2,298 research outputs found
Cryopreparation of Tissue for Electron Microscopy
An apparatus able to remove amorphous phase tissue water without recrystallization or rehydration has been produced. Application of this technique to biological samples achieves both the preservation of ultrastructure and the retention of cellular macromolecules and solute without redistribution or modification.
Small pieces of fresh tissue were cryofixed by the method of bounce free metal-mirror freezing on polished copper bars at liquid nitrogen temperature. Tissue samples were then placed under liquid nitrogen in a copper sample holder equipped with a thermocouple and feedback controlled heating circuit. Under liquid nitrogen the sample block was placed in a stainless steel sample chamber which was then evacuated to a hydrocarbon-free ultrahigh vacuum (1x10-8mbar). Equilibrium temperature prior to the onset of the drying cycle was -192°C. Tissue was dried by increasing the temperature of the specimen block 1.33°C each hour while monitoring the rate of water removal with a partial pressure analyzer. Results indicate that drying is complete below the devitrification temperature of amorphous phase tissue water. After drying, tissue was fixed with osmium tetroxide vapour, vacuum embedded in low viscosity epoxy resin, sectioned, stained and viewed with the electron microscope. Tissue processed in this manner exhibits excellent morphological preservation with out the need for prefixation or cryoprotective agents. In addition, by avoiding prefixation and solvent contact during resin embedding, this method provides the basis for combining ultrastructural preservation with optimum material for immunocytochemical staining and elecron microprobe analysis
The importance of the aggregation of ticks on small mammal hosts for the establishment and persistence of tick-borne pathogens : an investigation using the R0 model
Aggregation of parasites amongst hosts is important for the epidemiology of vector-borne diseases because hosts that
support the majority of the vector population are responsible for the majority of pathogen transmission. Ixodes ricinus ticks
transmit numerous pathogens of medical importance including Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and tick-borne encephalitis virus.
One transmission route involved is âco-feeding transmissionâ, where larvae become infected via feeding alongside infected
nymphs. The aggregation of ticks on hosts leads to an increase in the number of larvae feeding alongside nymphs, increasing
the transmission potential via this route. The basic reproduction number, R0, can be used to identify whether a pathogen
will become established if introduced. In the current study we use previously published tick, and pathogen, specific data to
parameterize an R0 model to investigate how the degree of aggregation of ticks on hosts affects pathogen persistence. The
coincident aggregated distribution permitted the establishment of tick-borne encephalitis virus but did not influence
whether B. burgdorferi s.l. became established. The relationship between the k-exponent of the negative binomial
distribution and R0 was also defined. Therefore, the degree of aggregation of ticks on small mammal hosts has important
implications for the risk to human health in a given area.A University of Pretoria Postdoctoral
Fellowship awarded to A. Harrison and the DSTNRF
South African Research Chair of Behavioural
Ecology and Physiology awarded to N.C. Bennett.http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=parab201
Low Cost and Compact Quantum Cryptography
We present the design of a novel free-space quantum cryptography system,
complete with purpose-built software, that can operate in daylight conditions.
The transmitter and receiver modules are built using inexpensive off-the-shelf
components. Both modules are compact allowing the generation of renewed shared
secrets on demand over a short range of a few metres. An analysis of the
software is shown as well as results of error rates and therefore shared secret
yields at varying background light levels. As the system is designed to
eventually work in short-range consumer applications, we also present a use
scenario where the consumer can regularly 'top up' a store of secrets for use
in a variety of one-time-pad and authentication protocols.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figures, to be published in New Journal of Physic
First results of the BATSE/COMPTEL/NMSU rapid burst response campaign
The Imaging Compton Telescope (COMPTEL) on board the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory regularly observes gammaâray bursts which occur inside the instrumentâs âŒ1 sr fieldâofâview. COMPTEL images bursts in the 0.75â30 MeV energy range with a typical location accuracy of 1â3 degrees, depending on burst strength, position, duration, and spectrum. COMPTELâs imaging capability has been exploited in order to search for fading gammaâray burst counterparts at other wavelengths through the establishment of a BATSE/COMPTEL/NMSU rapid burst response campaign. This campaign utilizes near realâtime identification and preliminary burst location by BATSE, accelerated COMPTEL imaging, and a worldâwide network of observers to search COMPTEL error boxes as quickly as possible. Timely, deep searches for lingering counterpart emission of several bursts per year are the realized goal of this campaign. During its first year of operation, the rapid response program has been successfully applied to two strong bursts: GRB 930131 and GRB 930309. These bursts were imaged in record time only hours after their occurrence. Subsequently, several observations were made at radio and optical observatories worldâwide
Mortality in Levodopa-Treated Parkinson\u27s Disease
Parkinsonâs disease (PD) is associated with increased mortality despite many advances in treatment. Following the introduction of levodopa in the late 1960âs, many studies reported improved or normalized mortality rates in PD. Despite the remarkable symptomatic benefits provided by levodopa, multiple recent studies have demonstrated that PD patients continue to die at a rate in excess of their peers. We undertook this retrospective study of 211 deceased PD patients to determine the factors associated with mortality in levodopa-treated PD. Our findings confirm that PD is associated with increased mortality in both men and women. Unlike the majority of other mortality studies, we found that women have a greater reduction in lifespan compared to men. We also found that patients with early onset PD (onset at the age of 50 or before) have reduced survival relative to PD patients with later ages of onset. A final important finding is that survival is equal in PD patients treated with levodopa early (within 2 years or less of PD onset) versus later
Dynamics of monatomic liquids
We present a theory of the dynamics of monatomic liquids built on two basic
ideas: (1) The potential surface of the liquid contains three classes of
intersecting nearly-harmonic valleys, one of which (the ``random'' class)
vastly outnumbers the others and all whose members have the same depth and
normal mode spectrum; and (2) the motion of particles in the liquid can be
decomposed into oscillations in a single many-body valley, and nearly
instantaneous inter-valley transitions called transits. We review the
thermodynamic data which led to the theory, and we discuss the results of
molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of sodium and Lennard-Jones argon which
support the theory in more detail. Then we apply the theory to problems in
equilibrium and nonequilibrium statistical mechanics, and we compare the
results to experimental data and MD simulations. We also discuss our work in
comparison with the QNM and INM research programs and suggest directions for
future research.Comment: 53 pages, 16 figures. Differs from published version in using
American English spelling and grammar (published version uses British
English
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Modulation of UK lightning by heliospheric magnetic field polarity
Observational studies have reported solar magnetic modulation of terrestrial lightning on a range of time scales, from days to decades. The proposed mechanism is two-step: lightning rates vary with galactic cosmic ray (GCR) flux incident on Earth, either via changes in atmospheric conductivity and/or direct triggering of lightning. GCR flux is, in turn, primarily controlled by the heliospheric magnetic field (HMF) intensity. Consequently, global changes in lightning rates are expected. This study instead considers HMF polarity, which doesnÊŒt greatly affect total GCR flux. Opposing HMF polarities are, however, associated with a 40â60% difference in observed UK lightning and thunder rates. As HMF polarity skews the terrestrial magnetosphere from its nominal position, this perturbs local ionospheric potential at high latitudes and local exposure to energetic charged particles from the magnetosphere. We speculate as to the mechanism(s) by which this may, in turn, redistribute the global location and/or intensity of thunderstorm activity
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