Intracellular nanomanipulation by a photonic-force microscope with real-time acquisition of a 3D stiffness matrix.

A traditional photonic-force microscope (PFM) results in huge sets of data, which requires tedious numerical analysis. In this paper, we propose instead an analog signal processor to attain real-time capabilities while retaining the richness of the traditional PFM data. Our system is devoted to intracellular measurements and is fully interactive through the use of a haptic joystick. Using our specialized analog hardware along with a dedicated algorithm, we can extract the full 3D stiffness matrix of the optical trap in real time, including the off-diagonal cross-terms. Our system is also capable of simultaneously recording data for subsequent offline analysis. This allows us to check that a good correlation exists between the classical analysis of stiffness and our real-time measurements. We monitor the PFM beads using an optical microscope. The force-feedback mechanism of the haptic joystick helps us in interactively guiding the bead inside living cells and collecting information from its (possibly anisotropic) environment. The instantaneous stiffness measurements are also displayed in real time on a graphical user interface. The whole system has been built and is operational; here we present early results that confirm the consistency of the real-time measurements with offline computations.

City of Maxwell, Independent Auditor's Reports, Basic Financial Statements and Supplementary Information, Schedule of Findings, June 30, 2004

City Audit Report

Dallas County, Independent Auditor's Reports, Basic Financial Statements and Supplementary Information, Schedule of Findings and Questioned Costs, June 30, 2004

County Audit Report

Mills County, Independent Auditor's Reports, Basic Financial Statements and Supplementary Information, Schedule of Findings, June 30, 2004

County Audit Report

Protein delivery for retinal diseases: from basic considerations to clinical applications.

Because the eye is protected by ocular barriers but is also easily accessible, direct intravitreous injections of therapeutic proteins allow for specific and targeted treatment of retinal diseases. Low doses of proteins are required in this confined environment and a long time of residency in the vitreous is expected, making the eye the ideal organ for local proteic therapies. Monthly intravitreous injection of Ranibizumab, an anti-VEGF Fab has become the standard of care for patients presenting wet AMD. It has brought the proof of concept that administering proteins into the physiologically low proteic concentration vitreous can be performed safely. Other antibodies, Fab, peptides and growth factors have been shown to exert beneficial effects on animal models when administered within the therapeutic and safe window. To extend the use of such biomolecules in the ophthalmology practice, optimization of treatment regimens and efficacy is required. Basic knowledge remains to be increased on how different proteins/peptides penetrate into the eye and the ocular tissues, distribute in the vitreous, penetrate into the retinal layers and/or cells, are eliminated from the eye or metabolized. This should serve as a basis for designing novel drug delivery systems. The later should be non-or minimally invasive and should allow for a controlled, scalable and sustained release of the therapeutic proteins in the ocular media. This paper reviews the actual knowledge regarding protein delivery for eye diseases and describes novel non-viral gene therapy technologies particularly adapted for this purpose.

Webster County, Independant Auditor's Reports, Basic Financial and Supplementary Information, Schedule of Findings and Questioned Costs, June 30, 2004

County Audit Report

Iowa Department of Human Services - Case Management Unit, Independent Auditor's Reports, Basic Financial Statements and Supplementary Information, June 30, 2004

State Agency Audit Report

Page County, Independent Auditor's Reports, Basic Financial Statements and Supplementary Information, Schedule of Findings and Questioned Costs, June 30, 2004

County Audit Report

Des Moines County, Independent Auditor's Reports, Basic Financial Statements and Supplementary Information, Schedule of Findings and Questioned Costs, June 30, 2004

County Audit Report

Clinton County, Independent Auditor's Reports, Basic Financial Statements and Supplementary Information, Schedule of Findings and Questioned Costs, June 30, 2004

County Audit Report

Decatur County, Independent Auditor's Reports, Basic Financial Statements and Supplementary Information, Schedule of Findings, June 30, 2004

County Audit Report

Pocahontas County, Independent Auditor's Reports, Basic Financial Statements and Supplementary Information, Schedule of Findings, June 30, 2004

County Audit Report

Madison County, Independent Auditor's Reports, Basic Financial Statements and Supplementary Information, Schedule of Findings, June 30, 2004

County Audit Report

Iowa Communications Network, Independent Auditor's Reports, Basic Financial Statements and Supplementary Information, Schedule of Findings, June 30, 2004

State Agency Audit Report

Mid-Iowa School Improvement Consortium, Independent Auditor's Reports, Basic Financial Statements and Schedule of Findings, June 30, 2004

Other Audit Reports - 28E Organizations