Robotic multiwell planar patch-clamp for native and primary mammalian cells

Robotic multiwell planar patch-clamp has become common in drug development and safety programs because it enables efficient and systematic testing of compounds against ion channels during voltage-clamp. It has not, however, been adopted significantly in other important areas of ion channel research, where conventional patch-clamp remains the favored method. Here, we show the wider potential of the multiwell approach with the ability for efficient intracellular solution exchange, describing protocols and success rates for recording from a range of native and primary mammalian cells derived from blood vessels, arthritic joints and the immune and central nervous systems. The protocol involves preparing a suspension of single cells to be dispensed robotically into 4-8 microfluidic chambers each containing a glass chip with a small aperture. Under automated control, giga-seals and whole-cell access are achieved followed by preprogrammed routines of voltage paradigms and fast extracellular or intracellular solution exchange. Recording from 48 chambers usually takes 1-6 h depending on the experimental design and yields 16-33 cell recordings.

Seal Formation in Silicon Planar Patch-Clamp Microstructures

This paper presents a microfabricated planar patch-clamp electrode design and looks at the impact of several physical characteristics on seal formation. The device consists of a patch aperture, 1.5-2.5 mum in diameter and 7-12 mum in depth, with a reverse-side deep-etched 80-mum well. The patch aperture was coated with either thermal oxide or plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited (PECVD) SiO2. Some of the thermal oxide devices were converted into protruding nozzle structures, and some were boron-doped. Seal formation was tested with cultured N2a neuroblastoma cells. The PECVD oxide devices produced an average seal resistance of 34 MOmega(n = 24), and the thermal oxide devices produced an average seal resistance of 96 MOmega(n = 59). Seal resistance was found to positively correlate with patch aperture depth. Whole-cell recordings were obtained from 14% of cells tested with the thermal oxide devices, including a single recording where a gigaohm seal was obtained.

Polar cap patch segmentation of the tongue of ionization in the morning convection cell

Two types of poleward moving plasma concentration enhancements (PMPCEs) were observed during a sequence of pulsed reconnection events, both in the morning convection cell: Type L (low density) was associated with a cusp flow channel and seems likely to have been produced by ionization associated with particle precipitation, while Type H (high density) appeared to originate from the segmentation of the tongue of ionization by the processes which produced the Type L events. As a result, the Type L and Type H PMPCEs were interspersed, producing a complex density structure which underlines the importance of cusp flow channels as a mechanism for segmenting and structuring electron density in the cusp and shows the necessity of differentiating between at least two classes of electron density patches.

BIRD FORAGING IN ANACARDIUM PATCHES IN CENTRAL BRAZILIAN FIRE BREAKS: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FLOCK SIZE AND PATCH SIZE

Fire management ran increase the biomass of some plant species at fire breaks in reserves of the Cerrado. For example, numerous and large patches of monkey-nuts (Anacardium humile, Anacardiaceae) provide abundant food resources for wildlife in the lower strata of savanna woodlands managed by fire. The objective of this study was to examine the exploitation of A. humile patches by birds in managed savanna woodlands (fire breaks) at Emas National Park, southwest Brazil. The relationship between flock size and the size of Anacardium patches were also investigated. Fire breaks were sampled in September and October 2006, when fruits and flowers were abundant. Ara ararauna was often recorded exploiting resources of Anacardium patches. This species and other psittacids (Amazona aestiva, Alipiopsittaca xanthops, and Diopsittaca nobilis) consumed seeds usually on the ground around fruiting patches. Members of Aratinga aurea flocks and Ramphastos toco consumed pseudo-fruits. Larger flocks detected were those of A. aurea and A. ararauna. Groups of A. ararauna that exploited larger patches tended to be larger than flocks that exploited smaller patches. This study suggests that intra- and interspecific interactions and characteristics of Anacardium patches and of the surrounding vegetation are involved in the feeding ecology of birds in the lower stratum of managed woodlands. Fruiting Anacardium patches attract numerous frugivorous birds to fire breaks at Emas National Park. Further research is needed to a better understanding of the influence of fire management on birds in the Cerrado. Accepted 31 July 2009.

Omvårdnadsåtgärdertillgängliga för sjuksköterskorför att öka följsamheten tilllivsstilsförändringar hospatienter med typ 2-diabetesoch dess effekt : En systematisk litteraturstudie

Syfte: Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka vilka metoder som kan användas av sjuksköterskor för att uppnå följsamhet gällande genomförande av livsstilsförändringar hospatienter med diabetes typ 2 samt effekten av dessa. Metod: Uppsatsen har genomförts somen systematisk litteraturstudie. Artiklar har sökts i databaserna ELIN@Dalarna, Cinahl samtPubMed. Endast vetenskapliga artiklar som har publicerats mellan 2003 och 2008, tillgängligai fulltext, har inkluderats. Sexton kvantitativa artiklar ligger till grund för resultatdelen.Resultat: Användandet av telefonsamtal som hjälpmedel för sjuksköterskan att nå ut tilldiabetespatienterna har visat sig kunna öka diabetespatienters följsamhet vad gäller dieten.Automatiserade telefonsamtal har påvisats kunna hjälpa till att öka följsamheten gällandefysisk aktivitet. Även SMS som kommunikationsmedel mellan sjuksköterskan och patientenhar visat sig kunna öka följsamheten gällande fysisk aktivitet. Genom användandet utavvideokonferensutrustning för informering kring bland annat kost, motion och diabetessymtomhar en påtagbar livsstilsförändring kring diet kunnat påvisas.

Sällskapsdjurs effekt på beteendeproblem hos äldre med demenssjukdom : En systematisk litteraturstudie

Syftet med studien var att studera hur sällskapsdjur kan påverka demenssjukas beteendeproblem och vara ett komplement till medicinsk behandling med lugnande läkemedel hos patienter med demens.Studien genomfördes som en systematisklitteraturstudie. Metoden författarna använde sig av var att de valde ut 9 stycken vetenskapliga artiklar från år 1999-2009 som hittats i olika databaser och referenslistor. Artiklarna analyserades genom att texten delades upp i de olika kategorierna lugnade effekt/oro, aggression, kontakt/beröring och läkemedelsanvändande. Resultatet visade att beteendeproblemen som aggression och oro, i flera av studierna blev bättre i sällskapsdjurs närvaro, men bara under den tiden som deltagarna fick animal assisted therapy (AAT). När deltagarna blev utan AAT försämrades deras beteendeproblem igen. Olika slags typer av sällskapsdjur användes vid behandling med AAT. Hunden visades vara det sällskapsdjur som användes mest. Slutsatsen blev att de flesta studierna visade på en positiv effekt på närheten av ett sällskapsdjur inom demensvården. Alla studier kunde inte visa på en signifikant skillnad men vårdpersonals upplevelse var att de demenssjuka hade en tendens till förbättrande av sina beteendeproblem.

Sockerlösningens smärtlindrande effekt -avseende nyfödda En systematisk litteraturstudie

Syftet med denna litteraturstudie var att beskriva vilken aktuell vetenskap som lett till rekommendationen av att administrera sockerlösning till nyfödda barn i smärtlindrande syfte, i samband med hälstick/venpunktion. Litteraturstudien var av kvantitativ, deskriptiv art. Data analyserades med hjälp av Forsberg och Wengströms granskningsmall för randomiserade kontrollerade studier. De studier som granskades i denna uppsats visade genomgående att sockerlösningen har betydelse för smärtlindringen hos det nyfödda barnet som genomgått någon form av procedursmärta. Vad gäller styrkan på sockerlösningarna kunde konstateras att högre styrka gav bättre effekt. Utöver sockerlösningen vidtogs i studierna även andra omvårdnadsmässiga strategier för att reducera stress och smärta. Det är viktigt ur ett sjuksköterskeperspektiv att tänka på att till exempel hålla barnet varmt och bara klä av den extremitet som ska stickas i. Det anses att ett tryggt, lugnt och mätt barn visar mindre smärtreaktioner än ett hungrigt och irriterat. Författarna till denna litteraturstudie anser att man inte bara ska förlita sig på som i det här fallet sockerlösningen i smärtlindringssyfte utan se helheten då planering och eftertanke också är viktiga bitar vid provtagningar av spädbarn. Sockerlösningen skall ses som ett bra komplement i smärtlindringssyfte.

Slutrapport om kväveoxidavgiftens effekt på kväveoxidutsläppen

Naturvårdsverket, kontraktsnr: K000-14-038

Svenska Skidspelen 2012 : Förstudie kring ekonomisk effekt- och konsumtionsmätning inför Skid-VM i Falun 2015

Denna rapport ska ses som en förstudie kring metoder för insamling av information över besökarna vid Svenska Skidspelen samt för att uppskatta Skidspelens ekonomiska betydelse. Resultaten baseras på insamlat material via enkäter till besökare till Skidspelen 2012. Totalt 404 svar i enkätform från besökare inom området samt från bil och bussåkande besökare har använts i analysen. Därutöver intervjuades 718 besökare vid entrén om ålder, bostadsort, vistelselängd samt färdmedel till evenemanget.   Rapporten innehåller uppskattningar av Skidspelens ekonomiska betydelse med hjälp av flera typer av modeller; turism-, boende- samt ålderssegmenteringsmodell. Resultat från studien visar att engångs­kostnader för boende, resor och biljett kunde uppskattas relativt bra, medan konsumtion under dagen inte fångades tillräckligt bra i någon modell. Resultaten från studien visar också att en försiktig uppskattning av Skidspelens ekonomiska betydelse mätt som direkt konsumtion kan sägas ligga mellan 14 - 18 miljoner kr för år 2012.   För att få ett mer korrekt resultat vid eventuella vidare studier eller vid studier av Skid-VM 2015 i Falun så bör en samhällsekonomisk välfärds analys göras för att inkludera samtliga effekter. Beräkningen av Skidspelens ekonomiska effekt skulle kunna göras mer precis genom att tillfråga ett större urval av besökare samt utveckla insamlingen av data över besökarnas totala konsumtion kopplat till besöket vid Svenska Skidspelen. 

Desenvolvimento de antenas de microfita com Patch em anel utilizando materiais ferrimagnéticos e metamateriais

In general, the materials used as substrates in the project of microstrip antennas are: isotropic, anisotropic dielectrics and ferrimagnetic materials (magnetic anisotropy). The use of ferrimagnetic materials as substrates in microstrip patch antennas has been concentrated on the analysis of antennas with circular and rectangular patches. However, a new class of materials, called metamaterials, has been currently the focus of a great deal of interest. These materials exhibit bianisotropic characteristics, with permittivity and permeability tensors. The main objective of this work is to develop a theoretical and numerical analysis for the radiation characteristics of annular ring microstrip antennas, using ferrites and metamaterials as substrates. The full wave analysis is performed in the Hankel transform domain through the application of the Hertz vector potentials. Considering the definition of the Hertz potentials and imposing the boundary conditions, the dyadic Green s function components are obtained relating the surface current density components at the plane of the patch to the electric field tangential components. Then, Galerkin s method is used to obtain a system of matrix equations, whose solution gives the antenna resonant frequency. From this modeling, it is possible to obtain numerical results for the resonant frequency, radiation pattern, return loss, and antenna bandwidth as a function of the annular ring physical parameters, for different configurations and substrates. The theoretical analysis was developed for annular ring microstrip antennas on a double ferrimagnetic/isotropic dielectric substrate or metamaterial/isotropic dielectric substrate. Also, the analysis for annular ring microstrip antennas on a single ferrimagnetic or metamaterial layer and for suspended antennas can be performed as particular cases

Antenas de microfita com patch quase-fractal para aplicações em Redes WPAN/WLAN

The microstrip antennas are in constant evidence in current researches due to several advantages that it presents. Fractal geometry coupled with good performance and convenience of the planar structures are an excellent combination for design and analysis of structures with ever smaller features and multi-resonant and broadband. This geometry has been applied in such patch microstrip antennas to reduce its size and highlight its multi-band behavior. Compared with the conventional microstrip antennas, the quasifractal patch antennas have lower frequencies of resonance, enabling the manufacture of more compact antennas. The aim of this work is the design of quasi-fractal patch antennas through the use of Koch and Minkowski fractal curves applied to radiating and nonradiating antenna s edges of conventional rectangular patch fed by microstrip inset-fed line, initially designed for the frequency of 2.45 GHz. The inset-fed technique is investigated for the impedance matching of fractal antennas, which are fed through lines of microstrip. The efficiency of this technique is investigated experimentally and compared with simulations carried out by commercial software Ansoft Designer used for precise analysis of the electromagnetic behavior of antennas by the method of moments and the neural model proposed. In this dissertation a study of literature on theory of microstrip antennas is done, the same study is performed on the fractal geometry, giving more emphasis to its various forms, techniques for generation of fractals and its applicability. This work also presents a study on artificial neural networks, showing the types/architecture of networks used and their characteristics as well as the training algorithms that were used for their implementation. The equations of settings of the parameters for networks used in this study were derived from the gradient method. It will also be carried out research with emphasis on miniaturization of the proposed new structures, showing how an antenna designed with contours fractals is capable of a miniaturized antenna conventional rectangular patch. The study also consists of a modeling through artificial neural networks of the various parameters of the electromagnetic near-fractal antennas. The presented results demonstrate the excellent capacity of modeling techniques for neural microstrip antennas and all algorithms used in this work in achieving the proposed models were implemented in commercial software simulation of Matlab 7. In order to validate the results, several prototypes of antennas were built, measured on a vector network analyzer and simulated in software for comparison

Arranjo de antenas de microfita com substrato anisotrópico com patch supercondutor e aplicações em nanotecnologia

The main objective in this work is the analysis of resonance frequency microstrip structures with glass fiber and electromagnetic band gap (EBG/PBG) substrate and analysis of microstrip antennas with rectangular patch of superconductor of high critical temperature (HTS). In this work was used the superconductors YBCO (critical temperature of 90K), SnBaCaCuOy (critical temperature of 160K), and Sn5InCa2Ba4Cu10Oy (critical temperature of 212K) with results in Gigahertz and Terahertz. Was used microstrip antennas arrays planar and linear phase and linear phase planar with patch with superconductor. It presents a study of the major theories that explain superconductivity. In phase arrays were obtained the factors arrays for such configurations, and the criteria of phase and spacing between the elements compound in the array, which were examined in order to get a main lobe with high directivity and high gain. In the analysis we used the method of Transverse Transmission Line (TTL) used in domain of the Fourier Transform (FTD). The LTT is a full wave method, which obtains the electromagnetic field in terms of the components transverse of the structure. The addition of superconductive patch is made using the boundary condition resistive complex. Results are obtained resonance frequency as a function of the parameters of the antenna, radiation patterns of the E and H Planes, for the phase antenna arrays in linear and planar configurations, for different values of the phase and the spacing between elements

Aplicações de arranjos de antenas de microfita com patch supercondutor

This work has as main objective the study of arrays of microstrip antennas with superconductor rectangular patch. The phases and the radiation patterns are analyzed. A study of the main theories is presented that explain the microscopic and macroscopic phenomena of superconductivity. The BCS, London equations and the Two Fluid Model, are theories used in the applications of superconductors, at the microstrip antennas and antennas arrays. Phase Arrangements will be analyzed in linear and planar configurations. The arrangement factors of these configurations are obtained, and the phase criteria and the spacing between the elements, are examined in order to minimize losses in the superconductor, compared with normal conductors. The new rectangular patch antenna, consist of a superconducting material, with the critical temperature of 233 K, whose formula is Tl5Ba4Ca2Cu9Oy, is analyzed by the method of the Transverse nTransmission Line (TTL), developed by H. C. C. Fernandes, applied in the Fourier Transform Domain (FTD). The TTL is a full-wave method, which has committed to obtaining the electromagnetic fields in terms of the transverse components of the structure. The inclusion of superconducting patch is made using the complex resistive boundary condition, using the impedance of the superconductor in the Dyadic Green function, in the structure. Results are obtained from the resonance frequency depending on the parameters of the antenna using superconducting material, radiation patterns in E-Plane and H -Plane, the phased antennas array in linear and planar configurations, for different values of phase angles and different spacing between the elements

Antenas monopolo planar com patch em anel circular para sistemas UWB

The microstrip antennas are largely used in wireless communication systems due to their low cost, weight, less complex construction and manufacturing, in addition to its versatility. UWB systems have emerged as an alternative to wireless communications over short distances because they offer of higher capacity and lower multipath distortion than other systems with the same purpose. Combining the advantages of microstrip antennas to the characteristics of UWB, it is possible to develop more and more smaller devices, with diverse geometries to operate satisfactorily in these systems. This paper aims to propose alternatives to microstrip antennas for UWB systems operate in the range between 3.1 and 10.6 GHz, with a patch on circular ring. Some techniques are analyzed and employed to increase the bandwidth of proposed antenna: the insertion of a parasitic elements and a rectangular slit in the displaced ground plane. For this, key issues are presented as the basic principles of UWB systems, the fundamental theory of antennas and microstrip antennas. The simulations and experimental characterization of constructed antennas are presented, as well as analysis of parameters such as bandwidth and radiation pattern

Antenas de microfita com patch supercondutor a 212 K

This work has as main objective to study the application of microstrip antennas with patch and use of superconducting arrays of planar and linear phase. Was presented a study of the main theories that explain clearly the superconductivity. The BCS theory, Equations of London and the Two Fluid Model are theories that supported the implementation of the superconducting microstrip antennas. Arrangements phase was analyzed in linear and planar configuration of its antennas are reported factors such arrays to settings and criteria of phase and the spacing between the elements that make the arrayst was reviewed in order to minimize losses due to secondary lobes. The antenna used has a rectangular patch Sn5InCa2Ba4Cu10Oy the superconducting material was analyzed by the method of Transverse Transmission Line (TTL) applied in the field of Fourier transform (FTD). The TTL is a full-wave method, which has committed to obtaining the electromagnetic fields in terms of cross-cutting components of the structure. The inclusion of superconducting patch is made using the boundary condition, complex resistive. Are obtained when the resonant frequency depending on the parameters of the antenna, radiation pattern of E-Plan and H-Plan for the M-phase arrangements of antennas in the linear and planar configurations for different values of phase and spacing between the elements.