Detecting strain in birefringent materials using spectral polarimetry

A method, computer program product and system for analyzing multispectral images from a plurality of regions of birefringent material, such as a polymer film, using polarized light and a corresponding polar analyzer to identify differential strain in the birefringent material. For example, the birefringement material may be low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinylidene chloride, polyester, nylon, or cellophane film. Optionally, the method includes generating a real-time quantitative strain map

Screening and Molecular Analysis of Single Circulating Tumor Cells Using Micromagnet Array

Immunomagnetic assay has been developed to detect rare circulating tumor cells (CTCs), which shows clinical significance in cancer diagnosis and prognosis. The generation and fine-tuning of the magnetic field play essential roles in such assay toward effective single-cell-based analyses of target cells. However, the current assay has a limited range of field gradient, potentially leading to aggregation of cells and nanoparticles. Consequently, quenching of the fluorescence signal and mechanical damage to the cells may occur, which lower the system sensitivity and specificity. We develop a micromagnet-integrated microfluidic system for enhanced CTC detection. The ferromagnetic micromagnets, after being magnetized, generate localized magnetic field up to 8-fold stronger than that without the micromagnets, and strengthen the interactions between CTCs and the magnetic field. The system is demonstrated with four cancer cell lines with over 97% capture rate, as well as with clinical samples from breast, prostate, lung, and colorectal cancer patients. The system captures target CTCs from patient blood samples on a standard glass slide that can be examined using the fluorescence in-situ hybridization method for the single-cell profiling. All cells showed clear hybridization signals, indicating the efficacy of the compact system in providing retrievable cells for molecular studies

Reproduction and Seasonal Activity of Silver-Haired Bats in Western Nebraska

Silver-haired bats (Lasionycteris noctivagans) were thought only to migrate through Nebraska; however, recent surveys in eastern Nebraska report summer records of females and their young. Our study in western Nebraska also shows that silver-haired bats are summer residents. We discovered the 1st reproductively active L. noctivagans in this part of the state. We caught lactating females and volant young in riparian forests along the North Platte River and in forested areas of the Pine Ridge. Previously, adult males were not known from Nebraska in summer, and only 4 records of L. noctivagans were known from western Nebraska during migration. On 28 July we captured an adult male in a coniferous forest of the Wildcat Hills, and we have more than 100 records of migrating individuals. Lastly, an obese L. noctivagans captured on 4 November may represent an individual preparing to hibernate in the state