High-power Microscopy Research Articles

Alkalinized extraction of silica-aluminium nanocomposite from traditional Chinese joss paper: Optical characterizations

The Chinese traditional joss paper has been recycled and silica and aluminium nanocomposite production is reported in the current research, using an alkalinization procedure. Characterization of silica and aluminium nanocomposite extracted was performed using field-emission transmission electron microscope (FETEM), field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), UV–visible spectroscopy, high-power optical microscopy (HPM) and 3D nano profiler, indicates the size, shape and particle distribution, eventually reveals the purity of silica and aluminium nanocomposite synthesized. The silica-aluminium nanocrystal synthesized from joss paper waste was found to be ~15 nm size range under FETEM analysis and FESEM analysis revealed the uniform spherical shape. The energy disperse spectroscopy (EDX) data attained from FESEM analysis affirmed the synthesis of silica-aluminium nanocomposite with greater purity since the ratio of silicon to aluminium observed in EDX spectra was 13.24 to 7.96. HPM indicated the size of agglomerated aluminosilicate is 36.74 μm whereas 3D nano profiler has proven that the height of nanocrystal synthesized from joss paper waste is 234.37 μm. Band gap value of 3.84 eV, calculated using UV–vis absorbance readings further affirmed the size of nanocomposite which is in good agreement with presented results.

Use of the Ciliation Index to Distinguish Invasive Melanoma From Associated Conventional Melanocytic Nevi.

Our understanding of melanoma precursors and progression to melanoma has developed as a result of advances in the field of molecular diagnostics. We now better understand the potential for genetic heterogeneity within a single lesion. Combined tumors can pose a diagnostic challenge when deciding the line between benign and malignant, which in turn has direct implications for patient management. Primary cilia (PC) are ubiquitous sensory organelles that have essential functions in cellular proliferation, differentiation, and development. The ciliation index (percentage of ciliated melanocytes) has been shown to reliably differentiate melanoma, which fail to ciliate, from melanocytic nevi, which retain PC. We therefore analyzed the potential for using the ciliation index to differentiate benign and malignant components in combined melanocytic lesions. We collected patient samples (n = 10) of unequivocal combined lesions with both melanoma and associated nevus components. Melanocytes were highlighted with SOX10 and costained with gamma-Tubulin and acetylated alpha-Tubulin to highlight the basal body and cilium, respectively. The number of melanocytes retaining cilia under high-power microscopy was examined. The melanoma component had average of 4% ciliation (SD: 7%), whereas the associated nevus component was significantly higher with 59% ciliation (SD: 17%). These data show that PC may be a reliable means of distinguishing benign from malignant components within a single tumor. The ciliation index may be a helpful tool in distinguishing challenging cases of combined lesions of melanoma in situ with a dermal nevus component from invasive melanoma, thus promoting improved staging and clinical management.

Z-scheme and multipathway photoelectron migration properties of a bayberry-like structure of BiOBr/AgBr/LaPO4 nanocomposites: Improvement of photocatalytic performance using simulated sunlight

In this paper, bayberry-like BiOBr/AgBr/LaPO4 nanocomposites were synthesized by microwave-assisted hydrothermal treatment. The composition, structure, and morphology of BiOBr/AgBr/LaPO4 nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV−visible diffuse reflectance (UV−vis/DRS), high-power transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and N2 adsorption−desorption measurements. The results show that the light absorption capacity of BiOBr/AgBr/LaPO4 is clearly enhanced and that a bayberry-like structure is more likely to produce diffraction and reflection of light on the surfaces of composites. AgBr in the composite is capable of reducing to Ag0 after light irradiation. Ag0, acting as a charge-transfer mediator, can be the medium, thus forming a Z-scheme structure. At the same time, the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect of Ag0 exhibits higher activity in the simulated sunlight photocatalysis process in BiOBr/AgBr/LaPO4. The photoelectrochemical methods further indicate that BiOBr/AgBr/LaPO4 possesses the best electron−hole pair separation ability. Furthermore, two different interface electron transfer modes and multipathway photoelectron migration in the composite are determined.

Fabrication of gold nanorod–zinc oxide nanocomposite on gap-fingered integrated interdigitated aluminum electrodes and their response to electrolytes

This study describes the fabrication of three different gap-fingered aluminum-interdigitated electrodes (AlIDEs) on the silicon substrate based on photolithographic method, followed by integration of the gold nanorod–zinc oxide nanocomposite. The IDE masks were designed using AutoCAD software with the gaps of 10, 20, and 30 μm for design 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The morphological and electrical characterizations were subsequently performed using 3D-nanoprofiler, atomic force microscopy, high-power microscopy (HPM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and I–V. Validation of the fabricated surfaces (AlIDEs with/without gold nanorod–zinc oxide nanocomposite) against the electrolytes was performed at different pHs which are ranging from 1 to 12. SEM revealed the following gaps, 18.4, 20, and 40.5 μm for bare 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The measurements on I–V for bare AlIDEs indicated the electrolyte influences at different pH solutions, which were almost similar in terms of current variations except at highly acidic and alkaline. AlIDEs were well fabricated and the smaller the gap displayed the better the sensitivity, hence device 1 AlIDE has a good performance. Using different pH solutions which ranging from pH 1–12, before and after AlIDEs were coated with zinc oxide and gold nanorod. The responses of the devices were similar, fluctuating from highly acidic region to highly alkaline region in the cases of AlIDEs bare 1 and 3. Bare 2 AlIDE displayed similar responses with the AlIDE that was deposited with gold nanorod. With these results, we can conclude that deposition of gold nanorod on the device brought about the orderly response to the different pH and with the increment from acidic to alkaline increases, the proportional changes with the current were noticed.

Thoracic duct-to-vein anastomosis for the management of thoracic duct outflow obstruction in newborns and infants: a CASE series

BackgroundThoracic duct (TD) outflow obstruction causes high morbidity and mortality in newborns. It can be congenital/idiopathic or acquired (secondary to central venous thrombosis or injury during cardiothoracic surgery). Re-routing the TD to the venous system by microsurgical techniques to restore lymphatic flow is a potential surgical solution. We present a series of newborns and infants who underwent thoracic duct-to-vein anastomosis (TDVA) to restore TD outflow. Materials and methodsA retrospective review of all TDVA September 2015–March 2019 was performed. All patients underwent extensive pre-operative imaging evaluation by dynamic MRI and fluoroscopic lymphangiography. The TDVAs were done under high-power microscopy. ResultsEight patients underwent TDVA. Age at surgery was 1 to 9 months. Four patients had a history of cardiac surgery (one with complete thrombosis of the central venous system), one patient had a history of ECMO and thrombosis of the SVC, and three patients had a history of fetal hydrothorax and non-immune hydrops. Six patients had a successful TDVA with restoration of the lymphatic flow through the TD and clinical improvement. Two patients had a technically adequate TDVA but without improvement of the flow due to persistently high central venous pressure. Five patients remain alive, two patients died from complications of the lymphatic disorder, and one patient died from an unrelated cause. ConclusionsPatients with congenital or acquired TD outlet obstruction for whom no improvement is achieved by non-surgical interventions may benefit from TDVA. A thorough understanding of the anatomy and physiology of each patient is critical for the success of the operation. Level of EvidenceLevel IV.

Case-based discussion: a case of misdiagnosis of primary lung malignancy

A 69-year-old man was initially referred to urology outpatient clinic for investigation of frank haematuria. His medical history included transurethral resection of prostate in 2008, autoimmune hepatitis, hyperlipidaemia and hypertension....

A History of Life on Earth: Dinosaurs

The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: The Untold Story of a Lost World . By Steve Brusatte. 2018. Macmillan. (ISBN: 9781509830077). 404 pp., illus. Paperback, $18.92. As its title suggests, The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs is the story of the 186-million-year reign of the dinosaurs on earth, from their origins following the Permian-Triassic extinction to the demise of the non-avian dinosaurs at the Cretaceous–Tertiary boundary 66 million years ago. Author Steve Brusatte, a paleontologist at the University of Edinburgh, weaves the dinosaurs' story together with the story of his own journey from dinosaur-obsessed teen to prominent paleontologist. Along the way we meet many very colorful characters who have contributed to our understanding of the dinosaurs' story, some of them historical figures and others contemporary colleagues of Brusatte who have made significant discoveries. Brusatte is a gifted storyteller and explainer of complex ideas, making this book a very enjoyable read. He presents paleontology as a vibrant field of inquiry, with new dinosaur species being discovered at a rate of about 50 per year. There are stories of expeditions in the field, but we also meet paleontologists who work in the laboratory using high-powered microscopes, CAT …

Assorted micro-scale interdigitated aluminium electrode fabrication for insensitive electrolyte evaluation: zeolite nanoparticle-mediated micro- to nano-scaled electrodes

Biosensor with insensitive electrolyte variation is one of the basic norms to be investigated for developing a high-performance disease diagnostic with a non-biofouling. On the other hand, the optimum dimension of biosensor plays a significant factor to be considered for generating a biosensensing system with a least influence by the buffering agents. In this research, interdigitated aluminium electrode (AlIDE) with four different microscale gap sizes, 400, 100, 60 and 45 µm were fabricated through a photolithography technique on the silicon substrate. The accuracy of the device fabrication was justified by the morphological examination using field emission scanning electron microscopy, high-power microscopy and 3D-nano profilometer. The current amplified by four devices under bare condition was 2.55E−3 A at 2 V explains the accuracy of the device fabrication and the uniformity in the electric flow. Electrolyte scouting was executed on the fabricated AlIDEs with the pH ranges between 1 and 12, the results interpret small gap sized AlIDEs (60 and 45 µm) show the variation in the current with different pH solutions due to the ionic flux. The insensitivity of zeolite nanoparticle (~ 10 nm size) attached AlIDE with 400 µm and 100 µm at different pH solutions were analyzed. Linear current curves with least variations were attained from pH 1 to 11. At 2 V voltage supply, the amount of current generated by AlIDE with and without zeolite attachment during pH scouting were same (1E−4 A), with the same microscale gap sizes. However, there was no current fluctuation observed with zeolite attached AlIDE during pH scouting analysis. Further, the chemically functionalized zeolite nanoparticle behaves better than unmodified one and gold nanoparticle with the similar modifications. The results obtained in the present research denotes that microscale gap size was altered to nanoscale gap size in the presence of nanomaterials on the AlIDE sensing surface, enhances the sensitivity of the device and improves the insensitivity of device to the electrolytes. Thus, optimum microscale gap sized AlIDE is easier to fabricate, could be utilized for medical diagnostics with insensitive pH variation through the advanced physiochemical properties of nanomaterials.

Issue Cover (June 2019)

Journal of NeurochemistryVolume 149, Issue 5 Issue CoverFree Access Issue Cover (June 2019) First published: 29 May 2019 https://doi.org/10.1111/jnc.14508 Read the full article: Differential responses to increasing numbers of mild traumatic brain injury in a rodent closed-head injury model by B. Fehily, C. A. Bartlett, S. Lydiard, M. Archer, H. Milbourn, M. Majimbi, J. M. Hemmi, S. A. Dunlop, N. J. Yates, M. Fitzgerald (J. Neurochem. 2019, vol. 149 (5), pp. 600-678) on doi: 10.1111/jnc.14673 AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Graphical Abstract Front cover:Following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), further mild impacts can exacerbate negative outcomes. We observed unexpected patterns of damage and deficits following increasing numbers of closed-head mTBI in adult female rats. This may reflect dynamic responses to small numbers of mTBIs or a conditioning effect such that increasing numbers of mild traumatic brain injuries do not necessarily result in worsening pathology. Image Content The image shows high-power (4000×) transmission electron microscopy images within the central portion of the splenium of the corpus callosum which were stitched together to create montages which were used for quantification of the ultrastructure of myelinated axons. Read the full article Differential responses to increasing numbers of mild traumatic brain injury in a rodent closed-head injury model by B. Fehily, C. A. Bartlett, S. Lydiard, M. Archer, H. Milbourn, M. Majimbi, J. M. Hemmi, S. A. Dunlop, N. J. Yates, M. Fitzgerald (J. Neurochem. 2019, vol. 149 (5), pp. 600-678) on doi: 10.1111/jnc.14673 Volume149, Issue5June 2019 RelatedInformation

Squamous Cell Carcinoma Biomarker Sensing on a Strontium Oxide-Modified Interdigitated Electrode Surface for the Diagnosis of Cervical Cancer.

Cervical cancer is a life-threatening complication, appearing as the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the lining of the cervix. Every year, increasing numbers of cervical cancer cases are reported worldwide. Different identification strategies were proposed to detect cervical cancer at the earlier stages using various biomarkers. Squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) is one of the potential biomarkers for this diagnosis. Nanomaterial-based detection systems were shown to be efficient with different clinical biomarkers. In this study, we have demonstrated strontium oxide-modified interdigitated electrode (IDE) fabrication by the sol-gel method and characterized by scanning electron microscopy and high-power microscopy. Analysis of the bare devices indicated the reproducibility with the fabrication, and further pH scouting on the device revealed that the reliability of the working pH ranges from 3 to 9. The sensing surface was tested to detect SCC-Ag against its specific antibody; the detection limit was found to be 10 pM, and the sensitivity was in the range between 1 and 10 pM as calculated by 3σ. The specificity experiment was carried out using major proteins from human serum, such as albumin and globulin. SCC-Ag was shown to be selectively detected on the strontium oxide-modified IDE surface.

Influences of the Heating and Cooling Rates on the Dissolution and Precipitation Behavior of a Nickel-Based Single-Crystal Superalloy

The effects of the heating rate before solution treatment, and the cooling rate after solution treatment on the morphological distribution and evolution of the precipitation phase of nickel-based single crystal superalloy were studied. The dissolution, precipitation, and growth of the precipitation phase and the matrix phase during heat treatment were analyzed by the means of high-power scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the morphology of the precipitated phase has nothing to do with the distribution of the precipitated phase and the heating rate in the heating process, but the cooling rate in the cooling process affects the shape, size, and distribution of the precipitated phase. The faster the cooling rate, the smaller the precipitated phase is, the more irregular the shape is, the smaller the equivalent edge length is, and the smaller the channel width of the matrix phase is.

Micro-Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy: A Novel Approach Used in the Detection of Six Rare Earths and One Transition Metal

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) was undertaken using an instrument which used a high-powered microscope to deliver the light and tightly focused the low energy laser beam onto the surface of a solid sample. A micro-plasma was generated on the surface of the sample under test even though the amount of energy/pulse from a beam of 532 nm was <1 mJ. Rare earth elements such as europium, gadolinium, lanthanum, neodymium, praseodymium, samarium, and a transition metal, yttrium, were tested. These elements are important in nuclear fission reactions especially for estimation of actinide masses for non-proliferation “safeguards”. Each element was mixed in the graphite matrix in different percentages from 1% to 50% by weight and the LIBS spectra were obtained for each composition as well as after mixing each element in the same amount using oxides of the elements. The data for the 5% mixture of the rare earth elements with graphite powder along with the transition metal has been presented in this article. A micro-LIBS approach was used to demonstrate that these rare earth elements can be identified individually and in a complex mixture in glove boxes in which the microscope LIBS instrument is housed in a nuclear research environment.

Gold-nanorod enhances dielectric voltammetry detection of c-reactive protein: A predictive strategy for cardiac failure

This paper primarily demonstrates the approach to enhance the sensing performance on antigen C-reactive protein (CRP) and anti-CRP antibody binding event. A nanogapped electrode structure with the gap of ~100 nm was modified by the anti-CRP antibody (Probe) to capture the available CRP. In order to increase the amount of antigen to be captured, a gold nanorod with 119 nm in length and 25 nm in width was integrated, to increase the surface area. A comparative study between the existence and non-existence of gold nanorod utilization was evaluated. Analysis of the sensing surface was well-supported by atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, 3D nano-profilometry, high-power microscopy and UV–Vis spectroscopy. The dielectric voltammetric analysis was carried out from 0 V to 2 V. The sensitivity was calculated based on 3σ and attained as low as 1 pM, which is tremendously low compared to real CRP concentration (119 nM) in human blood serum. The gold nanorod conjugation with antibody has enhanced the sensitivity to 100 folds (10 fM). The specificity of the CRP detection by the proposed strategy was anchored by ELISA and failure in the detection of human blood clotting factor IX by voltammetry. Despite, CRP antigen was further detected in human serum by spiking CRP to run-through the detection with the physiologically relevant samples.

Mast Cell Profile in Benign and Malignant Prostatic Lesions

Introduction: Mast cells have an important role in innate and adaptive immunity. There role in tumour pathology is under investigation due to studies linking them to angiogenesis, tissue remodeling and stromal immunomodulation. Reports suggest that they can exert both pro or anti tumour effects. The role of mast cells may be influenced by its location in the lesion. In the present study, the number and distribution of mast cells in both benign and malignant prostatic lesions were recorded. Methodology: Fifty seven patients of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and 43 patients of adenocarcinoma (Ca) were the subjects of the study. Inflammatory conditions of prostate like prostatitis and other malignancies of prostate like sarcoma, transitional cell carcinoma etc were excluded from the study. This was a descriptive study with purposive sampling. Histological diagnosis was made by examining sections stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin. Additional sections from the same block were stained for mast cells using Giemsa stains as per standard protocol. Mast cell count was done in minimum 6 random high power microscopy field in four different regions viz., intraglandular, periglandular, stromal and perivascular regions for BPH and intratumoral, peritumoral, stromal and perivascular regions for Ca. Results were analysed statistically. Results: In BPH cases showed a significantly higher number of mast cells in stromal as well as periglandular areas followed by perivascular area. Only few mast cells were observed in intraglandular area. Similar was the observations in adenocarcinoma cases where the maximum number of mast cells were concentrated in the stromal and perilesional area. The number of mast cells in stroma of BPHwas higher as compared to that of adenocarcinoma. In rest of the areas, the numbers were comparable. Conclusion: This study showed no remarkable difference in the number and distribution of mast cells in benign and malignant prostatic lesions. There is paucity of such studies in the literature and the possible utility of mast cell count to differentiate malignant from benign and atypical conditions needs further evaluation.

Incidence and Prevalence of Pediatric Eosinophilic Esophagitis in Utah Based on a 5-Year Population-Based Study

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is often detected in children and is considered to be a rare disease, with prevalence values reported to be below 60 cases per 100,000 persons. To determine whether the incidence of EoE in children in Utah exceeds estimates from regional reports, we calculated incidence and prevalence values over a 5-year period. Using consensus guidelines for the diagnosis of EoE, we reviewed pathology records from the Intermountain Healthcare pathology database, from July 1, 2011 through June 31, 2016. We collected data on 10,619 pediatric patients with available esophageal biopsy results, and identified cases of esophageal eosinophilia (>14 eosinophils in a high-power microscopy field in an endoscopic biopsy). An EoE case required the presence of esophageal eosinophilia, symptoms of esophageal dysfunction, and the absence of co-morbid conditions that may cause esophageal eosinophilia. Annual pediatric EoE incidence and prevalence values were calculated per 100,000 children, based on averaged pediatric population estimates from census figures of Utah in 2010 and2016. We identified 1281 unique pediatric patients who met criteria for esophageal eosinophilia. Of those, 1060 patients met criteria for newly diagnosed EoE. Over the 5-year period studied, the average annual pediatric EoE incidence in Utah was 24 cases per 100,000 children. The prevalence in year 5 of the study was 118 cases per 100,000 children. In a population-based study of children in Utah, we found the incidence and prevalence of pediatric EoE to be higher than previously reported. This could be due to the prominence of EoE risk factors in this region, as well as Utah's searchable medical record system that allows for reliable case ascertainment. Further studies of this type could increase disease awareness, prompting early referral to pediatric gastroenterologists and trials to strengthen evidence-based, algorithmic approaches to EoE diagnosis and treatment in children.

Microscopy lights up stem cells in action

As developmental and cell biologist Valentina Greco stood on a stage in Philadelphia last December, candid time-lapse shots of some of the body’s most elusive cells flashed behind her in quick succession. These stem cells, photographed in a living mouse , were caught in the acts of dividing, differentiating, and interacting with neighbors. Such videos are more than just captivating cellular cinema—they could reveal key details about how stem cells work. Stem cell biologists are developing microscopy techniques to track individual cells in living animals for weeks or even months at a time. Here, the cells in a mouse’s hair follicles glow under a scope operated by Valentina Greco’s team at Yale University. Image courtesy of Panteleimon Rompolas (University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia). Cell biology is in the midst of a microscopy boom, and stem cell researchers in particular are coming up with inventive techniques for capturing live images of these enigmatic cells in their native habitats. Scattered throughout adult tissue, stem cells help maintain tissue function, heal wounds, and in the case of animals such as the zebrafish and axolotl, regenerate entire limbs. Greco, a professor at Yale University, is among the pioneers of using novel combinations of microscopes, fluorescent markers, and sample preparations that light up cellular interactions inside living model organisms to reveal the cues and triggers that prompt these versatile cells to action. As a microscopist, Greco felt compelled to study the dynamics of stem cell regeneration by watching cells in a living animal. “I followed what I know,” she says. “It was easier for me to walk that path than not to.” That’s not to say it’s been easy. She and her team had to focus a high-power microscope on a perfectly still mouse whose cells expressed the right combination of fluorescent markers. Today, Greco can …

Fabrication of MEMS cantilever using laser micromachine

This paper presents the fabrication of MEMS cantilever using laser micromachine. This technique of micromachining is able to overcome the problem limitations of conventional lithography. It also facilitates three-dimensional (3D) microfabrication rather than two dimensional (2D) microfabrication of conventional lithography. Prior to fabrication process, wet etching process using KOH solution are carried out on silicon wafer. Etching process is necessary to thin the silicon wafer for the laser micromachine purpose. The etch performance on silicon wafer was investigated by varying the concentration of potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution with respect to time. It can be seen that with higher KOH concentration and higher KOH solution temperature, the etch rate is higher and it will thin the silicon wafer faster. Even though it is beneficial when the time taken for the etching process is faster, this also resulted in a rougher wafer surface. The optimized etch rate is approximately l μm/min which yield in low surface roughness. The optimized parameters of laser micromachining were implemented to produce MEMS cantilever. Silicon wafer is used because most of the MEMS devices are silicon-based substrate. Three types of microcantilever were fabricated using laser micromachine namely rectangular cantilever, T-shaped cantilever and triangular microcantilever. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and high power microscope (HPM) were used to obtain the surface morphology on the ablated area of the microcantilevers.

A citation network analysis of lithic microwear research

The introduction of lithic microwear research into the wider archaeological community by Keeley (1980) was concurrent with the development of the processual paradigm and the adoption of the scientific method. Subsequently, lithic microwear research has benefited from over 35 years of innovation, including the introduction of novel methodological and analytical procedures. The present study employs a citation network to objectively analyse the development of microwear research. Given developments in technology, as well as the institutional isolation of early microwear research, the present analysis considers the citation network that stems from Keeley's seminal 1980 volume. The 363 papers identified as having cited Keeley (1980) in the subsequent 35 years were treated as individual nodes within the citation network. Before analysis, nodes were assigned attributes, including the type of research published and whether they were supportive of three key aspects of Keeley's experimental program: the ability to determine the function of the tool and to ascertain the type of worked material from microwear, as well as the use of high-powered microscopy techniques. Emergent properties of the papers, including closeness centrality, indegree and betweenness centrality, are used to test for significant differences between paper attributes. Similarly a clustering algorithm is used to objectively define distinct clusters of important papers within the discipline. Results indicate that a small number of nodes in the network maintain statistically significant influence on the form of the citation network. These important nodes and the distinct ‘schools of thought’ identified are discussed in the context of Keeley's initial contribution to the sub-field.

Smart-sensor network keeps close eye on lake ecosystem

New York’s Lake George may be the most high-tech lake in the world. By year’s end, a network of 41 sensor platforms will monitor the 32-mile long body of water. Its tributary stations and vertical profilers measure the chemical and physical properties of water at varying depths. Acoustic sensors measure the direction and speed of currents in three dimensions. What’s known as the Jefferson Project, named after US President Thomas Jefferson who once marveled at the lake during a visit, is run by researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, NY. Started three years ago, the project is already collecting more data points in one week than Rensselaer researchers collected at the lake over the past three decades, says project leader Rick Relyea. Using an extensive array of sensors, the Jefferson Project aims to understand in fine detail the effects of pollution, invasive species, and environmental change on freshwater ecosystems. Image courtesy of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. For the past 38 years, researchers from RPI have gone out onto Lake George carrying multiple hand-held water meters to take stock of the state of the lake. Every fortnight or so—except in winter—they’d manually measure the water’s chemistry and physical properties, such as pH and dissolved oxygen, and bring back samples for analysis in the lab. One weather station and one tributary station provided the researchers with additional data, such as wind speed and the flow and depth of streams. Today, the researchers rarely venture out to take measurements by hand thanks to the Jefferson Project, which also includes industry and a nonprofit collaborator. With the project’s array of sensors and specially devised models, no other lake is under such a carefully tuned, high-powered research microscope, says Relyea. “The greatest value of the Jefferson Project is in assembling such a detailed dataset,” …

Differentiating between cutting actions on bone using 3D geometric morphometrics and Bayesian analyses with implications to human evolution

Studies of bone surface modifications (BSMs) such as cut marks are crucial to our understanding of human and earlier hominin subsistence behavior. Over the last several decades, however, BSM identification has remained contentious, particularly in terms of identifying the earliest instances of hominin butchery; there has been a lack of consensus over how to identify or differentiate marks made by human and non-human actors and varying effectors. Most investigations have relied on morphology to identify butchery marks and their patterning. This includes cut marks, one of the most significant human marks. Attempts to discriminate cut marks from other types of marks have employed a variety of techniques, ranging from subjectively characterizing cut mark morphology using the naked eye, to using high-powered microscopy such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) or micro-photogrammetry. More recent approaches use 3D datasets to obtain even more detailed information about mark attributes, and apply those to the fossil record. Although 3D datasets open promising new avenues for investigation, analyses of these datasets have not yet taken advantage of the full 3D surface morphology of BSM. Rather, selected cross-sectional slices of 3D scans have been used as proxies for overall shape. Here we demonstrate that 3D geometric morphometrics (GM), under the “Procrustes paradigm” and coupled with a Bayesian approach, probabilistically discriminates between marks caused by different butchery behaviors. At the same time, this approach provides a complete set of 3D morphological measurements and descriptions. Our results strengthen statistical confidence in cut mark identification and offer a novel approach that can be used to discriminate subtle differences between cut mark types in the fossil record. Furthermore, this study provides an incipient digital library with which to make future quantitative comparisons to archaeological examples, including contentious specimens that are key to understanding the earliest hominin butchery.