Rapid Image Capture Research Articles

Multi-fluorescent cationic carbon dots for solid-state fingerprinting

Carbon nanomaterials have been widely explored in bioimaging and biosensing, but their application in forensic science and technology is rare. In this report, we show one-pot synthesis of cationic Carbon Dots (cCDs) and their application in fingerprinting analysis. The cCDs show narrow size distribution (<10 nm), decent quantum yield (c.a. 46%), and a band gap of 2.75 eV. The cCDs exhibit cationic charge and show excitation-dependent multi-fluorescence characteristics. The cCDs show no production of reactive oxygen species and thus are safe to use. Interestingly, they also possess bright liquid as well as solid-state fluorescence. We demonstrate that a well-resolved patterned fingerprint can be obtained within a short time (2–3 min) from different physical surfaces and can be studied using a simple cell phone camera enabling accurate visualization up to third-degree detailing of the fingerprint. Owing to multi-fluorescence characteristics of cCDs, a detailed investigation of the fluorescent patterns was carried out by a three-dimensional multiphoton confocal microscopy. In comparison to traditional methods, the cCDs fluorescence-based fingerprinting shows improvements towards rapid image capture and analysis. Thus, the cCDs form a promising material for rapid fingerprint detection in forensic sciences.

Microbubble array diffusion assay for the detection of cell secreted factors.

The therapeutic potential of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) makes them an ideal tool in both clinical and research applications due to their ability to recognize and bind specific epitopes with high affinity and selectivity. While mAbs offer significant therapeutic potential, their utility is overshadowed by the cost associated with their production, which often relies on the ability to identify minor antigen-specific cells out of a heterogeneous population. To address concerns with suboptimal methods for screening cells, we have developed a cell-sorting array composed of nanoliter spherical cell culture compartments termed microbubble (MB) wells. We demonstrate a proof-of-concept system for the detection of cell secreted factors from both immortalized cell lines and primary B cell samples. Exploiting the unique ability of the MB well architecture to accumulate cell secreted factors as well as affinity capture coatings, we demonstrate on-chip detection and recovery of antibody-secreting cells for sequencing of immunoglobin genes. Furthermore, rapid image capture and analysis capabilities were developed for the processing of large MB arrays, thus facilitating the ability to conduct high-throughput screening of heterogeneous cell samples faster and more efficiently than ever before. The proof-of-concept assays presented herein lay the groundwork for the progression of MB well arrays as an advanced on-chip cell sorting technology.

Informatics and Computing.

Informatics and Computing.

Microtubule dynamics in mitosis in Aspergillus nidulans

Mitosis in Aspergillus nidulans is very rapid, requiring less than 5min at 37°C in germlings (Bergen and Morris, 1983). In this time the cytoplasmic microtubules (MTs) must disassemble, the mitotic spindle assemble, function and disassemble, and cytoplasmic MTs reassemble. It follows that cytoplasmic MTs must be extremely dynamic in this period and we were interested, in particular, in examining the processes of MT disassembly in prophase and reassembly in anaphase and telophase. We observed a diploid strain that expressed GFP-α-tubulin. We used a spinning disk confocal microscope that allowed rapid image capture, which proved necessary because microtubule dynamics were extremely rapid. We found, for the first time, that microtubule severing occurs in prophase in a filamentous fungus and that catastrophe rather than nucleation limits astral microtubule growth.

Focus on Photonics and Imaging

Focus on Photonics and Imaging

Real-time flat-panel pixel imaging system and control for X-ray and neutron detection

We present in this paper industrial nondestructive X-ray and neutron testing applications with a real-time digital imaging device and control system X-View based on active matrix flat-panel imager technology. X-View consists of X-ray or neutron converters, arrays of amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin-film transistors and photodiodes, a fast real-time electronic system for readout and digitization of images and appropriate computer tools for control, real-time image treatment data representation, and off-line analysis. Some basic image-quality parameters and different objects were assessed for quantitative and qualitative analysis. Results show a wide dynamic range (16 bits ADC resolution) and lack of blooming, a high frame rate (up to 25 fps), and rapid image capture. Images are directly displayed, on-line, on a PC monitor and archived in a digital form for radiography and radioscopy procedures and limitless industrial applications in X-ray and neutron inspections.

Trinocular active range-sensing

Trinocular active devices have the advantage of freedom from mechanical scanning and rapid image capture compared with more conventional active designs based on scanning laser stripes. Their efficient operation relies, however, on a good solution to the correspondence problem. This requires careful geometric design to take account of epipolar geometry and thorough modeling of image-measurement error. A design that, involves setting up the projector-camera geometry to be degenerate-so that depth computation is ill-conditioned-and then backing off a little is presented. This is called near-degenerate epipolar alignment. The result is that unambiguous stereo matching can, in principle, be guaranteed within a given working volume. This is in marked contrast with passive stereo in which ambiguity cannot be guaranteed, merely minimized statistically. The principles have proved to work well in laboratory tests, achieving unambiguous operation over a working volume of a 50-mm cube with a depth resolution of around 0.2 mm. >