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The development of ultra-high-resolution CT (U-HRCT) is expected to improve the accuracy of coronary stenosis evaluation. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the stenosis severities of coronary artery phantoms estimated using U-HRCT by comparing them to those estimated with conventional CT.Coronary artery phantoms with non-calcified and calcified lesions were scanned with conventional CT (64-row ​× ​0.625 ​mm) and U-HRCT (32-row ​× ​0.3125 ​mm). The coronary artery phantoms had lumen diameters of 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 ​mm with non-calcified lesions representing 0%, 25%, 50%, and 75% stenosis and 3.0 and 4.0 ​mm with calcified lesions representing 0%, 25%, 50%, and 75% stenosis. The lumen diameters at the stenotic and non-stenotic regions were measured, and the stenosis severities were compared with the true values.For non-calcified lesions, conventional CT significantly underestimated the stenosis severity in the phantom showing 75% stenosis with lumen diameters of 2.0 and 3.0 ​mm (p ​ ​0.05), while the estimated stenosis severities were not significantly different from the true values at all settings with U-HRCT. For the calcified lesions, conventional CT overestimated the stenosis severities at all settings (p ​ ​0.05), while U-HRCT yielded estimations closer to the true values, although still with some overestimation (p ​ ​0.05).By using U-HRCT, the estimated stenosis severities of the coronary artery with non-calcified lesion become almost equal to the true value, while those with calcified lesion are still overestimated although they become closer to the true value.

Background: Quantitative measurement of airway dimensions using computed tomography (CT) is performed in relatively larger airways due to the limited resolution of CT scans. Nevertheless, the small airway is an important pathological lesion in lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. Ultra-high resolution scanning may resolve the smaller airway, but its accuracy and limitations are unclear. Methods: Phantom tubes were imaged using conventional (512 × 512) and ultra-high resolution (1024 × 1024 and 2048 × 2048) scans. Reconstructions were performed using the forward-projected model-based iterative reconstruction solution (FIRST) algorithm in 512 × 512 and 1024 × 1024 matrix scans and the adaptive iterative dose reduction 3D (AIDR-3D) algorithm for all scans. In seven subjects with COPD, the airway dimensions were measured using the 1024 × 1024 and 512 × 512 matrix scans. Results: Compared to the conventional 512 × 512 scan, variations in the CT values for air were increased in the ultra-high resolution scans, except in the 1024×1024 scan reconstructed through FIRST. The measurement error of the lumen area of the tube with 2-mm diameter and 0.5-mm wall thickness (WT) was minimal in the ultra-high resolution scans, but not in the conventional 512 × 512 scan. In contrast to the conventional scans, the ultra-high resolution scans resolved the phantom tube with ≥ 0.6-mm WT at an error rate of < 11%. In seven subjects with COPD, the WT showed a lower value with the 1024 × 1024 scans versus the 512 × 512 scans. Conclusions: The ultra-high resolution scan may allow more accurate measurement of the bronchioles with smaller dimensions compared with the conventional scan.

The ‘Two Oceans and One Sea’ area (West Pacific, Indian Ocean, and South China Sea; 15°S–60°N, 39°–178°E) is a core strategic area for the ‘21st Century Maritime Silk Road’ project, as well as national defense. With the increasing demand for disaster prevention and mitigation, the importance of 10–30-day extended range prediction, between the conventional short-term (around seven days) and the climate scale (longer than one month), is apparent. However, marine extended range prediction is still a ‘blank point’ in China, making the early warning of marine disasters almost impossible. Here, the authors introduce a recently launched Chinese national project on a numerical forecasting system for extended range prediction in the ‘Two Oceans and One Sea’ area based on a regional ultra-high resolution multi-layer coupled model, including the scientific aims, technical scheme, innovation, and expected achievements. The completion of this prediction system is of considerable significance for the economic development and national security of China.

Objectives To investigate the image quality of helical scan (HS) mode and non-helical scan (non-HS) mode on ultra-high-resolution CT in different gantry rotation time. Methods Download : Download high-res image (1KB) Download : Download full-size image Ultra-high resolution CT scanned eleven cadaveric lungs with the following rotation time with tube current of 200 mA and 0.25 mm collimation: Download : Download high-res image (2KB) Download : Download full-size image HS with 1.5 s/rot (HS200 mA/1.5 s), Download : Download high-res image (2KB) Download : Download full-size image non-HS with 1.5 s/rot (non-HS200 mA/1.5s), Download : Download high-res image (2KB) Download : Download full-size image non-HS with 0.75s/rot (non-HS200 mA/0.75 s), non-HS with 0.35 s/rot (non-HS200 mA/0.35 s). Three observers compared each non-HS image with HS image, and scored non-HS images by using 3-point scale, paying attention to normal findings, abnormal findings, noise, streak artifact, and overall image quality. Statistical analysis was performed with Steel-Dwass test. Results Overall image quality (score: 2.45) and noise (score: 2.42) of non-HS 200 mA/1.5s was statistically best (p Conclusion Overall image quality and noise of non-helical scan is better than that of helical scan in the same rotation time. Overall Image quality of non-HS200 mA/0.75 s is comparable to that of HS200 mA/1.5 s, though the radiation dose of non-HS200 mA/0.75 s is lower than that of HS200 mA/1.5 s.

Magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) is a promising technique for mapping the spatial distribution of multiple metabolites in the human brain. These metabolite maps can be used as a diagnostic tool to gain insight into several biochemical processes and diseases in the brain. In comparison to lower field strengths, MRSI at ultra-high field strengths benefits from a higher signal to noise ratio (SNR) as well as higher chemical shift dispersion, and hence spectral resolution. This study combines the benefits of an ultra-high field magnet with the advantages of an ultra-short TE and TR single-slice FID-MRSI sequence (such as negligible J-evolution and loss of SNR due to T2 relaxation effects) and presents the first metabolite maps acquired at 9.4 T in the healthy human brain at both high (voxel size of 97.6 µL) and ultra-high (voxel size of 24.4 µL) spatial resolutions in a scan time of 11 and 46 min respectively. In comparison to lower field strengths, more anatomically-detailed maps with higher SNR from a larger number of metabolites are shown. A total of 12 metabolites including glutamate (Glu), glutamine (Gln), N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate (NAAG), Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutathione (GSH) are reliably mapped. Comprehensive description of the methodology behind these maps is provided.

Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the use of wave front propagation speed on a right ventricular map for determining the earliest activation site as the origin of outflow tract ventricular arrhythmias (VAs). Background VAs with centrifugal right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) activation can be from an RVOT focus or a focus outside the RVOT. Methods This prospective observational study included 23 patients with idiopathic outflow tract VAs. Mapping of the RVOT was performed using a new ultra-high-resolution electroanatomic mapping system. The wave front propagation speed was estimated from the area surrounded by a propagated wave front at 5, 10, 15, and 20 ms after the earliest activation. Results VAs disappeared following ablations in the RVOT in 15 patients (RVOT origin). The remaining 8 patients had VAs of non-RVOT origin determined by ablation success at another site or ablation failure. The areas surrounded by a propagated wave front were significantly smaller in VAs of RVOT origin than non-RVOT VAs at 5 ms (1.0 [0.7 to 1.1] cm 2 vs. 2.2 [1.6 to 4.4] cm 2 ), 10 ms (1.9 [1.4 to 2.2] cm 2 vs. 4.5 [3.2 to 5.8] cm 2 ), 15 ms (3.2 [2.3 to 4.4] cm 2 vs. 7.1 [6.3 to 9.8] cm 2 ), and 20 ms (5.0 [3.0 to 6.6] cm 2 vs. 9.8 [9.3 to 14.8] cm 2 ). A propagated area of 2 at 15 ms predicted RVOT VAs with 87% sensitivity, 100% specificity, and 91% predictive accuracy. Conclusions VAs with slow wave front propagation speed on the right ventricular map indicate an RVOT origin.

Purpose To establish a relationship between the diameter and depth position of vessels in the superior and inferior corneo-scleral limbus using ultra-high resolution optical coherence tomography (UHR-OCT). Methods Volumetric OCT images of the superior and inferior limbus were acquired from 14 healthy subjects with a research-grade UHR-OCT system. Differences in vessel diameter and depth between superior and inferior limbus were analyzed using repeated measured ANOVA in SPSS and R. Results The mean (± SD) superior and inferior diameters were 29 ± 18 μm and 24 ± 18 μm respectively, and the mean (± SD) superior and inferior depths were 177 ± 109 μm and 207 ± 132 μm respectively. The superior limbal vessels were larger than the inferior ones (RM-ANOVA, p = 0.004), and the inferior limbal vessels were deeper than the superior vessels (RM-ANOVA, p = 0.041). There was a positive linear association between limbal vessel depth and size within the superior and inferior limbus with Pearson correlation coefficients of 0.803 and 0.754, respectively. Conclusion This study demonstrated that the UHR-OCT was capable of imaging morphometric characteristics such as the size and depth of vessels in the limbus. The results of this study suggest a difference in the size and depth of vessels across different positions of the limbus, which may be indicative of adaptations to chronic hypoxia caused by the covering of the superior limbus by the upper eyelid. UHR-OCT may be a useful tool to evaluate the effect of contact lenses on the microvascular properties within the limbus.

We present a novel approach for ultra-high resolution laser-ablation inductively-coupled-plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) analysis, which not only allows us to clearly resolve Tridacna (giant clam) shells. Daily element/Ca variability preserved within microscopically visible growth increments is resolved by utilizing the combined capabilities of a rotating rectangular aperture (spot size on target 4 × 50 μm), the rapid signal washout of a Laurin two-volume laser ablation cell and slow compositional profiling (≤ 1.5 μm/s). Striking co-variation between oscillating cycles in B/Ca, Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca is discernible, yet also tantalizingly, sub-daily shifts between these element/Ca ratios can be observed. In comparison to a lower-resolution, seasonally-resolved δ 18 O–Mg/Ca record (Warter et al., 2015), the ~ 10–20 μm element/Ca cycles are determined to be daily in origin, and a further ~ 14–15 day cyclicity is superimposed on the daily cycles. The latter is interpreted to reflect (Miocene) tidal periodicity. Changes in pixel intensity during thin section observation associated with micro- and macroscopically visible low and high density bands have been quantified via image processing analysis. This reveals close correspondence to the measured trace elemental cyclicity, indicating a coupling between the geochemical composition of the shell and the incremental growth pattern. A comparison between the elemental and image processing results reveals that ultra-high-resolution LA-ICPMS analysis surpasses the latter in detecting environmental rhythms, including daily and tidal cycles. Highly-resolved LA-ICPMS analysis is a viable alternative to nanoSIMS and opens up routine investigation of long-term (deep-time) paleoenvironmental records at daily resolution.

We describe a patient with perimitral atrial flutter (PMF) following the atrial fibrillation ablation and the linear ablation at the mitral isthmus (MI). From both the activation and the voltage maps using ultra-high resolution mapping, we detected the epicardial connection through the coronary sinus (CS) within the entire reentrant circuit. Point ablation within the CS, not additional linear MI ablation from the endocardium terminates PMF, with a bidirectional block across the low voltage area at the MI.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) plays a critical role in determining the quality of wastewater and the safety of drinking water. This is the first review to compare two types of popular DOM monitoring techniques, including absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence excitation-emission matrices (EEMs) coupled with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) vs. Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS), for the applications in wastewater and drinking water treatments. The optical techniques provide a series of indices for tracking the quantity and quality of chromophoric and fluorescent DOM, while FT-ICR-MS is capable of identifying thousands of DOM compounds in wastewater and drinking water at the molecule level. Both types of monitoring techniques are increasingly used in studying DOM in wastewater and drinking water treatments. They provide valuable insights into the variability of DOM composition in wastewater and drinking water. The complexity and diversity of DOM highlight the challenges for effective water treatments. Different effects of various treatment processes on DOM are also assessed, which indicates that the information on DOM composition and its removal is key to optimize the treatment processes. Considering notable progress in advanced treatment processes and novel materials for removing DOM, it is important to continuously utilize these powerful monitoring tools for assessing the responses of different DOM constituents to a series of treatment processes, which can achieve an effective removal of DOM and the quality of treated water.

To evaluate the image quality of CT urography (CTU) obtained with ultra-high-resolution CT (U-HRCT) reconstructed with hybrid iterative reconstruction (IR) and model-based IR algorithms.Forty-eight patients who underwent CTU using the U-HRCT system were enrolled in this retrospective study. Excretory phase images were reconstructed with three protocols: Protocol A: 1024-matrix, 0.25 mm-thickness, and model-based IR; Protocol B: 1024-matrix, 0.25 mm-thickness, and hybrid IR; Protocol C: 512-matrix, 0.5 mm-thickness, and model-based IR. Objective image noise and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the renal pelvis were compared among the protocols. Three-dimensional maximum intensity projection CTU images were generated from each image data set, and image quality was evaluated by two radiologists.Protocol C yielded the lowest objective image noise and highest CNR, whereas Protocol A had highest image noise and lowest CNR (P 0.01). Regarding the detailed delineation of urinary tract structures on the images, the mean visual score was significantly higher for Protocol A than for Protocols B and C (P 0.001), and the mean score for subjective image noise was significantly lower for Protocol A than for Protocols B and C (P 0.001).CTU with a 1024-matrix and model-based IR depicted the structures of the urinary system in the most detail.

To determine whether a 1024-matrix provides superior image quality for the evaluation of pulmonary nodules.Prospective evaluation conducted between December 2017 and April 2018, during which CT images showing lung nodules of more than 6 mm and less than 30 mmm were reconstructed with 2 different protocols: 0.5-mm thickness, 512 × 512 matrix, 34.5-cm field of view (FOV) (0.5-512 protocol); and 2-mm thickness, 1024 × 1024 matrix, 34.5-cm FOV (2-1024 protocol). Lung nodule characteristics such as margin, lobulation, pleural indentation, spiculation as well as peripheral vessels and bronchioles visibility and overall image quality were evaluated by three chest radiologists, using a 5-point scale. Image noise was evaluated by measuring the standard deviation in the region of interest for each image.A total of 89 nodules were evaluated. The 2-1024 protocol performed significantly better for the subjective evaluation of pulmonary nodules (p = 0.006 ∼ p 0.0001). However, image noise was significantly higher both subjectively and objectively (p = 0.036, p 0.0001).The use of a 2-1024 protocol does not increase the amount of images and allows better assessment of pulmonary nodules, despite noise increase.

Accuracy of coronary computed tomography of small coronary stents (

Background Whether unidirectional conduction block (UB) can be observed after creation of a radiofrequency (RF) line is still a subject of debate. Previous study reported a prevalence of 9% of UB, but the assessment was performed using a point-by-point recording across the line, which may have artificially increased this UB percentage. Purpose To prospectively assess bidirectional block using ultra-high-resolution (UHR) system after RF line creation. Methods Prospective patients admitted for an RF ablation procedure were included in this study. UHR maps were performed by pacing on both sides of the line created. Results A total of 18 maps were created in 8 patients (5 men, mean age 71.5 ± 10) by pacing (mean cycle length 600 ± 80 ms) from both sides of the line after a mean waiting time of 60 ± 18 min: 2 left atrial roof and 7 cavotricuspid isthmus lines; mean number of 4863 ± 3982 electrograms (381 ± 651 beats) acquired during 10 ± 9 min; mean right or left atrial volume 81 ± 82 mL. The RF lines were all unambiguously blocked bidirectionally. After a mean follow-up of 12 ± 4 months, no patient experienced any arrhythmia recurrence ( Fig. 1 ). Conclusion UHR mapping confirmed that the presence of a conduction block along a RF line is always associated with a block in the opposite direction.

Sulfurous compounds are commonly present in plants, fungi, and animals. Most of them were reported to possess various bioactivities. Isotopic pattern filter (IPF) is a powerful tool for screening compounds with distinct isotope pattern. Over the past decades, the IPF was used mainly to study Cl- and Br-containing compounds. To our knowledge, the algorithm was scarcely used to screen S-containing compounds, especially when combined with chromatography analyses, because the (34)S isotopic ion is drastically affected by (13)C2 and (18)O. Thus, we present a new method for a fine isotopic pattern filter (FIPF) based on the separated M + 2 ions ((12)C(x)(1)H(y)(16)O(z)(32)S(13)C2(18)O, (12)C(x+2)(1)H(y)(16)O(z+1)(34)S, tentatively named M + 2OC and M + 2S) with an ultra-high-resolution mass (100,000 FWHM @ 400 m/z) to screen sulfur derivatives in traditional Chinese medicines (TCM).This finer algorithm operates through convenient filters, including an accurate mass shift of M + 2OC and M + 2S from M and their relative intensity compared to M. The method was validated at various mass resolutions, mass accuracies, and screening thresholds of flexible elemental compositions. Using the established FIPF method, twelve S-derivatives were found in the popular medicinal used Pueraria species, and 9 of them were tentatively identified by high-resolution multiple stage mass spectrometry (HRMS(n)). The compounds were used to evaluate the sulfurous compounds' situation in commercially purchased Pueraria products. The strategy presented here provides a promising application of the IPF method in a new field.

To determine the usefulness of ultra-high-resolution magnetic resonance (MR) imaging at an ultra-high field strength (7.0T), using a voxel volume of 9.5-14nL, as means of evaluating the depth of mural invasion by esophageal carcinomas.Twenty esophageal specimens containing 20 carcinomas were studied using a 7.0-T MR imaging system with a four-channel surface coil. Ultra-high-resolution MR images were obtained with a field of view of 50-60mm×25-30mm, a matrix of 512×256, and a section thickness of 1.0mm, resulting in a voxel volume of 0.0095-0.014mm(3) (9.5-14nL). Differences between tumor tissue and the esophageal wall layers and between tumor tissue and fibrosis were evaluated using visual signal intensity scoring measurements. MR images were then compared with histopathologic findings as the reference standard.Ultra-high-resolution T2-weighted MR images at 7.0T clearly depicted the normal esophageal wall in all 20 specimens (100%) as consisting of eight layers, which clearly corresponded to the tissue layers of the esophageal wall. Ultra-high-resolution T2-weighted MR images made it possible to differentiate between the tumor tissue and fibrosis clearly (P0.01). In all 20 esophageal carcinomas (100%), ultra-high-resolution T2-weighted MR images made it possible to determine the depth of tumor invasion in the esophageal wall as observed in the histopathologic sections. Regional lymph node involvement was also clearly depicted in four specimens.Ultra-high-resolution 7.0-T MR imaging, using a voxel volume of 9.5-14nL, provides clear delineation of the esophageal wall layers, clear differentiation of tumor tissue from fibrosis, and excellent diagnostic accuracy for evaluating mural invasion by esophageal carcinomas.

A new phase controlled method is proposed to realize ultra-high resolution laser beam deflection on the physics of coherence between sub-apertures on one device of liquid crystal optical phased array (LC-OPA). Sub-apertures are electronically switchable and divided from a uniform device of LC-OPA. In the approach of sub-aperture coherence (SAC), numerical simulation results show the characteristics of far field including SAC steering step and angular width. Meanwhile, the method of SAC has also been verified by experiments showing a good agreement with the simulation results of ultra-high resolution beam deflection.

The development of optical coherence tomography (OCT) technology has helped to usher in a new era of in vivo diagnostic imaging of the eye. The utilization of OCT for imaging of the anterior segment and ocular surface has evolved from time-domain devices to spectral-domain devices with greater penetrance and resolution, providing novel images of anterior segment pathology to assist in diagnosis and management of disease. Ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) is one such pathology that has proven demonstrable by certain anterior segment OCT machines, specifically the newer devices capable of performing ultra high-resolution OCT (UHR-OCT). Distinctive features of OSSN on high resolution OCT allow for diagnosis and differentiation from other ocular surface pathologies. Subtle findings on these images help to characterize the OSSN lesions beyond what is apparent with the clinical examination, providing guidance for clinical management. The purpose of this review is to examine the published literature on the utilization of UHR-OCT for the diagnosis and management of OSSN, as well as to report novel uses of this technology and potential directions for its future development.

In the framework of the GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security) MyOcean projects, funded by the European Commission, different remotely-sensed Sea Surface Temperature (SST) supercollated (L3S) and interpolated (L4) data are produced and distributed in near-real time by the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche – Istituto di Scienze dell'Atmosfera e del Clima – Gruppo di Oceanografia da Satellite (CNR). These SST products are based on the night-time images collected by the infrared sensors mounted on different satellite platforms and cover the whole Southern European Seas (i.e. the Mediterranean Sea, including the eastern Atlantic Ocean, and the Black Sea). The CNR processing chains include several modules, from the data extraction and preliminary quality control, to cloudy pixel removal and satellite images collating/merging up to L3S. A two-step algorithm finally allows to interpolate SST data at High (HR 1/16°) and Ultra-High (UHR 1/100°) spatial resolution. The basic design and the main algorithms used in MyOcean processing chains are described hereafter. A validation of the HR super-collating procedure developed during MyOcean is presented. The Mediterranean HR and UHR L3S and L4 operational products have then been validated vs in situ SST measurements from drifting buoys, covering two years of data (2010–2011). The validation includes a comparison between the UHR CNR L4 and the G1SST L4 developed by Chao et al. (2009) .

Summary Fluorescence nanoscopy, or super-resolution microscopy, has become an important tool in cell biological research. However, because of its usually inferior resolution in the depth direction (50–80 nm) and rapidly deteriorating resolution in thick samples, its practical biological application has been effectively limited to two dimensions and thin samples. Here, we present the development of whole-cell 4Pi single-molecule switching nanoscopy (W-4PiSMSN), an optical nanoscope that allows imaging of three-dimensional (3D) structures at 10- to 20-nm resolution throughout entire mammalian cells. We demonstrate the wide applicability of W-4PiSMSN across diverse research fields by imaging complex molecular architectures ranging from bacteriophages to nuclear pores, cilia, and synaptonemal complexes in large 3D cellular volumes., Graphical Abstract, Highlights • Whole-cell 4Pi single-molecule switching nanoscopy allows 10- to 20-nm 3D resolution • Refined hardware and new data analysis allow imaging of cells as thick as ∼10 μm • Using structure-averaging, the 3D shape of a bacteriophage can be resolved • Wide applicability across diverse research fields is demonstrated, A new super-resolution microscope opens a window deep into cells to image organelles and subcellular structures spanning large volumes.

article i nfo The measurement of the volume of the human amygdala in vivo has received increasing attention over the past decade, but existing methods face several challenges. First, due to the amorphous appearance of the amygdala and the difficulties in interpreting its boundaries, it is common for protocols to omit sizable sec- tions of the rostral and dorsal regions of the amygdala comprising parts of the basolateral complex (BL) and central nucleus (Ce), respectively. Second, segmentation of the amgydaloid complex into separate sub- divisions is challenging due to the resolution of routinely acquired images and the lack of standard protocols. Recent advances in technology have made ultra-high resolution MR images available, and in this study we provide a detailed segmentation protocol for manually tracing the whole amygdala that incorporates a great- er portion of the rostral and dorsal sections with techniques illustrated in detail to maximize reproducibility. In addition, we propose a geometrically-based protocol for segmenting the amygdala into four component subregions of interest (sROI), which correspond largely to amygdala subnuclear divisions: the BL sROI, cen- tromedial (CM) sROI, basomedial (BM) sROI, and the amygdaloid cortical (ACo) sROI. We performed an intra- and inter-rater reliability study of our methods in 10 adults (5 young adults and 5 older adults). The results indicate that both protocols can be implemented with a high degree of reliability (the majority of intra-rater and inter-rater correlations were >0.81). This protocol should aid further research into the alter- ations in amygdala anatomy, connectivity, and function that accompany normal aging and pathology associ- ated with neuropsychiatric disorders.

Objective To assess the use of an ultra–high-resolution (UHR) optical coherence tomography (OCT) as an adjuvant diagnostic tool in distinguishing ocular surface squamous neoplasia (OSSN) and pterygia. Design Prospective case series. Participants Thirty-four eyes of 34 patients with conjunctival lesions clinically suspicious for OSSN or pterygia. Methods All patients were photographed and then imaged with a custom-built UHR OCT device. Subsequently, each patient underwent excisional or incisional biopsy with histopathologic diagnosis. Main Outcome Measures Comparison of preoperative UHR OCT images and the corresponding histopathologic specimen; comparison of epithelial thickness between the 2 groups as measured by UHR OCT. Results Preoperative UHR OCT images of OSSN demonstrated similarities to the histopathologic specimens. Both optical and pathologic specimens showed a thickened layer of epithelium, often with an abrupt transition from normal to neoplastic tissue. Likewise, preoperative UHR OCT images of patients with pterygia were well correlated with the histopathologic specimens. As opposed to OSSN, both UHR OCT and pathologic images of pterygia demonstrated a normal thin epithelium, with underlying thickening of the subepithelial mucosal layers. Differences in the measured epithelial thickness on UHR OCT between OSSN and pterygia were statistically significant, with an average epithelial thickness of 346 μm (standard deviation [SD], 167) in OSSN patients and 101 μm (SD, 22) in pterygium patients ( P Conclusions Ultra–high-resolution OCT may show promise as a noninvasive diagnostic tool to evaluate ocular surface lesions. In addition to a statistically significant difference in epithelial thickness, a significant degree of morphologic correlation with the histopathologic results demonstrates its potential in evaluating ocular surface squamous neoplasia and pterygia. Financial Disclosure(s) The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.

High resolution proton spectra are obtained in MAS solid-state NMR in case samples are prepared using perdeuterated protein and D 2 O in the recrystallization buffer. Deuteration reduces drastically 1 H, 1 H dipolar interactions and allows to obtain amide proton line widths on the order of 20 Hz. Similarly, high-resolution proton spectra of aliphatic groups can be obtained if specifically labeled precursors for biosynthesis of methyl containing side chains are used, or if limited amounts of H 2 O in the bacterial growth medium is employed. This review summarizes recent spectroscopic developments to access structure and dynamics of biomacromolecules in the solid-state, and shows a number of applications to amyloid fibrils and membrane proteins.

Purpose To evaluate the clinical usefulness of a spectral-domain ultra high-resolution anterior segment optical coherence tomography (UHR OCT) in examination, diagnosis, and management of various anterior corneal dystrophies and degenerations. Design Noncomparative case series. Participants Fifty-nine eyes of 38 consecutive patients were enrolled in the study and included 28 eyes of 14 patients with anterior corneal dystrophies, 21 eyes of 19 patients with anterior corneal degenerations or neoplasia, and 10 eyes of 5 patients with normal corneas. Methods Subjects were imaged using a novel custom-built UHR OCT. Images were used to evaluate and describe the characteristics of anterior corneal dystrophies and degenerations. Nineteen patients underwent surgical management, and those histopathologic specimens were analyzed and correlated with the UHR OCT images. Main Outcome Measures Comparison of clinical findings, UHR OCT images, and corresponding histopathologic specimens. Results The UHR OCT provided clear delineation of corneal anatomic features and pathologic corneal deposits in most cases. The characteristics and depth of these deposits are illustrated and can be localized to specific layers of the cornea. When available, there was significant correlation between UHR OCT images and histopathologic features, providing a noninvasive confirmation of the clinical diagnosis. Conclusions Ultra high-resolution OCT is an innovative technique to perform in vivo optical biopsies and a promising research and clinical tool for the evaluation of corneal pathologic features in a noninvasive manner. The future use of this novel technology will evolve and increasingly is becoming a vital tool in the clinical and surgical management of corneal diseases. Financial Disclosure(s) The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.

This paper presents an approach for empowering collaborative workspaces through ultra-high resolution tiled display environments concurrently interfaced with multiple multi-touch devices. Multi-touch table devices are supported along with portable multi-touch tablet and phone devices, which can be added to and removed from the system on the fly. Events from these devices are tagged with a device identifier and are synchronized with the distributed display environment, enabling multi-user support. As many portable devices are not equipped to render content directly, a remotely scene is streamed in. The presented approach scales for large numbers of devices, providing access to a multitude of hands-on techniques for collaborative data analysis.

A Penning trap-based purification process having a resolution of about 1 ppm is reported. In this context, we present for the first time a production method for the most complicated and crucially important nuclear weapons test signature, 133mXe. These pure xenon samples are required by the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization to standardize and calibrate the worldwide network of xenon detectors.

The Liquid Crystal Display is growing for important tools of our life, such as the monitor of PCs, TVs and mobile phones. Particularly we could realize the display for animation or full-color required from many applications by using the Thin Film Transistor technology. But, the other demand to the display, as easy to read the contents, is increasing gradually besides the animation and colors. The display for mobile applications (mobile phone or PDA) particularly needs high resolutions in order to understand the contents correctly, because these applications have the limitation of the display area. And it is also very important for mobile applications to get the long operate time. So we need low electrical power consumption for them. We developed ultra high-resolution display for PDA, it has 1000 dpi and monochrome type, using ferroelectrics liquid crystal having memory property in order to satisfy the demand as mentioned above.

Starting from the Sumitomo commercial platform NEB-33 resist, three new experimental negative tone chemical amplified resist (CAR) formulations have been developed, to push resolution below 40 nm in direct electron beam lithography. PEB temperatures and times have been optimized between 60 and 100 °C and, respectively, 20 and 120 s. Fourier transform infra red spectra have been performed and allowed us to follow the solvent and PAG concentration in order to optimize processes on all samples. As a consequence, 25-nm isolated lines have been resolved with these new chemical amplified resists.

In this article we describe the use of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) technique in the study of fetal and infant bone development. In particular, we review the results of densitometric studies on human developing dry bones such as spine, femur, and mandible; these data are compared with the results obtained with other methods used in the past. In particular DXA technique applied in dry is able to detect the first appearances of the ossification centers; show the individual variability of bone mineral density yet during the prenatal life; and determine the correlation between bone mineral density and the variation of mechanical loading.

An elucidation of the core structure of fivefold twin centres arising from the interaction between less than five first-order twin boundaries in plasma-assisted chemical vapour deposition (CVD) of diamond films is reported. These particular twinning centres have been identified by ultra-high resolution electron microscopy at 0.12 nm resolution, with the help of image calculations. Plausible three-dimensional atomic-scale models are proposed for two specific structural variants, which have been found closely connected to high-order twin boundaries via original heptagonal or octagonal structural units. To our knowledge, this is the first time that such types of fivefold twin centres and associated structural units, which are quite representative of the growth defects observed in CVD diamond, have been reported.

Major advances in biology have been tightly linked with innovations in microscopy. A major hurdle over the last ∼100 years is the limited resolution of light microscopy. The advent of single molecule switching nanoscopy (SMSN, also known as PALM/STORM/FPALM) has overcome this fundamental limit by improving the resolution of fluorescence microscopy (250-700 nm) by a factor of ten. This method routinely achieves 20-40 nm lateral resolution and 50-80 nm resolution in the axial direction. While the inferior axial resolution largely restricts the biological discoveries to two-dimensional observations, interferometric SMSN (iPALM or 4Pi-SMSN) achieves unprecedented 10 to 20 nm axial resolution by coherently combining single-molecule emissions in a two opposing-objective setup. It allowed, for the first time, the molecular anatomy of focal adhesions to be mapped with nanometer precision. However, the physical principle of 4Pi geometry limits this approach to isolated structures in thin samples because the single molecule interference pattern repeats every 250 nm in depth. While most of biological processes happen deep in the cellular volume, driving ultra-high resolution imaging deeper into the cell will lead to a new wave of biological discoveries.Here, we present whole-cell 4Pi-SMSN resulting from the confluence of multiple innovations. Our system, for the first time, allowed super-resolution imaging of a ∼10 µm thick sample using 4Pi geometry achieving 10-15 nm resolution throughout the depth. This resolution is 20-50 times higher than conventional microscopy with imaging depth improved by 10-40 fold from the state of art technology of interferometric SMSN. It enables ultra-high resolution three-dimensional imaging for vast majority of the subcellular structures. We demonstrate applications in a range of delicate cellular structures including: bacteriophages, ER, mitochondria, nuclear pore complexes, primary cilia, Golgi complex-associated COPI vesicles, and synaptonemal complexes in whole mouse spermatocytes.