Amplified spontaneous emission from a conjugated polymer undergone a high-temperature lithography cycle

We investigated the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) and waveguiding properties of a conjugated polymer film after a heating cycle typical of soft lithography procedures. We found a maximum gain coefficient of 8cm−1, with excitation density and length thresholds for ASE-induced line narrowing of 200μJcm−2 and 0.9 mm, respectively. Importantly, we found a loss coefficient of the organic slab as low as 5.4cm−1, which is among the best results reported for organic waveguide amplifiers. These results are important in view of the application of polymer films as active layers for laser devices realized by patterning with high-temperature mechanical lithographies

Chemosensory Event-Related Potentials and Power Spectrum could be A Possible Biomarker in 3M Syndrome Infants?

none10no3M syndrome is a rare disorder that involves the gene cullin-7 (CUL7). CUL7 modulates odour detection, conditions the olfactory response (OR) and plays a role in the development of the olfactory system. Despite this involvement, there are no direct studies on olfactory functional effects in 3M syndrome. The purpose of the present work was to analyse the cortical OR through chemosensory event-related potentials (CSERPs) and power spectra calculated by electroencephalogram (EEG) signals recorded in 3M infants: two twins (3M-N) and an additional subject (3M-O). The results suggest that olfactory processing is diversified. Comparison of N1 and Late Positive Component (LPC) indicated substantial differences in 3M syndrome that may be a consequence of a modified olfactory processing pattern. Moreover, the presence of delta rhythms in 3M-O and 3M-N clearly indicates their involvement with OR, since the delta rhythm is closely connected to chemosensory perception, in particular to olfactory perception.openInvitto, Sara; Grasso, Alberto; Lofrumento, Dario Domenico; Ciccarese, Vincenzo; Paladini, Angela; Paladini, Pasquale; Marulli, Raffaella; Pascalis, Vilfredo De; Polsinelli, Matteo; Placidi, GiuseppeInvitto, Sara; Grasso, Alberto; Lofrumento, Dario Domenico; Ciccarese, Vincenzo; Paladini, Angela; Paladini, Pasquale; Marulli, Raffaella; Pascalis, Vilfredo De; Polsinelli, Matteo; Placidi, Giusepp

Altered expression of mitochondrial and extracellular matrix genes in the heart of human fetuses with chromosome 21 trisomy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Down syndrome phenotype has been attributed to overexpression of chromosome 21 (Hsa21) genes. However, the expression profile of Hsa21 genes in trisomic human subjects as well as their effects on genes located on different chromosomes are largely unknown. Using oligonucleotide microarrays we compared the gene expression profiles of hearts of human fetuses with and without Hsa21 trisomy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Approximately half of the 15,000 genes examined (87 of the 168 genes on Hsa21) were expressed in the heart at 18–22 weeks of gestation. Hsa21 gene expression was globally upregulated 1.5 fold in trisomic samples. However, not all genes were equally dysregulated and 25 genes were not upregulated at all. Genes located on other chromosomes were also significantly dysregulated. Functional class scoring and gene set enrichment analyses of 473 genes, differentially expressed between trisomic and non-trisomic hearts, revealed downregulation of genes encoding mitochondrial enzymes and upregulation of genes encoding extracellular matrix proteins. There were no significant differences between trisomic fetuses with and without heart defects.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We conclude that dosage-dependent upregulation of Hsa21 genes causes dysregulation of the genes responsible for mitochondrial function and for the extracellular matrix organization in the fetal heart of trisomic subjects. These alterations might be harbingers of the heart defects associated with Hsa21 trisomy, which could be based on elusive mechanisms involving genetic variability, environmental factors and/or stochastic events.</p

Photochromic Polymer Gratings

In this Full Paper, the possibility of reversibly changing the diffraction efficiency of gratings, fabricated by soft molding lithography on polymer films, containing photochromic molecules, is demonstrated. In particular, alternating UV and visible laser irradiation of the gratings causes the doped photochromic molecules to undergo transformations, which induce reversible dimensional changes to the samples. As a result, reversible changes are monitored in the intensity of the beams of a diode laser, transmitted and diffracted from the gratings. These changes affect the diffraction efficiency, which is increased upon irradiation with UV and decreased after irradiation with visible laser light. Such gratings are promising candidates for the fabrication of modern optical components such as optical switching devices

Methacarn preserves mucus integrity and improves visualization of amoebae in gills of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)

Two aqueous fixation methods (modified Davidson's solution and modified Davidson's solution with 2% (w/v) Alcian blue) were compared against two non‐aqueous fixation methods (methacarn solution and methacarn solution with 2% (w/v) Alcian blue) along with the standard buffered formalin fixation method to (a) improve preservation of the mucous coat on Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., gills and (b) to examine the interaction between the amoebae and mucus on the gill during an infection with amoebic gill disease. Aqueous fixatives demonstrated excellent cytological preservation but failed to deliver the preservation of the mucus when compared to the non‐aqueous‐based fixatives; qualitative and semi‐quantitative analysis revealed a greater preservation of the gill mucus using the non‐aqueous methacarn solution. A combination of this fixation method and an Alcian blue/Periodic acid–Schiff staining was tested in gills of Atlantic salmon infected with amoebic gill disease; lectin labelling was also used to confirm the mucus preservation in the methacarn‐fixed tissue. Amoebae were observed closely associated with the mucus demonstrating that the techniques employed for preservation of the mucous coat can indeed avoid the loss of potential mucus‐embedded parasites, thus providing a better understanding of the relationship between the mucus and parasite

FetReg: Placental Vessel Segmentation and Registration in Fetoscopy Challenge Dataset

Fetoscopy laser photocoagulation is a widely used procedure for the treatment of Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS), that occur in mono-chorionic multiple pregnancies due to placental vascular anastomoses. This procedure is particularly challenging due to limited field of view, poor manoeuvrability of the fetoscope, poor visibility due to fluid turbidity, variability in light source, and unusual position of the placenta. This may lead to increased procedural time and incomplete ablation, resulting in persistent TTTS. Computer-assisted intervention may help overcome these challenges by expanding the fetoscopic field of view through video mosaicking and providing better visualization of the vessel network. However, the research and development in this domain remain limited due to unavailability of high-quality data to encode the intra- and inter-procedure variability. Through the \textit{Fetoscopic Placental Vessel Segmentation and Registration (FetReg)} challenge, we present a large-scale multi-centre dataset for the development of generalized and robust semantic segmentation and video mosaicking algorithms for the fetal environment with a focus on creating drift-free mosaics from long duration fetoscopy videos. In this paper, we provide an overview of the FetReg dataset, challenge tasks, evaluation metrics and baseline methods for both segmentation and registration. Baseline methods results on the FetReg dataset shows that our dataset poses interesting challenges, offering large opportunity for the creation of novel methods and models through a community effort initiative guided by the FetReg challenge

A Transcutaneous Fetal Visual Stimulator

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