Search results for " enhancement."

Reduction of spherical-aberration impact in microscopy by wavefront coding

2009

In modern high-NA optical scanning instruments, like scanning microscopes, the refractive-index mismatch between the sample and the immersion medium introduces a significant amount of spherical aberration when imaging deep inside the specimen, spreading out the impulse response. Since such aberration depends on the focalization depth, it is not possible to achieve a static global compensation for the whole 3D sample in scanning microscopy. Therefore a depth-variant impulse response is generated. Consequently, the design of pupil elements that increase the tolerance to this aberration is of great interest. In this paper we report a hybrid technique that provides a focal spot that remains alm…

Image enhancement in simple fingerprint minutiae extraction algorithm using crossing number on valley structure

2007

In fingerprint recognition system, fingerprint feature extraction algorithm requires good quality fingerprint images to produce good results. Therefore, one step in the preprocessing stage is image enhancement to improve the quality of poor fingerprint image, so the minutiae points can be detected with good results. In this paper, we present how this enhancement process in simple minutiae detection algorithm using crossing number on valley structure improves detection of true minutiae.

Granulocyte–Colony Stimulating Factor plus Plerixafor in Patients with β-thalassemia Major Results in the Effective Mobilization of Primitive CD34+ C…

2017

Successful gene therapy for β-thalassemia requires optimal numbers of autologous gene-transduced hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) with high repopulating capacity. Previous studies suggested superior mobilization in these patients by the combination of granulocyte–colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) plus plerixafor over single agents. We mobilized four adult patients using G-CSF+plerixafor to assess the intra-individual variation of the circulating CD34+ cells number and subtypes preand post-plerixafor administration. The procedure was well-tolerated and the target cell dose of ≥8×10 6 CD34+ cells/kg was achieved in three of them with one apheresis procedure. The addition of ple…

A surgical model for isolating the pig liver in vivo for gene therapy.

2013

Several studies report results that suggest the need of vascularization blocking for efficient gene transfer to the liver, especially in nonviral gene therapy. In this study, we describe a surgical strategy for in vivo isolation of the pig liver, resulting in a vascular watertight organ that allows the evaluation of several gene injection conditions. The hepatic artery and portal, suprahepatic and infrahepatic cava veins were dissected. Then, liver vascularization was excluded for 5-7 min. In that time, we first injected 200 ml saline solution containing the p3c-eGFP plasmid (20 µg/ml) simultaneously through two different catheters placed in the portal and cava veins, respectively. Vital co…

Boolean operations mediated by an ion-pair receptor of a multi-readout molecular logic gate

2013

A heteroditopic BODIPY dye that performs all basic Boolean operations with a cation (K+) and an anion (F-) as inputs and absorption, transmission and fluorescence as outputs is described. The molecular logic gate can also act as a digital comparator between the inputs.

2019

Post-activation potentiation (PAP) is a well-described phenomenon with a short half-life (~28 s) that enhances muscle force production at submaximal levels of calcium saturation (i.e., submaximal levels of muscle activation). It has been largely explained by an increased myosin light chain phosphorylation occurring in type II muscle fibers, and its effects have been quantified in humans by measuring muscle twitch force responses to a bout of muscular activity. However, enhancements in (sometimes maximal) voluntary force production detected several minutes after high-intensity muscle contractions are also observed, which are also most prominent in muscles with a high proportion of type II fi…

Persistence of Human Bocavirus 1 in Tonsillar Germinal Centers and Antibody-Dependent Enhancement of Infection

2021

Human bocavirus 1 (HBoV1), a common pediatric respiratory pathogen, can persist in airway secretions for months hampering diagnosis. It also persists in tonsils, providing potential reservoirs for airway shedding, with the exact location, host cell types, and virus activity unknown.

Near-Field Enhancement Optimization by Tapering Terahertz Gold Nanoantennas

We will present the simulation, fabrication and characterization of gold tapered nanoantennas, whose structure is optimized for terahertz near-field enhancement.

Current standing and frontiers of gene therapy for meningiomas

2013

Meningiomas are among the most common intracranial tumors. The treatment of choice for these lesions is complete resection, but in 50% of cases it is not achieved due to tumor location and/or surgical morbidities. Moreover, benign meningiomas have high recurrence rates of up to 32% in long-term follow-up. Molecular analyses have begun to uncover the genetics behind meningiomas, giving rise to potential genetics-based treatments, including gene therapy. The authors performed a literature review on the most relevant genes associated with meningiomas and both current and potential gene therapy strategies to treat these tumors. Wild-type NF2 gene insertion, oncolytic viruses, and transfer of si…

Implicit Wiener Filtering for Speech Enhancement In Non-Stationary Noise

2021

Speech quality is degraded in the presence of background noise, which reduces the quality of experience (QoE) of the end-user and therefore motivates the usage of speech enhancement algorithms. A large number of approaches have been proposed in this context. However most of them have focused on the case where the noise is stationary, an assumption that seldom holds in practice. For instance, in mobile telephony, noise sources with a marked non-stationary spectral signature include vehicles, machines, and other speakers to name a few. On the other hand, the usage of frequency-domain information in existing algorithms for speech enhancement in non-stationary noise environments can be made mor…