, making a potential barrier transparent. Here we consider wave-packet scattering from reflectionless potentials, where in general the potential becomes reflective when probed by an accelerated wave packet. In the particular case of the recently introduced class of complex Kramers-Kronig potentials we show that a broad class of time-dependent forces can be applied without inducing any scattering, while there is a breakdown of the reflectionless property when there is a broadband distribution of initial particle momentum, involving both positive and negative components.

Controlled modulation of hard and soft X-ray induced tunneling currents utilizing coaxial metal-insulator-metal probe tips

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cummings, Marvin; Shirato, Nozomi; Kersell, Heath

Here, the effect of a local external electric field on the barrier potential of a tunneling gap is studied utilizing an emerging technique, synchrotron x-ray scanning tunneling microscopy. Here, we demonstrate that the shape of the potential barrier in the tunneling gap can be altered by a localized external electric field, generated by voltages placed on the metallic outer shield of a nanofabricated coaxial metal-insulator-metal tip, resulting in a controlled linear modulation of the tunneling current. Experiments at hard and soft x-ray synchrotron beamlines reveal that both the chemical contrast and magnetic contrast signals measured by the tip can bemore » drastically enhanced, resulting in improved local detection of chemistry and magnetization at the surface.« less

Controlled modulation of hard and soft X-ray induced tunneling currents utilizing coaxial metal-insulator-metal probe tips

DOE PAGES

Cummings, Marvin; Shirato, Nozomi; Kersell, Heath; ...

2017-01-05

Here, the effect of a local external electric field on the barrier potential of a tunneling gap is studied utilizing an emerging technique, synchrotron x-ray scanning tunneling microscopy. Here, we demonstrate that the shape of the potential barrier in the tunneling gap can be altered by a localized external electric field, generated by voltages placed on the metallic outer shield of a nanofabricated coaxial metal-insulator-metal tip, resulting in a controlled linear modulation of the tunneling current. Experiments at hard and soft x-ray synchrotron beamlines reveal that both the chemical contrast and magnetic contrast signals measured by the tip can bemore » drastically enhanced, resulting in improved local detection of chemistry and magnetization at the surface.« less

Multi-Probe SPM using Interference Patterns for a Parallel Nano Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koyama, Hirotaka; Oohira, Fumikazu; Hosogi, Maho; Hashiguchi, Gen

This paper proposes a new composition of the multi-probe using optical interference patterns for a parallel nano imaging in a large area scanning. We achieved large-scale integration with 50,000 probes fabricated with MEMS technology, and measured the optical interference patterns with CCD, which was difficult in a conventional single scanning probe. In this research, the multi-probes are made of Si3N4 by MEMS process, and, the multi-probes are joined with a Pyrex glass by an anodic bonding. We designed, fabricated, and evaluated the characteristics of the probe. In addition, we changed the probe shape to decrease the warpage of the Si3N4 probe. We used the supercritical drying to avoid stiction of the Si3N4 probe with the glass surface and fabricated 4 types of the probe shapes without stiction. We took some interference patterns by CCD and measured the position of them. We calculate the probe height using the interference displacement and compared the result with the theoretical deflection curve. As a result, these interference patterns matched the theoretical deflection curve. We found that this multi-probe chip using interference patterns is effective in measurement for a parallel nano imaging.

Laser-heated emissive plasma probe.

PubMed

Schrittwieser, Roman; Ionita, Codrina; Balan, Petru; Gstrein, Ramona; Grulke, Olaf; Windisch, Thomas; Brandt, Christian; Klinger, Thomas; Madani, Ramin; Amarandei, George; Sarma, Arun K

2008-08-01

Emissive probes are standard tools in laboratory plasmas for the direct determination of the plasma potential. Usually they consist of a loop of refractory wire heated by an electric current until sufficient electron emission. Recently emissive probes were used also for measuring the radial fluctuation-induced particle flux and other essential parameters of edge turbulence in magnetized toroidal hot plasmas [R. Schrittwieser et al., Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 50, 055004 (2008)]. We have developed and investigated various types of emissive probes, which were heated by a focused infrared laser beam. Such a probe has several advantages: higher probe temperature without evaporation or melting and thus higher emissivity and longer lifetime, no deformation of the probe in a magnetic field, no potential drop along the probe wire, and faster time response. The probes are heated by an infrared diode laser with 808 nm wavelength and an output power up to 50 W. One probe was mounted together with the lens system on a radially movable probe shaft, and radial profiles of the plasma potential and of its oscillations were measured in a linear helicon discharge.

Implementation of Leak Test Methods for the International Space Station (ISS) Elements, Systems and Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Underwood, Steve; Lvovsky, Oleg

2007-01-01

The International Space Station (ISS has Qualification and Acceptance Environmental Test Requirements document, SSP 41172 that includes many environmental tests such as Thermal vacuum & Cycling, Depress/Repress, Sinusoidal, Random, and Acoustic Vibration, Pyro Shock, Acceleration, Humidity, Pressure, Electromatic Interference (EMI)/Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMCO), etc. This document also includes (13) leak test methods for Pressure Integrity Verification of the ISS Elements, Systems, and Components. These leak test methods are well known, however, the test procedure for specific leak test method shall be written and implemented paying attention to the important procedural steps/details that, if omitted or deviated, could impact the quality of the final product and affect the crew safety. Such procedural steps/details for different methods include, but not limited to: - Sequence of testing, f or example, pressurization and submersion steps for Method I (Immersion); - Stabilization of the mass spectrometer leak detector outputs fo r Method II (vacuum Chamber or Bell jar); - Proper data processing an d taking a conservative approach while making predictions for on-orbit leakage rate for Method III(Pressure Change); - Proper Calibration o f the mass spectrometer leak detector for all the tracer gas (mostly Helium) Methods such as Method V (Detector Probe), Method VI (Hood), Method VII (Tracer Probe), Method VIII(Accumulation); - Usage of visibl ility aides for Method I (Immersion), Method IV (Chemical Indicator), Method XII (Foam/Liquid Application), and Method XIII (Hydrostatic/Visual Inspection); While some methods could be used for the total leaka ge (either internal-to-external or external-to-internal) rate requirement verification (Vacuum Chamber, Pressure Decay, Hood, Accumulation), other methods shall be used only as a pass/fail test for individual joints (e.g., welds, fittings, and plugs) or for troubleshooting purposes (Chemical Indicator, Detector Probe, Tracer Probe, Local Vacuum Chamber, Foam/Liquid Application, and Hydrostatic/Visual Inspection). Any isolation of SSP 41172 requirements have led to either retesting of hardware or accepting a risk associated with the potential system or component pressure integrity problem during flight.

beta- and gamma-Comparative dose estimates on Enewetak Atoll.

PubMed

Crase, K W; Gudiksen, P H; Robison, W L

1982-05-01

Enewetak Atoll is one of the Pacific atolls used for atmospheric testing of U.S. nuclear weapons. Beta dose and gamma-ray exposure measurements were made on two islands of the Enewetak Atoll during July-August 1976 to determine the beta and low energy gamma-contribution to the total external radiation doses to the returning Marshallese. Measurements were made at numerous locations with thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD), pressurized ionization chambers, portable NaI detectors, and thin-window pancake GM probes. Results of the TLD measurements with and without a beta-attenuator indicate that approx. 29% of the total dose rate at 1 m in air is due to beta- or low energy gamma-contribution. The contribution at any particular site, however, is somewhat dependent on ground cover, since a minimal amount of vegetation will reduce it significantly from that over bare soil, but thick stands of vegetation have little effect on any further reductions. Integral 30-yr external shallow dose estimates for future inhabitants were made and compared with external dose estimates of a previous large scale radiological survey (En73). Integral 30-yr shallow external dose estimates are 25-50% higher than whole body estimates. Due to the low penetrating ability of the beta's or low energy gamma's, however, several remedial actions can be taken to reduce the shallow dose contribution to the total external dose.

Design and Evaluation of a Fiber Optic Probe as a means of Subsurface Planetary Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pilgrim, Robert Paul

The Optical Probe for Regolith Analysis (OPRA) is an instrumentation concept designed to provide spectroscopic analysis of the near subsurface of unconsolidated regolith on bodies such as moons, asteroids and planets. Below a chemically altered surface may lay the geological history in the form of stratigraphy that is shielded from degradation due to harsh external environments. Most of what we know about our solar system comes from remote platforms, such as satellites that are deployed into orbit around the target body. In the case of Mars, we have had several successful landers and rovers however, with the exception of the Mars Science Laboratory that just drilled its first hole, the complexity of subsurface excavation has limited the extent of subsurface exploration to simple scoops deployed on the ends of robotic arms which, by their very nature, will erase any stratigraphy that it may be digging into. The OPRA instrumentation concept allows for an integrated, lightweight and simple apparatus for subsurface exploration via a small, spike like structure which contains integrated optical fibers coupled to small windows running down the length of the probe. Each window is connected to a spectrometer housed onboard the deploying spacecraft. Each window is separately interrogated via the spectrometer over the wavelength range 1-2.5 nm to produce a spectroscopic profile as a function of depth. This project takes the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of the OPRA instrumentation concept to level 3, which is defined by NASA to be the demonstration either analytically or experimentally of the proof of concept for critical functions of the proposed instrument. Firstly, to demonstrate that optical fibers are feasible for this type of application, we report on the techniques used by NASA to space qualify optical fibers. We investigate the optical performance of several fiber optic bundle configurations, both experimentally and numerically, to help optimize bundle performance. Optical bundles were then spectrally validated via a series of spectral comparisons between standardized reflectance spectroscopy targets and spectra obtained with the bundles. We also report on the integration of fiber optical bundles into other research and experimental results from several other groups within our research teams to obtain spectra under a more "space like" environment. Finally, the probe housing structural performance was investigated via finite element analysis, using probe penetration forces derived from data analysis of experimentation conducted by the Apollo lunar missions, and investigations into a mechanical analogue for the Martian regolith.

Scanning transmission X-ray microscopy probe for in situ mechanism study of graphene-oxide-based resistive random access memory.

PubMed

Nho, Hyun Woo; Kim, Jong Yun; Wang, Jian; Shin, Hyun-Joon; Choi, Sung-Yool; Yoon, Tae Hyun

2014-01-01

Here, an in situ probe for scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) has been developed and applied to the study of the bipolar resistive switching (BRS) mechanism in an Al/graphene oxide (GO)/Al resistive random access memory (RRAM) device. To perform in situ STXM studies at the C K- and O K-edges, both the RRAM junctions and the I0 junction were fabricated on a single Si3N4 membrane to obtain local XANES spectra at these absorption edges with more delicate I0 normalization. Using this probe combined with the synchrotron-based STXM technique, it was possible to observe unique chemical changes involved in the BRS process of the Al/GO/Al RRAM device. Reversible oxidation and reduction of GO induced by the externally applied bias voltages were observed at the O K-edge XANES feature located at 538.2 eV, which strongly supported the oxygen ion drift model that was recently proposed from ex situ transmission electron microscope studies.

Advances in Probes and Methods for Clinical EPR Oximetry

PubMed Central

Hou, Huagang; Khan, Nadeem; Jarvis, Lesley A.; Chen, Eunice Y.; Williams, Benjamin B.; Kuppusamy, Periannan

2015-01-01

EPR oximetry, which enables reliable, accurate, and repeated measurements of the partial pressure of oxygen in tissues, provides a unique opportunity to investigate the role of oxygen in the pathogenesis and treatment of several diseases including cancer, stroke, and heart failure. Building on significant advances in the in vivo application of EPR oximetry for small animal models of disease, we are developing suitable probes and instrumentation required for use in human subjects. Our laboratory has established the feasibility of clinical EPR oximetry in cancer patients using India ink, the only material presently approved for clinical use. We now are developing the next generation of probes, which are both superior in terms of oxygen sensitivity and biocompatibility including an excellent safety profile for use in humans. Further advances include the development of implantable oxygen sensors linked to an external coupling loop for measurements of deep-tissue oxygenations at any depth, overcoming the current limitation of 10 mm. This paper presents an overview of recent developments in our ability to make meaningful measurements of oxygen partial pressures in human subjects under clinical settings. PMID:24729217

Transient-evoked and distortion product otoacoustic emissions: A short-term test-retest reliability study.

PubMed

Keppler, Hannah; Dhooge, Ingeborg; Maes, Leen; D'haenens, Wendy; Bockstael, Annelies; Philips, Birgit; Swinnen, Freya; Vinck, Bart

2010-02-01

Knowledge regarding the variability of transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs) and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) is essential in clinical settings and improves their utility in monitoring hearing status over time. In the current study, TEOAEs and DPOAEs were measured with commercially available OAE-equipment in 56 normally-hearing ears during three sessions. Reliability was analysed for the retest measurement without probe-refitting, the immediate retest measurement with probe-refitting, and retest measurements after one hour and one week. The highest reliability was obtained in the retest measurement without probe-refitting, and decreased with increasing time-interval between measurements. For TEOAEs, the lowest reliability was seen at half-octave frequency bands 1.0 and 1.4 kHz; whereas for DPOAEs half-octave frequency band 8.0 kHz had also poor reliability. Higher primary tone level combination for DPOAEs yielded to a better reliability of DPOAE amplitudes. External environmental noise seemed to be the dominating noise source in normal-hearing subjects, decreasing the reliability of emission amplitudes especially in the low-frequency region.

Probing Active Nematic Films with Magnetically Manipulated Colloids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivas, David; Chen, Kui; Henry, Robert; Reich, Daniel; Leheny, Robert

We study microtubule-based extensile active nematic films using rod-like and disk-shaped magnetic colloids to probe the mechanical and hydrodynamic properties of this quasi-two dimensional out-of-equilibrium system. The active nematics are driven by molecular motors that hydrolyze ATP and cause sliding motion between microtubular bundles. This motion produces a dynamic nematic director field, which continuously creates pairs of +1/2 and -1/2 defects. In the absence of externally applied forces or torques, we observe that the magnetic rods in contact with the films align with the local director, indicating the existence of mechanical coupling between the film and probe. By applying known magnetic torques to the rods and observing their rotation with respect to the director, we gain insight into this coupling. We also find that by rotating magnetic microdisks using magnetic fields, hydrodynamic flows are produced that compete with the films' intrinsic flow, leading to significant effects on the director field and the defect landscape. At certain rotation rates, the disks produce a vortex-like structure in the director field and cause the creation and shedding of defects from the disk boundary.

Fast island phase identification for tearing mode feedback control on J-TEXT tokamak

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rao, B., E-mail: borao@hust.edu.cn; Li, D.; Hu, F. R.

A new method to control the tearing mode (TM) in tokamaks has been proposed [Q. Hu and Q. Yu, Nucl. Fusion 56, 034001 (5pp.) (2016)], according to which, the external resonant magnetic perturbation needs to be applied in certain magnetic island phase regions. Therefore, it is very important to identify the helical phase of magnetic islands in real time. The TM in tokamak plasmas is normally rotating and carries magnetic oscillations, which are known as Mirnov oscillations and can be detected by Mirnov probes. When the O-point or X-point of the magnetic island passes through the probe, the signal willmore » experience a zero-crossing. A poloidal Mirnov probe array and a corresponding island phase identification method are presented. A field-programmable gate array is used to provide the magnetic island helical phase in real time by using multichannel zero crossing detection. This system has been developed on the J-TEXT tokamak and works well. This paper introduces the establishment of the fast magnetic island phase identifying system.« less

Probe Array Correction With Strong Target Interactions

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-01

exciting each probe array feed with a unit voltage source and computing the short circuit currents, ii, i = 1 , 2 , . . . , 5, at each probe array feed...that only one probe array element has unit terminal currents. In this case I2 = Îi = IN − Y NV 2 = IN − Y N [ Y is + Y N ]− 1 IN = (I − Y N [ Y is + Y...YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. 1 . REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YY) 2 . REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) August 2012 Interim 01 May 2011 – 31 May

Standard Practices for Usage of Inductive Magnetic Field Probes with Application to Electric Propulsion Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polzin, Kurt A.; Hill, Carrie S.; Turchi, Peter J.; Burton, Rodney L.; Messer, Sarah; Lovberg, Ralph H.; Hallock, Ashley K.

2013-01-01

Inductive magnetic field probes (also known as B-dot probes and sometimes as B-probes or magnetic probes) are often employed to perform field measurements in electric propulsion applications where there are time-varying fields. Magnetic field probes provide the means to measure these magnetic fields and can even be used to measure the plasma current density indirectly through the application of Ampere's law. Measurements of this type can yield either global information related to a thruster and its performance or detailed, local data related to the specific physical processes occurring in the plasma. Results of the development of a standard for B-dot probe measurements are presented, condensing the available literature on the subject into an accessible set of rules, guidelines, and techniques to standardize the performance and presentation of future measurements.

The Financial Sector and Sustainable Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusko, Miroslav; Korauš, Anton

2010-01-01

Growing load and deterioration of the environment can be interpreted as a result of some external effects interventions. While the positive externalities influence the positive productional and utilizational functions of other subjects, the negative externalities influence the negative ones. Both types of external effects can act as parcial or global externalities. Linking the environmental issues to economy and finance is an important sphere. Coimplementation of both marketing and environmental audits is an important element of this sphere too.

Polydiacetylene-enclosed near-infrared fluorescent semiconducting polymer dots for bioimaging and sensing.

PubMed

Wu, Pei-Jing; Kuo, Shih-Yu; Huang, Ya-Chi; Chen, Chuan-Pin; Chan, Yang-Hsiang

2014-05-20

Semiconducting polymer dots (P-dots) recently have emerged as a new type of ultrabright fluorescent probe with promising applications in biological imaging and detection. With the increasing desire for near-infrared (NIR) fluorescing probes for in vivo biological measurements, the currently available NIR-emitting P-dots are very limited and the leaching of the encapsulated dyes/polymers has usually been a concern. To address this challenge, we first embedded the NIR dyes into the matrix of poly[(9,9-dioctylfluorene)-co-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole-co-4,7-di(thiophen-2-yl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole] (PF-BT-DBT) polymer and then enclosed the doped P-dots with polydiacetylenes (PDAs) to avoid potential leakage of the entrapped NIR dyes from the P-dot matrix. These PDA-enclosed NIR-emitting P-dots not only emitted much stronger NIR fluorescence than conventional organic molecules but also exhibited enhanced photostability over CdTe quantum dots, free NIR dyes, and gold nanoclusters. We next conjugated biomolecules onto the surface of the resulting P-dots and demonstrated their capability for specific cellular labeling without any noticeable nonspecific binding. To employ this new class of material as a facile sensing platform, an easy-to-prepare test paper, obtained by soaking the paper into the PDA-enclosed NIR-emitting P-dot solution, was used to sense external stimuli such as ions, temperature, or pH, depending on the surface functionalization of PDAs. We believe these PDA-coated NIR-fluorescing P-dots will be very useful in a variety of bioimaging and analytical applications.

Engineered Aptamers to Probe Molecular Interactions on the Cell Surface

PubMed Central

Batool, Sana; Bhandari, Sanam; George, Shanell; Okeoma, Precious; Van, Nabeela; Zümrüt, Hazan E.; Mallikaratchy, Prabodhika

2017-01-01

Significant progress has been made in understanding the nature of molecular interactions on the cell membrane. To decipher such interactions, molecular scaffolds can be engineered as a tool to modulate these events as they occur on the cell membrane. To guarantee reliability, scaffolds that function as modulators of cell membrane events must be coupled to a targeting moiety with superior chemical versatility. In this regard, nucleic acid aptamers are a suitable class of targeting moieties. Aptamers are inherently chemical in nature, allowing extensive site-specific chemical modification to engineer sensing molecules. Aptamers can be easily selected using a simple laboratory-based in vitro evolution method enabling the design and development of aptamer-based functional molecular scaffolds against wide range of cell surface molecules. This article reviews the application of aptamers as monitors and modulators of molecular interactions on the mammalian cell surface with the aim of increasing our understanding of cell-surface receptor response to external stimuli. The information gained from these types of studies could eventually prove useful in engineering improved medical diagnostics and therapeutics. PMID:28850067

Modeling the nonlinear hysteretic response in DAE experiments of Berea sandstone: A case-study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pecorari, Claudio, E-mail: claudio.pecorari@hotmail.com

2015-03-31

Dynamic acousto-elasticity (DAE) allows probing the instantaneous state of a material while the latter slowly and periodically is changed by an external, dynamic source. In DAE investigations of geo-materials, hysteresis of the material's modulus defect displays intriguing features which have not yet been interpreted in terms of any specific mechanism occurring at atomic or mesoscale. Here, experimental results on dry Berea sandstone, which is the rock type best investigated by means of a DAE technique, are analyzed in terms of three rheological models providing simplified representations of mechanisms involving dislocations interacting with point defects which are distributed along the dislocations'more » core or glide planes, and microcracks with finite stiffness in compression. Constitutive relations linking macroscopic strain and stress are derived. From the latter, the modulus defect associated to each mechanism is recovered. These models are employed to construct a composite one which is capable of reproducing several of the main features observed in the experimental data. The limitations of the present approach and, possibly, of the current implementation of DAE are discussed.« less

Photogenerated carriers transport behaviors in L-cysteine capped ZnSe core-shell quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shan, Qingsong; Li, Kuiying; Xue, Zhenjie; Lin, Yingying; Yin, Hua; Zhu, Ruiping

2016-02-01

The photoexcited carrier transport behavior of zinc selenide (ZnSe) quantum dots (QDs) with core-shell structure is studied because of their unique photoelectronic characteristics. The surface photovoltaic (SPV) properties of self-assembled ZnSe/ZnS/L-Cys core-shell QDs were probed via electric field induced surface photovoltage and transient photovoltage (TPV) measurements supplemented by Fourier transform infrared, laser Raman, absorption, and photoluminescence spectroscopies. The ZnSe QDs displayed p-type SPV characteristics with a broader stronger SPV response over the whole ultraviolet-to-near-infrared range compared with those of other core-shell QDs in the same group. The relationship between the SPV phase value of the QDs and external bias was revealed in their SPV phase spectrum. The wide transient photovoltage response region from 3.3 × 10-8 to 2 × 10-3 s was closely related to the long diffusion distance of photoexcited free charge carriers in the interfacial space-charge region of the QDs. The strong SPV response corresponding to the ZnSe core mainly originated from an obvious quantum tunneling effect in the QDs.

Multimodal Imaging Using a 11B(d,nγ)12C Source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nattress, Jason; Rose, Paul; Mayer, Michal; Wonders, Marc; Wilhelm, Kyle; Erickson, Anna; Jovanovic, Igor; Multimodal Imaging; Nuclear Detection (MIND) in Active Interrogation Collaboration

2016-03-01

Detection of shielded special nuclear material (SNM) still remains one of the greatest challenges facing nuclear security, where small signal-to-background ratios result from complex, challenging configurations of practical objects. Passive detection relies on the spontaneous radioactive decay, whereas active interrogation (AI) uses external probing radiation to identify and characterize the material. AI provides higher signal intensity, providing a more viable method for SNM detection. New and innovative approaches are needed to overcome specific application constraints, such as limited scanning time. We report on a new AI approach that integrates both neutron and gamma transmission signatures to deduce specific material properties that can be utilized to aid SNM identification. The approach uses a single AI source, single detector type imaging system based on the 11B(d,nγ)12C reaction and an array of eight EJ-309 liquid scintillators, respectively. An integral transmission imaging approach has been employed initially for both neutrons and photons, exploiting the detectors' particle discrimination properties. Representative object images using neutrons and photons will be presented.

First genomic insights into members of a candidate bacterial phylum responsible for wastewater bulking

PubMed Central

Ohashi, Akiko; Parks, Donovan H.; Yamauchi, Toshihiro; Tyson, Gene W.

2015-01-01

Filamentous cells belonging to the candidate bacterial phylum KSB3 were previously identified as the causative agent of fatal filament overgrowth (bulking) in a high-rate industrial anaerobic wastewater treatment bioreactor. Here, we obtained near complete genomes from two KSB3 populations in the bioreactor, including the dominant bulking filament, using differential coverage binning of metagenomic data. Fluorescence in situ hybridization with 16S rRNA-targeted probes specific for the two populations confirmed that both are filamentous organisms. Genome-based metabolic reconstruction and microscopic observation of the KSB3 filaments in the presence of sugar gradients indicate that both filament types are Gram-negative, strictly anaerobic fermenters capable of non-flagellar based gliding motility, and have a strikingly large number of sensory and response regulator genes. We propose that the KSB3 filaments are highly sensitive to their surroundings and that cellular processes, including those causing bulking, are controlled by external stimuli. The obtained genomes lay the foundation for a more detailed understanding of environmental cues used by KSB3 filaments, which may lead to more robust treatment options to prevent bulking. PMID:25650158

Discrete Boltzmann modeling of Rayleigh-Taylor instability in two-component compressible flows.

PubMed

Lin, Chuandong; Xu, Aiguo; Zhang, Guangcai; Luo, Kai Hong; Li, Yingjun

2017-11-01

A discrete Boltzmann model (DBM) is proposed to probe the Rayleigh-Taylor instability (RTI) in two-component compressible flows. Each species has a flexible specific-heat ratio and is described by one discrete Boltzmann equation (DBE). Independent discrete velocities are adopted for the two DBEs. The collision and force terms in the DBE account for the molecular collision and external force, respectively. Two types of force terms are exploited. In addition to recovering the modified Navier-Stokes equations in the hydrodynamic limit, the DBM has the capability of capturing detailed nonequilibrium effects. Furthermore, we use the DBM to investigate the dynamic process of the RTI. The invariants of tensors for nonequilibrium effects are presented and studied. For low Reynolds numbers, both global nonequilibrium manifestations and the growth rate of the entropy of mixing show three stages (i.e., the reducing, increasing, and then decreasing trends) in the evolution of the RTI. On the other hand, the early reducing tendency is suppressed and even eliminated for high Reynolds numbers. Relevant physical mechanisms are analyzed and discussed.

Nitrogen-vacancy-assisted magnetometry of paramagnetic centers in an individual diamond nanocrystal.

PubMed

Laraoui, Abdelghani; Hodges, Jonathan S; Meriles, Carlos A

2012-07-11

Semiconductor nanoparticles host a number of paramagnetic point defects and impurities, many of them adjacent to the surface, whose response to external stimuli could help probe the complex dynamics of the particle and its local, nanoscale environment. Here, we use optically detected magnetic resonance in a nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center within an individual diamond nanocrystal to investigate the composition and spin dynamics of the particle-hosted spin bath. For the present sample, a ∼45 nm diamond crystal, NV-assisted dark-spin spectroscopy reveals the presence of nitrogen donors and a second, yet-unidentified class of paramagnetic centers. Both groups share a common spin lifetime considerably shorter than that observed for the NV spin, suggesting some form of spatial clustering, possibly on the nanoparticle surface. Using double spin resonance and dynamical decoupling, we also demonstrate control of the combined NV center-spin bath dynamics and attain NV coherence lifetimes comparable to those reported for bulk, Type Ib samples. Extensions based on the experiments presented herein hold promise for applications in nanoscale magnetic sensing, biomedical labeling, and imaging.

Elastography for the pancreas: Current status and future perspective

PubMed Central

Kawada, Natsuko; Tanaka, Sachiko

2016-01-01

Elastography for the pancreas can be performed by either ultrasound or endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). There are two types of pancreatic elastographies based on different principles, which are strain elastography and shear wave elastography. The stiffness of tissue is estimated by measuring the grade of strain generated by external pressure in the former, whereas it is estimated by measuring propagation speed of shear wave, the transverse wave, generated by acoustic radiation impulse (ARFI) in the latter. Strain elastography is difficult to perform when the probe, the pancreas and the aorta are not located in line. Accordingly, a fine elastogram can be easily obtained in the pancreatic body but not in the pancreatic head and tail. In contrast, shear wave elastography can be easily performed in the entire pancreas because ARFI can be emitted to wherever desired. However, shear wave elastography cannot be performed by EUS to date. Recently, clinical guidelines for elastography specialized in the pancreas were published from Japanese Society of Medical Ultrasonics. The guidelines show us technical knacks of performing elastography for the pancreas. PMID:27076756

Elastography for the pancreas: Current status and future perspective.

PubMed

Kawada, Natsuko; Tanaka, Sachiko

2016-04-14

Elastography for the pancreas can be performed by either ultrasound or endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). There are two types of pancreatic elastographies based on different principles, which are strain elastography and shear wave elastography. The stiffness of tissue is estimated by measuring the grade of strain generated by external pressure in the former, whereas it is estimated by measuring propagation speed of shear wave, the transverse wave, generated by acoustic radiation impulse (ARFI) in the latter. Strain elastography is difficult to perform when the probe, the pancreas and the aorta are not located in line. Accordingly, a fine elastogram can be easily obtained in the pancreatic body but not in the pancreatic head and tail. In contrast, shear wave elastography can be easily performed in the entire pancreas because ARFI can be emitted to wherever desired. However, shear wave elastography cannot be performed by EUS to date. Recently, clinical guidelines for elastography specialized in the pancreas were published from Japanese Society of Medical Ultrasonics. The guidelines show us technical knacks of performing elastography for the pancreas.

Radiological restrictions of using red mud as building material additive.

PubMed

Gu, Hannian; Wang, Ning; Liu, Shirong

2012-09-01

Red mud remains as residue from the processing of bauxite using different methods. The chemical composition of red mud varies widely with respect to the types of bauxite ore and processing parameters. Red mud samples from Guizhou, China, were investigated using a X-ray fluorescence spectroscope, a quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer and a electron probe micro-analyzer. The results showed that red mud consisted of eight main chemical components--CaO, Al(2)O(3), SiO(2), Fe(2)O(3), TiO(2), Na(2)O, K(2)O and MgO--and dozens of trace elements, including natural radioactive elements, such as uranium and thorium. Gamma spectrometric analysis showed that the values of internal exposure index I (Ra) and external exposure index I (γ) of Guizhou red mud were 1.1-2.4 and 2.3-3.5 respectively. Thus, it should not be used as a main building material indiscriminately. The amount of red mud from Guizhou when it is used for main building materials in China should be less than 28-44%.

The dwarf galaxy population of nearby galaxy clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lisker, Thorsten; Wittmann, Carolin; Pak, Mina; Janz, Joachim; Bialas, Daniel; Peletier, Reynier; Grebel, Eva; Falcon Barroso, Jesus; Toloba, Elisa; Smakced Collaboration, Focus Collaboration

2015-01-01

The Fornax, Virgo, Ursa Major and Perseus galaxy clusters all have very different characteristics, in terms of their density, mass, and large-scale environment. We can regard these clusters as laboratories for studying environmental influence on galaxy evolution, using the sensitive low-mass galaxies as probes for external mechanisms. Here we report on recent and ongoing observational studies of the said clusters with imaging and spectroscopy, as well as on the interpretation of present-day cluster galaxy populations with the aid of cosmological simulations.Multicolor imaging data allow us to identify residual star formation in otherwise red early-type dwarf galaxies, which hold clues to the strength of gas stripping processes. Major-axis spectra and 2D kinematical maps provide insight regarding the amount of rotational support and how much dynamical heating a dwarf galaxy may have experienced. To this end, dedicated N-body simulations that follow the evolution of galaxies since early epochs reveal their path through parameter space, and can be compared to observations in order to understand the time-integrated effect of environmental influence.

Evaluation of a computer-based prompting intervention to improve essay writing in undergraduates with cognitive impairment after acquired brain injury.

PubMed

Ledbetter, Alexander K; Sohlberg, McKay Moore; Fickas, Stephen F; Horney, Mark A; McIntosh, Kent

2017-11-06

This study evaluated a computer-based prompting intervention for improving expository essay writing after acquired brain injury (ABI). Four undergraduate participants aged 18-21 with mild-moderate ABI and impaired fluid cognition at least 6 months post-injury reported difficulty with the writing process after injury. The study employed a non-concurrent multiple probe across participants, in a single-case design. Outcome measures included essay quality scores and number of revisions to writing counted then coded by type using a revision taxonomy. An inter-scorer agreement procedure was completed for quality scores for 50% of essays, with data indicating that agreement exceeded a goal of 85%. Visual analysis of results showed increased essay quality for all participants in intervention phase compared with baseline, maintained 1 week after. Statistical analyses showed statistically significant results for two of the four participants. The authors discuss external cuing for self-monitoring and tapping of existing writing knowledge as possible explanations for improvement. The study provides preliminary evidence that computer-based prompting has potential to improve writing quality for undergraduates with ABI.

Multistability in the lactose utilization network of Escherichia coli

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozbudak, Ertugrul M.; Thattai, Mukund; Lim, Han N.; Shraiman, Boris I.; van Oudenaarden, Alexander

2004-02-01

Multistability, the capacity to achieve multiple internal states in response to a single set of external inputs, is the defining characteristic of a switch. Biological switches are essential for the determination of cell fate in multicellular organisms, the regulation of cell-cycle oscillations during mitosis and the maintenance of epigenetic traits in microbes. The multistability of several natural and synthetic systems has been attributed to positive feedback loops in their regulatory networks. However, feedback alone does not guarantee multistability. The phase diagram of a multistable system, a concise description of internal states as key parameters are varied, reveals the conditions required to produce a functional switch. Here we present the phase diagram of the bistable lactose utilization network of Escherichia coli. We use this phase diagram, coupled with a mathematical model of the network, to quantitatively investigate processes such as sugar uptake and transcriptional regulation in vivo. We then show how the hysteretic response of the wild-type system can be converted to an ultrasensitive graded response. The phase diagram thus serves as a sensitive probe of molecular interactions and as a powerful tool for rational network design.

Applications of Second Harmonic and Sum Frequency Generation to Graphite and Silica Type Interfaces.

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-08-01

investigated. The ultrafast barrierless isomerization of an organic dye, Malachite Green, has also been probed with femtosecond time resolution, enabling the... Malachite Green, has also been probed with femtosecond time resolution, enabling the structure of water at various aqueous interfaces to be probed. In...6G at air/aqueous interface ....................................... 7 6. Time-resolved SHG of Malachite Green at air and silica/aqueous interfaces

Selective and Sensitive Detection of Cyanide Based on the Displacement Strategy Using a Water-Soluble Fluorescent Probe.

PubMed

La, Ming; Hao, Yuanqiang; Wang, Zhaoyang; Han, Guo-Cheng; Qu, Lingbo

2016-01-01

A water-soluble fluorescent probe (C-GGH) was used for the highly sensitive and selective detection of cyanide (CN(-)) in aqueous media based on the displacement strategy. Due to the presence of the recognition unit GGH (Gly-Gly-His), the probe C-GGH can coordinate with Cu(2+) and consequently display ON-OFF type fluorescence response. Furthermore, the in situ formed nonfluorescent C-GGH-Cu(2+) complex can act as an effective OFF-ON type fluorescent probe for sensing CN(-) anion. Due to the strong binding affinity of CN(-) to Cu(2+), CN(-) can extract Cu(2+) from C-GGH-Cu(2+) complex, leading to the release of C-GGH and the recovery of fluorescent emission of the system. The probe C-GGH-Cu(2+) allowed detection of CN(-) in aqueous solution with a LOD (limit of detection) of 0.017 μmol/L which is much lower than the maximum contaminant level (1.9 μmol/L) for CN(-) in drinking water set by the WHO (World Health Organization). The probe also displayed excellent specificity for CN(-) towards other anions, including F(-), Cl(-), Br(-), I(-), SCN(-), PO4 (3-), N3 (-), NO3 (-), AcO(-), SO4 (2-), and CO3 (2-).

Selective and Sensitive Detection of Cyanide Based on the Displacement Strategy Using a Water-Soluble Fluorescent Probe

PubMed Central

La, Ming; Hao, Yuanqiang; Wang, Zhaoyang; Han, Guo-Cheng; Qu, Lingbo

2016-01-01

A water-soluble fluorescent probe (C-GGH) was used for the highly sensitive and selective detection of cyanide (CN−) in aqueous media based on the displacement strategy. Due to the presence of the recognition unit GGH (Gly-Gly-His), the probe C-GGH can coordinate with Cu2+ and consequently display ON-OFF type fluorescence response. Furthermore, the in situ formed nonfluorescent C-GGH-Cu2+ complex can act as an effective OFF-ON type fluorescent probe for sensing CN− anion. Due to the strong binding affinity of CN− to Cu2+, CN− can extract Cu2+ from C-GGH-Cu2+ complex, leading to the release of C-GGH and the recovery of fluorescent emission of the system. The probe C-GGH-Cu2+ allowed detection of CN− in aqueous solution with a LOD (limit of detection) of 0.017 μmol/L which is much lower than the maximum contaminant level (1.9 μmol/L) for CN− in drinking water set by the WHO (World Health Organization). The probe also displayed excellent specificity for CN− towards other anions, including F−, Cl−, Br−, I−, SCN−, PO4 3−, N3 −, NO3 −, AcO−, SO4 2−, and CO3 2−. PMID:26881185

Study of possible solar heating effects on thermosonde probes: Error analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, James H.; Dewan, Edmond; Murphy, Edmund; Thomas, Peter

1989-07-01

Thermosonde data reveals a diurnal daytime shift in measured levels of C square (n) in the free atmosphere. The shift is manifested in two ways. First, an apparent offset in the smallest measured values of C square (n) exists. Secondly, the curve of the average profile shows an enhancement over nighttime profiles. Related optical and radar measurements have indicated that differences between day and night probably exist, but because of limited instrumental resolution and altitude capabilities those results are inconclusive. Several hypotheses were put forward concerning possible instrumental or solar based sources of data contamination. The possibility was examined that solar radiation causes probe heating with subsequent instrumental effects. Calculation, computer simulation, and direct measurements have shown that the sun heats the body of the probe sensor a couple of degrees above the ambient and that the level of heating depends upon the solar aspect angle and magnitude and direction of air flow over the probe. A small but insignificant ac type effect can result from improper probe geometry or probe mismatch together with a coupling of solar heating with velocity turbulence. Transient and dc type effects can occur, but measured, processed, and transmitted root mean square C square (n) information is not likely to contain instrumental contamination.

Development of a Searchable Database of Cryoablation Simulations for Use in Treatment Planning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boas, F. Edward, E-mail: boasf@mskcc.org; Srimathveeravalli, Govindarajan, E-mail: srimaths@mskcc.org; Durack, Jeremy C., E-mail: durackj@mskcc.org

PurposeTo create and validate a planning tool for multiple-probe cryoablation, using simulations of ice ball size and shape for various ablation probe configurations, ablation times, and types of tissue ablated.Materials and MethodsIce ball size and shape was simulated using the Pennes bioheat equation. Five thousand six hundred and seventy different cryoablation procedures were simulated, using 1–6 cryoablation probes and 1–2 cm spacing between probes. The resulting ice ball was measured along three perpendicular axes and recorded in a database. Simulated ice ball sizes were compared to gel experiments (26 measurements) and clinical cryoablation cases (42 measurements). The clinical cryoablation measurements weremore » obtained from a HIPAA-compliant retrospective review of kidney and liver cryoablation procedures between January 2015 and February 2016. Finally, we created a web-based cryoablation planning tool, which uses the cryoablation simulation database to look up the probe spacing and ablation time that produces the desired ice ball shape and dimensions.ResultsAverage absolute error between the simulated and experimentally measured ice balls was 1 mm in gel experiments and 4 mm in clinical cryoablation cases. The simulations accurately predicted the degree of synergy in multiple-probe ablations. The cryoablation simulation database covers a wide range of ice ball sizes and shapes up to 9.8 cm.ConclusionCryoablation simulations accurately predict the ice ball size in multiple-probe ablations. The cryoablation database can be used to plan ablation procedures: given the desired ice ball size and shape, it will find the number and type of probes, probe configuration and spacing, and ablation time required.« less

Parenting and children's externalizing problems in substance-abusing families.

PubMed

Stanger, Catherine; Dumenci, Levent; Kamon, Jody; Burstein, Marcy

2004-09-01

This study tested associations in path models among positive and negative parenting and children's rule-breaking behavior, aggressive and oppositional behavior, and attention problems for families with a drug-dependent parent. A structural model tested relations between parenting and children's externalizing problems for 251 families with 399 children between the ages of 6 and 18, controlling for nonindependence of ratings at the family level. The model also tested potential moderators, including child age, gender, and ethnicity (White vs. other), and caregiver gender (families with a female substance-abusing caregiver vs. families with a male substance-abusing caregiver). Results indicated that caregiver ratings of monitoring predicted rule-breaking behavior and use of inconsistent discipline predicted ratings of all 3 externalizing syndromes, after controlling parenting and externalizing problems for the effects of the moderators and after controlling significant relations among types of parenting and types of externalizing problems.

Measurement of body temperature in adult patients: comparative study of accuracy, reliability and validity of different devices.

PubMed

Rubia-Rubia, J; Arias, A; Sierra, A; Aguirre-Jaime, A

2011-07-01

We compared a range of alternative devices with core body temperature measured at the pulmonary artery to identify the most valid and reliable instrument for measuring temperature in routine conditions in health services. 201 patients from the intensive care unit of the Candelaria University Hospital, Canary Islands, admitted to hospital between April 2006 and July 2007. All patients (or their families) gave informed consent. Readings from gallium-in-glass, reactive strip and digital in axilla, infra-red ear and frontal thermometers were compared with the pulmonary artery core temperature simultaneously. External factors suspected of having an influence on the differences were explored. The cut-off point readings for each thermometer were fixed for the maximum negative predictive value in comparison with the core temperature. The validity, reliability, accuracy, external influence, the waste they generated, ease of use, speed, durability, security, comfort and cost of each thermometer was evaluated. An ad hoc overall valuation score was obtained from these parameters for each instrument. For an error of ± 0.2°C and concordance with respect to fever, the gallium-in-glass thermometer gave the best results. The largest area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve is obtained by the digital axillar thermometer with probe (0.988 ± 0.007). The minimum difference between readings was given by the infrared ear thermometer, in comparison with the core temperature (-0.1 ± 0.3°C). Age, weight, level of conscience, male sex, environmental temperature and vaso-constrictor medication increases the difference in the readings and fever treatment reduces it, although this is not the same for all thermometers. The compact digital axillar thermometer and the digital thermometer with probe obtained the highest overall valuation score. If we only evaluate the aspects of validity, reliability, accuracy and external influence, the best thermometer would be the gallium-in-glass after 12 min. The gallium-in-glass thermometer is less accurate after only 5 min in comparison with the reading taken after being placed for 12 min. If we add the evaluation of waste production, ease-of-use, speed, durability, security, patient comfort and costs, the thermometers that obtain the highest score are the compact digital and digital with probe in right axilla. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of mutated genes in the presence of wild-type DNA by using molecular beacons as probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yonghua; Ai, Junjie; Gu, Qiaorong; Gao, Qiang; Qi, Honglan; Zhang, Chengxiao

2017-03-01

Low-abundance mutations in the presence of wild-type DNA can be determined using molecular beacon (MB) as probe. A MB is generally used as DNA probe because it can distinguish single-base mismatched target DNA from fully matched target DNA. However, the probe can not determine low-abundance mutations in the presence of wild-type DNA. In this study, this limitation is addressed by enhancing the stability of unpaired base-containing dsDNA with a hydrogen-bonding ligand, which was added after hybridization of the MB to the target DNA. The ligand formed hydrogen bonds with unpaired bases and stabilized the unpaired base-containing dsDNA if target DNA is mutated one. As a result, more MBs were opened by the mutant genes in the presence of the ligand and a further increase in the fluorescence intensity was obtained. By contrast, fluorescence intensity did not change if target DNA is wild-type one. Consequent increase in the fluorescence intensity of the MB was regarded as a signal derived from mutant genes. The proposed method was applied in synthetic template systems to determine point mutation in DNA obtained from PCR analysis. The method also allows rapid and simple discrimination of a signal if it is originated in the presence of mutant gene or alternatively by a lower concentration of wild gene.

Evaluation of marginal bone loss of dental implants with internal or external connections and its association with other variables: A systematic review.

PubMed

de Medeiros, Rodrigo Antonio; Pellizzer, Eduardo Piza; Vechiato Filho, Aljomar José; Dos Santos, Daniela Micheline; da Silva, Emily Vivianne Freitas; Goiato, Marcelo Coelho

2016-10-01

Different factors can influence marginal bone loss around dental implants, including the type of internal and external connection between the implant and the abutment. The evidence needed to evaluate these factors is unclear. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate marginal bone loss by radiographic analysis around dental implants with internal or external connections. A systematic review was conducted following the criteria defined by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Initially, a population, intervention, comparison, and outcome(s) (PICO) question was defined: does the connection type (internal or external) influence marginal bone loss in patients undergoing implantation? An electronic search of PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus databases was performed for studies in English language published between January 2000 and December 2014 by 2 independent reviewers, who analyzed the marginal bone loss of dental implants with an internal and/or external connection. From an initial screening yield of 595 references and after considering inclusion and exclusion criteria, 17 articles were selected for this review. Among them, 10 studies compared groups of implants with internal and external connections; 1 study evaluated external connections; and 6 studies analyzed internal connections. A total of 2708 implants were placed in 864 patients. Regarding the connection type, 2347 implants had internal connections, and 361 implants had external connections. Most studies showed lower marginal bone loss values for internal connection implants than for external connection implants. Osseointegrated dental implants with internal connections exhibited lower marginal bone loss than implants with external connections. This finding is mainly the result of the platform switching concept, which is more frequently found in implants with internal connections. Copyright © 2016 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Outcome of operative treatment for supination-external rotation Lauge-Hansen stage IV ankle fractures].

PubMed

Kołodziej, Łukasz; Boczar, Tomasz; Bohatyrewicz, Andrzej; Zietek, Paweł

2010-01-01

Ankle fractures are among the most common musculoskeletal injures. These fractures occur with an overall age- and sex-adjusted incidence rate around 180 per 100 000 person-years. The most frequent mechanism is considered to be supination-external rotation (60 to 80% of all ankle fractures) consisting of pathologic external rotation of the foot initially placed in some degree of supination. According to Lauge-Hansen classification, ankle joint structures are damaged in a sequence where the final, stage IV injuries, represents transverse fracture of the medial malleolus or its equivalent-rupture of the deltoid ligament. The aim of this study is to compare the results of two subtypes of supination-external rotation stage IV fractures. 43 patients treated surgically in 2006 to 2007 at Authors institution because of stage IV supination-external rotation ankle fracture were submitted to retrospective analysis. There were 25 patients with bimalleolar fracture (type 1) and in 18 patients with lateral malleolar fracture with accompanying rupture of the deltoid ligament (type 2). The mean age was 46 years (from 20 to 82 years). Average follow up period was 37 months (from 24 to 46 months). For the evaluation of treatment AOFAS hind-foot score (American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society) was used. The mean AOFAS score scale for Type 1 fractures was 85 points and for type 2 was significantly higher and amounted to 91 points (p < 0.05). Supination-external rotation stage IV ankle fractures with medial malleolar fracture, requires the implementation of additional diagnostic and therapeutic strategies and procedures in order to improve the outcome of results.

Task demands affect spatial reference frame weighting during tactile localization in sighted and congenitally blind adults

PubMed Central

Schubert, Jonathan T. W.; Badde, Stephanie; Röder, Brigitte

2017-01-01

Task demands modulate tactile localization in sighted humans, presumably through weight adjustments in the spatial integration of anatomical, skin-based, and external, posture-based information. In contrast, previous studies have suggested that congenitally blind humans, by default, refrain from automatic spatial integration and localize touch using only skin-based information. Here, sighted and congenitally blind participants localized tactile targets on the palm or back of one hand, while ignoring simultaneous tactile distractors at congruent or incongruent locations on the other hand. We probed the interplay of anatomical and external location codes for spatial congruency effects by varying hand posture: the palms either both faced down, or one faced down and one up. In the latter posture, externally congruent target and distractor locations were anatomically incongruent and vice versa. Target locations had to be reported either anatomically (“palm” or “back” of the hand), or externally (“up” or “down” in space). Under anatomical instructions, performance was more accurate for anatomically congruent than incongruent target-distractor pairs. In contrast, under external instructions, performance was more accurate for externally congruent than incongruent pairs. These modulations were evident in sighted and blind individuals. Notably, distractor effects were overall far smaller in blind than in sighted participants, despite comparable target-distractor identification performance. Thus, the absence of developmental vision seems to be associated with an increased ability to focus tactile attention towards a non-spatially defined target. Nevertheless, that blind individuals exhibited effects of hand posture and task instructions in their congruency effects suggests that, like the sighted, they automatically integrate anatomical and external information during tactile localization. Moreover, spatial integration in tactile processing is, thus, flexibly adapted by top-down information—here, task instruction—even in the absence of developmental vision. PMID:29228023

Internal and external attention and the default mode network.

PubMed

Scheibner, Hannah J; Bogler, Carsten; Gleich, Tobias; Haynes, John-Dylan; Bermpohl, Felix

2017-03-01

Focused attention meditations have been shown to improve psychological health and wellbeing and are nowadays an integral part of many psychotherapies. While research on the neural correlates of focused attention meditation is increasing, findings vary on whether meditations are associated with high or low activity in the default mode network (DMN). To clarify the relationship between focused attention meditation and the activity in DMN regions, it may be helpful to distinguish internal and external attention as well as different phases within one meditation: During focused attention meditation, the practitioner switches between mindful attention, mind-wandering and refocusing. Here, we employed a thought-probe paradigm to study the neural correlates of these different phases. Twenty healthy, meditation naïve participants were introduced to external (mindfulness of sound) and internal (mindfulness of breathing) attention meditation and then practiced the meditation at home for four consecutive days. They then performed the same focused attention meditations during fMRI scanning, in four runs alternating between internal and external attention. At pseudorandom intervals, participants were asked whether they had just been focused on the task (mindful attention) or had been distracted (mind-wandering). During mindful attention, brain regions typically associated with the DMN, such as the medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex and left temporoparietal junction showed significantly less neural activation compared to mind-wandering phases. Reduced activity of the DMN was found during both external and internal attention, with stronger deactivation in the posterior cingulate cortex during internal attention compared to external attention. Moreover, refocusing after mind-wandering was associated with activity in the left inferior frontal gyrus. Our results support the theory that mindful attention is associated with reduced DMN activity compared to mind-wandering, independent of the practitioner's attention focus (i.e., internal vs. external). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Towards label-free and site-specific probing of the local pH in proteins: pH-dependent deep UV Raman spectra of histidine and tyrosine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bröermann, Andreas; Steinhoff, Heinz-Jürgen; Schlücker, Sebastian

2014-09-01

The site-specific pH is an experimental probe for assessing models of structural folding and function of a protein as well as protein-protein and protein-ligand interactions. It can be determined by various techniques such as NMR, FT-IR, fluorescence and EPR spectroscopy. The latter require the use of external labels, i.e., employ pH-dependent dyes and spin labels, respectively. In this contribution, we outline an approach to a label-free and site-specific method for determining the local pH using deep ultraviolet resonance Raman (UVRR) spectroscopic fingerprints of the aromatic amino acids histidine and tyrosine in combination with a robust algorithm that determines the pH value using three UVRR reference spectra and without prior knowledge of the pKa.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tian, Zehua, E-mail: zehuatian@126.com; Wang, Jieci; Synergetic Innovation Center for Quantum Effects and Applications, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan 410081

We show how the use of entanglement can enhance the precision of the detection of the Unruh effect with an accelerated probe. We use a two-level atom interacting relativistically with a quantum field as the probe, and treat it as an open quantum system to derive the master equation governing its evolution. By means of quantum state discrimination, we detect the accelerated motion of the atom by examining its time evolving state. It turns out that the optimal strategy for the detection of the Unruh effect, to which the accelerated atom is sensitive, involves letting the atom-thermometer equilibrate with themore » thermal bath. However, introducing initial entanglement between the detector and an external degree of freedom leads to an enhancement of the sensitivity of the detector. Also, the maximum precision is attained within finite time, before equilibration takes place.« less

Cognitive biases to healthy and unhealthy food words predict change in BMI.

PubMed

Calitri, Raff; Pothos, Emmanuel M; Tapper, Katy; Brunstrom, Jeffrey M; Rogers, Peter J

2010-12-01

The current study explored the predictive value of cognitive biases to food cues (assessed by emotional Stroop and dot probe tasks) on weight change over a 1-year period. This was a longitudinal study with undergraduate students (N = 102) living in shared student accommodation. After controlling for the effects of variables associated with weight (e.g., physical activity, stress, restrained eating, external eating, and emotional eating), no effects of cognitive bias were found with the dot probe. However, for the emotional Stroop, cognitive bias to unhealthy foods predicted an increase in BMI whereas cognitive bias to healthy foods was associated with a decrease in BMI. Results parallel findings in substance abuse research; cognitive biases appear to predict behavior change. Accordingly, future research should consider strategies for attentional retraining, encouraging individuals to reorient attention away from unhealthy eating cues.

Feshbach Prize: New Phenomena and New Physics from Strongly-Correlated Quantum Matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlson, Joseph A.

2017-01-01

Strongly correlated quantum matter is ubiquitous in physics from cold atoms to nuclei to the cold dense matter found in neutron stars. Experiments from table-top to the extremely large scale experiments including FRIB and LIGO will help determine the properties of matter across an incredible scale of distances and energies. Questions to be addressed include the existence of exotic states of matter in cold atoms and nuclei, the response of this correlated matter to external probes, and the behavior of matter in extreme astrophysical environments. A more complete understanding is required, both to understand these diverse phenomena and to employ this understanding to probe for new underlying physics in experiments including neutrinoless double beta decay and accelerator neutrino experiments. I will summarize some aspects of our present understanding and highlight several important prospects for the future.

76 FR 11498 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Generic Submission of Technology Transfer Center (TTC...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-02

...; Comment Request; Generic Submission of Technology Transfer Center (TTC) External Customer Satisfaction... Transfer Center (TTC) External Customer Satisfaction Surveys (NCI). Type of Information Collection Request... information on the satisfaction of TTC's external customers with TTC customer services; collect information of...

Manganese in Dwarf Galaxies as a Probe of Type Ia Supernovae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Los Reyes, Mithi; Kirby, Evan N.

2018-06-01

Despite the importance of thermonuclear or Type Ia supernovae (SNe) as standard candles in astrophysics, the physical mechanisms behind Type Ia SNe are still poorly constrained. Theoretically, the nucleosynthetic yields from Type Ia SNe can distinguish among different models of Type Ia explosions. For example, neutron-rich elements such as manganese (Mn) are sensitive probes of the physics of Type Ia SNe because their abundances are correlated to the density of the progenitor white dwarf. Since dwarf galaxies' chemical evolution is dominated by Type Ia SNe at late times, Type Ia nucleosynthetic yields can be indirectly inferred from stellar abundances in dwarf galaxies. However, previous measurements of Mn in dwarf galaxies are too incomplete to draw definitive conclusions on the Type Ia explosion mechanism. In this work, we therefore use medium-resolution stellar spectroscopy from Keck/DEIMOS to measure Mn abundances in red giants in several Milky Way satellite galaxies. We report average Type Ia Mn yields computed from these abundances, and we discuss the implications for Type Ia supernova physics.

Restoration of high-resolution AFM images captured with broken probes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Y. F.; Corrigan, D.; Forman, C.; Jarvis, S.; Kokaram, A.

2012-03-01

A type of artefact is induced by damage of the scanning probe when the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) captures a material surface structure with nanoscale resolution. This artefact has a dramatic form of distortion rather than the traditional blurring artefacts. Practically, it is not easy to prevent the damage of the scanning probe. However, by using natural image deblurring techniques in image processing domain, a comparatively reliable estimation of the real sample surface structure can be generated. This paper introduces a novel Hough Transform technique as well as a Bayesian deblurring algorithm to remove this type of artefact. The deblurring result is successful at removing blur artefacts in the AFM artefact images. And the details of the fibril surface topography are well preserved.

The eddy current probe array for Keda Torus eXperiment.

PubMed

Li, Zichao; Li, Hong; Tu, Cui; Hu, Jintong; You, Wei; Luo, Bing; Tan, Mingsheng; Adil, Yolbarsop; Wu, Yanqi; Shen, Biao; Xiao, Bingjia; Zhang, Ping; Mao, Wenzhe; Wang, Hai; Wen, Xiaohui; Zhou, Haiyang; Xie, Jinlin; Lan, Tao; Liu, Adi; Ding, Weixing; Xiao, Chijin; Liu, Wandong

2016-11-01

In a reversed field pinch device, the conductive shell is placed as close as possible to the plasma so as to balance the plasma during discharge. Plasma instabilities such as the resistive wall mode and certain tearing modes, which restrain the plasma high parameter operation, respond closely with conditions in the wall, in essence the eddy current present. Also, the effect of eddy currents induced by the external coils cannot be ignored when active control is applied to control instabilities. One diagnostic tool, an eddy current probe array, detects the eddy current in the composite shell. Magnetic probes measuring differences between the inner and outer magnetic fields enable estimates of the amplitude and angle of these eddy currents. Along with measurements of currents through the copper bolts connecting the poloidal shield copper shells, we can obtain the eddy currents over the entire shell. Magnetic field and eddy current resolutions approach 2 G and 6 A, respectively. Additionally, the vortex electric field can be obtained by eddy current probes. As the conductivity of the composite shell is high, the eddy current probe array is very sensitive to the electric field and has a resolution of 0.2 mV/cm. In a bench test experiment using a 1/4 vacuum vessel, measurements of the induced eddy currents are compared with simulation results based on a 3D electromagnetic model. The preliminary data of the eddy currents have been detected during discharges in a Keda Torus eXperiment device. The typical value of toroidal and poloidal eddy currents across the magnetic probe coverage rectangular area could reach 3.0 kA and 1.3 kA, respectively.

Comparison of the effects and performance of four types of radiotransmitters for use with scoters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Iverson, S.A.; Boyd, W.S.; Esler, Daniel N.; Mulcahy, D.M.; Bowman, Timothy D.

2006-01-01

Radiotransmitters are widely used in wildlife ecology, often providing data that cannot be collected using other methods. However, negative effects have been associated with the use of transmitters for some species. We evaluated the effects and performance of 4 radiotransmitter types for use with surf and white-winged scoters (Melanitta perspicillata and M. fusca): COEXT-coelomically implanted transmitters with external antennas, COINT-coelomically implanted transmitters with internal antennas, SUBCU-subcutaneous implants with external antennas, and PRONG-external mounts, attached by a subcutaneous anchor and glue, with external antennas. Survival was not related to radiotransmitter type during the immediate (14-d) post-release period when most deaths (8 of 12) occurred. Rates of signal disappearance (transmitters ceased to be detected in the study area) and transmitter shedding (transmitters recovered without sign of predation) were similar among types over 30- and 60-day intervals; however, higher proportions of dorsally mounted radiotransmitters (SUBCU, PRONG) disappeared or were shed over course of the full 100-day monitoring period used in this study. All 4 radiotransmitter types allowed for relatively accurate location estimates, with linear error estimates (distance between actual and estimated location) averaging 2 months in duration and for satellite telemetry studies of scoters. However, SUBCU and PRONG are recommended as cost-effective alternatives in shorter-duration radiotelemetry studies.

Optical imaging of reporter gene expression using a positron-emission-tomography probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Hongguang; Ren, Gang; Liu, Shuanglong; Zhang, Xiaofen; Chen, Luxi; Han, Peizhen; Cheng, Zhen

2010-11-01

Reporter gene/reporter probe technology is one of the most important techniques in molecular imaging. Lately, many reporter gene/reporter probe systems have been coupled to different imaging modalities such as positron emission tomography (PET) and optical imaging (OI). It has been recently found that OI techniques could be used to monitor radioactive tracers in vitro and in living subjects. In this study, we further demonstrate that a reporter gene/nuclear reporter probe system [herpes simplex virus type-1 thymidine kinase (HSV1-tk) and 9-(4-18F-fluoro-3-[hydroxymethyl] butyl) guanine ([18F]FHBG)] could be successfully imaged by OI in vitro and in vivo. OI with radioactive reporter probes will facilitate and broaden the applications of reporter gene/reporter probe techniques in medical research.

Computer programs for eddy-current defect studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pate, J. R.; Dodd, C. V.

Several computer programs to aid in the design of eddy-current tests and probes have been written. The programs, written in Fortran, deal in various ways with the response to defects exhibited by four types of probes: the pancake probe, the reflection probe, the circumferential boreside probe, and the circumferential encircling probe. Programs are included which calculate the impedance or voltage change in a coil due to a defect, which calculate and plot the defect sensitivity factor of a coil, and which invert calculated or experimental readings to obtain the size of a defect. The theory upon which the programs aremore » based is the Burrows point defect theory, and thus the calculations of the programs will be more accurate for small defects. 6 refs., 21 figs.« less

Stretchable Dual-Capacitor Multi-Sensor for Touch-Curvature-Pressure-Strain Sensing.

PubMed

Jin, Hanbyul; Jung, Sungchul; Kim, Junhyung; Heo, Sanghyun; Lim, Jaeik; Park, Wonsang; Chu, Hye Yong; Bien, Franklin; Park, Kibog

2017-09-07

We introduce a new type of multi-functional capacitive sensor that can sense several different external stimuli. It is fabricated only with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) films and silver nanowire electrodes by using selective oxygen plasma treatment method without photolithography and etching processes. Differently from the conventional single-capacitor multi-functional sensors, our new multi-functional sensor is composed of two vertically-stacked capacitors (dual-capacitor). The unique dual-capacitor structure can detect the type and strength of external stimuli including curvature, pressure, strain, and touch with clear distinction, and it can also detect the surface-normal directionality of curvature, pressure, and touch. Meanwhile, the conventional single-capacitor sensor has ambiguity in distinguishing curvature and pressure and it can detect only the strength of external stimulus. The type, directionality, and strength of external stimulus can be determined based on the relative capacitance changes of the two stacked capacitors. Additionally, the logical flow reflected on a tree structure with its branches reaching the direction and strength of the corresponding external stimulus unambiguously is devised. This logical flow can be readily implemented in the sensor driving circuit if the dual-capacitor sensor is commercialized actually in the future.

Seismological Discrimination and Yield Determination Research

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-02-01

observed short period vertical seismograms for a * Rainier Mesa explosion ....... . .68 iv * LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS (continued) Figure Page 33. Comparison... mounted on sides 2 and 4. All signals were recorded on a FM instrumenta- tion tape machine with response from dc to 80 kHz. All the charges in each grout...detail. (Probes * were mounted on an external support and held at a nominal 0.2 mm from the Al disks.) 81 SYSTEMS. SCIENCE’ AND SOFT WARE 5.3 RESULTS

High sensitivity background absorption measurements in semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giannini, Nathan; Silva, Junior R.; Wang, Chengao; Albrecht, Alexander R.; Melgaard, Seth D.; Sheik-Bahae, Mansoor

2015-03-01

Laser cooling in InGaP|GaAs double heterostructures (DHS) has been a sought after goal. Even though very high external quantum efficiency (EQE) has been achieved, background absorption has remained a bottleneck in achieving net cooling. The purpose of this study is to gain more insight into the source of the background absorption for InGaP|GaAs DHS as well as GaAs|AlGaAs DBRs by employing an excite-probe thermal Z-scan measurement.

Optoelectronic system and apparatus for connection to biological systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Okandan, Murat; Nielson, Gregory N.

The present invention relates to a biological probe structure, as well as apparatuses, systems, and methods employing this structure. In particular embodiments, the structure includes a hermetically sealed unit configured to receive and transmit one or more optical signals. Furthermore, the structure can be implanted subcutaneously and interrogated externally. In this manner, a minimally invasive method can be employed to detect, treat, and/or assess the biological target. Additional methods and systems are also provided.

Magnetic Microhelix Coil Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Elliot J.; Makarov, Denys; Sanchez, Samuel; Fomin, Vladimir M.; Schmidt, Oliver G.

2011-08-01

Together with the well-known ferro- and antiferromagnetic ordering, nature has created a variety of complex helical magnetic configurations. Here, we design and investigate three-dimensional microhelix coil structures that are radial-, corkscrew-, and hollow-bar-magnetized. The magnetization configurations of the differently magnetized coils are experimentally revealed by probing their specific dynamic response to an external magnetic field. Helix coils offer an opportunity to realize microscale geometries of the magnetic toroidal moment, observed so far only in bulk multiferroic materials.

Design and evaluation of an intraocular B-scan OCT-guided 36-gauge needle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Jin H.; Joos, Karen M.

2015-03-01

Optical coherence tomography imaging is widely used in ophthalmology and optometry clinics for diagnosing retinal disorders. External microscope-mounted OCT operating room systems have imaged retinal changes immediately following surgical manipulations. However, the goal is to image critical surgical maneuvers in real time. External microscope-mounted OCT systems have some limitations with problems tracking constantly moving intraocular surgical instruments, and formation of absolute shadows by the metallic surgical instruments upon the underlying tissues of interest. An intraocular OCT-imaging probe was developed to resolve these problems. A disposable 25-gauge probe tip extended beyond the handpiece, with a 36-gauge needle welded to a disposable tip with its end extending an additional 3.5 mm. A sealed 0.35 mm diameter GRIN lens protected the fiber scanner and focused the scanning beam at a 3 to 4 mm distance. The OCT engine was a very high-resolution spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT) system (870 nm, Bioptigen, Inc. Durham, NC) which produced 2000 A-scan lines per B-scan image at a frequency of 5 Hz with the fiber optic oscillations matched to this frequency. Real-time imaging of the needle tip as it touched infrared paper was performed. The B-scan OCT-needle was capable of real-time performance and imaging of the phantom material. In the future, the B-scan OCT-guided needle will be used to perform sub-retinal injections.

In situ study of Li-ions diffusion and deformation in Li-rich cathode materials by using scanning probe microscopy techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Kaiyang; Li, Tao; Tian, Tian

2017-08-01

In this paper, the scanning probe microscopy (SPM) based techniques, namely, conductive-AFM, electrochemical strain microscopy (ESM) and AM-FM (amplitude modulation-frequency modulation) techniques, are used to in situ characterize the changes in topography, conductivity and elastic properties of Li-rich layered oxide cathode (Li1.2Mn0.54Ni0.13Co0.13O2) materials, in the form of nanoparticles, when subject to the external electric field. Nanoparticles are the basic building blocks for composite cathode in a Li-ion rechargeable battery. Characterization of the structure and electrochemical properties of the nanoparticles is very important to understand the performance and reliability of the battery materials and devices. In this study, the conductivity, deformation and mechanical properties of the Li-rich oxide nanoparticles under different polarities of biases are studied using the above-mentioned SPM techniques. This information can be correlated with the Li+-ion diffusion and migration in the particles under external electrical field. The results also confirm that the SPM techniques are ideal tools to study the changes in various properties of electrode materials at nano- to micro-scales during or after the ‘simulated’ battery operation conditions. These techniques can also be used to in situ characterize the electrochemical performances of other energy storage materials, especially in the form of the nanoparticles.

Computer designed compensation filters for use in radiation therapy. Master's thesis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Higgins, R. Jr.

1982-12-01

A computer program was written in the MUMPS language to design filters for use in cancer radiotherapy. The filter corrects for patient surface irregularities and allows homogeneous dose distribution with depth in the patient. The program does not correct for variations in the density of the patient. The program uses data available from the software in Computerized Medical Systems Inc.'s Radiation Treatment Planning package. External contours of General Electric CAT scans are made using the RTP software. The program uses the data from these external contours in designing the compensation filters. The program is written to process from 3 tomore » 31, 1cm thick, CAT scan slices. The output from the program can be in one of two different forms. The first option will drive the probe of a CMS Water Phantom in three dimensions as if it were the bit of a routing machine. Thus a routing machine constructed to run from the same output that drives the Water Phantom probe would produce a three dimensional filter mold. The second option is a listing of thicknesses for an array of aluminum blocks to filter the radiation. The size of the filter array is 10 in. by 10 in. The Printronix printer provides an array of blocks 1/2 in. by 1/2 in. with the thickness in millimeters printed inside each block.« less

Knowledge-based image processing for on-off type DNA microarray

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jong D.; Kim, Seo K.; Cho, Jeong S.; Kim, Jongwon

2002-06-01

This paper addresses the image processing technique for discriminating whether the probes are hybrized with target DNA in the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) DNA Chip designed for genotyping HPV. In addition to the probes, the HPV DNA chip has markers that always react with the sample DNA. The positions of probe-dots in the final scanned image are fixed relative to the marker-dot locations with a small variation according to the accuracy of the dotter and the scanner. The probes are duplicated 4 times for the diagnostic stability. The prior knowledges such as the maker relative distance and the duplication information of probes is integrated into the template matching technique with the normalized correlation measure. Results show that the employment of both of the prior knowledges is to simply average the template matching measures over the positions of the markers and probes. The eventual proposed scheme yields stable marker locating and probe classification.

Development of photoacoustic imaging technology overlaid on ultrasound imaging and its clinical application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishihara, Miya; Tsujita, Kazuhiro; Horiguchi, Akio; Irisawa, Kaku; Komatsu, Tomohiro; Ayaori, Makoto; Hirasawa, Takeshi; Kasamatsu, Tadashi; Hirota, Kazuhiro; Tsuda, Hitoshi; Ikewaki, Katsunori; Asano, Tomohiko

2015-03-01

Purpose: Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) enables one to visualize the distribution of hemoglobin and acquire a map of microvessels without using contrast agents. The purpose of our study is to develop a clinically applicable PAI system integrated with a clinical ultrasound (US) array system with handheld PAI probes providing coregistered PAI and US images. Clinical research trials were performed to evaluate the performance and feasibility of clinical value. Materials and Methods: We developed two types of handheld PAI probes: a linear PAI probe combining a conventional linear-array US probe with optical illumination and a transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS)-type PAI probe. We performed experiments with Japanese white rabbits and conducted clinical research trials of urology and vascular medicine with the approval of the medical human ethics committee of the National Defense Medical College. Results: We successfully acquired high-dynamic-range images of the vascular network ranging from capillaries to landmark arteries and identified the femoral vein, deep femoral vein, and great saphenous vein of rabbits. These major vessels in the rabbits groin are surrounded with microvessels connected to each other. Periprostatic microvessels were monitored during radical prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer and they were colocalized with nerve fibers, and their distribution was consistent with the corresponding PAI. The TRUS-type PAI probe clearly demonstrated the location and extent of the neurovascular bundle (NVB) better than does TRUS alone. Conclusions: The system, which can obtain a PAI, a US image, and a merged image, was innovatively designed so that medical doctors can easily find the location without any prior knowledge or extended skills to analyze the obtained images. Our pilot feasibility study confirms that PAI could be an imaging modality useful in the screening study and diagnostic biopsy.

Improved detection of genetic markers of antimicrobial resistance by hybridization probe-based melting curve analysis using primers to mask proximal mutations: examples include the influenza H275Y substitution.

PubMed

Whiley, David M; Jacob, Kevin; Nakos, Jennifer; Bletchly, Cheryl; Nimmo, Graeme R; Nissen, Michael D; Sloots, Theo P

2012-06-01

Numerous real-time PCR assays have been described for detection of the influenza A H275Y alteration. However, the performance of these methods can be undermined by sequence variation in the regions flanking the codon of interest. This is a problem encountered more broadly in microbial diagnostics. In this study, we developed a modification of hybridization probe-based melting curve analysis, whereby primers are used to mask proximal mutations in the sequence targets of hybridization probes, so as to limit the potential for sequence variation to interfere with typing. The approach was applied to the H275Y alteration of the influenza A (H1N1) 2009 strain, as well as a Neisseria gonorrhoeae mutation associated with antimicrobial resistance. Assay performances were assessed using influenza A and N. gonorrhoeae strains characterized by DNA sequencing. The modified hybridization probe-based approach proved successful in limiting the effects of proximal mutations, with the results of melting curve analyses being 100% consistent with the results of DNA sequencing for all influenza A and N. gonorrhoeae strains tested. Notably, these included influenza A and N. gonorrhoeae strains exhibiting additional mutations in hybridization probe targets. Of particular interest was that the H275Y assay correctly typed influenza A strains harbouring a T822C nucleotide substitution, previously shown to interfere with H275Y typing methods. Overall our modified hybridization probe-based approach provides a simple means of circumventing problems caused by sequence variation, and offers improved detection of the influenza A H275Y alteration and potentially other resistance mechanisms.

Incidence of human papillomavirus contamination of transvaginal probes in Japan and possible contamination prevention strategy.

PubMed

Kuwata, Tomoyuki; Takahashi, Hironori; Koibuchi, Harumi; Ichizuka, Kiyotake; Natori, Michiya; Matsubara, Shigeki

2016-10-01

To clarify the present status of human papillomavirus (HPV) contamination of transvaginal probes in Japan and propose a preventive method. This study was performed at three institutes: a tertiary center, secondary hospital, and primary facility. To identify contamination rates, probes were disinfected and covered with probe covers and condoms; the cover was changed for each patient. The probes were tested for HPV, and those with HPV detected were analyzed to identify the type of HPV. Next, nurses put on new gloves before covering the probe for each patient, and the probes were similarly tested for HPV. A total of 120 probes were tested, and HPV was detected from a total of five probes, a contamination rate of 4.2 % (5/120). HPV was detected in all three institutes. Importantly, high-risk HPV, i.e., HPV-52, 56, and 59, was detected. After the "glove change strategy" was implemented, HPV was not detected on any of 150 probes tested at any of the three institutions. In Japan, the HPV contamination rate of vaginal probes in routine practice was 4.2 %. There was no HPV contamination of probes after changing the gloves for cover exchange for each patient. This strategy may prevent HPV probe contamination.

Probing Circum Galactic Medium of Galaxies in Emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Anjali

Nearby late-type galaxies are missing a large fraction of their baryonic mass. Galaxies have also lost most of the metals that they produced. Cosmological simulations of galaxy formation suggest that a large fraction of the missing baryonic mass and metals should reside in the circum-galactic medium (CGM), in a warm-hot gas phase at temperatures between one million and 10 million K. Although theoretical models predict the existence of the warm-hot gas in the CGM, detecting and characterizing the diffuse CGM has been difficult. At the expected temperatures the baryons are in the form of highly ionized plasma,observable in soft X-rays. Using observations from Chandra, XMM-Newton and Suzaku, we found that there is a huge reservoir of ionized gas around the Milky Way, with a mass of over 2 billion solar masses and a radius of over 100 kpc. The baryonic mass fraction of this gas is consistent with the Universal value. Similar to the Milky Way, other spiral galaxies should also have massive, extended reservoirs of ionized hot gas in the CGM. Searches of such a warm-hot gas in CGMs of external galaxies, however, have given mixed results. There are three sets of observations which are in apparent conflict: (1) CGMs around nearby spiral galaxies are apparently not extended (this might be an observational bias which we will test with the proposed program); (2) CGMs around massive spirals are extended and massive, but given the large mass of these galaxies, about an order of magnitude higher than the Milky Way, the fraction of baryons in the CGM is still small, and the baryons are still missing; (3) the Milky Way CGM is extended and massive and may account for the missing baryons. Theoretical models suggest that CGM properties depend on galaxy properties such as the gravitational mass, stellar mass and specific star formation rate. So to understand the physics of galaxy formation and evolution and the role of the accretion and feedback mechanisms, we must probe the entire parameter space of these galaxy properties. Given that CGMs of giant massive galaxies have been studied already, in this proposed program we will study galaxies with lower, Milky Way-type masses and a range of star formation rate. Our proposed program has two parts: (1) new observations with Suzaku (now archived), and (2) archival XMM-Newton observations (1.09 Ms). We have been awarded 200ks of Suzaku time to detect and characterize the warm-hot CGM in a nearby late type galaxy NGC3221 with very high sSFR. We request support for the analysis of these observations. With our novel XMM-Newton program we will probe the relevant parameter space of stellar mass, star formation rate and gravitational mass of galaxies. XMM-Newton has the ideal combination of large field of view and large effective area at soft X-ray energies, which is crucial for faint diffuse emission studies. With the proposed program we will detect and characterize the warm-hot CGM in our targets, determine their density profiles, and measure their mass and baryon fraction. We will probe an extended parameter space of galaxy properties to understand how the properties of CGMs depend on stellar mass, halo mass, and star formation rate of galaxies. With the proposed study we will present the best and the most comprehensive phenomenological picture of the CGM of external galaxies which we will compare with theoretical models of galaxy formation. This will significantly advance our understanding of galaxy formation and evolution, feedback and metal enrichment. The proposed study is relevant to the NASA Strategic Goal to discover how the Universe works, explore how the Universe began and evolved into its present form. The PI's efforts to involve undergraduates from a Community College in her research will improve retention of students in STEM disciplines by providing opportunities and activities along the full length of the education pipeline (NASA Strategic Plan sub-goal Goal 6).

Ionizable Nitroxides for Studying Local Electrostatic Properties of Lipid Bilayers and Protein Systems by EPR

PubMed Central

Voinov, Maxim A.; Smirnov, Alex I.

2016-01-01

Electrostatic interactions are known to play one of the major roles in the myriad of biochemical and biophysical processes. In this Chapter we describe biophysical methods to probe local electrostatic potentials of proteins and lipid bilayer systems that is based on an observation of reversible protonation of nitroxides by EPR. Two types of the electrostatic probes are discussed. The first one includes methanethiosulfonate derivatives of protonatable nitroxides that could be used for highly specific covalent modification of the cysteine’s sulfhydryl groups. Such spin labels are very similar in magnetic parameters and chemical properties to conventional MTSL making them suitable for studying local electrostatic properties of protein-lipid interfaces. The second type of EPR probes is designed as spin-labeled phospholipids having a protonatable nitroxide tethered to the polar head group. The probes of both types report on their ionization state through changes in magnetic parameters and a degree of rotational averaging, thus, allowing one to determine the electrostatic contribution to the interfacial pKa of the nitroxide, and, therefore, determining the local electrostatic potential. Due to their small molecular volume these probes cause a minimal perturbation to the protein or lipid system while covalent attachment secure the position of the reporter nitroxides. Experimental procedures to characterize and calibrate these probes by EPR and also the methods to analyze the EPR spectra by least-squares simulations are also outlined. The ionizable nitroxide labels and the nitroxide-labeled phospholipids described so far cover an exceptionally wide pH range from ca. 2.5 to 7.0 pH units making them suitable to study a broad range of biophysical phenomena especially at the negatively charged lipid bilayer surfaces. The rationale for selecting proper electrostatically neutral interface for calibrating such probes and example of studying surface potential of lipid bilayer is also described. PMID:26477252

External built residential environment characteristics that affect mental health of adults.

PubMed

Ochodo, Charles; Ndetei, D M; Moturi, W N; Otieno, J O

2014-10-01

External built residential environment characteristics include aspects of building design such as types of walls, doors and windows, green spaces, density of houses per unit area, and waste disposal facilities. Neighborhoods that are characterized by poor quality external built environment can contribute to psychosocial stress and increase the likelihood of mental health disorders. This study investigated the relationship between characteristics of external built residential environment and mental health disorders in selected residences of Nakuru Municipality, Kenya. External built residential environment characteristics were investigated for 544 residents living in different residential areas that were categorized by their socioeconomic status. Medically validated interview schedules were used to determine mental health of residents in the respective neighborhoods. The relationship between characteristics of the external built residential environment and mental health of residents was determined by multivariable logistic regression analyses and chi-square tests. The results show that walling materials used on buildings, density of dwelling units, state of street lighting, types of doors, states of roofs, and states of windows are some built external residential environment characteristics that affect mental health of adult males and females. Urban residential areas that are characterized by poor quality external built environment substantially expose the population to daily stressors and inconveniences that increase the likelihood of developing mental health disorders.

Enhancing the learning of sport skills through external-focus feedback.

PubMed

Wulf, Gabriele; McConnel, Nathan; Gärtner, Matthias; Schwarz, Andreas

2002-06-01

The authors examined how the effectiveness of feedback for the learning of complex motor skills is affected by the focus of attention it induces. The feedback referred specifically either to body movements (internal focus) or to movement effects (external focus). In Experiment 1, groups of novices and advanced volleyball players (N = 48) practiced "tennis" serves under internal-focus or external-focus feedback conditions in a 2 (expertise) x 2 (feedback type) design. Type of feedback did not differentially affect movement quality, but external-focus feedback resulted in greater accuracy of the serves than internal-focus feedback during both practice and retention, independent of the level of expertise. In Experiment 2, the effects of relative feedback frequency as a function of attentional focus were examined. A 2 (feedback frequency: 100% vs. 33%) x 2 (feedback type) design was used. Experienced soccer players (N = 52) were required to shoot lofted passes at a target. External-focus feedback resulted in greater accuracy than internal-focus feedback did. In addition, reduced feedback frequency was beneficial under internal-focus feedback conditions, whereas 100% and 33% feedback were equally effective under external-focus conditions. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of effect-related, as opposed to movement-related, feedback and also suggest that there is a need to revise current views regarding the role of feedback for motor learning.

Analysis of the mechanism by which calcium negatively regulates the tyrosine phosphorylation cascade associated with sperm capacitation.

PubMed

Baker, Mark A; Hetherington, Louise; Ecroyd, Heath; Roman, Shaun D; Aitken, R John

2004-01-15

The capacitation of mammalian spermatozoa involves the activation of a cAMP-mediated signal transduction pathway that drives tyrosine phosphorylation via mechanisms that are unique to this cell type. Controversy surrounds the impact of extracellular calcium on this process, with positive and negative effects being recorded in independent publications. We clearly demonstrate that the presence of calcium in the external medium decreases tyrosine phosphorylation in both human and mouse spermatozoa. Under these conditions, a rise in intracellular pH was recorded, however, this event was not responsible for the observed changes in phosphotyrosine expression. Rather, the impact of calcium on tyrosine phosphorylation in these cells was associated with an unexpected change in the intracellular availability of ATP. Thus, the ATP content of both human and mouse spermatozoa fell significantly when these cells were incubated in the presence of external calcium. Furthermore, the removal of glucose, or addition of 2-deoxyglucose, decreased ATP levels within human spermatozoon populations and induced a corresponding decline in phosphotyrosine expression. In contrast, the mitochondrial inhibitor rotenone had no effect on either ATP levels or tyrosine phosphorylation. Addition of the affinity-labeling probe 8-N3 ATP confirmed our prediction that spermatozoa have many calcium-dependent ATPases. Moreover, addition of the ATPase inhibitor thapsigargin, increased intracellular calcium levels, decreased ATP and suppressed tyrosine phosphorylation. Based on these findings, the present study indicates that extracellular calcium suppresses tyrosine phosphorylation by decreasing the availability of intracellular ATP, and not by activating tyrosine phosphatases or inhibiting tyrosine kinases as has been previously suggested.

In Situ Live-Cell Nucleus Fluorescence Labeling with Bioinspired Fluorescent Probes.

PubMed

Ding, Pan; Wang, Houyu; Song, Bin; Ji, Xiaoyuan; Su, Yuanyuan; He, Yao

2017-08-01

Fluorescent imaging techniques for visualization of nuclear structure and function in live cells are fundamentally important for exploring major cellular events. The ideal cellular labeling method is capable of realizing label-free, in situ, real-time, and long-term nucleus labeling in live cells, which can fully obtain the nucleus-relative information and effectively alleviate negative effects of alien probes on cellular metabolism. However, current established fluorescent probes-based strategies (e.g., fluorescent proteins-, organic dyes-, fluorescent organic/inorganic nanoparticles-based imaging techniques) are unable to simultaneously realize label-free, in situ, long-term, and real-time nucleus labeling, resulting in inevitable difficulties in fully visualizing nuclear structure and function in live cells. To this end, we present a type of bioinspired fluorescent probes, which are highly efficacious for in situ and label-free tracking of nucleus in long-term and real-time manners. Typically, the bioinspired polydopamine (PDA) nanoparticles, served as fluorescent probes, can be readily synthesized in situ within live cell nucleus without any further modifications under physiological conditions (37 °C, pH ∼7.4). Compared with other conventional nuclear dyes (e.g., propidium iodide (PI), Hoechst), superior spectroscopic properties (e.g., quantum yield of ∼35.8% and high photostability) and low cytotoxicity of PDA-based probes enable long-term (e.g., 3 h) fluorescence tracking of nucleus. We also demonstrate the generality of this type of bioinspired fluorescent probes in different cell lines and complex biological samples.

Development of a fiber based Raman probe compatible with interventional magnetic resonance imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashok, Praveen C.; Praveen, Bavishna B.; Rube, Martin; Cox, Benjamin; Melzer, Andreas; Dholakia, Kishan

2014-02-01

Raman spectroscopy has proven to be a powerful tool for discriminating between normal and abnormal tissue types. Fiber based Raman probes have demonstrated its potential for in vivo disease diagnostics. Combining Raman spectroscopy with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) opens up new avenues for MR guided minimally invasive optical biopsy. Although Raman probes are commercially available, they are not compatible with a MRI environment due to the metallic components which are used to align the micro-optic components such as filters and lenses at the probe head. Additionally they are not mechanically compatible with a typical surgical environment as factors such as sterility and length of the probe are not addressed in those designs. We have developed an MRI compatible fiber Raman probe with a disposable probe head hence maintaining sterility. The probe head was specially designed to avoid any material that would cause MR imaging artefacts. The probe head that goes into patient's body had a diameter <1.5 mm so that it is compatible with biopsy needles and catheters. The probe has been tested in MR environment and has been proven to be capable of obtaining Raman signal while the probe is under real-time MR guidance.

[Mitotic behavior of centromeres in meiosis as the fertility restoration mechanism in wheat-rye amphihaploids].

PubMed

Loginova, D B; Silkova, O G

2014-08-01

The regulation of chromosomal behavior in meiosis in partly fertile wheat-rye amphihaploids was studied using the centromere specific probes pAWRC1 and Ae. tauschii pAet6-09. Comparative analysis of the probe localization patterns in mitosis, normal meiosis in wheat Triticum aestivum L. and rye Secale cereale L., and meiosis in amphihaploids was performed. The differences in the structure of centromeres in monopolar- and bipolar- oriented chromosomes were revealed. Single dense hybridization signals were observed in the diplotene and the metaphase of the first meiotic division, while hybridization signals appeared as stretched bands with diffuse structure located across the centromere region in mitosis and the second round of meiotic division. Based upon the obtained data, we used the corresponding centromere-specific probes as a tool for the analysis of chromosomal behavior in meiosis in amphihaploids. In meiocytes with three types of chromosome behavior (reductional, equational plus reductional, and equational), dense point-like hybridization signals for the pAet6-09 probe were observed for univalents with the reductional division type and stretched bands with diffuse structure for those with the equational division type. Thus, pAet6-09 probe localization patterns suggest some structural and functional specificities of centromeres in the meiosis in wheat-rye amphihaploids that reflect special regulation of chromosomal behavior during equational division. Meiocytes with true mitotic division were also observed in anthers predominantly containing meiocytes with chromosomes undergoing equational division.

Competitive hybridization models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cherepinsky, Vera; Hashmi, Ghazala; Mishra, Bud

2010-11-01

Microarray technology, in its simplest form, allows one to gather abundance data for target DNA molecules, associated with genomes or gene-expressions, and relies on hybridizing the target to many short probe oligonucleotides arrayed on a surface. While for such multiplexed reactions conditions are optimized to make the most of each individual probe-target interaction, subsequent analysis of these experiments is based on the implicit assumption that a given experiment yields the same result regardless of whether it was conducted in isolation or in parallel with many others. It has been discussed in the literature that this assumption is frequently false, and its validity depends on the types of probes and their interactions with each other. We present a detailed physical model of hybridization as a means of understanding probe interactions in a multiplexed reaction. Ultimately, the model can be derived from a system of ordinary differential equations (ODE’s) describing kinetic mass action with conservation-of-mass equations completing the system. We examine pairwise probe interactions in detail and present a model of “competition” between the probes for the target—especially, when the target is effectively in short supply. These effects are shown to be predictable from the affinity constants for each of the four probe sequences involved, namely, the match and mismatch sequences for both probes. These affinity constants are calculated from the thermodynamic parameters such as the free energy of hybridization, which are in turn computed according to the nearest neighbor (NN) model for each probe and target sequence. Simulations based on the competitive hybridization model explain the observed variability in the signal of a given probe when measured in parallel with different groupings of other probes or individually. The results of the simulations can be used for experiment design and pooling strategies, based on which probes have been shown to have a strong effect on each other’s signal in the in silico experiment. These results are aimed at better design of multiplexed reactions on arrays used in genotyping (e.g., HLA typing, SNP, or CNV detection, etc.) and mutation analysis (e.g., cystic fibrosis, cancer, autism, etc.).

Group velocity of the light pulse in an open V-type system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jingjuan; Fan, Xijun; Tian, Shufen; Liu, Chengpu; Gong, Shangqing; Xu, Zhizhan

2007-04-01

We investigate the group velocity of the probe light pulse in an open V-type system with spontaneously generated coherence. We find that, not only varying the relative phase between the probe and driving pulses can but varying the atomic exit rate or incoherent pumping rate also can manipulate dramatically the group velocity, even make the pulse propagation switching from subluminal to superluminal; the subliminal propagation can be companied with gain or absorption, but the superluminal propagation is always companied with absorption.

External heating of stents by radio waves Pilot studies in rabbit aorta

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Levitt, Adam B.; Robinson, Keith; Chronos, Nicolas A.F.

Purpose: This experiment was designed to assess the feasibility of radio frequency energy delivered by a prototype radio frequency generator inductive heating device (REVAX) positioned external to the body, for transient heating of stents after arterial implant. Methods and Materials: Twenty-one New Zealand White rabbits underwent stenting of their infrarenal aorta. Nine rabbits were stented and immediately placed in the REVAX for external stent heating with internal temperature probes in place. Twelve rabbits were stented and 3 days later either heated or placed in the generator as a sham for 20 min. The animals were terminated 28 days later. Results:more » The REVAX was able to heat the aortic stents in a controlled fashion; in Phase II experiments, the stent temperature was raised to 42 deg. C for 20 min. In Phase I mild necrosis was noted at the stent struts. In Phase II, necrosis and mineralization of the media was seen at the stent struts, and evidence of neointimal suppression was observed. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that external heating of stents in a blood vessel in a live animal via radio frequency energy is feasible. Further studies will be needed to assess whether any specific heating regimen might inhibit fibrocellular neointimal hyperplasia.« less

Effect of depth on shear-wave elastography estimated in the internal and external cervical os during pregnancy

PubMed Central

Hernandez-Andrade, Edgar; Aurioles-Garibay, Alma; Garcia, Maynor; Korzeniewski, Steven J.; Schwartz, Alyse G.; Ahn, Hyunyoung; Martinez-Varea, Alicia; Yeo, Lami; Chaiworapongsa, Tinnakorn; Hassan, Sonia S.; Romero, Roberto

2014-01-01

Aim To investigate the effect of depth on cervical shear-wave elastography. Methods Shear-wave elastography was applied to estimate the velocity of propagation of the acoustic force impulse (shear-wave) in the cervix of 154 pregnant women at 11-36 weeks of gestation. Shear-wave speed (SWS) was evaluated in cross-sectional views of the internal and external cervical os in five regions of interest: anterior, posterior, lateral right, lateral left, and endocervix. Distance from the center of the US transducer to the center of the each region of interest was registered. Results In all regions, SWS decreased significantly with gestational age (p=0.006). In the internal os SWS was similar among the anterior, posterior and lateral regions, and lower in the endocervix. In the external os, the endocervix and anterior regions showed similar SWS values, lower than those from the posterior and lateral regions. In the endocervix, these differences remained significant after adjustment for depth, gestational age and cervical length. SWS estimations in all regions of the internal os were higher than those of the external os, suggesting denser tissue. Conclusion Depth from the ultrasound probe to different regions in the cervix did not significantly affect the SWS estimations. PMID:25029081

Turbulence measurements in axisymmetric jets of air and helium. I - Air jet. II - Helium jet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Panchapakesan, N. R.; Lumley, J. L.

1993-01-01

Results are presented of measurements on turbulent round jets of air and of helium of the same nozzle momentum efflux, using, for the air jets, x-wire hot-wire probes mounted on a moving shuttle and, for He jets, a composite probe consisting of an interference probe of the Way-Libby type and an x-probe. Current models for scalar triple moments were evaluated. It was found that the performance of the model termed the Full model, which includes all terms except advection, was very good for both the air and the He jets.

Pump-Probe Noise Spectroscopy of Molecular Junctions.

PubMed

Ochoa, Maicol A; Selzer, Yoram; Peskin, Uri; Galperin, Michael

2015-02-05

The slow response of electronic components in junctions limits the direct applicability of pump-probe type spectroscopy in assessing the intramolecular dynamics. Recently the possibility of getting information on a sub-picosecond time scale from dc current measurements was proposed. We revisit the idea of picosecond resolution by pump-probe spectroscopy from dc measurements and show that any intramolecular dynamics not directly related to charge transfer in the current direction is missed by current measurements. We propose a pump-probe dc shot noise spectroscopy as a suitable alternative. Numerical examples of time-dependent and average responses of junctions are presented for generic models.

Swimming micro-robot powered by stimuli-sensitive gel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masoud, Hassan; Alexeev, Alexander

2012-11-01

Using three-dimensional computer simulations, we design a simple maneuverable micro-swimmer that can self-propel and navigate in highly viscous (low Reynolds-number) environments. Our simple swimmer consists of a cubic gel body which periodically changes volume in response to external stimuli, two rigid rectangular flaps attached to the opposite sides of the gel body, and a flexible steering flap at the front end of the swimmer. The stimuli-sensitive body undergoes periodic expansions (swelling) and contractions (deswelling) leading to a time-irreversible beating motion of the propulsive flaps that propel the micro-swimmer. Thus, the responsive gel body acts as an ``engine'' actuating the motion of the swimmer. We examine how the swimming speed depends on the gel and flap properties. We also probe how the swimmer trajectory can be changed using a responsive steering flap whose curvature is controlled by an external stimulus. We show that the turning occurs due to steering flap bending and periodic beating. Furthermore, our simulations reveal that the turning direction can be regulated by changing the intensity of external stimulus.

Biosensing based on magnetically induced self-assembly of particles in magnetic colloids.

PubMed

Yang, Ye; Morimoto, Yoshitaka; Takamura, Tsukasa; Sandhu, Adarsh

2012-03-01

Superparamagnetic beads and nonmagnetic beads of different sizes were assembled to form a "ring-structure" in a magnetorheological (MR) fluid solution by the application of external magnetic fields. For superparamagnetic beads and non-magnetic beads functionalized with probe and target molecules, respectively, the ring-structure was maintained even after removing the external magnetic field due to biomolecular bonding. Several experiments are described, including the formation process of ring-structures with and without molecular interactions, the accelerating effect of external magnetic fields, and the effect of biotin concentration on the structures of the rings. We define the small nonmagnetic particles as "petals" because the whole structure looks like a flower. The number of remnant ring petals was a function of the concentration of target molecules in the concentration range of 0.0768 ng/ml-3.8419 ng/ml which makes this protocol a promising method for biosensing. Not only was the formation process rapid, but the resulting two-dimensional colloidal system also offers a simple method for reducing reagent consumption and waste generation.

Development of an in situ hybridization assay for the detection of ostreid herpesvirus type 1 mRNAs in the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas.

PubMed

Corbeil, Serge; Faury, Nicole; Segarra, Amélie; Renault, Tristan

2015-01-01

An in situ hybridization protocol for detecting mRNAs of ostreid herpesvirus type 1 (OsHV-1) which infects Pacific oysters, Crassostrea gigas, was developed. Three RNA probes were synthesized by cloning three partial OsHV-1 genes into plasmids using three specific primer pairs, and performing a transcription in the presence of digoxigenin dUTP. The RNA probes were able to detect the virus mRNAs in paraffin sections of experimentally infected oysters 26 h post-injection. The in situ hybridization showed that the OsHV-1 mRNAs were mainly present in connective tissues in gills, mantle, adductor muscle, digestive gland and gonads. DNA detection by in situ hybridization using a DNA probe and viral DNA quantitation by real-time PCR were also performed and results were compared with those obtained using RNA probes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of a multi-fibre needle Raman probe for tissue analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fullwood, Leanne M.; Iping Petterson, Ingeborg E.; Dudgeon, Alexander P.; Lloyd, Gavin R.; Kendall, Catherine; Hall, Charlie; Day, John C. C.; Stone, Nick

2016-03-01

Raman spectroscopy is a rapid technique for the identification of cancers. Its coupling with a hypodermic needle provides a minimally invasive instrument with the potential to aid real time assessment of suspicious lesions in vivo and guide surgery. A fibre optic Raman needle probe was utilised in this study to evaluate the classification ability of the instrument as a diagnostic tool together with multivariate analysis, through measurements of tissues from different animal species as well as various different porcine tissue types. Cross validation was performed and preliminary classification accuracies were calculated as 100% for the identification of tissue type and 97.5% for the identification of animal species. A lymph node sample was also measured using the needle probe to assess the use of the technique for human tissue and hence its efficiency as a clinical instrument. This needle probe has been demonstrated to have the capabilities to classify tissue samples based on their biochemical components. The Raman needle probe also has the potential to act as a diagnostic and surgical tool to delineate cancerous from non-cancerous cells in real time, thus assisting complete removal of a tumour.

Change of magnetic properties of nanocrystalline alloys under influence of external factors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sitek, Jozef; Holková, Dominika; Dekan, Julius; Novák, Patrik

2016-10-01

Nanocrystalline (Fe3Ni1)81Nb7B12 alloys were irradiated using different types of radiation and subsequently studied by Mössbauer spectroscopy. External magnetic field of 0.5 T, electron-beam irradiation up to 4 MGy, neutron irradiation up to 1017 neutrons/cm2 and irradiation with Cu ions were applied on the samples. All types of external factors had an influence on the magnetic microstructure manifested as a change in the direction of the net magnetic moment, intensity of the internal magnetic field and volumetric fraction of the constituent phases. The direction of the net magnetic moment was the most sensitive parameter. Changes of the microscopic magnetic parameters were compared after different external influence and results of nanocrystalline samples were compared with their amorphous precursors.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Grisi, Marco, E-mail: marco.grisi@epfl.ch; Gualco, Gabriele; Boero, Giovanni

In this article, we present an integrated broadband complementary metal-oxide semiconductor single-chip transceiver suitable for the realization of multi-nuclear pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) probes. The realized single-chip transceiver can be interfaced with on-chip integrated microcoils or external LC resonators operating in the range from 1 MHz to 1 GHz. The dimension of the chip is about 1 mm{sup 2}. It consists of a radio-frequency (RF) power amplifier, a low-noise RF preamplifier, a frequency mixer, an audio-frequency amplifier, and fully integrated transmit-receive switches. As specific example, we show its use for multi-nuclear NMR spectroscopy. With an integrated coil of aboutmore » 150 μm external diameter, a {sup 1}H spin sensitivity of about 1.5 × 10{sup 13} spins/Hz{sup 1/2} is achieved at 7 T.« less

Autonomous identification of matrices in the APNea system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hensley, D.

1995-12-31

The APNea System is a passive and active neutron assay device which features imaging to correct for nonuniform distributions of source material. Since the imaging procedure requires a detailed knowledge of both the detection efficiency and the thermal neutron flux for (sub)volumes of the drum of interest, it is necessary to identify which mocked-up matrix, to be used for detailed characterization studies, best matches the matrix of interest. A methodology referred to as the external matrix probe (EMP) has been established which links external measures of a drum matrix to those of mocked-up matrices. These measures by themselves are sufficientmore » to identify the appropriate mock matrix, from which the necessary characterization data are obtained. This independent matrix identification leads to an autonomous determination of the required system response parameters for the assay analysis.« less

Autonomous identification of matrices in the APNea System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hensley, D.

1995-12-31

The APNea System is a passive and active neutron assay device which features imaging to correct for nonuniform distributions of source material. Since the imaging procedure requires a detailed knowledge of both the detection efficiency and the thermal neutron flux for (sub)volumes of the drum of interest, it is necessary to identify which mocked-up matrix, to be used for detailed characterization studies, best matches the matrix of interest. A methodology referred to as the external matrix probe (EMP) has been established which links external measures of a drum matrix to those of mocked-up matrices. These measures by themselves are sufficientmore » to identify the appropriate mock matrix, from which the necessary characterization data are obtained. This independent matrix identification leads to an autonomous determination of the required system response parameters for the assay analysis.« less

Sub-millimeter-Wave Equivalent Circuit Model for External Parasitics in Double-Finger HEMT Topologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karisan, Yasir; Caglayan, Cosan; Sertel, Kubilay

2018-02-01

We present a novel distributed equivalent circuit that incorporates a three-way-coupled transmission line to accurately capture the external parasitics of double-finger high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) topologies up to 750 GHz. A six-step systematic parameter extraction procedure is used to determine the equivalent circuit elements for a representative device layout. The accuracy of the proposed approach is validated in the 90-750 GHz band through comparisons between measured data (via non-contact probing) and full-wave simulations, as well as the equivalent circuit response. Subsequently, a semi-distributed active device model is incorporated into the proposed parasitic circuit to demonstrate that the three-way-coupled transmission line model effectively predicts the adverse effect of parasitic components on the sub-mmW performance in an amplifier setting.

49 CFR 238.423 - Fuel tanks.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

....423 Fuel tanks. (a) External fuel tanks. Each type of external fuel tank must be approved by FRA's... equivalent to a fuel tank that complies with the external fuel tank requirements in § 238.223(a). (b) Internal fuel tanks. Internal fuel tanks shall comply with the requirements specified in § 238.223(b). ...

The Relations of Regulation and Emotionality to Children's Externalizing and Internalizing Problem Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eisenberg, Nancy; Cumberland, Amanda; Spinrad, Tracy L.; Fabes, Richard A.; Shepard, Stephanie A.; Reiser, Mark; Murphy, Bridget C.; LoSaga, Sandra H.; Guthrie, Ivanna K.

2001-01-01

Examined relation of different types of negative emotion and regulation and control to 55- to 97-month-olds' internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors. Found that children with externalizing problems, compared to children with internalizing problems and nondisordered children, were more prone to anger, impulsivity, and low regulation.…

The development and evaluation of head probes for optical imaging of the infant head

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Branco, Gilberto

The objective of this thesis was to develop and evaluate optical imaging probes for mapping oxygenation and haemodynamic changes in the newborn infant brain. Two imaging approaches are being developed at University College London (UCL): optical topography (surface mapping of the cortex) and optical tomography (volume imaging). Both have the potential to provide information about the function of the normal brain and about a variety of neurophysiologies! abnormalities. Both techniques require an array of optical fibres/fibre bundles to be held in contact with the head, for periods of time from tens of seconds to an hour or more. The design of suitable probes must ensure the comfort and safety of the subject, and provide measurements minimally sensitive to external sources of light and patient motion. A series of prototype adaptable helmets were developed for optical tomography of the premature infant brain using the UCL 32-channel time-resolved system. They were required to attach 32 optical fibre bundles over the infant scalp, and were designed to accommodate infants with a variety of head shapes and sizes, aged between 24-weeks gestational age and term. Continual improvements to the helmet design were introduced following the evaluation of each prototype on infants in the hospital. Data were acquired to generate images revealing the concentration and oxygenation of blood in the brain, and the response of the brain to sensory stimulation. This part of the project also involved designing and testing new methods of acquiring calibration data using reference phantoms. The second focus of the project was the development of probes for use with the UCL frequency-multiplexed near-infrared topography system. This is being used to image functional activation in the infant cortex. A series of probes were developed and experiments were conducted to evaluate their sensitivity to patient motion and to compression of the probe. The probes have been used for a variety of functional activation studies.

Quantification of different Eubacterium spp. in human fecal samples with species-specific 16S rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes.

PubMed

Schwiertz, A; Le Blay, G; Blaut, M

2000-01-01

Species-specific 16S rRNA-targeted, Cy3 (indocarbocyanine)-labeled oligonucleotide probes were designed and validated to quantify different Eubacterium species in human fecal samples. Probes were directed at Eubacterium barkeri, E. biforme, E. contortum, E. cylindroides (two probes), E. dolichum, E. hadrum, E. lentum, E. limosum, E. moniliforme, and E. ventriosum. The specificity of the probes was tested with the type strains and a range of common intestinal bacteria. With one exception, none of the probes showed cross-hybridization under stringent conditions. The species-specific probes were applied to fecal samples obtained from 12 healthy volunteers. E. biforme, E. cylindroides, E. hadrum, E. lentum, and E. ventriosum could be determined. All other Eubacterium species for which probes had been designed were under the detection limit of 10(7) cells g (dry weight) of feces(-1). The cell counts obtained are essentially in accordance with the literature data, which are based on colony counts. This shows that whole-cell in situ hybridization with species-specific probes is a valuable tool for the enumeration of Eubacterium species in feces.

Quantification of Different Eubacterium spp. in Human Fecal Samples with Species-Specific 16S rRNA-Targeted Oligonucleotide Probes

PubMed Central

Schwiertz, Andreas; Le Blay, Gwenaelle; Blaut, Michael

2000-01-01

Species-specific 16S rRNA-targeted, Cy3 (indocarbocyanine)-labeled oligonucleotide probes were designed and validated to quantify different Eubacterium species in human fecal samples. Probes were directed at Eubacterium barkeri, E. biforme, E. contortum, E. cylindroides (two probes), E. dolichum, E. hadrum, E. lentum, E. limosum, E. moniliforme, and E. ventriosum. The specificity of the probes was tested with the type strains and a range of common intestinal bacteria. With one exception, none of the probes showed cross-hybridization under stringent conditions. The species-specific probes were applied to fecal samples obtained from 12 healthy volunteers. E. biforme, E. cylindroides, E. hadrum, E. lentum, and E. ventriosum could be determined. All other Eubacterium species for which probes had been designed were under the detection limit of 107 cells g (dry weight) of feces−1. The cell counts obtained are essentially in accordance with the literature data, which are based on colony counts. This shows that whole-cell in situ hybridization with species-specific probes is a valuable tool for the enumeration of Eubacterium species in feces. PMID:10618251

Catheter-Related Complications in Children With Cancer Receiving Parenteral Nutrition: Change in Risk Is Moderated by Catheter Type.

PubMed

Shenep, Melissa A; Tanner, Mary R; Sun, Yilun; Culley, Tina; Hayden, Randall T; Flynn, Patricia M; Tang, Li; Wolf, Joshua

2017-08-01

Although central venous catheters (CVCs) are essential to pediatric cancer care, complications are common (eg, occlusion, central line-associated bloodstream infection [CLABSI]). Parenteral nutrition (PN) and external CVCs are associated with an increased complication risk, but their interaction is unknown. A retrospective matched cohort study of pediatric oncology patients who received PN through subcutaneous ports or external CVCs. Complication rates were compared between CVC types during PN and non-PN periods (log-negative binomial model). Risk of CLABSI was higher during PN for children with ports (relative risk [RR] = 39.6; 95% confidence interval, 5.0-309) or external CVCs (RR = 2.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-7.4). This increased risk during PN was greater for ports than for external CVCs (ratio of relative risks = 13.6). Occlusion risk was higher during PN in both groups (RR = 10.0 for ports; RR = 2.0 for external CVCs), and the increase was significantly greater in ports (ratio of relative risks, 4.9). Overall, complication rates for ports were much lower than for external CVCs during the non-PN period but similar during the PN period. Children with cancer who receive PN have increased risk of CLABSI and occlusion. The risk increase is greatest in children with ports: a 40- and 10-fold increase in infection risk and occlusion, respectively, resulting in similar complication rates during PN regardless of CVC type and negating the usual benefits of ports. Children with cancer who will require PN should have primary insertion of external CVCs where possible.

Diagnostic tools based on minor groove binder probe technology for rapid identification of vaccinal and field strains of canine parvovirus type 2b.

PubMed

Decaro, Nicola; Martella, Vito; Elia, Gabriella; Desario, Costantina; Campolo, Marco; Buonavoglia, Domenico; Bellacicco, Anna Lucia; Tempesta, Maria; Buonavoglia, Canio

2006-12-01

TaqMan-based diagnostic tests have been developed for the identification of canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) strains in the faeces of dogs with diarrhoea, including a minor groove binder (MGB) probe assay for identification of type 2-based vaccines and field strains (types 2a, 2b and 2c). Since type 2b vaccines have been licensed recently in Europe, two novel MGB assays were developed for discrimination between type 2b vaccines and field strains of CPV. Such assays have been found to be highly sensitive, specific and reproducible, allowing for simultaneous detection of type 2b vaccinal and field strains present in the same specimens. These new assays will help resolution of the diagnostic problems related to the detection of a type 2b strain in the faeces of dogs shortly after the administration of a type 2b vaccine.

Minimizing the Number of Urological Complications After Kidney Transplant: A Comparative Study of Two Types of External Ureteral Stents.

PubMed

Ooms, Liselotte S S; Spaans, Laura G; Betjes, Michiel G H; Ijzermans, Jan N M; Terkivatan, Türkan

2017-04-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of 2 types of external ureteral stents on the number of urological complications after kidney transplant. Data were retrospectively collected from 366 consecutive transplants performed between January 2013 and January 2015 in our hospital, in which an external ureteral stent was placed during surgery and removed after 9 days. Urological complications were defined as urinary leakage or ureteral stenosis requiring percutaneous nephrostomy placement. A total of 197 patients received a straight stent with 2 larger side holes (type A; 8F "Covidien" tube; Covidien, Dublin, Ireland) and 169 patients received a single J stent with 7 smaller side holes (type B; 7F "Teleflex" single J stent; Teleflex Medical, Athlone, Ireland). We found a significantly higher number of percutaneous nephrostomy placements with type A stents, with 34 (17%) versus 16 (9%) in type B (P = .030). Reason for percutaneous nephrostomy placement, occurrence of stent dysfunction, and need for early removal (< 8 days) were equal in both groups (P = .397), whereas incidence of rejection and urinary tract infection were higher in type B stent group. Patient and graft survival did not differ between the groups. Use of the type B stent was associated with less urological complications compared with the type A stent.

Diode-laser-based therapy device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Udrea, Mircea V.; Nica, Adriana S.; Florian, Mariana; Poenaru, Daniela; Udrea, Gabriela; Lungeanu, Mihaela; Sporea, Dan G.; Vasiliu, Virgil V.; Vieru, Roxana

2004-10-01

A new therapy laser device is presented. The device consists of a central unit and different types of laser probes. The laser probe model SL7-650 delivers seven red (650 nm), 5 mW diode lasers convergent beams. The beams converge at about 30 cm in front of the laser probe and the irradiated area might be varied by simple displacement of the laser probe with respect to the target. The laser probe SL1-808 emits single infrared laser beam up to 500 mW. The efficiency of the use of this device in physiotherapy, and rheumatology, has been put into evidence after years of testing. Dermatology and microsurgery are users of infrared powerful laser probes. The device has successfully passed technical and clinical tests in order to be certified. The laser device design and some medical results are given.

A Unique Self-Sensing, Self-Actuating AFM Probe at Higher Eigenmodes

PubMed Central

Wu, Zhichao; Guo, Tong; Tao, Ran; Liu, Leihua; Chen, Jinping; Fu, Xing; Hu, Xiaotang

2015-01-01

With its unique structure, the Akiyama probe is a type of tuning fork atomic force microscope probe. The long, soft cantilever makes it possible to measure soft samples in tapping mode. In this article, some characteristics of the probe at its second eigenmode are revealed by use of finite element analysis (FEA) and experiments in a standard atmosphere. Although the signal-to-noise ratio in this environment is not good enough, the 2 nm resolution and 0.09 Hz/nm sensitivity prove that the Akiyama probe can be used at its second eigenmode under FM non-contact mode or low amplitude FM tapping mode, which means that it is easy to change the measuring method from normal tapping to small amplitude tapping or non-contact mode with the same probe and equipment. PMID:26580619

Rational chemical design of the next generation of molecular imaging probes based on physics and biology: mixing modalities, colors and signals

PubMed Central

Longmire, Michelle R.; Ogawa, Mikako; Choyke, Peter L.

2012-01-01

In recent years, numerous in vivo molecular imaging probes have been developed. As a consequence, much has been published on the design and synthesis of molecular imaging probes focusing on each modality, each type of material, or each target disease. More recently, second generation molecular imaging probes with unique, multi-functional, or multiplexed characteristics have been designed. This critical review focuses on (i) molecular imaging using combinations of modalities and signals that employ the full range of the electromagnetic spectra, (ii) optimized chemical design of molecular imaging probes for in vivo kinetics based on biology and physiology across a range of physical sizes, (iii) practical examples of second generation molecular imaging probes designed to extract complementary data from targets using multiple modalities, color, and comprehensive signals (277 references). PMID:21607237

Towards pump-probe experiments of defect dynamics with short ion beam pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schenkel, T.; Lidia, S. M.; Weis, C. D.; Waldron, W. L.; Schwartz, J.; Minor, A. M.; Hosemann, P.; Kwan, J. W.

2013-11-01

A novel, induction type linear accelerator, the Neutralized Drift Compression eXperiment (NDCX-II), is currently being commissioned at Berkeley Lab. This accelerator is designed to deliver intense (up to 3 × 1011 ions/pulse), 0.6 to ∼600 ns duration pulses of 0.05-1.2 MeV lithium ions at a rate of about 2 pulses per minute onto 1-10 mm scale target areas. When focused to mm-diameter spots, the beam is predicted to volumetrically heat micrometer thick foils to temperatures of ∼30,000 °K. At lower beam power densities, the short excitation pulse with tunable intensity and time profile enables pump-probe type studies of defect dynamics in a broad range of materials. We briefly describe the accelerator concept and design, present results from beam pulse shaping experiments and discuss examples of pump-probe type studies of defect dynamics following irradiation of materials with intense, short ion beam pulses from NDCX-II.

Anisotropic excitation of surface plasmon polaritons on a metal film by a scattering-type scanning near-field microscope with a non-rotationally-symmetric probe tip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walla, Frederik; Wiecha, Matthias M.; Mecklenbeck, Nicolas; Beldi, Sabri; Keilmann, Fritz; Thomson, Mark D.; Roskos, Hartmut G.

2018-01-01

We investigated the excitation of surface plasmon polaritons on gold films with the metallized probe tip of a scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscope (s-SNOM). The emission of the polaritons from the tip, illuminated by near-infrared laser radiation, was found to be anisotropic and not circularly symmetric as expected on the basis of literature data. We furthermore identified an additional excitation channel via light that was reflected off the tip and excited the plasmon polaritons at the edge of the metal film. Our results, while obtained for a non-rotationally-symmetric type of probe tip and thus specific for this situation, indicate that when an s-SNOM is employed for the investigation of plasmonic structures, the unintentional excitation of surface waves and anisotropic surface wave propagation must be considered in order to correctly interpret the signatures of plasmon polariton generation and propagation.

DNA Three-Way Junction for Differentiation of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms with Fluorescent Copper Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Sun, Feifei; You, Ying; Liu, Jie; Song, Quanwei; Shen, Xiaotong; Na, Na; Ouyang, Jin

2017-05-23

A label- and enzyme-free fluorescent sensor for the detection of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at room temperature is proposed, using new copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) as fluorescent reporters. The CuNPs were constructed by using a DNA three-way junction (3WJ) template. In this assay, two complementary adenine/thymine-rich probes can hybridize with the wild-type target simultaneously to construct a 3WJ structure, serving as an efficient scaffold for the generation of CuNPs. However, the CuNPs produce weak fluorescence when the probes bind with a mutant-type target. SNPs can be identified by the difference in fluorescence intensity of the CuNPs. This SNPs detection strategy is straightforward, cost-effective, and avoids the complicated procedures of labeling or enzymatic reactions. The fluorescent sensor is versatile and can be applied to all types of mutation because the probes are programmable. Moreover, the sensor exhibits good detection performance in biological samples. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

SURVEY INSTRUMENT

DOEpatents

Borkowski, C J

1954-01-19

This pulse-type survey instrument is suitable for readily detecting {alpha} particles in the presence of high {beta} and {gamma} backgrounds. The instruments may also be used to survey for neutrons, {beta} particles and {gamma} rays by employing suitably designed interchangeable probes and selecting an operating potential to correspond to the particular probe.

Treatment of vulvar/vaginal condyloma by HPV: developed instrumentation and clinical report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inada, N. M.; Kurachi, C.; Ferreira, J.; Ribeiro, E. S.; Guimarães, O. C. C.; Quintana, S. M.; Lombardi, W.; Bagnato, V. S.

2009-06-01

Human papillomavirus (HPVs) are a family of sexually viruses with over 100 different genotypes identified till date. They are associated in 99% of cervical cancers, with HPV16 found in about 50% of cases. They are a cause of the second most common female cancer worldwide. PDT may constitute an alternative treatment for condyloma by HPV. In this work we present the development of a PDT device specifically designed for the treatment of vulvar and vaginal lesions induced by HPV. This equipment has been used in a clinical protocol and it is optically based on 640 nm LED (light emitting diodes) arrays. There are three illumination probes available that were anatomically designed for specific site applications: a 30 mm x 115 mm diffuser cylinder for intravaginal illumination and uniform irradiance of 42 mW/cm2; a 36 mm circular probe with 118 mW/cm2 and a 74 mm circular probe with 57 mW/cm2, both for external illumination. The 10% aminolevulinic acid cream is topically placed over the lesions and 4-6 hours after the application the illumination is performed. The illumination time is set depending on the chosen probe and treatment area to achieve a fluence of 200 J/cm2. In this presentation, the preliminary results of this clinical trial will be presented.

Memory-guided selective attention: Single experiences with conflict have long-lasting effects on cognitive control.

PubMed

Brosowsky, Nicholaus P; Crump, Matthew J C

2018-05-17

Adjustments in cognitive control, as measured by congruency sequence effects, are thought to be influenced by both external stimuli and internal goals. However, this dichotomy has often overshadowed the potential contribution of past experience stored in memory. Here, we examine the role of long-term episodic memory in guiding selective attention. Our aim was to demonstrate new evidence that selective attention can be modulated by long-term retrieval of stimulus-specific attentional control settings. All the experiments used a modified flanker task involving multiple unique stimuli. Critically, each stimulus was only presented twice during the experiment: first as a prime, and second as a probe. Experiments 1 and 2 varied the number of intervening trials between prime and probe and manipulated the amount of conflict using a secondary task. Experiment 3 ensured that specific colors assigned to prime stimuli were not repeated when presented as probes. Across both Experiments 1 and 2, we consistently found smaller congruency effects on probe trials when its associated prime trial was incongruent compared with congruent, demonstrating long-term congruency sequence effects. However, Experiment 3 showed no evidence for long-term effects. These findings suggest long-term preservation of selective attention processing at the episodic level, and implicate a role for memory in updating cognitive control. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Task demands determine comparison strategy in whole probe change detection.

PubMed

Udale, Rob; Farrell, Simon; Kent, Chris

2018-05-01

Detecting a change in our visual world requires a process that compares the external environment (test display) with the contents of memory (study display). We addressed the question of whether people strategically adapt the comparison process in response to different decision loads. Study displays of 3 colored items were presented, followed by 'whole-display' probes containing 3 colored shapes. Participants were asked to decide whether any probed items contained a new feature. In Experiments 1-4, irrelevant changes to the probed item's locations or feature bindings influenced memory performance, suggesting that participants employed a comparison process that relied on spatial locations. This finding occurred irrespective of whether participants were asked to decide about the whole display, or only a single cued item within the display. In Experiment 5, when the base-rate of changes in the nonprobed items increased (increasing the incentive to use the cue effectively), participants were not influenced by irrelevant changes in location or feature bindings. In addition, we observed individual differences in the use of spatial cues. These results suggest that participants can flexibly switch between spatial and nonspatial comparison strategies, depending on interactions between individual differences and task demand factors. These findings have implications for models of visual working memory that assume that the comparison between study and test obligatorily relies on accessing visual features via their binding to location. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Two-tint pump-probe measurements using a femtosecond laser oscillator and sharp-edged optical filters.

PubMed

Kang, Kwangu; Koh, Yee Kan; Chiritescu, Catalin; Zheng, Xuan; Cahill, David G

2008-11-01

We describe a simple approach for rejecting unwanted scattered light in two types of time-resolved pump-probe measurements, time-domain thermoreflectance (TDTR) and time-resolved incoherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (TRIARS). Sharp edged optical filters are used to create spectrally distinct pump and probe beams from the broad spectral output of a femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser oscillator. For TDTR, the diffusely scattered pump light is then blocked by a third optical filter. For TRIARS, depolarized scattering created by the pump is shifted in frequency by approximately 250 cm(-1) relative to the polarized scattering created by the probe; therefore, spectral features created by the pump and probe scattering can be easily distinguished.