Liquid-infiltrated photonic crystals - enhanced light-matter interactions for lab-on-a-chip applications

Optical techniques are finding widespread use in analytical chemistry for chemical and bio-chemical analysis. During the past decade, there has been an increasing emphasis on miniaturization of chemical analysis systems and naturally this has stimulated a large effort in integrating microfluidics and optics in lab-on-a-chip microsystems. This development is partly defining the emerging field of optofluidics. Scaling analysis and experiments have demonstrated the advantage of micro-scale devices over their macroscopic counterparts for a number of chemical applications. However, from an optical point of view, miniaturized devices suffer dramatically from the reduced optical path compared to macroscale experiments, e.g. in a cuvette. Obviously, the reduced optical path complicates the application of optical techniques in lab-on-a-chip systems. In this paper we theoretically discuss how a strongly dispersive photonic crystal environment may be used to enhance the light-matter interactions, thus potentially compensating for the reduced optical path in lab-on-a-chip systems. Combining electromagnetic perturbation theory with full-wave electromagnetic simulations we address the prospects for achieving slow-light enhancement of Beer-Lambert-Bouguer absorption, photonic band-gap based refractometry, and high-Q cavity sensing.Comment: Invited paper accepted for the "Optofluidics" special issue to appear in Microfluidics and Nanofluidics (ed. Prof. David Erickson). 11 pages including 8 figure

Optical Magnetometry

Some of the most sensitive methods of measuring magnetic fields utilize interactions of resonant light with atomic vapor. Recent developments in this vibrant field are improving magnetometers in many traditional areas such as measurement of geomagnetic anomalies and magnetic fields in space, and are opening the door to new ones, including, dynamical measurements of bio-magnetic fields, detection of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), magnetic-resonance imaging (MRI), inertial-rotation sensing, magnetic microscopy with cold atoms, and tests of fundamental symmetries of Nature.Comment: 11 pages; 4 figures; submitted to Nature Physic

Dentin Bonding: SEM Comparison of the Resin-Dentin Interface in Primary and Permanent Teeth

Previous studies have suggested minor differences between primary and permanent teeth in terms of dentin composition and morphology. Other reports indicated lower bond strengths of resin composites to dentin of primary teeth compared with dentin of permanent teeth; however, no information is available regarding differences in the micromorphology of the resin-dentin interface that may explain these lower bond strengths. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to compare primary and permanent teeth in terms of the thickness of the hybrid layer developed with two bonding systems. Our hypothesis was that bonding differences previously reported between primary and permanent dentin would be reflected in hybrid layer differences observable in SEM analyses. Twenty human extracted and non-carious teeth were divided into 4 groups: 5 primary and 5 permanent teeth restored with All-Bond 2/Bisfil P system; and 5 primary and 5 permanent teeth restored with Scotchbond Multi-Purpose/ZlOO. The sample area available on each tooth was divided for the two dentin conditioning times (7 and 15 sec). Measurements of hybrid layer thickness were performed by means of SEM at xl3,000. The results of this study indicated that the hybrid layer produced is significantly thicker in primary than in permanent teeth (p = 0.0001), suggesting that primary tooth dentin is more reactive to acid conditioning. No difference was observed in the hybrid layers produced by the two adhesive systems (p = 0.7920). The increased thickness of the hybrid layer in primary teeth (25 to 30%) and the subsequent lack of complete penetration of adhesive resin into previously demineralized dentin may contribute to the lower bond strengths to primary dentin reported in the literature. If a narrower hybrid layer more uniformly infused with resin is the goal of dentin bonding, it is concluded that a differentiated protocol for bonding to primary dentin (with shorter time for dentin conditioning) can be used as a means to reproduce the hybrid layer thickness seen in permanent teeth.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/67017/2/10.1177_00220345960750061101.pd

Using liminality to understand mothers’ experiences of long-term breastfeeding: ‘Betwixt and between’, and ‘matter out of place’

© 2015, © The Author(s) 2015. Breastmilk is widely considered as the optimum nutrition source for babies and an important factor in both improving public health and reducing health inequalities. Current international/national policy supports long-term breastfeeding. UK breastfeeding initiation rates are high but rapidly decline, and the numbers breastfeeding in the second year and beyond are unknown. This study used the concept of liminality to explore the experiences of a group of women breastfeeding long-term in the United Kingdom, building on Mahon-Daly and Andrews. Over 80 breastfeeding women were included within the study, which used micro-ethnographic methods (participant observation in breastfeeding support groups, face-to-face interviews and online asynchronous interviews via email). Findings about women’s experiences are congruent with the existing literature, although it is mostly dated and from outside the United Kingdom. Liminality was found to be useful in providing insight into women’s experiences of long-term breastfeeding in relation to both time and place. Understanding women’s experience of breastfeeding beyond current usual norms can be used to inform work with breastfeeding mothers and to encourage more women to breastfeed for longer

Reexamining age, race, site, and thermometer type as variables affecting temperature measurement in adults – A comparison study

BACKGROUND: As a result of the recent international vigilance regarding disease assessment, accurate measurement of body temperature has become increasingly important. Yet, trusted low-tech, portable mercury glass thermometers are no longer available. Thus, comparing accuracy of mercury-free thermometers with mercury devices is essential. Study purposes were 1) to examine age, race, site as variables affecting temperature measurement in adults, and 2) to compare clinical accuracy of low-tech Galinstan-in-glass device to mercury-in-glass at oral, axillary, groin, and rectal sites in adults. METHODS: Setting 176 bed accredited healthcare facility, rural northwest US Participants Convenience sample (N = 120) of hospitalized persons ≥ 18 years old. Instruments Temperatures (°F) measured at oral, skin (simultaneous), immediately followed by rectal sites with four each mercury-glass (BD) and Galinstan-glass (Geratherm) thermometers; 10 minute dwell times. RESULTS: Participants averaged 61.6 years (SD 17.9), 188 pounds (SD 55.3); 61% female; race: 85% White, 8.3% Native Am., 4.2% Hispanic, 1.7 % Asian, 0.8% Black. For both mercury and Galinstan-glass thermometers, within-subject temperature readings were highest rectally; followed by oral, then skin sites. Galinstan assessments demonstrated rectal sites 0.91°F > oral and ≅ 1.3°F > skin sites. Devices strongly correlated between and across sites. Site difference scores between devices showed greatest variability at skin sites; least at rectal site. 95% confidence intervals of difference scores by site (°F): oral (0.142 – 0.265), axilla (0.167 – 0.339), groin (0.037 – 0.321), and rectal (-0.111 – 0.111). Race correlated with age, temperature readings each site and device. CONCLUSION: Temperature readings varied by age, race. Mercury readings correlated with Galinstan thermometer readings at all sites. Site mean differences between devices were considered clinically insignificant. Still considered the gold standard, mercury-glass thermometers may no longer be available worldwide. Therefore, mercury-free, environmentally safe low-tech Galinstan-in-glass may be an appropriate replacement. This is especially important as we face new, internationally transmitted diseases

Rest-Mediated Regulation of Extracellular Matrix Is Crucial for Neural Development

Neural development from blastocysts is strictly controlled by intricate transcriptional programmes that initiate the down-regulation of pluripotent genes, Oct4, Nanog and Rex1 in blastocysts followed by up-regulation of lineage-specific genes as neural development proceeds. Here, we demonstrate that the expression pattern of the transcription factor Rest mirrors those of pluripotent genes during neural development from embryonic stem (ES) cells and an early abrogation of Rest in ES cells using a combination of gene targeting and RNAi approaches causes defects in this process. Specifically, Rest ablation does not alter ES cell pluripotency, but impedes the production of Nestin+ neural stem cells, neural progenitor cells and neurons, and results in defective adhesion, decrease in cell proliferation, increase in cell death and neuronal phenotypic defects typified by a reduction in migration and neurite elaboration. We also show that these Rest-null phenotypes are due to the dysregulation of its direct or indirect target genes, Lama1, Lamb1, Lamc1 and Lama2 and that these aberrant phenotypes can be rescued by laminins

Neural Representations of Personally Familiar and Unfamiliar Faces in the Anterior Inferior Temporal Cortex of Monkeys

To investigate the neural representations of faces in primates, particularly in relation to their personal familiarity or unfamiliarity, neuronal activities were chronically recorded from the ventral portion of the anterior inferior temporal cortex (AITv) of macaque monkeys during the performance of a facial identification task using either personally familiar or unfamiliar faces as stimuli. By calculating the correlation coefficients between neuronal responses to the faces for all possible pairs of faces given in the task and then using the coefficients as neuronal population-based similarity measures between the faces in pairs, we analyzed the similarity/dissimilarity relationship between the faces, which were potentially represented by the activities of a population of the face-responsive neurons recorded in the area AITv. The results showed that, for personally familiar faces, different identities were represented by different patterns of activities of the population of AITv neurons irrespective of the view (e.g., front, 90° left, etc.), while different views were not represented independently of their facial identities, which was consistent with our previous report. In the case of personally unfamiliar faces, the faces possessing different identities but presented in the same frontal view were represented as similar, which contrasts with the results for personally familiar faces. These results, taken together, outline the neuronal representations of personally familiar and unfamiliar faces in the AITv neuronal population

PERAN ORANG TUA DALAM MEMBINA NILAI KARAKTER ANAK DI KECAMATAN SIMPANG TIGA ACEH BESAR

ABSTRAKRahmayanti KS, Sri. 2016. Peran Orang Tua Dalam Membina Nilai Karakter Anak di Kecamatan Simpang Tiga Kabupaten Aceh Besar. Skripsi, Jurusan Pendidikan Kesejahteraan Keluarga, Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Syiah Kuala. Pembimbing:(1)Dr. Anizar Ahmad, M.Pd., (2). Dra. Fitriana, M.SI.Kata Kunci: Nilai Karakter Anak, Peran Orang TuaPeran orang tua adalah partisipasi atau kesadaran jiwa orang tua untuk memperdulikan anaknya, terutama dalam hal memberikan dan memenuhi kebutuhan hidup anaknya baik dari segi sosial maupun material. Penelitian ini untuk mengetahui usaha orang tua dalam membina nilai karakter anak di Kecamatan Simpang Tiga Kabupaten Aceh Besar. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk (1) mengetahui usaha yang dilakukan orang tua dalam membina nilai karakter anak dan (2) mengetahui sistem pengawasan yang diterapkan oleh orang tua terhadap anak. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode deskriptif kuantitatif. Data penelitian ini bersumber dari orang tua yang memiliki anak usia 4 sampai 10 tahun berjumlah 28 keluarga, pengumpulan data menggunakan kuisioner. Pengolahan data penelitian ini menggunakan rumus persentase. Simpulan penelitian ini berpengaruh pada usaha orang tua dalam membina nilai karakter anak, walau sebagian kecil yang mengetahui nilai-nilai karakter, tetapi sebagian besar sudah berusaha menanamkan nilai karakter tersebut. Lebih dari setengah responden menanamkan nilai religius kepada anak dengan tujuan agar anak mempunyai akhlak yang mulia kedepannya. Sedangkan yang berperan dalam membina nilai karakter anak adalah suami dan istri. Sistem pengawasan yang diterapkan orang tua berpengaruh terhadap pembentukkan nilai karakter anak. Seluruh anak termasuk kedalam katagori anak yang mudah bersahabat. Penanaman nilai karakter pada anak di mulai pada awal masa kanak-kanak ketika berumur 2-6 tahun. Responden juga menerapkan perilaku disiplin kepada anak karena usia awal kanak-kanak merupakan usia yang masih rentan, dan akan meniru semua yang dikerjakan oleh orang tuanya. Saran untuk orang tua agar dapat mendidik anaknya dengan baik, tidak mengedepankan emosi, dapat meluangkan waktu, adanya komunikasi yang dibina orang tua dengan anak, dan jangan bersikap apatis terhadap apa yang dikerjakan sianak

Anastral spindle assembly and γ-tubulin in Drosophila oocytes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Anastral spindles assemble by a mechanism that involves microtubule nucleation and growth from chromatin. It is still uncertain whether γ-tubulin, a microtubule nucleator essential for mitotic spindle assembly and maintenance, plays a role. Not only is the requirement for γ-tubulin to form anastral <it>Drosophila </it>oocyte meiosis I spindles controversial, but its presence in oocyte meiosis I spindles has not been demonstrated and is uncertain.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We show, for the first time, using a bright GFP fusion protein and live imaging, that the <it>Drosophila </it>maternally-expressed γTub37C is present at low levels in oocyte meiosis I spindles. Despite this, we find that formation of bipolar meiosis I spindles does not require functional γTub37C, extending previous findings by others. Fluorescence photobleaching assays show rapid recovery of γTub37C in the meiosis I spindle, similar to the cytoplasm, indicating weak binding by γTub37C to spindles, and fits of a new, potentially more accurate model for fluorescence recovery yield kinetic parameters consistent with transient, diffusional binding.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The FRAP results, together with its mutant effects late in meiosis I, indicate that γTub37C may perform a role subsequent to metaphase I, rather than nucleating microtubules for meiosis I spindle formation. Weak binding to the meiosis I spindle could stabilize pre-existing microtubules or position γ-tubulin for function during meiosis II spindle assembly, which follows rapidly upon oocyte activation and completion of the meiosis I division.</p