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

An exploration into the client at the heart of therapy : a qualitative perspective

Over 50 years ago Eysenck challenged the existing base of research into psychotherapy. Since that time, a large number of investigations have been conducted to verify the efficacy of therapy. Recently however, an increasing number of studies have cast new doubts on this research base. Instead of therapy being a function of the therapist, it is now becoming ever more apparent that the client plays a prime role in the therapeutic process. The qualitative studies presented in this paper provide some examples of research that demonstrates that clients are actively involved in their therapy, even making counselling work despite their counsellor. These studies suggest that clients may not experience therapy as beneficially as traditional outcome studies indicate. This raises a new challenge to researchers to more fully explore the client's experience of therapy, a challenge to which qualitative methods of inquiry would appear well suited

Elementary Derivation of the Chiral Anomaly

An elementary derivation of the chiral gauge anomaly in all even dimensions is given in terms of noncommutative traces of pseudo-differential operators.Comment: Minor errors and misprints corrected, a reference added. AmsTex file, 12 output pages. If you do not have preloaded AmsTex you have to \input amstex.te

Effects of scan direction and orientation on mechanical properties of laser sintered polyamide-12

In order to understand the impact of layer-wise scanning direction in the Selective Laser Sintering process, test coupons were manufactured for mechanical testing from DuraForm™ Polyamide powder. The effects of laser energy density, varying between 0.003 and 0.024 J/mm2 were examined in test specimens rotated 90º through the Z axis. SLS machines do not always facilitate ‘cross-hatching’ of layers and therefore orientation has a major influence on part quality. When employed, the cross-hatching technique scans successive layers perpendicularly to the previous. Studying how parts perform with scan lines in a common direction, will assist in the understanding of how SLS parts behave in practice. Results showed that physical density, tensile strength and elongation rose with energy density up to 0.012 J/mm². This initial rise was due to a continued improvement in particle fusion with increasing energy density. Above 0.012 J/mm², these properties started to decline at different rates depending on their orientation (scan direction) on the part bed. Specimen’s oriented perpendicularly to the X axis exhibited a greater elongation at the expense of tensile strength, when compared to parallel specimens

ОПТИМАЛЬНЕ ЗА ШВИДКОДІЄЮ КЕРУВАННЯ КОМПЕНСАЦІЙНИМИ СИМЕТРУВАЛЬНИМИ ПРИСТРОЯМИ

Обґрунтований алгоритм оптимального за швидкодією керування компенсаційними симетрувальними пристроями, який рекомендується для застосування за умови істотного зниження напруги у вузлі приєднання споживача.Обоснован алгоритм оптимального по быстродействию управления компенсационными симметрирую- щими устройствами, который рекомендуется для применения при условии существенного снижения на- пряжения в узле присоединения потребител

Neutron reflectometry to investigate the delivery of lipids and DNA to interfaces (Review)

The application of scattering methods in the study of biological and biomedical problems is a field of research that is currently experiencing fast growth. In particular, neutron reflectometry (NR) is a technique that is becoming progressively more widespread, as indicated by the current commissioning of several new reflectometers worldwide. NR is valuable for the characterization of biomolecules at interfaces due to its capability to provide quantitative structural and compositional information on relevant molecular length scales. Recent years have seen an increasing number of applications of NR to problems related to drug and gene delivery. We start our review by summarizing the experimental methodology of the technique with reference to the description of biological liquid interfaces. Various methods for the interpretation of data are then discussed, including a new approach based on the lattice mean-field theory to help characterize stimulus-responsive surfaces relevant to drug delivery function. Recent progress in the subject area is reviewed in terms of NR studies relevant to the delivery of lipids and DNA to surfaces. Lastly, we discuss two case studies to exemplify practical features of NR that are exploited in combination with complementary techniques. The first case concerns the interactions of lipid-based cubic phase nanoparticles with model membranes (a drug delivery application), and the second case concerns DNA compaction at surfaces and in the bulk solution (a gene delivery application). (C) 2008 American Vacuum Society. [DOI: 10.1116/1.2976448

Association of specific chromosome alterations with tumour phenotype in posterior uveal melanoma

Posterior uveal melanomas have recurrent alterations of chromosomes 1, 3, 6 and 8. In particular, changes of chromosomes 3 and 8 occur in association, appear to characterize those tumours with a ciliary body component, and have been shown to be of prognostic significance. The relevance of other chromosome alterations is less certain. We have performed cytogenetic analysis on 42 previously untreated primary posterior uveal melanomas. Of interest was the observation that as tumour size increased the involvement of specific chromosome changes, and the amount of chromosome abnormalities likewise increased. Loss, or partial deletions, of the short arm of chromosome 1 were found to associate with larger ciliary body melanomas; typically, loss of the short arm resulted from unbalanced translocations, the partners of which varied. Trisomy of chromosome 21 occurred more often in ciliary body melanomas, whilst rearrangements of chromosomes 6 and 11 were primarily related to choroidal melanomas. Our results imply that alterations of chromosome 1 are important in the progression of some uveal melanomas, and that other chromosome abnormalities, besides those of chromosomes 3 and 8, are associated with ocular tumours of particular locations. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig

Expert consensus document: Mind the gaps—advancing research into short-term and long-term neuropsychological outcomes of youth sports-related concussions

Sports-related concussions and repetitive subconcussive exposure are increasingly recognized as potential dangers to paediatric populations, but much remains unknown about the short-term and long-term consequences of these events, including potential cognitive impairment and risk of later-life dementia. This Expert Consensus Document is the result of a 1-day meeting convened by Safe Kids Worldwide, the Alzheimer\u27s Drug Discovery Foundation, and the Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine. The goal is to highlight knowledge gaps and areas of critically needed research in the areas of concussion science, dementia, genetics, diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, neuroimaging, sports injury surveillance, and information sharing. For each of these areas, we propose clear and achievable paths to improve the understanding, treatment and prevention of youth sports-related concussions