7,019 research outputs found
Switchable resolution in soft x-ray tomography of single cells.
The diversity of living cells, in both size and internal complexity, calls for imaging methods with adaptable spatial resolution. Soft x-ray tomography (SXT) is a three-dimensional imaging technique ideally suited to visualizing and quantifying the internal organization of single cells of varying sizes in a near-native state. The achievable resolution of the soft x-ray microscope is largely determined by the objective lens, but switching between objectives is extremely time-consuming and typically undertaken only during microscope maintenance procedures. Since the resolution of the optic is inversely proportional to the depth of focus, an optic capable of imaging the thickest cells is routinely selected. This unnecessarily limits the achievable resolution in smaller cells and eliminates the ability to obtain high-resolution images of regions of interest in larger cells. Here, we describe developments to overcome this shortfall and allow selection of microscope optics best suited to the specimen characteristics and data requirements. We demonstrate that switchable objective capability advances the flexibility of SXT to enable imaging cells ranging in size from bacteria to yeast and mammalian cells without physically modifying the microscope, and we demonstrate the use of this technology to image the same specimen with both optics
Signatures for a Cosmic Flux of Magnetic Monopoles
Any early universe phase transition occurring after inflation has the
potential to populate the universe with relic magnetic monopoles. Observations
of galactic magnetic fields, as well as observations matched with models for
extragalactic magnetic fields, lead to the conclusion that monopoles of mass
\lsim 10^{15} GeV are accelerated in these fields to relativistic velocities.
We explore the possible signatures of a cosmic flux of relativistic monopoles
impinging on the earth. The electromagnetically-induced signatures of monopoles
are reliable. The hadronically-induced signatures are highly model-dependent.
Among our findings are (i) the electromagnetic energy losses of monopoles
continuously initiate a protracted shower of small intensity; (ii) monopoles
may traverse the earth's diameter, making them a probe of the earth's interior
structure; (iii) in addition to the direct monopole Cherenkov signal presently
employed, a very attractive search strategy for monopoles is detection of their
radio-Cherenkov signal produced by the coherent charge-excess in the
shower - in fact, Cherenkov-detectors have the potential to discover a monopole
flux (or limit it) several orders of magnitude below the theoretical Parker
limit of /s/sr; (iv) it is conceivable (but not compelling)
that bound states of colored monopoles may be the primary particles initiating
the air showers observed above the GZK cutoff.Comment: 33 pages, 5 figures, revtex, to appear in Astro. Part. Phy
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Surface-to-Bulk Redox Coupling through Thermally Driven Li Redistribution in Li- and Mn-Rich Layered Cathode Materials.
Li- and Mn-rich (LMR) layered cathode materials have demonstrated impressive capacity and specific energy density thanks to their intertwined redox centers including transition metal cations and oxygen anions. Although tremendous efforts have been devoted to the investigation of the electrochemically driven redox evolution in LMR cathode at ambient temperature, their behavior under a mildly elevated temperature (up to ∼100 °C), with or without electrochemical driving force, remains largely unexplored. Here we show a systematic study of the thermally driven surface-to-bulk redox coupling effect in charged Li1.2Ni0.15Co0.1Mn0.55O2. We for the first time observed a charge transfer between the bulk oxygen anions and the surface transition metal cations under ∼100 °C, which is attributed to the thermally driven redistribution of Li ions. This finding highlights the nonequilibrium state and dynamic nature of the LMR material at deeply delithiated state upon a mild temperature perturbation
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Emerging Optical Methods for Endoscopic Barrett’s Surveillance
Barrett’s oesophagus is an acquired metaplastic condition that predisposes patients to the development of
oesophageal adenocarcinoma, prompting the use of surveillance regimes to detect early malignancy for endoscopic
therapy with curative intent. The currently accepted surveillance regime uses white light endoscopy together with
random biopsies, but suffers poor sensitivity and discards information from numerous light-tissue interactions that
could be exploited to probe structural, functional and molecular changes in the tissue. Advanced optical methods are
now emerging that are exquisitely sensitive to these changes and hold significant potential to improve surveillance of
Barrett’s oesophagus if they can be applied endoscopically. The next decade will see some of these exciting new
methods applied to Barrett’s surveillance in new device architectures for the first time, potentially leading to a longawaited
improvement of the standard of care
A proposal for a coordinated effort for the determination of brainwide neuroanatomical connectivity in model organisms at a mesoscopic scale
In this era of complete genomes, our knowledge of neuroanatomical circuitry
remains surprisingly sparse. Such knowledge is however critical both for basic
and clinical research into brain function. Here we advocate for a concerted
effort to fill this gap, through systematic, experimental mapping of neural
circuits at a mesoscopic scale of resolution suitable for comprehensive,
brain-wide coverage, using injections of tracers or viral vectors. We detail
the scientific and medical rationale and briefly review existing knowledge and
experimental techniques. We define a set of desiderata, including brain-wide
coverage; validated and extensible experimental techniques suitable for
standardization and automation; centralized, open access data repository;
compatibility with existing resources, and tractability with current
informatics technology. We discuss a hypothetical but tractable plan for mouse,
additional efforts for the macaque, and technique development for human. We
estimate that the mouse connectivity project could be completed within five
years with a comparatively modest budget.Comment: 41 page
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