Optimization of the HIRFL-CSR cluster target

A new gas delivery system is designed and installed for HIRFL-CSR cluster target. The original blocked nozzle is replaced by a new one with the throat diameter of 0.12mm. New test of hydrogen and argon gases are performed. The stable jets can be obtained for these two operation gases. The attenuation of the jet caused by the collision with residual gas is studied. The maximum achievable H-2 target density is 1.75x10(13) atoms/cm(3) with a target thickness of 6.3x10(12) atoms/cm(2) for HIRFL-CSR cluster target. The running stability of the cluster source is tested both for hydrogen and argon. The operation parameters for obtaining hydrogen jet are optimized. The results of long time running for H-2 and Ar cluster jets look promising. The jet intensity has no essential change during the test for H-2 and Ar.

Measurement of neutron flow with the external target experimental device on CSR

With the construction of the neutron detection wall at the external target position on Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou-Cooling Storage Ring (HIRFL-CSR), it will be possible to detect high energy neutron. A BUU model is applied to simulate the flow in both symmetric (Ni+Ni, Pb+Pb) and asymmetric(Pb+Ni) systems. It is shown that at above several hundreds MeV/u, the flow signals are very obvious and depend clearly on the centrality of the collisions. Based on the products in the forward angle less than 20 degrees, the simulation also reveals that the determination of the reaction plane and the selection of the impact parameter, both of which are essential in the flow measurement, are well implemented. The double event and its influence on the determination of the neutron flow are also simulated.

兰州重离子加速器团簇内靶装置控制系统设计；Design of a Control System for HIRFL-CSRe Internal Target Facility in Lanzhou

介绍了兰州重离子加速器冷却储存环(HIRFL-CSR)的实验环(CSRe)团簇内靶装置控制系统的设计。该内靶系统由多种设备构成,包括喷嘴测温与加热控制子系统、真空与阀门监测/控制子系统、分子泵监测与控制子系统、数据处理与流程软件子系统等部分。该系统在内靶实验中工作状态良好,满足了内靶实验的需求。在该控制系统的支持下,2010年1月第一轮辐射电子俘获物理实验顺利完成。

Evidence of strong projectile-target-core interaction in single ionization of neon by electron impact

The momentum distributions of recoil ions were measured in the single ionization of neon by electron impact at incident energies between 80 and 2300 eV. It was found that there are a noticeable number of recoil ions carrying large momenta, and the relative contributions of these ions becomes more pronounced with the further decrease of incident electron energy. These observed behaviors indicate that there is a strong projectile-target-core interaction in the single-ionization reaction. By comparing our results with those of electron-neon elastic scattering, we concluded that the elastic scattering of the projectile electron on the target core plays an important role at low and intermediate collision energies.

CSR外靶实验终端中CsI(Tl)晶体的测试；Test of CsI(Tl) Crystal at External Target Experimental Terminal of Cooling Storage Ring

为测量重离子加速器冷却储存环(HIRFL-CSR)的外靶实验终端上不同能量的γ射线,一种用于探测γ射线的高能量分辨的探测装置正在中国科学院近代物理研究所建设,该探测器由中国科学院近代物理研究所自行生长的铊激活的碘化铯CsI(Tl)晶体组成。与日本Hamamatsu公司生产的S8664-1010型雪崩光二极管(APD)耦合,测试其光输出的非均匀性和能量分辨,从测试结果给出了所需CsI(Tl)晶体合格的标准。目前已完成该γ探测球计划的六分之一,所提供的晶体合格率达94%以上。

CSRe团簇内靶温度闭环控制器设计；Design of Closed Loop Temperature Controller for CSRe Internal Target System

介绍了国家重大科学工程项目——兰州重离子加速器冷却存储环(HIRFL-CSR)的实验环(CSRe)团簇内靶温度闭环控制器的设计。该控制器给气体喷嘴处测温电阻提供长时间稳定度为0.1%的1mA恒定电流,通过12位ADC得到喷嘴温度,并通过混合信号处理器MSP430F149来实现制冷/加热闭环操作。在多种不同实验气体的情况下,该控制器的温度控制精度小于0.5K。目前,该控制器在现场工作良好。

Emittance estimation by an ion optical element with variable focusing strength and a viewing target

The emittance of an extracted ion beam can be estimated to first order by a series of three linear independent profile measurements. This estimation is restricted to the evaluation of an upper limit of the emittance value for a homogeneous, nonfilamented beam. The beam is assumed to be round, respectively elliptical, without any structure of the intensity distribution, no space charge has been assumed for the drifting beam, and the optics is assumed to be linear. Instead of using three different drift sections, a linear focusing element with three different focusing strengths can be used. Plotting the beam radius as function of focusing strength, three independent solutions can be used to calculate the Twiss parameters alpha, beta, and gamma and furthermore the emittance epsilon. Here we describe the measurements which have been performed with the SECRAL ion source at Institute of Modern Physics Lanzhou.

Label-free electrochemical detection of DNA in blood serum via target-induced resolution of an electrode-bound DNA pseudoknot

We have demonstrated a fully covalent, signal-on E-DNA architecture based on the target-induced resolution of a DNA pseudokont. In the absence of target, the electrode-bound DNA probe adopts a pseudoknot conformation that segregates an attached methylene blue (MB) from the electrode. Upon target binding, the pseudoknot is resolved, leading to the formation of a single-stranded DNA element that supports electron transfer from the methylene blue to the electrode.

Application of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in determining arginine esterase from snake venom

Using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). The homogeneities and molecular weights of three arginine esterases from snake venom, which possessing therapeutic use in myocardial infarction, were determined and compared, MALDI-TOF-MS is possessed of high accuracy, high sensitivity and rapidity. MALDI-TOF-MS and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) can provide complementary and confirmatory results information. MALDI-TOF-MS can be directly used as an important method for the purification of snake venom complexes successfully.

Neuroprotective and immunomodulatory properties of the new PPARγ agonist MDG548: an in vitro and in vivo study in PD models

Neuroinflammation is a key component of Parkinson’s disease (PD) neuropathology. Skewed microglia activation with pro-inflammatory prevailing over anti-inflammatory phenotypes may contribute to neurotoxicity via the production of cytokines and neurotoxic species. Therefore, microglia polarization has been proposed as a target for neuroprotection. The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is expressed in microglia and peripheral immune cells, where it is involved in macrophages polarization and in the control of inflammatory responses, by modulating gene transcription. Several studies have shown that PPARγ agonists are neuroprotective in experimental PD models in rodents and primates. however safety concerns have been raised about PPARγ agonists thiazolidinediones (TZD) currently available, prompting for the development of non-TZD compounds. Aim of this study was to characterize a novel PPARγ agonist non TZD, MDG548, for its potential neuroprotective effect in PD models and its immunomodulatory activity as the underlying mechanism of neuroprotection. The neuroprotective activity of MDG548 was assessed in vivo in the subacute MPTP model and in the chronic MPTP/probenecid (MPTPp) model of PD. MDG548 activity on microglia activation and phenotype was investigated in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) via the evaluation of pro- (TNF-α and iNOS) and anti-inflammatory (CD206) molecules, with fluorescent immunohistochemistry. Moreover, cultured murine microglia MMGT12 were treated with MDG548 in association with the inflammagen LPS, pro- and anti-inflammatory molecules were measured in the medium by ELISA assay and phagocytosis was evaluated by fluorescent immunohistochemistry for CD68. MDG548 arrested dopaminergic cells degeneration in the SNc in both the subacute MPTP and the chronic MPTPp models of PD, and reverted MPTPp-induced motor impairment. Moreover, MDG548 reduced microglia activation, iNOS and TNF-α production, while induced CD206 in microglia. In cultured unstimulated microglia, LPS increased TNF-α production and CD68 expression, while decreased CD206 expression. MDG548 reverted LPS effect on TNF-α and CD206 restoring physiological levels, while strongly increased CD68 expression. Results suggest that the PPARγ agonist MDG548 is neuroprotective in experimental models of PD. MDG548 targets microglia polarization by correcting the imbalance between pro- over antiinflammatory molecules, offering a novel immunomodulatory approach to neuroprotection.

Biologically Inspired Approaches to Automated Feature Extraction and Target Recognition

Ongoing research at Boston University has produced computational models of biological vision and learning that embody a growing corpus of scientific data and predictions. Vision models perform long-range grouping and figure/ground segmentation, and memory models create attentionally controlled recognition codes that intrinsically cornbine botton-up activation and top-down learned expectations. These two streams of research form the foundation of novel dynamically integrated systems for image understanding. Simulations using multispectral images illustrate road completion across occlusions in a cluttered scene and information fusion from incorrect labels that are simultaneously inconsistent and correct. The CNS Vision and Technology Labs (cns.bu.edulvisionlab and cns.bu.edu/techlab) are further integrating science and technology through analysis, testing, and development of cognitive and neural models for large-scale applications, complemented by software specification and code distribution.

Target Selection by Frontal Cortex During Coordinated Saccadic and Smooth Pursuit Eye Movement

Oculomotor tracking of moving objects is an important component of visually based cognition and planning. Such tracking is achieved by a combination of saccades and smooth pursuit eye movements. In particular, the saccadic and smooth pursuit systems interact to often choose the same target, and to maximize its visibility through time. How do multiple brain regions interact, including frontal cortical areas, to decide the choice of a target among several competing moving stimuli? How is target selection information that is created by a bias (e.g., electrical stimulation) transferred from one movement system to another? These saccade-pursuit interactions are clarified by a new computational neural model, which describes interactions among motion processing areas MT, MST, FPA, DLPN; saccade specification, selection, and planning areas LIP, FEF, SNr, SC; the saccadic generator in the brain stem; and the cerebellum. Model simulations explain a broad range of neuroanatomical and neurophysiological data. These results are in contrast with the simplest parallel model with no interactions between saccades and pursuit than common-target selection and recruitment of shared motoneurons. Actual tracking episodes in primates reveal multiple systematic deviations from predictions of the simplest parallel model, which are explained by the current model.

A Self-Organizing Neural Network for Learning a Body-Centered Invariant Representation of 3-D Target Position

This paper describes a self-organizing neural network that rapidly learns a body-centered representation of 3-D target positions. This representation remains invariant under head and eye movements, and is a key component of sensory-motor systems for producing motor equivalent reaches to targets (Bullock, Grossberg, and Guenther, 1993).

Neural Representations for Sensory-Motor Control, III: Learning a Body-Centered Representation of 3-D Target Position

A neural model is described of how the brain may autonomously learn a body-centered representation of 3-D target position by combining information about retinal target position, eye position, and head position in real time. Such a body-centered spatial representation enables accurate movement commands to the limbs to be generated despite changes in the spatial relationships between the eyes, head, body, and limbs through time. The model learns a vector representation--otherwise known as a parcellated distributed representation--of target vergence with respect to the two eyes, and of the horizontal and vertical spherical angles of the target with respect to a cyclopean egocenter. Such a vergence-spherical representation has been reported in the caudal midbrain and medulla of the frog, as well as in psychophysical movement studies in humans. A head-centered vergence-spherical representation of foveated target position can be generated by two stages of opponent processing that combine corollary discharges of outflow movement signals to the two eyes. Sums and differences of opponent signals define angular and vergence coordinates, respectively. The head-centered representation interacts with a binocular visual representation of non-foveated target position to learn a visuomotor representation of both foveated and non-foveated target position that is capable of commanding yoked eye movementes. This head-centered vector representation also interacts with representations of neck movement commands to learn a body-centered estimate of target position that is capable of commanding coordinated arm movements. Learning occurs during head movements made while gaze remains fixed on a foveated target. An initial estimate is stored and a VOR-mediated gating signal prevents the stored estimate from being reset during a gaze-maintaining head movement. As the head moves, new estimates arc compared with the stored estimate to compute difference vectors which act as error signals that drive the learning process, as well as control the on-line merging of multimodal information.