Applications of the Cracow X-ray microprobe in tomography

A nuclear microprobe at the IFJ PAN in Cracow has found numerous applications in different fields of research, mostly in biophysics, medical sciences, geology, and material research. In order to extend the research possibilities, a new X-ray microprobe was constructed. This new microprobe consists of three experimental lines dedicated to: (i) X-ray irradiation of biological specimens, (ii) elemental analysis of samples by micro X-ray fluorescence or total reflection X-ray fluorescence methods and (iii) computer microtomography. In this paper the computer microtomography line was described. The line consists of an open type Hamamatsu L9191 X-ray tube with microfocusing to about 2 μm, a high resolution X-ray sensitive CCD camera, and a precise goniometer composed of six piezoelectric motors. Depending on the required X-ray energy, the Hamamatsu tube is used with Ti, Mo, Ag, or W targets. A small focus size and short focus-to-object distance enable to obtain images of samples with a magnification of more than 1000× and resolution of the order of 2 μm. The computer microtomography measurements are carried out using home developed codes combined with commercial software. Details of the microprobe construction and preliminary results of the computer microtomography experiments are presented

Modyfikowany V-stenting ze wsparciem IVUS jako strategia postępowania u 62-letniego chorego z zawałem z uniesieniem odcinka ST i rozwijającym się wstrząsem kardiogennym

The following case report concerns 62-year old male presented with a typical anginal pain of 4 hours duration and developing cardiogenic shock. His past medical history revealed hypertension with left ventricular hypertrophy and enlarged diameter of the ascending aorta. On admission patient have had severe chest pain, pulmonary congestion and his blood pressure was 90/55 mmHg. On ecg there was 4 mm elevation in V1-4 leads along with 1 mm depression in II, III and avF. He was given loading doses of ASA, ticagrelor and weight-adjusted dose of unfractionated heparin in the ambulance and was directly transferred to the cathlab. After coronary angiography PCI of critically narrowed LAD was performed with everolimus eluting stent (EES, Promus Premier 3.5 x 30 mm, 14 atm, BostonScientific), with slight protrusion to the very short and asymmetrical left main. After restoring TIMI 3 flow in the culprit artery, IVUS evaluation of left circumflex artery has been performed and thus confirmed its significant stenosis with massive plaque burden. Modified V-stenting strategy was applied, EES (Promus Premier 3.75 x 24 mm/14 atm) has been implanted with high pressure non-compliant kissing balloons postdilatation (NC Emerge 3.75 x 12 mm, up to 22 atm. Boston Scientific). Immediately after procedure patient was in good condition, without any residual chest pain and heart failure symptoms and was transferred to the Intensive Coronary Unit for further treatment and rehabilitation. In the echocardiographic assessment LVEF 55 % and apical segments hypokynesis was noted, patient was later mobilized and asymptomatic. He was discharged home in overall good condition 6 days later.Opisywany przypadek dotyczy 62-letniego pacjenta z nadciśnieniem tętniczym powikłanym przerostem mięśnia lewej komory i poszerzoną aortą wstępującą w wywiadzie, 4-godzinnym bólem dławicowym oraz objawami wstrząsu kardiogennego. Przy przyjęciu chory z silnym bólem w klatce piersiowej, zastojem w krążeniu małym i hipotonią 90/55 mm Hg. W ekg uniesienie odcinka ST o 4 mm w odprowadzeniach V1–4, z obniżeniami ST o 1 mm w II, III i aVF. Od zespołu pogotowia ratunkowego pacjent otrzymał nasycające dawki kwasu acetylosalicylowego i tikagreloru, a także heparynę niefrakcjonowaną i został przetransportowany bezpośrednio do pracowni hemodynamiki. Na podstawi koronarografii początkowo implantowano stent uwalniający ewerolimus (Promus Premier™ 3,5 × 30 mm/14 atm, BostonScientific) do gałęzi przedniej zstępującej (z niewielką protruzją do szczątkowego pnia lewej tętnicy wieńcowej). Na kolejnym etapie, w trakcie ultrasonografii wewnątrznaczyniowej (IVUS), potwierdzono istotność zmian miażdżycowych w gałęzi okalającej (GO) i implantowano tam stent uwalniający ewerolimus (Promus Premier 3,75 × 24 mm/12 atm), kierując się zasadami metody V-stenting. Zabieg optymalizowano w technice całujących się stentów (kissing balloons technique), wykorzystując przy tym IVUS do doboru stosownych niepodatnych cewników balonowych. Pacjenta przeniesiono na salę intensywnego nadzoru w stanie ogólnym dobrym, bez orthopnoe, hipotonii i dławicy. W kontrolnym badaniu echokardiograficznym wykazano frakcję wyrzutową 55% z hipokinezą koniuszka i segmentów przykoniuszkowych. Pacjent wypisany do domu po 6 dobach hospitalizacji w dobrym stanie, z zaleceniem przyjmowania przepisanych leków

Two types of vascularisation of intramural uterine leiomyomata revealed by corrosion casting and immunohistochemical study

The blood supply of myomatous uteri collected upon autopsy was examined. The uterine vascular beds were perfused via afferent vessels with fixative followed by Mercox resin and corroded after polymerisation of the resin. The vascular casts thus obtained were examined using scanning electron microscopy. The vascular system of the uterine fibroids was also examined using immunohistochemical analysis (FVIII, factor VIII-related antigen)

Evidence for As lattice location and Ge bound exciton luminescence in ZnO implanted with 73As and 73Ge

The results of photoluminescence (PL) measurements performed on high quality single crystal ZnO implanted with radioactive 73Ga and 73As, both of which decay to stable 73Ge, are presented. Identical effects are observed in the two cases, with a sharp line at 3.3225(5) eV found to grow in intensity in accordance with the growth rate of the Ge daughter atom populations. On the strength of the well-established result that Ga occupies Zn sites, we conclude from the identical outcomes for 73Ga and 73As implantations that implanted As also preferentially occupies Zn sites. This result supports the findings of others that As preferentially occupies the Zn rather than the O site in ZnO. The thermal quenching energy of the 3.3225(5) eV line is found to be only 2.9(1) meV in contrast to its large spectral shift of 53.4(1) meV with respect to the lowest energy free exciton. The PL is attributed to exciton recombination at neutral Ge double donors on Zn sites involving transitions that leave the donor in an excited state

Preliminary investigations of elemental content, microporosity, and specific surface area of porous rocks using PIXE and X-ray microtomography techniques

Determination of physical properties of porous geological materials is of great importance for oil industry. The knowledge of rocks properties is usually obtained from porosity studies such as pore size distribution, specific surface area determination, and hydrodynamic permeability calculations. This study describes determination of elemental composition and measurements of the particular physical properties of geological samples (porous sandstone rocks) by means of the nuclear and X-ray microprobes at the Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences in Kraków, Poland. The special emphasis has been put on the computed microtomography method. Measurements have been carried out in close cooperation with Department of Geophysics, FGGEP AGH in Kraków, Poland. Chemical composition of the Rotliegend sandstone rock samples (few millimeters diameter), extracted from a borehole at 2679.6 m, 2741.4 m and 2742.4 m depth have been investigated using the 2.2 MeV proton beam (proton induced X-ray emission technique). Next, measurements of the porosity and the specific surface area of the pore space have been carried out using the X-ray microtomography technique. Basing on microtomographic data obtained with the high spatial resolution, simulations of the fluid dynamic in the void space of porous media have been carried out. Lattice Boltzmann method in the 3DQ19 geometrical model has been used in order to predict the hydraulic permeability of the media. In order to avoid viscosity-permeability dependence the multiple-relaxation-time model with half-way bounce back boundary conditions has been used. Computing power-consuming processing has been performed with the use of modern grid infrastructure

Application of acrylic emulsion Liquitex R (Binney and Smith) for the preparation of injection specimens and immunohistochemical studies - an observation

Application of acrylic emulsion Liquitex R for injection studies of the vascular system of human myomatous uteri was analysed. It was found that this injection mass does not penetrate the capillary bed of human organs, but it is useful in studies carried out on the blood supply of the human organs removed from cadavers. The results were compared with the studies performed with the help of immunohistochemical tests for von Willebrandt's factor

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Isotope shift in the dielectronic recombination of three-electron ^{A}Nd^{57+}

Isotope shifts in dielectronic recombination spectra were studied for Li-like ^{A}Nd^{57+} ions with A=142 and A=150. From the displacement of resonance positions energy shifts \delta E^{142,150}(2s-2p_1/2)= 40.2(3)(6) meV (stat)(sys)) and \delta E^{142,150}(2s-2p_3/2) = 42.3(12)(20) meV of 2s-2p_j transitions were deduced. An evaluation of these values within a full QED treatment yields a change in the mean-square charge radius of ^{142,150}\delta = -1.36(1)(3) fm^2. The approach is conceptually new and combines the advantage of a simple atomic structure with high sensitivity to nuclear size.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review Letter