Using neural networks for high-speed blood cell classification in a holographic-microscopy flow-cytometry system

High-throughput cell sorting with flow cytometers is an important tool in modern clinical cell studies. Most cytometers use biomarkers that selectively bind to the cell, but induce significant changes in morphology and inner cell processes leading sometimes to its death. This makes label-based cell sorting schemes unsuitable for further investigation. We propose a label-free technique that uses a digital inline holographic microscopy for cell imaging and an integrated, optical neural network for high-speed classification. The perspective of dense integration makes it attractive to ultrafast, large-scale cell sorting. Network simulations for a ternary classification task (monocytes/granulocytes/lymphocytes) resulted in 89% accuracy

Precipitation dynamics and chemical properties in tropical mountain forests of Ecuador

International audienceTerrestrial ecosystems in southern Ecuador are strongly affected by interannual climate variations. This holds especially true for the episodic El Niño events, which cause above-normal precipitation in the coastal region of Ecuador and below normal values in the eastern provinces of the Amazon basin (Bendix, 1999). For the transitional zone between these two extremes, which consists mainly of the andean slopes and larger interandean basins the effect on interannual climate variability is not well known. The PREDICT project monitors regional climate in the provinces of Loja and Zamora-Chinchipe (4° S/79° W), where a strong gradients of precipitation are observed. Between the eastern slopes of the Cordillera Real and the dry valley of Catamayo, which are only 70km apart, rain totals drop from over 4000 mm to only 300 mm per year. These two extremes represent the both sides of the Andean mountain chain and are completely covered by the study area, which is 120 km in diameter. Methods used are a combination of point measurements (climate stations) and remote sensing devices (weather radar, satellite imagery), which enable a high-resolution real-time observation of rain distribution and underlying processes. By this, ideal conditions are given to monitor a potential shift of the transition zone between below-average and above-average rainfall situated in this region, if another ENSO-anomaly occurs. Furthermore variability of atmospheric nutrient inputs is analysed within the scope of the project, to assess further impacts on this ecosystem

Escuchar a los objetos

This experimental section includes some parts of the performative event “The materiality of transformations: Listening to objects”, which closed the 14th SIEF conference held in Santiago de Compostela in 2019. Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, Regina Bendix, Dorothy Noyes, Sharon Roseman and Francisco Cruces conversed on stage about the cultural meanings of a selection of personal objects. By unveiling the stories contained in mezuzahs, hair, a serving platter and a shawl, they put the methodological power of the object/story couplet to the test. The benefits of articulating narrativity with materiality; the silent power of things in everyday life; the embedded character of storytelling, and some of its affective, moral and celebratory virtues were highlighted. The final event can be seen at <https://vimeo.com/362078953> from minute 00:52:50 to 01:31:00.Esta sección experimental incluye algunas partes del evento performativo “La materialidad de las transformaciones: escuchar a los objetos”, que clausuró el XIV congreso de SIEF celebrado en Santiago de Compostela en 2019. Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, Regina Bendix, Dorothy Noyes, Sharon Roseman y Francisco Cruces conversaron sobre los significados culturales de una selección de objetos personales. Al desvelar las historias contenidas en mezuzahs, cabello, una fuente o un chal, se puso a prueba el poder metodológico del par objeto / historia, los beneficios de articular la narratividad con la materialidad y el silencioso poder de las cosas en la vida cotidiana. Se destacó el carácter incorporado de la narración y algunas de sus virtudes afectivas, morales y celebratorias. Este evento performativo se puede ver en <https://vimeo.com/362078953> from minute 00:52:50 to 01:31:00

Radical cation salts of TTF donors with XF6 (X = Re,Ta) anions

Electrocrystallization of the dianionic Re(IV)F6 species with different organic π electron donors was carried out. Depending on the first oxidation potential of the TTF derivatives this crystallization technique gave rise to various radical cations salts involving Re(IV) or Re(V) anions. With tetramethyltetrathiafulvalene (TMTTF) the (TMTTF)2Re(IV)F6  salt was obtained. However, with tetramethyltetraselenafulvalene (TMTSF) we obtained very small needles of the (TMTSeF)2Re(V)F6 system, analogue to the so called “Bechgaard salts” [1]. We present some characteristics of this new metallic phase. We compare to the diamagnetic (TMTSeF)2Ta(V)F6 obtained by the same strategy using TBATaF6 prepared according to the Browstein’s method [2] and explore electrocrystallization of the tantalum based anions [3], [4]. References: [1] K. Bechgaard, C.S. Jacobsen, K. Mortensen, H.J. Pedersen, N. Thorup, Solid State Commun. 1980, 33, 1119-1125. [2] S. Brownstein, Inorg. Chem. 1973, 12, N°3, 584-589. [3] C. Lenoir, K. Boubekeur, P. Batail, E. Canadell, P. Auban, O. Traetteberg, D. Jérome, Synth. Met. 1991, 42, 1939-1942. [4] F. Iwase, K. Sugiura, K. Furukawa, T. Nakamura, J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 2009, 78, N°10, 104717:1-104717:7

Terminal Ligand and Packing Effects on Slow Relaxation in an Isostructural Set of [Dy(H2_{2}dapp)X2_{2}]+ Single Molecule Magnets**

Three new dysprosium complexes with a pentadentate ligand occupying five equatorial sites differ only in the nature of the axial ligands. These help tune the relaxation properties as judged by an analysis of the AC susceptibility data. More in depth analysis by using two recently suggested fitting equations lead to similar outcomes for all three systems. As a further contribution to the relaxation pathway involving the phonon bath it is concluded that a short nitrate-nitrate interaction between molecules helps dampen the spin phonon coupling. We report three structurally related single ion Dy compounds using the pentadentate ligand 2,6-bis((E)-1-(2-(pyridin-2-yl)-hydrazineylidene)ethyl)pyridine (H$_{2}$dapp) [Dy(H$_{2}$dapp)(NO$_{3}$)$_{2}$]NO$_{3}$ (1), [Dy(H$_{2}$dapp)(OAc)$_{2}$]Cl (2) and [Dy(H$_{2}$dapp)(NO$_{3}$)$_{2}$]Cl$_{0.92}$(NO$_{3}$)$_{0.08}$ (3). The (H$_{2}$dapp) occupies a helical twisted pentagonal equatorial arrangement with two anionic ligands in the axial positions. Further influence on the electronic and magnetic structure is provided by a closely associated counterion interacting with the central N−H group of the (H$_{2}$dapp). The slow relaxation of the magnetisation shows that the anionic acetates give the greatest slowing down of the magnetisation reversal. Further influence on the relaxation properties of compounds1 and 2 is the presence of short nitrate-nitrate intermolecular ligand contact opening further lattice relaxation pathways

[UF6](2-): A molecular hexafluorido actinide(IV) complex with compensating spin and orbital magnetic moments

The first structurally characterized hexafluorido complex of a tetravalent actinide ion, the [UF6]2- anion, is reported in the (NEt4)2[UF6]2H2O salt (1). The weak magnetic response of 1 results from both U(IV) spin and orbital contributions, as established by combining X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) spectroscopy and bulk magnetization measurements. The spin and orbital moments are virtually identical in magnitude, but opposite in sign, resulting in an almost perfect cancellation, which is corroborated by ab initio calculations. This work constitutes the first experimental demonstration of a seemingly non-magnetic molecular actinide complex carrying sizable spin and orbital magnetic moments

Structure formation in active networks

Structure formation and constant reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton are key requirements for the function of living cells. Here we show that a minimal reconstituted system consisting of actin filaments, crosslinking molecules and molecular-motor filaments exhibits a generic mechanism of structure formation, characterized by a broad distribution of cluster sizes. We demonstrate that the growth of the structures depends on the intricate balance between crosslinker-induced stabilization and simultaneous destabilization by molecular motors, a mechanism analogous to nucleation and growth in passive systems. We also show that the intricate interplay between force generation, coarsening and connectivity is responsible for the highly dynamic process of structure formation in this heterogeneous active gel, and that these competing mechanisms result in anomalous transport, reminiscent of intracellular dynamics