An automated system for chromosome analysis. Volume 1: Goals, system design, and performance

The design, construction, and testing of a complete system to produce karyotypes and chromosome measurement data from human blood samples, and a basis for statistical analysis of quantitative chromosome measurement data is described. The prototype was assembled, tested, and evaluated on clinical material and thoroughly documented

An Automated System for Chromosome Analysis

The design, construction, and testing of a complete system to produce karyotypes and chromosome measurement data from human blood samples, and to provide a basis for statistical analysis of quantitative chromosome measurement data are described

Automated clinical system for chromosome analysis

An automatic chromosome analysis system is provided wherein a suitably prepared slide with chromosome spreads thereon is placed on the stage of an automated microscope. The automated microscope stage is computer operated to move the slide to enable detection of chromosome spreads on the slide. The X and Y location of each chromosome spread that is detected is stored. The computer measures the chromosomes in a spread, classifies them by group or by type and also prepares a digital karyotype image. The computer system can also prepare a patient report summarizing the result of the analysis and listing suspected abnormalities

Small firm e-business adoption : a critical analysis of theory

Purpose &ndash; The paper critiques a range of theories and evaluates their ability to provide a lens for explaining the idiosyncratic nature of small firms and their e-business adoption decisions.Design/methodology/approach &ndash; This literature review firstly summarises the existing research evidence that shows that small firms are idiosyncratic when it comes to e-business adoption. It then critiques theories commonly used in the literature in this field to examine the extent to which they take this small firm idiosyncrasy into account when explaining e-business adoption decisions.Findings &ndash; The critical analysis shows that no commonly-used theory adequately explains small firm adoption of e-business because each omits important aspects of small firm idiosyncrasy. The analysis suggests that an integrated theoretical framework is needed. Preliminary ideas on this framework are provided.Originality/value &ndash; Existing research generally applies a small number of selected theories and formulates research models of adoption factors. However, there is no systematic analysis of theories in this field and no consensus about theoretical frameworks. This paper addresses this limitation of the literature by critically evaluating the commonly used theories in terms of their individual suitability as lenses for explaining small firm e-business adoption. <br /

Use of extended and prepared reference objects in experimental Fourier transform X-ray holography

The use of one or more gold nanoballs as reference objects for Fourier Transform holography (FTH) is analysed using experimental soft X-ray diffraction from objects consisting of separated clusters of these balls. The holograms are deconvoluted against ball reference objects to invert to images, in combination with a Wiener filter to control noise. A resolution of ~30nm, smaller than one ball, is obtained even if a large cluster of balls is used as the reference, giving the best resolution yet obtained by X-ray FTH. Methods of dealing with missing data due to a beamstop are discussed. Practical prepared objects which satisfy the FTH condition are suggested, and methods of forming them described.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Applied Physics Letter

Ion holes in the hydrodynamic regime in ultracold neutral plasmas

We describe the creation of localized density perturbations, or ion holes, in an ultracold neutral plasma in the hydrodynamic regime, and show that the holes propagate at the local ion acoustic wave speed. We also observe the process of hole splitting, which results from the formation of a density depletion initially at rest in the plasma. One-dimensional, two-fluid hydrodynamic simulations describe the results well. Measurements of the ion velocity distribution also show the effects of the ion hole and confirm the hydrodynamic conditions in the plasma

Appearance of bulk properties in small tungsten oxide clusters

Contrary to the conventional understanding that atomic clusters usually differ in properties and structure from the bulk constituents of which they are comprised, we show that even a dimer of tungsten oxide (WO3)2 possesses bulklike features and the geometry of a small cluster containing only 4 tungsten and 12 oxygen atoms bears the hallmarks of crystalline tungsten oxide, WO3. This observation, based on a synergistic approach involving mass distributions under quasisteady state conditions, photoelectron spectroscopy, and first principles molecular orbital theory, not only illustrates the existence of a class of strongly covalent or ionic materials whose embryonic forms are tiny clusters but also lends the possibility that a fundamental understanding of complex processes such as catalyticreactions on surfaces may be achieved on an atomic scale with clusters as model systems

Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography in the staging and evaluation of treatment response in a patient with Castleman's disease: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Castleman's disease is a rare lymphatic polyclonal disorder that is characterised by unicentric or multicentric lymph node hyperplasia and non-specific symptoms and signs including fever, asthenia, weight loss, enlarged liver and abnormally high blood levels of antibodies.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We present the case of a 74-year-old man with Castleman's disease. The disease was detected with a contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan and a fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET)/CT study; diagnosis was made with histopathology. After treatment with surgical excision followed by chemotherapy, the disease response was evaluated using both diagnostic techniques. However, only the PET study was able to identify the spread of the disease to the abdominal lymph nodes, which were both enlarged and normal size, and, after treatment, to evaluate the disease response.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Based on the results of previous case reports and on those of the present study, it seems that Castleman's disease has a high glucose metabolic activity. Therefore, the use of PET can be considered appropriate in order to stage or restage the disease and to evaluate the response of the disease to treatment.</p

Unicentric castleman's disease located in the lower extremity: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Castleman's disease is a rare form of localized lymph node hyperplasia of uncertain etiology. Although the mediastinum is the most common site of involvement, rare cases occurring in lymph node bearing tissue of other localization have been reported, including only a few intramuscular cases. Unicentric and multicentric Castleman's disease are being distinguished, the latter harboring an unfavorable prognosis.</p> <p>Case Presentation</p> <p>Here, we present a case of unicentric Castleman's disease in a 37-year-old woman without associated neoplastic, autoimmune or infectious diseases. The lesion was located in the femoral region of the right lower extremity and surgically resected after radiographic workup and excisional biopsy examinations. The tumor comprised lymphoid tissue with numerous germinal centers with central fibrosis, onion-skinning and rich interfollicular vascularization. CD23-positive follicular dendritic cells were detected in the germinal centers and numerous CD138-positive plasma cells in interfollicular areas. The diagnosis of mixed cellularity type Castleman's disease was established and the patient recovered well.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In conclusion, the differential diagnosis of Castleman's disease should be considered when evaluating a sharply demarcated, hypervascularized lymphatic tumor located in the extremities. However, the developmental etiology of Castleman's disease remains to be further examined.</p

Incorporating real time velocity map image reconstruction into closed-loop coherent control

We report techniques developed to utilize three-dimensional momentum information as feedback in adaptive femtosecond control of molecular dynamics. Velocity map imaging is used to obtain the three-dimensional momentum map of the dissociating ions following interaction with a shaped intense ultrafast laser pulse. In order to recover robust feedback information, however, the two-dimensional momentum projection from the detector must be inverted to reconstruct the full three-dimensional momentum of the photofragments. These methods are typically slow or require manual inputs and are therefore accomplished offline after the images have been obtained. Using an algorithm based upon an “onion-peeling” (also known as “back projection”) method, we are able to invert 1040 × 1054 pixel images in under 1 s. This rapid inversion allows the full photofragment momentum to be used as feedback in a closed-loop adaptive control scheme, in which a genetic algorithm tailors an ultrafast laser pulse to optimize a specific outcome. Examples of three-dimensional velocity map image based control applied to strong-field dissociation of CO and O2 are presented