MRI features of cellular angiomyofibroma with pathologic correlation.

Within the spectrum of extratesticular mesenchymal tumors in the scrotum and perineum lies cellular angiofibroma, also known as angiomyofibroblastoma-like tumor, a rare lesion originally described to almost exclusively occur in the vulva, perineum, and pelvis of women. We report a case of this tumor, with an adjacent scrotal lipoma, occurring in a 60-year-old male who presented to our department with a firm palpable scrotal mass. To our knowledge, the MRI findings of this entity have yet to be described in the radiological literature. We present the MRI features of cellular angiofibroma that are consistent with the pathological characteristics of this entity-a benign cellular and fibrous tumor with prominent vascularity.

Plasmonic graded-index planar lens based on subwavelength features in the effective index regime

We experimentally demonstrate the planar focusing of Surface Plasmon Polaritons using space variant PMMA subwavelength features on top of a metallic film. Focusing is obtained by creating an effective graded refractive index profile. © 2012 OSA.

Extraction of genomic DNA using a new amino silica monolithic column

A new amino silica monolithic column was developed for DNA extraction in a miniaturized format. The monolithic column was prepared in situ by polymerization of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and N-(beta-aminoethyl)-gamma-aminopropylmethyldimethoxysilane (AEAPMDMS). DNA was loaded in 50 mM tris(hydroxylmethyl)aminomethane-EDTA buffer at pH 7.0 and eluted with 300 mM potassium phosphate solution at pH 10.0. Under optimal condition, a 6.0-cm monolithic column provided a capacity of 56 ng DNA with an extraction efficiency of 71 +/- 5.2% (X +/- RSD). When the amino silica monolithic column was applied to extract genomic DNA from the whole blood of crucian carp, an extraction efficiency of 52 +/- 5.6% (X +/- SD) was obtained by three extractions. Since the chaotropic-based sample loading and organic solvent wash steps were avoided in this procedure, the purified DNA was suitable for downstream processes such as PCR. This amino silica monolithic column was demonstrated to allow rapid and efficient DNA purification in microscale.

Plasmonic graded-index planar lens based on subwavelength features in the effective index regime

We experimentally demonstrate the planar focusing of Surface Plasmon Polaritons using space variant PMMA subwavelength features on top of a metallic film. Focusing is obtained by creating an effective graded refractive index profile. © OSA 2012.

Identification and characterization of a novel envelope protein in Rana grylio virus

Viral envelope proteins have been proposed to play significant roles in virus infection and assembly. In this study, an envelope protein gene, 53R, was cloned and characterized from Rana grylio virus (RGV), a member of the family Iridoviridae. Database searches found its homologues in all sequenced iricloviruses, and sequence alignment revealed several conserved structural features shared by virus capsid or envelope proteins: a myristoylation site, two predicted transmembrane domains and two invariant cysteine residues. Subsequently, RT-PCR and Western blot detection revealed that the transcripts encoding RGV 53R and the protein itself appeared late during infection of fathead minnow cells and that their appearance was blocked by viral DNA replication inhibitor, indicating that RGV 53R is a late expression gene. Moreover, immunofluorescence localization found an association of 53R with virus factories in RGV-infected cells, and this association was further confirmed by expressing a 53R-GFP fusion protein in pEGFP-N3/53R-transfected cells. Furthermore, detergent extraction and Western blot detection confirmed that RGV 53R was associated with virion membrane. Therefore, the current data suggest that RGV 53R is a novel viral envelope protein and that it may play an important role in virus assembly. This is thought to be the first report on a viral envelope protein that is conserved in all sequenced iridoviruses.

An improved method for the extraction of low molecular weight organic acids in variable charge soils

Due to specific adsorption to variable charge soils, low molecular weight organic acids (LMWOAs) have not been sufficiently extracted, even if common extractants, such as water and 0.1 M sodium hydroxide (NaOH), were employed. In this work, the method for extracting LMWOAs in soils with 0.1 M NaOH was improved for variable charge soils; e.g. 1.0 M potassium fluoride (KF) with pH 4.0 was applied as an extractant jointed with 0.1 M NaOH based on its stronger ability to change the electrochemical properties of variable charge soils by specific adsorption. With the proposed method, the recoveries of oxalic, tartaric, malic, citric and fumaric acids were increased from 83 4, 93 1, 22 2, 63 +/- 5 and 84 +/- 3% to 98 +/- 2, 100 +/- 2, 85 +/- 2, 90 +/- 2 and 89 +/- 2%, respectively, compared with NaOH alone. Simultaneously, the LMWOAs in Agri-Udic Ferrosol with field moisture were measured with a satisfactory result.

Optimization of an effective extraction procedure for the analysis of microcystins in soils and lake sediments

Microcystin analysis in sediments and soils is considered very difficult due to low recovery for extraction. This is the primary limiting factor for understanding the fate of toxins in the interface between water and sediment in both the aquatic ecosystem as well as in soils. In the present study, a wide range of extraction solvents were evaluated over a wide range of pH, extraction approaches and equilibration time to optimize an effective extraction procedure for the analysis of microcystins in soils and lake sediments. The number of extractions required and acids in extraction solutions were also studied. In this procedure, EDTA-sodium pyrophosphate solution was selected as an extraction solvent based on the adsorption mechanism study. The optimized procedure proved to be highly efficient and achieved over 90% recovery. Finally, the developed procedure was applied to field soil and sediment sample collected from Chinese lakes during bloom seasons and microcystins were determined in six of ten samples. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A solid-phase microextraction fiber coated with diglycidyloxycalix[4]arene yields very high extraction selectivity and sensitivity during the analysis of chlorobenzenes in soil

A novel fiber coated with novel sol-gel (5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25,27-dihydroxy-26,28-diglycidyloxycalix[4]arene/hydroxy-terminated silicone oil; diglycidyloxy-C[4]/OH-TSO) was prepared for use with headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with gas chromatography (GC) and electron capture detection (ECD), which was applied in order to determine nine chlorobenzenes in soil matrices. Due to the improved fiber preparation, which increases the percentage of calixarene in the coating, the new calixarene fiber exhibits very high extraction selectivity and sensitivity to chlorine-substituted compounds. Various parameters affecting the extraction efficiency were optimized in order to maximize the sensitivity during the chlorobenzene analysis. Interferences from different soil matrices with different characteristics were investigated, and the amount extracted was strongly influenced by the matrix. Therefore, a standard addition protocol was performed on the real soil samples. The linear ranges of detection for the chlorobenzenes tested covered three orders of magnitude, and correlation coefficients > 0.9976 and relative standard deviations (RSD) < 8% were observed. The detection limits were found at sub-ng/g of soil levels, which were about an order of magnitude lower than those given by the commercial poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) coating for most of the compounds. The recoveries ranged from 64 to 109.6% for each analyte in the real kaleyard soil matrix when different concentration levels were determined over the linear range, which confirmed the reliability and feasibility of the HS-SPME/GC-ECD approach using the fiber coated with diglycidyloxy-C[4]/OH-TSO for the ultratrace analysis of chlorobenzenes in complex matrices.

A novel method of extraction of blend component structure from SANS measurements of homopolymer bimodal blends

A new method is presented for the extraction of single-chain form factors and interchain interference functions from a range of small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiments on bimodal homopolymer blends. The method requires a minimum of three blends, made up of hydrogenated and deuterated components with matched degree of polymerization at two different chain lengths, but with carefully varying deuteration levels. The method is validated through an experimental study on polystyrene homopolymer bimodal blends with M A≈1/2MB. By fitting Debye functions to the structure factors, it is shown that there is good agreement between the molar mass of the components obtained from SANS and from chromatography. The extraction method also enables, for the first time, interchain scattering functions to be produced for scattering between chains of different lengths. © 2014 The Authors. Published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Fourier spectrum based extraction of an equivalent trap state density in indium gallium zinc oxide transistors

Segregating the dynamics of gate bias induced threshold voltage shift, and in particular, charge trapping in thin film transistors (TFTs) based on time constants provides insight into the different mechanisms underlying TFTs instability. In this Letter we develop a representation of the time constants and model the magnitude of charge trapped in the form of an equivalent density of created trap states. This representation is extracted from the Fourier spectrum of the dynamics of charge trapping. Using amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O TFTs as an example, the charge trapping was modeled within an energy range of ΔEt 0.3 eV and with a density of state distribution as Dt(Et-j)=Dt0exp(-ΔEt/ kT)with Dt0 = 5.02 × 1011 cm-2 eV-1. Such a model is useful for developing simulation tools for circuit design. © 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.

Determination of phthalate acid esters plasticizers in plastic by ultrasonic solvent extraction combined with solid-phase microextraction using calix[4]arene fiber

Ultrasonic solvent extraction combined with solid-phase microextraction (SPME) with calix[4]arene/hydroxy-terminated silicone (C[4]/OHTSO) oil coated fiber was used to extract phthalate acid esters (PAEs) plasticizers in plastic, such as blood bags, transfusion tubing, food packaging bag, and mineral water bottle for analysis by gas chromatography (GC). Both extraction parameters (i.e. extraction time, extraction temperature, ionic strength) and conditions of the thermal desorption in a GC injector were optimized by analysis of eight phthalates. The fiber shows wonderful sensitivity and selectivity to the tested compounds. Owing to its high thermal stability (380 degreesC), the carryover effect that often encountered when using conventional fibers can be reduced by appropriately enhancing the injector temperature. The method showed linear response over two to four orders of magnitude with correlation coefficients (r) better than 0.996, and limits of detection (LOD) ranged between 0.006 and 0.084 mug l(-1). The relative standard deviation values obtained were less than or equal to 10%. bis-2-Ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) was the sole analyte detected in these plastics and recoveries were in the ranges 95.5-101.4% in all the samples. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of trace level microcystins in water using solid-phase extraction and high performance liquid chromatography

This paper presents a method for trace level analysis of microcystins in water using solid-phase extraction and high performance liquid chromatography. The optimized condition enabled the determination of common microcystins at levels as low as 0.02 similar to 0.05 mug/L, and the liner range is from 0.1 mug/L to 50 mug/L. The method has been applied to the analysis of field sample from Dianchi lake.