A portable cryo-storage system for low-temperature scanning electron microscopy,suitable for international transport of cryo-specimens

A cryo-specimen storage system for low-temperature scanning electron microscopy (LTSEM) specimens is described, which: liberates multi-specimen experiments from sampling restrictions imposed by the rate at which LTSEM specimens can be examined in the SEM; provides security against experiment loss resulting from breakdown of the SEM or cryo-system; enables collection of specimens in the field or in laboratories remote from the SEM laboratory; and facilitates international air transport of LTSEM specimens. The components of the system, which has a capacity of 98 stub-mounted specimens, are readily made in a laboratory workshop. The details of the design may be altered to suit particular specimen types or experimental approaches.     

Operating experience from the ehecatl wind turbines

This paper presents a summary of the mechanical features and the medium term operating experience from three small horizontal axis wind energy conversion systems covering a range of 500 to 5000 Watt, intented for rural and isolated communities. These turbines have a new regulator which reduces gyroscopic loads, is easy to adjust and could be manufactured stronger and in smaller sizes than the conventional tail vanes. It is concluded that is feasible to build cheaps and reliable wind turbine generators with an acceptable efficiency employing common-use elements, but is needed a careful and optimized design.     

Neural networks and blood cell identification

The objective of this project is to propose a method of identifying cells found in human blood and to classify them based upon their morphological features using neural networks. The project focuses on three major blood cell types, namely, erythrocytes, leukocytes and platelets. The data are collected using peripheral blood smears from clinical patients. The image acquisition requires 100x magnification on all the blood smears, the preprocessing involves the use of median and edge enhance filters; the feature extraction is done by performing the wavelet transform on the images. Finally classification of the blood cell types is done using ALOPEX and Back Propagation trained neural networks. The efficacy of both networks is then compared by comparing their outputs and number of iterations required to reach the final result.     

Persistent GAD 65 antibodies in longstanding IDDM are not associated with residual beta-cell function, neuropathy or HLA-DR status

Persistent humoral autoimmunity to the enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) has been described in a substantial proportion of patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) of long duration. The source of the stimulus for this autoimmune reactivity is still unknown. Because the GAD 65 isoform is mainly expressed in pancreatic beta-cells and in the nervous system we investigated in the present study of the largest number of well characterized patients with longstanding IDDM (n = 105; median duration: 21 years; range: 10-46 years) the presence of autoantibodies to GAD 65 and their relationship to a residual C-peptide response or peripheral and autonomic neuropathy. Additionally we studied the HLA-DR status relative to GAD 65 antibodies in 86 out of the 105 individuals. One hundred healthy control subjects and 100 recent onset IDDM patients were also studied for GAD 65 antibodies. GAD 65 antibodies were detected in a radioligand-binding-assay with recombinant human GAD 65 and were present in 32% of the long-term diabetic patients, 82% of the recent onset IDDM patients and in 3% of the healthy control subjects. A preserved C-peptide response to i.v. glucagon (Hendriksen criteria) was observed in 23% of the long-term IDDM patients. Autonomic neuropathy and peripheral neuropathy was identified using criteria based on both symptoms and formal testing giving a frequency of 67% vs 79%. The HLA specific DR 4/X was observed in 47% and HLA-DR 3/X in 22% of the long-term IDDM patients. Patients who were heterozygous for DR3/DR4 were found in 23% of the cases. GAD 65 antibodies were significantly less frequent in the long-term IDDM patients compared to recent onset IDDM (p < 0.001), and diabetes duration showed a significant negative correlation with GAD 65 antibody index levels (r = 0.22, p < 0.01). Interestingly, GAD 65 antibodies were not significantly correlated either with residual beta-cell function or neuropathy and no particular HLA-DR status was associated with persistent GAD 65 antibodies. In conclusion neither residual beta-cell function nor diabetic neuropathy or a certain HLA-DR specificity are exclusively associated with persistent autoimmunity directed to GAD 65 in longstanding IDDM. The stimulus for the persistent humoral immune response and its significance for the disease process and its complications remain to be established.     

Inductively coupled plasma etching of InGaP, AllnP, and AlGaP in Cl2 and BCl3 chemistries

Dry etching of InGaP, AlInP, and AlGaP in inductively coupled plasmas (ICP) is reported as a function of plasma chemistry (BCl₃ or Cl₂, with additives of Ar, N₂, or H₂), source power, radio frequency chuck power, and pressure. Smooth anisotropic pattern transfer at peak etch rates of 1000–2000Å·min^?1 is obtained at low DC self-biases (?100V dc) and pressures (2 mTorr). The etch mechanism is characterized by a trade-off between supplying sufficient active chloride species to the surface to produce a strong chemical enhancement of the etch rate, and the efficient removal of the chlorinated etch products before a thick selvedge layer is formed. Cl₂ produces smooth surfaces over a wider range of conditions than does BCl₃.     

New results on selection diversity

The performances of selection diversity receiver structures in a slow flat Rayleigh-fading environment are assessed. A number of new and interesting results are obtained. Binary digital signaling using noncoherent frequency-shift keying (NCFSK), differential phase-shift keying (DPSK), coherent phase-shift keying (CPSK), and coherent frequency-shift keying (CFSK) is considered. The traditional analysis (the traditional selection diversity model) of a selection diversity system is based on choosing the branch with the largest signal-to-noise (SNR) power ratio while assuming that the noise power is constant across all branches. However, many practical selection systems choose the branch based on a largest signal-plus-noise (S+N selection) sample of a filter output. This paper comprises accurate analyses of such S+N selection systems. Results show that S+N selection systems perform better than predicted by the traditional selection diversity model. This is because the former includes the statistical nature of the noise, whereas the latter does not. The performance difference between the two models increases as the number of diversity branches increases. For each of DPSK and CPSK, the dual diversity equal gain (EG) combining and S+N selection systems perform identically. For each of NCFSK and CFSK, receiver structures which are equivalent when there is no diversity perform differently in a diversity environment. Certain dual diversity S+N selection systems give the same performances as EG combining or square law combining. The results are contingent upon perfect cophasing for the EG combining. In systems where estimates of the combining carrier phases contain noise, S+N selection outperforms EG combining for dual diversity     

Circular stereotactic callosotomy: a preliminary report. Technical note

The authors propose a new method for performing stereotactic callosotomy, which they have named circular callosotomy. The operating device is the original Riechert-Mundinger's string electrode, which can be protruded through a side window and by rotating the probe it is possible to cut the commisural pathways to the extent required. The anatomical results of the operation can be checked using MRI scanning.     

Comparison of the biodistribution and the efficacy of monoclonal antibody 323/A3 labeled with either 131I or 186Re in human ovarian cancer xenografts

The effects of arginine vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OT) upon thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4) and free triiodothyronine (FT3) release were studied in euthyroid rats. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) infusion of AVP in doses of 0.5 ng or 5 ng led to significant increases in plasma levels of TSH as well as FT4 and FT3. The effects of OT injected i.c.v. in similar doses were not consistent (there was no parallel between the changes of respective hormones plasma levels). It may be concluded that vasopressin modulate the pituitary-thyroid system function; AVP is probably a physiological stimulator of TSH and thyroid hormones secretion.