MaRCoS, an open-source electronic control system for low-field MRI

Every magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device requires an electronic control system that handles pulse sequences and signal detection and processing. Here we provide details on the architecture and performance of MaRCoS, a MAgnetic Resonance COntrol System developed by an open international community of low-field MRI researchers. MaRCoS is inexpensive and can handle cycle-accurate sequences without hard length limitations, rapid bursts of events, and arbitrary waveforms. It can also be easily adapted to meet further specifications required by the various academic and private institutions participating in its development. We describe the MaRCoS hardware, firmware and software that enable all of the above, including a Python-based graphical user interface for pulse sequence implementation, data processing and image reconstruction.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure

qnanolab/marga: Initial release to generate D.O.I.

Initial release to generate D.O.I

Entwicklung eines maßgeschneiderten Algorithmus zur Analyse von ChIP-nexus genomweiten DNA-Bindungsprofilen

Protein-DNA interaction plays a major role in gene regulation. As the human genome has been successfully decoded, the current focus of research is now on understanding the interaction of genes and what they are doing. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial to better understand and cure diseases where gene regulation is important. The tools currently available to analyze living cells at a molecular level are still very limited. It is still not known how genes are regulated and which proteins can physically interact with them. ChIP-nexus is a protocol that quantitatively analyzes the interaction of proteins with deoxyribonucleic acid. Tools presented in this work aim to optimize the results obtained by this method and make it easy to use. Results: The newly developed tools have been successfully validated against published data. Furthermore, the results could be improved in some aspects such as the number of useable reads. The useability could be improved by integrating all preprocessing tools into two programs that are still flexible enough to allow for possible future changes. Speed improvements in the order of 5 times were achieved by applying multithreading techniques and using vector instructions.Protein-DNA Interaktion spielt eine große Rolle in Genregulation. Seitdem das menschliche Genom vor einigen Jahren entschlüsselt wurde, liegt der Fokus nun darauf ein besseres Verständnis dieser Gene und deren Regulation zu erlangen. Verständnis dieser Mechanismen ist entscheidend, um Krankheiten, bei denen Genregulation eine Rolle spielt, besser zu verstehen und zu heilen. Aktuell sind die zur Verfügung stehenden Werkzeuge, um lebende Zellen auf molekularer Ebene zu untersuchen, noch sehr begrenzt. Für viele Gene ist immer noch nicht bekannt, wie sie reguliert werden und welche Proteine mit den entsprechenden Stellen auf der DNA interagieren. ChIP-nexus ist eine Methode, welche geeignet ist neue Erkenntnisse über Protein-DNA Interaktion zu gewinnen. Die in dieser Arbeit vorgestellten Werkzeuge helfen dabei dies zu erleichtern und das Verfahren durch eine effiziente und einfache bioinformatische Analyse-Pipeline einem größerem Publikum zugänglich zu machen. Ergebnisse: Die neu entwickelten Programme wurden erfolgreich anhand veröffentlichter Daten validiert. Die Ausbeute an nutzbaren Daten konnte durch neue Verarbeitungsmethoden gesteigert werden. Außerdem konnte die Benutzbarkeit durch Integration aller Verarbeitungsschritte deutlich erleichtert werden. Die Geschwindigkeit des Preprozessings wurde durch Anwendung von Multithreading-Techniken und Verwendung von Vektorinstruktionen durchschnittlich 5-fach gesteigert

qnanolab/marcos_fpga: Initial release to generate D.O.I.

Initial release to generate D.O.I

Investigation of Orthopedic Prosthesis Socket Management after Transfemoral Amputation by Expert Survey

Prosthesis treatment requires the close interaction of different actors. In fitting prostheses to patients, special attention is given to the manufacturing of the socket. The continuous development of the technologies involved in the fitting and optimization of prostheses is shown in the literature. The assessment of orthopedic technicians and their influence in the process is thus far largely unexplored. Ten orthopedic technicians were interviewed about the socket fitting process after transfemoral amputation. The research goal was to clarify the socket treatment process with regards to the German context. The results showed that the orthopedic technicians focussing on the patient during the fitting process. This study underlines the importance of interaction and empathy. Volume fluctuations are decisive within the treatment process and are interactively influenced by various factors. Furthermore, the research emphasizes the need for appropriate assistive technologies and the potential for the further development of existing systems

Investigation of Orthopedic Prosthesis Socket Management after Transfemoral Amputation by Expert Survey

Prosthesis treatment requires the close interaction of different actors. In fitting prostheses to patients, special attention is given to the manufacturing of the socket. The continuous development of the technologies involved in the fitting and optimization of prostheses is shown in the literature. The assessment of orthopedic technicians and their influence in the process is thus far largely unexplored. Ten orthopedic technicians were interviewed about the socket fitting process after transfemoral amputation. The research goal was to clarify the socket treatment process with regards to the German context. The results showed that the orthopedic technicians focussing on the patient during the fitting process. This study underlines the importance of interaction and empathy. Volume fluctuations are decisive within the treatment process and are interactively influenced by various factors. Furthermore, the research emphasizes the need for appropriate assistive technologies and the potential for the further development of existing systems